At last, a boy wearing an upper-year uniform squeezed his way to the front.
Without hesitation, he took out five Gold Soul Coins. "Give me one. Let me try it."
Huo Yutong hurriedly handed him a freshly grilled fish.
He took it and bit into it. In that instant-
The next second, he froze completely. His eyes widened abruptly, then he wolfed it down, finally smacking his lips with a lingering hunger in his eyes.
"Purchase limit? What a shame." Shaking his head, he left in dejection.
"Is this guy a shill?"
"It does smell good. Should we... try it?"
Everyone exchanged looks and whispered among themselves. Before long, a long queue had formed in front of Huo Yutong's little stall.
The girl was so busy her feet barely touched the ground, sweat pouring off her, but she enjoyed every moment.
With Huo Yutong grilling four fish at once, the purchase limit should have made the crowd perfectly manageable. Unfortunately, she had an "inside traitor" beside her.
Tang Ya claimed she was helping, but in reality, two out of every four grilled fish ended up in her own stomach.
Her mouth gleamed with grease, and she even smacked her lips while passing judgment on the customers in line, making those at the front stamp their feet in fury.
"Holy chovy! Who the hell is this? Why does she get to sneak bites?!"
"Your senior hasn't even had any yet! This woman has already earned herself a death sentence!"
"Heavens, what an outrage! My grilled fish! She gets two and I only get one, and I'm supposed to thank her?!"
Huo Yutong didn't even look up. "Sorry about that. Sister Xiaoya's hungry."
That explanation was worse than no explanation at all.
Xiao Xiao was also snatching food from the tiger's jaws, managing to wrest a grilled fish away from Tang Ya.
Clutching the fish protectively, the little girl ran over to sit beside Tang Qi and happily took small bites. She looked so sweet and adorable that Tang Qi couldn't resist ruffling her hair.
Seeing Tang Ya cause more and more trouble with no intention of stopping, Tang Qi finally couldn't stand it anymore.
A strand of blue silver wood shot out, wrapped around the girl's slender waist, and dragged her over.
"Tang Ya, stop causing trouble."
Ignoring the girl's flailing, Tang Qi drawled, "Go buy us something to drink."
Tang Ya pouted, angry but not daring to speak. Afraid Tang Qi would give her a "lesson with a stick," she could only obediently agree.
Before leaving, she still remembered to turn back and call pitifully to Huo Yutong, "Yutong! Make sure you save a few for your Sect Leader! Don't sell them all!"
Just then, a commotion suddenly rose from the street.
The people in line spontaneously parted to make a path.
"Hello, how much is the grilled fish?" A cool, gentle voice drifted into Huo Yutong's ears.
Huo Yutong looked up at the voice and saw a tall girl with skin as white as snow.
Most striking was her long, golden hair, falling in loose waves. It glowed softly in the setting sun, lending her an elegant, otherworldly air.
"Hello?" Seeing Huo Yutong staring blankly, Jiang Nannan tilted her head slightly and gently waved her delicate hand before her eyes.
"Oh! Hello!" Huo Yutong abruptly came back to herself and hurriedly said, "Five Gold Soul Coins per grilled fish. One per person."
"Five Gold Soul Coins? That really isn't cheap." Jiang Nannan's delicate brows drew together as if she were considering it.
Oh, well. I'll splurge just this once.
Just as she was about to take out her money, an unmistakably familiar boy's voice sounded beside her.
"If I remember correctly, I've never shortchanged you on your living expenses, have I?"
Jiang Nannan's hand abruptly froze.
A flicker of astonishment crossed her face. Her beautiful eyes widened as she slowly turned her head.
A rare, unmistakable delight rose on her cool, exquisite face.
Once she recognized the boy sprawled bonelessly in the lounge chair, she practically blurted out, "Tang Qi?!"
Before her voice had even faded, she ran over like a gust of wind, her skirt fluttering and carrying a faint, delicate fragrance.
Tang Qi merely noticed a shadow fall beside him before Jiang Nannan was standing in front of him. Her beautiful eyes first swept over him, then discreetly passed over the dumbstruck Xiao Xiao beside him and Huo Yutong at the stall.
"What brings you to Shrek?"
Tang Qi didn't answer immediately. Turning his head, he beckoned toward the stall. "Yutong, bring me a grilled fish."
Huo Yutong instinctively nodded at his words.
As she turned the fish on the grill, she swiftly worked through the numbers in her head.
She had already set aside portions for Tang Qi, Tang Ya, and Xiao Xiao.
But Brother Tang Qi clearly intended to give this fish to that pretty older girl. If he gave it to her, wouldn't he have one less for himself?
The girl bit her pink lip and quickly made her decision.
Sister Xiaoya can suffer a little. She can bear the blame.
She swiftly took a fish from Tang Ya's reserved portion, deftly grilled it, and jogged over to place it beside Tang Qi's hand. "Here you go, Brother Tang Qi."
Brother... Tang Qi?
Jiang Nannan narrowed her beautiful eyes slightly, her gaze moving back and forth between Huo Yutong and Tang Qi.
Completely oblivious, Tang Qi merely held the grilled fish out to her. "Try it. Yutong's cooking is even better than Auntie Jiang's."
Jiang Nannan stared at him for two seconds, then suddenly gave a dainty huff, snatched the grilled fish, and sat sideways on the edge of the lounge chair.
Beside them, Xiao Xiao's eyes darted about, her thoughts anyone's guess.
Not far away, the two upper-year girls who had come with Jiang Nannan were whispering together, their gazes flitting between Tang Qi and Jiang Nannan.
"That must be Sister Nannan's boyfriend, the one we've 'never met,' right? His looks are exactly my type."
"Right? I used to think Sister Nannan had made him up to fend off Xu Sanshi. Who knew the real person..."
The two grew increasingly animated, their voices carrying straight to Huo Yutong's ears at the stall.
The girl's hands gave a sudden tremble.
She hurriedly lowered her head, pretending to search through the fish. Yet out of the corner of her eye, she couldn't help glancing toward Tang Qi and Jiang Nannan.
Her chest felt tight, though she couldn't say why.
Inside the Sea of Consciousness, a burst of spiritual fluctuations jolted the soundly sleeping Tian Meng right out from under her covers.
Hugging her pillow, she wailed, "Seriously, who messed with my save file?! I only just got it adjusted!"
"Little boss? Are you still grilling or not?" someone in front of the stall urged.
"Ah, coming, coming."
Huo Yutong came back to herself and hurriedly resumed grilling, though she still seemed somewhat distracted.
Meanwhile, outside the academy's east gate.
Xu Sanshi anxiously looked around, stretching his neck so far that he looked exactly like a turtle being held down by its shell.
He grabbed Bei Bei beside him, his face full of resentment. "This is all your damn fault! If you hadn't insisted on dragging me around and wasting time, would I have lost Nannan?"
The corner of Bei Bei's mouth twitched, and he forced out a bitter smile uglier than a crying face.
He hadn't had any choice, either.
Today, he had specifically learned that Huo Yutong would be grilling fish on this Food Street. For the taste of the grilled fish alone, Tang Ya was bound to come along.
He wanted to come find Tang Ya, but he was afraid of running into Tang Qi.
Bei Bei always felt like the wronged party. If he ran into Tang Ya and Tang Qi, was he supposed to wish them happiness?
Then he and Tang Ya really would have no chance. That was why Bei Bei wanted to preserve a "harmonious" situation where things were good for her, good for him, and good for everyone.
But if he didn't go, his heart would keep stirring restlessly. After thinking it over and over, he could only drag his good turtle buddy Xu Sanshi along to back him up.
Who could have known that Xu Sanshi had never intended to help him find anyone at all?
The moment they left the east gate, his gaze had glued itself to Jiang Nannan, and he had furtively trailed after her like some creep.
Now, thanks to Bei Bei's interference, he had lost her completely.
Before you continue