I Saw Them All

"Hmm, but isn't the Jade Spirit Fox a purely auxiliary-type spirit beast? How could it have healing abilities?" Tang San asked, puzzled.

"Because Little Funi is a mutated spirit beast," Tang Liu said, reciting the excuse he had prepared long ago.

Tang San's expression shifted to one of sudden realization, followed by a look of anticipation. "Right, Xiao Liu, tell me in detail how you and Dad have been getting by these past few years."

"Brother, don't be so impatient. I'm starving right now. Why don't you take me to find something to eat, and I'll tell you on the way?" Tang Liu rolled his eyes and said with a bitter face.

Tang San tapped his forehead and said, "Right, I'm a bit hungry too. Let's go call Xiao Wu, then we can all go eat together."

With that, he pulled Tang Liu along toward the direction of the girls' dormitory.

"Brother, aren't you living with that Oscar?" Tang Liu asked with some curiosity.

"If I went to live with him, then who would look after you?" Tang San said as if it were a matter of course.

"That's true." Tang Liu nodded. "Do you know where we can get food?"

"I don't know. We'll just have to see where there's smoke from a kitchen fire later," Tang San said.

"Oh." It seems I still have to meet Ma Hongjun after all.

Soon, they arrived at the dormitory where Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong were staying.

Tang San knocked on the door and called out, "Xiao Wu?"

The door opened quickly, and Xiao Wu stepped out cautiously, making a shushing gesture at them. "Shh, Rongrong is meditating."

After softly closing the door, Xiao Wu smiled at Tang San and said, "Let's go."

"Sister Xiao Wu," Tang Liu greeted her first.

"Xiao Liu, long time no see. How come it feels like you haven't grown at all?" Xiao Wu's first move was to ruffle Tang Liu's hair vigorously, laughing.

"Sister Xiao Wu, stop rubbing it. If you keep going, I might really never grow taller. You should go rub my brother instead," Tang Liu dodged backward and said helplessly.

Xiao Wu laughed. "Xiao San is my brother now too, how could I dare to rub his head?"

"Hmm? Is there anything in this world that you wouldn't dare to do?" Tang San asked, putting on a confused expression.

Xiao Wu's face flushed red. She raised her hand and punched Tang San, complaining, "Go away, what kind of things are you saying?"

Tang San laughed.

Watching them openly flaunt their affection, Tang Liu felt as if his head were glowing with an incredibly bright light. He let go of Tang San's hand and said, "Third Brother, I suddenly don't feel hungry anymore. You two go find something to eat. My spirit power hasn't fully recovered yet, so I'm going back to cultivate. See you later."

Tang San and Xiao Wu watched Tang Liu run off, feeling a bit puzzled.

"Right, Brother, I'll tell you about Dad tonight!" Tang Liu, already some distance away, didn't forget to call back.

Tang Liu, of course, wasn't actually going back to the dorm to cultivate; he was still hungry, after all. Even though he had been unexpectedly force-fed a mouthful of dog food, his stomach still needed to be filled.

He arrived at the boys' dormitory area, intending to find Oscar and ask where the cafeteria was, or at the very least, have him conjure up a few sausages to fill the void.

However, he didn't know which room Oscar lived in, so he had to check them one by one.

Fortunately, there were only three small wooden cabins for each of the boys' and girls' dorms. Excluding the one he shared with Tang San, one of the remaining two had to be Oscar's.

However, Tang Liu's luck today was clearly not very good. He pushed the door open clumsily, only to see Dai Mubai standing there stark naked, preparing to change his clothes.

"Sorry, I just wanted to ask where the cafeteria is." Tang Liu had seen everything, yet he remained completely unfazed.

Dai Mubai hurriedly pulled on his pants to cover his privates, speechless. "Don't you know you're supposed to knock before entering?"

Tang Liu backed out of the dormitory, closed the door behind him, knocked, and then pushed it open again.

"Is this better now?" After dropping that line, Tang Liu closed the door again and headed toward the last wooden cabin.

Dai Mubai: "..."

Having suddenly seen someone completely bare, Tang Liu felt a bit awkward, but fortunately, having lived two lives, his skin was thick enough.

Besides, they were all classmates and still just kids, so what if he saw a bit?

Anyway, it wasn't like he hadn't seen other men in his dorms in his previous life.

Hmm, though Dai Mubai's physique was much better than his previous roommates, who were either scrawny weaklings or bloated pigs.

According to the original story, Oscar should still be sleeping, which was why he had pushed the door open so carelessly; he just hadn't expected the first room he opened to be Dai Mubai's.

"Uncle Oscar, are you in?" Tang Liu shouted, then pushed the door open and walked in.

Oscar: "..."

Tang Liu: "..."

A shrill scream echoed through Shrek Academy.

"Why didn't you knock!" Oscar covered his body with his quilt, staring in horror at Tang Liu, who had pushed his way in.

Tang Liu's forehead was covered in black lines. "Damn it, shouldn't you be sleeping right now? Why are you changing clothes too?" Did you and that guy Dai Mubai conspire to give me eye sores?!

"It's broad daylight, can't I wake up after getting enough sleep? Besides, it's almost time for the cafeteria to open!" Oscar said with a dark face, wrapping himself tightly in the quilt.

"Forget all that, hurry up and put your clothes on!" Tang Liu also had a dark face as he walked in and closed the door.

"What do you want?" Oscar looked at him vigilantly, pulling his head into the quilt and leaving only his eyes exposed.

"Nothing! Just tell me, where is the cafeteria?" Knowing that this kind of situation only got worse the more one explained, Tang Liu decided not to dwell on it and cut to the chase so he could leave as soon as possible.

"It's just to the east of the academy. After you leave the dormitory, keep walking in that direction; you'll see a wooden cabin with a cafeteria sign hanging on it," Little Oscar said, finally poking his head out with hesitation.

"Thanks. Also, you're exposed down there." Tang Liu nodded, glanced down at Little Oscar's lower half, and then left through the Gate of Opening.

Having felt a constant, chilly draft, Little Oscar lowered his head upon hearing this.

Oscar: "..."

Little Oscar: "..."

Listening to the miserable shriek echoing from the room, Tang Liu shook his head speechlessly, a look of utter disdain on his face.

He lifted his gaze and saw Dai Mubai standing not far away, watching him with a smirk.

"Well? Will you dare to enter someone else's dorm without knocking again?" Dai Mubai teased.

Tang Liu glared at him. "Mind your own business!"

Dai Mubai smiled and said nothing.

"Right, why are you still here? Aren't you going to find my brother and the others?" Tang Liu remembered this and asked.

"You mean Tang San?" Dai Mubai blinked, confused. "Where are they? Why would I need to go find them?"

Tang Liu slapped his forehead, his appetite completely gone. He turned and bolted toward the outside of Shrek Academy, the words "butterfly effect" the only thing left in his mind.