"Eat up, eat up, and then be on your way."
Looking into those big red eyes, then at the seafood congee he couldn't finish, Yu Yan waved a hand and agreed to Xiao Wu's request.
Anyone who cooks often knows fixing a meal for one is the biggest hassle—quantities slip out of control and you end up with too much or too little.
With his large appetite, Yu Yan always cooked generous portions. Leftovers were saved for the next meal or tossed to the crabs in the water vat.
Today there probably wouldn't be any left.
"Heh-heh, didn't expect you to be so nice—then I won't stand on ceremony."
Rejected before, Xiao Wu now beamed and awarded Yu Yan a "good-person card" for letting her eat.
Yu Yan brushed it off as nothing, fetched clean bowls and chopsticks, and set them beside her.
Taking them gratefully, Xiao Wu slurped the congee and stuffed the buns still on the table.
Maybe she was starving, maybe Yu Yan's cooking was just that tasty; she ate fast, a striking contrast to her cute, petite looks.
"So full! Yu Yan, did you make all this yourself?"
Content, Xiao Wu leaned back and patted her stomach.
"Mm, just a casual breakfast."
While answering, Yu Yan racked his brain for a way to persuade her to leave—he still needed to power up in secret.
He couldn't get too close to anyone connected with Tang San; discovery would be disastrous.
"This is the best food I've ever tasted. Yu Yan, you're amazing."
Xiao Wu had lived inside the Star Dou Great Forest, where nothing this refined existed.
After leaving the forest she'd crept through the wilds to avoid powerful Spirit Masters, only showing herself because of the spirit power ripple from Yu Yan.
This was her first proper meal, and with Yu Yan's decent skill, her praise was heartfelt.
"It's nothing, just everyday home cooking." Skipping the topic, he looked at her: "You've eaten, so you should head off to where you're supposed to be."
"Where I'm supposed to be?"
Xiao Wu stared, trying to work out what he meant.
Seeing her confusion, Yu Yan spelled it out:
"Right—aren't you supposed to attend school in Nuoding City?"
"Our Yu Village is far from Nuoding City; the Spirit Master academies will open soon. If you stay you'll miss something important."
As said earlier, the novel Douluo Continent had left him with deep stereotypes, and he hadn't thought it through.
He assumed Nuoding City was her goal; in fact it wasn't.
After hearing him, Xiao Wu looked even more puzzled and shot back:
"Nuoding City?"
"Never heard of the place—why would I go there for school?"
"Besides, what is 'school' anyway? What's a Spirit Master academy?"
"Why would staying here ruin anything important?"
"And since when is my 'important business' going to school? I didn't even know."
Xiao Wu's parents had been Spirit Beasts; they hadn't taught her much about human society while she was still a beast.
Da Ming and Er Ming were also Spirit Beasts with no contact with humanity, so after she became human they couldn't teach her either.
Thus her grasp of human society was paper-thin.
Besides, she didn't think staying here would hurt—as long as she could learn the cultivation method she'd glimpsed this morning, nothing would be wasted.
Yu Yan, still lagging behind, stared in shock: "You're not going to Nuoding City?"
"Why would I? I've never heard of it—what's wrong with you?"
Her definite answer rattled him; he stopped talking and started thinking.
He wasn't stupid—he just hadn't clicked. Calm reflection brought neglected details to light.
Bit by bit he understood everything!
Gradually he saw the whole picture!
Nuoding City wasn't her first target; it was a random stop after leaving the forest—maybe because the place was remote, maybe for other reasons.
Right now she and Tang San were total strangers, with zero connection.
And at the moment she looked rather clueless.
With that thought, Yu Yan glanced at her again, no longer wanting to chase her away.
Come to think of it, she was beautiful, sweet-voiced, lively, devoted—given proper growth she was guaranteed to reach at least Titled Douluo.
Wasn't that a textbook rising stock?
Why not keep her by his side?
Why had he just tried to send her away?
"Hahaha…"
Having figured it out, Yu Yan let out an awkward laugh to ease the tension and said:
"Truth is, I stumbled onto that cultivation method by accident; I haven't fully grasped it myself, so I can't teach it yet. If you're willing to wait, stick with me, and I'll pass it on once I've mastered it."
"If you don't believe me, I'll demonstrate tomorrow morning and you'll see."
It was the honest truth—and a perfect excuse to keep her close and build rapport.
He had decided to snatch Xiao Wu; no one could talk him out of it.
"Sure, no problem—thank you, Yu Yan, you're really kind."
Sensing he wasn't lying this time, she thanked him again and handed him another good-person card.
"It's nothing." He waved, then answered her earlier questions: "A Spirit Master academy is where we learn to Cultivate and grow; lots of kids like us attend."
"So that's how it is. Will you go to that Nuoding place?"
After thinking, she asked the toe-curling question.
"No-no-no, it's too far. I'll attend Balak Junior Soul Master Academy."
"Can I go to that Balak Junior Soul Master Academy too?"
Having turned human to join human society and grow stronger, she liked the idea once she heard academies helped students advance.
"As long as you Awaken your Spirit and possess spirit power, you can enroll at Balak Junior Soul Master Academy."
Already guessing her wish, Yu Yan explained the entrance requirement.
"Then I'll go there too; I can stay with you until you teach me that special method."
"That's fine—but do you have tuition money? I'm using Yu Village's Work-Study Student slot, so it's free. You…" Seeing her worried look, he chuckled: "I'll handle it; you'll owe me a favor to repay later."
Call it creating a debt to collect later.
"Deal—I'll pay you back." She thumped her chest, leaned back again, and sighed: "Yu Yan, you're really wonderful."
She knew humans needed money for things, but she had none, so his help meant a lot.
"You've said that several times now."
"Then you're super-duper wonderful."
"Hey, little girl, you sure know how to flatter."
"Aren't you a kid too?"
"Not the same thing."
"Oh right, Yu Yan, what did all that weird stuff you said earlier mean?"
"Xiao Wu, please forget every word—I must've been out of my mind."
"Mm… since you're so nice, I'll reluctantly agree."