209: I saw it all!

The charred aroma followed closely, releasing in layers with each chew, forming a wonderful symphony with the ultimate tenderness inside.

And the rich fat, far from being greasy, transformed into an incredibly mellow fragrance under the catalysis of high temperature, perfectly blending with the rich sauce and the natural flavor of the beef, sliding down the throat and leaving a long, deep, almost sigh-inducing aftertaste.

The Truck Driver savored it carefully, his taste buds even detecting a faint, subtle metallic char from the sizzling hot plate, adding an indispensable soulful charm to the dish.

Good times always pass quickly.

The Truck Driver carefully scraped the last bit of thick sauce from the bottom of the plate with his chopsticks and put it into his mouth.

Then he slowly leaned back against the chair, letting out a long, heavy, and satisfied sigh.

His internal organs were filled with an indescribable, supremely comforting warmth and fullness; a heavy sense of comfort spread from his stomach to his limbs.

The anxiety of queuing and the torment of waiting now seemed blurry and distant, like looking through frosted glass.

He looked at the pristine white porcelain plate in front of him, his fingertips still retaining a trace of the sauce's oiliness.

The whooshing of the ceiling fan, the chatter of the diners, the clatter from the kitchen – all became a steady background hum.

At that moment, a thought emerged with absolute clarity and calmness: It was worth it.

Even if he had to endure traffic jams later, even if he was chased by an earthquake, as long as he could taste this ultimate deliciousness from his memory, he accepted it.

Coincidentally.

At this moment, the other diners in the front hall had also finished enjoying this unforgettable delicacy.

After savoring it with their eyes closed for a moment, they consciously stood up, giving their seats to the other diners who had been waiting outside the shop for a long time.

Waves of customers entered the shop to order food — enjoyed the delicious meal — savored it for a moment — then got up and left.

It was like an assembly line; everyone was racing against time.

Yet, precisely during the enjoyment of the food, they wished time could pass a little slower, and then even slower.

These two feelings, so complex, so contradictory, yet mysteriously harmonious.

Until the middle of the night.

Lu Chuan personally delivered the last customer's ordered dish to his table, then sat down beside him.

Ding Xinyang immediately reacted instinctively, nervously shielding the pineapple fried rice in his arms.

"..."

Lu Chuan gave him a speechless look, then said grumpily:

"I'm not stealing yours; you eat it."

Only then did Ding Xinyang chuckle and release the fried rice.

Lu Chuan watched him start to shovel the fried rice, smiled, and then went into the kitchen.

Not long after, he came out carrying a bowl of clear bitter melon, soybean, and pork rib soup, placing it in front of Ding Xinyang.

"Eating plain rice will make you choke; have some soup with it."

Ding Xinyang looked at the clear soup, then looked up at Lu Chuan, surprised and delighted.

"Hey, A Chuan, didn't you say each person could only order one dish?"

Lu Chuan waved his hand and said:

"That's the rule for ordering, but it doesn't say I can't give something extra."

Upon hearing this, Ding Xinyang immediately beamed with joy, taking a bite of rice and a sip of soup.

The fragrant fried rice, coupled with the delicious clear soup, made him squint his eyes in delight.

Lu Chuan rested his chin on his hand, watching him eat with such relish, and his originally irritable mood improved considerably.

"I remember you were the first to arrive; why are you the last to enter the shop? Aren't you in a hurry to leave?"

Hearing Lu Chuan's question, Ding Xinyang mumbled:

"Because I wanted to ask you if you'll be open tomorrow."

Lu Chuan looked at him suspiciously.

"Why are you asking that?"

Ding Xinyang smiled awkwardly and said:

"Because I think you'll continue to stay here."

Lu Chuan was even more surprised.

"Why? Why would you think that? An earthquake! Who would stay in this place waiting to die?"

Upon hearing this, Ding Xinyang paused his actions.

He hesitated, then put down his spoon, looked at Lu Chuan, and his face showed a look of longing.

"Because... because I think you're not an ordinary person, and this officially announced earthquake should also have a hidden agenda."

This time, Lu Chuan was truly shocked, but he quickly reacted, quickly composed himself, then touched Ding Xinyang's forehead, pretending to be puzzled and said:

"I'm not selling 'pieced-together' rice, so how could it make you stupid?"

Ding Xinyang recoiled, his expression becoming very serious.

"A Chuan, I'm serious, I'm not joking! That night, I saw everything!"

Upon hearing this, Lu Chuan's raised hand froze in mid-air, and his expression also became rigid.

Ding Xinyang's words were like a bolt from the blue, instantly shaking him to his core.

The three words "saw everything" echoed repeatedly in his mind.

Lu Chuan knew that both he and He Jingrui were no longer ordinary people.

However, he had been very deliberately avoiding this issue, doing his best to hide his abilities in daily life, striving not to attract anyone's attention.

After all, what he had always pursued was nothing more than a stable life, not easily disturbed by external factors.

But now, what Ding Xinyang said made Lu Chuan realize that he could no longer hide.

Although the Old Dean had already revealed to him that the country was implementing a "New Human" project, it was unknown when the plan would truly be rolled out.

Now that he had exposed his non-human side in front of outsiders, if the authorities found out later, wouldn't he become the catalyst for that damned "New Human" project?

At that moment, Lu Chuan thought a lot, and his gaze towards Ding Xinyang became uneasy.

He Jingrui, standing nearby, seemed to understand something when he saw Lu Chuan's expression, and his eyes immediately widened, about to stand up and attack Ding Xinyang.

This startled both Lu Chuan and Ding Xinyang.

"Hey, hey, hey, what are you doing?"

"Brother, wait, don't be impulsive!"

He Jingrui scratched his head, looking at Lu Chuan in confusion.

"Aren't you trying to subdue him?"

Upon hearing this, Ding Xinyang immediately looked at Lu Chuan in terror, his legs starting to tremble.

Lu Chuan gave He Jingrui a speechless glare.

Then he looked at Ding Xinyang, a hint of helplessness on his face, and spread his hands, saying:

"Don't be nervous, but we need to negotiate a proper solution."

At this moment, Ding Xinyang was filled with regret.

He was just a teenage boy, tired of the mundane life, yearning for the extraordinary!

He originally thought Lu Chuan was a hidden master, and intended to become his disciple to learn skills, but who knew Lu Chuan would have such a strong stress reaction.

Looking at the current situation, he had misjudged Lu Chuan's reaction, and now he wouldn't really suffer a terrible fate, would he?

No!!!

Lu Chuan watched Ding Xinyang shrink back in fear, and couldn't help but rub his temples, feeling a headache.

How did things suddenly turn out like this... But pretending nothing happened was definitely unrealistic.

Lu Chuan thought for a moment, then decided to try and soothe Ding Xinyang's emotions first.

"Old Ding, we're friends, aren't we?"

But perhaps the intense murderous aura that He Jingrui had just exuded was too strong, giving Ding Xinyang, who had never seen blood in his life, a psychological trauma.

Lu Chuan saw Ding Xinyang still backing away, looking as if he wanted to distance himself from the two of them, so he couldn't help but glare at He Jingrui again.

He Jingrui could only give an awkward laugh and scratch his head.

Lu Chuan got up, brought the fried rice and clear soup to Ding Xinyang, and said with a forced smile:

"Alright, alright, you're a grown man, don't be so easily scared! We won't do anything to you, don't worry! Also, your fried rice and soup will get cold soon, so hurry up and finish them while they're hot!"

Ding Xinyang had by now shrunk into a corner, with nowhere left to retreat.

He looked at Lu Chuan approaching, hesitated for a moment, then took the fried rice and clear soup and began to eat.

Subsequently, under the healing power of the delicious food, he finally calmed down.

Ding Xinyang placed the bowls and plates on the table, then looked at Lu Chuan, giving a wry smile.

"Okay, I was indeed a bit impulsive, but, A Chuan, I didn't mean to harm you. My original intention was to ask you if I could also become as strong as you guys!"

Lu Chuan quickly stepped forward, patted his shoulder, and said with a forced smile:

"I believe you, I believe you. We're friends, right? How could a friend harm a friend?"

Ding Xinyang opened his mouth, wanting to say, "Your smile is so fake."

Fortunately, he wasn't truly foolish and knew that saying that would only make the atmosphere awkward.

But at the moment, he didn't know how to respond, so he remained silent.

Seeing Ding Xinyang not speaking, Lu Chuan also didn't know what else to say, so he also fell silent.

Thus, the atmosphere unconsciously began to turn strange again.

【Online, what should I say in this situation? I'm anxious...】

【Help, it's so awkward, what should I say for A Chuan to believe me...】

For a moment, both their faces were filled with awkwardness, and they began to scream frantically in their hearts.