26 Chapter 26: Simply Outrageous!
Hu Gan arrived at Elder Huo's residence only to find that the latter wasn't looking for him.
Oh no! That Hu Jia!
Instantly, Hu Gan realized that he had been deceived by his granddaughter again.
"Hu Gan, you might as well change your name to Dog Qian; your nose is even more sensitive than a dog's," Elder Huo said disdainfully.
Since everyone was already familiar with each other, if one wanted to eat fish, they could just come over without needing to make excuses.
"Huo Qi, if it weren't for me today, you might not have had fish to eat," Hu Gan said casually as he took out a pair of chopsticks and a bowl from the house and sat across from Elder Huo.
On the table were several dishes, with the largest one containing fish in a rich, steaming broth.
Hu Gan had no intention of explaining; he knew his granddaughter too well. Whenever she misbehaved, she must have some scheme in mind.
The only thing worth Hu Jia's attention in the room just now was that bowl of White Carp.
So Hu Gan decided not to go back for now; he would have a meal at Old Huo's place first.
If there was still some at home, he could continue eating; if not, he wouldn't lose out by eating here at Old Huo's.
"Don't flatter yourself," Elder Huo didn't believe Hu Gan's words. He took out some wine and poured it for both himself and Hu Gan.
Taking a sip of wine, Elder Huo picked up a piece of fish and savored it with an intoxicated expression, "Tender and fresh, silky smooth, it melts in your mouth. With this flavor, I could eat it every day and never tire of it."
Hu Gan remained silent, continuously eating the fish, demonstrating through action that the taste of the White Carp was indeed excellent.
"Hu Gan, do you know how to appreciate anything? Who eats fish like you?" Elder Huo, coming back to his senses, opened his eyes to find half of the fish gone, instantly becoming anxious.
"I understand perfectly well. Please continue. I've been listening attentively. Your words are very good and reasonable," Hu Gan mumbled with his mouth full, but his chopsticks didn't hesitate for a moment.
"You're treating me like a three-year-old," Elder Huo began to snatch the fish.
The two of them engaged in a struggle, and the fish meat quickly vanished as it was shared between them.
Snap!
Elder Huo, with a face full of lingering regret, slammed the chopsticks onto the table, his expression full of resentment.
After such a long time without having a piece of White Carp, not only did Hu Gan eat most of it, but Elder Huo also didn't get to savor it properly due to the competition for food.
"Watch what I do next time. If you haven't had enough, go fishing yourself," Hu Gan picked his teeth with a fishbone, reclining halfway back and patting his belly.
"Next time, I'll set up a barrier spell to block the smell before cooking the fish," Elder Huo grumbled angrily.
Upon hearing this, Hu Gan paid no mind. If things went as usual, the next time Old Huo caught fish, it would definitely still be Lin Xiu who caught them. If you follow Lin Xiu, do you still want to steal a bite?
Seeing Hu Gan's attitude, Elder Huo felt even more infuriated. If it weren't for the fact that White Carp couldn't be forcibly caught, he would have liked to catch four or five and feast on them himself.
"Old Huo, why don't you consider increasing the rewards? Since you're not short of Pills, offering some as rewards might mean eating White Carp for all three meals every day," Hu Gan suggested, his gaze drifting past Elder Huo to the wall where shelves were filled with bottles and jars, all containing Pills.
Elder Huo, being an elder of the Alchemy Department at the Academy, possessed a vast quantity of Pills.
"Exchange Pills for fish? Do you think White Carp is just an ordinary fish? Can you catch it just because you want to?" Elder Huo stirred the bowl with his chopsticks, hoping to find a bit of fish meat.
"What if someone is particularly skilled at catching White Carp?" Hu Gan chuckled and got up, leaving the place.
He also noticed the Pills and remembered what his granddaughter had said before.
Old Huo loved eating fish, and Lin Xiu enjoyed fishing. If he could persuade Old Huo to offer Pills as rewards, then Lin Xiu could make up for the time spent fishing with the Pills.
This way, they wouldn't have to worry about fishing hindering Lin Xiu's cultivation progress. Plus, he could occasionally get a meal of fish from Old Huo—it was simply advantageous in multiple ways.
Hu Gan also loved eating fish, especially the White Carp. After all, he was the Deputy Headmaster, and he didn't feel quite right letting Lin Xiu catch White Carp for him for free.
...
After delivering the fish, Lin Xiu completed the task and headed to the Task Hall to claim the reward.
"Younger brother, you're quite lucky. You managed to catch the White Carp so quickly," the responsible senior sister said, looking surprised.
Lin Xiu politely exchanged a few words with a smile, received the reward, and then picked up another task to catch White Carp.
Shortly after he left, a male student approached, his curiosity evident as he examined the Task Hall tasks—clearly, he was also a freshman.
"Hello, senior sister, I'd like to take on this task too," the young man said, a hint of envy in his eyes.
The prospect of receiving rewards for fishing seemed incredibly appealing to him—easy and devoid of danger.
"No problem, but let me remind you, junior brother, this task cannot be circumvented," the senior sister said calmly, as if giving a standard warning.
"What do you mean, senior sister?" the young man asked, puzzled.
The senior sister explained, "Remember, White Carp can only be caught by fishing. If you try to catch it underwater, the White Carp gets scared, and its surface turns black. Its flesh becomes bitter at that point. Elder Huo won't count it as completing the task, and you might even incur the wrath of the elders."
After she finished explaining, the young man's forehead started to sweat slightly, as if his intentions had been guessed.
There have been instances in the past where freshmen, unaware of the reasons, tried to catch White Carp underwater to exchange them for rewards from Elder Huo, only to anger him.
The senior sister handed the fishing gear to the male student and watched as he left.
Exiting the Task Hall, Lin Xiu came face to face with Xiao Yu, who stopped him in his tracks.
"Let's find a place to talk," Xiao Yu said, her hair still dripping with water.
Not long after returning from her task, she noticed that Xiao Mei's attitude towards her remained the same as before. So, she immediately decided to ask Lin Xiu what was going on.
Having just showered, Xiao Yu was dressed in casual attire, her top covering her hips, and she wore shorts that reached her thighs, exposing her long and fair legs to the air.
"There's nothing to talk about," Lin Xiu said, wanting to leave, but Xiao Yu blocked his path.
In just a short moment, several people around cast their glances over.
With her arms crossed, Xiao Yu had the look of someone who wouldn't let him go if he didn't talk to her.
"Fine, Let's go to the lakeside," seeing Xiao Yu's determination, Lin Xiu couldn't help feeling irritated. This woman was simply going too far!
Having received the response she wanted, Xiao Yu turned around and headed towards the lakeside.
Lin Xiu willingly kept his distance from her, not walking too close.
Along the way, Xiao Yu's fair, slender legs still attracted attention, catching the eyes of many boys and even some girls.
At this moment, the sky was getting dark. As they approached the lakeside, there were hardly any other people around.
The surroundings were quiet, with occasional sounds of insects coming from the grass and trees.
Standing under a tree, Xiao Yu turned around and looked at Lin Xiu, who was approaching slowly, completely unaware of the seriousness of the situation.
"Xiao Mei used to tell me everything that happened, but ever since she came back from the library the last time, she's been avoiding me. It seems like all of this started after you talked to her," Xiao Yu said, her arms crossed and her chin slightly raised, looking at Lin Xiu.
Despite Xiao Yu's tall stature, Lin Xiu still stood a head taller than her.
"What nonsense did you tell Xiao Mei? Why has her attitude towards me changed?" Xiao Yu's voice and tone were very assertive, as if she were interrogating.
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