Chapter 61: Then Go Hug Her Thigh and Beg Her
"All right, let’s start with something simple. You can chop the kelp." Shen Lu took out a spare kitchen knife and cutting board and showed Cai Su how to hold the knife and how to curl her fingers to hold down the vegetables.
"Just cut the kelp into pieces this big." Shen Lu was a thorough teacher, and Cai Su was a serious student.
Slicing kelp was extremely simple, so Cai Su learned quickly. Shen Lu then taught her how to chop radishes.
"Boss Shen, you can leave the kelp and radishes to me from now on," Cai Su said, full of motivation. "Once I get more practice, I can take over the tofu skin and konjac tofu, too."
"Deal."
Shen Lu went outside to bring out the food cart and the malatang cooker, and they worked together to load them with ingredients.
They had prepared a lot of ingredients today, more than the food cart could hold. Shen Lu left the extras by the door, figuring Cai Su could just make a trip back for them later.
[DING DONG~ New Mission: Sell 60 cups of mint water, 50 egg waffles, 50 orders of malatang, 50 orders of fried rice, 50 orders of fried noodles, and 20 orders of braised delicacies.]
[DING DONG~ If Host completes the mission within four hours, there will be a bonus reward. Failure to complete the mission within the specified time will result in the cancellation of the bonus reward. There is no penalty.]
’Oh?’
’So we’re trying something new today.’
This was the first time Shen Lu had received a mission with a time limit. However, it was just an added condition this time—a reward for success, but no penalty for failure.
The mission wasn’t particularly difficult for Shen Lu. She usually prepared more ingredients than the quota required and always sold out by 3:30 in the afternoon. Today probably wouldn’t be a problem either.
Wang Daguo jogged over with a huge smile on his face, looking like he’d run into some good fortune.
"Boss Shen, did you go when the pharmaceutical company came to dump its trash today? It was a whole truckload of nutrient liquid!"
"We went, but it was too crowded for us to get through." Shen Lu noticed the cut on his forehead. "Looks like you had a good haul."
"You bet. Not many people around here can match my build. And with that kid Zeng Xiaodao helping, the two of us managed to grab several crates."
The name "Zeng Xiaodao" made Shen Lu pause. She hadn’t seen him since that day; it was as if he had completely vanished from her life.
"Aren’t you and Zeng Xiaodao mortal enemies?"
She remembered the first time she’d met them; the two definitely hadn’t gotten along at all.
Wang Daguo scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "He’s not a bad guy, just super annoying. But man, is he fast."
One had speed, the other had strength. When they worked together, almost no one could beat them to the prize.
Wang Daguo pushed the food cart to Gold Street. Cai Su took her child to the clinic for a shot, and by the time she returned, Fu Cheng was already lying in his usual spot while Shen Lu was busy stir-frying rice.
Everything was just like yesterday. A long line snaked from the cart, and Cai Su and Shen Lu were as busy as ever.
Suddenly, a loud thunderclap echoed through the sky, and huge raindrops began to pour down, drenching the customers in line like drowned rats.
You couldn’t let this rain stay on your skin for long, or you’d get sick.
Many customers had no choice but to abandon the line and head home to dry off.
Shen Lu’s stall, however, was unaffected. Ever since buying that huge umbrella, she kept it open over her head regardless of the weather.
So, even as the rain poured down, not a single drop touched her.
Shen Lu pursed her lips. ’You knew it was going to suddenly pour today, didn’t you?’ she thought. ’That’s why you set a time limit. You’re deliberately making things difficult for me, aren’t you?’
The System felt wronged.
[Host, please refrain from malicious speculation.]
Most of the people who came to Shen Lu’s stall for lunch were workers grabbing a bite on their break.
Now that they were soaked, they had to go home and change. By the time they did, their lunch break would be over. Most would just opt for a tube of nutrient liquid to get by.
The sudden downpour drove away ninety percent of her customers. After finishing the noodles she was cooking, Shen Lu stood under her umbrella and watched the rain. The familiar, indescribable stench began to fill the air again.
It was still faint, but it would grow much stronger once the rainwater began to stagnate on the ground.
"This kind of downpour is intense, but it usually passes in about two hours," Cai Su said comfortingly. "Boss Shen, why don’t you sit and take a break?"
With no customers at the stall, the two of them felt unaccustomed to the idleness.
Shen Lu nodded and sat down.
’It really would be better to have a storefront,’ she thought. It was the rainy season now, with frequent, sudden downpours. Soon it would be the sandstorm season, full of strong winds and dust. An umbrella could block the rain, but it would be useless against sand and grit.
’How am I supposed to sell food covered in a layer of sand?’
’Besides, with a storefront, I could use that air purifier. The dining environment for customers would improve, and it would be easier to earn popularity value.’
’I can’t put this off any longer. I have to find a suitable storefront in the next day or two and tell my customers ahead of time. I don’t want them to be left wondering where I went after I move.’
Just as Cai Su had predicted, the rain tapered off after two hours. The sun even came out in full force.
Baking under the hot sun, the stench quickly intensified and spread.
Shen Lu had to go back to her rented room to grab a mint-scented mask. She had made a couple of extras in her spare time and offered one to Cai Su, but Cai Su refused, saying she was used to the smell.
Customers slowly started to trickle back, but it still wasn’t enough.
She was still far from completing her mission. After a moment’s thought, Shen Lu took out the small megaphone she had won in the lottery yesterday. She recorded a short message, switched it on, and hung it from the food cart.
"Fried rice, fried noodles, and big drumsticks! Malatang, braised snacks, and sweet drinks! Men get stronger, women get prettier, and kids get smarter! Step right up, don’t miss out!"
The first time it played, Shen Lu’s own skin crawled.
Heaven only knew how she’d come up with such an unbelievably tacky slogan. Thankfully, there were no false advertising laws here. Otherwise, someone would have definitely reported her for making such wild claims.
After hearing it a few more times, however, Shen Lu grew numb to it.
Besides, the little megaphone was working its magic. She watched as more and more customers were drawn in, forming a long line just like before the downpour.
Because it had rained, Bai Lei was back in his old getup. He had even changed into a pair of rain boots to ensure the dirty water on the ground of the Lower City District wouldn’t splash onto his pant cuffs.
The Light Brain on his wrist chimed. Someone had sent him a message.
Bai Lei opened it. It was from Bai Wanwan.
Bai Wanwan: Talk to Shen Lu and get me a takeout order. It’s raining, so I don’t feel like coming over.
Bai Wanwan had been busy yesterday at noon, so she hadn’t come to Gold Street with her brother. Instead, she had gone to a high-end restaurant with a few of her girlfriends.
A single prix-fixe meal had cost over a thousand Star Coins, yet it wasn’t nearly as good as the street food that cost a little over 200.
Bai Wanwan had been very disappointed with the meal, but since her friends were with her, she couldn’t very well ditch them to come to the Lower City District by herself.
She had planned to come today, but a downpour started just as she was about to leave. Bai Wanwan couldn’t stand the foul stench that came with the rain, so she holed up at home and decided to have her brother do the work for her.
Bai Lei didn’t agree immediately. Bai Lei: I can try? But I can’t guarantee anything. You know what Shen Lu’s temper is like.
Bai Wanwan: Then you’ll just have to grovel and beg!
Bai Lei: ...Sis, I have my pride, you know?!