After Zhao Kun was taken away by the security office, the chaotic situation at the scene gradually calmed down.

The students who had come to watch the spectacle dispersed, but their gazes toward Zhang Shaozhong and the two beautiful women beside him were filled with all sorts of speculation and curiosity.

Da Liu and Wang Hao finally snapped out of their shock and surrounded Zhang Shaozhong on either side, so excited that they were incoherent.

"Holy crap! Brother Chong! You were absolutely awesome just now!!"

Da Liu slapped Zhang Shaozhong hard on the back, almost making him choke. "Those moves! It's like something out of a movie! When did you secretly learn kung fu?! You've been hiding your skills all along!"

Wang Hao pushed up his glasses, his eyes filled with inquiry: "Shao Zhong, these past six months... it's definitely not just about recuperating, is it? Could that 'hermit' be a martial arts master?"

Zhang Shaozhong was at a loss for words when faced with their questions, and could only give a vague answer: "Uh... sort of, I learned some self-defense techniques..."

He quickly changed the subject, "Alright, alright, it's nothing, everyone can go now."

He glanced at Lin Weiwei beside him. Her face was still pale, and she looked at Zhang Shaozhong with a complicated expression. Her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she only whispered, "I'm sorry... and thank you..."

It's unclear whether this is an apology for Zhao Kun's behavior or for something else.

After saying that, she turned and left in a hurry.

After dealing with all of this, Da Liu and Wang Hao's enthusiasm remained undiminished.

Having survived the ordeal, mainly out of lingering fear for Zhang Shaozhong, and witnessing his "heroic" side, coupled with their immense curiosity about the two mysterious beauties, the two decided to drag Zhang Shaozhong and the two beauties out to dinner, ostensibly to "calm his nerves" and "celebrate Brother Chong's great achievement in martial arts."

Zhang Shaozhong couldn't persuade them otherwise, so he had to ask Ling Qingxue and Ye Meier for their opinions.

Ye Meier has always been very interested in "eating," especially "going to restaurants." After "moving around" for a while, she also felt a bit hungry, so she nodded indifferently: "Okay, I'm hungry too. Let's see what good food you have here."

Ling Qingxue wasn't particularly interested in such crowded and noisy occasions, but seeing Zhang Shaozhong's expectant yet somewhat hesitant look, and recalling how he had stepped forward earlier, she nodded slightly: "Alright."

So, the group of five went to a Sichuan restaurant near the school that had a good reputation and a relatively quiet environment, and ordered a small private room.

This meal was absolutely wonderful.

When it came time to order, Da Liu and Wang Hao eagerly handed the menu to Ling Qingxue and Ye Meier, strongly recommending: "Ladies, what would you like to eat? The boiled fish and spicy blood curd here are absolutely amazing!"

Ling Qingxue looked at the bright red, oily pictures on the menu, her brows furrowing almost imperceptibly, and uttered two words in a cool tone: "Stir-fried seasonal vegetables."

Da Liu & Wang Hao: "..." Do fairies really only eat grass?

Ye Meier snatched the menu, her eyes shining: "This! Spicy chicken! It looks delicious! And this, husband and wife lung slices! Tsk tsk, the name is quite interesting! I'll have this boiling fish too! Oh, and get your spiciest broth! I'm going to have a real feast today!"

She ordered all of their signature spicy dishes.

Zhang Shaozhong quickly added, "Also, a sweet and sour pork, a West Lake beef soup, and a bowl of rice!"

He has to ensure there's something the fairy can eat.

While waiting for the food, Da Liu and Wang Hao's gossipy nature could no longer be suppressed.

Da Liu leaned closer to Zhang Shaozhong, winking and lowering his voice (but the private room was small enough that everyone could hear): "Brother Chong, tell me honestly! What's your relationship with these two...? Which one is the real sister-in-law?"

His gaze swept back and forth between Ling Qingxue and Ye Meier, a sly smile on his face that said, "I know."

Although Wang Hao didn't speak, he pricked up his ears, his eyes filled with curiosity.

Zhang Shaozhong felt like he almost spat out the tea he had just drunk. He glanced nervously at the two big shots next to him.

Ling Qingxue sat upright, eyes downcast, seemingly oblivious to what was happening, but her aura appeared even colder.

Ye Meier looked at him with a half-smile, her eyes filled with a sense of anticipation for a good show.

"Don't talk nonsense!"

Zhang Shaozhong quickly interrupted Da Liu, "I already said we're friends! Business partners! We're doing live streaming together!"

"Partners?"

Da Liu looked incredulous. "A business partner would protect you like that? The way that beautiful Ye scolded Zhao Kun just now was like a tigress protecting her cubs! And beautiful Ling, that look in her eyes almost froze Zhao Kun into an ice pop! You're kidding me!"

When Ye Meier heard the word "tigress," she was not angry at all. Instead, she raised her eyebrows triumphantly and gave Zhang Shaozhong a flirtatious wink.

Ling Qingxue glanced at Da Liu indifferently without saying a word, but that look made Da Liu instantly feel like a bad student being targeted by a teacher. He immediately shrank back and dared not utter another word.

When the food arrived, the situation spiraled out of control for a moment.

Ye Meier launched an attack on the bright red boiled fish, which was covered with chili peppers. She ate with great relish, her lips swollen and red from the spiciness, but she exclaimed that it was so delicious. She even tried to urge Ling Qingxue: "You hypocrite, try this! This is what it feels like to be alive!"

Ling Qingxue stared at the pot of "red oil hell" with an expressionless face, picked up a piece of stir-fried bok choy that was furthest away from her with the serving chopsticks, and ate it slowly and deliberately, completely ignoring Ye Meier's provocation.

Watching Ye Meier's unrestrained eating habits and Ling Qingxue's ethereal dining demeanor, Da Liu and Wang Hao once again deeply felt the disparity of the world.

During the meal, Da Liu and Wang Hao tried several times to strike up a conversation with Ling Qingxue, asking some "profound" questions, such as: "Miss Ling, what level do you think Brother Chong's skills are in the martial arts world?"

"Miss Ling, do you know anything about the I Ching? Could you help me predict when I'll become rich?"

All of them were dismissed by Ling Qingxue with short and aloof replies such as "not bad," "know a little," and "the secrets of heaven cannot be revealed," leaving them feeling humiliated.

On the contrary, Ye Meier was having a great time chatting with Da Liu and Wang Hao.

She listened intently to their descriptions of university life, games, and various modern entertainment facilities, occasionally chiming in with questions that were both amusing and absurd, such as, "Is that 'internet cafe' you're talking about a place where a lot of people use 'magical tools' (computers) to connect to 'divine thoughts' (the internet)?"

The "victory celebration banquet" took place in this strange yet lively atmosphere.

Zhang Shaozhong had to deal with his roommate's gossip while carefully catering to two big shots with vastly different tastes, feeling even more exhausted than when dealing with Zhao Kun.

However, seeing Da Liu and Wang Hao still excited and curious despite being teased, and looking at the two powerful immortals and demons beside him who, though awkward, had already integrated into the mundane world, Zhang Shaozhong felt a warmth in his heart.

Perhaps this is what he wanted to protect: the ordinary yet precious warmth of everyday life.