Under One Person: Rebuilding the Glory of the Beast Master

Chapter 48 You Smell So Good!

Lu Jin had originally planned to take Zeng Su to other places, but after this incident, neither of them had the desire to continue sightseeing.

"It's really bad luck to run into that mad dog," Lu Jin said, his face full of disgust, showing that he and Lü Ci didn't get along very well.

"Let's go eat. It's a big meal, my treat," Lu Jin said, putting his arm around Zeng Su's shoulder, thinking that a big meal would make him feel better.

"Okay!" Zeng Su nodded.

"Let me tell you, that person's name is Lü Ci, and he's been annoying since he was a child—" Lu Jin said to Zeng Su as they walked, talking about the Lü brothers.

After Lu Jin left, Lu Song looked at Lu Ci and said, "You! You're always too impulsive. You need to be mindful of the situation before you do anything, or you'll easily mess things up. You really need to control your temper."

"Hmph, so what? I can't stand Lu Jin's hypocritical act. He's clearly more cunning than anyone else, but he still acts all high and mighty on the surface." Lu Ci said disdainfully, arms crossed. He had disliked Lu Jin's shrewd and calculating manner since he was a child. He believed that people should act according to their own nature.

"Whose child is that that is with Lu Jin? I've never seen him before." At this point, Lü Rencai brought up Zeng Su.

Originally, Lü Ren didn't care about Zeng Su at all, but when Lu Jin and Lü Ci confronted each other just now, he noticed that Zeng Su's temperament had changed, and at the same time, a pressure was emanating from Zeng Su.

Lu Ren was very confident in his judgment; this child was definitely not a nobody.

"That kid?" Lu Song frowned and thought for a moment, then shook his head. "I don't know, but he should be from the Sanyi Sect. I'll have someone inquire about him later."

At this moment, Lu Jin brought Zeng Su to a restaurant. The tables in the hall were already full of people, which showed that the restaurant was really popular.

"Oh, Young Master Jin, you're back!" The shopkeeper, who had been standing behind the counter doing accounts, immediately came to greet them as soon as they entered.

"Uncle Daqing, I came straight here as soon as I got back," Lu Jin said with a smile. "I brought my junior brother along this time, so you'll have to cook for me yourself!"

"Of course, now that Young Master Jin is back, I'll definitely have to give it my all," Lu Qing said.

"Uncle Daqing, the usual: stir-fried pork liver, sweet and sour pork ribs, steamed sea bass, and a spicy and sour chicken." Lu Jin ordered the dishes skillfully, and then added, "Any new dishes? Bring a few more."

"Alright! Young Master Jin, I'll make sure you and your friends eat and drink well." Lu Qing replied and turned to walk towards the kitchen.

He, as the manager, doesn't usually cook. If he does cook, it must be because a distinguished guest has arrived, and Lu Jin is naturally the most distinguished guest of all. Everyone knows that Lu Jin will definitely be the next head of the family.

Lu Jin led Zeng Su to sit down by the window, his favorite spot, where he could see the bustling street scene without being disturbed by the crowds.

"Let me tell you," Lu Jin picked up the teapot on the table and poured a cup of tea for each of them, "Uncle Daqing's stir-fried pig liver is the best in the entire Lu Family Town. The pig liver is sliced ​​as thin as paper, and it's ready in just a dozen breaths after being put into the pan. It's as tender as tofu, and there's not a trace of fishy smell. You absolutely can't find this taste anywhere else."

Zeng Su picked up his teacup and took a sip. The tea was slightly bitter, but the aftertaste was sweet. He looked around the restaurant. It wasn't a large place; it had two floors, with seven or eight tables downstairs, all of which were now full.

Most of the people eating were people from different walks of life. They gathered in twos and threes, talking about something, but they all tacitly kept their voices down.

People were constantly going up and down the stairs. Upstairs were probably private rooms, prepared for guests who did not want to show their faces in public.

"Young Master Lu, you're back!"

At the next table, a middle-aged man in a silk robe raised his glass to Lu Jin and said with a smile, "It's been years since I've seen you; you've become quite the handsome young man!"

"Uncle Zhao, you're too kind." Lu Jin returned the greeting with a cupped hand and a natural, generous smile.

"Jin-ge, please give my regards to your grandfather!" said an old lady at another table. Her hair was gray, but she was in good spirits, and her voice was loud enough to be heard throughout the restaurant.

"Grandma Qian, don't worry, I will definitely deliver it," Lu Jin replied with a smile.

Zeng Su watched as Lu Jin handled the greetings from the guests with ease and nodded inwardly.

Lu Jin may seem carefree, but he is actually quite adept at dealing with people. No wonder he comes from a prestigious family; he has been exposed to such manners since childhood, and these social skills are ingrained in his very being.

The dishes were served quickly.

Just as Lu Jin had described, the stir-fried pork liver was as thin as paper, as tender as tofu, and melted in your mouth without any fishy taste. The sweet and sour pork ribs were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a perfect balance of sweet and sour flavors, even the bones were fried until crispy. The steamed sea bass had delicate flesh, was cooked to perfection, and was drizzled with a savory and delicious soy sauce.

Zeng Su took two bites, and his eyes lit up. It was the best-tasting dish he had ever eaten.

"How is it?" Lu Jin asked, his words muffled as he put a piece of pork rib into his mouth.

"It's delicious," Zeng Su said sincerely.

"Then eat more." Lu Jin put another piece of pig liver on his plate. "These next few days in Lujia Town, I'll take you to try all the good food in town. Let me tell you, there's a wonton shop at the east end of town that only sells for two hours in the morning. If you go too late, they'll be sold out. The wonton wrappers are so thin you can see the filling inside, and the soup is made by simmering an old hen all night. It's so delicious you'll want to swallow your tongue."

As Zeng Su listened to Lu Jin rambling on about all the food, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curve into a smile, and he really wanted to try some.

Just as the two were enjoying their meal, two more people entered through the door.

Walking in front was a chubby girl who looked quite auspicious, with pigtails, but her chubby face was full of helplessness.

"Shihua, look, I bought you some candied hawthorns. You suddenly disappeared just now, and I was so worried." Behind the chubby girl was a little fat boy wearing a red vest and with a middle parting hairstyle. He was holding several candied hawthorns in his hand and called out to the chubby girl in front of him with a fawning look.

"Hey Wang Ai, can you please stop calling me that? It's so cloying. And I don't want to eat candied hawthorns anymore."

The chubby girl said impatiently, clearly she was being pestered quite a bit by this chubby boy named Wang Ai.

.

However, Wang Ai didn't care about the fat girl's tone at all. Instead, she leaned closer and said, "Shi Hua'er, my father said that we should cultivate our relationship properly. So we should change how we address each other, otherwise it will be too formal. I think it's fine as it is."

"Ugh!" the chubby girl exclaimed, covering her face. "You're so annoying!"

At this moment, Lu Jin also saw the two of them and immediately called out loudly, "Wang Ai, since Guan Shihua doesn't want to eat it, then give it to me. I like candied hawthorns."

Upon hearing the names Wang Ai and Guan Shihua, Zeng Su immediately remembered them; these two were also important figures in the future.

Among the four great families, Wang Ai, the young master of the Wang family, and Guan Shihua, the direct descendant of the Northeast shamanic lineage.

Wang Ai was not a good person in the eyes of later generations. This future head of the Wang family was known as a "smiling tiger." He appeared amiable on the surface but was ruthless and capable of doing anything for profit.

Of course, he is still just a teenager, and his face has not yet developed the cunning and shrewdness of later generations, but the occasional glint of shrewdness in his small eyes already reveals some clues.

As for Guan Shihua, she was known as the "shaman" in the future. She was a leading figure in the Northeast shamanic lineage and a prominent figure in the region.

"Lu Jin, you're back!" Wang Ai greeted Lu Jin, but didn't mention the candied hawthorn at all.

Guan Shihua didn't speak. She wasn't familiar with Lu Jin; she only knew his name and didn't want to greet him.

After greeting her, Wang Ai focused her attention on Guan Shihua and started fawning over her again: "Shihua, are you hungry?"

What do you like to eat? Do you have any dietary restrictions?

"Sigh! Anything is fine, I don't have any dietary restrictions." Guan Shihua sighed and said, she couldn't shake off Wang Ai's big tail in Lujia Town.

The elders were trying to match them up, but she had absolutely no interest in Wang Ai. In particular, she felt that Wang Ai was fake; as a shaman who had opened her own shrine, her perception of people was extremely strong.

There weren't many seats left in the restaurant, except for a table next to Lu Jin and Zeng Su. Guan Shiguan sat down there, while Wang Ai quickly called the waiter to order.

He seemed intent on ordering every dish in the restaurant, but Guan Shihua told him not to waste food, and Wang Ai finally stopped.

Neither of them spoke; they were just ordinary people, and exchanging greetings was enough.

Zeng Su also turned his gaze away and continued eating his food, chatting idly with Lu Jin.

Lu Jin also lowered his voice and told him about Wang Ai and Guan Shihua's identities.

But Guan Shihua, who was sitting at another table, was frowning and sniffing the air, as if there was some peculiar smell in the surroundings.

She quickly identified the source of the smell: it was coming from Zeng Su, who was standing nearby.

After confirming her target, Guan Shihua stood up without thinking and plopped down next to Zeng Su, making the chair wobble three times.

Lu Jin's hand, which was holding a pair of ribs, froze. His chopsticks hung in mid-air. He looked at Guan Shihua and then at Zeng Su, his eyes full of doubt.

Zeng Su was also stunned. He looked up at the chubby girl with pigtails, who was staring at him with wide eyes, her nostrils flaring as if she were smelling something delicious.

"Miss Guan, is there anything I can help you with?" he asked.

Guan Shihua didn't answer. Instead, she moved even closer, her nose almost touching Zeng Su's neck, and took a deep breath.

"What are you doing?" Zeng Su leaned back slightly, almost falling off the stool. He must have encountered a female hooligan.

Sensing its master's state, Bai Jiahei stirred slightly inside the wooden plaque, but was restrained by Zeng Su.

"Oh my god, you're so adorable!" Guan Shihua finally spoke, her voice crisp and clear with a strong Northeastern accent, completely different from when she spoke to Wang Ai earlier.

"Bang!" She slammed her hand on the table, making the plates on it bounce. "I told you, what's that smell on you? It smells so good!"

Lu Jin put down his chopsticks and asked cautiously, "Um—Miss Guan, are you hungry? Should I ask Uncle Daqing to add a couple more dishes for you?"

"It's not hunger!" Guan Shihua waved her hand, not even glancing at Lu Jin, her gaze fixed on Zeng Su. "It's the smell. He has a special smell that makes you feel comfortable."

As she spoke, she poked Zeng Su's face with her chubby finger: "Little brother, what's your name?"

"Zeng Su————"

"Zeng Su? What a nice name!" Guan Shihua waved her hand and said casually, "My name is Guan Shihua, from the Northeast."

Don't be shy, that's just how we are. We say what we like directly, no beating around the bush.

Zeng Su looked at the chubby girl and suddenly felt like laughing.

Guan Shihua's personality is quite different from her later reputation as a "witch doctor." Who would have thought that the gloomy old woman of later generations was such a fiery and energetic person in her youth?

But Wang Ai, standing to the side, was feeling miserable. He had been chasing after Guan Shihua the whole way, and they had rarely even had the chance to sit together or walk side by side, let alone sit together. Moreover, Guan Shihua had never given him a kind look, so she would never smile like this.

"Crack crack—" Wang Ai's fists clenched so tightly that they cracked, and the features of her chubby face were squeezed together in anger.

"Miss Guan—" Zeng Su was interrupted by Guan Shihua before he could finish speaking.

"Don't call me 'girl,' it's too formal. Call me Sister Shihua, or just call me 'sister.' We Northeasterners are particular; once you've recognized a younger brother, you have to call him 'sister.'"

"Sister Shihua." Zeng Su readily agreed.

"Yes!" Guan Shihua responded crisply, patting Zeng Su's shoulder. "Alright, from today onwards you're our brother."

"If anyone bullies you, tell me, and I'll have the immortals deal with them!"

Wang Ai, who was standing nearby, finally couldn't hold back any longer and walked over. She had a smile on her face, but her small eyes were full of displeasure: "Shi Hua'er, isn't this a bit inappropriate? We're just friends..."

"Shut up." Guan Shihua didn't even turn her head and retorted directly, "We have nothing to do with each other, so stop calling me Shihua, it's annoying to hear."

Wang Ai's smile froze on his face, and his lips twitched twice. In the end, he didn't say anything, but he also sat down with a thud, squeezing in next to Lu Jin, his eyes staring blankly at Zeng Su.

This wasn't the smiling tiger of later generations, but a real tiger, looking as if it wanted to devour Zeng Su alive.

Lu Jin watched this scene from the side, unsure of what to do, and simply moved aside to make room for Wang Ai.

"Sister Shihua," Zeng Su spoke up, he could roughly guess why Guan Shihua was so "fond" of him, "that smell you described, it's because of the immortals, isn't it!"

Guan Shihua's eyes lit up: "How did you know?"

Zeng Su thought for a moment and roughly got some clues. Guan Shihua was a shaman, and his perception of the immortal power was extremely keen. His experiences and repeated tempering with Bai Jiahei, Xuanhei, and Feipeng might have mixed in some things that made the immortals feel close to him.

"I can't really say for sure," he shook his head, "but I keep a few tamed beasts, so it might be their scent."

"Beast Taming!" Guan Shihua tilted her head and thought for a moment, then asked, "Are you a Beast Master?"

"Yes!" Zeng Su nodded.