Chapter 349: Isn’t This Also a Form of Trust?
Chapter 349: Chapter 349: Isn’t This Also a Form of Trust?
Xue Can: What did you find? Are the walls getting thicker again?
A few days ago, after Shen Lu maxed out the shop’s defense stat, the walls of this abandoned building had changed, transforming into a material Huo Qian had never seen before, but one that was exceptionally sturdy.
Huo Qian: No. I think I might know what Fu Cheng’s other superpower is.
Xue Can: ?
Huo Qian: It must be Instant Teleportation. A moment ago, he just appeared in the greenhouse out of nowhere. He literally materialized from thin air.
Xue Can: All right, I understand.
Xue Can: You and Wu Jun need to be extra careful for a while. A lot of people will come looking for trouble, especially once the weather improves. If you can’t handle them, message me immediately.
Huo Qian: Yes, boss.
Fu Cheng returned to the second floor to find Shen Lu sitting cross-legged on the sofa, looking at him with a wide smile.
"So, how was it?"
Fu Cheng closed the door. "Very impressive. But my strength is less than half of what it used to be. What if we’re up against a stronger Superpower User, or a group of over a hundred people?"
Shen Lu knocked on the wall. "But they can’t get in."
"Can you stay inside the shop your entire life?"
"Theoretically, yes."
’If local ingredients are available, great. If not, oh well. It doesn’t really affect my business.’
’And that "mysterious merchant" stuff is total nonsense. They don’t even exist.’
’As long as I have enough popularity value, I can just keep holing up in the shop.’
’It seems there’s nothing to worry about.’
Fu Cheng gave a self-deprecating smile. ’I haven’t even gotten stronger yet, and Shen Lu is already invincible. Looks like I can go back to being a freeloader.’
The Light Brain on Fu Cheng’s wrist suddenly began to flash. Shen Lu glanced over and said, "You’ve got a call."
Fu Cheng rejected the call. "Spam."
But the next second, a Light Brain started flashing again—this time, it was Shen Lu’s.
It was an unknown number. Shen Lu hesitated for a moment before answering.
"Hello? Who is this, please?"
"Shen Lu?" The man on the other end had a deep, cold voice that sounded like he was suppressing his anger.
"Who’s this?"
The man on the line was rude, so Shen Lu was rude right back. ’Doesn’t he know he’s supposed to introduce himself?’
"I’m Fu Cheng’s uncle. Do me a favor and put this on speaker."
Shen Lu paused and looked over at Fu Cheng.
’Wait, why is his uncle calling my Light Brain?’
Out of politeness, Shen Lu switched the call to speaker.
"Fu Cheng, why didn’t you answer my call?"
Fu Cheng’s tone was icy. "Do I need a reason?"
"I’m not calling to argue with you. Who gave you permission to abuse a military connection? Who allowed it?!"
"What does that have to do with you? My father is the one on good terms with Major Zhuge, not you."
"You bastard! That connection belongs to the Fu Family! I order you to return that military armored vehicle at once!"
Fu Cheng gave Shen Lu a meaningful look. She understood immediately, cutting off the call and adding Fu Haiting’s number to her block list.
Shen Lu exclaimed, "Are you kidding me? He actually has the nerve to call you and chew you out?"
Fu Haiting threw Fu Cheng out ages ago and never once checked on him. This was the first phone call, and it wasn’t to see how he was doing, but to deliver a harsh lecture.
’What right does he have to lecture Fu Cheng? The nerve!’
Shen Lu was fuming.
Fu Cheng’s gloomy mood lifted when he saw Shen Lu was even angrier than he was. The corners of his lips curled up unconsciously.
"Don’t pay him any mind. Just keep using the vehicle."
"I know."
’Fu Haiting is a bad guy. I couldn’t care less if he’s angry or if he "allows" it.’
Back in his room, Fu Cheng received another call.
It was an unfamiliar number. Suspecting it was just Fu Haiting using a different number, Fu Cheng decisively rejected the call and blocked it.
"He hung up on me?" Yun Lian’s eyes widened in disbelief. "That little bastard actually dared to hang up on me?!"
Yun Lian was angry, but remembering her husband’s instructions, she tried dialing again. This time, the call wouldn’t go through.
Yun Lian summoned her butler and had him dial Fu Cheng’s number, only to be rejected and blocked as well. She then had several servants try, all with the same result.
"That little son of a bitch!" Yun Lian was so furious she smashed a tea set. "Why didn’t he just die and get it over with!"
After her outburst, Yun Lian managed to calm herself down. If she couldn’t reach him by phone, her only option was to find him in person.
Yun Lian’s expression soured at the thought of Fu Cheng living in a place like the Lower City District.
Although she had grown up in the slums herself, ever since Yun Yao brought her into the Yun Family, she had lived a life of pampered luxury. She hadn’t set foot in a filthy, chaotic place like the Lower City District since.
But Gong Tianhua had said that Fu Cheng was the key to his comeback. To get her husband out of prison sooner, she would have to hold her nose and bear it.
She checked the weather forecast. The winds would die down tomorrow, making it safe to go out. Yun Lian immediately made arrangements to head to the Lower City District first thing in the morning to find Fu Cheng.
The gale-force winds that had been blowing for nearly a week finally let up. The persistent dark red hue in the sky faded, revealing a patch of sky that, while not exactly blue, was a welcome change.
Shen Lu stood by the window and stretched. ’Looks like it’s going to be a busy day.’
[Ding! Weekly mission issued: Serve fish-based cuisine to 50 Superpower User customers. Location: Little Deer Cuisine. Time limit: seven days.]
The daily mission hadn’t refreshed yet, but the weekly one had arrived.
’Fish dishes?’
’Looks like I’ll have to change the menu again.’
Shen Lu immediately updated the digital menu. She kept only one beef dish—braised beef brisket—and replaced the others with grilled fish, fish with pickled greens, smoked fish, and spicy fire-roasted fish.
’Sorry, but the Spiced Beef has to come off the menu for now. There’s no other reason except that it’s just too delicious.’
Shen Lu was even considering that dishes made with the Advanced Spiced-Foods Recipe shouldn’t appear on the menu at all, but should instead be reserved as a surprise bonus for her loyal customers.
The dishes in the booth seating area were very expensive. A serving of braised beef brisket, for example, cost 500 Star Coins. The Spiced Beef was even pricier, since it included ingredients purchased from the Mysterious Mall, driving up the cost.
Besides, raising the prices was also a way to filter her clientele.
Shen Lu’s target customers for the booth area were Superpower Users or wealthy people like Bai Wanwan. As for those who were tight on cash, they could eat from the fast-food counter to satisfy their cravings.
The grilled fish and fish with pickled greens tasted best when made to order from live fish. The smoked fish could be prepared in advance, and the same went for the spicy fire-roasted fish. The fish for that dish had to be roasted beforehand; otherwise, there wouldn’t be enough time to prepare it after a customer placed an order.
As usual, Shen Lu pretended to go to the storeroom to get the ingredients she needed, then called Wang Daguo over to help her carry them out.
The weather had improved, so Shu Meng was able to come to work. She took the sudden appearance of a new employee, Sang Yue, in stride. She was, however, a little envious when she heard that Shen Lu had opened the booth seating area and transferred Deng Ying over to be her assistant.
’Working directly under Shen Lu, you could definitely learn so many techniques,’ she thought. ’To be honest, I’d love to learn from her up close like that, too.’
But the feeling was fleeting, and she quickly collected herself.
She knew Shen Lu’s arrangement was the most logical. Besides Little Mantis, the only two chefs who could handle the main kitchen stoves were her and Shen Lu.
With Shen Lu in charge of the cuisine for the booth area, it naturally fell to her to shoulder the responsibility for the fast-food counter.
’And in its own way, isn’t that a sign of trust, too?’