Jiang Nannan

Lin Yaoyang shook his head, his gaze casually sweeping over the roadside stalls.

Then, he spotted a familiar figure.

At a stall not far away, a skinny boy was crouching on the ground before a simple grill. Beside him stood a girl with a ponytail, helping him tidy things up.

Huo Yuhao.

He was selling grilled fish.

Lin Yaoyang's steps paused.

"What's wrong?" Wang Dong asked through a mouthful of food, following his gaze. "Oh, that's... who was that again?"

Lin Yaoyang withdrew his gaze. "Come on, let's go take a look."

The two of them walked over.

Huo Yuhao's grilled fish stall was very simple: an iron grill, a basin of charcoal, and several cleaned herring laid out on a plate beside it.

He was intently turning the fish on the grill, controlling the heat perfectly. The fish skin gradually turned golden, while fat dripped onto the charcoal with a sizzling sound, filling the air with fragrance.

"Huo Yuhao?"

Huo Yuhao looked up. Seeing Lin Yaoyang and Wang Dong, he froze slightly before smiling somewhat sheepishly.

"Class Monitor? Vice Class Monitor?"

Lin Yaoyang glanced at the fish on the grill and asked with a smile, "You set up a stall here to sell grilled fish, so why didn't you tell us? We could've come by to support you."

Huo Yuhao scratched his head, his face reddening slightly. "I... I was embarrassed."

"What's there to be embarrassed about?" Lin Yaoyang patted his shoulder. "Making money isn't shameful."

Huo Yuhao froze, and his eyes gradually reddened.

He had thought that a genius like Lin Yaoyang would look down on a poor student like him.

But he hadn't expected...

"Thank you, Class Monitor." He lowered his head, his voice soft.

Tang Ya watched from the side, blinked, and asked, "Little Yuhao, these two are...?"

Huo Yuhao hurriedly introduced them. "Teacher Xiao Ya, they're my classmates. This is Lin Yaoyang, our Class Monitor. This is Wang Dong, the Vice Class Monitor."

Then he turned to Lin Yaoyang and Wang Dong. "This is Tang Ya, our senior. She was the one who helped me find this place to set up my stall."

Tang Ya slightly raised her chin, smiling. "Hello, I'm Tang Ya, the current sect master of the Tang Sect!"

At the words "Tang Sect," Wang Dong's body trembled slightly. She said in surprise, "Tang Sect? You're from the Tang Sect?"

"Yes..." Tang Ya was about to continue.

"Give us three grilled fish." Lin Yaoyang's calm voice interrupted her.

Huo Yuhao froze. "Huh? Alright, please wait. They're not done yet."

Lin Yaoyang pulled out a Gold Soul Coin from his pocket and casually placed it in the wooden box beside the stall.

Huo Yuhao's eyes widened, and he hurriedly waved his hands. "Class Monitor, they're five Copper Soul Coins each! You only need to give me fifteen Copper Soul Coins! This is far too much!"

"I don't have any copper coins," Lin Yaoyang said.

"..." Huo Yuhao was speechless.

There was a hundredfold difference between five Copper Soul Coins and one Gold Soul Coin. This Class Monitor was far too generous.

Wang Dong came back to her senses and said, "Wouldn't two be enough? I can't eat that much."

Lin Yaoyang turned his head and looked at her with a strange expression.

That look was like he was looking at an idiot.

"Who said they were all for you?"

Wang Dong's face instantly flushed red. "What kind of look is that?!"

"The look I give an idiot."

"You—!"

Watching the two bicker, Huo Yuhao couldn't help secretly laughing.

Soon, the three grilled fish were ready. The golden fish skin still gleamed with clear oil, and a rich fragrance continuously wafted from their bellies. Huo Yuhao placed them on a small plate and handed it to Lin Yaoyang.

"Class Monitor, they're ready."

Beside the stall, Tang Ya had set out several small tables and stools. Lin Yaoyang carried the plate over and sat down, with Wang Dong following suit.

Lin Yaoyang picked up a grilled fish and took a bite.

The instant his teeth met the fish skin, there was a faint crunch. The skin was grilled crisp without the slightest burnt taste. Beneath it was tender, juicy fish meat thoroughly infused with flavor, melting in his mouth and leaving a lingering fragrance.

Lin Yaoyang's eyes lit up.

Yuhao's grilled fish truly lived up to its reputation!

Wang Dong took a bite as well and froze. Then she began eating rapidly, her cheeks puffing up again.

Customers at the surrounding stalls caught the scent and looked over. Someone could not resist walking up to ask, "Student, how much are your grilled fish?"

Huo Yuhao hurriedly stood up to greet him. "Five copper coins each!"

Without another word, the man pulled out money and bought one. After taking a bite, his eyes lit up too.

"Delicious!!"

Very quickly, a line formed in front of Huo Yuhao's stall.

Lin Yaoyang sat at the small table, slowly eating his grilled fish. Watching this scene, the corner of his lips lifted slightly.

Just then, several female students wearing purple school uniforms approached from the distance.

The moment the girl walking at the front appeared, she drew everyone's attention.

She looked only fourteen or fifteen, with a tall, well-proportioned figure. Her long golden hair fell behind her head in large waves, her skin was whiter than snow, and her eyes were like a clear pool of water. Her fitted purple school uniform further accentuated her upright figure and elegant, refined temperament.

Her arrival seemed to make everything around her fade into the background.

"Sister Nannan, it smells so good. What is that?" another female student beside her sniffed curiously.

The stunning girl had clearly caught the scent as well, and her gaze fell upon Huo Yuhao's stall.

The girls walked over, chatting and laughing.

Just as the stunning girl was about to ask the price, her gaze casually swept over the small table beside the stall.

Then she froze.

"Yao Yang?!"

Lin Yaoyang looked up, saw that familiar face, and smiled as he waved. "Nannan, long time no see."

A brilliant smile instantly bloomed on Jiang Nannan's face. She jogged over to him, her eyes sparkling.

"You really came! I thought you were just saying it casually!"

"Why would I be?" Lin Yaoyang shifted to the side and made room for her. "Sit down. There's still a grilled fish here."

Jiang Nannan did not stand on ceremony. She sat down beside him, picked up the grilled fish, and began taking small bites. Her movements were graceful, but she was not eating slowly at all.

Watching this scene from the side, Wang Dong suddenly found the grilled fish in her mouth somewhat tasteless.

She looked at Jiang Nannan, then at Lin Yaoyang. After hesitating for a moment, she asked, "Lin... Brother Lin, is this... your girlfriend?"

Lin Yaoyang shook his head. "No. This is Jiang Nannan, my friend."

He turned to Jiang Nannan. "Nannan, this is Wang Dong, my roommate."

Jiang Nannan looked up and gave Wang Dong a slight smile. "Hello."

"Hello," Wang Dong replied blankly.

But inwardly, she was thinking, Are they really just friends?

She felt that if Lin Yaoyang had not been sitting down, Jiang Nannan might have thrown herself into his arms just now. The gentleness and delight in that girl's gaze toward Lin Yaoyang were impossible to hide.

The female students who had come with Jiang Nannan also gathered around. Seeing how familiar she was with this handsome boy with orange-red hair, their curiosity immediately blazed.

"Sister Nannan, who's this handsome boy?"

"Could he be your boyfriend?"

"Introduce him to us~"

They bombarded Jiang Nannan with questions, making her somewhat embarrassed. A faint blush appeared on her pretty face.

"N-No. He's just... an ordinary friend."

"An ordinary friend? Sister Nannan, your face is all red!"

"Exactly!"

Jiang Nannan's face reddened further. She lowered her head and focused on eating her fish, not daring to look at Lin Yaoyang again.

Just then, someone else arrived at the stall.

"Give me a grilled fish."

Huo Yuhao looked at the fish on the grill. Only the final two remained. He said apologetically, "I'm sorry, but today's grilled fish are already sold out. These last two are reserved for someone else."

Those two were reserved for Tang Ya and Bei Bei.

The man's expression immediately darkened. "Kid, you dare refuse to sell?"

His voice was not quiet and carried anger, immediately drawing the attention of everyone nearby.