"Could you not do this?" Yang Xiao said with a wry smile. "We're classmates. Don't resort to violence at every turn. It's not like we're enemies."
"Anyone who deceives me is my enemy." Katsuki Bakugo did not continue attacking. Instead, he stared at Yang Xiao and said, "Don't let me face you again next time!"
"Don't worry, it won't happen." Yang Xiao breathed a sigh of relief and immediately ran off.
He probably would not run into Katsuki Bakugo again unless it was during the Sports Festival. But the Sports Festival was still a long way off, so he had no need to worry.
What he needed to worry about was that the USJ Incident was approaching. He had to improve his strength, so that if anything unexpected happened, he would be prepared to react.
Katsuki Bakugo snorted as he watched Yang Xiao run away. He would personally defeat anyone who had deceived him and stood in his way.
After school, Yang Xiao prepared to leave campus and report to Problem Solver. His life was like this now—he was either at U.A. High School or at Problem Solver.
However, after spending these days with his classmates, their relationships had improved. Some of them had even begun to show Yang Xiao goodwill.
Especially Denki Kaminari, who had originally known nothing about it. After learning that Yang Xiao had fought Todoroki Shoto, a Recommended student, and emerged completely unscathed—even though Yang Xiao had surrendered—he found it very impressive.
"Hey, hey, Yang Xiao, want to go eat ramen together?" Denki Kaminari caught up to Yang Xiao with his backpack on his back.
"Ramen?" Yang Xiao's eyes lit up. It had indeed been a while since he had eaten ramen. Smiling, he said, "Sure. I'll take you to a ramen shop. Their noodles are really good."
"Sounds great!" Denki Kaminari said happily, draping an arm over Yang Xiao's shoulder as they walked out of the school.
Outside the school gates was a long slope. Looking ahead from the slope, they could see the city buildings below, houses packed tightly together. Farther beyond lay the boundless sea, carrying a unique charm.
But although the sea looked close from where they stood, it was actually still some distance away.
Problem Solver was not far from the beach. Yang Xiao had gone running by the shore several times before, and the scent of seawater mixed with the breeze always felt exceptionally refreshing.
"We're here. This is the ramen shop." Yang Xiao pointed at the large sign in front of them.
"Fat Bro's Ramen?" Denki Kaminari read aloud.
"Looks like you've never been here before. Let's go in." Yang Xiao pushed open the door and walked inside. Fat Boss was making ramen, and when he looked up and saw Yang Xiao enter, he warmly said, "It's been a while since you came by."
"Yeah, I've been busy lately. But I brought a friend over to eat today," Yang Xiao said with a smile.
Denki Kaminari walked in at that moment, and Fat Boss immediately smiled. "Welcome, welcome. Have a seat inside."
Yang Xiao did not stand on ceremony. He led Denki Kaminari to a table in the corner, then took out a menu and handed it to him. "Order whatever you want. My treat today."
"Hahaha, Yang Xiao, you really are rich!" Denki Kaminari said excitedly. But he was not the type to freeload. "I'll treat you next time."
"It's fine. I just have a part-time job lately. Calling me rich would be an exaggeration." Yang Xiao waved his hand. Though it was only a part-time job, his pay was much higher than that of an ordinary office worker, especially after entering the core of Problem Solver.
"You have a part-time job, Yang Xiao?" Denki Kaminari said after taking off the headphones hanging around his neck. "Some high school students work part-time, but not many. At our age, we're supposed to be studying. College students are more likely to have part-time jobs."
"I just want to make my life better." Yang Xiao did not say anything more and pointed at the menu. "Hurry up and order."
Denki Kaminari nodded and began looking through the menu, though he was still thinking about Yang Xiao's part-time job. Yang Xiao's clothes did not look expensive, but he was fairly generous with money, so Denki Kaminari wondered whether his family was wealthy.
In the end, though, Denki Kaminari did not ask about Yang Xiao's family. They were friends now, but they were not close enough to talk about everything.
"Boss, one Pork Bone Kimchi Ramen and one Beef Brisket Spicy Wing Ramen!" Yang Xiao said, raising the menu in his hand. "Oh, and bring me a cup of Soju."
"Huh?" Denki Kaminari looked at Yang Xiao in surprise. "Are you serious? We're not old enough to drink."
"One cup won't hurt. Don't tell me you've never had Soju before?" Yang Xiao gave him a disdainful look, and Denki Kaminari immediately said, "Of course I have, but only at home. I've never drunk outside."
Besides, Denki Kaminari found it strange. Why drink alcohol with ramen?
Although Yang Xiao had been a shut-in in his previous life, he also liked to indulge his emotions. Having a little alcohol and opening BILIBILI to watch exciting content made it feel even better. Still, he was not into men—he was straight.
Maybe the pressure had been a little too much lately, so Yang Xiao wanted a drink to ease it. But in the end, Fat Boss did not bring him Soju. He brought him a bottle of soda instead.
"You're better off drinking soda at your age. Wait a few years before you drink alcohol." Fat Boss was thinking of Yang Xiao's health.
"Hahaha, look at you trying to act cool by drinking. Served you right." Denki Kaminari laughed, opened his soda, clinked it against Yang Xiao's, and started drinking by himself.
Yang Xiao merely smiled and picked up his chopsticks to start eating the ramen. It seemed he could only drink with Gin-san at Problem Solver.
"This ramen is really good..." Denki Kaminari said happily after taking a few bites. As someone born and raised in Japan, he had eaten more ramen than he could count. But most ramen no longer whetted his appetite, mainly because Japanese ramen had too little variety and was basically all the same.
But this ramen shop was different. He had never eaten here before, and just from the name, Fat Bro's Ramen, he knew that if he had passed by it, he probably would not have gone inside. It sounded too ordinary.
Only after tasting it himself did he know whether it was truly good. Unexpectedly, Fat Bro's Ramen really did taste great, unlike most ramen shops in Japan.
After the two finished their ramen, Yang Xiao specifically told Denki Kaminari that the soda had been given to them by the owner because it was his first time visiting. There would be no such deal next time.
"Boss, I'll be coming here often from now on!" Denki Kaminari said with a chuckle, thanking Fat Boss.
Still, some of the ramen at this shop was a little expensive. For a student like Denki Kaminari, coming once a week was already pretty good. He would not have the money to eat here too often.
After the meal, Denki Kaminari went home, while Yang Xiao strolled all the way to Problem Solver to report in. Problem Solver had been rather busy lately, so he needed to put in more effort.
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