Chapter Six: A Little Crayfish for You

"I know that, but I really have my reasons, Zhou Xuan, could you please help me out?" Li Yunxi looked a bit embarrassed, which only made Zhou Xuan more curious.

"Alright then, Teacher Li, tell me what's going on and I'll think it over."

After a long pause, Li Yunxi finally admitted, "I have a rival, also a PE teacher. Every year at the city’s student athletic meet, his students always achieve great results, and I have never beaten him. Every time we meet, he mocks me, and it’s really humiliating. So..."

Zhou Xuan couldn’t help but laugh. He hadn’t expected this to be the reason; it was almost comical.

He thought for a moment. Since Teacher Li had already treated him to such a lavish breakfast, to refuse him outright would be too heartless. But to ask him to train regularly would be too much of a waste of time.

"Teacher Li, I appreciate your confidence in me. But I really don’t have time to focus on physical training. However, if my abilities allow me to achieve good results at the sports meet, I certainly won’t pass up the chance to bring honor to our school." Zhou Xuan’s meaning was clear—he would see how things developed.

"Alright, let’s leave it at that for now. We’ll keep in touch, and I can also teach you some scientific training methods. If you have any questions, just ask me," Li Yunxi said, deciding to leave it for today and look for another opportunity to persuade Zhou Xuan in the future. After all, he was Zhou Xuan’s PE teacher and would have plenty of chances.

"Thank you, Teacher Li! And thanks for breakfast."

"Heh, it was nothing..."

After breakfast, Zhou Xuan returned to his dorm for a shower, then went to morning self-study feeling refreshed.

By noon, news of Zhou Xuan running twenty-five laps in the morning had spread through several classes. Even Zhou Lin came to ask him how he’d managed it.

But Zhou Xuan paid them no mind and focused on his own revision plan for each subject.

When the morning classes ended, everyone rushed to the cafeteria. Zhou Xuan, to avoid the crowd, told Zhou Lin and the others to go ahead, planning to go himself a bit later.

Twenty minutes later, Zhou Xuan picked up his lunchbox and headed out of the classroom, when someone called out to him, "Hey, Zhou Xuan, you’re going to the cafeteria too? Let’s go together!"

He turned to see a big, chubby guy, at least a hundred and seventy or eighty pounds. Zhou Xuan recognized him—Jiang Xiaopang, one of the bottom few in class, with more brawn than brains, and the sidekick of Wei Xinyu, the class math rep. Because Zhou Xuan and Wei Xinyu had some disagreements, Jiang Xiaopang often mocked Zhou Xuan, leaving a deep impression.

Now that Zhou Xuan had been reborn, he felt there was nothing to say to Jiang Xiaopang and ignored him, heading for the cafeteria on his own.

But Jiang Xiaopang stuck to him like a shadow, boasting about how his family had started giving him an extra ten yuan every week since junior high.

Zhou Xuan immediately understood Jiang Xiaopang’s motive—it was just to show off how well he ate.

Zhou Xuan’s monthly allowance was fifty yuan, just for food. His meal tickets were exchanged at the cafeteria by bringing rice from home, which was just enough.

Jiang Xiaopang’s allowance was about the same, but he had far more meal tickets. His father made several trips each semester to bring rice for meal tickets. He didn’t actually eat that much, or he couldn’t have kept up his hefty figure.

Now, with an extra ten yuan a week, he had nearly ninety yuan a month.

In his previous life, Jiang Xiaopang also flaunted his good meals every day, eating dishes he couldn’t afford before with great pride.

What annoyed Zhou Xuan most was that Jiang Xiaopang had spread word of him eating pickles every day, making him feel quite embarrassed.

But the current Zhou Xuan was not the same as before. If Jiang Xiaopang wanted to see him make a fool of himself, he’d have to wait for his next life.

Seeing Jiang Xiaopang’s smug expression, Zhou Xuan smiled and said, "Oh, congratulations then. Are you planning a feast today?"

"Of course! I’m going to get both the braised fish and double-cooked pork, dishes I never ordered before," Jiang Xiaopang bragged even more when Zhou Xuan asked.

Braised fish and double-cooked pork were both one yuan a serving, and the portions at the cafeteria were decent. One serving was enough, but this guy was ordering two.

Zhou Xuan suddenly realized that for a food lover like Jiang Xiaopang to not rush to eat after class and instead wait here with him was obviously just to show off.

Jiang Xiaopang, seeing Zhou Xuan’s silence, thought he was envious and shamelessly said, "Don’t worry, we’ll eat together. I know you usually pick dishes under fifty cents."

Jiang Xiaopang played the nouveau riche, flaunting himself before Zhou Xuan.

Zhou Xuan looked at the round ball beside him, suppressing his laughter, already planning to wipe the smirk off his face.

They reached the cafeteria and lined up to get their rice with meal tickets.

Zhou Xuan got four ounces, but Jiang Xiaopang got eight, leaving the cafeteria auntie staring in surprise.

Then they walked past the various food stalls, ready to choose their dishes.

At one window, Jiang Xiaopang pulled out five yuan, saying loudly, "One braised fish, and one double-cooked pork!"

The chef, pleased to see such a customer, quickly heaped both dishes onto Jiang Xiaopang’s bowl, piling it high, with a shiny piece of pork on top.

Jiang Xiaopang’s eyes glowed at the sight of the pork; he could barely resist taking a bite but managed to hold back, turning to Zhou Xuan, "What about you, Zhou Xuan? Hurry and pick your dish, I’ll share two pieces of pork with you."

Zhou Xuan smiled, "Could you move aside? How can I get my food if you’re blocking the way?"

Jiang Xiaopang’s fat face froze in disbelief, "What? You want to get food here?"

This window only served the expensive dishes, all over one yuan per serving. At Zhou Xuan’s usual standard, he’d never get food here.

"Why? Can’t I have a nice meal for once?" Zhou Xuan almost wanted to laugh at Jiang Xiaopang’s astonishment.

"Uh..."

"Chef, I’ll have this one... and that one..." Zhou Xuan pointed to the braised pork knuckle and the stir-fried crayfish.

Jiang Xiaopang’s eyes widened in disbelief, "Zhou Xuan, you’re actually getting braised pork knuckle and stir-fried crayfish? That’s five yuan!"

"Jiang Xiaopang, just because you can’t afford it doesn’t mean I can’t," Zhou Xuan replied with a grin.

Looking at the pork knuckle and crayfish in his lunchbox, Zhou Xuan’s appetite soared, and he immediately picked up a crayfish to eat.

The crayfish was fried to a golden crisp; he ate it whole, shell and all. It was both spicy and numbing, and absolutely delicious.

"You must be showing off in front of me, spending half a week’s food money in one go," Jiang Xiaopang insisted, thinking Zhou Xuan was putting on a front.

"You really think I’d stoop to your level, showing off just because I eat a little better?" Zhou Xuan despised this lackey of Wei Xinyu.

Jiang Xiaopang’s face burned with embarrassment as he retorted, "That’s not what I meant. I was just being nice, eating with you. But you, just to outdo me, blew all your allowance. What will you eat for the next two weeks?"

Zhou Xuan laughed and said, "You think you’re rich? Look at this—one hundred yuan. Do you have it?" He pulled out two crisp hundred-yuan bills and waved them in front of Jiang Xiaopang.

Jiang Xiaopang did have a hundred yuan, but in two fifty-yuan notes. Seeing Zhou Xuan’s two hundred-yuan bills, he was at a loss.

Seeing Jiang Xiaopang at a loss for words, Zhou Xuan went on, "No? Well, it’s no big deal. Here, have a crayfish—it’s really delicious." He put a crayfish in Jiang Xiaopang’s bowl and walked away with a smile.

Jiang Xiaopang felt like a complete joke, staring at the crayfish in his bowl. As much as he wanted to eat it, he’d lost his appetite.

As for where Zhou Xuan got the money, it was from the two dyed-hair punks on Sunday, who had handed over a wad of cash—more than two hundred yuan, much to his surprise.