The Lingering Effects of a Rumor

After pocketing several thousand Gold Soul Coins, Huo Yuhao did not give up his grilled fish business.

Children from poor families learned to shoulder responsibilities early, always afraid that one day they would eat through their savings.

He had made up his mind. He could shorten his business hours, but he couldn't stop selling grilled fish. After all, his reputation was still there, and he had plenty of returning customers.

Huo Yuhao continued running his stall. The first day went well enough, and business was fairly normal, but by the second day, his returning customers had noticeably dwindled.

He asked around, and good grief, it was all because of what Hui Ye had shouted that day.

Word had spread in private that his grilled fish was unclean.

Things like original-flavor grilled fish and fish seasoned with liquid gold.

The rumors spread in every filthy form imaginable.

Two days later, Huo Yuhao's grilled fish business had completely gone under.

"Hui Ye, you and I cannot live under the same sky!"

For the next few days, Huo Yuhao glared at Hui Ye with a face twisted in resentment, and every word he spoke was laced with barbs.

When he returned to the dormitory at noon and learned that Hui Ye had broken through to level 17, Huo Yuhao felt terrible.

His own failure was regrettable, but a friend's success was even more heartbreaking.

After being crushed to death twice by Tang San, Hui Ye had grown even more frantic in his cultivation.

Whenever he grew tired of cultivating, he only needed to use his first Soul Skill to reset his condition, and he could continue cultivating.

And so the cycle repeated.

Huo Yuhao admitted he just couldn't keep up with that grind.

After completing a full circulation, Hui Ye opened his eyes on his bed and sighed.

"Too slow. It's just too slow. I've only advanced half a level in seven days."

Huo Yuhao didn't even lift an eyelid. He knew Hui Ye was under a lot of pressure, but he simply didn't want to pay him any attention.

Just listen to him. Is that something a human being would say?

Seven days, half a level!

It took me half a month to advance half a level, and that was only because I absorbed the origin power Tian Meng left behind.

Hui Ye rubbed his face and walked over to Huo Yuhao.

Huo Yuhao shot him a sidelong glance. "What?"

Hui Ye reached out, placed both hands on Huo Yuhao's shoulders, and said solemnly, "Brother Yuhao, do me a favor."

"No!"

"How about this? Let's make a deal. I'll help you clear up the rumors."

"No thanks."

Hui Ye sighed. "Forget it, then. What a shame. I was worried that because of this rumor, people would mock you as the 'Jet Douluo' after you became a Titled Douluo.

"Then again, who would be bored enough to make up such bullshit rumors?"

Hui Ye shook his head, turned around, and lifted his foot, moving slowly as though frames had been cut from a film.

Huo Yuhao's shoulders trembled uncontrollably. Gritting his teeth, he seized the back of Hui Ye's clothes.

Hui Ye looked back with the sunny smile of a wholesome young man.

Huo Yuhao struggled to control his facial muscles and forced out a smile uglier than a cry.

"Brother Hui Ye~ Just tell me whatever you need. Please don't treat me like a person. Order me around however you like."

"Ahem... you're going too far. It's nothing important. I remember the Mystic Water Pill Bei Bei gave you last time... you haven't taken it yet, have you?"

"No. Absolutely not."

Huo Yuhao sprang into the air like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

"Bei Bei and I aren't that close. I can't accept such a valuable gift from him.

"Later, I'll find a pretext to return it to Bei Bei through Senior Sister Tang Ya."

Bei Bei's attempt to assassinate Hui Ye last time had been a warning to Huo Yuhao.

There were some people he must never lightly allow himself to owe a favor, no matter what.

"Since you're having such a hard time, I'll settle for second best. When you're free these next few days, come out for more walks with me."

"That's all?"

"That's all!"

Huo Yuhao scratched his head, feeling an itch on his scalp.

It probably wasn't anything serious. It was much better than having the label "liquid gold grilled fish seller" hanging over his head every day.

That evening, at the roadside grilled fish stall in front of Shrek Academy.

As usual, Hui Ye polished off five grilled fish by himself before he began calling out to customers.

It was only because Hui Ye wasn't short of money now. Otherwise, he would have insisted on splitting the stall's earnings fifty-fifty.

"Fresh grilled fish, made with Brother Ye's exclusive recipe!"

Someone wanted to come over and buy some, but a companion stopped him. "You can't eat that fish. Let me tell you..."

"What's there to tell? This fish is clean and sanitary. Go ahead and eat it."

Hui Ye picked up a grilled fish, tore off a strip of meat, and stuffed it into his mouth. He chewed, swallowed, then opened wide to show them the depths of his throat.

"See? I dare to eat it myself. There's nothing wrong with it."

"Yep, your throat looks very healthy." The person grinned and reached out to take the grilled fish Hui Ye offered.

His companion looked horrified. "You're really going to eat it?"

"Didn't you see him eat it? Maybe a competitor deliberately smeared them. I refuse to believe it."

The person took a bite of the grilled fish, its fragrance lingering on his lips and teeth. "Cooked just right."

Once someone took the lead and tried it, the herd effect kicked in. Gradually, more people began buying grilled fish.

Hui Ye cleared his throat and shouted:

"I'm Huo Yuhao's real roommate. I don't know which hater started those rumors the other day, spouting all sorts of nasty nonsense.

"Go ahead and buy without worry. I stake my character on it: the grilled fish is absolutely clean and sanitary.

"Also, I'll tell you a little secret."

"What secret?" Everyone's eyes lit up.

While Huo Yuhao was busy grilling fish, Hui Ye tilted his head, covered his mouth, and lowered his voice.

"Yuhao is in excellent health. He can definitely control his sphincter."

Everyone's eyes widened.

"Holy shit, how do you know that?"

Hui Ye said, "Alas, looks like we won't be selling much grilled fish today..."

"I'll buy five!"

"Out of the way, I'll take the lot. Hurry up and tell me..."

Huo Yuhao, meanwhile, remained oblivious to it all, lost in the paradise of having his name cleared and unable to pull himself away.

His hands flew as he turned the grilled fish, and he even broke into an involuntary hum.

It wasn't until eleven at night that Huo Yuhao was willing to close the stall.

As he walked along the road, his grin nearly split his face.

He had made so much today that counting the money had nearly cramped his hands.

"Brother Hui Ye, how about we go for a walk by Sea God Lake?"

Huo Yuhao was clearly in a good mood and made the suggestion himself.

Hui Ye looked at Huo Yuhao in surprise. He had taken the bait just like that.

These past few days, aside from cultivating, he had wandered around Sea God Lake several times a day at irregular hours.

From beginning to end, nothing had happened, and he hadn't encountered that fiery red figure either.

Hui Ye guessed that the key character's plot could only be triggered with Huo Yuhao, the destined protagonist, present.

The two arrived at Sea God Lake. Huo Yuhao picked up some pebbles and skipped them across the water. Looking at the moon hanging high in the sky, a feeling of longing welled up in him.

"Brother Hui Ye, you know, my background isn't a good one..."

It was as though Huo Yuhao had opened the floodgates, pouring out everything he had been through over the years to Hui Ye.

Hui Ye already knew Huo Yuhao's background. On the surface, he calmly nodded or shook his head, responding at the right moments.

"Mm, yes, that's right. He deserves to die!"

Inwardly, however, he prayed for Ma Xiaotao to appear. In the original story, to cover up Ma Xiaotao's rampage, they had given Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong a Mystic Water Pill each as hush money.

That left a great deal of room to maneuver, and Hui Ye secretly worked out a plan.

"One day, I'll grow stronger. I swear I'll have my revenge on the Duke's Mansion!"

Facing Sea God Lake, the youth made his vow.

Hui Ye lay on a rock with his arms pillowed behind his head and glanced at Huo Yuhao.

His line of fate had shifted from its course with Hui Ye's arrival. It was hard to say whether the Duke's Mansion would emerge unscathed.

Hui Ye's expression grew a touch more serious than usual.

"Yuhao, remember, if you run into trouble, don't try to shoulder it alone. Remember to come to me for help when the time comes."

Huo Yuhao stared at Hui Ye for a moment. A warm current welled up in his heart, and he nodded vigorously, his eyes red.

"All right. If you ever need anything, I'll definitely help you too."

Under the quiet moonlight, a pact was made between the two youths.

They enjoyed another half hour of the lakeside breeze.

Hui Ye got up and looked across the lake, feeling slightly regretful. "It's getting late, Yuhao. Let's head-"

Before he could finish, a fiery red figure shot out of the lake at tremendous speed, the surface boiling and churning under the scorching heat.

"Finally... she's here!"