Wang Dong'er: Did I Starve Myself Unconscious?

Wang Dong'er let out a heavy huff in her heart.

She wished she would never run into Dai Huabin; seeing that guy's smug, self-assured look always made her blood boil.

Yet, for some reason, the more she thought that way, the faster her feet carried her forward.

In the middle section of the snack street, Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu were weaving through the crowd.

Suddenly, a distinct and peculiar aroma drifted over.

This fragrance was a blend of the refreshing scent of perilla, the pungent kick of cumin, and the charred, fatty aroma of fish roasting over charcoal.

These scents mingled perfectly, drilling straight into their noses and instantly overpowering the smell of all the other snacks nearby.

"What a delicious smell." Zhu Lu took a deep breath, feeling a sudden pang of hunger.

"It's up ahead." Dai Huabin pointed in the direction from which the scent was coming.

The two pushed through the dense crowd and found the source of the aroma in a corner.

It was a crude barbecue grill, with red-hot charcoal burning beneath the iron mesh.

A dozen or so students wearing Shrek uniforms were already gathered around it.

And working behind the grill, sweating profusely, was none other than Huo Yuhao.

Tang Ya was standing at the very front of the stall, holding two freshly grilled, golden-brown fish, devouring them without a shred of decorum.

Between bites, she didn't forget to shout loudly:

"Come and try it! Exclusive secret recipe grilled fish, five copper soul coins each! If it doesn't taste good, it's free!"

Dai Huabin brought Zhu Lu forward, preparing to take out money to buy two and have a taste.

Just then, a flurry of rapid footsteps came from behind, followed by the distinct, crisp voice of Wang Dong'er.

"Wow! It smells so good! Xiao Xiao, Yajie, hurry and smell that—is that scent coming from over there?"

Dai Huabin turned his head.

He collided head-on with Wang Dong'er as she squeezed out of the crowd.

The excitement on Wang Dong'er's face froze instantly. She instinctively took half a step back, then puffed out her chest and shouted, feigning composure:

"What are you looking at! Haven't you ever seen this young lady out for a late-night snack?"

Cui Yajie walked up from behind and naturally linked her arm with Zhu Lu's:

"Lulu, what a coincidence. You were also drawn here by this smell?"

Dai Huabin looked at Wang Dong'er's tsundere expression—her mouth saying one thing while her heart clearly wanted another—and deliberately drew out his words to tease her:

"Shrek City is so big, yet you can use precision guidance just to find a late-night snack. Student Wang Dong'er, you really need to practice your tracking skills more."

"Who's tracking you! Don't be so full of yourself!"

Wang Dong'er stomped her feet in anger and pointed at Huo Yuhao's stall.

"This young lady is here to buy grilled fish!"

Huo Yuhao, behind the stall, heard the argument and looked up.

When he saw Dai Huabin standing at the front, his hand, which was busy flipping the fish, froze mid-air.

He remembered the humiliating days at the Duke Mansion and the image of his mother's tragic death.

The hatred suppressed deep in his heart surged up instantly, making his breathing heavy and ragged.

But he knew he was no match for Dai Huabin right now, so he could only bite his lip hard, forcing himself to look down and continue turning the fish.

At this moment, Tang Ya happened to notice Dai Huabin approaching.

"Oh! Junior, you're here too!" Tang Ya waved excitedly and walked over in a few quick steps.

She leaned in close to Dai Huabin, looking him up and down.

"What a coincidence, you were drawn here by the smell too, right?" Tang Ya greeted him with a beaming smile.

Dai Huabin looked at the senior who had grease all over her mouth and handed her a clean handkerchief.

"Senior Tang Ya, long time no see. The taste of this grilled fish is truly unique; I could smell it from far away."

Dai Huabin's tone was familiar.

He had helped Tang Ya and Bei Bei in the Star Dou Great Forest, so their relationship was decent enough.

Tang Ya took the handkerchief to wipe her mouth, then turned and shouted at the grill:

"Yuhao, hurry up, grill two more! My treat, I'll pay!"

With that, she generously pulled out a few copper coins and slapped them onto the wooden table beside the stall.

Huo Yuhao's movements behind the grill paused slightly.

He set down his seasoning jar, took two prepared Blue Fish from the side, and placed them on the iron mesh.

"Mm."

Huo Yuhao's voice was very low.

Other than sprinkling an extra pinch of cumin, he showed no further reaction.

Dai Huabin pulled Zhu Lu's hand toward him.

"You've gone to too much trouble, Senior."

Dai Huabin introduced her with effortless grace, "This is my fiancée, Zhu Lu. We were just planning to stroll along this street."

Zhu Lu bowed slightly: "Hello, Senior Tang Ya."

Tang Ya looked at Zhu Lu, clicking her tongue in admiration.

"Junior, you're quite the lucky man. Your fiancée is beautiful, and she has such a great figure, too."

Tang Ya praised her without the slightest inhibition.

Rarely complimented so bluntly by a stranger, Zhu Lu's cheeks flushed pink as she leaned gently against Dai Huabin.

Wang Dong'er couldn't stand watching this anymore.

She was already holding a grudge from their earlier bickering, and seeing Dai Huabin playing the gentleman here only made her temper flare.

"Hey! You golden-haired jerk!" Wang Dong'er planted her hands on her hips and protested loudly, "Do you have any manners? Aren't you going to introduce this senior to us?"

Behind her, Xiao Xiao tugged at Wang Dong'er's sleeve, signaling her to keep her voice down.

Cui Yajie, however, was just there for the show, covering her mouth to hide her amusement.

Dai Huabin turned slightly and pointed toward Wang Dong'er.

"These few are my classmates."

Dai Huabin's tone became somewhat perfunctory, "The one in white, the one with the shortest temper, is Wang Dong'er."

"You're the one with the short temper!" Wang Dong'er retorted immediately.

Ignoring her, Dai Huabin continued pointing at the other two.

"The one with pink hair is Cui Yajie; her Martial Soul is a Nine-Tailed Fox."

"The little girl with green hair next to her is Xiao Xiao, a hidden genius with Twin Martial Souls."

Upon hearing the words "Twin Martial Souls," Tang Ya gave a visible start.

She whipped her head around to stare at the three girls, her expression like someone looking at a peerless treasure.

Not only were these girls beautiful, but being acquainted with Dai Huabin meant their talent was likely exceptional.

If she could recruit them into the Tang Sect, the revival of the sect would be just around the corner.

Tang Ya began calculating in her mind how she might lure them in.

Ignoring Tang Ya's schemes, Dai Huabin walked up to the grill.

As the distance closed, the aroma, a mixture of perilla and cumin, became even more intense.

He pulled fifteen copper soul coins from his pocket and laid them neatly on the wooden table.

"Classmate, could you please grill three more for me?" Dai Huabin's tone was very calm.

Huo Yuhao kept his head down.

He stared at the charcoal fire, his hands skillfully turning the grilled fish before brushing on a thin layer of clear oil.

Hearing Dai Huabin's calm tone, a strong sense of absurdity rose in Huo Yuhao's heart.

Was this the same Second Young Master who ran rampant in the Duke Mansion, treating servants like dirt?

Was this the same person who indulged his subordinates in bullying him, indirectly leading to his mother's tragic death?

Now, he could actually speak in such a polite tone to a street vendor?

Class status, it seemed, was packaged very well in the outside world.

Huo Yuhao's fingers, gripping the bamboo skewer, tightened so hard that the wooden stick began to warp.

"Wait a moment," he replied curtly.

Dai Huabin stared at Huo Yuhao for a moment.

As a transmigrator, he was well aware of the hatred churning inside Huo Yuhao, but he intended to act as if he knew nothing.

Dai Huabin leaned forward, his tone carrying just the right amount of confusion: "Classmate, have we met somewhere before?"

The brush in Huo Yuhao's hand paused abruptly.

A drop of oil fell into the charcoal, hissing as it sent up a plume of white smoke.

He gritted his back teeth, forcing all his emotions down.

He could not be impulsive; he absolutely could not expose himself here.

The influence of the Duke Mansion was too vast; right now, he was no better than an ant.

"No," Huo Yuhao replied in a low voice, "you've mistaken me for someone else."

Dai Huabin nodded, seemingly lost in thought.

"Perhaps. There are too many people in this world who look alike." Dai Huabin straightened his posture, deciding not to press the matter further.

He had only been probing casually, hoping to cause a bit of trouble for Huo Yuhao.

Dai Huabin turned his head to look at the empty space beside him.

Tang Ya had fully entered her element by now.

She pulled a few crumpled flyers from somewhere and forcibly shoved them into the hands of Wang Dong'er and Xiao Xiao.

"Come, come, junior sisters, take a look at our Tang Sect!" Tang Ya was as enthusiastic as a street peddler. "Once the number one hidden weapon sect on the continent!"

Cui Yajie pinched the corner of the flyer with two fingers, her face full of disdain.

"Senior sister, your promotional flyer is a bit too sloppy, isn't it?"

Cui Yajie retorted without mercy.

Tang Ya's face flushed, and she tried to save face:

"This is called being low-key! Look at that young man grilling fish over there; he is a disciple we just recruited into the Tang Sect! Impressive, right?"

Xiao Xiao poked her head out and took a look at the busy Huo Yuhao.

"So... Tang Sect disciples have to come out and sell grilled fish to subsidize their living expenses? Does your top-tier sect not provide meals?"

This soul-searching question left Tang Ya completely speechless.

Several new students queuing nearby couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Wang Dong'er held the rough flyer, but unlike Cui Yajie, she didn't throw it away.

She truly felt an indescribable sense of familiarity toward the Tang Sect. Back at the Clear Sky Sect, Big Uncle and Second Uncle had often mentioned it.

She raised her head, her gaze passing over Tang Ya and landing on Huo Yuhao behind the grill.

The temperature in front of the grill was very high.

Huo Yuhao was wearing a gray, coarse-cloth shirt that had been washed until it faded, and the collar was completely soaked with sweat.

His movements were very nimble.

Slitting the fish belly, sprinkling seasoning, flipping—the actions were performed in one smooth motion.

There were no unnecessary flourishes.

Wang Dong'er couldn't help but take two steps forward.

Strange.

Truly strange.

This boy selling grilled fish clearly looked very ordinary, the kind you wouldn't be able to pick out in a crowd.

Yet, why could she not stop herself from looking his way?

It was as if there were an invisible gravitational pull on him, tugging at her attention.

"Could I be starving to the point of delirium?" Wang Dong'er raised her hand and tapped her own forehead.