The Master's Mask Unveiled Again

Chapter 395: Chapter 394: Can’t Compare to Xiao Qimo’s Craftsmanship

Chapter 395 -394: Can’t Compare to Xiao Qimo’s Craftsmanship

“`

Zitan Pavilion.

The Shadow Hunting Team had just arrived today and were moving their luggage.

In a corner of the courtyard, team leader Zhou Xin’s face was serious and tense as he called Yun Sang over.

“Yun Sang, this special training is quite unusual, not just in preparation for the DEFCON competition after the New Year but also…” Zhou Xin lowered his voice, “For this training, the boss will personally be keeping an eye on you all!”

“The boss is coming over?” Yun Sang furrowed his brows, his handsome features tinged with a complex emotion, “Hasn’t the boss always been too lazy to bother with these things?”

“Well, it was a last-minute decision.

But regardless, the boss highly values this training and the competition, so the upcoming training will be very tough.

I’m giving you a heads up, and you should also give the team members a lowdown.

Naturally, all you need to do is your own duties, and I’ll handle the rest with the boss,”

Yun Sang nodded, his expression cold and firm.

Zhou Xin seemed to notice his reluctance and clapped him on the shoulder, “Come on, Yun Sang, don’t be so stiff-faced, as if the boss owes you a ton of money.”

“Bro Xin, I’m going to supervise those rascals with their luggage now,” Yun Sang waved his hand and zipped up his team jacket before trotting out of the courtyard.

Zhou Xin scratched his head, not quite understanding.

Why had a boss, who only ever seemed interested in funding them, suddenly decided to take a hands-on approach to their training?

——

Yulan Pavilion.

The dining area was on the first floor.

Lu Mian habitually familiarized herself with her surroundings; having found the dining area, she walked in.

She ordered a fifty-yuan meal set, with her meal card balance showing 3,950 yuan.

Each of their meal cards was pre-loaded with 4,000 yuan, the meal allowance for the upcoming two weeks.

They could choose whatever they wanted to eat, paying out of pocket for anything exceeding the allowance.

Though Jinjing was expensive and space was at a premium, a two-week food allowance of four thousand yuan was quite luxurious for students.

She picked a few dishes she usually ate, found a quiet corner to sit down, and Zhang Yanyan bought his meal and approached, asking, “Can I sit here?” After receiving an affirmative, he took the seat opposite her.

“Lu Mian, I’m from class one, grade twelve at Kunpeng High School, and there’s no one in our class who doesn’t know your name,” said Zhang Yanyan, who thought it awkward not to talk and thereby struck up a conversation.

“Did you choose to be in the same group as me because you knew we’re from the same school?”

The girl opposite him chuckled softly.

“You don’t have to be so careful,” she said in an easygoing tone, “I don’t usually get angry.”

“Ah…” Zhang Yanyan let out a breath of relief, “That’s good, that’s good…”

Of course, he knew of Lu Mian’s notorious deeds, and he was scared of being bullied himself.

But it seemed that Lu Mian wasn’t as unapproachable as she appeared.

She certainly wasn’t the mischievous troublemaker with a bad reputation, as described by Xinnuan from his class.

Lu Mian smiled lightly, her slender fingers pinching the burger as she took a bite and frowned.

It wasn’t as delicious as the ones Yuren made.

And it certainly couldn’t compare to the ones made by Xiao Qimo.

Even though it came from an excellent five-star hotel, why did everything taste so…

average?

She stared at the burger in her hands, becoming distressed.

It seemed that for the following two weeks, she wouldn’t enjoy her beloved burgers…

She wasn’t as picky as Xiao Qimo, but she wasn’t very happy either.

She was eating purely because she didn’t want to waste food.

“`

Two people sat there, Lu Mian was a man of few words, and Zhang Yanyan was also not much of a talker; they both quietly ate their meals.

It wasn’t until the dining area erupted with a few chaotic noises.

“Look, could you not be so petty?”

Lu Mian’s back was to the voices, but Zhang Yanyan could see.

After a glance, he commented, “It’s Fang Xilan.”

Fang Xilan stood by the serving window with her tray, looking cramped and uncomfortable.

Several girls from the class were also waiting for their meals, inevitably stirring discussions.

“The school lets you come to learn, not to pity yourself.

Is the committee mistreating you?

Or is a teacher deducting your meal money?”

“I’m just borrowing your meal card for a bit; it’s not like I won’t repay you.

Can you not look at me like I’m robbing you?” The speaking girl, named Qu Weiwei, was a student from the city neighboring Jinjing, and she sounded somewhat annoyed.

Fang Xilan hung her head and stood there with her tray, silent.

Qu Weiwei, seemingly helpless, added, “It’s like I’m bullying her or something.

Forget it, forget it, I’ll borrow someone else’s.”

“Weiwei, use mine,” Qiao Yaning offered her meal card, “Don’t worry about repaying me; consider it my treat.”

“Alright, next time I’ll treat you!”

The girls looked at Fang Xilan, each shaking their heads.

Fang Xilan quickly carried her tray to a seat.

When she walked by Lu Mian, her eyes brightened, and she took a seat right next to her.

“Lu Mian, I was looking for you!”

Lu Mian nodded indifferently and continued to eat the not-so-tasty burger without much emotion.

Zhang Yanyan didn’t fully understand what had just happened, but upon seeing her put down her tray, which had only a plain vegetable dish and a serving of rice, he became curious.

It seemed that Qu Weiwei asked Fang Xilan to borrow her meal card, and Fang Xilan refused.

Seeing her eat so plainly now, Zhang Yanyan asked out of concern, “Fang, don’t you have any money on your meal card?”

“I do,” Fang Xilan said while taking a bite of rice, sounding a bit aggrieved, “Do you all think it’s too much for me not to lend my meal card?

I just feel that lending out the meal card isn’t a good idea…”

Money lent out would definitely not be returned.

Zhang Yanyan paused, noncommittal.

“So, are you a vegetarian?” Their meal cards were so well-funded; eating so plainly wasn’t necessary, was it?

“Ah?

I’m not,” Fang Xilan shook her head, then cheerfully told Lu Mian, “Lu Mian, I asked the card-charging master, and he said the money in the card that can’t be used can be refunded.

If I eat less, I can get more money back!

Lu Mian, you can do the same!”

At this moment, Lu Mian wasn’t listening to her, her gaze fixed on some spot, somewhat lost in thought.

“…” Zhang Yanyan didn’t know what to say and just gave a dry smile, “But you still need to keep up with the necessary nutrition, now is the time for using your brain.”

“I don’t have a choice…” She spoke self-pityingly, “My family is just very poor…”

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After finishing, she buried her head in eating rice.

Zhang Yanyan thought he had touched a nerve and awkwardly didn’t dare say much.

As Fang Xilan took a few bites of her vegetables, she noticed Lu Mian barely touched his food.

Licking her lips, she asked, “Lu Mian, may I try some of your meat?”

She pointed to the sweet and sour pork in Lu Mian’s plate, her eyes gleaming.

Zhang Yanyan, who was across from them, felt uncomfortable watching, “Fang, you can go buy some yourself.

The meal card is issued so that you can eat something good, not so you can save money.”

“…

I, I just want to try it…” Fang Xilan looked up at Lu Mian.

Lu Mian was still staring at a particular spot; she seemed to have spotted a familiar figure…