53

Looking at the high-end and luxurious decor of the buffet restaurant, Yuan Hanshuang’s heart skipped a beat.

Ah! This is the feeling of falling in love!

However, as a mortal, one must always put up a bit of a struggle. Yuan Hanshuang raised her hand tremblingly.

"Um, isn't this a bit much? Given my appetite—"

"This young lady is treating you to a meal, what is there to be embarrassed about?"

Xia Mengrou snorted coldly. "This young lady lacks everything except money, and besides, it’s not even my money anyway. You must eat your fill today, otherwise, you're not giving me any face!"

With that, she dragged Yuan Hanshuang straight into the buffet restaurant.

Alas, since the young lady's hospitality was too hard to refuse and there was simply no other way, Yuan Hanshuang had no choice but to pick up a plate and eat with tears in her eyes.

Ah, this one is delicious, I'll take a few hundred million portions of it; that one is delicious, I'll take a few hundred million portions of that one too.

Really, one couldn't blame Yuan Hanshuang for lacking restraint and practically eating the buffet restaurant out of business. It was just that she had recently extorted a wave from Xuanyuansheng, which had already given her a sense of loosening in her cultivation realm. After that hearty and exhilarating battle during the tournament, she was even closer to the mid-stage of Tier 4.

Under such circumstances, how could she not seize the opportunity to eat more?!

Initially, everyone in the restaurant was dining peacefully, but gradually, people began to notice something was amiss. After all, while everyone else was picking up cakes piece by piece, there was someone taking them plate by plate, which was clearly far too conspicuous.

A waiter at the buffet restaurant wanted to step in and remind her that taking too much food would incur an extra charge if it couldn't be finished. But just as the waiter walked over, they witnessed this dark-haired, twin-tailed beauty devouring an entire plate of cream cakes bite by bite with an extremely elegant yet blindingly fast speed, sweeping through them like a whirlwind until everything was inside her mouth.

Xia Mengrou, who was holding a gold-inlaid folding fan, was still frowning on the side. "You're eating way too little. Eat more."

Waiter: ???

You call *this* eating too little? Not even maternal biological filters could be this absurd, my friend!

By the later stages, almost everyone in the entire buffet restaurant had noticed this exceptionally ravenous dark-haired girl. Their gazes lingered on Yuan Hanshuang's still completely flat stomach despite the massive amount of food she had consumed.

"Did she resonate with some kind of bottomless pit glutton mimicry?"

"Who knows? Look at her Star Silver uniform, she must be a student. I'm so envious. Eating at a buffet not only lets you get your money's worth, it practically drives the place bankrupt."

"Can students really eat this much? How come when *I* was a student, I couldn't do that?"

Yuan Hanshuang ate with tears in her eyes for a whole hour, scanning the buffet line by line. Her tears gradually stopped, but then the buffet restaurant manager came looking for her with tears in his own eyes, proving that tears never truly disappear—they merely transfer!

"My dear student," the manager said while wiping away his tears, "our restaurant simply doesn't have enough ingredients left for today, and we still have so many other guests to serve."

"Even though we're a buffet restaurant, we really can't sustain this!"

Looking at the rows of empty platters along the buffet corridor, his heart nearly stopped beating.

In the interstellar era, food preservation methods were quite advanced. After all, cooking ingredients wasn't cheap, and what wasn't eaten today could usually be eaten tomorrow. The amount a buffet restaurant prepared for a regular day could basically sustain diners for nearly a week. Yet today, barely an hour had passed, and well over half of it was already consumed.

Not to mention those several empty barrels of nutritional fluid! It was a level of devastation that caused one to suffocate just by looking at it.

"Don't disturb our meal."

Before Yuan Hanshuang could even speak, Xia Mengrou gracefully unfurled her fan, signaling the female butler to step forward and handle the negotiation. The latter expressionlessly pulled out a black card and motioned for them to swipe it at will.

Yuan Hanshuang: "Wuwuwuwuwu!"

Is this what it feels like to cling to a wealthy benefactor? It feels so wonderful!

Finally, they slowly departed amidst the restaurant owner's expression of seeing off a plague god.

After the meal, Xia Mengrou took her to shop at the largest central business district. The rows of luxury stores, cosmetic shops, and clothing boutiques left Yuan Hanshuang dizzy with a kaleidoscope of sights.

After they left, the manager of that buffet restaurant silently took down the "All-You-Can-Eat Unlimited" sign from the entrance.

***

After transmigrating, Yuan Hanshuang had struggled alone on Star 1999. Although she later made money through her advancement as a martial artist, all of her funds went into filling her stomach; as for other expenses like food, clothing, housing, and utilities, she saved wherever she could. She had never even set foot in such a massive commercial district, and many novelty items were things she had only heard of, never seen.

"This outfit actually suits you quite well."

When it came to buying clothes, the young lady was exceptionally swift. Seeing an item on the rack, she would immediately project Yuan Hanshuang's body model into her optical computer, bypassing the need for fittings entirely. If she liked the effect displayed by the holographic model, she would pay for it right away.

Just like that, strolling casually through the shops, Yuan Hanshuang instantly acquired ten new outfits.

After that, they started browsing cosmetic stores, and nothing could stop her.

Having eaten and drank for free like royalty for an entire day, it was only under Yuan Hanshuang's repeated, earnest dissuasion that the young lady reluctantly called it a day and took her to a high-end restaurant located on the top floor for dinner.

A waiter wearing a white neckerchief lit the candelabra for them.

Facing the cool breeze blowing in from outside the high-rise building, Xia Mengrou held her knife and fork, absent-mindedly cutting her steak.

It was very quiet here, as it was a private dining room, ensuring the safety of the diners to the greatest extent possible.

Halfway through the meal, Xia Mengrou suddenly spoke up. "Actually, that poster on the forum was right."

"Huh?"

Yuan Hanshuang, who had been squinting her eyes in enjoyment of the caviar, quickly adjusted her expression.

The young lady had been acting so unusual today; when she woke up in the morning, it really had caught her off guard. But once Xia Mengrou took her out to eat and gave her free rein to gorge herself, Yuan Hanshuang had figured it out in her heart.

When all was said and done, it definitely had to do with what happened last night.

Setting aside the fact that she returned so late last night, linking it with her inquiry to the female butler and the posts made by the rumor-monger in the middle of the night, it wasn't hard to guess what Yuan Hanshuang had been up to.

Treating her to meals, buying clothes, and purchasing cosmetics all along the way—upon realizing that her roommate's family background didn't seem particularly well-off, Xia Mengrou was simply using a shopping spree as an indirect way to express her gratitude.

"My mother passed away when I was very young, and I grew up in an orphanage."

Xia Mengrou said in a low voice, "It wasn't until I was eight years old that the Xia family matched my genes through the Imperial Gene Bank and brought me back home."

Seeing that the young lady was immersed in her memories, Yuan Hanshuang knew she didn't want to be disturbed, so she quietly became a listener.

"At first, I was very happy, thinking I had gained family members connected by blood. But later, I found out that reality wasn't what I had imagined. From the gossip of some servants, I learned that I was actually just an illegitimate daughter born out of wedlock, whose birth was disgraceful and unglamorous."

In the beginning, her days in the Xia family were far from easy. Even a random servant could bully her, and her food, clothing, and daily expenses were only marginally better than those of the servants.

In Xia Mengrou's memory, her father—the head of the Xia family—always looked at her with cold, emotionless eyes. It didn't look like a father looking at a daughter, but rather like someone looking at a stain on their life.

"It was later, when I bumped into my grandfather in the main residence, that he saw my mimicry and said I had a lot of talent. Ever since then, my days in the family started getting better day by day."

Grand Marshal Xia was undoubtedly the most prestigious figure in the entire Xia family.

With just a casual remark from him, Xia Mengrou's treatment within the Xia family rose visibly to the naked eye, truly granting her the treatment matching her status as a young lady of the house.

"But grandfather is usually very busy and stays at the Marshal's Mansion year-round; he doesn't come home often."

Xia Mengrou lowered her gaze. "Even though life has improved, the family has arranged many courses for me, and everything given to me has its price tag marked in the dark. If nothing unexpected happens, I will need to enter into a marriage alliance downward to consolidate the family's position. They originally completely disagreed with me coming to Star Silver to study, and it was only because grandfather finally spoke up that it happened."

"I'm not really a young lady at all, just an unpresentable illegitimate daughter."

Yuan Hanshuang said, "However, I think you're already wonderful just the way you are, Big Sis. Why define your own worth by your background?"

Though she was devastatingly skilled at brawling, she stumbled over her words when trying to comfort someone. "For example, Big Sis, you're very kind and very cute, just like the seniors in the forum said. The matters of the older generation should be resolved by the older generation themselves; regardless of anything, you are innocent."

"Besides, this is an era where the strong are respected. Logic matters, but fists matter even more."

The twin-tailed, dark-haired girl sitting opposite her gestured and swung her fist. "As long as you are strong enough, who will bring up your status then?"

"Pfft." Seeing her flustered and exasperated appearance, Xia Mengrou couldn't help but laugh. "You're right."

***

In truth, the legitimate young lady of the Xia family had been strictly cultivated according to the requirements of a military family. Not only had she awakened the signature mimicry of the Xia family, but she was also a few years older, currently serving as the Chief of the Bauhinia Academy and standing at Tier 4 Advanced. After graduation, the family had already paved a smooth, direct road for her into the military. In terms of aptitude, mimicry, and strength, she far surpassed Xia Mengrou.

However, looking at Yuan Hanshuang's deadpan, earnest expression, Xia Mengrou suddenly didn't want to say any of that anymore.

She was the one being comforted; she shouldn't ruin the mood with such dampening words.

Thus, Xia Mengrou lifted her chin, reverting to her usual demeanor. "Then starting tomorrow, this young lady is also joining your morning training squad."

"Welcome, welcome! A warm welcome!"

***

Imperial First Military Academy, Chief Building.

On a weekend morning, Bian Yu opened his eyes out of habit.

After a three-minute cold shower for a quick wake-up, he put on his sportswear, threw a towel over his shoulders with a head of damp short hair, headed straight downstairs, and entered the cultivation room inside the Chief Building.

As the top-ranking powerhouse academy in the entire interstellar world, the internal facilities of the Imperial Academy naturally walked at the forefront of the stars. The Chief Building was especially equipped with higher-grade gravity cultivation rooms for each Chief.

Bian Yu turned on the treadmill and casually tapped on his optical computer.

The morning military news broadcast echoed through the empty cultivation room.

"Recently, the bug-related combat situation at the Scorching Sun Pass has grown critical once again, and the military is urgently dispatching the Fifth Legion to reinforce the defense."

"After a brief five-month lull, is the Zerg's offensive once again coming on aggressively this time?"

"Expert prediction: This Zerg offensive shouldn't be too severe. Treat it as usual."

Halfway through his run, the door of the cultivation room was pushed open.

Bian Yu turned his head. "President, good day."

"Morning."

Lou Jia put down his thermos and walked up to the spiritual power training control console. "It's rare to see you come to train on the weekend."

Unlike Lou Jia, who clocked in for morning training every single day, Bian Yu often fished for three days and skipped the net for two; it was rare to see him being this diligent.

"Didn't I just get defeated by a junior student who just enrolled next door?" Bian Yu picked up a barbell nearby. "Speaking of which, I found out today that my student ID is missing, I'll have to go get a replacement in the next couple of days."

Mentioning the junior next door brightened his eyes by a whole degree.

Yet Bian Yu, completely oblivious, continued chattering away, "I got chewed out fiercely by my mentor yesterday. If I don't work hard, I'm going to end up like the waves on the shore, slapped to death by the waves behind me."

"Mhm." Lou Jia curved the corners of his lips and said lightly, "Keep it up."

Actually, what he wanted to say was that losing to that junior student was completely normal, given that she wielded a mythical mimicry.

However, so as not to dampen Bian Yu's training enthusiasm, he intended to keep it a benevolent secret.

Bearers of mythical mimicries would have some subtle resonance with one another. On the day Yuan Hanshuang enrolled, Lou Jia, who had a brief encounter with her, had already sensed it. After Yuan Hanshuang's match against Bian Yu, that suspicion had turned into certainty.

Although Yuan Hanshuang currently only seemed capable of displaying Grade A strength, Lou Jia's intuition wouldn't be wrong.

On her body, there was indeed the aura of a mythical mimicry.

As everyone knew, some mimicries were so overwhelmingly powerful that when awakened, the practitioner's physical fitness was insufficient to display the mimicry's true grade. Only alongside continuous cultivation could the potential of the mimicry be gradually unsealed.

Presumably, she was in the exact same situation. Lou Jia thought.