Big Eater

Amid this inexplicable rivalry, the two of them somehow achieved the astonishing feat of eating ten steamer baskets of buns in five minutes.

Such an incredible feat drew the attention of the waiting parents and children. Their faces were full of amazement as they turned their gazes toward the bun shop as though they had discovered something miraculous.

"Boss, ten more baskets of buns!" the two said at the same time.

The boss stared at the two little ones in astonishment and kindly tried to dissuade them. "You've already eaten ten baskets. Eating more probably won't be good for your health. How about tomorrow?"

"No. We have to decide the winner today!" Na'er said seriously.

"Exactly. It's been a long time since I met an opponent who could make me take things seriously. If we miss today, who knows when we'll compete again!" Tang Wulin nodded in agreement, and the fierce desire to win in both their eyes only intensified.

Unable to persuade them otherwise, the boss had no choice but to place another ten baskets of buns before them. The contest resumed.

The freshly steamed buns were rather hot, so both of them deliberately waited a while before taking small bites.

Throughout the process, neither of them took their eyes off the other.

On one hand, they were observing each other's eating speed. On the other, they were trying to intimidate the other with their gazes and make them give up the competition.

"Damn, are kids these days really such big eaters?"

"So impressive! At this rate, they won't stop until they finish all ten baskets of buns!"

The spectators gathered outside the bun shop, watching and analyzing with great interest as they wondered who would claim the championship of this bun-eating contest.

Three minutes later, Luo Ze, who had just bought milk from a shop, looked in confusion at the crowd gathered outside the bun shop.

He had only been gone for ten minutes. How had so many people gathered outside the bun shop?

After squeezing through the crowd and arriving at the entrance, he discovered that Na'er was actually holding a bun-eating contest with a very pretty little boy.

The competition was incredibly intense. Their bun-eating speeds were practically neck and neck, and the contest had reached its most heated stage.

At that moment, only one final bun remained in front of each of them!

Tang Wulin made the first move. As a boy, he clearly chewed a little faster, and he was the first to toss the bun into his mouth.

Na'er followed right after him. Though she was slightly slower than Tang Wulin, her chewing speed was not inferior in the slightest.

In the end, Na'er swallowed her bun first and won the contest.

"I won!" Na'er lifted her chin and said proudly.

"You're amazing. This is the first time I've met someone who can eat even more than I can!" Tang Wulin silently gave her a thumbs-up, thoroughly convinced of Na'er's prowess.

After the competition ended, everyone stared dumbfoundedly at the two little ones. Their appetites could only be described with one word: monsters!

With appetites like theirs, there was no way they could be children raised by ordinary families!

And in truth, things were indeed just as they had imagined.

"Na'er, are you full?" Luo Ze had somehow appeared beside Na'er. Thoughtfully, he poured the hot milk into a cup and set it before her.

"Brother?! Why did you take so long to come back? I thought you got lost!" Na'er threw herself into Luo Ze's arms and looked at him with a hint of complaint.

"Sorry. Hot milk takes time."

"Anyway, Na'er, are you full? If not, we can get a few more baskets. We've got plenty of time!" Luo Ze patted Na'er's shoulder and said indulgently.

"I'm full. Thank you, Brother!" Na'er replied with a smile.

Luo Ze nodded, then walked over to the boss to pay the bill.

Just then, Tang Wulin, who had been silent at the side, looked at Luo Ze in delighted surprise. "Huh?! It's you, it really is you! Do you remember me?!"

"Hm? You are?" Luo Ze rubbed his chin thoughtfully, unable to recognize him for a moment.

Fortunately, Tang Wulin offered the key word, "grilled fish," and Luo Ze suddenly remembered their first meeting as though he had been enlightened.

"Oh! I remember now. You're that strange kid who bought my grilled fish that day!"

When he heard the words "strange kid," Tang Wulin felt as if a massive boulder had smashed down onto his head.

"I'm not a strange kid. I have a name. My name is Tang Wulin! Also, there was a reason I bought your grilled fish that day!" Tang Wulin hurriedly explained.

"What reason?" Luo Ze asked.

Tang Wulin had just opened his mouth when the bun shop owner interrupted him.

"Kids, save the reminiscing for later. Could you settle the bill first?"

The three of them nodded repeatedly. When Tang Wulin heard that the total was fifty Federal currency, he was nearly scared out of his wits.

"Fifty? How can it be so expensive?!"

"I mean the total. You two little ones ate fifty worth altogether," the boss explained.

Tang Wulin instantly relaxed after hearing that, though he still looked somewhat reluctant.

His family was not well-off. If used sparingly, twenty-five Federal currency was enough to cover his family's meals for an entire day.

Luo Ze saw the embarrassment in Tang Wulin's eyes. When he had bought clothes for Na'er yesterday, the shop assistant had intentionally reminded them that thirty thousand Federal currency was nearly an ordinary family's annual income.

What was more, Tang Wulin's clothes were already somewhat worn-out, and there were even holes in the cuffs, yet he was reluctant to throw them away.

All of that was enough to reveal Tang Wulin's family circumstances.

"Fifty in total, right? I'll transfer it to you." Luo Ze stepped forward first and paid before anyone else could.

"Why did you pay for mine too? I have money!" Tang Wulin hurriedly took out twenty-five Federal currency from his pocket, preparing to place them in Luo Ze's hand.

But Luo Ze waved his hand and refused.

"No. I should have paid this in the first place. If my sister hadn't provoked your competitive spirit, you wouldn't have eaten so many buns."

Luo Ze did not expose Tang Wulin's embarrassment. Instead, he cleverly explained why he had paid.

"That still won't do! Fifty Federal currency isn't a small amount. If you pay for me..."

Before Tang Wulin could finish, Luo Ze grabbed him and pulled him over. "Alright, alright. You're a grown man, so stop hemming and hawing. Just consider it a favor you owe me, Luo Ze. You can pay me back later!"

"Huh?! Is that okay? Won't you be losing out?" Tang Wulin asked.

"As long as you don't mind losing out, it's fine. Let's go, let's go. Hurry up and register at the academy. Na'er, keep up!"

After leaving the bun shop, far fewer students were still lining up at Red Mountain Academy. Most had already found their classes and were preparing to attend lessons.

The three of them stood before the class assignment board, searching for their names.

"Brother Ze, the three of us are in the same class!" Tang Wulin pointed excitedly at the Class Five assignment list.

Following Tang Wulin's gaze, Luo Ze saw his own name and Na'er's on the Class Five assignment list.

He had just been about to speak when an extremely disdainful voice beside them interrupted him. "So what if you were assigned to the same class? You're all just Class Five trash. What's there to be excited about?"