She said that I won't be able to afford the price of hiring a five-year-old boy? That's the greatest joke in the world!

"You're sure that you want to haggle with me?" Gu Ruoyun raised an eyebrow with a half smile in her clear and cold eyes.

"That's right!" Lu Chen laughed coldly, "As long as you negotiate a price, I can match it!"

"Fine!"

Gu Ruoyun smiled as she stroked the teacup on the table with one finger. The meaning behind her smile was unreadable.

"Use your life to exchange for one minute of his time!"

This means that Lu Chen's life was only worth one minute of Xiao Zixie's time.

"What did you just say?"

Lu Chen's face has turned ashen and a fiery rage whirled within his being. He glared at Gu Ruoyun coldly, "My life is priceless yet you humiliate me by saying I can only exchange it for one minute of his time. Don't you think you're being a bit rude?"

Xiao Zixie rolled his eyes and swept a cold smile towards Lu Chen.

Forget about exchanging his life for a minute of my time. I won't exchange my time even if he was to give me ten of his lives!

"I've changed my mind," Gu Ruoyun smiled serenely, "Now I want the lives of every member of the Xia family! If you can give me their lives, I will give in exchange to you one minute of his time!"

The expression on Lu Chen's face had turned increasingly ugly. He clenched his fist to stop the raging fire from within him.

"Miss, he's a five-year-old child. He should be worth twenty gold pieces at most! I'm willing to give you twenty gold pieces for you to sell him to me for a month! I'll give him back to you after one month. Of course, during the course of this month, he will belong completely to the Xia family. You won't be allowed to see him!"

Gu Ruoyun smiled icily, "Do you not understand me?"

"What?"

"I've told you, only if you trade all the lives of the Xia family members would you receive one minute of his time! As for a month... Do you really think that you can pay that price?"

Instantly, the entire tearoom became silent.

When they saw the extremely ugly look on Lu Chen's face, a few kind souls could not help but advise her, "Miss, Lu Chen is the future son-in-law of the Xia family. Also, the Xia family is protected by Supreme Jin. Since Second Lady Xia has taken a liking to your little brother, perhaps you could sell him to her for a month temporarily."

"Don't worry, Second Lady Xia isn't so bad. She won't do anything to your little brother. Besides, it's only for a month. Why risk offending the Xia family?"

Xiao Zixie was becoming impatient as the chatter buzzed in his ears. His impish and adorable little face had turned extremely ashen. Suddenly, Xia Chuling, who has yet to understand tact, reached out to grab Xiao Zixie. He immediately exploded.

"Go away!"

Bang!

Xiao Zixie waved his hand and landed a fierce slap on Xia Chuling's face. That one slap sent her body flying out of the way before she slammed against the door frame. The shape of a palm and five fingers was now branded into her fair little face.

Xia Chuling was stunned. Everyone else was unable to regain their senses too. When the sting from that scorching slap finally hit her, Xia Chuling burst into tears.

"I want to go home and tell my daddy and mother. You hit me and I want my daddy to avenge me. Waaah!"

Lu Chen clenched his fist and his expression was ashen. After all, he was the one who had accompanied Xia Chuling out of the house. If she ends up being upset, how was he going to explain this to the Xia family when he returned?

"Miss, your little brother has raised his hand to harm a person as well. Don't you plan on giving us justification?"

"Justification?" Gu Ruoyun smiled icily, "What justification? His actions were out of defense! If someone didn't forcefully try to drag him away, he would not have raised his hand!"