Chapter 8 – She Insisted, So You Just Agreed?
Tang San took a deep breath, carefully choosing his words before speaking in what he thought was a joking tone.
"Su Yan, you ordered such a grand meal just to treat Xiao Wu—so why is there a monkey sitting at the table too?"
"I mean… isn't that a bit wasteful?"
"Huh?"
Su Yan turned to look at Tang San, his eyes filled with amusement.
'Bro…'
'Have you ever considered the possibility that Xiao Wu was the one treating us?'
'And maybe, just maybe, I'm the one freeloading off the monkey's 'birthday celebration'?'
Xiao Wu immediately caught the implication behind Tang San's words. She slammed her chopsticks onto the table, placed her hands on her hips, and glared at him with anger written all over her face.
"Tang San!"
"What's your problem with Little San?"
"Why do you always have to pick on him?"
Damn it—Tang San's temper flared the instant he heard Xiao Wu refer to that monkey as Little San!
'She calls me Tang San, but calls that little monkey 'Little San'?'
'So affectionate! What am I inferior to a monkey now?'
'Even Su Yan's martial soul ranks higher than mine?'
Feeling the sting of humiliation, Tang San stubbornly retorted, "I'm not picking on it. I just think this meal isn't cheap, and feeding a useless martial soul like that is a waste."
Su Yan almost laughed out loud.
Xiao Wu was a soul beast herself, and since she had no kind of her own among humans, she naturally felt closest to the little monkey.
Tang San, however, always misunderstood, assuming she cared most about him. Every time he tried to attack the monkey, he ended up shooting himself in the foot.
Seriously—who tries to win over a girl by insulting her little brother?
Su Yan's face turned serious as he said, "Tang San, I disagree with you. Your teacher, Yu Xiaogang, once said—'There are no useless martial souls, only useless soul masters.'"
"My little monkey isn't a useless martial soul!"
When Xiao Wu heard that, she looked at Su Yan approvingly and nodded with satisfaction. This kind of person—someone who treated soul beasts kindly—was exactly her type.
Tang San was left completely speechless. He wanted nothing more than to label Yu Xiaogang himself as guilty of courting death!
What nonsense was that quote?
A trash martial soul is still trash!
Teacher, were you kicked in the head by a donkey when you said that?!
"Hmph!"
Xiao Wu snorted coldly and sat back down, resuming her meal. She had spent quite a bit of money on this feast—no way she'd let it go to waste just because Tang San had angered her.
The little monkey, ever so considerate, picked up some vegetables and placed them into Xiao Wu's bowl.
Her expression instantly softened, a warm smile returning to her lips. "Thank you, Little San."
Tang San, sitting on the side, nearly exploded on the spot.
He couldn't understand!
He really couldn't understand!
It was just a useless martial soul—even if it looked like a real soul beast after mutating, so what?!
What was Xiao Wu thinking?!
Damn it. Evil martial soul!
You too… have chosen the path of death!
Su Yan was eating happily when he turned and caught sight of Tang San's twisted, barely contained rage. The sight was just too funny—he couldn't hold it in.
"Pfft—"
A mouthful of rice sprayed out, right onto Tang San's face.
Tang San's anger instantly erupted.
"Su Yan!"
He shot to his feet, glaring at him, barely resisting the urge to throw hidden weapons on the spot. Su Yan—this bastard—was truly asking for death!
The little monkey, sensing Tang San's hostility, turned its head and glared back fiercely. If not for its master's orders, it would've already pulled out its iron rod and smashed Tang San's head open.
Su Yan scratched his head with an awkward laugh. "Sorry, sorry. I just remembered something funny."
Then, with a teasing smile, he added, "Tang San, do you even know who paid for this meal?"
Tang San, still fuming, frowned. "What do you mean by that?"
Su Yan pointed at Xiao Wu and said matter-of-factly, "This meal was Xiao Wu's treat."
"What!?"
Tang San's eyes widened, disbelief flashing across his face as he stared at Xiao Wu—then at the lavish dishes spread on the table. He simply couldn't accept it.
This entire table of delicious dishes… and Xiao Wu actually paid for it?
He himself wouldn't even bear to eat a single Carrot from Xiao Wu—yet this bastard Su Yan not only sat down to eat, but even let her pay the bill?!
Damn it! Damn it all!
"Su Yan!" Tang San's face darkened with rage. "Are you even a man? You actually let Xiao Wu treat you—and let her spend so much money?"
Su Yan turned to him, wearing an exaggeratedly helpless expression.
"She insisted."
His tone was calm, his face seemingly innocent—as though Xiao Wu had forced him to eat. That act of his made Tang San's blood boil.
"You…" Tang San's expression turned grim, a flicker of hatred glinting in his eyes.
"She insisted, so you just agreed?"
"I told you before, didn't I?" Tang San growled. "Xiao Wu loves carrots! She needs that money to buy them! Did I not make that clear to you?"
He was furious.
She insisted, so you just agreed?
You damn turtle, can't you even say no?!
She's going to run out of money for carrots, and you don't even care?
Su Yan rose from his seat, giving Tang San a strange look before deliberately saying, "She insisted—oh wait, no—she really insisted. What could I do? I had no choice but to accept."
With the three divine skills from his beginner's gift pack and his recently boosted soul power, Su Yan wasn't afraid in the slightest.
At this point, Tang San wasn't even worth a fart.
'Before the Golden Finger arrived, you bullied me. Now that the Golden Finger is here, you're still trying to bully me? What, did the Golden Finger come for nothing?'
Xiao Wu finally couldn't stand it anymore. She slammed her hands on the table and glared coldly at Tang San.
"Tang San, are you full and have nothing better to do?"
"I'm spending my own money—what does that have to do with you?"
Her words hit Tang San like a slap. His face twisted in anger.
Su Yan—this guy—has already found his way to death!
Just then, a cold voice echoed from the staircase.
"What's going on here?"
Yu Xiaogang walked up from below, immediately sensing the tension between the three. His eyes swept across the group, and when they landed on Su Yan, his expression filled with disdain.
"Su Yan," he said sharply, "apologize to Xiao San. Now."
"…Huh?"
Su Yan frowned, looking at Yu Xiaogang with clear irritation. "Grandmaster, aren't you being a bit rude—ordering me to apologize before even asking what happened?"
Yu Xiaogang's tone turned cold. "This situation doesn't require a discussion of right or wrong. Set the facts aside."
"Su Yan, don't forget—you're just a useless soul master. If it weren't for Xiao San, your fellow villager, and his care, do you think you could've stayed in this academy safely for all these years without being bullied?"
Su Yan couldn't help but laugh.
"Heh."
"What an absurd thing to say."
Xiao Wu also looked speechless. "Grandmaster, Su Yan's popular in the academy. Who would even dare bully him?"
Yu Xiaogang snorted. "That's only because of Tang San's protection. In any case, Su Yan, just apologize to him and be done with it."
"Tch."
Xiao Wu rolled her eyes. "Tang San has fewer friends here than Su Yan. How exactly is Su Yan being 'protected'?"
Su Yan's gaze shifted between Tang San and Yu Xiaogang before he asked calmly, "And if I refuse to apologize?"
Tang San—Soul Power Rank 28.
Yu Xiaogang—Rank 29.
If these two came at him together, Su Yan could crush them both with one hand.
Yu Xiaogang frowned at Su Yan's defiance, irritation flashing across his face. His tone turned cutting.
"Xiao San is a genius. You, on the other hand, are a useless soul master with no potential for advancement. In the future, you'll still need Xiao San to look after you."
"Are you really sure you want to create conflict with him?"
Su Yan sneered.
"Let's get this straight. I was eating with Xiao Wu. Tang San came to us looking for trouble. I didn't go out of my way to pick a fight."
"Second, in all six years at Nuoding Academy, Tang San has never once 'looked after' me. If you said Xiao Wu did, I might agree—but Tang San? Not once."
Yu Xiaogang's face darkened.
"Fine. Don't regret it later."
He shot Su Yan with a cold glare before turning to Tang San. "Come, Xiao San. We're leaving."
Tang San's fists clenched, his heart burning with resentment.
Su Yan… you've truly chosen the path of death!
—
End of Chapter