Chapter 4: Stop Fighting, Let Me Go Over and Set Up a Stall
Chapter 4: Chapter 4: Stop Fighting, Let Me Go Over and Set Up a Stall
Cultivators were dueling with Spells here.
The dazzling barrage of Spells made Lu Wu’s eyes burn with excitement. Every move was lethal; anyone who didn’t know better would think these people shared a life-or-death grudge.
But in reality...
"You dare steal my woman? I’ll fucking kill you."
"In the Cultivation World, strength reigns supreme. So what if I’m stronger than you? If you’ve got the guts, then don’t buy the buns."
"Heh, as if I don’t know what you’re up to. The Flower Lady you wanted just happens to prefer me. If you’re the one who’s lacking, don’t go blaming the circumstances."
"Hilarious. You really think that’s your own strength? Isn’t it just because Boss Lu’s buns are amazing?"
The story was simple. Zhang San had taken a liking to a Flower Lady but, unfortunately for him, she had been conquered by Li Si’s "prowess" last night and was willing to be with him again tonight. Naturally, Zhang San wouldn’t stand for it.
After finding out the reason, he had wanted to use the buns to turn the tables, but would Li Si allow that?
The argument escalated, and they started fighting.
And that led to the scene Lu Wu was now witnessing.
Many people were watching the spectacle, some even cracking melon seeds. Quite a few had benefited last night, and with their praise, the reputation of Lu Wu’s bun stall had spread throughout the Red Light District.
Some quick-witted street vendors had even moved their stalls over.
Lu Wu glanced around and saw that a huge crowd had gathered. Even many Flower Ladies from the brothels were poking their heads out to watch the excitement.
Surrounded by layers of people, Lu Wu couldn’t break through.
Small and helpless, Lu Wu watched as these people came to blows over her buns while she, the bun seller, was stuck on the outside. She couldn’t help but raise her hand.
"Um, excuse me, could you please let me through?"
Her voice was swallowed by the crowd. Some people were even egging the two fighters on.
Lu Wu also spotted Lou Xiaotian. Despite his aloof and cool expression, his eyes were darting around as if he were plotting something mischievous.
Perhaps Lu Wu’s stare was too obvious, because Lou Xiaotian looked over. The moment he spotted her, his eyes lit up like lightbulbs.
He opened his mouth as if to shout, but then quickly covered it, having thought of something.
Then, he furtively slipped out of the crowd, walked over to Lu Wu, and deliberately shielded her from view.
"Boss Lu, let’s make a deal. Don’t go over there. I’ll buy all of your buns today."
After verification from last night’s customers, he had confirmed that Boss Lu’s buns had some special enhancing effects.
He was a man, too. He was tempted.
"Probably not."
Lu Wu shook her head. The system showed that she was currently outside the designated stall area, so any buns sold now wouldn’t count.
Besides, she had made a promise to her customers yesterday. She definitely couldn’t let one person buy everything.
"Ah!"
Lou Xiaotian’s disappointment was all too obvious. Just as he was about to try persuading her again, someone shouted.
"Boss Lu is here!"
There were quite a few sharp-eyed people in the crowd.
And so, the two men fighting in the center of the crowd tacitly stopped. Zhang San even snapped his fingers, and the cracked ground repaired itself.
’Spells really are useful.’ Lu Wu was green with envy.
Pair after pair of eyes turned to her. Under the surveillance of these laser-like gazes, Lu Wu put on a smile and greeted them.
"Hello everyone, I’m here. Could you please make way? I need to get through to set up my stall."
WHOOSH!
The crowd parted in a second.
Someone even thoughtfully came over to help Lu Wu push her cart.
"Boss Lu, I hope you brought enough buns today! I’m ready for a feast!"
"Boss Lu, I’m a new customer. You can’t play favorites!"
"I’m not greedy, I’ll just have the same kind as yesterday."
"Hey, make way, make way! I was Boss Lu’s first customer yesterday. I’m the one who kicked off her business! No matter what, I should get to go first today, right?"
Amidst the joking and banter, the Flower Lady from last night approached Lu Wu, her gaze intensely hot.
Lu Wu felt like she was about to be skinned alive and swallowed whole, but then she saw the slightly faded blemishes on the other woman’s clean-scrubbed face and understood everything.
"Sister, thank you for your buns."
"My name is Furong. From now on, you can set up your stall here in peace. With me around, no one will dare to touch you."
As Furong said this, her gaze swept over everyone, and many didn’t dare to meet her eyes.
Although it wasn’t directed at her, Lu Wu could still feel a powerful pressure emanating from the woman. Furong’s cultivation seemed to be exceptionally high among this crowd.
"I’ll be first in line. No objections, I assume?"
Furong asked with a beaming smile.
"Of course not! Miss Furong, you absolutely should be first."
A group of people laughed and nodded. Before they could react, the quick-witted "little tyrant" who had just been rejected cleverly positioned himself right behind Furong.
"Everyone, be considerate and form a line! And no more fighting! Be careful not to hurt Boss Lu."
Lu Wu had no cultivation, a fact any Cultivator could see with a single glance.
A mere mortal like her could be killed several times over by the slightest aftershock from a Cultivator’s duel.
Thanks to Lou Xiaotian’s considerate reminder, the crowd began to form an orderly line.
Still, some minor friction over who was ahead of whom was unavoidable.
Lu Wu moved with practiced ease.
Even though it was still just cold, raw filling, it was enough to make the customers’ eyes sparkle.
They watched as Lu Wu’s nimble fingers stuffed a large dollop of filling into a thin bun wrapper. The skin was thin, but the filling was generous.
They could already imagine the scene after the buns were steamed: the meat filling gently sloshing in its own juices, visible through the translucent skin.
SLURP!
A chorus of swallowing sounds came from the crowd.
Watched with great anticipation, Lu Wu arranged the steamers full of buns.
Furong dabbed the corner of her mouth with a handkerchief and, to distract herself, started chatting with Lu Wu.
"Boss Lu, in the future, would it be possible for you to provide a long-term supply of these buns to the sisters in my brothel?"
From the line, the other Flower Ladies shot her scorching gazes.
They weren’t interested in the kidney buns or the small meat buns, but what woman could refuse a red bean paste bun that enhances beauty?
"Ah, you can all come and buy them for the next five days."
Having customers who were willing to support her was the best affirmation for a chef like Lu Wu. She was very happy.
’Unfortunately, I’m doing a system quest.’
’The food I sell next, and the locations where I sell it, are all arranged by the system. I can’t be sure of anything.’
’I’m sorry, sisters, but I want to cultivate!’
’For the sake of the system rewards, I definitely can’t stay in one place for too long.’
"Why only five days?"
Furong asked, and the others pricked up their ears.
"Boss Lu, if you’re in any trouble, just say the word. I believe there’s nothing in Xiaohe Town that I can’t handle."
Lou Xiaotian chimed in.
"Yeah, Boss Lu! Is someone giving you trouble? Did someone threaten you? Just tell us, and we’ll go smash his head in."
Faced with the protective declarations of a group of violent Cultivators, Lu Wu was touched, but she politely declined.
"No, it’s not that. There’s no trouble."
"I just want to try making more types of food, and my future stall locations won’t be fixed, so I can’t make any promises."
Amidst the crowd’s confused gazes, Lu Wu set out the freshly steamed buns. She glanced at the queue, which had already become a long line, hesitated for a moment, and said,
"So that everyone can get some, there’s a limit of two buns per person today."