C23 You Borrowed Money, but You Didn't Have the Chance to Spend It

Ignoring Zhang Dong and Brother Fei, Lee Yun focused intently on the dozen skewers of meat in his hand. As he slowly rotated the skewers, he offered some advice:

"Xiaomeng, when grilling meat, you have to be careful not to overcook it. Once it starts to sizzle and the oil begins to drip, sprinkle on some chili powder. When the skewers turn a beautiful golden brown, that's when you know they're perfectly done. And that's the time to add a dash of cumin."

A confident smile played at the corner of Lee Yun's mouth as he continued his work, evenly dusting the skewers with cumin. Almost immediately, an even more intense and alluring aroma burst forth, enveloping the area.

The scent was so overpowering that it made Zhang Dong and the others forget their original purpose. They stood transfixed, watching the skewers turn over the flames, the sizzling sound filling the air, the tantalizing smell causing their mouths to water uncontrollably.

"Xiaomeng, this one's for you," Lee Yun said, handing Foxy a skewer. The mutton was beautifully colored, spicy, and aromatic. Xiaomeng bit eagerly into it, finding the exterior crisp and the inside succulent. The perfect mix of spicy, numbing, and savory flavors exploded in her mouth.

Her eyes squinted with delight as she exclaimed, "It's so delicious! Even better than Senior Zhou's cooking, and tastier than the top-grade beef I had at Hotel Venado in Zhonghai City!"

Foxy took another bite with her cherry-red lips, her expression one of pure joy. "It's better than anything I've ever eaten. It's amazing! Big brother, you're incredible!"

As she happily munched, grease smeared around her mouth. The onlookers, unable to take their eyes off the skewers in Lee Yun's hand, collectively swallowed hard.

"Kid!" Brother Fei interjected, his eyes filled with a mix of greed and a hint of menace.

[Ding! A choice event has been triggered. Host, please make your selection:

Option 1: Offer the roasted meat to Brother Fei and Zhang Dong first. Reward: The 'Submissive Kneel' skill.

Option 2: Decline their request. Reward: The 'Iron Body' skill (Effect: Enhances constitution, Initial Stage).

Option 3: Give them a lesson. Reward: A substantial amount of Universal Experience Points.]

Lee Yun's spirits lifted at the emergence of another choice event. He had come to understand that selecting the third option meant the System would reward him based on his actions.

Universal Experience Points could be converted into any attribute, such as turning 100 experience points into 10 points of strength, or using 10,000 points to level up a skill.

This was a valuable opportunity, and Lee Yun unhesitatingly opted for it. After all, the 'Iron Body' skill would only be an incremental improvement on his already modest constitution of just over 130 points.

Was it time to teach them a lesson?

The corner of Lee Yun's mouth quirked up; he relished the thought.

"Want a taste?" he asked casually.

Lee Yun extended the three skewers towards them. The trio eagerly nodded and snatched the skewers, so quickly that Brother Hu, who had intended to intervene, was caught off guard.

"Damn!" Brother Hu cursed under his breath.

Lee Yun shrugged nonchalantly and asked with a mischievous grin, "Zhang Dong, Fei, how's the roast meat?"

"It's incredible!" they responded in unison, nodding vigorously.

"So, care to tell me what brings you here?"

Brother Fei paused briefly, then spoke candidly, "Zhang Dong told me you're carrying a hundred grand, so I figured I'd ask to borrow some cash from you. You'll lend it to me, won't you?"

"Ah, I see. I'd be happy to lend you the money, however..."

Lee Yun offered a slight smile, a hint of menace flickering in his gaze. "The trouble is, once you've borrowed the money, you might not get the opportunity to actually spend it!"