Ding---------
"Sister Xiao Wu, it's noon. Shall we go have dinner?" Wang Sheng finished making the bed, stood up, and asked Xiao Wu.
The moment she heard the word eat, Xiao Wu instantly perked up, completely ignoring the beds she had just arranged. She leaped up excitedly, her bunny ears twitching, and asked, "Okay! What's delicious to eat?"
Wang Sheng and the other working-study students exchanged glances and let out a collective sigh. "Sister Xiao Wu, we're working-study students… We don't have money to eat anything delicious. If we can fill our stomachs, that's already a win."
"You guys go ahead. I won't go," Tang San suddenly said. He wasn't about to admit that his financial situation was as tragic as his father's drinking habits. Hunting for wild game had become his personal meal plan, and he had long accepted his fate as the self-sufficient type.
As for Arthev, he simply leaned back, arms crossed, looking completely unbothered. He had already discovered that, with his martial spirit, he could grow any plant-based food at will. If he had food, he'd eat. If he didn't, he'd make food. Simple. While others worried about coins, he was one step away from starting his own organic farm.
Wang Sheng glanced at Tang San, taking in his patchwork clothes, and had a pretty good guess about his situation. But he was tactful enough to say nothing.
Xiao Wu, on the other hand, had just realized something crucial. The excitement drained from her face as she hesitantly asked, "Wait… Does it cost money to eat? You mean that soul coin thing?"
Wang Sheng sighed again. "Yes, Sister Xiao Wu… food, unfortunately, is not free."
Xiao Wu blinked. Then blinked again. "Wait… so all those meals I ate back at home… were not free?!"
The room fell silent.
Wang Sheng opened his mouth to speak, but Arthev beat him to it. "…Xiao Wu, please tell me you weren't dining and dashing back in Star Dou Forest."
Tang San covered his face. The other students tried (and failed) to suppress their laughter.
Xiao Wu's ears twitched, and she huffed, "Hmph! I was a queen! Who would dare charge me?"
Wang Sheng nearly cracked a molar from clenching his teeth. "Why do all the new working-study students have brain problems?! Of course, you need to pay for food! Who do you think is handing out free lunches?" He sighed heavily but quickly noticed Xiao Wu's slightly guilty expression—clearly, she wasn't loaded with soul coins either.
"Alright, alright, Sister Xiao Wu," Wang Sheng said with an exaggerated sigh, rubbing his temples. "I'll cover the meals for the next couple of days. We're all roommates, after all. Just treat me back when you have money… if that ever happens."
Then, he turned to Tang San and Arthev. "You guys should come too. We're roommates; let's eat together."
Tang San hesitated slightly. He wasn't used to people being so straightforward about money, and for a moment, he felt a little awkward.
Arthev, on the other hand, was the complete opposite. He calmly got up from bed, stretched lazily, and said with a faint smile, "Wang Sheng, I must say, I didn't take you for a rich man."
Wang Sheng straightened his back and pounded his chest proudly. "Of course! I've been here for six years! Naturally, I've saved up a little. Covering a few meals is nothing!"
Arthev gave a slow nod, his expression unreadable. "Mmm… I see. So you've been here for six years and still haven't graduated."
The air went silent.
The proud smile on Wang Sheng's face stiffened. The other working-study students coughed, trying to suppress their laughter.
Arthev and other calmly followed Wang Sheng out.
Tang San, Xiao Wu, and the rest of their roommates trailed behind, making their way towards the cafeteria under Wang Sheng's lead. The group passed through the playground, which was already buzzing with activity. Students in their academy uniforms walked in groups, all heading in the same direction—the sacred hall of student survival: the cafeteria.
When they arrived, Xiao Wu's eyes widened. The cafeteria of Notting Junior Soul Master Academy was massive, large enough to accommodate all six classes and the teachers—over 300 people in total. At this moment, the place was packed, with a long queue snaking from the food counter and a constant flow of students coming and going.
"So many people!" Xiao Wu exclaimed, her bunny ears twitching as she scanned the crowd.
Then, she suddenly pointed at the second floor, where several senior students were casually walking up, looking far too relaxed for a lunch rush. "Hey, Wang Sheng, is that also a place to eat?"
Wang Sheng nodded. "Yeah, the cafeteria has two floors. The first floor is for everyone, and it can fit over 300 people."
Then, he leaned close to Xiao Wu's ear and whispered, "Sister Xiao Wu, there's a separate ordering area on the second floor. It's super expensive. We can't afford it."
Xiao Wu's ears twitched. "Hmph! What's so great about expensive food?"
Just as she finished speaking, a sharp voice cut through the air.
"Hey, isn't this Wang Sheng and his band of poor ghosts?"
Tang San turned towards the voice and saw a group of senior students standing on the stairs leading to the second floor, looking down at them with smug expressions, as if they were emperors addressing commoners.
On the way to the cafeteria, Wang Sheng had already explained the "Qi She Boss" rule to Xiao Wu—whoever was the strongest among the work-study students would stand up for them. Xiao Wu had immediately agreed, eager to prove herself. So now, seeing someone run their mouth, she stepped forward without hesitation.
"And who do you think you are?" Xiao Wu shot back, hands on her hips. "What's so great about the second floor, huh?"
But the moment the words left her mouth, she regretted them. Wait… didn't Wang Sheng just say we can't afford it?
Xiao Wu was about the same height as Tang San, and even shorter than Arthev. She had been blocked from view by the two of them, but now that she stepped forward, the senior students upstairs finally noticed her.
"Oho, what a cute little loli," one of them sneered. "Too bad she's a work-study student. Wang Sheng, I'll let you off this time—I've got a luxury meal waiting for me upstairs."
With that, the group laughed and turned to head up to the second floor, their arrogance practically dripping from their uniforms.
Xiao Wu's foot shot forward, ready to chase after them and "teach them a lesson."
But before she could move, Tang San reached out and held her shoulder, shaking his head. "Forget it, we came here to eat."
Xiao Wu frowned, glaring at him. "Are you scared of trouble?"
Tang San didn't bother explaining. He was about to head towards the food counter when he suddenly noticed something.
"Wait… where's Arthev?"
The group blinked and looked around.
Xiao Wu and Wang Sheng finally snapped out of their confusion and started looking around.
"Strange… where did Arthev go? He was just standing in front of me," Xiao Wu muttered, her bunny ears twitching in suspicion.
"Look! Over there!" Wang Sheng suddenly pointed towards an empty table in the distance.
Everyone followed his gaze—only to see Arthev, calmly seated, devouring food like a man possessed.
Their jaws collectively dropped.
"Wait, hold on—he's already eating?!" Wang Sheng's voice cracked.
Arthev, for his part, remained completely unfazed. Even though he didn't need to eat to survive—his martial soul allowed him to grow his own food if necessary—the experience of eating, the rich flavors, the satisfying textures… that was something he refused to ignore.
After all, why waste a good meal just because he could live without it?
"That traitor!" another work-study student groaned. "We're still standing here, and he's already stuffing his face!"
Xiao Wu's eyes twitched. "Oh, he's done for."
Without another word, she stomped towards Arthev with the fury of a thousand betrayed comrades, Wang Sheng and the others hot on her heels.
Meanwhile, Tang San had turned away from the chaos, spotting a familiar figure entering the cafeteria.
"Teacher, you're here to eat too?" he greeted.
It was none other than the Grandmaster. He looked at Tang San approvingly, silently thinking: Good, very good. This child has potential. He is much more refined than that Arthev, who clearly lacks discipline.
The Grandmaster cleared his throat. "Xiao San, have you packed everything?"
Tang San nodded. "Yes, teacher, everything is ready."
The Grandmaster patted him on the shoulder, nodding wisely. "Now is the time for you to grow taller. Come with me to the second floor for a proper meal, or I can take you to my place and make sure you eat well."
Tang San hesitated. He was about to politely refuse when he suddenly caught sight of Arthev and the others, happily devouring their food.
His expression darkened slightly.
"...Thank you, teacher," he said, decisively accepting the offer.
The Grandmaster forced a rare smile onto his usually stiff face and said, "There's no need to thank me. I am your teacher, and you are my disciple—it's only natural."
Then, without waiting for a reply, he took Tang San's hand and confidently led him toward the second floor, as if personally escorting him to a VIP section.
Meanwhile…
Back at the work-study students' table, chaos was unfolding.
"Arthev!" Xiao Wu slammed her hands on the table, pouting with righteous fury.
"How could you start eating alone?! We haven't even gotten our food yet!"
She puffed up her cheeks in frustration, her small dimples making her look almost too adorable… at least from everyone else's perspective.
Arthev, however, remained completely unmoved. He had seen things. He knew what she really was—a hundred-thousand-year-old soul beast in disguise. Yet here she was, acting like a spoiled little sister throwing a tantrum over food.
Something about this felt deeply wrong.
He put down the steamed bun in his hand, coughed lightly, and adopted his most serious expression. "Xiao Wu, Wang Sheng, do you think I'm an unloyal person?"
Wang Sheng blinked. "...Uh, yes?"
Arthev ignored him. "I was merely thinking ahead for everyone's sake! What if you all arrived and couldn't find a seat? I took the noble responsibility of securing this spot so that none of us would have to stand while eating."
His face was so sincere, his delivery so convincing, that for a moment, even Xiao Wu hesitated.
"...Really?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.
"How could it be true? You couldn't fight in the first place, so you might as well come and eat early," Arthev thought to himself, but on the surface, his expression remained as solemn as ever.
"Of course, it's true," he said with the conviction of a saint. "Look, I specifically came here to secure this table—just the right size for all ten of us. Is there anything wrong with that?"
Xiao Wu, Wang Sheng, and the others hesitated, scanning the cafeteria. Sure enough, despite some people leaving, every other table was packed. Only their table remained completely empty, almost as if Arthev had planned it all.
Xiao Wu scratched her head. "Sorry, Arthev, we misunderstood you."
Wang Sheng, seeing Xiao Wu apologize, hurriedly followed suit. "Yeah, our bad, Arthev. We totally misjudged you."
Arthev waved them off with a magnanimous gesture. "Ah, it's fine, it's fine. These things happen. Not everyone can process information quickly—some brains just work slower than others."
There was a long silence.
Wang Sheng opened his mouth to protest—then closed it again.
Xiao Wu squinted at him. "Wait a minute—did you just insult us?"
Arthev took another bite of his steamed bun, looking completely innocent. "Of course not. I would never."
Xiao Wu stared at him for a few more seconds before bursting into laughter.
Seeing her reaction, the others shook their heads, chuckled, and finally sat down to eat. Even though it was just steamed buns and pickles, for some reason, it tasted better than usual.