Spicy Rabbit Head

"Thanks to you, Boss, this is my first time eating on the second floor."

One of Dorm Seven's work-study students mumbled through a mouthful of food.

"Here, these are yours."

Han Yu smiled and set a few belated dishes on the table, speaking to Xiao Wu.

Xiao Wu's eyes were shining. Every dish on the table was made with carrots: steamed carrots, stir-fried carrots, carrot pancakes, carrot soup. Spicy rabbit head.

Hmm? Spicy rabbit head?

"Th-th-this!!!"

Xiao Wu suddenly shot up from her chair and pointed at the rabbit head that had been made into spicy rabbit head. She looked at Han Yu, but the rest of her words seemed stuck in her throat, refusing to come out.

Just then, a pair of large hands picked up the spicy rabbit head. Under Xiao Wu's despairing gaze, Wang Sheng put it in his mouth and chewed. The juices coated his hands and the corners of his mouth as he chatted cheerfully with the people beside him, oblivious to Xiao Wu's hollow stare.

"You want some too? Oh, Wang Sheng only ordered one. How about I order another for you?"

Han Yu looked at Xiao Wu's expression and put on a regretful face, looking as though he was about to get up and order her another spicy rabbit head.

"I don't want one!"

Xiao Wu came to her senses and hurriedly waved her hands at Han Yu, her delicate pink face now deathly pale.

"Just eat! Stop talking."

Han Yu chuckled and stuffed the carrot pancake in his hand into Xiao Wu's mouth.

"Rabbit, munch. Bunny, munch, munch, munch. Bunnies are so cute, how can you, munch, munch, munch. How can you eat bunnies?"

Xiao Wu mumbled as she ate her carrot pancake. As she spoke the last words, she caught someone trying to reach a paw into her carrot dishes out of the corner of her eye and shot that person a vicious glare.

By now, Wang Sheng had finished off the spicy rabbit head and was sucking his fingers, savoring the taste.

Things had come to this, and Xiao Wu had no choice but to turn her anger into appetite, wolfing down every carrot dish in front of her.

"Brother, munch, munch, munch. Brother, where did you get the money?"

Tang San sat on Han Yu's other side and asked him curiously.

"Little San, even though we've left the old man, would your big brother let you go hungry?"

Han Yu reached out and stroked Tang San's head, looking every bit the good older brother.

"Brother, you're so good to me."

Moved by Han Yu, Tang San shed a tear, and his gratitude toward Han Yu grew even stronger.

The tableful of dishes looked like a lot, but they cost only a dozen or so Gold Soul Coins. The other wealthy youths looked at the work-study students, who ate like reincarnated ravenous ghosts. Though their faces showed disdain, none dared come near, afraid of being tainted by their presence. Han Yu wasn't annoyed by this and watched everyone from Dorm Seven eat with a smile.

The meal was soon over. The work-study students only stopped when they felt their bellies were about to burst.

"Boss, hic! This is definitely the best meal I've had in my life since coming to the academy."

Wang Sheng rubbed his round belly and sighed.

"If you want to eat here, I'll bring you back another time."

Han Yu smiled at everyone. His food wasn't so easy to eat for free; since they'd eaten it, they would have to do some work.

"No, no, no. We can't, Boss. From now on, we'll eat on the first floor."

To Han Yu's surprise, Wang Sheng actually shook his head and refused. He gestured at the other work-study students, then spoke solemnly.

"Boss, from now on, you're my boss!"

Wang Sheng stood and led the rest of Dorm Seven behind him in a bow to Han Yu. His heart was full of gratitude toward Han Yu now. If not for him, who knew when he would have had the chance to eat so freely?

That left Xiao Wu sitting awkwardly to one side. Noticing Han Yu's appraising gaze, she folded her two slender, tender arms across her chest and gave a delicate snort.

"You bullied Sister Xiao Wu before, so this is what you should do."

"Yes, yes, it's what I should do. So, do you want to come up here for a carrot feast again?"

Han Yu opened his mouth in a yawn, then propped up his face with one hand and looked at Xiao Wu expressionlessly.

"I, I..."

Her mind in a muddle, Xiao Wu tore her eyes away from the carrot feast and looked at Wang Sheng and the others, then turned back to the carrot feast on the table.

"I'll bring you again."

Han Yu stood up and stretched, then stroked Xiao Wu's long, glossy black hair. A strange look flashed deep in his eyes.

Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring.

"Mm."

As Han Yu stroked her head, Xiao Wu's face turned red. She made no further move to object and, for the sake of her future carrot feasts, lowered her head and answered softly.

"Let's go."

Seeing that everyone had eaten their fill and rested enough, Han Yu called out to them and led the way downstairs.

Unexpectedly, they ran into someone they hadn't expected.

The Grandmaster was sitting at a table beside the stairs to the second floor, eating pickled vegetables and chewing on a steamed bun. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Han Yu leading a group down from the second floor, including Tang San, the disciple he had just taken in.

Tang San met Yu Xiaogang's eyes and froze. After whispering a few words in Han Yu's ear, he walked over to Yu Xiaogang and bowed slightly.

"Teacher."

Looking at the grease Tang San had yet to wipe from his mouth, Yu Xiaogang's stiff face twitched at the corner of his mouth, and he answered.

"Oh, Grandmaster."

Han Yu also brought the others over to Yu Xiaogang. Looking at the rather meager lunch on his table, he greeted him with a smile, casually set a packed chicken leg from Wang Sheng's hands on Yu Xiaogang's table, then turned and left with the group.

Yu Xiaogang looked at the chicken leg on the table, then at Han Yu's departing figure, then at Tang San. No matter what he did, he couldn't swallow the mouthful of steamed bun.

"Teacher, have some water."

Seeing this, Tang San thought Yu Xiaogang was choking and hurriedly passed him a bowl of rice soup.

"Phew, Little San, your teacher is only eating here to better experience the life of a commoner."

After taking a sip of the rice soup, which contained not a single grain of rice, Yu Xiaogang let out a long breath. Afraid that Tang San would look down on him now that he had no money, he hurriedly spoke.

Hearing this, Tang San's favorable impression of his newly acknowledged master immediately soared. He nodded emphatically and said, "I understand, Teacher. From now on, I'll eat with you."

Yu Xiaogang looked at Tang San's resolute expression and opened his mouth, then closed it again, a wave of regret washing over him.

If I'd known, I wouldn't have said that. In two more days, I can collect Gold Soul Coins from Spirit Hall again, but now...

Annoyed, he bitterly regretted saying such a thing for the sake of face. Even after he collected his Gold Soul Coins from Spirit Hall, he could only eat such meager meals on the first floor to preserve his image in Tang San's eyes.