Chapter 21: Brother Huoyang

What followed was only natural: the three-person reunion meal turned into a five-person “welcoming feast.”

Thanks to Huoyang for keeping the atmosphere light and Ma Shangfei for cooperating, things went smoothly. Qiao Duoduo still minded Ma Shangting’s presence, but for now, the young girl hadn’t really caused any trouble, so Duoduo just stayed cautious.

As for Su Ning, she was there purely to eat. Expressionless, she occasionally glanced at Ma Shangting, sometimes adding a dish for the girl, earning grateful looks in return.

If Su Ning weren’t a woman, Ma Shangfei might have thought she was trying to pursue his sister. Honestly, Su Ning wasn’t good at socializing, but she wouldn’t be mean to a young girl. Besides, the girl was fair-skinned and tender, with large, bright, appealing eyes.

“Beep, your friend Qiao Duoduo sent a private message.”

“Su Ge, be friendly—chat with the girl a bit, maybe discuss life goals.”

“You don’t understand. Girls like someone cold outside but warm inside. That’s my ‘contrast charm.’”

“No matter what, my happiness in the coming days depends on your performance!”

“Understood.”

Su Ning silently lamented that all her skills at flirting were wasted—unfortunately, she herself was a girl. Then she thought better of it, handed the young girl a drink, and felt like an excellent flirting master.

After the meal, Qiao Duoduo and Huoyang took the siblings to rent a house at the office. Su Ning returned home alone to work on clothes.

She prioritized the custom male sweatshirt for the “big fat lamb” client. Since the client also ordered a staff, she guessed it was a magic-based profession, so silk (boosts intelligence) was most suitable, followed by linen (boosts agility). Leather for a sweatshirt? Too fantastical. Considering user comfort, Su Ning decided cotton was best—survival first, who cared about attributes.

“Knock, knock, knock.”

Halfway through cutting fabric, Su Ning heard a knock at the door and thought: What could Duoduo need so late?

She opened the door and found Ma Shangfei standing there.

“Looking for me?”

It proved there was a reason she was single. Su Ning thought: It’s late, and some unfamiliar man is knocking on my door. Is he crazy?

“Can I come in to talk?”

“Too late, not convenient.”

“Add me as a friend?”

“I’m a bit busy, so… also not convenient.”

“…Good night.”

After sending Ma Shangfei off, Su Ning didn’t bother thinking about his logic. As long as he wasn’t plotting against her, it was fine—she had sewing to focus on.

A few hours later…

“Beep, congratulations! Crafting successful. Item check: Long-sleeve sweatshirt, assigning attributes.”
“Beep, attribute assignment complete. Please name your item.”

“Five-Point Sweatshirt”—this sweatshirt guaranteed to add at least five points.

“Beep, naming successful. Item: Five-Point Sweatshirt. Grade: Green. Level Requirement: 5. Attribute: Strength +5. Maker: Su Ning.”

The first custom item for the “big fat lamb” was perfectly completed.

The next morning, Su Ning dressed neatly. Knowing Duoduo would sleep a little longer, she went ahead to the Past Memories Restaurant. Not that she didn’t want to wait—after all, absence makes the heart grow fonder, and she had to be polite, quietly having breakfast while waiting.

But while she was polite, others weren’t. If she’d left ten minutes later, she would’ve seen Ma Shangting furiously knocking on Duoduo’s door.

Huoyang, afraid of disturbing Duoduo, hurried up and opened the door, revealing a delicate, fair-skinned little face.

“Brother Huoyang, when are we going out to fight monsters?”

Duoduo, still half-awake from the loud knocking, heard Huoyang’s voice. How could someone make her so annoyed so early in the morning?

Far away at the restaurant, Su Ning immediately received Duoduo’s message:
“Su Ning, I’m really angry. Quickly help me figure out how to repay this life-saving favor.”

At Past Memories Restaurant, Huoyang handed Duoduo a carefully prepared breakfast, trying to appease her morning grumpiness.

Su Ning, thinking quickly, introduced the menu to the siblings.
“What would you like to eat?” While flipping through the menu, she unabashedly promoted certain dishes:
“The crab soup buns here are the freshest.”

Seeing the price—20 copper per bun—Ma Shangfei’s face fell. Before he could respond, Su Ning continued:

“If you don’t like soup buns, the whole-crab buns are great too, their specialty.”

25 copper each.

“Not sure if you eat seafood—otherwise, the century-old braised meat buns are also special. Their sauce is a secret recipe.”

23 copper each.

“The assorted vegetarian buns are also special, though I haven’t tried them myself.”

18 copper each.

Ma Shangfei’s face grew darker and darker. Su Ning, inwardly, let out a sigh of relief—after all, this lunatic had knocked on her door so late at night.

“Buns need to go with soy milk. Shangting’s still a little girl—fasting in the morning—she should have a bowl of bird’s nest porridge for beauty and health.”

She set down the menu and looked innocent. Soy milk was 10 copper per cup; bird’s nest porridge was 2 silver coins per bowl—a luxury for ordinary people, let alone the siblings.

Ma Shangfei wanted to strangle Su Ning, himself, and Huoyang.

Each bun Su Ning mentioned was expensive, especially the bird’s nest porridge. With the sister’s savings already used for renting, Ma Shangfei resented Su Ning’s display and his own incompetence. And he blamed Huoyang for not telling him earlier that his girlfriend and her friend were living so well.

Had he known sooner, he would’ve stayed on Xinlu Street with his sister. Life might have been harder, but there would have been hope.

Yet here, a simple breakfast could equal—or exceed—a day’s monster-hunting income. For proud Ma Shangfei, it was crushing.

“None of these appeal to you?”

“No, I’ll have an assorted vegetarian bun. My brother wants two century-old braised meat buns and two cups of soy milk.”

“Shangting, you’re still growing, you should take care of yourself,” Duoduo said, calling the waiter. “Add a bowl of bird’s nest porridge for this young lady. Put it on my tab.”

It was classic Duoduo—or rather, Su Ning admired her from the heart. That bowl of porridge completely silenced the Ma siblings.

Ma Shangting stared at the porridge, unable to drink it, yet unable to ignore it.

She had guessed her brother was running out of money and wanted to help him get through this without embarrassment. But this bowl shattered her remaining dignity.

Seeing Huoyang happily serving tea, pouring water, handing straws to Duoduo, Ma Shangting’s anger boiled silently.

Back in the newbie village, Huoyang had been kind to her, protecting her when her brother wasn’t around.

Now, his girlfriend and her friend were all making her and her brother feel awkward.

As for Su Ning, she didn’t care what Ma Shangting thought. Simply by looking at Huoyang, Duoduo felt annoyed.

Ma Shangfei’s midnight knock only reinforced Su Ning’s dislike for them.

And that phrase, overheard by Duoduo from Huoyang, was the final straw.