Chapter 148: The Little Girl Has a Big Mouth
Chapter 148: Chapter 148: The Little Girl Has a Big Mouth
SLURP!
A slurp of rice noodles. Even though it wasn’t his first time, the smooth, slippery texture still amazed the customer.
But before he could even savor it, an explosive mix of spiciness erupted in his mouth. In that instant, he felt like someone had just cast a Fire Dragon Technique right into it.
His entire body felt like it was about to burst into flames.
WHOOSH. From head to toe, all his visible skin flushed a fiery red.
"Hsss!"
He couldn’t help but hiss, only to hear the laughter of other customers nearby.
"What are you laughing at? If you’ve got the guts, go try it yourselves! If not, then shut up! Stop giggling like a bunch of sissies."
The customer glared at the gawking crowd.
’At least I dared to join the competition,’ he thought. ’That’s more than can be said for these cowards who didn’t even dare to sign up.’
"Fine, we’ll go! Who’s scared?"
The taunt worked like a charm. The customers flocked to Lu Wu’s stall.
"Extra spicy?"
"Add it!"
The above exchange began to repeat over and over.
Lu Wu stared at the nearly empty container of chili powder, lost in thought.
’I tried it when I was making it,’ she mused. ’The spice level of these peppers was almost too much for even me. How are these customers acting like it’s nothing?’
’Could it be... they’re just built different?’
In reality, the customers put on a brave face and smiled at Lu Wu, but the moment they turned their backs, tears streamed down their faces.
It was so spicy.
So spicy their ancestors were probably rising from the grave to say hello.
And when Queen Zhang quietly came ashore with her children, she was greeted by the sight of a group of humans crying into the wind.
The crucial part was that they were all holding stinky bowls, eating something. They’d take a bite, wipe away a tear, take another bite, and continue to weep with blank expressions.
’It looks like some kind of torture,’ she thought, ’or a wicked ritual.’
Queen Zhang recognized the stuff in their hands as the snail rice noodles her youngest son had been talking about.
’Just as I thought. My dear son was deceived.’
This scene confirmed Queen Zhang’s suspicions. There was no way something like that could possibly be delicious.
’Vile humans! I must save my son from their evil clutches!’
Filled with this grand ambition, Queen Zhang strode toward Lu Wu’s stall.
In her son’s videos, this human woman called Boss Lu was highly praised by other humans. She was probably the mastermind behind the whole conspiracy.
The three members of the Sea Clan had slightly disguised their appearances, looking more or less human.
The beach was crowded, so no one looked at them twice.
At that moment, Lu Wu was making crab roe burgers.
Soft buns were slowly toasting in a corner. In the thick patties, the ratio of beef and crab roe was just right. They pressed against each other, fusing together without looking loose.
With a slight press from the spatula, you could see the patties sizzling and rendering their fat.
Wave after wave of savory aroma wafted over, causing Queen Zhang, who had just reached the stall, to momentarily forget what she was going to say.
The ocean was full of marine products, many of which humans had never tasted.
But the Sea Clan’s methods for preparing food were very primitive.
For the most part, they just caught and ate their food raw.
They were used to it, so they never thought there was a problem.
They had no concept of judging food by its color, aroma, or taste.
But even without ever having tasted gourmet food, their bodies reacted instantly upon smelling an aroma that would absolutely never be found at the bottom of the sea.
GRUMBLE GRUMBLE GRUMBLE!
Their stomachs were roaring.
Queen Zhang’s cheeks flushed red in an instant. She clutched her stomach, utterly mortified.
The sound wasn’t quiet, and Lu Wu naturally heard it. Accustomed to such things, she didn’t show any strange expression.
Her nose twitched. She caught a peculiar scent from the three people before her.
It was the salty, briny smell of the great sea.
’These three are from the Sea Clan.’
Taking in the hats on their heads, and then the garish silk scarves around their necks, Lu Wu began to question the Sea Clan’s aesthetic sensibilities.
’A green hat with a red silk scarf.’
’Red and green, a classic combination.’
"Hello, you three. What can I get for you?"
Lu Wu asked, just like she would any other customer.
’What’s there to worry about?’ she thought. ’I’ve served humans, ghosts, demon beasts, and the Sea Clan by now. I’ve developed nerves of steel.’
"I’m not here to—"
Queen Zhang was just about to say she wasn’t there to buy food when she saw her eldest son poke his head out from the side, sniffing the air with an intoxicated expression.
"I want two."
Long Zhen rubbed his loudly rumbling stomach and finally gave in to his body’s demands.
The Sea Clan were simple beings. When hungry, they ate. After eating, they slept. When they woke up, they ate again.
After all, the ocean was rich with seafood; they never had to worry about not being able to catch food.
Even after coming ashore, Long Zhen hadn’t lost this survival instinct. He stood to the side, his eyes glued to the crab roe burgers.
"Alright."
Lu Wu nodded. If a customer was only buying one type of item, there was a limit of two per person.
"I’ll have two as well."
The Sea Clan princess, Dragon Ball, stood shyly behind her older brother, peeking out with her big, round eyes.
She was a very pretty little girl, and her gaze toward Lu Wu was filled with curiosity and innocence.
"No problem."
With new customers at the counter, Lu Wu handed the crab roe burger she was holding to a waiting customer, then began to serve the brother and sister.
After being stir-fried, the locked-in umami of the crab roe was fully released—a flavor that could never be experienced by eating it raw.
The savory aroma of the beef and the fresh umami of the crab roe complemented each other perfectly.
The waves of fragrance acted like hooks, easily capturing their gazes.
Slices of cheese slowly melted under the heat, their milky aroma lingering in the air.
Tender lettuce was placed on the toasted bun, followed by a drizzle of sauce. The sight of the juicy, pink-red tomato slice was enough to make one’s mouth water.
The two who had arrived with hostility were unknowingly captivated by Lu Wu. They now stood obediently to the side, waiting for their crab roe burgers.
Under Lu Wu’s practiced hands, the crab roe burgers were assembled and handed to the siblings.
"Eat slowly. Be careful, it’s hot."
This had become a habitual phrase for Lu Wu, but for the younger sister, Dragon Ball, it was her first time feeling such concern from a human, and she immediately felt a sense of closeness to Lu Wu.
"Big sister, how do you eat this crab roe burger?"
she asked, her voice soft and sweet.
The moment the little girl spoke, her tone was enough to melt anyone’s heart.
Lu Wu, who felt an overwhelming urge to become a doting mother, gestured for the little girl to hold the crab roe burger with both hands.
Lu Wu had always been generous with her ingredients.
The crab roe burger, as big as half her face, was lifted to the girl’s mouth. Lu Wu smiled.
"Right, just like that. Take a big bite. It’s best if you can get the bun, the patty, and all the toppings inside at once."
She shared her expertise. Dragon Ball’s eyes sparkled as she nodded repeatedly, copying Lu Wu and taking a bite.
Unfortunately, Dragon Ball’s mouth was a bit too small to get all the ingredients in one bite. As she kept adjusting her angle of attack, her face got smeared with sauce.
"Oh, dear."
Dragon Ball grumbled. Seeing her older brother already chomping down on his crab roe burger, she couldn’t hold back any longer. Her mouth suddenly widened, and she swallowed the entire burger in one gulp.
Lu Wu, who was in the middle of taking the next order, felt her hand tremble.
’My eyes must be playing tricks on me, right?’
’Otherwise, how could such an adorable little girl have such a cavernous mouth?’
’Oh my god, I must be so busy I’m starting to hallucinate.’