Chapter 299: Little Follower
Chapter 299: Chapter 299: Little Follower
"She’s lived under my identity since she was a child, raised in the lap of luxury. I asked Mother, and she said Shen Lu never used to lift a finger around the house. She couldn’t cook at all."
Shen Lan sighed softly. "Later, she made some mistakes and left the Shen Family. Then she suddenly reappeared as a food stall vendor. It seems a lot of men helped her, and her business gradually took off... I’m not saying she shouldn’t have a good life, I just think she’s a little too cold toward Father and Mother."
"Even if Father and Mother aren’t her birth parents, they still doted on her like she was the apple of their eye. After she left the Shen Family, she only came back once for that birthday banquet and has never returned since. To be honest, I know Mother really misses her."
Pan Junru’s face filled with righteous indignation. "How could she do that? That’s awful! Don’t they say that the kindness of those who raised you is the greatest debt of all? She’s so cold-hearted, it’s disgusting!"
Hearing someone else bad-mouth Shen Lu, Shen Lan felt a deep sense of satisfaction.
"She’s probably still upset that Mother sent her back to the Lower City District. I can understand her. Who wouldn’t want to stay in the Upper City District?"
"It’s not that easy to live in the Upper City District," Pan Junru complained with a pout. "My dad had to spend a fortune and pull every string imaginable just to get me into this school."
Pan Junru had previously been a student at Mingde School in the Lower City District. Her father was President Pan, the newly appointed president of the Lower City District Chamber of Commerce.
The first thing President Pan did after taking office was get his precious little daughter into Boya High School in the Upper City District.
Boya High School was the best high school in the entire Upper City District, and its students were all either wealthy or from influential families. Even if his daughter could attend for less than a year, President Pan was still willing to send her.
He wasn’t necessarily expecting her to land a rich husband, but even making some good connections would be a win.
Pan Junru herself hadn’t really wanted to come.
At Mingde School, she had been the center of attention. But now at Boya High School, almost no one in her class would talk to her.
Her classmates would look her up and down with condescending stares and occasionally make a few passive-aggressive, sarcastic comments at her expense.
If she hadn’t made a new friend in Shen Lan, she would have called her father in tears, begging to go back to Mingde.
"I’ve been thinking about something." Shen Lan’s tone was a little tentative. "Junru, what would you say if we started a business together?"
"Huh? Why would you have an idea like that?"
’What other reason could there be? It’s because I’m poor, obviously!’
Besides, she’d heard the Eldest Prince was going to be a judge at the upcoming Kitchen King Competition.
Princess Ruoxin was giving her the cold shoulder completely. No matter how Shen Lan tried to explain herself, the princess wouldn’t budge.
She couldn’t get in touch with Li Zexing, either. Every time she messaged him, she was brushed off with a curt, "I’m filming. Do not disturb."
But Shen Lan refused to give up on her path to becoming the Crown Prince Consort.
’Since the path through Princess Ruoxin is a dead end, I’ll just have to find another one. Why can’t I just approach the Eldest Prince directly?’
The Kitchen King Competition was the perfect opportunity.
’I’ll show off my best culinary skills and create the most delicious food. Once the Eldest Prince takes a single bite, he’ll never forget me.’
’After we meet a few more times, I’m sure the Eldest Prince will start to develop feelings for me!’
But to enter the Kitchen King Competition, you needed to own a restaurant. Otherwise, you weren’t eligible.
The establishment could be large or small, but you had to have one.
Since Shen Lan had no money to open one, she set her sights on Pan Junru.
Over the past two days, Shen Lan had done her homework and learned everything there was to know about Pan Junru’s family background.
When Shen Lan heard that Pan Junru’s monthly allowance was at least 100,000 Star Coins, she was so envious she nearly ground her teeth to dust.
’It’s so infuriating. The most allowance I’ve ever received since returning to the Shen Family was just 50,000 Star Coins.’
’And Pan Junru gets at least 100,000 Star Coins every single month!’
"Junru, you must have noticed how unfriendly our classmates are to us." Shen Lan, of course, couldn’t reveal her true motives, so she launched into a speech she had prepared earlier. "Don’t you want to change their opinion of us?"
"Starting a business will change that?"
"Think about it. Right now, they all have to ask their parents for an allowance. There’s no dignity in that. But if we start a business, we’ll be earning our own money. We’ll be accomplishing something they can’t, and then they’ll have to change how they see us."
"I guess... that makes sense?" Pan Junru said, a little bewildered. "Then what kind of business should we start? Should we open a shop to sell the clothes and shoes from my family’s factory?"
"No," Shen Lan said, shaking her head. "If we’re going to be self-reliant, we can’t be too dependent on our families. I’ve thought about it. We should make and sell food."
"But I can’t cook."
"I can," Shen Lan said, the corners of her mouth turning up. "Have you forgotten that our cooking teacher said I have a talent for it?"
Pan Junru’s eyes lit up. "Oh, that’s right! Xiao Lan, the steamed egg you made last time was so tender and delicious!"
"Junru, you’re my best friend. You can leave the hard work, like learning how to cook, to me. All you have to do is find us a good storefront and take care of the business license and paperwork. Things like that are simple for you."
Pan Junru looked deeply moved. "Xiao Lan, you’re so thoughtful!"
Finding a storefront and getting a business license was nothing for her. She just had to mention it to her family, and it would all be handled in less than a day.
Learning to cook, on the other hand, was something she was completely hopeless at.
It was like she was born without a single cooking bone in her body. Even with a simple dish like steamed egg, she could follow the teacher’s instructions step-by-step and still end up with something that looked like a lumpy mess.
However, to show her commitment to opening a successful shop with Shen Lan, Pan Junru decided she would handle everything herself. That way, Shen Lan wouldn’t have to worry about a thing besides honing her culinary skills.
"Everyone has things they’re good at. I’m just asking you to do what you do best." Shen Lan seemed to think of something, and a troubled look crossed her face. "But... there is one thing I’m not sure if I should mention."
"Just say it! We’re best friends, there’s nothing we can’t talk about!"
"The cooking classes at school alone won’t be enough. I need to use my free time to find a private instructor to really learn. I just... I don’t know where to find a good one..."
"I’ll find someone! I’ll find a Kitchen King to be your teacher! Xiao Lan, don’t you worry about it. I’ll arrange everything."
Seeing Pan Junru take on the full responsibility for everything, just as she had hoped, Shen Lan could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Even the way she looked at Pan Junru softened considerably.
’Sometimes I find her a bit dim-witted, but being dim-witted has its advantages.’
’Look at her now. All it took was a few casual words to have her completely wrapped around my finger, willing to do all my work and spend money for me.’
’I should probably be a little nicer to Pan Junru from now on. Where else am I going to find such a gullible little follower?’
’I don’t have to flatter her or spend money on her, and I can still get so much out of her. She’s a million times better than those ungrateful rich girls I used to waste so much effort trying to win over.’