I Never Pay for Food

"Just because you can eat a lot doesn't mean you're strong. I don't think we need Goku; I know a few friends who could easily beat you," the woman said, clearly unconvinced. She knew everyone who was considered the strongest on the planet, and this guy in front of her wasn't among them.

"..." Wang Yang rolled his eyes at her and went back to eating. This was a classic case of cognitive bias; having stayed on Earth her whole life, how could she possibly know about the powerful beings in the universe?

"The World Martial Arts Tournament starts tomorrow. If you're really as strong as you claim, do you dare to enter? I'm sure Goku will show up tomorrow, too," the woman said with a twinkle in her eye, smiling at Wang Yang. I'll let you see those inhuman monsters for yourself; then you won't be so arrogant.

"No problem. If I win the title of World's Number One, you have to be my girlfriend." Wang Yang had originally given up when he heard she had a boyfriend, but upon realizing her identity, the flame that had been extinguished suddenly roared back to life.

If it were any other woman with a boyfriend, he would never dream of interfering in someone else's relationship.

But... she was different! She was his own lost youth!

"Win the tournament first, then we'll talk!" Bulma huffed, grabbing her bag as she prepared to leave.

"Wait for me!" Wang Yang stopped eating, stood up, and hurried to follow her.

Since it started tomorrow, rather than asking around for the tournament's location, it was better to just hitch a ride with her.

"Sir, you haven't paid for your meal yet!" Just as he reached the door, two waiters blocked Wang Yang's path, and the manager stared at him with a blank expression.

"I never pay for food!" Wang Yang declared righteously.

"..." Bulma looked at Wang Yang in astonishment. How shameless could one person be to say something like that?

"Here, keep the change." Wang Yang rummaged through his pocket and produced a piece of deep black metal, which he held between two fingers like a shimmering black pearl.

He had obtained this metal while traveling through the universe after shattering a massive meteorite. He had kept it simply because he thought the alloy looked beautiful. It had started out the size of a washbasin, but as he continued his travels, it had gradually shrunk; he didn't have many pieces left now.

Every planet had different currencies, but these rare cosmic metals were the only true hard currency.

"Sir, you ate all that food and you're giving me a broken rock? Do you take me for a fool?" The manager pointed at the alloy in Wang Yang's hand, his greasy face turning bright red.

He had never seen anything as ridiculous as using a glass marble as payment in his entire life.

The manager pulled a mirror from somewhere, checked his slicked-back hair and handsome, successful-looking reflection, and nodded with satisfaction.

"This is an extremely rare alloy from space. It can boost scientific research and drive countless scientists mad with desire. This thing is a hundred times more precious than a meteorite. If you take this to an auction, you could buy your entire shop ten times over," Wang Yang said with a huff. Every time he spent this alloy, he had to explain a mountain of details, though in the end, these people always ended up groveling and serving him hand and foot.

The alloy was precious, but to him, it was nothing special. Once he stood at the pinnacle of the universe, would he even care about such trifles?

By then, people would be lining up to shower him with gifts just for a single word.

"If it's so precious, why don't you go auction it yourself? Buy my shop, and I'll work for you," the manager sneered. How could a low-level, hole-ridden scam like this fool an old fox who had lived for more than half a lifetime?

"Let me see that!" Bulma snatched the thumb-sized alloy from Wang Yang's hand without a word. The metal was incredibly heavy, and Bulma nearly dropped it in surprise.

"Careful!" Wang Yang was quick, his right hand catching her delicate, fair hand.

Their eyes met, and Bulma's fair face flushed red; she flickered her gaze away, not daring to look at him.

"This alloy is indeed as precious as this gentleman said. If you don't want it, give it to me; I'll pay for the meal." Looking away, Bulma carefully examined the alloy in her hand, her expression growing more surprised the longer she looked.

As a brilliant scientist, Bulma certainly had the eye for it.

This alloy is truly incredibly rare. Some of the research projects that were stuck due to material bottlenecks can finally be solved. Bulma's eyes sparkled with excitement. Her mind was sharp, and after a moment of thought, she had already grasped the properties and potential uses of the alloy.

"You two still need to pay the bill!" the manager sneered. He still didn't believe the alloy was worth anything; he was certain these two were in on it together.

He had seen them whispering to each other from across the room earlier.

"Hey! Wang Yang, where did you get this alloy? Do you have any more?" Walking down the street, Bulma tucked the alloy into a Hoi-Poi Capsule and waved it in front of Wang Yang.

"Sure, I've got plenty." Wang Yang grinned and pulled a handful of small, multicolored beads from his pocket—red, white, yellow, rainbow—each one more beautiful than the last.

Bulma leaned in until her head was almost touching Wang Yang's hand, her eyes turning into stars and her face lighting up with joy. These weren't just ordinary pearls or gems; they were not only beautiful but also held immense research value. To a researcher like Bulma, they were lethally attractive.

"Mine, mine, they're all mine!" Bulma grabbed at the alloys, but she couldn't lift them all because of their immense weight.

"These things are how I make a living, but I can give them to you if you guarantee my three meals a day from now on," Wang Yang said with a smile.

He was going to latch onto Bulma now.

"No problem! I thought it was something serious," Bulma said, patting her chest and speaking with grand generosity. Even though Wang Yang ate a lot, it was a drop in the bucket to her. Her family was the richest in the world; they had so much money that a single day's profit could feed Wang Yang for a lifetime.

"You aren't really going to enter the World Martial Arts Tournament, are you? I was just saying that," Bulma asked skeptically. Looking at Wang Yang's handsome face, it would be a shame if it got beaten black and blue.

"Of course. I'm serious. Did you think I was joking?" Wang Yang laughed.

"Forget it, then!" Bulma huffed, took the treasures from Wang Yang's hand, and walked away with an elegant stride.

Up ahead, Bulma walked in her short skirt, revealing her fair, long legs. Her graceful figure, combined with the rhythmic tap-tap of her high heels against the ground, made Wang Yang feel as if he were being scratched by a cat—he felt incredibly restless.

If she were to do a split... pfft... no, that's a filthy thought.

Walking into an open space, Bulma tossed a capsule, and a moment later, a small car appeared on the spot.

Wang Yang nimbly hopped inside.