Demons and monsters wreak havoc: gain one new confidante every day.

"Shen You, why aren't you eating? What are you staring at me for?!"

In the cafeteria, Aunt Dou's fierce gaze fell on Shen You.

That kid has a shifty look on his face. What strange idea is he plotting? Is he planning to cause trouble again?

"What are you looking at!" Shen You replied subconsciously.

"What did you say?!"

Aunt Dou's thick arms tensed up instantly.

Shen You was startled, then quickly waved her hand, "Auntie, I'll eat now, please don't be angry! Getting angry will harm your health!"

Wang Hu, sitting not far away, sneered, "Utterly servile and shameless!"

Shen You raised an eyebrow, her gaze falling on Wang Hu's face, and suddenly burst out laughing: "Pfft! What's wrong with your face? It's so crooked!"

"You brat! You're asking for it!" Wang Hu immediately stood up in a rage.

Boom!

Aunt Dou slammed the iron spoon onto the iron basin again.

"Those who don't want to eat, get out!"

Shen You and Wang Hu immediately fell silent.

"Auntie, I wasn't being naughty, he provoked me first..."

Shen You still habitually put on a smile, but at this moment, she suddenly froze.

He blinked, not quite seeing clearly.

He rubbed his eyes hard a few more times before looking again.

A message appeared floating above Aunt Dou's head—

Aunt Dou

【Fate Value: 63 (Her Beloved)】

"Oh my god!"

Shen You's mouth gaped open, her jaw almost dropping to the ground.

He never expected this.

The "beloved one" he had been searching for so desperately.

It's so far away, yet so close at hand.

It was Aunt Dou!

"No way! This is terrifying!"

Shen You felt her heart pounding wildly.

I am destined to be with "that person".

But don't try to form a relationship with someone like that!

Who could possibly resist such a heavyweight beauty?

"You brat, you're still staring at me!" Aunt Dou yelled again.

"I……"

Shen You stared blankly at Aunt Dou.

At that moment, I suddenly made up my mind.

The path of martial arts is fraught with difficulties and dangers. Without the determination to give up everything, how can one possibly reach the highest realm?

If I can't make something of myself in this life, I might as well be dead!

"Auntie!"

Shen You suddenly stood up and resolutely said:

"I like you!"

The entire hall fell silent once again in an instant.

The air seemed to freeze.

Everyone gaped, speechless.

clang!

An apprentice's rice scoop slipped from his hand and fell to the ground.

Everyone seemed to wake from a dream and exclaimed in surprise.

"Shen You, are you crazy?"

How could you say such vulgar things in public?

"The object of affection is still Aunt Dou!"

Is Shen You sick in the head?

How could he, as a human being, be interested in Aunt Dou?

No, even if I have that interest.

Did he really have to say it in public?

That's so vulgar!

It's ridiculous!

That's inhuman!

Boom!

Another person pushed the table aside and suddenly stood up.

It was Wang Hu!

He looked at Shen You in horror, then at Aunt Dou.

"So that's why the old lady suddenly intervened and chased my brother away! Turns out you've been hooking up with her all along!"

You're despicable!

"No, I..." Shen You stammered, not expecting everyone's reaction to be so strong.

Well, this is ancient times after all, and people's thinking and attitudes weren't as open-minded.

Perhaps I really should reflect on myself.

Bang!

Aunt Dou slammed her fist on the table, her fat face jiggling, and she was furious.

"You brat—!"

"You dare to ruin my reputation!!"

She rolled up her sleeves and strode towards Shen You.

With each step, the ground trembled.

Shen You was so frightened that she almost knelt down before her.

"Auntie, you've misunderstood!"

Shen You hurriedly tried to salvage the situation:

"The 'like' I'm talking about is the kind of 'like' that comes from respect! It's the kind of respect I have for my parents, like I respect my aunt!"

"Respect?"

Aunt Dou licked her lips, a cold glint in her eyes, as if she were about to devour someone.

"Respect gives you the right to spout nonsense? You dare insult me ​​like this? I'll tear you to pieces!"

"Auntie, I truly respect you!"

Shen You cried out in a pitiful voice, and at this moment she simply made up her mind and stopped caring about anything else.

This is the biggest crisis he has faced since he traveled through time.

Get through this crisis!

Get over it!

With the jade pendant bearing the character "缘" (fate/destiny), my future is bright!

I don't want to die here!

"Aunt Dou!"

Shen You gritted her teeth and stood up abruptly.

"What are you doing?!" Aunt Dou responded fiercely.

Shen You stared intently at Aunt Dou, then suddenly spoke:

"I love you, walking alone through dark alleys..."

The entire room fell silent.

"I love the way you refuse to kneel..."

Everyone looked on in surprise.

"I've faced despair with loving you, yet I refuse to shed a single tear..."

Everyone's eyes widened in disbelief.

"I love your tattered clothes, yet I dare to block fate's gun..."

Aunt Dou's body began to tremble.

"Loving you is so much like me, even our flaws are the same..."

Clang!

The large iron ladle in Aunt Dou's hand also fell to the ground.

"Auntie, now you understand, right..."

Shen You sighed, her face showing sincerity.

"My liking and love are not the kind of liking and love that is romantic in the sense of a romantic relationship."

"It's simply out of respect for you, and because we share the same plight!"

"I just saw you step in and drive away that sword-wielding guard who was causing me trouble..."

A hint of tenderness appeared in Shen You's eyes.

"...To be honest, I thought of my mother, whom I've been separated from for many years!"

"If I were still by my mother's side, she would probably take care of me like this..."

At that moment, Aunt Dou was speechless.

The boy before me had such a sincere expression.

The words that came out were so moving.

All those ways of loving her seemed to mold her into a lone, courageous figure walking alone in a dark alley.

Isn't this a true reflection of her years of venturing out on her own?

She is now the head chef of the outer courtyard of Renxintang, and she has no worries about food and clothing. But when she looks at the young man struggling alone, she seems to see her own past self in him.

"You brat..."

Aunt Dou's brow furrowed slightly, and the anger in her heart suddenly vanished.

"Eat your food properly! Stop...talking nonsense!"

Aunt Dou shook her head, bent down to pick up the large iron spoon, silently turned around, and returned to the iron basin.

Seeing Aunt Dou leave, Shen You finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He plopped back into his seat, feeling his vest was already soaked with sweat.

That was really close.

I almost angered Aunt Dou and got squeezed into a ball.

"As expected of me, I cleverly resolved the crisis!"

Just then, a crisp sound rang in Shen You's ears—

【Ding! 】

[My connection with Aunt Dou!]

[Your affinity score has increased, and you've become close friends with Aunt Dou (Affinity Score: 72)]

Your physical constitution +1

boom--!

It was as if a wondrous potential suddenly surged from Shen You's body.

He felt his bones creaking, impurities being removed from his body, and every bone and blood vessel undergoing a subtle transformation.

He could clearly feel that his body had become lighter and his joints more flexible.

Suddenly, his eyes lit up, as if a thin film had been peeled away, and his whole world became brighter.

【Root bone: 100】

Breaking through the limits of physical potential!

Just as he had expected, Shen You had undergone a complete transformation at this moment!