"I really can't afford it, Xinglan-jie."
Xu Lizhi looked troubled. He had initially thought that if he didn't have enough money, he could borrow some from Tang Wulin first… but now, that seemed reckless.
"Fine."
Ye Xinglan sighed. The other party had so casually racked up a debt of 700,000—now she definitely had to call their teacher. She certainly didn't have that much allowance to spare.
"Xinglan, how's it going? Did you find him?"
As soon as she dialed Shen Yi's Soul Guidance Communication Device, the other party's voice came through urgently from the other end.
Before the start of the Heavenly Sea City Grand Competition, the Shrek Academy representatives were supposed to have a friendly sparring match with last year's youth division champions.
It wouldn't do for Xu Lizhi to be absent at a time like this—especially since he was one of the academy's little geniuses, a future powerhouse among food-system Soul Masters. If he went missing…
The consequences would be dire.
"Yeah, I found Xu Lizhi, but… you'd better come over."
Ye Xinglan hesitated, glancing at the scene of devastation that was the dining table in front of her, and could only say this much.
She couldn't very well admit that Xu Lizhi had gone out to eat with someone else and now couldn't pay the bill.
"Alright, where are you?"
"We're at this seafood feast place on Gourmet Street…"
"Got it, I'll be right there…"
"..."
After hanging up, Ye Xinglan could only stare speechlessly at Xu Lizhi, wondering if the boy had any brains at all.
"Honestly, spending 700,000 in Federal currency of Teacher Shen's money in one outing—if you wanted to eat, couldn't you have picked something cheaper?"
Ye Xinglan's face was full of displeasure. It wasn't that she had any issue with him eating whatever he liked—what he ate was none of her business…
But this was Teacher Shen's money!
If it were his own, fine—but calling a teacher over to foot the bill? This was beyond embarrassing!
"I just…"
"I was here with new friends."
Xu Lizhi sighed helplessly, trying to plead innocence.
"And just because they brought you here, you came? Do you even have the budget for a place like this…?"
Ye Xinglan frowned, deep in thought. If they invited you, you'd go? If they ordered, you'd eat whatever they got?
"Three people ate 700,000 worth…"
"Didn't expect those two to be so shameless."
She muttered under her breath. She had initially thought those two boys seemed decent, but now…
Utterly shameless!
To eat so much together and then make the chubby kid pay for everything alone—what kind of scam was this?
"No, you've misunderstood."
At that moment, the waiter shook his head and produced another receipt—one that had already been settled.
"Misunderstood? Huh? What's this…?"
Ye Xinglan looked puzzled as she took the receipt, her expression one of confusion.
Why was she being handed a paid bill?
"Those two brothers ate six portions, plus some side dishes—totaling over 300,000. They've already paid."
"He alone ate ten portions. The 700,000 is his own bill. Those two lads don't dine and dash."
The waiter said coldly. He had pegged this little fatty as trouble from the start—bragging earlier that he'd cover the entire bill…
Hah! Couldn't even pay for his own share!
Trying to skip out on the bill and still act like a big spender—thank goodness those two brothers were kind enough not to let the other pay. Otherwise, this guy might've taken advantage and made them foot the bill.
"What?"
"All of this was eaten by you alone!"
Hearing the waiter's words, Ye Xinglan was stunned. She had initially thought the 700,000 was the total for all three of them—that's why she'd reacted that way. But turns out…
It was all eaten by him alone?
One person ate 700,000 worth!
The other two had already paid for themselves, but after finishing his own meal, Xu Lizhi claimed he couldn't afford it. What, were you expecting them to pay for you if Teacher Shen hadn't been called?
"Huh?"
"I—I… wasn't I eating with them?"
Xu Lizhi's face was full of confusion, his cheeks flushed red as he stammered in panic. How could they not have been eating together? He'd even offered to treat them—of course they were together!
"Eating together…"
"Hah."
Ye Xinglan's expression turned cold. This Xu Lizhi couldn't even afford his own meal, yet he had the nerve to tag along with them…
Were you really planning to make them pay for you?
"A person shouldn't…"
"At the very least, they shouldn't."
Ye Xinglan thought silently, then instinctively took a step away from Xu Lizhi. Please don't tell her this guy actually had such schemes in mind.
"Huh? Xinglan-jie, what's wrong?"
"Nothing. Just don't stand too close to me."
"Oh…"
Not long after, under Xu Lizhi's eager and furtive gaze, Shen Yi finally arrived in a hurry.
"Xu Lizhi, I finally found you."
Shen Yi let out a sigh of relief, a smile on her face.
"Teacher."
"You're finally here."
But when Xu Lizhi saw who had arrived, he nearly burst into tears, as if seeing a savior, and quickly spoke up.
"You… what exactly is going on here?"
Shen Yi frowned slightly, taking in the scene before her. She immediately sensed something was off—had Xu Lizhi caused some kind of trouble?
But judging by the location, it was just a restaurant. What kind of trouble could he have caused here?
"You're this little fatty's guardian, right? He ate without paying, trying to skip out on the bill. Please settle the payment quickly."
The waiter's tone was impatient as he spoke bluntly.
"Huh? I'm his guard—skip out on the bill?"
"What?!"
Hearing the waiter's words, Shen Yi froze, her expression darkening instantly. A strange look crossed her face as she stared at Xu Lizhi in shock.
Skipping out on the bill… Xu Lizhi, a student of Shrek Academy, actually tried to skip out on a bill?
No wonder Ye Xinglan hadn't explained the details when she called earlier. If this got out, he'd be dragging Shrek's reputation through the mud!
Thank goodness this was in Tianhai City, where not many knew he was from Shrek. Otherwise…
"Teacher."
"It's not what you think!"
Xu Lizhi's face was full of grievance as he tried to defend himself.
"…"
Shen Yi didn't even glance at him. She'd deal with this brat properly once they got back.
"My apologies. How much is the total?"
Shen Yi took a deep breath, struggling to calm her emotions, then retrieved her stored card from her Soul Guidance Device and softly asked the waiter,
"Seventy thousand."
"Oh, only seventy thousand..."
"What? Seventy thousand?"
Hearing this, especially after taking the bill handed to her, Shen Yi's face was utterly bewildered. Xu Lizhi had gone out to eat alone, without a word...
And spent seventy thousand???
"Teacher Shen, this isn't my fault..."
"I didn't expect it to turn out like this either..."
Xu Lizhi wore an awkward expression, waving his hands repeatedly.
"Just swipe the card."
Shen Yi didn't say anything, only sighed. She couldn't blame the one who ate—was she supposed to blame herself, the teacher?
But even if the other party had dug a sky-high hole, as a teacher, she couldn't just leave it unfilled.
"Let's go. Before the Tianhai Grand Competition, our Shrek Academy will have a friendly match with them."
Shen Yi tried her best to keep her expression calm.
"Teacher, let's go."
Ye Xinglan responded softly with a nod.
"Hey, hey..."
"Wait for me!"
Xu Lizhi hurried after them, calling out.
"..."
"Brother, this..."
"He was trying to dine and dash on us!"
Outside the window of the seafood feast, Tang Wulin stared wide-eyed at the scene inside, unable to hold back his astonishment.
Whether it was Xu Lizhi not having money to pay for the meal or calling his teacher over to foot the bill, it all left him deeply shocked.
Was this the man who had offered to treat him and his brother to a meal? How could he not even afford his own food!
Wasn't this just dining and dashing?!
And the worst part was, he had eaten with them—if they hadn't already paid, wouldn't they have had to cover his share too?
Oh, so this was his plan all along!
This little fatty... how could he be so scheming!
"Right."
Tang Luochuan also sighed. If he hadn't read the original work, he would never have imagined that a kid would invite others to eat when he had no money himself.
Wasn't this just reverse mooching?
If he wanted to eat, he should've just said so.
"Even Ye Xinglan was left speechless."
Looking at Ye Xinglan's displeased expression, Tang Luochuan couldn't help but feel a mix of amusement and exasperation. Xu Lizhi was really going to cry himself to sleep in the bathroom this time.
But still...
How utterly deserved.
"Still, judging by his appearance, he must be here for the Tianhai competition too. Brother, if I run into him..."
"I'll definitely teach him a lesson."
Tang Wulin fumed. He usually preferred reasoning things out with others, but since this guy dared to trick him...
Then he'd just have to reason with him even harder.
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