Chapter Fifty-Two: Was This Fellow a Starved Spirit Reborn?

Perhaps it was because he had driven a bit too fast—by the time Gu Zhiheng had finished showering and changing at the hotel, he’d been waiting for ages before he finally saw Mo Han’s car pull in. Guessing they’d need some time to tidy themselves up, he simply lay back on the bed and played a game on his phone.

He wasn’t particularly fond of games; when bored, he’d play a simple matching game or read a novel—just ways to pass the time. If he’d known they’d be this slow, he wouldn’t have rushed, and at least now he wouldn’t be so bored.

If only Jinghua were here. That little chatterbox could keep him company, and sometimes he could even tease him for fun. Now, it all felt a bit dull. Besides fighting and killing, there was nothing else to do—not even a book to read. The boredom was unbearable.

Staring at his phone too long would strain his eyes, so he decided he might as well get up. Soon, they’d head out for a proper meal, have a few drinks, and forget about everything else. He’d been pitifully enduring for so long; he deserved to treat himself well. Life’s about balancing work and rest, after all.

Though his thoughts ran a bit wild, there was no crime in daydreaming.

Knock, knock, knock—the sound of someone at the door. Gu Zhiheng jumped up immediately to answer.

At last, he could eat! He was nearly starving. “You guys are really slow. I’m about to starve—where are we eating?” He looked eagerly at the person outside, only to realize he’d mistaken her.

It was just the hotel’s cleaning lady—not Mo Han and the others. All that excitement was for nothing.

“Auntie, is there something you need?” Gu Zhiheng asked, rather dejected.

“Sir, does your room need cleaning?” The cleaning lady couldn’t help but think to herself how all the young people staying lately were so good-looking.

“No need, Auntie. Please come back tomorrow. My room’s very clean.” He was desperate to eat—he really couldn’t take it anymore.

Hearing his refusal, the cleaning lady pushed her cart away, and Gu Zhiheng returned to his room in defeat.

Why were those three still not ready? He really couldn’t wait any longer to eat.

Gu Zhiheng: Sis, are you ready yet? I’m starving to death here.

Chu Xingran: Not yet. Your sister’s still doing her makeup. Give it another half hour.

Gu Zhiheng: It’s just the few of us. Is it really necessary to get so dolled up?

Chu Xingran: How should I know? If you’ve got the guts, ask your sister yourself. Just wait.

Reading the messages, Gu Zhiheng was exasperated. Getting all dressed up just for a meal—what an unnecessary fuss.

And Mo Han, what was it with him? Did he not have his own phone? Why was he using his sister’s?

Wait a minute. Why was Mo Han in Chu Xingran’s room? Were they together now?

Not bad, not bad. His sister wouldn’t be single anymore.

Strangely, though, his heart ached a little. For no good reason.

Forget it, he told himself. Just wait for the meal—he didn’t want to think about anything else.

Mo Han: Come out, we’re going to eat. Hurry up!

Gu Zhiheng: Coming! Wait for me!

Phew—finally, time to eat. The wait had been excruciating.

Stepping out, he saw Mo Han and the others waiting by the elevator. He jogged over to join them—nothing mattered more than food now.

“Let’s go. We can eat at Four Directions—it’s close, no need to go far,” Mo Han said, taking Chu Xingran’s hand as they entered the elevator. Chen Yuan and Gu Zhiheng followed behind.

Both Chen Yuan and Gu Zhiheng raised their eyebrows, suppressing laughter. Flaunting their affection—this was too much.

Mo Han might be a stoic snake, but when he wanted to show off, he didn’t hold back.

…

Four Directions Restaurant.

“This, this, and not this one—but bring us one of everything else!” Gu Zhiheng declared grandly with a wave of his hand.

The other three kept their heads down in embarrassment, wishing they could disappear into the floor. He was making a spectacle of himself—did he have to act so unsophisticated? Even if he truly hadn’t seen much of the world, he was still the head of the Gu family, the Young Master Gu, a companion of Mo Han’s. Did he have to embarrass everyone like this?

“Gu Zhiheng, have you not eaten in several lifetimes? Can you even finish all that?” Mo Han wasn’t worried about the money—Gu Zhiheng simply ordered far too much.

There were only four of them, but he’d ordered enough for at least twelve. Even feeding pigs wouldn’t require so much.

Gu Zhiheng couldn’t be bothered to argue, but his sister’s glare was sharp. “What, are you afraid I can’t pay? If I dare to order, I’ll finish it.”

He hadn’t eaten well in so long—what was wrong with ordering more? It wasn’t as if he couldn’t finish it.

He wasn’t like those three, nibbling a little of this and that, pretending to be reserved.

He was a proper human being—a grown man at that. Having a big appetite was only natural.

He thought back to the last time they’d all eaten together—how they’d devoured everything in sight. That had been far more embarrassing.

About fifteen minutes later, the dishes started arriving one after another.

Without ceremony, Gu Zhiheng began to feast, paying no mind to the others’ looks.

After all, the only “others” in the private room were those three. If they wouldn’t eat, he’d eat alone and have his fill. Who knew when he’d next get a meal like this? For all he knew, he might be sent on a mission tomorrow.

He’d only crossed off a few names in the record book—there was still a thick stack of tasks to go.

“Goodness, is Young Master Gu a starving ghost reborn?” someone exclaimed. He wasn’t here to eat—he’d brought a wild man in with him.

The speed at which Gu Zhiheng ate was dizzying—a plate after another disappeared before their very eyes.

Surely they hadn’t mistreated him before, right?

Did he really need to behave as though he hadn’t eaten in centuries?

Even a starving ghost wouldn’t be this dramatic.

Thankfully, they were in a private room—no one outside could see, and no waiters would walk in. Otherwise, Gu Zhiheng’s display would have terrified others—he looked every bit the famished spirit.

*Burp*—finally full. No more hunger. Gu Zhiheng leaned back in his chair, burping contentedly and gazing coolly at the ceiling.

He couldn’t help but complain inwardly—Wumei Mountain was such a wretched place. Aside from wild fruits and fish from the stream, there was nothing edible.

Last time he’d been poisoned by mushrooms, and the wild chicken he caught turned out to be the grandson of that golden pheasant—what bad luck.

The mortal world was better—three meals a day, always enough to eat.

“Don’t look at me like that. I was up there for over twenty days and only had one proper meal,” he said. That was the time he’d grilled fish with Jinghua.

After that, there was no time to catch more fish—he’d been training day and night, practically living on nothing.

“Otherwise, do you think I’d rush down the mountain so fast? I worked myself to the bone—over twenty days with nothing but a palm-sized grilled fish.” It was a little heartbreaking to say—those days were even tougher than living in the ancestral hall.

Hearing this, the three others looked at him with sympathy. No wonder he’d been so ravenous at the sight of food.

If he’d said earlier how long he’d gone hungry, they wouldn’t have misunderstood.

“Now that I’m full, I’ll rest a bit. We can have drinks later,” he said. After a good meal, a few drinks, and then back to sleep—what could be better?