This Taoist priest is so unprofessional!

"Young man, your kebabs!"

It wasn't until the owner handed him a large bag of steaming hot barbecue that he was snapped out of his daze.

Wang Xiaoer paid the money and sat down on a flower bed by the roadside.

He eagerly pulled out a chicken wing.

The chicken wings were roasted to perfection, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with golden skin dotted with charred bits. The rich sauce, mixed with chili powder and cumin, was incredibly fragrant.

With one bite, the scalding hot juices burst in your mouth, and the tender chicken meat mixed with the crispy skin creates an excellent taste.

"Cool!"

Wang Xiaoer ate with his mouth full of oil, but his mind was still pondering the key points of the escape technique.

"...following the shadow in the light, and conforming to the form in the darkness..."

The essence of this extraordinary art lies not in "concealment," but in "fusion."

When it merges with light, it becomes shadow.

When it merges into darkness, it takes form.

To become the most inconspicuous and taken-for-granted part of the environment.

He was eating with gusto, his mouth dripping with oil.

suddenly.

Wang Xiaoer felt something furry gently brush against his trouser leg.

It felt very light and soft.

Wang Xiaoer stopped moving.

He slowly lowered his head.

A plump orange cat was sitting properly at his feet.

It tilted its round head back, its amber eyes wide open, staring longingly at the sizzling, oily chicken wing in his hand.

It also made a gurgling sound in its throat, as if trying to please others.

This cat...

It looks somewhat familiar.

Its fat body, its orange fur, and its arrogant, self-righteous look as if the whole world is its granary.

Can't go wrong.

Isn't this the same cat named "Fugui" that he lured all the way from the barbecue stand back to the office with a few grilled squid last time?

Wang Xiaoer was at a loss for words, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

He finally understood: this little guy wasn't lost; he was a repeat offender who had escaped from prison to hunt for food.

Just as he was about to bend down and pet the fat cat a couple of times.

An anxious yet somewhat familiar female voice came from the crowd not far away.

"Wealth and prosperity!"

"Fugui! Where have you run off to again!"

The sound came from afar, accompanied by obvious panting.

Wang Xiaoer looked in the direction of the sound and saw a girl in a light yellow dress standing on tiptoe, anxiously looking around in the crowd.

The girl wore a neat ponytail, which drew a youthful arc behind her head as she turned her head.

She quickly spotted the conspicuous orange patch at Wang Xiaoer's feet, her face lit up with joy, and her steps became lighter.

But when she got closer and saw that the person sitting next to the cat was Wang Xiaoer, she suddenly stopped in her tracks.

A strange expression, a mixture of embarrassment and relief, instantly appeared on the girl's face.

It was the same girl who was looking for the cat last time.

"Is...it you?"

Lin Qingya spoke somewhat shyly, her fair cheeks slightly flushed.

"Hello there."

Wang Xiaoer stood up, still holding the kebab he hadn't had time to eat in his hand.

He was at a loss for what to do, feeling that the grease on the corner of his mouth was particularly unsightly.

"Um...it seems like it came over because it smelled the aroma."

Wang Xiaoer pointed to Fugui, who was still trying his best to act cute, at his feet, and tried to explain.

Lin Qingya walked over quickly and glared at her cat with annoyance.

"Fugui! You're going to drive me crazy!"

The orange cat named Fugui showed no remorse. Instead, it took advantage of the situation and rubbed its head against Wang Xiaoer's trouser leg, making a tractor-like purring sound in its throat. Its big eyes were still fixed on the roasted chicken wing in Wang Xiaoer's other hand.

The meaning was clear: You can scold me, but leave the food first.

Lin Qingya was so angry at its behavior that she had no choice but to turn around and explain to Wang Xiaoer apologetically.

"I'm so sorry, I don't know what's wrong. Ever since I found it last time, it has become a very picky eater. It wants to eat as soon as it smells barbecue."

"Today I opened the door to pick up a package, and in the blink of an eye, it disappeared following the scent in the hallway."

Towards the end, her voice still carried a hint of lingering fear and grievance.

Seeing the girl's slightly red eyes, Wang Xiaoer's heart softened.

Without thinking much, he handed over the bag of still-warm roasted chicken wings he was holding.

"Give it some, I haven't touched it yet."

When Fugui saw the glistening chicken wings, his eyes widened and his cries instantly became incredibly fawning.

"Oh? I can't accept this..."

Lin Qingya quickly waved her hand.

Wang Xiaoer had already bent down, pulled out a chicken wing, tore off a small piece of meat, blew on it, and offered it to Fugui's mouth.

Fugui immediately opened his mouth and swallowed the piece of meat in one gulp without even chewing it, then looked at Wang Xiaoer with longing eyes.

The way they wolfed down their food made it seem as if they hadn't eaten for three days and three nights.

Seeing its appearance, Lin Qingya no longer refused, her face full of gratitude.

"Thank you so much."

As she spoke, she immediately took out a few coins.

"How much is this? And what about the one from last time...?"

Wang Xiaoer straightened up and shook his head.

"No need, it's just a few skewers of chicken wings."

"That won't do!"

Lin Qingya persisted, raising her hand with a serious expression.

Wang Xiaoer felt a little embarrassed by her gaze, so he could only scratch his head.

"No need, it's no trouble at all."

Seeing his resolute attitude, Lin Qingya could no longer force him. She had no choice but to put away the money in her hand and somewhat awkwardly tuck a stray strand of hair that had fallen to her cheek behind her ear.

"I'm so sorry to trouble you again... I've been wanting to invite you and Master Zhang to dinner for a while, but I haven't had the chance."

When she mentioned Zhang Chen, her tone even carried a hint of respect.

Wang Xiaoer recalled Zhang Chen's "professional" theory, and the corner of his mouth twitched involuntarily.

"It's nothing, just a small favor. Zhang Chen... he's been busy lately."

That's all he could say.

You can't exactly tell people that the Master Zhang you admire might be locked up in his room right now, figuring out how to dismantle a bronze lump and sell it for money.

The two fell silent for a moment.

The hustle and bustle of the night market became background noise.

The aroma of barbecue swirled between them, carrying a strange and ambiguous atmosphere.

Fugui was the hero who broke the silence. After finishing a whole chicken wing, it was nodding its head at Lin Qingya's calf, signaling her to have another one.

Lin Qingya was amused by it, took out a piece from the bag, and patiently tore off the meat to feed it.

Wang Xiaoer found the scene somewhat amusing.

He discovered that his "Five Elements Concealment Technique," which he hadn't yet mastered, seemed to be completely ineffective in front of this girl.

He not only failed to blend in, but instead became the center of attention.

In this moment of warmth and harmony.

Suddenly, a series of harsh shouts and curses came from the other end of the food street, followed by a loud crash.

It looked like something had been completely overturned.

The noisy street fell silent for a moment as everyone's attention was drawn to it.

Not far away, a small stall selling sweet soup had been completely overturned.

Colorful syrup and toppings were spilled all over the floor, and broken glass bowls were scattered everywhere, creating a complete mess.

Several young thugs with dyed yellow hair and dressed in flashy clothes were surrounding an elderly woman with white hair, pointing and gesturing wildly, their attitude extremely arrogant.

"You old hag! You think you're so great, huh?!"

The leader, a blond-haired man with a scorpion tattoo on his neck and a cigarette dangling from his mouth, pointed his finger at the old woman's nose and cursed at her.

"This street is now under Tiger's protection! Making you pay protection money is a favor! You dare to reason with us?"

"I... I only earn a few dozen yuan a day, where would I get the money to give you..."

The old woman's voice was choked with sobs, her body trembled uncontrollably, and tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at the mess on the ground.

"No money?"

Another tall, thin thug let out a sneer and stomped on a bowl of sweet soup that hadn't yet broken, smashing it to pieces.

"If you don't have money, don't set up your stall here! Get lost!"