Chapter 5, Tentative Confrontation
I can no longer eat, you all sit down, I will return to school first. " Chen Fengshi stood up to take his leave, and the girl at the adjacent table asked him with a smile, "Are you going back to find Shen Ai?"
Since when has the willow tree become so skilled at making friends? This is simply not normal
This boss is truly deserving of sympathy... Suddenly encountering so many food gods, I fear he might lose hope and close the door. Chen Fengshi appeared calm; if Liu Shuzhi and this group were testing him, then he too needed to test this group.
While eating noodles, the willow tree looked up at Chen Fengshi and smiled, saying: "Yesterday when I met with Shen Ai, you were following along. I fear you might have been too eager and couldn't hold back, right?"
They were seated all around Chen Fengshi, and once everyone at the tables in front and behind had gathered, they each shouted out their challenges
However, his state of confusion did not last long. Surrounded by the crowd, he was soon enveloped by the red mist that surged in from all around, and in a brief moment, red rays of light extended from above his head.
Chen Fengshi hoped that this might sever the connections formed by the red mist, but he discovered that the red mist surged out from the willow tree's body even more, all avoiding his palm and continuing to maintain a connection with the extending red lines from the side
The noodle shop owner was like this, and soon the cleaner standing beside him was also covered in red mist
Liu Shu's extraordinarily large appetite left Chen Fengshi secretly alarmed; he both yearned to understand the strange phenomenon within himself and hoped that he was not truly infected by the red mist
Three more individuals are preparing to challenge the fourteen bowls of the second stage, with victory offering a reward of seven days of free dining.
"It is my fault, I should not have misunderstood you." The willow tree returned to its previous state and then urged the others to eat quickly. As he consumed bowl after bowl, Chen Fengshi noticed that his face and hands seemed to have gained weight in a short period, becoming fuller with a layer of flesh!
Chen Fengshi released the willow tree and sat back down
The willow tree pushed against his arm with increasing force, yet it was still no match for Chen Fengshi's strength. He simply could not break free, and all he could do was repeatedly apologize, insisting that it was unnecessary to do so, expressing his belief in such sentiments.
After chatting for a while, Liu Shuzhi felt that there was some room in his stomach again, so he directly exercised his right to eat for free. Although Chen Fengshi could continue eating, he always felt that eating again before reaching a certain level of hunger was too unsightly. Although, in fact, the manner of eating here was already destined to be ungraceful.
Chen Fengshi said, standing up, squeezing over to sit beside him, without allowing Liu Shu to refuse or decline, he put an arm around his shoulder, hugged his neck, and laughed, saying: "If I don't get close to you, you won't be able to believe it. Do you think I dislike you? Is it that I dislike you?"
The willow tree stared directly into his eyes and suddenly asked, "It seems you don't really like me; when you came earlier, your legs consciously kept their distance. I don't think I'm that dirty, do I?"
You seem to care about them a lot. A girl sitting at the table to Chen Fengshi's left looked at him, her gaze devoid of any particular emotion, yet the slight smile at the corner of her mouth seemed to conceal a deeper meaning
Not long after, eighteen individuals arrived one after another, all from their school. There were both males and females, hailing from different departments, but the commonality among them was that they all came from either underprivileged or middle-class backgrounds
Can I really drive away the red mist? Chen Fengshi felt a surge of joy; this was akin to seeing a direct hope for helping Shen Ai, and the story of a hero saving a beauty seemed very possible! However, he managed to remain composed at that moment and deliberately teased Liu Shuzhi, saying: "You really know how to joke! Alright, alright, I'll let you off this time. Just don't use such a ridiculous tactic as pretending to have amnesia; after all, my goal is simply to have you retract the misunderstanding you just mentioned."
In this situation, it is simply impossible to achieve a complete rescue! Chen Fengshi felt a sense of regret in his heart as he looked at the red thread extending directly above the willow tree. With a thought, he smiled, stood up, and reached out to touch the top of his head, wearing a smile as he said: "Hey, hey, hey, still pretending to have amnesia? Come on, let me rub it for you, and if that doesn't work, I'll just wake you up!"
As the noodle shop owner brought over the noodles once again, he asked in a low voice with a troubled expression: "I haven't offended anyone, have I? You shouldn't have someone come to make trouble for me, right? If so, just let me know, whether it's to apologize or whatever, we can discuss it."
The owner of the noodle shop let out a sigh of relief, and Chen Fengshi also felt somewhat relaxed; their situations were similar, but there was a significant difference in their appetites
Liu Shu looked completely bewildered, appearing to have no recollection of the situation, unaware of why he was here, and not understanding what Chen Fengshi was saying
Unless ... ...
At the same time, as if the massive outpouring of red mist was severely depleting the strength of Liu Shuzhi's body, in just a short while, Chen Fengshi observed that Liu Shuzhi seemed to have lost a circle of weight!
Liu Shu took out her phone, quickly pressed a few buttons, and after putting it down, smiled and said: "Good things should be shared"
At this moment, he clearly saw that the red mist surrounding Liu Shuzhi was rapidly diminishing. Others nearby reached out to help, but Chen Fengshi playfully and half-annoyed pushed them away, saying: "Don't interfere! You all heard it just now; Liu Shuzhi actually speculated about me like this. After all, we do have some history! We've shared many meals and conversations in the past, haven't we? Today, he actually doubts my friendship towards him! This matter must be clarified, it absolutely cannot be left unresolved!" Chen Fengshi playfully and half-annoyed pushed them away, saying: "Don't interfere! You all heard it just now; Liu Shuzhi actually speculated about me like this. After all, we do have some history! We've shared many meals and conversations in the past, haven't we? Today, he actually doubts my friendship towards him! This matter must be clarified, it absolutely cannot be left unresolved!"
This made Chen Fengshi increasingly feel that something was amiss; Liu Shuzhi was not typically characterized by such behavior. Perhaps most introverted individuals possess a hidden side, but the bond between them was certainly not strong enough to elicit such a display of character from Liu Shuzhi
After a while, the noodle shop owner and the cleaner both sat down and instructed the kitchen to cook the noodles, as they were hungry
Indeed, Chen Fengshi had long been aware of his situation. When he arrived, these people surrounded him in the center. At first, the red mist on their bodies gathered around him, but upon getting closer, they quickly retreated. During his conversation with the willow tree, some of the words also made him feel uneasy, as if they were a form of probing.
Fortunately, after Liu Shu completed the first stage of the challenge, he stopped, rubbing his swollen belly, looking quite satisfied as if he had just had a hearty meal
This is simply not scientific! Whether it is human muscle or fat, there is no way it can be digested and converted this quickly!
He hoped this was an illusion, but did not dare to continue recklessly. He retracted his hand and smiled as he asked him: "You are not pretending to have amnesia anymore, are you?"
Then, Chen Fengshi felt a sudden shock in his heart
What exactly is the red mist
In just a short while, in Chen Fengshi's eyes, the red mist that clung to the willow tree had vanished, and the rays of red mist extending overhead had also disappeared
The noodle shop owner walked away, his face pale and devoid of sound
Chen Fengshi secretly breathed a sigh of relief. It was not good to follow someone who was originally hidden, and it was normal for someone to see him. "Graduation is just around the corner, I have to endure it no matter what. There are other matters to discuss with her, and since she is coming, I don't need to go back. I still have to ask the beautiful woman to help inquire about her whereabouts"
Chen Fengshi delayed for a while, and those who reached out to help him were unable to pull him away. Surprisingly, they did not resort to any extreme actions, but rather attempted to persuade him with words
Chen Fengshi understood that it was impossible to clarify everything in a short time, but he knew that he could drive away and eliminate the red mist, and he was not afraid of its invasion. He had also probed into some of the details of the red mist. Therefore, what he needed to do now was, of course, to heroically save his goddess, Shen Ai
Thus, Chen Fengshi did not leave, but stayed with him, sitting there, while Liu Shuzhi had no intention of asking him to leave, maintaining a smile and engaging in conversation on the topic with great eloquence
Chen Fengshi was secretly startled, thinking that he had not managed to keep it from Shi. He then heard the girl continue, "If that's the case, there's no need to go back. Shen Ai will come over to play this afternoon. Are you planning to confess your feelings?"
Even the challenge level of the first stage of the willow tree's straight growth is essentially at an impossible completion level, how can such a matter be shared
Ah?" Chen Fengshi made a bitter smile, looking very wronged as he said: "This is truly a misunderstanding! I am just habitually avoiding physical contact to prevent causing discomfort to others. If you put it that way, then I must explain with my actions!"
Boss, it truly is not.
This method is truly excellent; I must learn from it!" Chen Fengshi gave a thumbs up in praise
Chen Fengshi also felt sympathy for the owner of this noodle shop. With a total of twenty people like them coming to eat every day, can this noodle shop really survive?
The face of the noodle shop owner turned pale, and even the cleaner, who originally had quite a few grievances against the owner, felt that the situation was strange. When these eighteen individuals completed the first phase of the challenge, the cleaner silently felt sympathy for the noodle shop owner
Liu Shu was stunned for about five seconds, as if suddenly waking up, with a confused expression as he looked around. He then turned to Chen Fengshi and asked, "Why am I here? What is happening..."
In fact, it is abnormal, because in Chen Fengshi's eyes, the commonality between these people and the straight willow trees is that their bodies are all covered in red mist
However, the more he panicked, the more Chen Fengshi insisted on getting close to him. He had long been contemplating whether, if the red mist was unwilling to approach him, it meant that he possessed the power to repel these red mists. Following Liu Shu's straightforward words, he took the opportunity to make a deliberate attempt.
Is it that they suspect Chen Fengshi might know the secret of the red mist
After the boss walked out from this group of people, a thin layer of red mist still lingered on him. Chen Fengshi watched him standing at the counter, suddenly falling into a silent stillness. At the same time, the red mist covering his body increased, as if it were being continuously produced from within him. Finally, ... beams of light formed by the red mist began to extend outward from above the noodle shop owner's head ...
This is a commendable spirit, yet Chen Fengshi finds it impossible to genuinely smile.
Rest assured, the owner of the noodle shop will not close the door. Of course, we won't be eating here every day. We must visit the remaining few shops in Xuancheng that offer challenge rewards; spreading the pressure is the key to long-term success. Liu Shu spoke very calmly, and the brilliance formed by the concentration of attention in his eyes put even more pressure on Chen Fengshi. This is a test of acting skills! Moreover, performing well does not necessarily guarantee passing. The brilliance formed by the concentration of attention in his eyes put even more pressure on Chen Fengshi. This is a test of acting skills! Moreover, performing well does not necessarily guarantee passing.
Chen Fengshi understood that after repeated contact with the red mist, especially at this moment with a total of nineteen red mist infected individuals present, both the noodle shop owner and the cleaner who assisted in delivering the noodles were attacked upon entering the crowd. After such repeated accumulations, they were ultimately completely infected by the red mist.