Tang Wulin's Shock, Can I Call You Big Brother Too?

Yao Chuan had not yet had the chance to speak.

Xie Xie had already leaned into Tang Wulin's ear, suppressing a laugh, his voice lowered with a mix of schadenfreude and a hint of warning.

"Brother... think carefully before you offer to treat."

He stole a glance at the indifferent-looking Yao Chuan beside them and let out a couple of chuckles.

"I have to warn you in advance... our boss... his appetite... heh, it's not just 'big.' He can eat a lot, a lot, a lot."

Upon hearing this, Tang Wulin's face immediately showed a look of dismissal.

Can eat a lot?

From childhood to now, he, Tang Wulin, had never lost to anyone in the category of "appetite."

He was the kind of existence who could eat his own family into bankruptcy single-handedly.

To him, Xie Xie's words sounded more like a well-intentioned joke.

He patted Xie Xie on the shoulder, his tone carrying a touch of small-scale confidence.

"Don't worry. No matter how much he can eat, what of it? He definitely can't beat me. This round is on me, all-you-can-eat. The cafeteria has plenty."

Seeing him so confident, Xie Xie raised an eyebrow.

"Are you really that confident, kid?"

He couldn't help but feel a spark of competitive spirit himself.

"Don't end up not even being able to out-eat me; that would be a real laugh."

He simply proposed.

"How about this, the three of us have a contest. We'll compete on eating steamed buns. Whoever eats the most, the other two will cover his lunch money for the next half month."

Tang Wulin's eyes lit up when he heard this.

He had absolute confidence in his own stomach.

"Fine. A contest it is. Who's afraid of whom?"

He immediately agreed to the terms.

Yao Chuan watched as the two of them suddenly locked horns.

He smiled helplessly, but nodded to indicate that the Grade C meals at Eastsea Academy were free, and the steamed buns provided were all-you-can-eat.

It was the perfect opportunity for a competition.

"Then let's head to the Grade C window. We'll start with the buns."

With that, he took the lead and walked toward the cafeteria.

The cafeteria at Eastsea Academy was indeed divided into Grade A, B, and C meal tiers.

Grade C was free, but it only provided one type of food: palm-sized, piping hot buns filled with pure meat.

There was also vegetable soup on the side.

The three of them arrived at the Grade C window.

The man serving the food saw three young boys approaching.

Especially when he saw Yao Chuan's handsome face, his eyes lit up.

He cheerfully brought over several large trays of buns and took the initiative to smile and remind them.

"Young men, eat to your heart's content. But take it easy. The record for eating buns in the intermediate department of our academy is only forty-three. It's not worth it if you make yourselves sick."

Tang Wulin and Xie Xie exchanged a look.

Both saw the words "piece of cake" in each other's eyes.

Yao Chuan just smiled slightly.

He didn't say a word.

The three of them found a spot and sat down.

Xie Xie and Tang Wulin entered battle mode almost immediately.

They grabbed the buns and started stuffing them into their mouths.

They ate fast and ferociously.

In contrast.

Yao Chuan's movements appeared exceptionally calm and elegant.

He didn't even rush to start eating; instead, he took his time to pull out a tissue and wipe his hands.

Only then did he pick up a bun.

He took a small bite and chewed slowly, as if savoring some exquisite delicacy, his posture so relaxed that it didn't look like a competition at all, but rather like he was enjoying afternoon tea at a high-end restaurant.

Over on Xie Xie's side, he had started out with full force.

He wanted to give Tang Wulin a show of strength right from the start.

He gulped down the food, his cheeks bulging as if he had stuffed two peaches inside, moving at a lightning-fast pace, but after about twenty or so, his speed slowed down significantly.

Fine beads of sweat began to seep from his forehead.

His breathing grew somewhat heavy.

"Hoo... I can't, I really can't anymore..."

Xie Xie struggled to shove one more bun into his mouth.

He looked at the small mountain of buns piled up in front of him.

Then he looked at the significantly larger "mountain" in front of Tang Wulin beside him.

And at the ones still remaining on the plate.

He decisively raised his hand to surrender.

"I give up. I give up. Even if I burst, I can't eat another bite."

He rubbed his distended stomach.

His face was filled with disbelief and shock.

"Damn... Tang Wulin. Is your stomach a bottomless pit? You've eaten over fifty. And you can still stuff more in?"

Tang Wulin had just shoved an entire bun into his mouth.

He swallowed it with a forceful gulp.

A hint of smugness appeared on his face.

"That goes without saying. I told you already. When it comes to eating, I've never yielded to anyone."

Seeing his smug expression, Xie Xie, despite the discomfort of being stuffed, couldn't help but laugh.

He pointed at Yao Chuan, who was still eating buns at a steady, unhurried pace, and offered a reminder.

"Brother, don't get cocky too soon. The contest between us might be over, but the one between you and my boss hasn't finished yet."

Upon hearing this, the smug look on Tang Wulin's face faltered slightly, and he instinctively turned his head to look at Yao Chuan beside him.

At this glance, he was momentarily stunned; while the plates in front of Yao Chuan were still arranged neatly, unlike the chaotic mess in front of him and Xie Xie, the pile of empty bun wrappers on his plate had reached a staggering height.

It looked like it was definitely no less than his own.

And most importantly, Yao Chuan's eating speed appeared leisurely, as if he were savoring the meal, yet the frequency with which he picked up the buns and his consistently composed movements meant his efficiency was not a bit slower than Tang Wulin, who had been gorging himself with all his might.

Tang Wulin's heart skipped a beat; he immediately put away his smugness, and his expression turned serious.

He felt an unprecedented amount of pressure.

Without a word, he threw himself back into the "battle" with the buns, puffing out his cheeks and beginning to swallow even more frantically, entering a "desperate" state.

One.

Two.

Three.

He ate with such speed, as if he were channeling all his strength into his mouth.

Xie Xie, watching from the side, was dumbfounded.

Others in the cafeteria had long since been drawn by the commotion.

They gathered in several circles.

Pointing at Tang Wulin and whispering among themselves.

"My god. Is this guy even human? He's over eighty now, right?"

"Eighty-seven. He's already broken the record. Heaven knows how he managed the previous forty-three."

"His stomach doesn't even look that big. How can he fit so much stuff? It's all pure meat filling, too."

"Look at that little guy. He's the author of Soul Breaking the Firmament, right? My god. He's still eating. His movements are so elegant, but he doesn't seem to have slowed down at all."

"He's even more exaggerated... ninety-eight. Ninety-nine. One hundred. One hundred of them."

Following the hushed count of a busybody.

When Tang Wulin finally struggled to swallow the eighty-seventh bun, feeling as though he had reached his limit and his stomach was about to explode, to the point where even breathing felt difficult, he practically slumped into his chair, unable to force down even a single bite more.

He lifted his head with difficulty, only to see Yao Chuan gracefully picking up the one-hundredth bun and taking a light bite.

He chewed slowly, then calmly set down the remaining half.

He picked up a clean napkin from the side and carefully wiped the corners of his mouth.

His movements were fluid and natural.

A trace of satisfied contentment even lingered on his face.

After finishing all this, he nodded.

His tone was indifferent.

"Mm. That's about it. I'm full."

The entire cafeteria was deathly silent.

Everyone looked as if they had been struck by a freezing spell.

They stared at Yao Chuan in stunned silence, then glanced at Tang Wulin, who was beside him, stuffed to the point of rolling his eyes.

One hundred steamed buns, six large bowls of vegetable soup.

This was no longer just breaking a record; it had essentially rewritten the historical understanding of the Eastsea Academy cafeteria.

Tang Wulin looked at the way Yao Chuan still seemed to have "plenty of energy left."

His mouth hung wide open, his eyes bulging like copper bells.

For the first time in his life, in the field of "eating"—the one he took the most pride in—he had been defeated in a manner that was practically a crushing blow.

Moreover, his opponent had won with such ease and grace, without a hint of exertion.

He stood there, completely dazed.

His mind was a blank slate, his worldview seemingly having suffered some kind of impact.

"This... how is this possible..." he muttered to himself.

Xie Xie watched Tang Wulin's existential crisis.

He couldn't help but be amused; he propped himself up on the table and asked with a grin.

"How about it, Brother Wulin? Convinced now? Are you still going to treat the boss to a meal tomorrow? It's settled. A bet is a bet. For the next half month, the boss's and my lunches are on you."

Upon hearing the words "treat to a meal," Tang Wulin snapped back to reality.

A clear look of conflict and heartache flashed across his young face.

He instinctively touched his flat little wallet.

In his mind, he quickly calculated the cost of feeding these two big eaters in the cafeteria for half a month.

It was definitely a figure that would make his heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys ache.

But in the end, the boy's simple sense of integrity prevailed.

He took a deep breath.

He nodded very seriously.

"I'll treat. I should treat. Classmate Yao Chuan helped me a great deal; treating him to a meal is the right thing to do. Even if... even if it empties my little wallet, I'll accept it."

When he said this, he carried a sense of tragic resolve, as if he were about to accomplish some heroic feat.

Yao Chuan had been silently observing Tang Wulin.

Seeing him like this, he felt a touch of relief in his heart.

It seemed that before the soul fragments of that guy Tang San could fully influence him, Tang Wulin had indeed been raised well by his foster parents; he was a good child who knew how to repay kindness.

He stood up, walked over to Tang Wulin, and reached out to pat him on the shoulder.

His tone was gentle, "Wulin. I've received your sentiment. There's no need for the meals. Really, there isn't."

He looked at Tang Wulin's somewhat puzzled expression.

He smiled, "The money I earn from writing books is more than enough to cover these meal costs. It's not the same concept as you, little guy. Don't feel burdened."

As soon as these words were spoken, Tang Wulin suddenly remembered.

The boy in front of him, who looked to be about his own age, was already a bestselling author famous across the continent, the creator of Soul Breaking the Firmament.

The royalties he earned were likely a figure his own parents couldn't make even after years of hard work.

Thinking of this, Tang Wulin felt the massive gap once again.

He lowered his head sheepishly and muttered under his breath.

"Comparing people really is enough to make one die of frustration..."

This was the first time he had so profoundly grasped the meaning of that phrase.

After the initial shock and sentiment subsided, a sense of genuine admiration welled up from within.

He finally began to understand why someone as proud to the bone as Xie Xie would be so willing to call Yao Chuan "Big Brother."

The man's excellence was an all-encompassing suppression.

Thinking this, the shock Tang Wulin felt toward Yao Chuan's strength, mixed with a certain "awe" of his appetite, coalesced into a peculiar impulse.

He raised his head and looked at Yao Chuan.

As if possessed by some strange force, the words slipped out before he could stop them.

"Classmate Yao Chuan... um... could I... also call you Big Brother?"