Master's Schemes

Watching Xiao Wu's adorable appearance, even though Du Cheng considered his self-control exceptional, his heart still stirred:

This girl was a little too bewitching.

Doing his best to control his emotions, Du Cheng reached out with his sinful claws:

"Sleepyhead, time to get up!"

"Cheng Gege?"

With Du Cheng pinching her nose, Xiao Wu struggled a few times before finally waking up.

When her gaze fell on Du Cheng, Xiao Wu looked somewhat dazed:

"Wasn't I eating carrots?"

Du Cheng's mouth twitched slightly, and he nearly burst out laughing:

She was eating even in her dreams. How had he not noticed while reading that Xiao Wu was such a foodie?

"Hurry up and get dressed. If we wait any longer, we won't have time to eat."

"Food!"

At the mention of food, Xiao Wu instantly perked up:

"Cheng Gege, wait for me."

After washing up and getting herself sorted out, Xiao Wu finally stood before Du Cheng again nearly half an hour later:

"Cheng Gege, we can go now."

"Alright."

Nodding, Du Cheng turned to look at Wang Sheng and the others nearby:

"You lot, come with me."

"Us?"

Wang Sheng glanced at Du Cheng, his expression puzzled.

"As the Dormitory Head, isn't it perfectly normal for me to treat you to a meal?"

After a brief pause, Du Cheng continued:

"I heard the food on the Canteen Second Floor tastes pretty good. If you don't want to eat, forget it."

"Yes!"

The moment Du Cheng finished speaking, Wang Sheng shot to his feet:

"From the moment I first saw you, I knew Cheng Ge was no ordinary person. Looks like I was right."

As soon as he finished speaking, Wang Sheng swallowed hard.

Since they had become Work-Study Students, their family circumstances were obvious enough.

The ingredients used for the food on the Canteen Second Floor all came from soul beasts. Not only was it delicious, but eating it regularly could also improve one's strength.

But...

All of that information came from just two words—so they said!

Actually getting to taste the food on the Canteen Second Floor was something Wang Sheng and the others could only dream of.

For a moment, everyone present looked at Du Cheng with worship in their eyes:

Strong, handsome, and rich—this boss was just too cool!

"Since you want to eat, let's go."

Sensing their gazes, Du Cheng's lips curled slightly:

A stick followed by a carrot—this sort of tactic was far too easy for him.

Unfortunately, the system's Bond Value could only be generated through Goddess-level figures. Otherwise, he could have gained at least seven or eight more chances to draw now.

"Thank you, Cheng Ge!"

Nodding, Wang Sheng looked somewhat hesitant:

"Cheng Ge, Third Brother doesn't seem to be here."

"Tang San?"

After a brief pause, Du Cheng finally realized:

No wonder it felt like something was missing this morning. So it was that malicious stare.

"If he's not here, then he's not here."

Du Cheng waved a hand casually, appearing utterly unfazed:

"We're about to miss breakfast. We can't make everyone go hungry because of him."

Treating Tang San to a meal?

Du Cheng had no such intention.

Wang Sheng and the others might have been fence-sitters, but at least they knew what gratitude was.

What about Tang San?

He had poisoned a sect Elder and stolen the sect's secret manuals!

Since he was an ungrateful wolf that could never be fed full, why waste money on him?

"Boss is right."

Knowing there was some conflict between Du Cheng and Tang San, Wang Sheng made his choice with ease:

Don't blame me for being heartless. Cheng Ge is simply offering too much!

With the temptation of the Canteen Second Floor before them, the entire Seventh Dormitory sprang into action.

In less than ten minutes, Wang Sheng led everyone to their destination.

"This is it."

Standing at the staircase between the first and second floors of the canteen, Wang Sheng's voice trembled slightly:

"Cheng Ge, are we really going up?"

"If you don't want to eat, you can stay on the first floor."

Du Cheng had not expected Wang Sheng to lose his nerve at this point, and he looked at him disdainfully:

You're this much of a coward? Does your family know?

"I..."

It was a showdown between courage and temptation, and the latter won decisively:

"I'm going!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Wang Sheng realized that Du Cheng and the others had somehow already gone up to the second floor.

Without another moment of hesitation, he hurried after them:

If he missed this chance because he was too slow, he would not even have a place to cry about it.

"Cheng Ge!"

Upon reaching the second floor, Wang Sheng's first move was to look around:

So this is the place we had never... no, no...

"Tang... Third Brother?"

Seeing the figure seated at the table closest to the stairs, Wang Sheng froze:

"Why are you here?"

When his gaze fell on the middle-aged man in blue robes sitting opposite Tang San, Wang Sheng suddenly understood:

So this guy had gone out early in the morning just to eat by himself?

As a qualified fence-sitter, Wang Sheng was actually quite rational most of the time:

He had known Tang San for less than a day. Naturally, Tang San had no obligation to tell them what he wanted to eat.

But the thing people feared most in this world was comparison.

Du Cheng and Tang San had joined the Seventh Dormitory at about the same time. The former was powerful, yet still treated everyone to a meal, while the latter secretly ate by himself.

More importantly, Wang Sheng had just done work for Tang San last night.

Seeing Tang San put a bite of unknown roasted meat into his mouth, Wang Sheng suddenly felt nauseated:

I was such a fucking idiot before. I actually thought I could curry favor with someone like him.

"Why are you here?"

At the same time Wang Sheng spoke, Tang San also noticed the group coming up from the first floor.

When his gaze landed on Du Cheng and Xiao Wu's clasped hands, veins faintly bulged on Tang San's hand:

Why? Why couldn't it be me?

"What are you looking at?"

Xiao Wu had no favorable impression of Tang San:

"Cheng Gege brought us to the second floor for a meal. Is there a problem with that?"

After speaking, Xiao Wu shot Tang San a fierce glare:

"You think everyone is like you, ugly boy, only knowing how to eat alone?"

"I..."

"Little San is my disciple, and this meal is a Master-Disciple Banquet between us."

Hearing their exchange, the blue-robed man elegantly set down his utensils:

"As Little San's roommates, I had intended to invite you all another time."

"I did not think this through carefully enough. I hope you little ones won't be angry."

As expected of Douluo's greatest scumbag, his methods really were impressive!

Hearing Master's words, Du Cheng could not help narrowing his eyes.

Master might have appeared gentle and magnanimous, but in reality, a single sentence had placed Xiao Wu and the others in an extremely awkward position.

I am eating with my disciple, so I cannot invite outsiders.

But I had intended to invite you as well; I simply had not yet had the chance to do so.

Combined with Xiao Wu and Wang Sheng's earlier behavior, it was easy to give people the wrong impression:

Du Cheng and the others were ungrateful and unable to distinguish kindness from malice.

At least after Master spoke, quite a few contemptuous looks were cast their way.