"You're quite something, kid."
Zhang Xinwu reached out to help Zhan Zhongxiao up, but the latter dodged him.
"I can walk myself," Zhan Zhongxiao said.
In just this short while, his injuries had already improved considerably.
Zhang Xinwu looked at Zhan Dündün with a look of surprise, seeing that his condition had indeed improved a lot.
"Let's go to my stall, we'll have a couple of drinks."
Zhan Zhongxiao didn't refuse this time, after all, after a lot of exertion, one would get hungry.
"What, are you envious?"
"What?"
This abrupt remark left Zhan Zhongxiao somewhat bewildered.
"I asked if you have a girlfriend. Want me to introduce one to you?"
Zhang Xinwu gestured in the direction the Su sisters had just left.
So, he had seen everything that had happened earlier.
"No need."
At this moment, Zhan Zhongxiao remembered Shen Wenhua, who was far away in Xiajing. Had she finished dealing with her affairs? Would she be back soon?
Thinking of this, he looked at Zhang Xinwu beside him and asked, "Brother Zhang, what about you? Are you married?"
Zhang Xinwu: ...
"Uh... sorry."
Seeing Zhang Xinwu's displeased expression, Zhan Dündün, who was about to ask if he had children, swallowed the words back.
"I used to," Zhang Xinwu explained.
"I understand, I understand," Zhan Dündün quickly said.
Zhang Xinwu glanced at him but said nothing.
The reason Zhan Zhongxiao said "I understand" was because the transformation of demon beasts was actually a leap in life. Not only did they possess two forms, but they had also broken through the limitations of life, and their lifespans were greatly extended.
If they fell in love with humans, the ultimate outcome would be watching their human partners grow old and die in their arms.
Zhan Dündün's parents were also in this situation. No matter how much his father helped his mother prolong her life, the outcome was already determined.
Although Zhang Xinwu's situation was slightly different, he did not offer further explanation.
The two arrived at the stall, where other stall owners were already busy. They seemed completely unaware of what had just happened.
In fact, they truly were unaware, because when the alarm covering the entire Jiang City was sounded, their memories were altered.
This large-scale memory reset system was reportedly imported from abroad years ago. Foreign scientists, through reverse-engineering the sea monsters' vocalizations, vibration frequencies, decibel levels, and pitch rhythms, etc., then used electronic devices to simulate them, ultimately developing a controllable mass-production equipment.
For this system, Great Xia had paid a considerable price back then. However, in recent years, it was said that a domestic team had developed an optical hypnosis that was even more effective and discreet.
Of course, these were just side topics, but it was precisely these things that maintained social stability.
Sometimes, it wasn't that the public wasn't allowed to know, but that they *couldn't* be allowed to know. The more they knew, the easier it was to cause panic.
"This beef was slaughtered today. I went to the slaughterhouse myself and selected the best cuts. It's still warm and oozing blood."
Zhang Xinwu placed a piece of beef on the cutting board and pressed it lightly. Blood immediately welled up.
"You didn't kill it yourself, did you?" Zhan Dündün said jokingly.
To his surprise, Zhang Xinwu looked up at him with a look of astonishment.
"How did you know? I kill one every week and then buy the meat back to use for the week."
Zhan Dündün: ...
As Zhang Xinwu spoke, he gripped the knife handle, his movements as swift as lightning, slicing the beef into paper-thin slices, each as delicate as a cicada's wing.
"These will go into the pot later."
Then, with a few more strokes, he cut the meat into cubes of equal size, and with a casual stab of a bamboo skewer, a skewer of meat was completed.
Observing his masterful technique and uncanny movements, Zhan Dündün fell into thought.
Zhang Xinwu was even more formidable than he had imagined. He had integrated his entire being into his daily life. As the saying goes, a heavy sword has no edge, great skill appears unpolished; everything was done with natural flair.
He even had a fleeting thought that Zhang Xinwu's knife skills might even be superior to Ao Haiping's.
Of course, this was his own speculation, but as a beast, his senses were naturally keen. Even if he wasn't stronger, their strengths were likely not far apart.
"What are you spacing out for? Go do it?" Zhang Xinwu turned around and saw Zhan Dündün standing there blankly.
"Oh, okay." Zhan Dündün quickly found an empty spot and sat down.
There was no one else at this time; all the seats were empty.
Zhang Xinwu's speed was remarkable. He first served a pot of broth, followed by various skewers and blanched vegetables that were continuously brought out.
These could have been grilled as well, but cooking them in the hot pot did not affect their taste.
In about half an hour, Zhang Xinwu had prepared a table full of food.
This was because he knew, judging by Zhan Dündün's physique, that his appetite was no less than his own.
"What do you want to drink, beer or white wine?" Zhang Xinwu wiped his hands and sat down.
"Beer," Zhan Dündün replied.
"Then white wine," Zhang Xinwu said, taking out two bottles of Wuliangye from the side.
Zhan Dündün: ...
Was there any difference between asking and not asking?
"It's not very good wine, just make do."
"It's fine."
Zhan Dündün also understood. This was, after all, a barbecue stall, and Wuliangye was already the best wine. He couldn't expect to drink Maotai, could he?
Zhang Xinwu opened a bottle of wine and placed it in front of Zhan Dündün.
Zhan Dündün thought he was supposed to pour the wine. Just as he picked up the bottle, he saw Zhang Xinwu open another one and place it in front of himself.
"Bottoms up, and there's more if you want."
Zhan Dündün looked embarrassed. Drinking white wine like beer? Even as a panda, he couldn't handle it.
"Come, drink, don't be polite." Zhang Xinwu raised his wine bottle and clinked it with his.
"Brother Zhang, where are you from?" Zhan Dündün asked nervously as he watched Zhang Xinwu lift the bottle and drink directly from it.
"Qindao."
So, he was a Shandong native, no wonder he could drink so much.
They ate and chatted. Zhang Xinwu, being energetic by nature, had traveled to many places in his "youth," and had even stayed in Zhan Dündün's hometown for a while.
It was then that he met Zhan Dündün's father, Zhan Guoliang.
If they were to go by seniority, it wouldn't be out of line for Zhan Dündün to call Zhang Xinwu "Uncle."
However, Zhang Xinwu, being naturally gregarious, insisted that Zhan Dündün call him "Brother," and they would each call each other as they pleased.
But this was not a big deal, after all, demon beasts had long lifespans. If they were to truly go by seniority, perhaps very few people would know their great-grandparents' generation or higher.
Zhang Xinwu spoke volubly, recounting his heroic deeds in the northern desert back then.
"Let me tell you, you can't judge a person by their appearance, and it's the same for demons. Some monsters, despite their honest appearances, are actually insidious and cunning. They deliberately transform into honest-looking appearances when they achieve human form, just to deceive people in the future."
Zhan Dündün scratched his cheek. Why did his words seem to be hinting at something?
He was truly an honest person.
"I encountered one back then who seemed loyal and honest, but was actually full of schemes and truly a petty person. Fortunately, my strength was sufficient, otherwise, I would have suffered a loss. Come, bottoms up..." Zhang Xinwu's words were filled with resentment.
Zhan Dündün dared not ask, nor dare he refuse to listen, so he could only obediently drink with him.
Why did his mood seem even more depressed than his own?
Just then, a woman's voice came from outside the stall.
"Drinking so early?"
Zhang Xinwu, who had been drinking and was now tipsy with blurry eyes, snapped to attention instantly.
Then, with a smile, he turned around.
"Why are you here?"
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