Page 16

As he spoke, his eyes darted around and settled on Yu Wen.

Yu Wen instantly fell silent.

Hunter A smiled and raised a hand.

"You'll do-"

Before he could finish, You Huo stepped in front of Yu Wen without a word.

"-kid."

Hunter A's freshly outstretched finger was pointing straight at him.

His big white face froze.

You Huo looked at him coolly. "Me? Sure."

Hunter A: "..."

Sure, my ass.

He looked a little angry.

You Huo added, "Changed your mind?"

Hunter A withdrew his finger and gave a strained smile. "No, of course not. As the host, I must keep my word."

After a moment of obvious reluctance, he beckoned anyway. "Come along, kind guest."

He said, "Come along."

It sounded like, "Why don't you go die?"

Hunter A turned and headed for the kitchen.

Without so much as raising his eyes, You Huo started after him.

Startled, Yu Wen grabbed him and whispered urgently, "Bro! What are you doing?"

You Huo glanced at him. "Carrying the wine."

"Didn't you hear him? If you accidentally break a glass, you'll die!" Yu Wen said anxiously.

You Huo: "...Am I half-paralyzed or numb? Would I break a glass just carrying it?"

Yu Wen: "..."

That was true, but...

He couldn't shake the feeling that his cousin was capable of anything.

"First tell me why you volunteered to carry the glasses," Yu Wen pressed.

You Huo tipped his chin toward the answer wall and pulled his sleeve from Yu Wen's hand. "Did you see the answer requirements?"

"Of course. I'm not blind."

You Huo said blandly, "Then let me teach you something."

"What?"

"The more they emphasize something, the more suspicious it is."

With that, You Huo walked away.

Yu Wen stood there in a daze for a long moment, then suddenly turned to his dad. "What did he mean by that??? Why am I freaking out so much?!"

Old Yu was even more freaked out.

You Huo arrived in the kitchen.

Hunter A was fishing for his keys at his waist.

There were seven keys on the brass ring. He selected three of them and used them in turn to unlock the door on the right side of the mahogany cabinet. Then he slowly took thirteen wineglasses from inside and lined them up on the counter.

You Huo casually picked one up and examined it.

At first glance, it was an ordinary wineglass. He found nothing special about it.

Hunter A frowned and snapped, "Put that down! Did I tell you to touch it? How can a guest like you have no manners at all?"

You Huo scoffed and set the glass back on the counter.

He looked past the doorway at the clock in the living room and urged him on coldly. "At your speed, is a day enough time for two meals?"

Hunter A: "..."

He glared at You Huo and muttered a few curses, then forced out another smile. "It's all right, it's all right. A generous host can always tolerate a rude guest. I know you're just too hungry."

You Huo sneered.

Hunter A: "..."

He had probably never met such a defiant guest before. He immediately lost interest in talking, turned away, and went to prepare his fine wine.

While the hunter busied himself with the glasses, You Huo held the cabinet door and looked over everything inside.

Aside from the porcelain plates that had already been laid out and the wineglasses now being prepared, all that remained in the cabinet were small silver sauce bowls, a bundle of knives and forks, and a bundle of silver spoons.

"All right!" Hunter A said suddenly. "It's rude to peek."

You Huo ignored him.

Hunter A added, "Help me take out the knives, forks, and silver spoons too, please."

You Huo glanced at his expression, then took the things out of the cabinet and handed them to him.

Hunter A carefully hung the keys back at his waist, then took out a round tray and placed the wineglasses on it one by one.

You Huo said, "I noticed something."

Hunter A paused and looked at him warily with his big, round white face. "What?"

You Huo: "You're especially careful with the wineglasses."

Hunter A: "..."

He was silent for a moment, then protested, "You're mistaken. Dining is a sacred affair, and I treat every piece of tableware with reverence."

You Huo gave a noncommittal hum.

Hunter A continued to watch him warily.

You Huo: "I made that up."

Hunter A: "..."

In the living room, Yu Wen was sick with worry about his cousin, afraid that You Huo, who feared nothing, would smash every piece of tableware in the kitchen.

Then he heard Hunter A shout furiously, "Get out!"

You Huo came out expressionless and empty-handed.

"What happened?"

Everyone was taken aback.

"Where are the glasses?" Yu Wen gestured. "Didn't he ask you to carry them? Why did he kick you out?"

You Huo didn't return to the group. Instead, he stood near the dining table with his hands in his pockets. "He changed his mind and decided to carry them himself."

Everyone was uneasy and suspicious. They couldn't help feeling that angering Hunter A wasn't a good thing.

He was the question!

Who knew what he might do? What if he could kill someone just by saying so?

As everyone looked at one another, Hunter A came out carrying a large tray himself.

It was loaded with wineglasses, knives, and forks.

Hunter A shooed You Huo farther away and began setting them out himself, one place setting at a time.

For some reason, You Huo just stood there watching, as if setting the table were a spectacle worth watching.

Yu Wen was frantic. He beckoned to You Huo, mouthing exaggeratedly, "Bro! Come over here first! What are you standing there for?"

But You Huo acted as though he hadn't seen him. He kept his eyes lowered, lazily watching Hunter A.

"Get lost!" Hunter A snapped at You Huo without mincing words.

Then he turned to the others with a smile. "Why are you all just standing there? Come and sit down. We're about to eat."