Douluo: Infinite Lottery System

Tang San also turned around, his expression mirroring the shock Xiao Wu felt. 

Xiao Tianyang's actions were simply too astonishing to comprehend.

There he was, holding a knife in each hand—one a Chinese kitchen knife, the other a Western-style knife. With a swift motion, he skillfully prepared ingredients, sending them flying onto a porcelain plate. He peeled potatoes and carrots with both knives simultaneously, the skins falling into a steel basin in a matter of moments.

Meat, seafood, and chicken wings were effortlessly cleaned under his dazzling technique. It wasn't cooking; it was like an art performance—so fluid and extraordinary it was almost beyond belief.

Within ten minutes, Xiao Tianyang had placed the shaved bones of a river fish onto a plate. He turned to grab some sauce, then casually instructed Tang San, "Take all those things to the third floor."

"Understood," Tang San snapped out of his daze and nodded in agreement.

"Xiao San, is this something his family does?" Xiao Wu asked, only to immediately shake her head. "No, even if it's the family business, there's no way someone his age could do this so masterfully. Could it be a gift?"

"I'm not sure either..." Tang San said, unsure how to explain. Though they had known each other for just over three months, their bond had grown quickly, making it feel like a lifetime of friendship.

"That's strange," Xiao Wu muttered, still perplexed.

"Xiao San, what are you waiting for? Bring it up now!" Xiao Tianyang's voice echoed from the third floor.

"Alright, I'm coming." Tang San collected the ingredients and called Xiao Wu, "Go ahead first."

Though still curious, Xiao Wu obeyed and headed up to the third floor, where Xiao Tianyang had already set up a barbecue grill, lit the charcoal, and arranged a round table and a handstand nearby. The table was for eating, and the stand would hold sauces.

"Bring the stuff over, I'm starting the grill," Xiao Tianyang said, as Tang San handed the prepared ingredients. Everything had been skewered in advance, so the only task left was to arrange them on the grill and start cooking. The real work, however, would be in preparing the sauce.

Tang San and Xiao Wu sat at the round table, watching in quiet fascination, like two curious children observing a master at work.

At first, it was nothing out of the ordinary, but as the delicious aroma gradually filled the air, Tang San and Xiao Wu couldn't help but swallow their saliva. Their eyes were fixed on the chicken wings, steaks, and seafood sizzling on the grill.

"Brother Tianyang, is it ready yet?" Xiao Wu couldn't hold back her impatience.

"You didn't want my cooking before, did you?" Xiao Tianyang shot them a teasing glance. "Changed your mind?"

"Brother Tianyang, I was wrong!" Xiao Wu quickly admitted, and in return, Xiao Tianyang placed a plate of sizzling barbecue in front of them.

The next moments were enough to leave even Xiao Tianyang speechless. Tang San and Xiao Wu devoured everything in sight—the meats, the vegetables, everything—finishing it all in less than half an hour.

"Burp!" Xiao Wu leaned back, her face glowing with satisfaction as she rubbed her full stomach. "Brother Tianyang, your cooking is so delicious! But... why do I feel so full after drinking just this water?"

"This isn't water; it's Coke!" Xiao Tianyang sighed in exasperation. "I told you not to drink so much, but you didn't listen. Now you see the consequences."

At that moment, a black shadow darted out from the entrance to the third floor. Xiao Tianyang glanced at it but paid no mind, knowing it was Bubu returning. However, Bubu seemed a little late, and upon reaching the terrace, his "desperate" expression said it all. 

The food, which had once been his favorite, had already been consumed—what remained were just some bones and skewers. Bubu howled at the sky in grief, his eyes brimming with tears as if mourning his lost feast.

"Quiet down! Don't you know it's night?" Xiao Tianyang snapped, slapping on his shoes. "Drama queen."

"Hey, Brother Tianyang, is this your dog? He's so cute!" Xiao Wu exclaimed as she immediately cuddled Bubu, nuzzling his soft fur with her rosy cheeks.

Tang San was surprised by Bubu's sudden affection. When they first met, Bubu had been rather wary, so this sudden change was puzzling. Slowly, he approached Xiao Tianyang and whispered, "Brother Tianyang, why do I get the feeling that Bubu looks a bit... lecherous?"

"Get rid of that feeling; it's not just lecherous, it's obscene!" Xiao Tianyang muttered, his face twitching as he realized that Bubu might be even worse than him.

After a brief time of play, Xiao Tianyang went downstairs to gather the leftover scraps, intending to make a hodgepodge for Bubu, who was still sulking about not having a proper dinner. Despite his wandering, Xiao Tianyang knew Bubu wasn't one to go to bed hungry.

At 9 PM, Tang San and Xiao Wu departed to return to the academy, but Xiao Tianyang stayed behind. He had to review his lessons and practice 'Graceful Steps upon the Waves' and the 'Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms', which would be inconvenient in the dormitory, especially with others around. It was far better to stay outside where he could train freely.

"Look again, your eyes are popping out!" Xiao Tianyang growled, his face darkening. "That's someone else's girl, it will all be in vain!"

Bubu, seemingly dissatisfied, barked a few times as if to defend himself.

"Heh, you're getting cocky now?!" Xiao Tianyang grabbed Bubu's ear and pulled, resulting in a brief struggle. When Bubu realized he was outmatched, he decided to make a swift escape.

Before Bubu ran off, Xiao Tianyang gave him the space pendant and a bunch of trivial items. Being a modern person in the Douluo Continent had its dull moments, especially with constant training. But with these things, life would be a little more entertaining. 

However, Xiao Tianyang knew that these objects could become addictive if used too much, so he left the task of managing them to Bubu, confident the little troublemaker should be able to handle it.

...

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