A Classmate Encounter

He Ao carefully examined the silver test tube in his hand. After looking at it for a long time, he couldn't find anything special, so he had no choice but to put it away.

Actually, he hadn't originally planned to take the test tube out, but just before leaving, he suddenly recalled how the young man from before had easily knocked open his anti-theft door, which he had welded eight anti-theft chains onto. So, he went back and put the test tube in his pocket.

Before obtaining a stable safe house, carrying it with him was the safest way, and once he encountered an accident outside, he could get a timely resupply.

It was a little past nine in the evening. The flow of people at this time wasn't large, but there were still scattered customers coming.

He Ao put the test tube into his pocket and had just gotten up to see if any customers were coming when a blurry figure appeared under the dim streetlights in the distance.

This figure was somewhat familiar, but not entirely so. As he slowly approached, He Ao saw his face clearly.

Zhang Anxia, the researcher from the 'Abnormal Human Research Institute'.

Zhang Anxia also saw He Ao from afar. He nodded slightly at He Ao but didn't walk towards him. Instead, he quickly turned and went across the road, where there was also a cold noodles stall.

Naturally, He Ao wasn't the only one selling cold noodles in this area. There were five or six stalls coming and going, some selling barbecue, some selling Oden, but He Ao's business was just the best.

However, the cold noodles stall across the street had only recently set up shop. Seeing He Ao's good business, they thought they could do it too, and as soon as they started, they engaged in a price war with He Ao, wanting to use the price advantage to force He Ao out and seize the market.

Both large and small bowls were a dollar cheaper than He Ao's.

This did affect some of He Ao's business, but not significantly, after all, He Ao's taste was there.

And He Ao didn't lower his prices. He chose better ingredients, and the corresponding cost was higher. This price was already very cheap, there was no need to get caught up in the quagmire of a price war.

At this time, there was basically no one at the stall across the street. He Ao watched Zhang Anxia order a bowl of cold noodles and then sit down at a table behind a tree. Then his gaze was fixed on the depths of the night.

What mission was he executing again?

A realization flashed through He Ao's mind.

Because there were no customers, Zhang Anxia's cold noodles were ready quickly.

He Ao watched him pick up the noodles and take a bite, remained silent for two seconds, then quietly got up, crossed the road, and walked to He Ao's stall.

"A bowl of cold noodles, small size."

"Sweet and sour or spicy?"

He Ao looked at him with a smile.

"Sweet and sour, to go."

Zhang Anxia's gaze didn't stop in front of He Ao but remained locked on the depths of the night.

He Ao quickly mixed the cold noodles, packed them up, inserted disposable chopsticks, and handed them to him.

"Here you go."

"Mm," Zhang Anxia took the cold noodles He Ao had made, hesitated for a moment, and said softly, "Your cold noodles are really delicious."

"Thank you."

The happiest moment for a chef is when a diner sincerely praises the food they made as delicious.

Zhang Anxia waved goodbye to He Ao, then crossed the road again and returned to his original position. However, he didn't continue to sit at the table at the stall across the street. Instead, he squatted by the tree, eating the cold noodles He Ao made while continuing to look into the depths of the night.

He Ao didn't know why, but he felt that Zhang Anxia was being a bit excessive, because the owner of the cold noodles stall across the street seemed to have a rather unpleasant expression.

After all, He Ao couldn't stand seeing others look unhappy, so he shifted his gaze away from the owner's face and followed Zhang Anxia's gaze into the depths of the night.

After a while, two blurry figures emerged from the darkness.

They were two young girls, one tall and one short.

The taller one was about 1.6 meters, close to 1.7 meters, with medium-length hair just past her shoulders, the ends slightly curled. She wore a loose beige knitted sweater on her upper body, the long hem covering her waist and hips, reaching down to her thighs wrapped in black stockings.

The girl herself still looked a bit young and inexperienced, but paired with this mature outfit, the combination created a unique charm.

The shorter one was about 1.5 meters, close to 1.6 meters, wearing a cheerful red hooded sweatshirt paired with blue wide-leg jeans, looking lively and clever.

The girl in the red sweatshirt was holding her phone, looking around, and complaining with a pout, "Why is it so remote here? I shouldn't have come."

"It's okay," the taller girl smiled. Her gaze swept around and quickly locked onto He Ao's stall under the lights. She pointed to He Ao's stall, "Nan Nan, is that it?"

"Looks like it," the sweatshirt girl shook her phone and pointed in He Ao's direction, "It should be."

Then she excitedly jogged over, "Liu Nan, let's go~!"

At this moment, He Ao also clearly saw their faces. After all, his physical fitness had improved, and his eyesight was much better than before.

The taller one was Liu Nan, and the shorter one he didn't see often, she seemed to be in the same class as Liu Nan... her name was... Yuan Nan Nan?

As the two got closer, they also recognized He Ao setting up a stall under the streetlights.

"He Ao?!" Yuan Nan Nan was clearly a bit shocked. She quickly ran over, circled He Ao twice, and then looked at Liu Nan, who was slowly walking over, with a surprised expression, "Liu Nan, look, He Ao, it's really him, he's alive."

He Ao: ?

Liu Nan was also a bit helpless with her friend's actions. She smiled apologetically at He Ao and said softly, "He Ao... are you... doing business here?"

"Yes," He Ao nodded, not really bothered by it. "Setting up a stall here to sell cold noodles. Want a bowl?"

"Eh eh eh!"

Yuan Nan Nan circled He Ao's stall in shock. "So the cold noodles stall that the school forum said was super delicious is yours?! Are you... experiencing life?"

"To be precise," He Ao shrugged, "it's for a living."

Yuan Nan Nan was a bit confused, clearly not having reacted yet.

"Nan Nan,"

Liu Nan quickly pulled her friend back. Although Yuan Nan Nan's family background was much worse than hers, she was also born into a wealthy family in West Capital, used to having everything handed to her. She also didn't have much exposure to society at school, so her understanding of life was a bit skewed.

In Yuan Nan Nan's circle, people her age were supposed to spend every day eating, drinking, and having fun, discussing shopping, board games, pocket money, where to go skiing, or where to travel. So she couldn't quite understand He Ao's words "for a living" as someone her age.

Liu Nan pulled her back for fear that she would say something that would hurt He Ao.

"Um, we're here to eat cold noodles. Can we have two bowls?" Liu Nan looked at the sign on He Ao's stall and said softly, "Large bowls, one sweet and sour, one spicy, for takeout."

"Okay, please wait a moment."

He Ao didn't actually care about Yuan Nan Nan's words. He quickly scooped up the cold noodles and started working. Just then, the corner of his eye caught Zhang Anxia shooting out like an arrow released from a bowstring, disappearing into the night.

Wasn't he here to protect Liu Nan?

He Ao was a bit confused.