After eating, An Chen and Su Xiaojiu unanimously decided they would not eat at all-you-can-eat barbecue restaurants anymore.
Because it was annoying.
The grill's fire at the barbecue restaurant was not strong enough, so the meat cooked slowly, and they had to wait a while after eating just a few bites.
Later, Su Xiaojiu secretly used a bit of fire-attribute spell to boost the grill's flame, which only slightly sped things up.
The only thing Su Xiaojiu was satisfied with was the free ice cream at the barbecue restaurant; she ate her fill, almost emptying the ice cream area.
If the barbecue restaurant owner knew what they were thinking now, he might even thank them.
This was the first time the owner had encountered such 'tough' customers; not only did he not make money, but he also lost quite a bit!
Today's revenue would surely drop significantly.
"I feel a bit uncomfortable in my stomach."
As Su Xiaojiu walked further away, she rubbed her stomach and complained, "It must be that the meat from that restaurant just now wasn't good!"
An Chen didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
"What does that have to do with the quality of the meat? Who told you to eat so many cold things? If your stomach doesn't hurt, whose will?"
"Impossible! Delicious food will never make me uncomfortable!"
Su Xiaojiu shook her head firmly.
"You ate hot food immediately followed by cold food, which stimulated your stomach and intestines, so of course you'd be uncomfortable. Plus, you ate so much at once, not to mention that it has nothing to do with whether it was delicious or not."
"What did the ice cream do wrong?! The barbecue is to blame! If the barbecue hadn't warmed up my stomach, how could the ice cream have upset it?!"
"Alright, you win."
An Chen realized that rational analysis was like playing a lute to a cow when dealing with an unreasonable person.
The two quickly returned home. After a day of wandering, neither had the inclination to do anything else, so they went back to their respective rooms and immediately fell asleep.
Early the next morning, An Chen went downstairs to get breakfast as usual.
In front of his classmates, he was still the Breakfast Hero.
After all, it only took a few extra minutes each morning.
But today, he also had to wait for two people.
"An Chen!"
Chen Mo waved as she walked out of the community, followed by Chen Cheng.
Both of them were wearing brand new school uniforms, but An Chen always felt that the clothes didn't quite match their temperament.
"Just follow me; this road will get us there in a bit."
Chen Mo, however, didn't pay attention to his words; instead, she stared at the things he was carrying in his hand.
"What are you carrying? Breakfast? Do you eat that much?"
"It's breakfast, but it's for my classmates." An Chen lowered his head slightly: "I'm helping my classmates bring it, earning a little money."
"You... need money?"
Chen Cheng frowned slightly.
"Yes."
An Chen nodded, not lingering on the question, and instead walked towards the school with the breakfast.
"Let's go, don't be late."
Chen Mo and Chen Cheng exchanged glances.
"I wondered why he was so aloof. I get it now; he's not aloof, he's insecure."
Chen Mo whispered, very confidently.
"Although it sounds a bit bad to say, it really might be..."
Chen Cheng also agreed somewhat.
"Once we integrate into the class, we'll ask about his situation. To be honest, I find him quite interesting."
Before they could walk two steps, Chen Cheng and Chen Mo heard someone calling from behind them.
"An Chen, why did you leave without calling me?!"
An Chen turned around, looked at Su Xiaojiu catching up, and shook his head with a sigh.
"You were troubled by stomach pain for half the night yesterday, and then you slept like a log this morning, so I couldn't bear to wake you."
An Chen's face was full of exasperation.
He had heard before that Cultivators in the Qi Refinement Stage were still considered Mortals, unable to abstain from food, needing to consume meals, and also susceptible to the same illnesses as Mortals. Cultivation also couldn't be done in seclusion, with many restrictions.
Only after reaching the Spirit Nurturing Stage were Cultivators considered to have shed their Mortal bodies.
Last night, Su Xiaojiu vividly taught him this Dao.
In the end, Su Xiaojiu only got better after taking two Medicinal Pills.
Then Su Xiaojiu fell into a deep sleep on her bed.
When An Chen woke up this morning, he heard faint snoring from inside, and remembering how Su Xiaojiu had been tormented by stomach pain last night, he simply didn't wake her.
Anyway, there was probably no problem with Chen Cheng and Chen Mo, this brother and sister pair. They should also be day students, and there would be many more opportunities in the future, so there was no need to rush for this one day.
"Who is this?"
Seeing an unfamiliar girl following behind them, Chen Cheng and Chen Mo, the brother and sister, were a bit puzzled.
"This is my uncle's daughter. She's staying at my house for a while, and I'm looking after her for my uncle. She's about the same age as us."
"Oh, I see! Hello, I'm Chen Mo, we can be friends in the future!"
Chen Mo extended her hand with a smile, and Su Xiaojiu was not at all reserved, grabbing Chen Mo's hand and shaking it.
"Su Xiaojiu, let's play cards together when you're free later."
When she let go, Chen Mo's face was a mix of green and purple.
How could this girl's grip be so strong!
"My name is Chen Cheng, and I'm Chen Mo's older brother."
Chen Cheng also extended his hand with a smile, and at the same time, he noticed Chen Mo's complexion beside him, feeling a sudden sense of confusion.
Then, his face also changed.
"Let's go, time for school!"
After the handshake, Su Xiaojiu seemed to have become friends with them. She directly wrapped her arms around their necks, pushing them forward.
An Chen's mouth twitched.
Su Xiaojiu really was quick to make friends.
"Are you also our classmate? Do you also attend Second Middle School?"
Since they were already walking together, Chen Mo stopped being reserved and asked.
"No." An Chen answered for her: "Her grades weren't good, so she only got into a vocational school during the high school entrance exam. She simply didn't go, and now she's working in a factory. Recently, she quit and is resting at home."
An Chen was genuinely afraid that if he was a second slower, Su Xiaojiu would blurt out the truth.
"Oh, right, right, I used to work in that factory. Later, when you guys go to school, I'll go back to sleep for a bit."
No wonder she said they could play cards together the moment they met!
Chen Mo muttered to herself.
They had long heard about high schools in China; how could high school students only think about playing cards every day?
After walking for a while, probably fearing that she might expose herself if asked other questions, Su Xiaojiu let go and ran ahead to chat with An Chen.
"Why was your face green just now?"
Chen Mo also whispered behind him.
Chen Cheng's face instantly darkened.
"Don't you know why my face was green? It's as if you didn't shake her hand! Your face was even worse than mine just now!"
Both of them simultaneously shook their hands.
"This girl really came from a factory; her grip is just too strong!"
Chen Cheng also complained.
His hand was swollen from being squeezed!
He glanced again at Su Xiaojiu's back ahead, shook his head, sighed, and said with a bit of regret:
"She's a nice person, but I guess her intelligence is indeed not very good."