Ye Qiu, lying on the bed, lifted his eyelids, turned over, and said lazily under Xiao Wu's somewhat expectant gaze:
"I'm hungry too. Let's go together."
"Yay!"
Seeing that her money bag was also going, Xiao Wu excitedly stood up.
Wang Sheng then turned his gaze to Tang San.
But Tang San was not like Ye Qiu; his family's blacksmith shop was truly dirt poor.
All the money was used by his father, Tang Hao, to buy wine. To avoid going hungry, he had specifically brought extra dry provisions, which were all coarse biscuits he made himself.
Tang San calmly shook his head. He didn't have a single copper coin right now and would have to wait until he started working tomorrow to get paid.
"You guys go. I won't."
"Ah, Third Brother!" Wang Sheng stepped forward and put his arm around Tang San's shoulder. He understood the feeling of being short on cash.
"Let's go together. Your and Sister Xiao Wu's food expenses for the next two days will be on me," Wang Sheng said quite generously. He could still afford this much money.
To spare Tang San's pride, Wang Sheng added another sentence. "Anyway, we'll be roommates from now on. Once you become a Soul Master, you can directly go to the Spirit Hall to receive a monthly subsidy of one gold spirit coin. You can treat me then!"
"Gold spirit coin?!"
Tang San's eyes lit up.
Although he had some doubts, he no longer hesitated and nodded in agreement.
"Wang Sheng, for my share, your Sister Xiao Wu's, having Ye Qiu pay is enough. I don't want to owe debts everywhere..."
Xiao Wu's clear voice rang out. Grinning, she came to Ye Qiu's side and pulled him up.
"Ye Qiu, hurry up!"
"Haha... Okay, Sister Xiao Wu, then let's head out now..."
Wang Sheng smiled and led the group towards the academy's dining hall.
During the walk, Tang San also ran to Wang Sheng's side and asked about the Soul Master subsidy he had just mentioned.
Ye Qiu and Xiao Wu listened quietly nearby.
Dormitory Seven was the exclusive dormitory for work-study students. Its location was not very good, being somewhat far from the classrooms and dining hall.
However, this junior academy wasn't large to begin with. Walking while listening to Wang Sheng's introduction, they arrived at the dining hall in less than fifteen minutes.
"It's so big here!"
Xiao Wu looked at the vast hall and couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.
Tang San nodded slightly in agreement.
"Of course! All six grades of Nuoding Academy and the faculty and staff can eat here at the same time without any problem!" Wang Sheng explained from the side.
Xiao Wu looked left and right. None of the surrounding windows seemed to have what she wanted, so she couldn't help but look at Wang Sheng. "Are there no fresh vegetables and carrots here?"
Wang Sheng replied, "There shouldn't be any on the first floor. I'm not sure about the second floor."
"Then let's go up to the second floor and take a look!" Xiao Wu waved her little hand, ready to move.
Wang Sheng scratched his head awkwardly and explained, "Sister Xiao Wu, let's wait until we get paid before going to the second floor. Things upstairs are very expensive."
"Ah?"
Xiao Wu's eyes were filled with surprise. She then turned back and looked at Ye Qiu pitifully.
"Ye Qiu~ Ah...!"
Ye Qiu didn't hold back and knocked her rabbit head. "What are you thinking? Are you really treating me as a money bag? You haven't even paid me for the bedding yet, and I don't have much money left either!"
"Why are you so fierce!"
Xiao Wu hugged her head, a few tears squeezed out from the corners of her eyes. She pouted and glared at Ye Qiu.
"In that case, let's just eat on the first floor!" Tang San chuckled lightly, looking at Xiao Wu's pitiful appearance. He felt a slight stir in his heart, thinking he would be happier if she acted like that towards him.
As soon as Tang San finished speaking, someone else picked up his words.
"Exactly. Poor ghosts should have some self-awareness. The second floor isn't a place you lowly work-study students can come to."
A group of brightly dressed young men and women came down from the second floor. This arrogant voice was spoken by one of them, who stood on the stairs, looking down at Ye Qiu and the others with contempt and disgust in his eyes.
"How about this? This meal is on me. I'll treat you guys to Young Master's leftovers. How about it? Happy?"
"Haha...!"
As soon as he said this, the people around him couldn't help but burst into laughter, their gazes towards Ye Qiu and the others filled with mockery.
Wang Sheng quickly lowered his voice and softly reported to his three 'big brothers' from Dormitory Seven. "Boss, Sister Xiao Wu, Third Brother, these are the noble students in the academy. They love bullying us work-study students the most. The one who just spoke is called Ling Feng..."
Before he could finish, Xiao Wu had already had enough of this nonsense. She stepped forward and shouted, "What are you laughing at? Are you asking for a beating?!"
Seeing Xiao Wu, Ling Feng, the leader, his eyes lit up. He leaned against the stair railing with a frivolous expression.
"Oh! I didn't expect a little loli to come among the work-study students this year."
"Too bad she's also a lowly poor ghost..." Someone next to him added.
Those who considered themselves noble burst into laughter again.
The other party kept using words like 'poor ghost' and 'lowly', which made Tang San, who originally didn't want to bother with children, frown.
"Xiao Wu, go..."
Ye Qiu also showed a slight cold smile. He was just about to close the door and let the rabbit out. However, he saw that Xiao Wu had already couldn't help but dart out. She took the stairs two steps at a time, leaped up, and raised her hand to slap Ling Feng.
"I think you're asking for a beating!"
Xiao Wu's sudden outburst startled Ling Feng. He raised a hand and summoned his spirit.
"Armor Shield Spirit, Defend!"
A golden shield blocked Xiao Wu's attack.
"Martial Rod Spirit, Appear!"
The person who had just spoken up next to him also suddenly attacked.
He raised his hand, and a wooden rod appeared in his grasp. He shook it twice, creating afterimages, and thrust it directly towards Xiao Wu.
Slap!
That rod was firmly held in a pitch-black arm. Ye Qiu, relying on his powerful perception, instantly discerned the mere afterimages. With the rod held in his hand, the person was struggling to pull it back.
Ye Qiu's lips curled into a cold smile. When the person used all his strength, Ye Qiu suddenly let go.
Clatter clatter clatter!
The person stumbled several times, nearly falling on his backside. After regaining his balance, his face flushed red, and he swung the martial rod again.
"Brat! You're looking for death!"
Slap!
Suddenly, a patch of Blue Silver Grass whipped across the person's eyes. Ye Qiu knew it was Tang San making his move.
Ye Qiu was also not polite. Seizing this opportunity, he directly elbowed the opponent down and then kicked him down the stairs.
Slap!
A sound came from beside him. Xiao Wu had already broken through Ling Feng's defense, and her slap landed on Ling Feng's face, also sending him tumbling down the stairs.
The three of them looked down at Ling Feng and the other person.
Ling Feng, lying on the ground, covered his swollen face, raised his head, and glared fiercely at them.
"You lowly work-study students, how dare you hit Young Master! Aren't you afraid the academy will expel you?!"
"You bastard, you're still spouting nonsense here!"
Wang Sheng, who had already reacted, directly grabbed Ling Feng by the collar, ready to give him a couple of punches.
Amidst Ling Feng's screams, a dignified, hoarse voice suddenly came, stopping Wang Sheng's actions.
"Stop!"
"It's the Master..."
The surrounding students looked at the newcomer and started discussing among themselves.
The newcomer was indeed Student Yu Xiaogang, wearing a black, old scholar's robe with a stern black face.
Yu Xiaogang stood beside Wang Sheng with his hands behind his back.
He said sternly, "Private fights are not allowed on campus. Don't you know that? If there's a next time... you'll be directly expelled!"