Chapter 234: Bounced Check
Chapter 234: Chapter 234: Bounced Check
"I... ran into some trouble." Song Zhigao’s voice was strained. "I can’t go back to my place right now."
Shen Lu stared at him for a few seconds. ’Your lying skills aren’t even half as good as your cooking. After lying low for so long, is he finally making his move?’
Shen Lu put on a perfectly appropriate look of concern. "What kind of trouble? Can you tell me the details? Maybe I can help."
Song Zhigao, who had rarely ever lied, picked at his palm and stammered out the excuse his master had fabricated for him.
"I offended some people. They forged an IOU from somewhere, saying I owe them 10,000 Star Coins, and if I can’t pay it back, I have to give them a hand... These guys found my place yesterday and even picked the lock to get inside..."
Shen Lu almost laughed. She bit her lower lip to hold it back, her brows knitting together tightly. "Something like that happened? Tell me honestly, do you have a bad habit of gambling? Do you really owe them money? Song Zhigao, I can help you, but I won’t help a liar."
"No, I never gamble." Song Zhigao said this with genuine sincerity. His life was simple; when he wasn’t at work, he was honing his cooking skills. He never went to those kinds of shady places. "It must be my dad..."
The words that followed were another lie.
Song Zhigao was an orphan. His parents had passed away long ago; he had practically been raised by Master Luo.
Shen Lu looked down, appearing to think it over seriously. Song Zhigao stood to the side, his heart pounding with anxiety. He didn’t know if Shen Lu would agree; logically, she should refuse.
After all, living in the employee dorms was a perk for official staff. He was just a trial employee and shouldn’t be entitled to this benefit.
"It’s possible, but you’ll have to pay." Shen Lu activated the Good and Evil Judgment Device and glanced above Song Zhigao’s head, noticing the heart-shaped icon had taken on a faint color.
Not gray, but pink.
’In other words, Song Zhigao harbors good intentions toward me, even if they’re very, very slight.’
’How could someone with good intentions toward me possibly want to harm me?’
Shen Lu was genuinely a little curious.
Song Zhigao hadn’t expected Shen Lu to actually agree and immediately accepted. "I can pay."
He had worked for so many years, and aside from buying a small house, he rarely had any major expenses. All things considered, he was probably one of the wealthier people in the Lower City District.
"Alright then. I’ll talk to Cai Su in a bit and have her arrange an empty dorm room for you."
"Thank you, Boss Shen."
"Don’t mention it."
Song Zhigao returned to the kitchen to prepare the staff meal. Shen Lu tidied up the messy front desk, then went to tell Cai Su about Song Zhigao moving in.
"Help me keep a close eye on him."
"Is there something wrong with him?" Hearing her say that, Cai Su’s expression turned serious. "Maybe it’s better if we don’t let him move in."
"It’s fine. We have security cameras and guards in the restaurant. A normal person like him can’t stir up any trouble. I’m more interested in seeing who’s behind him."
"Okay, then he can have the empty room at the very end."
With the business matter settled, Shen Lu asked about Xiao Lang.
"Xiao Lang is fine, just has no strength and is sleeping a lot. Look, he’s fallen asleep again. Mr. Xue said it’s a normal phenomenon and he’ll be fine once he adjusts." Cai Su smiled. "Even though we don’t know what superpower he’s awakened, I’m relieved just seeing that he’s okay."
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK. The door was rapped on, and Wang Daguo’s voice came from outside.
"Boss, your family is here."
Shen Lu’s smile vanished. ’Can’t the Liu Family just stay put?’
’Why do they have to come and bother me every day?’
Shen Lu took a deep breath, composed herself, and walked out.
The person who had come was Yang Jing.
She stood awkwardly at the main entrance, glancing inside from time to time. When she saw Shen Lu come out, her face lit up with joy.
"Little Deer."
"Are you trying to get me fired?" Shen Lu looked exasperated. "My boss already said yesterday that unauthorized people aren’t allowed to hang around the restaurant, and yet you still came to find me."
"But... but I saw your boss isn’t in the restaurant." Yang Jing certainly remembered what Fu Cheng had said, but she had just happened to see Fu Cheng and Ye Fan leave, which was why she dared to come over.
Shen Lu was at a loss for words. She hadn’t expected Yang Jing to have seen Fu Cheng leave for the hospital.
"Out with it. What do you want?"
"I want to find some work," Yang Jing said. "We can’t just sit around and burn through our savings. Your brother is still so badly injured, he needs to eat nutritious food..."
"That’s great." Shen Lu affirmed her desire to find a job. "You really should go look for work."
"So, do you have any work for me here? I can do anything—cleaning, washing vegetables, washing dishes, all of it."
Shen Lu glanced at her. If the Liu Family weren’t the way they were, she really wouldn’t have minded arranging a job for her.
’Unfortunately, the Liu Family wasn’t the kind of family she wanted. It was better for everyone to mind their own business and live their own separate lives.’
"No." Shen Lu rejected her flatly. "There are plenty of shops on Gold Street. Go try your luck at other places. I don’t need any more staff here."
Yang Jing was a little disappointed, but she didn’t insist.
As long as the matter didn’t involve her son, she was actually quite normal.
"Okay, I’ll go look on my own then. If you find yourself short-staffed here, I can come."
"Sure."
Shen Lu had no problem making an empty promise.
Yang Jing left, dejected. Her daughter’s place was a no-go; she had to go look elsewhere.
After sending Yang Jing away, Shen Lu had just turned around when someone called out to her again.
"Boss Shen."
The voice sounded a little familiar, yet also a little strange. Shen Lu turned to look and saw it was Zeng Xiaodao.
Seeing Zeng Xiaodao reminded Shen Lu of that slow-progressing hidden mission.
’She was so busy with the restaurant every day, she had almost forgotten about that hidden mission entirely.’
Leaning on a crutch, Zeng Xiaodao walked over step by step. His voice was slightly hoarse. "Long time no see."
"Long time no see. Come in and talk?"
Zeng Xiaodao nodded.
Shen Lu led him to a booth and brought him a cup of hot tea.
Sitting down on the other side of the table, Shen Lu didn’t know what to say.
After all, Ye Fan was the one who took Zeng Xiaodao to the underground clinic, and Ye Fan was the one who handled things afterward. Logically, if Zeng Xiaodao was going to thank anyone, it should be Ye Fan.
"About last time, thank you." Zeng Xiaodao was the first to speak. "I know it was you."
After being blown away by the explosion, though he was severely injured, he had retained some consciousness. It wasn’t until Shen Lu stumbled upon him that he finally passed out completely.
He had no idea what happened after that.
The next time he regained consciousness, he was already in the hospital.
He had to recover for some time before he could even speak. He asked around and learned that the person who brought him was Ye Fan. Zeng Xiaodao was stunned for a moment, but then he figured it out.
A place like an underground clinic was complicated; it was more appropriate for Ye Fan to be the one to take him.
For her protection, Zeng Xiaodao didn’t say anything. He waited until he could walk on his own to come and thank her in person.