The floor was tiled with black marble. The walls were embedded with ceramics that were as shiny as mirrors. The exquisite chandeliers, paired with the black sandalwood tables, made this place look elegant and classic.
If Lu Chen were not aware of what place he had stepped into, he would have thought that this was some sort of a high-end restaurant. At that instant, he couldn't believe that the canteen of Cassell College was so luxuriously designed, and he lamented that Western capitalism was built on profligacy.
With their backs straightened, the students walked around the place with plates in their hands. It was as though they were socializing in an upper class dinner party instead of getting food from a canteen.
With Chu Zihang as the guide, they reached the counter where free food was distributed.
Lu Chen thought that they would get cheap food like buns and soups. However, the extravagance of the college once again stunned him. Braised pork, roasted duck feet, braised pig's feet, spicy tofu, braised pork ribs, spicy chicken… He couldn't believe how many options there were that he could choose from. Are they all free? Then how much more delicious will the paid food be? The only downside was that they couldn't get a take-out, but they could eat all they wanted for free.
Already familiar with the dishes, Chu Zihang picked up some spicy chicken, spicy tofu and braised pork ribs. Certainly, he had the money to go to the second floor and pay for the delicate food prepared by the cooks. However, he knew that Lu Chen was poor, and the latter might not want a meal paid for by him. At the same time, he didn't want to show off that he was rich, so he decided to get the free food with Lu Chen. Furthermore, the cooks in this college were excellent, so even the free food was appetizing.
Unlike Chu Zihang, Lu Chen practically got all the dishes on his plates and ordered eight bowls of rice. He had to go back to the counter several times to get his food.
The cook at the free counter was shocked for a moment, then she said, "If you waste the food, you'll have to pay for it."
"Don't worry, Madam. I believe he'll be able to finish all the food," Chu Zihang explained on Lu Chen's behalf as he knew that the latter had a huge appetite.
After they were seated, Lu Chen started guzzling down the food. Seeing that Chu Zihang kept putting the spicy food into his mouth, Lu Chen asked, "Mr. Chu, it seems that you love eating spicy food."
"When I was younger, my dad always bought spiced chitterlings for me, so I got used to it." Upon finishing his words, Chu Zihang picked up a piece of spicy tofu.
"Oh, I love chitterlings as well—without any spices, of course." Lu Chen gulped down the rice and heaved a sigh. Chitterlings were one of his few favorite dishes in his previous life. What was strange was that, as a Mystic Warrior, he was practically immune to all types of poisons, but he would never dare to have any spices, so he always refrained from any spicy food.
"It's delicious, but they don't sell it here." Chu Zihang's gaze dimmed. Even if they sold it here, it wouldn't taste the same…
Lu Chen noticed the change in his emotion, but he never uttered a word because he wasn't a prying man, so he continued having his food.
***
Just then, the canteen broke into a commotion as many students, including Chu Zihang, stopped having their food and shifted their attention to the entrance. Lu Chen wiped the grease off his lips and followed their gazes.
There was a muscular man whose long blonde hair hung loose on his shoulders. His facial features were so refined that it was as though they were carved by a Greek sculptor. His eyes were icy blue, and there was no emotion behind his gaze, as though he wasn't interested in anything in this world. He was naturally arrogant, as if he was born to be a great leader.
Even though he didn't intentionally straighten his back, his uniform could barely contain his broad chest. His sense of confidence permeated the entire place. If everyone's confidence could be described as a mine, his mine was definitely inexhaustible.
Lu Chen's exceptional hearing ability allowed him to find out what these students called him—Caesar Gattuso, the current leader of the student union.
As the man walked across the canteen, the people separated to both sides as though they were welcoming the king's arrival. He was approaching Lu Chen and Chu Zihang. "I'm Caesar Gattuso. Nice to meet you."
Standing in front of Lu Chen and Chu Zihang, Caesar flashed a smile at them. His icy gaze seemed to have transformed into a rising sun. Looking at his smile, they felt warmth in their hearts and couldn't help forming a good impression of him.
This man appeared to be haughty, but he wasn't aloof at all when he spoke. It seemed that he was genuinely happy to meet new friends.
"I'm Chu Zihang from Class 8. I haven't selected a major yet."
"I'm Lu Chen. I come from the same class as well."
Both of them rose from their chairs and replied to him politely. Even though Lu Chen didn't understand why this popular man in the college would look for them, he didn't think the latter was ill-intentioned.
"I'm sorry for disrupting your meals. My intention is clear—I want you two to join the student union." Caesar went straight to the main point. He wasn't a politician, so he hated beating around the bush.
"We haven't taken the 3E test yet, so our blood lineages are not finalized. Why are you so sure we're qualified to join the student union?" Chu Zihang inquired.
With a confident smile, Caesar replied, "Even though we're in this college where the elites gather, you two are still the cream of the crop, and I'll only invite the best of the best to the student union." He complimented both of them as well as himself.
Anyone who said such words would appear to be arrogant, but this man seemed to have every right to speak in such a manner. He was confident, and he was totally qualified to be. His warm smile and his straightforward manner of speaking made it difficult for anyone to loathe him.
After trading glances with Chu Zihang, Lu Chen said, "Thanks for your invitation, but we haven't officially started our studies yet, so we'll only consider it in the future."
It wasn't that Lu Chen disliked Caesar or that he wasn't willing to be anyone's subordinate. He had never been interested in becoming a leader. Even though he was touted as the God of War from the East in his previous life, he was just a stormtrooper in a team.
He didn't have any bad opinions about the student union either. He had heard about the student union from Finger and learned that it was indeed a good place for the rich. Caesar was a generous man who treated his members well.
If Caesar came to his room right after he was brainwashed by Finger, he might have agreed to it. Nevertheless, Caesar came at the wrong time. Not long after he stepped out of his room, he received a message from Schneider, who told him to join the Lionheart Club because it would be helpful for his personal development.
Having spent the past two days in the college, he had pried out a lot of information from Finger. It was then he realized that his mentor, Schneider, was the sternest leader in the history of the Executive Department, so he had more trust in the latter.
He thought that by gaining Schneider's favor, he would stand a chance to get involved in battles in the future. Even though the student union was good, he decided to join the Lionheart Club because of his mentor's suggestion.