Chapter 70 Beef Buns

Chapter 70 Beef Buns

The next morning, everyone enjoyed steaming bowls of braised beef noodle soup, along with plump, white steamed beef buns that Yu Xin had prepared.

Each bun was as large as an adult's fist. The dough was perfectly leavened, fluffy and soft. When torn open, the rich brown meat juices inside would flow out, only to be absorbed by the outer layer of the bun. The filling consisted of a generous portion of beef, and with a few drops of aromatic vinegar, the aroma was so intoxicating it could make one's head spin.

Ji Mingcheng had already forgotten about the braised beef and large bowl of noodle soup from the night before, completely focused on tackling the steamed buns. He alone ate nearly an entire basket.

Bai Yizhou frowned as he watched. "Can't you eat a bit slower? No one's competing with you. It's true what they say—a growing boy eats his father poor. Does First Military Academy not feed you enough normally?"

He remembered the school cafeteria food was actually pretty good back then?

With his mouth still full, Ji Mingcheng reached for another bun while shooting Bai Yizhou a look. "How can the school's food compare to Yu Xin's cooking? And why are you only picking on me, Yizhou-ge? My uncle ate almost as much as I did!"

That was true. Although Ji Yixing's eating manner was far more elegant and quiet than Ji Mingcheng's, his speed was just as impressive.

In front of him was a special dish Yu Xin had prepared: a bowl of yam and millet chicken porridge. The yam had been finely pureed to a paste and simmered with millet and minced chicken until thick and creamy, warm and soothing for the stomach.

Lately, Yu Xin had been making various dishes to help nourish and regulate his digestion, always careful to avoid raw, cold, or overly greasy and spicy foods. He was exceptionally diligent and responsible.

Everyone noticed his efforts.

In return, they treated Yu Xin even better. Rather than just an employee working for his boss, Yu Xin was more like an honored guest of the entire Iris Base.

He couldn't remember the last time he had lived such a comfortable life across both his lifetimes—free from schemes, battles, or worries about making a living. All he needed to do was focus on honing his culinary skills, and in his spare time, he could livestream, play games, or play with the cat. Over time, the tough physique he had built from surviving in the wild in his previous life was starting to soften.

So when he heard that Ji Mingcheng was heading to the training room after breakfast, Yu Xin proactively asked to join.

"You want to come too?" Ji Mingcheng glanced at Yu Xin uncertainly. It wasn't that he was prejudiced, but Yu Xin's fair, pampered skin that spoke of a life of ease, slender waist, and thin arms made him worry that even a light touch might accidentally injure him.

"Yeah, I'd like to see what the training room at Iris Base is like. Is that okay?" Yu Xin turned to Ji Yixing, his tone softening almost imperceptibly at the end.

He wasn't sure—after all, this involved military training, and he didn't know if it was appropriate for him to be allowed in.

"Of course. I'll take you there after breakfast." Ji Yixing coughed into his fist and looked down, avoiding Yu Xin's slightly pleading gaze almost unconsciously.

"Wait, Uncle, are you sure he can handle it?"

Ji Mingcheng didn't understand why his uncle seemed so infatuated—he almost wondered if Yu Xin had slipped something into that specially prepared porridge.

The doubt in his tone was unmistakable. Yu Xin's gaze returned to him, scanning his well-built frame. As one of the top students at First Military Academy, Ji Mingcheng's physique was impeccable, and no one would doubt the terrifying power contained in those bulging muscles.

Yu Xin blinked, intrigued. "Are you curious about whether I can handle it or not?"

Ji Mingcheng scratched his head. "I'm just worried your slender arms and legs might get hurt."

He was counting on Yu Xin to cook him a few more good meals during his stay at the base.

"How about we test it out later? I’d really like to experience the skills of a top military academy student." It had been too long since Yu Xin had engaged in real combat, and he was genuinely itching for a fight.

"You said it yourself. Don’t blame me if it hurts later." Even so, Ji Mingcheng decided he would only use about thirty percent of his strength—just enough to play around with Yu Xin. There was no need to actually incapacitate him.

After breakfast, the group headed to the underground training room at the base. Yu Xin was curious about what training methods looked like in this world so far advanced from Blue Star. But when they arrived, he found that despite the futuristic appearance of the training room, the activities inside were straightforward, brutal physical exercises.

"Go change into training gear first." Ji Yixing had someone take Yu Xin to get changed. The technology, far superior to Blue Star's, quickly scanned Yu Xin's body measurements, and within minutes, a custom-fitted training suit was ready.

The suit was simple pure black, with the base's silver iris emblem on the chest. It covered him from head to toe snugly, but because it fit so closely, it accentuated Yu Xin's figure even more clearly.

The semi-high collar was zipped up to just below his Adam's apple, above which was a section of snow-white neck, a delicate pointed chin, and a pair of dark, bright eyes. His hair was slightly messy from changing, and the black training suit covered him completely, making the exposed bits of skin appear even fairer.

Only when the two stood facing each other did Ji Mingcheng realize that Yu Xin was far from as fragile as he had imagined. A thin layer of muscle, usually hidden under loose clothing, wasn't exaggerated but somehow gave an impression of unexpected strength.

In the training suit, Yu Xin looked completely different from his usual calm and slightly lazy self. Ji Mingcheng's limited vocabulary couldn't quite capture the difference—he just felt that the same training uniform he saw on classmates every day looked unusually captivating on Yu Xin.

His distraction lasted only a moment. His well-honed combat instincts brought him back to focus quickly, but Yu Xin had already seized the opportunity to close in, cold and sharp like a blade, flipping the much larger Ji Mingcheng onto the soft mat in a few moves.

Ji Mingcheng landed heavily on the training mat. Off to the side, Bai Yizhou turned away, unable to watch. "Has First Military Academy’s training become so lax? I’ll have to have a word with those old-timers another day."

"No," Ji Yixing said, his eyes fixed on the two in the center—more precisely, on Yu Xin, who had resumed a ready stance. "Look closely."

In that brief moment, Ji Mingcheng's reaction hadn't been slow, but Yu Xin was clearly superior. His instinct for seizing combat opportunities seemed innate, and his moves were decisive and ruthless, leaving no room for hesitation.

Ji Mingcheng's exceptional combat awareness came from rigorous training, but Yu Xin's… felt more like a fighting instinct carved into his bones through countless real battles.

Lying on the ground, Ji Mingcheng shouted, "I’m not convinced! I was distracted just now. Let’s go again!"

Yu Xin raised an eyebrow and helped him up.

"You said it yourself. Don’t blame me if it hurts later."

The two separated and quickly engaged again. Ji Mingcheng was much more serious this time and clearly aware of how tricky Yu Xin was to handle. Though he had absolute strength on his side, it was almost useless against Yu Xin—he was too slippery, his movements almost ghostly. In moments, they had exchanged dozens of moves, all of which Yu Xin handled with ease, as if weaving a tight net that trapped Ji Mingcheng inside.

He couldn't find any openings in Yu Xin's defense, while Yu Xin's relentless attacks forced him into a defensive struggle. It wasn’t long before Yu Xin found another opportunity and threw him flat on his back again.

Ji Mingcheng slammed his fist on the mat. "Again!"

………

The spacious training room echoed with heavy thuds at intervals. After being thrown yet again, Ji Mingcheng lay on the ground, gasping for air.

He and Yu Xin had been sparring since after breakfast, and he had only won a few rounds. Ji Mingcheng was usually the undefeated champion in his combat classes at the military academy, but here he was, thoroughly bested by Yu Xin.

He could tell that Yu Xin had held back several times during their matches—otherwise, he wouldn’t just be lying on the ground unable to get up; it could have been much worse.

He was utterly baffled. From what he knew, Yu Xin had previously been an ordinary, pampered young master. Where could he have learned such deadly combat skills?

If he didn’t know Yu Xin's background, he would have thought Yu Xin was a desperado from some underground fighting ring.

"How is this possible? I mean, Yu Xin, where did you learn all this?" Ji Mingcheng struggled to get up from the floor.

"…Let’s just say I learned it from playing games." Yu Xin rubbed his nose, uncharacteristically sheepish.

"Playing games? And you got this good?"

"I’ve also practiced on my own."

Ji Mingcheng pushed back his sweat-damp hair, frowning as he studied the young man in front of him. Yu Xin stood steadily, his bangs slightly damp, his cheeks flushed from the intense exertion, his eyes and eyebrows dark and intense as if washed clean.

He looked even more captivating than usual.

Ji Mingcheng averted his gaze, suddenly stumbling over his words. "Ah, well, you’re really… really gifted. I mean, with talent like this, why would you just be a cook?"

In his mind, Yu Xin had transformed from a quiet young man with great cooking skills to a martial arts prodigy (who also happened to cook well) whose talents were being overlooked.

"Do you have any idea how much of a waste this is? I’m serious—have you ever considered switching careers? I could introduce you to…"

Outside the training area, Ji Yixing and Bai Yizhou had watched the entire match in silence.

"Any thoughts?" Ji Yixing finally spoke.

Bai Yizhou frowned. He had long known that compared to close-quarters combat with real blades and fists, the First Military Academy had shifted its focus toward training students to pilot mechas and fight with the aid of mechanical exoskeletons. As a result, their hand-to-hand combat skills were naturally lacking.

But even so, it was quite remarkable that Yu Xin—an ordinary person with almost no military training—could defeat Ji Mingcheng, the academy's top-ranked student.

“Yu Xin is very skilled. I might not be able to beat him either,” Bai Yizhou admitted frankly. He began to reassess the young man, clearly aware that Yu Xin was not simple—powerful and mysterious, someone he couldn’t see through.

But everyone has their own story. Anyone who caught the General's eye was naturally no ordinary person. The only thing he could be sure of was that Yu Xin was reliable, sincere, and meant no harm—and that was enough.

Ji Yixing stared at the figure in the arena, the rose gold in his eyes gradually deepening, like wine swirling in a goblet, clear and luminous.

He felt a long-lost excitement, his combat instincts humming within him, eager and ready.

Since becoming a general, he rarely had the chance to step onto the battlefield himself. Nearly every decision he made was a matter of life and death for thousands of soldiers; combat had turned into grim casualty counts, pressing down heavily on his shoulders.

He had almost forgotten that there was a time when he, too, had found such enjoyment in combat.