Chapter 16

As expected, Huo Yutong's grilled fish business was booming.

In less than half an hour, the portion Tang Ya prepared for Huo Yutong today sold out completely.

"Sorry, seniors, I only sell twenty grilled fish a day; if you want some, please come earlier tomorrow to queue."

Hearing Huo Yutong say that, the nearby students could only leave disappointed.

Tang Ya happily patted her shoulder.

"Not bad, Yutong; business is great on the first day—I think you might make a name for yourself at the Academy later."

As for that, Huo Yutong merely gave a faint smile and didn't answer.

To her, cultivation is the most important matter; selling grilled fish is mainly to earn basic living expenses, and she doesn't care whether she can make a name for herself.

Tang Wulin still felt somewhat unsatisfied.

"Sister Yutong, is that really all there is today?"

Huo Yutong made thirty grilled fish today; after selling twenty, she gave one to Bei Bei, four to Tang Ya, and five to Tang Wulin.

Five grilled fish is already enough to fill a normal person; even Tang Ya, who loves Huo Yutong's grilled fish immensely, could only eat four before being unable to eat more.

The problem is Tang Wulin isn't a normal person; this amount isn't even enough to stuff between his teeth.

Unexpectedly, when he asked that, the first to react wasn't Huo Yutong but Tang Ya.

She suddenly gave a meaningful smile and took Bei Bei's hand.

"Bei Bei, I want to go around Shrek City; will you come with me?"

Bei Bei instantly understood Tang Ya's meaning and teasingly raised an eyebrow.

"No problem."

Having secured Bei Bei's agreement, Tang Ya turned to Tang Wulin and said, "Wulin, Bei Bei and I are going on a date; you little kid, don't interfere—go have a good chat with Yutong."

After saying that, without waiting for Tang Wulin's reply, she grabbed Bei Bei's hand and hurried away.

?

Watching the two depart, Tang Wulin felt somewhat puzzled.

He's not stupid; Tang Ya said it so clearly that he naturally understood her meaning.

She was giving him and Huo Yutong space to be alone together.

The question is why? What comes next that must be said only between two people? "Wulin."

Tang Wulin was still pondering this when Huo Yutong gently tugged his sleeve, drawing his attention back.

"You just asked if there were any grilled fish left today; actually, there indeed are."

Saying this, her expression clearly showed some embarrassment.

"I asked Teacher Xiao Ya to prepare an extra thirty fish for me; if you still want to eat, how about we go to the shore of Haishen Hu?"

Tang Wulin's eyes lit up instantly.

He had just had his appetite stirred by those few grilled fish he ate, and was now in a state of hunger.

Huo Yutong's suggestion was practically a jab straight into his heart.

But he quickly restrained himself, not letting impulse control his mind.

"Thirty is too much; wouldn't that be a burden on you, Sister Yutong?"

Huo Yutong, like him, is an orphan without support.

He has already solved his biggest financial problem with his unique forging skill, but Huo Yutong hasn't yet.

Today she at most made a small profit, merely easing an urgent need; she's still far from a permanent solution.

Huo Yutong's expression showed some helplessness, yet with a hint of relief: "I already said I'd treat you to grilled fish, so you don't need to worry about me; being overly polite just feels distant."

Actually, Tang Wulin's worry is justified—she indeed has little savings, and she hasn't yet repaid the money Bei Bei lent her.

But this isn't something Tang Wulin, who is younger than her, should need to worry about; in Huo Yutong's eyes, this child's biggest problem is being overly mature.

To prevent Tang Wulin from continuing to refuse, she proactively took his hand and walked toward Haishen Hu.

"Y-Yutong sister?"

Tang Wulin's cheeks flushed instantly.

He was at the age when sexual awareness was just awakening; previously just talking was fine, but now being held by Huo Yutong's soft, boneless little hand, he only felt his heartbeat speed rapidly increasing.

Huo Yutong didn't notice Tang Wulin's abnormality until she had pulled him to the shore of Haishen Hu, then she let go.

After taking out the prepared grilling gear from her Storage Soul Conductor Device, Huo Yutong turned to Tang Wulin and gave a faint smile.

"Just wait a moment; it'll be ready soon."

Having said that, she sat down where she was and started a fire.

At this time it was already evening; no one was around Haishen Hu, and from afar came faint noisy lively sounds, but that had nothing to do with Huo Yutong now; she skillfully placed the fish on the grill and attentively controlled the heat.

Her expression was utterly focused; golden light flowed in her eyes while her gaze remained fixed on the grill, as if nothing could disturb her.

Tang Wulin stared a bit blankly.

It's said that a serious man is most charming, but a serious woman is just as so—especially when she is wholeheartedly making for you the food you like.

Soon, the first grilled fish came out fresh.

"Come, be careful it's hot."

Huo Yutong handed it to Tang Wulin, who hurriedly took it.

A light bite, and the delicious juice instantly permeated his lips and teeth; the wonderful flavor left Tang Wulin dazed.

Just now, when Huo Yutong was selling grilled fish, he had also eaten five, but those grilled fish's taste could not even be compared to this one.

Seeing his doubt, Huo Yutong gently explained.

"The taste differs, right? That's normal; my grilled fish is so delicious because my Spirit Eyes martial soul helps me better control the fire. The more focused I am, the better I control the heat, so naturally the fish's taste is directly related to my level of focus."

After explaining the reason for the taste difference, she quickly picked up another fish, placed it on the grill, and began to smoke it.

Tang Wulin's eating speed cannot be underestimated; his hand movements cannot pause too long.

As a result, when Tang Wulin had quickly finished the first grilled fish, the second grilled fish was also nearly done.

In this way, one grilled fish after another entered Tang Wulin's stomach.

After he had eaten nearly twenty grilled fish, Huo Yutong suddenly spoke again.

"Tang Wulin, why did you fight with Dai Huabin?"

"Cough cough cough!"

Tang Wulin almost choked.

He knew that this matter would eventually come to Huo Yutong's attention, but that she would learn the news before the next day even arrived was something he hadn't anticipated.

In a panic, he had no choice but to take Zhou Sichen's words as an excuse.

"Because that guy acts all high and mighty, I find him unpleasant."

The actual reason was that Dai Huabin insulted Huo Yutong to his face, but such a thing is really hard to bring up in front of Huo Yutong herself.

(End of chapter)