Ning Rongrong's outstretched hand froze in mid-air, and the expression on her face stiffened into pure bewilderment.
What… what was happening?
Where was the Grandpa Bone who had just been righteously scolding everyone, shielding her as if she were his most precious treasure?
Why did the atmosphere suddenly flip like a page in the wind?
"G-Grandpa Bone…?"
Her voice trembled.
"Didn't you say you were protecting me?"
Bone Douluo finally turned around.
His face was full of warmth.
His smile was as kind as a spring breeze.
"Protect you? Of course I'll protect you."
He patted her little head with deep sincerity.
"Rongrong, look at these old fogeys from Spirit Hall. They're so hungry their eyes are turning green."
"If we let them eat first, what if they forget about you?"
Then he lowered his voice and leaned in, tone full of "Grandpa is doing this for your own good":
"So Grandpa must fight for your priority."
"Think about it—we're family. It wasn't easy for Grandpa to discover such a rare 'barbecue genius.' If I don't protect my own and let myself be the first to enjoy your cooking, wouldn't that be such a loss?"
Ning Rongrong's eyelid twitched violently.
Barbecue… genius?
Protecting her?
This wasn't protection!
This was using her as free labor!
"But Grandpa Bone, I—"
"No buts."
Bone Douluo waved his hand like a governor shutting down a debate.
"Hurry, grill twenty skewers of kidneys for Grandpa first!"
"And make sure they're tender. If they're tough, I can't chew them!"
Ning Rongrong: "…"
She looked at Bone Douluo's face—
which practically screamed, Hurry up! Grandpa is starving!
Then she looked at the other Titled Douluo—
all staring at her with burning, greedy eyes.
Not a single one despised Bone Douluo's shamelessness.
In fact, they all looked impressed.
As if saying:
"Ah, so that's how we should do it! A wise man adapts!"
And their gazes weren't on her.
They were all on her hands—
hands that seemed, to them, blessed by the heavens.
The enormous pile of fresh ingredients nearly burying her loomed like judgment.
Ning Rongrong's tears immediately threatened to fall again.
"Grandpa Bone, I'm really not a barbecue genius!"
She tried one last time.
"I just got lucky! Like a blind cat stumbling upon a dead mouse!"
"Lucky?"
Gold Crocodile Douluo snorted coldly.
"Little girl, do you take us for idiots?"
He pointed at the mountain of charcoal they had produced.
Then he reverently raised the skewer she had grilled.
"Look at ours."
"Then look at yours."
"Is that luck? That's talent. Innate talent."
The others all nodded furiously.
"Exactly! The legendary Barbecue Sacred Body!"
"She was born for grilling!"
"Little girl, this is a gift from the heavens!"
Ning Rongrong's scalp went numb.
Barbecue Sacred Body?!
Gift from the heavens?!
She was just copying Senior's actions!
Senior…
Yes!
The senior!
Like a drowning person grabbing a floating board, Ning Rongrong suddenly regained hope.
She puffed up her chest and shouted:
"This is Senior's restaurant! How can you bully people like this? Does this follow the Senior's rules?!"
Instant silence.
The smiles on all Titled Douluo froze mid-air.
Right.
Right, right, right.
They had been so busy looking for free labor that they forgot—
They were on the senior's territory.
What if the senior thought they were breaking the rules?
One flick of his finger might kill them all!
They all turned stiffly and locked their gazes onto Lin Feng.
Ning Rongrong's eyes lit up with desperate hope.
Her entire soul cried out:
Senior… please save me…
But—
Lin Feng didn't even raise his eyelid.
He simply led Bibi Dong and the three girls back to the table.
Sat down leisurely.
Turned his skewers with perfect rhythm.
As if nothing happening behind him had anything to do with him.
When the fat sizzled and released a fragrant aroma, he calmly handed the skewers to Bibi Dong and the others—who were already drooling.
Only then did he speak lazily:
"As you wish."
Everyone: "???"
Lin Feng's voice remained indifferent.
"She is neither my staff nor a customer."
His gaze lightly swept across Ning Rongrong—
that casual glance chilled her blood.
"Her matters have nothing to do with me. Resolve it yourselves."
The hope in her eyes shattered instantly.
Her newly rekindled flame of hope was extinguished with a bucket of ice water and ice cubes.
Not staff.
Not a customer.
Not relevant.
Just a nuisance.
No sense of presence.
He didn't even consider her life and death worth a pause in grilling his skewers.
Lin Feng turned away.
Bibi Dong, Hu Liena, Zhu Zhuqing, Zhu Zhuyun—
all were eating blissfully, little mouths panting slightly from the spiciness.
Lin Feng's only thought:
Pity Ning Rongrong?
That idea wasn't even worth half a heartbeat.
Why waste time on drama when he could perfect grilling kidneys to reward himself?
Four girls, four fragrant mouths waiting to be fed.
All more pleasant to look at than Ning Rongrong.
Feeding them was far more meaningful than rescuing a girl being turned into a barbecue tool.
Upon hearing Lin Feng's verdict, the Titled Douluo looked at Ning Rongrong again—
But this time, their eyes were lit with renewed enthusiasm.
"Little girl, you heard that, right?"
Gold Crocodile Douluo smiled "kindly."
"The senior said it doesn't violate the rules."
"That's right, that's right. Your barbecue talent shouldn't be wasted."
"This is the opportunity the senior has bestowed upon you!"
Ning Rongrong almost coughed blood.
What kind of twisted logic was this?!
"But… but I'm hungry…"
Her voice trembled.
And right then—her stomach joined the protest.
"Grrrrrrrr—"
The sound echoed clearly in the quiet night.
"Hungry?"
Devil Bear Douluo's eyes brightened instantly.
"Oh, that's easy!"
He rummaged through his spirit tool.
Then triumphantly pulled out an oiled-paper-wrapped packet.
Tear—
He ripped it open.
"Here! Spirit Master Special Compressed Jerky! A thirty-year-old brand! Air-dried beef flavor!"
He shoved the brick-like piece of jerky into her hands.
"Chewy! Filling! If your teeth are strong, one piece can last you an entire afternoon!"
"Eat this first! Only when you're full can you work properly!"
Ning Rongrong stared at the jerky—
A black, dry, square slab that could probably incapacitate a thousand-year spirit beast.
Then she glanced at Lin Feng's table—
where the aroma of cumin, chili, and hot meat juice drifted like heavenly fragrance.
Her tears broke free.
This wasn't "drawing a pie."
This was watching others feast on the Manchu-Han Imperial Banquet…
While she gnawed on a brick!
A thirty-year-old brick!
She grilled fragrant, juicy skewers for them—
And got this in return?
This wasn't humanity.
This was hell.
A circle of demons.
_____________________
https://[email protected]/mrSOMEONE01234? [replace @ with a]
>>>>>I'm a student, and I'll try my best to keep uploading chapters regularly <<<<<
thanks for your support
[[READER TIER 1: translates stories {15$} ]] { RECOMENDED }
[[READER TIER 2: translated & original stories {20$} ]]
[[[[Please at least visit my patreon so I can have some traffic]]]]]
Also try
[[[Restaurant in Douluo Dalu (530+ch)]]] {6$}
[[[Jujutsu kaisen : Eight Gates For Heavenly Restriction(196+)(COMPLETED) ]]] {6$} [[[JOJO: My Stand Is Black Sperm(100+ch)]]]{6$}