Wang Sheng and the others stared at the shining gold soul coin, their eyes fixed on it.
They had grown up never even touching a gold soul coin. Usually, they only dealt with copper ones. Even silver coins were rare.
"As expected from a rich young master—throws around gold coins like it's nothing," they thought to themselves.
Initially, after learning about Ao Tian's wealthy background, they felt a bit of resistance toward him. But now, shocked by his generosity, they were starting to consider whether they should get on his good side—maybe even score some benefits.
Xiao Wu, unfamiliar with much of the human world, especially money, wasn't the least bit surprised.
Ao Tian had just intended to hand the coin to Xiao Wu, but after thinking it over, he put it away.
"Forget it. I'll come eat with you," he said, stepping down from his bed.
Wang Sheng smiled at Ao Tian and said,
"Perfect timing. Let's all go together."
Then he looked at Tang San,
"Tang San, you coming?"
Tang San shook his head.
"You go ahead. I just ate breakfast not long ago. I'm not hungry."
In truth, he was hungry—he just didn't have any money. His drunkard father had spent everything on alcohol.
Luckily, before coming here, Tang San had prepared some coarse flatbread. If he rationed it, it should last two or three days.
Once his job started the day after tomorrow, he'd get his salary.
Wang Sheng noticed the many patches on Tang San's clothes. How could he not understand his hardship?
They were all poor kids. He had seen many like Tang San before.
As the former dorm boss, he still had a bit of responsibility. He said,
"You haven't started work yet. Let me cover your meals for the next couple of days. Just treat me later when you get paid."
Only then did Xiao Wu catch on and ask,
"Tang San, you don't have any money either?"
Tang San helplessly nodded.
"Then you're coming with us," said Xiao Wu.
She felt that, as the dorm leader, it was her duty to take care of everyone.
Tang San paused for a few seconds, then slowly nodded and stood up.
Wang Sheng grinned and shouted,
"Let's go!"
Including Ao Tian, all twelve of them left the dorm and headed for the cafeteria.
As it was mealtime, the campus became even livelier. Many students were headed to eat.
The cafeteria was large, two stories. The first floor served basic pre-made meals—affordable and preferred by students on tight budgets.
The second floor served made-to-order dishes. Expensive, and only accessible to teachers and the wealthier students.
Most of Nuoding Academy's students could only afford to eat on the first floor.
By now, a long line had already formed downstairs. Wang Sheng took the lead and got in line at the back.
He turned around and said helplessly,
"Sister Xiao Wu, we're late. We'll have to wait a bit."
Xiao Wu touched her belly and smiled,
"It's fine. I'm not that hungry yet."
Ao Tian looked up at the second floor, considering whether he should eat up there and maybe take Xiao Wu along.
The girl didn't seem too bad. At least, she didn't annoy him.
From his brief glance earlier, the food on the first floor looked too basic. The chefs were average. Nowhere near enough to satisfy his picky taste.
Just as he was thinking, a voice rang out—far louder than the cafeteria's general chatter:
"Yo! Isn't this that bunch of poor wretches led by Wang Sheng? Even eating's a struggle for you lot. Why bother?"
Ao Tian looked up and saw a group of well-dressed students standing on the stairs between the first and second floors, gazing down at them with disdain.
It was only the first day of school, and classes hadn't started yet, so uniforms weren't required.
From their clothes alone, it was clear they were all rich kids.
Leading them was a boy about the same age as Wang Sheng, around eleven or twelve. Fairly handsome. He leaned on the railing, sneering at Wang Sheng.
"Poor trash will always be poor. You'll never get to eat on the second floor."
He let out a mocking laugh and turned to go upstairs, his friends laughing along—echoes of their ridicule cutting like knives to the work-study students below.
Wang Sheng's face darkened, fists clenched tight, but he dared not speak out.
Those students were not people he could afford to provoke.
But while Wang Sheng could endure the insult, Xiao Wu couldn't. As the dorm leader, facing such humiliation on day one? With her blunt personality? No way she was letting that slide.
"Who the hell do you think you are? So what if it's the second floor?"
The cafeteria fell silent. Xiao Wu's crisp, angry voice carried clearly to the group upstairs.
The students who were just about to go upstairs froze. The leader turned, scanning the work-study group until he spotted the petite Xiao Wu.
"Oh? A cute little loli, huh? I'd love to cuddle her and play around… tsk tsk..."
The boy's eyes swept over Xiao Wu aggressively.
His friends burst out into creepy laughter.
Xiao Wu, feeling violated by his leering gaze for the first time, panicked and instinctively grabbed Ao Tian's arm.
The boys' eyes now shifted to Ao Tian.
"Well well, a pretty little kid. I wonder if he'd cry for a long time if I punched him in the face, haha…"
The leader rubbed his belly and said,
"I'm off to eat now. I'll deal with you all next time."
His gaze lingered on Xiao Wu before he finally walked up to the second floor.
"This is outrageous!" Xiao Wu shouted, furious and ready to charge up.
"Boss, don't!" Wang Sheng shouted in panic.
Xiao Wu stopped, turned to Wang Sheng, and said angrily,
"You can just take that? Are you even men?"
Wang Sheng smiled bitterly.
"Sister Xiao Wu, it's not that we want to put up with it—it's just that we can't afford to provoke them. The one leading just now is Xiao Chenyu, known as Boss Xiao. His father is the city lord of Nuoding City. At Nuoding Academy, he basically calls the shots. We can't beat him."
"We've challenged them before—many times. Every single time, we got brutally beaten," another student added.
"Forget it. We're here to eat," said Tang San.
With that, he walked alone to the back of the line.
To him, this so-called Boss Xiao was just a kid—not worth the hassle.
"Tang San, you're the third strongest in our dorm, and you're backing down like this?" Xiao Wu said, annoyed.
Tang San simply shook his head and ignored her.
"Little San, what are you doing here?" a voice called out suddenly.
Tang San turned to see Grandmaster walking in with several other teachers.
"Teacher!" Tang San quickly walked over.
Grandmaster patted Tang San's head and smiled,
"Come eat on the second floor with me. The food is much better."
Tang San looked back at Ao Tian and the others, then shook his head.
"No thanks. I'd rather eat here with my dorm mates."
Grandmaster looked at him with admiration.
"Alright. Once you're done, wait for me outside. I'll take you to my dorm."
"Okay." Tang San nodded.
Grandmaster gave Ao Tian a glance but didn't get any reaction from him. He didn't dwell on it and went upstairs with the other teachers.
Wang Sheng, with a strange expression, asked,
"Tang San, did you become Grandmaster's disciple?"
Tang San nodded.
Wang Sheng touched Tang San's forehead, as if checking for fever.
"You're not seriously being scammed, right? I heard he only got to stay here because of the dean. His cultivation talent is awful—still just a Great Soul Master at nearly fifty—and all he does is study useless theories. I really think—"
"Enough!" Tang San interrupted, face stern.
"He is my teacher. If you insult him again, don't blame me for not being polite."
He softened a little and added coolly,
"Thanks for your kind offer, but I don't need your help."
With that, Tang San turned and walked away.
Wang Sheng stood frozen for a few seconds before snapping out of it and cursing,
"Damn, that guy's nuts."
....
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