A Small Conflict in the Cafeteria

Ye Qiu lay on his bed, lifted his eyelids slightly, and turned over. Under Xiao Wu's expectant gaze, he drawled lazily,

"I'm hungry too. Let's go together."

"Yay!"

Seeing that her moneybag was coming too, Xiao Wu excitedly jumped to her feet.

Wang Sheng turned to Tang San again.

But Tang San was not like Ye Qiu. His family's Blacksmith Shop was truly poor as a church mouse.

All their money had gone toward buying wine for his father, Tang Hao. To keep from going hungry, he had deliberately brought extra provisions—coarse flatbread he had made himself.

Tang San calmly shook his head. He did not have a single copper coin right now. He would have to wait until work began tomorrow before he could earn any wages.

"You all go. I won't."

"Come on, Third Brother!" Wang Sheng stepped forward and slung an arm around Tang San's shoulders. He understood what it felt like to be short on money.

"Come with us. I'll cover your and Sister Xiao Wu's meals for the next couple of days." Wang Sheng spoke generously. He could still afford that much.

To spare Tang San's pride, Wang Sheng added, "Anyway, we're roommates now. Once you become a Soul Master, you can collect a monthly subsidy of one Gold Soul Coin directly from Spirit Hall. You can treat me then!"

"Gold Soul Coins?!"

Tang San's eyes lit up.

Though he had some doubts, he no longer hesitated and nodded in agreement.

"Wang Sheng, Ye Qiu can pay for my share. I don't want to owe people money everywhere."

Xiao Wu's crisp voice rang out as she skipped over to Ye Qiu and pulled him up.

"Ye Qiu, get up!"

"Ha ha. All right, Sister Xiao Wu. Let's head out, then."

Wang Sheng smiled and led them toward the academy cafeteria.

Along the way, Tang San moved to Wang Sheng's side and asked about the Soul Master subsidy he had mentioned.

Ye Qiu and Xiao Wu listened quietly from the side.

The Seventh Dorm was exclusively for work-study students. Its location was not very good, and it was rather far from both the classrooms and the cafeteria.

However, the junior academy itself was not large. They listened to Wang Sheng's introduction as they walked, and in less than a quarter of an hour, they arrived at the cafeteria.

"This place is huge!"

Xiao Wu could not help exclaiming as she looked at the enormous hall.

Tang San nodded slightly in agreement.

"Of course. All six grades of Notting Academy, along with the faculty, can eat here at the same time without any problem!" Wang Sheng explained.

Xiao Wu looked around, but none of the surrounding counters seemed to have what she wanted. She could not help looking at Wang Sheng. "Are there no fresh vegetables or carrots here?"

Wang Sheng replied, "Probably not on the first floor. I'm not sure about the second floor."

"Then let's go check out the second floor!" Xiao Wu waved her little hand and was ready to move.

Wang Sheng scratched his head awkwardly and explained, "Sister Xiao Wu, let's wait until we get paid before going to the second floor. The food upstairs is very expensive."

"Huh?"

Surprise filled Xiao Wu's eyes, but she quickly recovered and looked pitifully at Ye Qiu.

"Ye Qiu~ Ah!"

Ye Qiu showed no mercy as he rapped her rabbit head. "What are you thinking? Do you really think I'm a moneybag? You still haven't paid me back for the bedding, and I don't have much money left either!"

"Why are you being so mean?"

Xiao Wu held her head, tears welling at the corners of her eyes as she pouted at Ye Qiu.

"In that case, let's eat on the first floor." Tang San chuckled. Seeing Xiao Wu's pitiful appearance, his heart stirred slightly. If she looked at him like that, he would probably be even happier.

As soon as Tang San finished speaking, someone took over.

"That's right. Poor trash should know their place. The second floor isn't somewhere lowly work-study students like you can come."

A group of well-dressed boys and girls descended from the second floor. The arrogant voice belonged to one of them. Standing on the stairs, he looked down at Ye Qiu's group with contempt and disgust in his eyes.

"How about this? I'll pay for your meal and let you eat this young master's leftovers. What do you say? Happy now?"

"Ha ha!"

The people around him burst into laughter, their gazes upon Ye Qiu and the others full of mockery.

Wang Sheng hurriedly lowered his voice and quietly reported to the three leaders of the Seventh Dorm. "Boss, Sister Xiao Wu, Third Brother, these are the academy's noble students. They love bullying us work-study students. The one who just spoke is called Ling Feng—"

Before he could finish, Xiao Wu could no longer stand this nonsense. She stepped forward and shouted, "What are you laughing at? Looking to get smacked!?"

At the sight of Xiao Wu, Ling Feng, who stood at the front, brightened. Leaning against the stair railing, he wore a frivolous expression.

"Oh! Didn't expect this year's work-study students to include a little girl."

"Too bad she's still a lowly poor trash," someone beside him added.

Those people who considered themselves noble erupted into laughter again.

The other side kept calling them poor trash and lowly. Even Tang San, who had not wanted to argue with children, could not help frowning.

"Xiao Wu, do it."

Ye Qiu also revealed a faint sneer. Just as he was about to unleash the rabbit, Xiao Wu had already lost patience and darted forward. She took the stairs two at a time, leaped up, and swung her hand at Ling Feng's face.

"I think you're the one looking to get smacked!"

Xiao Wu's sudden attack startled Ling Feng. He raised a hand and summoned his Martial Spirit.

"Armor Shield Spirit, guard!"

A golden shield blocked Xiao Wu's attack.

"Martial Staff Spirit, appear!"

The person who had chimed in earlier also suddenly attacked.

He raised his hand, and a wooden staff appeared in it. With two shakes, afterimages appeared as it thrust straight toward Xiao Wu.

Smack! A pitch-black arm firmly caught the staff. With his powerful perception, Ye Qiu instantly discerned the real staff among the mere afterimages. He gripped it in his hand while the other person struggled with all his strength to pull it free.

A sneer appeared on Ye Qiu's lips. Just as the boy exhausted all his strength, Ye Qiu suddenly let go.

Thud, thud, thud! The boy staggered several steps and nearly fell flat on his backside. After steadying himself, his face flushed red as he swung the Martial Staff again.

"Kid! You're courting death!"

Smack!

Suddenly, a clump of Blue Silver Grass whipped across the boy's eyes. Ye Qiu knew Tang San had acted.

Ye Qiu did not hold back either. Taking advantage of the opportunity, he drove an elbow into the boy and knocked him down, then kicked him down the stairs.

Smack!

A sound came from the side. Xiao Wu had already broken through Ling Feng's defense, her palm landing on his face and knocking him down the stairs as well.

The three of them looked down at Ling Feng and the other boy from above.

Ling Feng lay on the ground, clutching his swollen face as he looked up at them viciously.

"You lowly work-study students actually dare hit this young master! Aren't you afraid the academy will expel you?"

"You bastard, and you're still spouting nonsense!"

Having finally reacted, Wang Sheng grabbed Ling Feng by the collar and was about to give him two punches.

Amid Ling Feng's screams, a stern, hoarse voice suddenly rang out, stopping Wang Sheng.

"Stop!"

"Master is here."

The surrounding students looked at the newcomer and began whispering among themselves.

The newcomer was Yu Xiaogang, wearing a dark expression and an old black scholar's robe.

Yu Xiaogang stood beside Wang Sheng with his hands behind his back.

He said sternly, "Fighting is forbidden on academy grounds. Don't you know that? If there's a next time, you'll be expelled immediately!"

Wishing everyone a happy life!