After Huo Yanshen said the word “believe,” even he himself found it unbelievable. A question kept echoing in his mind: Why on earth did I, as if possessed, choose to believe the words of a girl I originally thought was just some mystic fraud?
Forget it. If he couldn’t understand it, there was no point thinking further. No need to trouble himself.
“Let’s go eat first,” he said lightly, trying to push those strange thoughts aside.
“Alright, let’s go!” Yang Mian replied enthusiastically, her excitement almost overflowing.
The two walked side by side down the street, their shadows stretched and distorted under the streetlights.
Ten minutes later, they arrived at a barbecue stall.
A rich, mouthwatering aroma filled the air—the irresistible scent of charcoal fire blending with grilled ingredients. The smell immediately captured Yang Mian’s attention, and she stopped in her tracks.
“Boss, order please!” she called out brightly, full of anticipation.
“Coming right up!” the owner replied warmly, quickly wiping his hands before walking over.
“What would you like to eat?” the boss asked with a simple smile, handing them the menu.
Yang Mian took it and quickly scanned through it, muttering as she calculated. Soon she looked up and said clearly, “Four skewers of chives, four chicken wings, two eggplants, one serving of crispy chicken cartilage, one plate of stir-fried sea snails, and two bottles of cola.”
She paused slightly, a sly glint flashing in her eyes, then added with a smile, “Exactly one hundred yuan. He’s paying.”
While ordering, she had been carefully calculating the prices in her head.
She was principled—if she said one hundred yuan, then it would be exactly one hundred. Not a cent more, even if the person in front of her was wealthy beyond imagination like Huo Yanshen.
Huo Yanshen paid via QR code.
He ended up paying 200 yuan.
“Add another set of everything she ordered.”
“Alright, please wait,” the boss replied.
Nearby, other customers shouted loudly, “Come on, drink! Drink!”
In the lively chaos of the barbecue stall, charcoal fire crackled and sparked, sending occasional bursts of flying embers into the air.
At a neighboring table, a group of drunk men was getting rowdier and rowdier.
One of them—a burly, red-faced man—was clearly drunk out of his mind. He staggered over toward Yang Mian and Huo Yanshen.
“Hey!” he slurred, tongue tied, “You two… look interesting… come drink with us!”
Yang Mian, who had just been looking forward to her food, was startled.
But as a master of metaphysics and martial arts, she showed no fear at all. Her gaze turned sharp as a blade as she coldly looked at him.
Huo Yanshen instinctively stepped in front of her, but before he could speak, Yang Mian had already moved aside, easily avoiding his protection.
“No need. We’re not interested. Go back to your table,” she said coldly, her voice as sharp as ice.
But the drunk man ignored her warning completely. Grinning foolishly with yellowed teeth, he continued to harass them: “Don’t be so rude—”
Before he could finish, he slipped and lunged forward uncontrollably.
A flash of displeasure crossed Yang Mian’s eyes. With a cold snort, she moved like a phantom, grabbed his arm, and executed a clean over-the-shoulder throw.
Boom!
The man’s heavy body crashed to the ground. He howled in pain, his drunkenness instantly half gone.
The entire barbecue stall fell silent.
Everyone turned to stare at their table.
The man’s companions immediately flew into a rage, standing up and rushing over.
A yellow-haired youth snarled viciously, “You dare touch our boss? None of you are leaving here alive!”
Huo Yanshen’s eyes turned cold as he prepared to act—but Yang Mian raised a hand and stopped him.
“Stay here. I’ll handle these small fries,” she said confidently, glancing at him with a faint, arrogant smile.
It’s been a while since I moved my muscles anyway. Perfect timing.
She rolled her wrist casually. Her aura changed instantly.
Before they could react, she had already rushed into the crowd like a tiger descending from the mountain.
Her movements were unpredictable, her fists powerful and precise, her kicks swift and ruthless—each strike landing accurately on vital points.
In an instant, the attackers fell like dominoes, collapsing and rolling on the ground in pain.
The yellow-haired youth turned pale, his legs shaking as he tried to run but couldn’t move.
Yang Mian walked up to him slowly, looking down at him with cold eyes.
“You… don’t come any closer!” he stammered, nearly in tears.
She sneered coldly, about to speak—but the barbecue stall owner rushed over in panic, still holding a pair of tongs.
“Please, everyone, let’s talk calmly! Don’t cause trouble here! Calm down!”
Yang Mian glanced at the owner, then at the group on the ground, frowned slightly, and snorted.
“This time I’ll let you off. If there’s a next time, I won’t be so polite.”
The group scrambled up, dragging their boss away as they fled in disgrace.
The customers nearby looked at her with awe and shock. Soon after, the noise resumed—but this time, everyone’s topic was her.
The owner quickly brought out their food, even adding a plate of roasted potatoes.
“Sorry about that, really sorry. This is on the house,” he said apologetically.
Huo Yanshen looked at her with admiration and curiosity. “I didn’t expect you not only know physiognomy, but also fight so well.”
Yang Mian blinked playfully, took a bite of chicken wing, and narrowed her eyes in satisfaction.
“So good! It’s just some basic tricks,” she said casually.
The two continued eating and chatting happily.
As the night deepened, the barbecue stall gradually emptied, and the owner began cleaning up.
Huo Yanshen and Yang Mian also prepared to leave.