Chapter 117: A Spectacular Sight

The blood collection was over, and the military meeting was still ongoing, but Gao Yuan could finally have his meal.

Having a special meal, accompanied by a colonel, was a privilege Gao Yuan was enjoying for the first time.

The dishes consisted of four entrees and one soup, but the plates were small; there was also a big bowl on the side, filled with rice.

Gao Yuan sat down, and the colonel accompanying him did as well.

"Come on, eat up, eat up, there's more if you finish, don't worry, you'll definitely be full today. Oh, by the way, Xiao Gao, why does your name sound so familiar to me? Oh, I'm Huang Hailong, in charge of the supply at our base, and hosting this meal for you is part of my job, haha."

Gao Yuan smiled and had already picked up his bowl, then he made a polite offer, "Why don't you have some too?"

"Hmm, that sounds good, it might be awkward for you to eat alone, and I'm hungry anyway, so Let's eat together. Go ahead, you start."

Gao Yuan was already eager and didn't hesitate too much; he picked up his chopsticks and began to eat immediately.

Despite the urge to frantically pull plates towards himself and shovel the food in, Gao Yuan tried to eat as elegantly and quickly as possible.

"Gao Yuan, Gao Yuan... I remember now!"

Gao Yuan turned his head to look at Huang Hailong beside him, who excitedly said, "The shelter in the Taihang Mountains, and a girl named Luo Xingyu, that wouldn't be you, would it?"

"Yes, that's me..."

Gao Yuan mumbled, and Huang Hailong expressed his surprise, "Wow, it really is you! You... hey, you finished already?"

Huang Hailong immediately turned his head and ordered, "Quick, add more food, yeah! Serve it in big bowls."

Four dishes, served in big soup bowls, were brought out: fish-flavored shredded pork, stir-fried eggs with green onions, braised pork, and stir-fried cabbage.

The dishes were good, and they actually tasted quite nice, really nice, a lot better than the meals at Shimen Shelter No.2.

"How did you end up at Shimen Shelter No.2? Speaking of which, Stonegate Branch One and No.2... "

Huang Hailong asked cautiously, but upon seeing Gao Yuan's rapid chopsticks suddenly pause, he quickly said, "Oh, let's not talk about that, you keep eating."

Gao Yuan continued to gobble down the food.

Eat voraciously, eat voraciously, eat voraciously.

The four big bowls of dishes and a big bowl of soup were polished off in five minutes, leaving absolutely nothing behind.

Gao Yuan looked at Huang Hailong, who was still holding his chopsticks without having used them yet.

"Still eating?"

"Is there any more...?"

"Yes! Of course, there is!"

Huang Hailong stood up and directed the cafeteria staff, "What's taking you so long, don't you have any foresight? Add more rice, more dishes, quick, quick, quick"

The same dishes were served again, and once more, under Gao Yuan's hands, they were gone in five minutes.

Huang Hailong's forehead was dotted with fine beads of sweat. He wasn't scared by Gao Yuan's appetite, but felt embarrassed.

He had promised Gao Yuan an ample meal, but now it seemed impossible to keep his word without losing face.

In the cafeteria, four people were watching Gao Yuan eat, allowing Huang Hailong to save some face, and he turned around and asked, "Is there any left...?"

The chef, rubbing his apron with a bitter face, said, "There's really none left now, this was prepared for the office leaders, I added a bit more, enough for forty people..."

Huang Hailong swallowed, then said, "No more? Then get going! What are you standing around for, hurry up and cook!"

Gao Yuan would never say he didn't need it, right? He would never concede even if you killed him.

Though the food was delicious, it was too refined, which made the preparation slow.

Gao Yuan said, somewhat shyly, "Is it almost mealtime? The soldiers' canteen should be ready, right? I can eat anything as long as there's plenty of it."

Huang Hailong wiped his forehead and said, "You don't want to wait a bit longer? Well, we'll make do for now. Eat until you're full. You guys, hurry up and get food from the soldiers' canteen. How much... just bring it first, and remember! Don't talk too much. Everything you see today is top-secret, not a word about it. Forget it, I'll go with you!"

Gao Yuan was feeling anxious, but the food arrived quickly.

There was a large stainless steel pot that Huang Hailong and four chefs had carried over, and another pot full of steamed buns.

"Today, it's steamed buns with big-pot stew, come on, eat up! I'll arrange something better for you later."

Huang Hailong was brimming with confidence, and Gao Yuan said nothing. He could finally eat to his heart's content.

After downing half a basin of big-pot stew and three steamed buns, Gao Yuan suddenly stood up and asked, "Where's the bathroom?"

"This way, are you done eating?"

"No, I'm just getting started. Don't clear anything away; I'll continue eating after I use the bathroom."

Gao Yuan hurried into the restroom and then rushed back to continue eating.

Sitting down to eat without further ado, when Gao Yuan had nearly finished a bucket of big-pot stew and a pot of steamed buns, Huang Hailong wiped his sweat again.

Just then, Xu Manzhi walked over quickly and asked, "Haven't finished eating yet?"

"Not yet..."

Wiping his sweat again, Huang Hailong had an astonished Xu Manzhi saying, "Oh, it's fine, take your time, eat more."

Gao Yuan stood up once more, addressing Huang Hailong politely, "Bring the same amount again, please. I'll just use the restroom and be back to continue eating."

Once again, Gao Yuan hurried away, and finally one of the chefs said in a low voice, "My goodness, never in my life have I seen someone eat so much. Is he even human?"

"What are you saying? I warn you, absolutely no spreading rumors—did you hear that? This is top-secret. Now follow me to get more food."

As the person most familiar with the situation and the terrain, Xu Manzhi was waiting for Gao Yuan to start the military meeting. At that moment, looking at the situation, even Xu Manzhi was bewildered.

"What's going on? Why is he eating big-pot stew? Wasn't this supposed to be officer treatment?"

With a gloomy expression, Huang Hailong said, "It's all gone, everything's been eaten. The food will be late tonight for dinner, but I'm not discussing this now; I have to get more food. Commander, you stay and see for yourself how much he can eat—I'm not sure, but I do know his appetite."

By the time Gao Yuan returned, the food had been brought back, and so Gao Yuan continued to eat.

Xu Manzhi watched in silence. At first feeling embarrassed, Gao Yuan now let go completely. Whoever wanted to watch could just watch. After all, he could no longer shake off his image as a food barrel.

In half an hour, the high-ranking officers of Base No. 12 came to know what it meant to eat heartily, as a group of senior military officers watched a single man dine.

Stars twinkled impressively.

Gao Yuan had used the bathroom six times and consumed four buckets of big-pot stew, four pots of steamed buns, and not to mention the stir-fried dishes and rice.

Basically, the leaders at Base No. 12 would have to wait a bit longer to have their meal, and at least a platoon of soldiers would also have to wait for their dinner.

Gao Yuan finally felt full, not just a simple sense of a full stomach, but a sense of satisfaction that his body had been thoroughly replenished with energy.

"I'm full now. Well, I did eat quite a bit, but I can still get full meals in the future, right...?"

Xu Manzhi exhaled lightly and said, "Rest assured, we'll definitely make sure you have enough to eat. Our base is big enough, we won't let you starve. Just think of it as if the base has gained an extra platoon."