Chapter 13 - The First Step of my Keikaku (1/2)

The food street was some distance from Eastsea Academy, and we had to walk a full 30 minutes to get there.

It wasn't a wide street, and stores sprouted outwards on both sides. As soon as I reached the mouth of the street, I was ȧssaulted with the fragrance of a variety of different snacks and appetizing scents.

”Let's eat that skewered beef first. It's boiled to tenderness. Having it with some rice is simply divine.” Xie Xie introduced.

At the side Tang Wulin grinned, ”Alright!” Dude was probably starving. He wasn't known as the glutton of the first grade for nothing.

The shop was small, and the cooking table was situated outside the shop. There were many little flames, and on top of the table were jars filled with beef. When the aroma of the beef entered my nose, I could tell that the beef was going to be delicious.

Gu Yue showed a shocked expression to Xie Xie. ”I'm surprised that a rich young master like you would eat at a roadside shop.”

Was it actually that surprising? In my past life, a lot of my rich friends liked eating in stalls such as this as well. They preferred having simple food after having a taste of the many delicacies in the world.

Xie Xie didn't bother answering her this time. ”The stewed beef from this shop used to be my mother's favourite, and I ventured here occasionally.”

Aw crap. I can already tell from my voice that he had some sentiments for this place.

I signalled Gu Yue with my eyes before following Xie Xie into the shop along with Tang Wulin.

We sat down at a table for four. I sat opposite to Xie Xie, who was sitting next to Tang Wulin. Gu Yue took her seat beside me.

”Oh! Xie Xie has come, and he brought friends with him. The usual dishes?” The boss was a middle-aged man. He wore an oil-stained apron that was tied around his waist and had a wide grin on his face.

”En, Uncle Li, thanks.” Xie Xie grinned as he gave his thanks.

Uncle Li said a few words to Xie Xie, before stroking him on his head. It was an amusing sight, seeing the usually arrogant and annoying Xie Xie so subdued.

I took a bite of the stewed beef. An amazing taste unique to beef burst out in my mouth. I shivered at the taste of it. If this guy was in my past life, he would probably be a renowned chef.

As we ate, Xie Xie's eyes started to become a little red. It seemed that he was remembering bad memories.

”Xie Xie, what's wrong?” Tang Wulin asked worriedly.

Xie Xie gave a bitter smile. ”It's nothing. It's just that I'm thinking about my mom.”

Tang Wulin seemed to understand when he heard that. He didn't continue asking but Xie Xie carried on speaking.

To cut short what he said, he basically had a grudge on his father because he didn't visit his gravely ill mother who eventually passed on.

He had the most generic backstory and motivation of a main character. Yet, why did I feel like he was only a side character?

Though I made his backstory seem like a joke, I genuinely felt sorry for him. No matter how generic, he still lost a loved one. That was someone that would definitely leave scars in people's hearts.

As we were about to go back, Gu Yue suddenly shouted out, ”Ah! What's that over there?”

Tang Wulin, Xie Xie and I followed her sight. There seemed to be a commotion near the entrance of food street and there were many bystanders crowding around.

Hey, wasn't that the old man's shop?

We immediately rushed over to hear Uncle Li shouting, ”You guys can't act like this! Not at all! This is how I make a living!”

His entire shop was in a mess, with the tables overturned and the chairs in pieces. Beef broth streamed on the floor from the shattered jars on the floor.

Uncle Li was lying at the doorway of his shop. He was bleeding from the corner at the corner of his mouth and had a swollen eye as he faced six burly men.

I looked at the leader of the trio. He was a bald man and was bȧrė-chested, showing off the dragon tattoos on his arms. Wasn't this guy Guang Long?

I found out about him when I was obtaining information on people to rob. This guy wasn't on the list, but he was related to someone who was. He was the younger brother of the infamous captain of Eastsea City's mecha brigade, Guang Biao.

Looking at him, my brain raced at a thousand thoughts per second as a plot was being cooked up in my head.

As I made the finishing touches to my plan, Xie Xie shouted loudly, ”So just because you're a Spirit Master, you have the right to bully people?” He squeezed through the crowds before helping Uncle Li up.