The Arrival of the Familiar Trio

"Haha, boss, we're here!"

The lively voice reached Luo Chuan's ears as the hot water kettle clicked off. Without even looking, he already knew who it was.

Bu Lige, Bu Shiyi, and Jiang Shengjun entered Origin Mall with their usual enthusiasm.

"Hey, why are there so many people here today?" Jiang Shengjun asked, surprised at the packed store.

"There's no space left! Ugh, I should've come earlier!" Bu Lige lamented, his excitement instantly replaced with regret.

"Well, maybe if you didn't sleep in so late, this wouldn't have happened," Bu Shiyi teased, shooting him a pointed look.

Bu Lige scratched the back of his head sheepishly, offering a nervous smile as a response. Clearly, he couldn't argue against that.

Sensing the need to shift the attention away from himself, Bu Lige quickly scanned the store. His eyes landed on the crowd, and he raised an eyebrow. "Wait a second… aren't these people from Soaring Cloud Academy?"

The distinct insignias on their clothes made it clear.

"It does seem like it!" Jiang Shengjun nodded, also recognizing the familiar emblems.

"Wait, hold on…" Bu Shiyi narrowed her eyes, curiosity lighting up her face. "Look at their monitors. The screens—they're all different!"

The three of them stared intently at the monitors. Each screen displayed unique visuals, sparking their curiosity further.

"Boss," Bu Lige called out, "is there something new in the store?"

Luo Chuan gave a small nod. "A new cooking tutorial was just released. That's what they're doing."

"A cooking tutorial?" Bu Lige blinked, clearly confused. For a moment, he wondered if he'd heard wrong.

"Boss, you're not joking, are you?" Bu Shiyi chimed in, her brows furrowed in disbelief.

Luo Chuan's expression remained flat as ever. "Do I look like I'm joking?"

The trio exchanged glances, then shook their heads simultaneously.

"Not really," Bu Lige muttered.

"But wait," Jiang Shengjun interjected. "Isn't a cooking tutorial just… cooking? Why do they all look so intense?"

"See for yourself," Yao Ziyan said with a knowing smile, gesturing toward the monitors.

The trio wasted no time squeezing into the crowd of onlookers, eager to see what the fuss was about.

At first, the Soaring Cloud Academy students seemed unimpressed by the arrival of strangers. Their pride as elite academy students made them naturally aloof.

But appearances matter.

The trio's good looks—Bu Lige and Jiang Shengjun's handsomeness paired with Bu Shiyi's striking beauty—quickly won over the crowd. Their natural charisma melted the initial coldness, turning curiosity into acceptance.

And, of course, Bu Lige's natural sociability worked wonders.

"Hey there, brother. You're from Soaring Cloud Academy, right?" Bu Lige struck up a conversation with the person nearest to him.

The young man, Xiao Cheng, looked over and smiled. "That's right."

Xiao Cheng had visited Origin Mall just the day before. Bold and outgoing, he was the perfect match for Bu Lige's energy. However, his luck in today's Tower of Trial had been less than stellar, and he was now idly watching others play.

"You look familiar with this place," Xiao Cheng commented.

"Of course!" Bu Lige puffed out his chest with pride. "I was the boss's very first customer!"

This statement had practically become Bu Lige's signature line at this point.

Hearing this, Xiao Cheng's expression shifted to one of admiration. "I didn't expect to meet someone with such a prestigious history!"

Bu Lige waved his hand modestly, though his grin betrayed his delight. "Haha, you flatter me, brother! But to be honest, I could tell right away that you're not an ordinary person either. Being a student of Soaring Cloud Academy is no small feat. That place isn't open to just anyone!"

Xiao Cheng chuckled, returning the compliment. "You're too kind."

And so began a lively exchange of exaggerated flattery, the kind of hollow, surface-level camaraderie that both sides knew was more about fun than sincerity.

As the trio integrated seamlessly into the group, their initial questions about the cooking tutorial faded into the background. One thing was certain: Origin Mall never ceased to surprise.

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