Chapter 204: He Will Support Her to the Best of His Ability
Chapter 204: Chapter 204: He Will Support Her to the Best of His Ability
Shen Lu had a faint, ominous premonition. After she left Boss He’s storefront and went to two other ingredient suppliers, only to be turned away from them as well, her heart sank.
It was obvious someone was targeting her.
No, a group of people, more like.
’Could the other restaurant owners in the Lower City District have teamed up to teach me a lesson?’
Her mind was a mess, but Shen Lu forced herself to calm down. The most important thing right now was ingredients, not finding the mastermind behind all this.
Besides these few major suppliers, the Lower City District also had some small, independent vendors. Shen Lu hadn’t considered them before because her order volumes were large, and for the sake of convenience, she had always dealt with the major suppliers.
Now, she had no choice but to try her luck at a few more places.
But without exception, even the small vendors refused to sell her any ingredients.
Shen Lu laughed, exasperated.
Done wasting time, she simply took a car back to the restaurant.
Her employees had already arrived for work. The pantry contained some ingredients from the System that Shen Lu had placed there earlier, and they were now busy preparing them.
Seeing Shen Lu return, Xin Yu was the first to greet her.
"Boss, you’re back. Are you tired? I’ll go get you a glass of water."
Xin Yu was the most energetic of the employees. He was always attentive to Shen Lu, but not in a fawning way. He never pestered her, so it wasn’t annoying.
"No need. Just get back to your work." Shen Lu was frustrated and dismissed him offhandedly.
Sensing her bad mood, the others looked up at her in unison.
Cai Su asked cautiously, "Boss, did something bad happen?"
Shen Lu sighed. "It seems like our restaurant is being targeted. None of the vendors in the Lower City District will sell me produce today."
Her words stunned everyone.
Xin Yu exclaimed dramatically, "How could they do that! If they won’t sell to us, what are we going to cook with today?!"
Shu Meng spoke up hesitantly. "Should I go talk to a vendor I know? See if I can buy some ingredients to bring back?"
Having been a worker for many years, Shu Meng knew a few small-time produce vendors, but she wasn’t sure if they would do her a favor.
"It’s fine. For now, just focus on the work at hand. I just wanted to give you all a heads-up that there might be more trouble ahead."
Since the other party had decided to make a move, it wouldn’t be something as simple as just blocking her supply lines for a bit.
Xin Yu immediately pledged his loyalty. "Boss Shen, don’t you worry! I’ll stand with our restaurant through thick and thin!"
Deng Ying and Shu Meng couldn’t help but roll their eyes at Xin Yu. ’You and your big mouth!’
Deng Ying said, "Boss, don’t be too anxious. Maybe things aren’t as bad as you think."
Shu Meng added, "Yeah, sometimes the cultivation bases have problems, causing production to plummet. Similar things have happened a few times before."
Song Zhigao, who had been quiet the whole time, said flatly, "Boss, it’s already 9:30. If we don’t start cooking now, we won’t be ready for the 11:30 rush."
Shen Lu nodded. "I know. I’m going to contact my original suppliers first."
With that, Shen Lu left the back kitchen and went up to the second floor.
Claiming she was contacting her original suppliers was just an excuse. Shen Lu had already decided to buy ingredients from the System Mall, but she still had to put on an act and go through the motions.
Just as she opened the door, a message from Fu Cheng quietly arrived.
Fu Cheng: I contacted an elder and arranged for some ingredients. They should be delivered in about half an hour.
Shen Lu froze, then hurried to the spare bedroom.
Gazing at the man lying quietly on the bed, Shen Lu was overcome with an indescribable feeling.
"How did you know I couldn’t get any ingredients today?"
Fu Cheng looked back at her: It’s not important.
"Do you know something?" Shen Lu sat down in the chair by the bed. "Do you know who’s pulling the strings?"
As she watched with a hopeful gaze, Fu Cheng gently shook his head.
Fu Cheng: I’ll help you find out.
Hearing him say that, Shen Lu dropped the idea of questioning him further.
’Everyone has their secrets. I have mine, too. Fu Cheng has never asked where the ingredients that can heal the Spiritual Sea come from, so I won’t press him for his.’
To a certain extent, she did trust Fu Cheng.
"Thank you. Otherwise, I don’t know what I would have done today."
It wasn’t that Shen Lu had no way of solving the problem, but she was still grateful that Fu Cheng was willing to call in a favor and lend a hand.
Fu Cheng gently squeezed her hand. "Don’t be afraid. I’m here."
He would support her to the best of his ability.
Shen Lu couldn’t quite place the feeling. Was it something like the gratification a mother feels when the cub she raised starts to give back?
’Ha ha.’
Shen Lu laughed to herself.
’So strange.’
’Fu Cheng isn’t a cub, and I’m not his mother. Why would I feel that way?’
Fu Cheng had contacted an old friend of his parents named Yan Zhen De, a high-ranking government official in charge of commerce.
Yan Zhen De had always kept an eye on Fu Cheng’s situation. But he was a man who put his own interests first. When Fu Cheng was abandoned by the Fu Family, he had briefly considered taking the boy into the Yan family to raise him.
But Fu Cheng’s condition at the time was simply too poor. He made inquiries everywhere and heard nothing but the conclusion that Fu Cheng wouldn’t live for much longer.
After weighing his options, he decided to play dumb and do nothing.
After all, Fu Cheng’s parents were dead, Fu Cheng himself wasn’t expected to live long, and the power of the Fu Family was in the hands of Fu Cheng’s youngest uncle.
To him, Fu Cheng was a discarded pawn. Wasting financial resources and energy on a lost cause was simply not worth it.
He would just wait for Fu Cheng to pass away, then go collect the body and give him a proper burial. That would be enough to honor his friendship with Fu Cheng’s parents.
Who would have thought that he would suddenly receive a message from Fu Cheng.
At first, he thought it was a prank and ignored it. It wasn’t until Fu Cheng made a video call that Yan Zhen De realized it was real.
The two exchanged a few pleasantries before Fu Cheng brought up his need for some ingredients.
Yan Zhen De initially assumed Fu Cheng was destitute and asking him for basic supplies. He couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of superiority as he lamented how the once-golden child had fallen to such a state.
"Don’t you worry. I’ll have someone send them over to you right away."
Fu Cheng: Uncle Yan, it’s not a matter of a few pounds, or even a few dozen. My fiancée runs a restaurant. Vegetables, fruits, poultry, fish, meat... just send a few tons of whatever, that should be about right.
Yan Zhen De choked.
What?
A few tons?
’Does he think this is scrap metal? That I can just casually get my hands on a few tons?’
’And what’s this about a fiancée? Since when did he have a fiancée?’
Yan Zhen De thought for a long time before recalling that Fu Cheng did indeed have a fiancée before, with the last name Shen, it seemed.
Her family background was nothing special—just a minor, insignificant household.
Yan Zhen De smiled. "Your fiancée opened a restaurant in the Upper City District? Where is it? I’ll have to go show my support."
’I never thought that fiancée of his would be so loyal. She actually didn’t abandon him.’
Fu Cheng’s lips curved into a slight smile: In the Lower City District. Uncle Yan, you can come take a look when you have time.
As for the name of the restaurant, Fu Cheng deliberately left it out. He knew Yan Zhen De wouldn’t come anyway.
Yan Zhen De put on a regretful expression. "Oh, in the Lower City District? That’s a bit far for me. Hmm, well, I’ll go take a look when I have time."
’The Lower City District is a place for pigs and dogs. There’s no way I would ever go there.’
’I am a distinguished, upper-class citizen. How could I possibly go to a place where all the low-class scum gather?’