Douluo Continent III Haotian Wulin

"Okay." Tang Wulin nodded immediately.

He was already hungry.

Braised beef in a clay pot is a famous snack in Donghai City. It's slowly braised in a small, brownish-yellow earthenware pot. The beef is first washed and then placed in the pot with only scallions and ginger to remove any gamey smell. Once the meat turns a lighter color, more than ten kinds of spices are added, and it's simmered over a low flame. The clay pot locks in the moisture and aroma, so when the lid is lifted, the beef is tender and the flavor of the spices has permeated the meat. The broth is rich and flavorful, making it perfect with rice.

The store is not big.

The stove was set up outside, with nearly a hundred earthenware pots resting on rows of small fire pits. Steam escaped from the cracks, making the lids of the pots tremble. With each tremor, a whiff of beef aroma wafted out, enticing passersby to turn and look.

The shop had only five long tables, which were very clean, but the table corners and chair backs were worn smooth and shiny, indicating that they were quite old. Most of the tables were already occupied.

It was late autumn outside, and the night breeze was a bit chilly. But as soon as I stepped inside, the warmth and aroma of meat enveloped my face, and I immediately felt relaxed.

Gu Yue turned her head and glanced at Xie Xie.

"I never expected that a rich man's son would eat at a roadside stall."

This time, Xie Xie unusually refrained from arguing with her. He simply walked inside and sat down at the table at the very back.

"My mom used to love this place's braised beef," he said. "I would come here every now and then."

He said this in a very flat tone, as if he were talking about something extremely ordinary.

Tang Wulin nudged Gu Yue's arm, signaling her to stop talking, and then sat down opposite Xie Xie.

"Hey, Xie Xie's here!" The shop owner, a middle-aged man wearing an apron and always smiling, greeted him as soon as he saw him. "You brought a friend today. The usual?"

"Yes." Xie Xie nodded. "Thank you, Uncle Li."

"Alright."

Soon, three earthenware pots were served, along with three bowls of white rice and two small dishes of green vegetables.

"This is the first time you've brought friends here, so consider the side dishes a gift from your uncle." Uncle Li smiled as he arranged the food, then casually ruffled Xie Xie's hair with a very natural gesture. "Enjoy your meal."

"Thank you, Uncle Li." Xie Xie looked up and smiled at him.

Tang Wulin was a little stunned.

Xie Xie was known for his meticulousness in the dormitory; his bed was always perfectly made, and he would immediately dust off any speck of dust from his clothes. But now, when someone patted his head like this, he not only didn't flinch, but smiled naturally.

Gu Yue glanced at him, her eyes less sharp than usual.

"Eat up." Xie Xie lifted the lid of the earthenware pot in front of him first.

As soon as the lid was opened, the aroma immediately wafted out.

The dark golden broth simmered gently in the pot. The beef was stewed until it was extremely tender, falling apart at the touch of chopsticks. Xie Xie picked up a piece, placed it on top of the white rice, then ladled some broth over it before putting it in his mouth.

After taking just one bite, his expression softened noticeably.

Tang Wulin couldn't wait any longer, so he followed suit and took a bite.

The next moment, his eyes lit up.

"tasty."

The beef was already tender, but the spices didn't overpower the meat's flavor; instead, they were all infused into it. Served with white rice and soaked in hot broth, the flavors were perfectly balanced—fresh, fragrant, and savory.

Gu Yue took a bite, said nothing, and then picked up a second piece.

The shop was dimly lit and the tables and chairs were old, but after finishing that can of beef, I felt warm all over. That warmth wasn't just in my stomach, but rather it spread up from within, gradually easing up the fatigue that had accumulated from the past two months of training.

The three of them usually met at the academy when they were in class or undergoing special training. No matter how close they were, there was always a tense atmosphere. But after sitting down at this table, that tension slowly dissipated.

Xie Xie had only taken a few bites when he shouted outside.

"Uncle Li, ten more servings, please."

Tang Wulin paused for a moment, looked up at him, and looked a little embarrassed.

"……Thanks."

Xie Xie didn't react immediately: "What?"

Tang Wulin looked helpless: "I meant thank you, not you."

Xie Xie originally wanted to roll his eyes, but for some reason, upon hearing those two words, the smile on his face slowly faded.

He looked down at the earthenware pot in front of him, and after a while, he said in a low voice:

My name was given to me by my mother.

Tang Wulin and Gu Yue both looked at him.

Xie Xie tightened his grip on the chopsticks a little, and his voice became much softer.

"She told me that she named me this because she was grateful for that encounter. She said that the luckiest thing in her life was meeting my father at that time."

He paused for a moment after saying this.

"But……"

The voice that followed the "but" suddenly became a little hoarse.

"My dad is always busy. Always busy. Busy with business, busy with mechs, busy with things outside." Xie Xie lowered his head, his eyes fixed on the soup in the bowl. "He wasn't there when my mother was at her sickest. Before she passed away, she wanted to see him one last time, but he was still too late."

Tang Wulin remained silent.

Gu Yue also quieted down.

Xie Xie gripped his hand tighter and tighter, until his knuckles turned white.

"I still remember that night. My mother kept waiting and waiting. In the end, her eyes were filled with... regret."

His voice trailed off at this point.

When he spoke again, he kept his mouth very low.

"That's why I hate this name. If it weren't for that encounter, would things have turned out differently...?"

He didn't say anything more.

Suddenly, he leaned forward, resting his forehead on his arm, and stopped moving.

Tang Wulin was a little stunned.

This was the first time Xie Xie had spoken out about what was weighing on his mind in front of them.

Xie Xie, who is usually proud, stubborn, and unwilling to admit defeat, is now so quiet that it's hard to tell what's going on.

Just then, Uncle Li came over carrying a freshly served bowl of beef.

When he saw Xie Xie's appearance, he sighed softly.

"This child," he said softly as he set down the earthenware pot, "his mother used to bring him here. But after she passed away, he started coming by himself. He's never been in a good mood when he comes here. I was actually quite happy that he brought a friend today."

Uncle Li glanced at Tang Wulin and Gu Yue.

"Don't blame him. He's burdened with worries and stubborn. It's rare for him to be so friendly, so please help him out."

After saying that, he shook his head and turned to get back to work.

Tang Wulin reached out and gently patted Xie Xie's back.

Gu Yue sat there, staring at him blankly for a while, her gaze gradually softening.

After a moment, she suddenly raised her foot and gently kicked Xie Xie under the table.

"Feed".

Xie Xie didn't move.

Gu Yue kicked again, her tone still the same as usual, just not as harsh.

"Alright, stop crying. I was wrong to say you reeked of money before. Consider it a favor today."

Xie Xie slowly raised his head, his eyes a little red, and wiped them haphazardly with his sleeve.

"I've always had a penchant for money."

Gu Yue pursed her lips.

"That little brat is quite vengeful."

Xie Xie was immediately roused by her.

"Who are you calling a little kid? You're even younger than me, aren't you? I'm a little kid, and what are you? A little girl?"

Gu Yue ignored him, directly lifted the lid of the newly placed earthenware pot, and started eating.

"I don't argue with crybabies," she said between bites. "Mmm, it's pretty good."

Xie Xie was so angry he wanted to retort, but seeing her expression, he didn't say anything in the end. He just snorted and continued eating with his head down.

Tang Wulin, sitting between the two, couldn't help but laugh.

That smile eased the tension around the table.

When the three people came out of the shop, Uncle Li stood at the door watching them and couldn't help but sigh:

"Kids these days can really eat!"

This braised beef stew not only satisfied the three of them, but also eased the awkwardness that had been there between them.

Next up is salt-grilled prawns.

Fresh prawns are skewered on bamboo sticks and slowly grilled over charcoal. Apart from salt, there are almost no other seasonings, but it is precisely this simple method that brings out all the flavor of the seafood.

Then came fried fish balls, seaweed cakes, and small glutinous rice balls cooked in rice wine...

The three of them ate their way from one end of the street to the other.

Tang Wulin was undoubtedly the one who ate the most. Xie Xie and Gu Yue initially wanted to compete with him, but later gave up completely.

When they came out of the last stall, Gu Yue was pressing her stomach with one hand and supporting Tang Wulin's shoulder with the other, showing a rare look of being stuffed.

Xie Xie was on the other side, in the same posture.

Tang Wulin looked at the two of them and couldn't help but laugh.

"I've already said it, if you can't handle the sustenance, don't try to be like this God of Cookery."

Xie Xie rolled his eyes.

"What God of Cookery? You're just a glutton. I've wanted to say that for a long time."

Tang Wulin snorted.

"Come on, let's keep eating. It's your treat anyway."

Xie Xie looked like he'd seen a ghost.

"Can you still eat?"

Tang Wulin raised his chin.

"That's right."

Gu Yue, who was leaning against Tang Wulin, couldn't help but turn her head to look at him upon hearing this, her eyes full of suspicion.

Just then, she suddenly frowned.

"What happened over there?"

Tang Wulin and Xie Xie looked up at the same time.

At the entrance of the snack street, a large crowd had gathered, and some noise could be faintly heard.

And that direction—

It was the "Mengguan Beef Shop".