Although he hadn't paid, Oscar still gave him more.
After eating five in a row, Lan Minghua let out a satisfied burp.
Oscar rubbed his palms together and asked eagerly, "Uncle, how were the sausages?"
"Fantastic. Delicious. They'd be even better if you knew how to cut hair."
Oscar was baffled by Lan Minghua's inexplicable remark.
But now that he'd finished eating, it was time to pay.
"Uncle, that'll be five Copper Soul Coins."
Lan Minghua tossed aside the toothpick he'd been using and put on the look of a man who had nothing to lose.
"I haven't got any money. Just this worthless life."
Oscar was startled. "What? You're trying to eat and run!"
As soon as he said that, Lan Minghua felt a gaze fall on him.
He sensed where it came from: the shop behind Oscar.
"So you're causing trouble on my turf, are you? Let me tell you, I'm a Soul Master!"
Oscar shouted as he jumped to the side and threw a set of Turtle Boxing at Lan Minghua.
Lan Minghua ignored Flender's peeping.
Instead, he pulled out several manuals and held them up in front of Oscar.
"Wait a minute. I've got a few Self-Created Soul Skills here. Pick one, and we'll call it payment for your sausages."
Oscar looked speechless. One glance at a manual titled Chrysanthemum Acupoint Hand made him think the whole thing was a scam.
He let out a long sigh. Taking in Lan Minghua's clothes, he decided not to press him for the five Copper Soul Coins.
He returned to his stall, packed up the few sausages he had left, and handed them to Lan Minghua.
"Uncle, just consider them my treat. Here, there are a few left. Don't eat and run again, okay? People might beat you up."
After stuffing the bag into Lan Minghua's hands, Oscar pedaled his tricycle back to Shrek Academy.
Lan Minghua gazed at the bag in his hands, feeling a warmth in his heart.
Oscar had talent and good character. He'd make a fine disciple.
But he didn't believe him yet. So why not go teach at Shrek?
And the chance to teach at Shrek was right in front of him.
Lan Minghua carried the sausages toward Flender's shop.
At that moment, Flender was still lying in his chair, thinking his peeping hadn't been noticed.
Lan Minghua wasn't about to let this opportunity pass. He could use it to get himself into Shrek for sure.
Of course, that all depended on him being strong enough.
Lan Minghua looked at Flender, still sprawled out, and kicked the door open without hesitation.
Boom!
Flender sprang from his recliner like a coiled spring.
Then he cursed, "Damn it! Looking for trouble, are you?"
Flender pushed up his glasses and glared toward the doorway.
When he saw Lan Minghua, the beggar, he cursed, "You filthy beggar! Do you have money to pay for my door if you break it? Get out of here before I lose my temper!"
Lan Minghua ignored him and walked straight over to the chair, then plopped down in it.
Flender's eyes bulged. The corner of his mouth twitched, and his fists clenched with a crack.
His knuckles turned white, his whole body shook, and he was furious.
That was an expensive chair in his shop, and now a beggar had sullied it.
Its value would plummet.
As a notorious miser, how could Flender not be furious?
He glared coldly at Lan Minghua, ready to throw him out.
As for why he didn't make Lan Minghua pay, well, you had to have money to pay.
He'd just overheard Lan Minghua talking to Oscar and knew he was flat broke.
Flender stormed over and, without worrying about the dirt, grabbed Lan Minghua by the collar, ready to toss him outside.
But no matter how hard he pulled, Lan Minghua remained as immovable as a mountain.
"What!" Flender's pupils shrank, and his face darkened like a storm cloud.
Lan Minghua grabbed Flender's wrist and gave it a gentle twist.
Flender winced and let go of Lan Minghua's collar.
"Forget about whether I'm paying for the door. You were eavesdropping on me and that young man just now. Shouldn't we settle that first?"
At Lan Minghua's words, sweat broke out on Flender's forehead.
He'd thought his surveillance, thanks to his Owl Spirit, was flawless. He hadn't expected Lan Minghua to see through it.
Now he understood why the man had kicked in his door the moment he arrived.
He'd brought this on himself!
Lan Minghua had no idea what Flender was thinking, but he wouldn't let go until he got an answer.
Flender tried to break free, but no matter how hard he struggled, it did no good.
As time passed, Flender's hand turned deathly pale, while his forearm beneath his sleeve turned purplish black.
Lan Minghua didn't mind fighting him. And even if he just held on like this, it cost him nothing.
After weighing his options, Flender decided to back down.
Picking a fight with an unknown powerhouse wasn't his style.
He forced a smile and said, aggrieved, "Senior, I was in the wrong. I shouldn't have eavesdropped on your conversation with Oscar. I sincerely apologize."
Lan Minghua let go and pretended not to know. "So that young man is Oscar? What's your relationship with him?"
Flender rubbed his wrist and thought, What a beast. Then he answered ingratiatingly.
"Senior, I'm the dean of Shrek Academy, and Xiao Ao is my student. I was afraid he'd be tricked, so I took the liberty of listening in."
Lan Minghua already knew that, but he still had to pretend otherwise.
"So he's a student at Shrek, and you're Shrek's dean. That makes it easy to find him."
Suddenly, Lan Minghua said something unexpected. "Calling me 'Senior' makes me sound too old. Just call me Huazi."
Flender hadn't expected Lan Minghua to be so easygoing. The tension from moments ago had vanished.
But for Oscar's safety, he still worked up the nerve to ask, "Then, Huazi, what do you want with Oscar?"
"I've taken a liking to that young man. I want him as my disciple. How about it, Dean? Will you introduce us?"
Lan Minghua blinked and fixed his gaze on Flender.
Flender fell into thought, weighing his options.
This man calling himself Huazi is at least as strong as I am. He might even be a Soul Douluo.
If I can get him to join Shrek, the academy will take off!
Flender was thrilled just thinking about it.
After all, ordinary advanced Soul Master Academies didn't have Soul Douluo backing them.
Only the Four Elemental Academies, the Lower Four Sects, and Heaven Dou Royal Academy had Soul Douluo in their ranks.
Lan Minghua watched Flender's eyes dart around and knew he was sure to get into Shrek as a teacher.
All right, come on. Hurry up and trick me into joining Shrek.
Sure enough, after thinking it over, Flender put on the expression of a conniving merchant.
"Huazi, I might not be able to help you." He put on a pained expression. "Although I'm the dean, I can't decide for Xiao Ao. So..."
Flender grinned slyly. "So, Huazi, you can join Shrek. Given enough time, Xiao Ao might see how strong you are and choose to become your disciple himself."
How could Lan Minghua not see through Flender's little scheme?
Still, teaching at Shrek wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
Maybe he could take on a few more disciples and then put his feet up.
"That sounds like a good offer. But what kind of treatment are we talking about?"
I've always been the one getting things for free from others. No one's ever gotten something for free from me.
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