"Yu Hao, what are you doing?"
Watching her junior suddenly make that strange gesture, Ma Xiaotao turned her head and asked with some confusion.
Huo Yuhao realized he might have gotten a little too excited. He quickly lowered his middle finger and returned to his usual state.
"Ahem... well..."
For a moment, Huo Yuhao didn't know how to explain. It was a little awkward.
He couldn't exactly tell Ma Xiaotao everything he'd just been thinking.
Even if he did, she probably wouldn't understand.
He regretted it a little now. He shouldn't have made it so obvious. What if God King happened to see this from above and grew suspicious of him?
Then his plan would be over before it even began.
Honestly, you could do anything, and God King would be watching.
Until he had enough strength, he still needed to keep a low profile.
Seeing that Huo Yuhao wasn't saying anything, Ma Xiaotao thought it over herself, then spoke as if she'd suddenly figured it out.
"I understand!"
Huo Yuhao immediately went on alert.
What do you understand? I'm warning you, don't go making things up! People die over rumors!!
I've always admired God King! I'd never even think of stabbing him in the back!!
Fortunately, Ma Xiaotao didn't take her thoughts in such a complicated direction. Put another way, if she'd actually managed to think that far, she could probably have forged a Nine-Turn Wisdom Gu with her bare hands on the spot.
Ma Xiaotao winked at Huo Yuhao and spoke with a knowing, playful air.
"It's that thing, right? That thing."
"What thing?"
Huo Yuhao was a little confused, but after hearing what Ma Xiaotao said next, he was at a loss for words.
"You know, how you boys sometimes make those meaningless little movements when you're walking. Bouncing up and down and stuff. I've seen it before."
She said it so matter-of-factly that, for a moment, Huo Yuhao couldn't find a way to refute her.
That made sense.
But it also didn't seem quite right.
"What's wrong? Isn't that it?"
Seeing Huo Yuhao fall silent, Ma Xiaotao looked a little suspicious.
"No, Sister Xiaotao, you're just too clever! That's exactly it!!"
Huo Yuhao quickly gave Ma Xiaotao a thumbs-up and praised her again and again.
"I had no idea you knew so much, Sister Xiaotao. You're amazing!!"
"Of course! Your Sister Xiaotao knows all sorts of things! If there's ever anything you don't understand, you can come ask me!!"
Those words sent Ma Xiaotao soaring. She was in an extremely good mood.
She even grew several shades fonder of Huo Yuhao and thumped her chest as she made her promise.
The more Ma Xiaotao looked at Huo Yuhao, the more she liked him.
Who came up with this little Yu Hao? Just looking at him was a pleasure. He was sweet-tongued and knew just what to say. He was perfect!
Ma Xiaotao even felt the Evil Fire in her heart subside a little.
That made her secretly decide that, whenever she had the time, she'd come find Yu Hao to unwind. It would do wonders for her physical and mental health.
And so, the matter was smoothed over. The two chatted and laughed as they continued toward the marketplace outside the city gates.
"Yu Hao!!"
As soon as they reached the marketplace, before Huo Yuhao could even say goodbye to Ma Xiaotao, he heard a miserable voice calling his name.
It sounded like Tang Ya?
What was going on?
Puzzled, Huo Yuhao turned toward the source of the voice.
Sure enough, Tang Ya was calling for him, while Bei Bei stood beside her with two charcoal-black things in his hands and a helpless look on his face.
"Yu Hao!!"
The moment Tang Ya saw her little Yu Hao finally appear, she called out even louder, looking as if she were on the verge of tears.
Given the situation, Huo Yuhao couldn't spare a thought for saying goodbye to Ma Xiaotao. He could only bring her over to Tang Ya and Bei Bei, then gently ask,
"What's wrong, Teacher Xiao Ya?"
At last, Huo Yuhao was at her side. Tang Ya couldn't care less about maintaining her dignity as the Sect Master of the Tang Sect. She grabbed him around the leg, looking as pitiful as could be.
Seeing this, Ma Xiaotao scrunched her delicate nose beneath her mask. She seemed a little displeased.
But Tang Ya hadn't noticed Ma Xiaotao at all. She pointed at the charcoal-like things in Bei Bei's hands and started to complain.
"I was waiting here for you to grill fish, but I got so hungry I couldn't stand it, so I tried making some myself. Who knew this stuff would be so hard to grill!"
"Bei Bei even looked down on me. He said I was wasting food!!"
"He didn't even try any, so how does he know my grilled fish isn't edible?!"
"..."
Looking at the two unrecognizable objects in Bei Bei's hands, Huo Yuhao understood why he looked so helpless.
Those things... they were almost completely carbonized. What did they even have to do with fish anymore?
They were pure, unadulterated dark cuisine. Even he wouldn't dare eat them.
Speak of the devil. Huo Yuhao had just pronounced the things doomed in his mind when he heard Tang Ya speak.
"How about... you try some, Yu Hao?"
Tang Ya sounded hopeful as she gazed up at Huo Yuhao.
She seemed to want him to prove that, even if her cooking was terrible, it had to be at least somewhat edible, right?
Her look made Huo Yuhao's scalp prickle, so he quickly changed the subject.
"Ahem, well..."
"You've waited so long, Teacher Xiao Ya. You must be hungry! No time to lose. I'll start grilling the fish right now!"
Then he rolled up his sleeves and went over to the grill.
Tang Ya and Bei Bei had naturally prepared the seasonings and equipment for him, so they could enjoy the best grilled fish as soon as possible.
Faced with Huo Yuhao's deliberate change of subject, Tang Ya could only give an unwilling huff before standing up.
Tang Ya couldn't bear to get mad at Huo Yuhao.
There was nothing for it. She was still waiting to eat grilled fish.
She'd just have to deal with Bei Bei later.
Only then did she notice Ma Xiaotao behind Yu Hao.
"Senior, you are...?"
Tang Ya recognized the uniform that marked Ma Xiaotao as a student of the Inner Academy, so she asked tentatively.
"Don't mind me. I'm Yu Hao's friend. I was just out for a stroll."
Ma Xiaotao's tone wasn't exactly warm when she spoke to Tang Ya, but she softened it a little since Tang Ya seemed to know Yu Hao well.
Hearing that, Tang Ya looked at Huo Yuhao, who was grilling fish, in shock.
Her look seemed to say,
I never would've guessed,
you little rascal. You're quite the dark horse,
you've only been at the academy for two days, and you've already made friends with a senior from the Inner Academy?
In a couple more days, are you going to start getting tired of me, the Sect Master, too?
Huo Yuhao pretended not to notice and concentrated on grilling the fish.
"Xiao Ya, this is Senior Xiaotao from the Inner Academy."
At the crucial moment, Bei Bei stepped forward with a smile to smooth things over. As Xu Sanshi's good friend, he naturally knew Ma Xiaotao.
Only then did Tang Ya react. She covered her mouth in surprise. So this was Ma Xiaotao, the Flame Maniac, hailed as the Inner Academy's number one genius?
"You're... Thunderbolt Bei Bei?"
Ma Xiaotao gave Bei Bei a once-over and recognized him too.
Bei Bei's talent ranked among the very best in the Outer Academy. He was practically guaranteed a place in the Inner Academy, so she'd naturally heard of him.
Bei Bei scratched his head after she called him by his nickname.
Although hearing it from Ma Xiaotao made him feel strangely embarrassed, at least it was a sign that he was famous, right?
Not bad.
"By the way, Sister Xiaotao, would you like to try my grilled fish? It's delicious!"
Huo Yuhao, still grilling, stepped in at just the right moment to break the tension. But he didn't forget to add,
"You'll have to wait a little, though. These first two fish are for Teacher Xiao Ya and Senior Brother, since I promised them earlier."
"That's fine. I'm not hungry right now."
Hearing Huo Yuhao's words, Ma Xiaotao nodded indifferently.
Tang Ya and Bei Bei exchanged a glance, both pleased.
Looks like this kid hasn't forgotten his roots.
"Then, Senior Xiaotao, please come sit with us."
Bei Bei held out a hand and gracefully invited Ma Xiaotao to sit nearby.
His junior was already so considerate. He had no excuse not to do something himself.
"Mm."
Ma Xiaotao answered, hesitated briefly, then chose to sit beside Huo Yuhao without interrupting him.
The three of them quietly waited for the delicious grilled fish to be ready.
Before you continue