"Hey, junior, what do you think? We're pretty good at grilling fish, aren't we?"
Tang Ya sidled up to Wang Dong'er, her face wreathed in smiles as she launched into her sales pitch.
"So, how about learning a little about the Tang Sect? It used to be the number-one sect on the continent!
"Join us and I'll make the call. We'll teach you all the Tang Sect Secret Arts, the Mysterious Heaven Skill and the Purple Demon Eye. We'll make sure you learn them!"
Wang Dong'er stared eagerly at the sizzling, glistening grilled fish. She was curious about the Tang Sect, but right now, she thought eating grilled fish was more important.
She waved a hand. "Um... I'll think about it."
Just as Tang Ya was about to keep sweet-talking her, a small commotion suddenly came from the direction of the east gate.
The crowd unconsciously parted, leaving a path.
A tall, graceful girl walked through the crowd.
Her long, wavy golden hair spilled over her shoulders. Her features were so exquisite that not a single flaw could be found, and a natural gentleness graced her brow.
She wore nothing more than the most ordinary Shrek Academy uniform, yet it did nothing to hide her refined, otherworldly beauty.
Jiang Nannan, universally recognized as the Outer Academy's number-one beauty.
Jiang Nannan had evidently been drawn over by the irresistible aroma, too.
She walked straight to the grilled-fish stall, glanced at the wooden sign hanging beside it, and furrowed her brow slightly.
"Classmate, five Copper Soul Coins for one grilled fish is a little steep."
Jiang Nannan's voice was lovely, as crisp as a mountain spring.
"Fish doesn't cost that much. Even with your special seasoning, three Copper Soul Coins should be enough, shouldn't they?"
Huo Yuhao held a bamboo skewer in his hand, flipping the fish without even looking up.
"Sorry, I don't haggle here. Besides, those two have already been sold. I'm out of grilled fish for today. If you want some, you'll have to wait until tomorrow."
Jiang Nannan froze. A faint blush of embarrassment crossed her fair face.
"Sorry. I'm used to haggling when I shop, and I didn't know how you did things here." Jiang Nannan inclined her head slightly.
"I'll come back another day, then."
With that, she gave Huo Yuhao a polite nod and turned to leave.
Jiang Nannan's brief appearance left everyone around them staring.
Xiao Xiao tugged at Cui Yajie's sleeve and whispered, "Yajie, that girl's so pretty. And her bearing is wonderful."
Cui Yajie flicked her pink curls and puffed out her ample chest. She looked a little unwilling to concede, but had to admit, "She really is beautiful. But..."
Cui Yajie glanced at Wang Dong'er, who was still swallowing hungrily beside her.
"I think our Dong'er is prettier."
Wang Dong'er was focused on the grilled fish and hadn't heard a word Cui Yajie said.
Dai Huabin was also sizing up Jiang Nannan.
To be fair, Jiang Nannan was indeed stunning. She had a delicate beauty that made people instinctively want to protect her.
But by his standards, while Jiang Nannan was lovely, she still fell short of Wang Dong'er's dazzling, lively beauty.
Zhu Lu keenly noticed where Dai Huabin was looking.
Instead of getting jealous, she leaned closer to Dai Huabin and lowered her voice.
"Huabin, that senior really is pretty. If you like her, I can find out what class she's in for you."
Dai Huabin was at a loss for words. He reached out and pinched Zhu Lu's pert nose.
"What goes on in that little head of yours all day? I was only looking at the lackey following her."
Following Dai Huabin's cue, everyone noticed a tall young man following some distance behind Jiang Nannan.
He had a fairly rugged face, but his eyes might as well have been glued to Jiang Nannan.
It didn't take a genius to guess that he was Xu Sanshi, the Outer Academy's notorious lovesick troublemaker.
When Xu Sanshi saw that Jiang Nannan hadn't managed to buy any grilled fish, he figured this was the perfect chance to show off in front of the girl he loved.
He strode through the crowd and walked straight up to the grilled-fish stall.
"Clink!"
A gleaming Gold Soul Coin flew casually from his hand, arced through the air, and landed neatly in the wire mesh at the edge of the grill.
"This Gold Soul Coin's yours. Those two grilled fish are mine."
Xu Sanshi reached out his broad palm to grab the two sizzling, glistening fish from the wire mesh.
Huo Yuhao frowned, but before he could say anything, someone beside him was already having none of it.
"What are you doing!" Wang Dong'er couldn't stand by and let someone snatch the food right out from under her nose.
She'd been waiting here ages for those two fish, and they were just about ready to eat. Then this guy had come barging in out of nowhere.
Wang Dong'er immediately stepped forward and slapped at Xu Sanshi's outstretched hand.
"Those are my fish! Ever heard of 'first come, first served'?"
Xu Sanshi was a Soul Elder over level thirty, and his Martial Soul, the top-tier defensive Mysterious Underworld Turtle, made his body exceptionally tough.
He hadn't released his Martial Soul, but the instant he sensed an attack, his arm instinctively jerked. A powerful surge of Soul Power rebounded from it.
Wang Dong'er was only at level twenty-one, and she'd struck without warning. The moment their palms met, she felt a tremendous force surge back along her arm.
"Ah!" Wang Dong'er cried out as she instantly lost her balance and toppled backward uncontrollably.
Just as she thought she was about to fall flat on her back in front of all these people and make a complete fool of herself,
a strong arm suddenly reached out and caught her slender waist.
A warm, solid chest pressed against her.
Wang Dong'er caught a pleasant, clean scent. She lifted her head sharply and met Dai Huabin's deep blue eyes, smiling down at her.
"You dummy. You're so eager for a bite that you don't even care about your own safety?" Dai Huabin's rich, magnetic voice sounded above her head.
Wang Dong'er's face instantly flushed all the way to her neck, red as a ripe apple.
She was used to throwing her weight around in the dormitory. She'd never experienced being held so firmly in a boy's arms before.
The large hand around her waist felt so hot that she could barely sit still.
"W-who asked you to save me!"
She tried to wriggle free, but her voice came out soft and weak, utterly unconvincing.
In the end, she could only add a quiet, "Thanks..."
Dai Huabin released her and steadied her on her feet. Then he ruffled her pink-and-blue hair, deliberately teasing her.
"Why are you thanking me? We're good friends, after all."
At the words "good friends," Wang Dong'er's heart gave a sudden flutter. She turned away so she wouldn't have to look at him and muttered, "As if I'd be friends with a jerk like you, blondie."
Once Wang Dong'er was safe, Dai Huabin turned around, his smile vanishing in an instant.
He strode up to the grilled-fish stall and casually plucked at the wire mesh. The Gold Soul Coin wedged in it came loose.
Dai Huabin flicked it with his finger.
With a sharp whistle, the Gold Soul Coin shot toward Xu Sanshi's face, trailing a fierce rush of wind.
Xu Sanshi dodged sideways. The coin skimmed past his ear and smashed into the brick wall behind him, sending sparks flying.
"Kid, looking for trouble?"
Xu Sanshi's expression darkened as he glared at Dai Huabin.
"That's what I should be asking you."
Dai Huabin rolled his wrist, his knuckles cracking sharply.
"You tried to force my friend to sell you something, and then you shoved her. What, do you own Shrek City?"
Xu Sanshi laughed.
He hadn't met many new students in the Outer Academy who dared talk to him like that.
"You're new, huh? You've got a big mouth." Xu Sanshi pointed at the grilled fish on the wire mesh.
"I'm paying for something I want. That's perfectly fair. Nannan wants grilled fish, so I'm going to get her some. What, you want to try me?"
Seeing what was happening, Jiang Nannan hurriedly stopped and snapped, "Xu Sanshi, stop making a scene. They don't want to sell it, so don't force them. And I've told you plenty of times: stop bothering me!"
"No way!" The moment Xu Sanshi heard Jiang Nannan speak up, he only got more fired up.
"Don't worry, Nannan. I'm getting you those grilled fish today, no matter what."
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