Chapter 356: "This Is Why Boss Shen Sells a Dish for 1888.
Chapter 356: Chapter 356: "This Is Why Boss Shen Sells a Dish for 1888.
Mo Bei shot him a look. "At 1,888 for a single dish, Boss Shen is practically doing charity."
"You sound like you’ve been brainwashed. Who on earth sells food for that much? Especially a small shop like this."
"Enough nonsense. You’ll see what I mean once you eat."
"Alright, fine. But if it’s not good, I’m not paying."
"Don’t worry, you’re definitely paying for this."
Soon, Deng Ying brought over several quick-to-prepare dishes. She explained that the grilled fish would take a bit longer, as it was killed and grilled to order.
"That’s fine, we’re not in a hurry."
Mo Bei picked up his chopsticks, grabbed a piece of the spicy fire-roasted fish, and said, "Miss, could you bring us plenty of rice?"
Deng Ying nodded. She had already witnessed the appetites of Mo Bei and his group, so she brought over four buckets of rice in one go.
"If that’s not enough, just give me a shout. I’ll bring more right away."
"Okay, thank you."
Mo Bei was too busy eating to talk, happily alternating between mouthfuls of food and rice. The other two who had eaten here before quickly joined in, stuffing their faces.
That just left the two first-timers, who looked at each other, feeling that Mo Bei and the others were putting on an act.
They weren’t from the Gale Mercenary Corps, but from the Rose Mercenary Corps. They were childhood best friends with Mo Bei, and all three had been lucky enough to awaken superpowers.
Later, when they were looking for work, Mo Bei joined the Gale Mercenary Corps, while Mao Guangjian and Yang Fei went to the Rose Mercenary Corps.
The original plan was for all three to join the Gale Mercenary Corps, but Mao Guangjian and Yang Fei heard from somewhere that the leader of the Rose Mercenary Corps was a drop-dead gorgeous beauty with a smoking hot body. The two immediately changed course to follow the great beauty.
Because of this, Mo Bei had spent years teasing them for abandoning their friend for a pretty face.
Still, their friendship remained strong, and the three of them often got together to eat and drink when they had free time.
When Mo Bei saw that Shen Lu’s booth section was officially open for business, he’d immediately called the two of them to come eat.
"Hurry up and eat, or you won’t even get a bite later," Mo Bei reminded them conscientiously.
Skeptically, Mao Guangjian picked up one of the small fish. The roasted minnow was a deep, charred brown. A smoky aroma, distinct yet not overwhelming, mingled with a spicy fragrance, making his mouth water.
Popping it into his mouth, the first thing he noticed was the aroma. It was different from any ordinary fish dish, with an enticing smoky flavor.
For a heavy smoker like him, it really hit the spot.
The fire-roasted minnow had a crispy, charred exterior, while the meat inside was slightly chewy. It was fragrant and spicy—a perfect dish to have with drinks.
Yang Fei, meanwhile, tried the salted egg yolk eggplant clay pot. The peeled eggplant was coated in a layer of salted egg yolk, releasing a rich, savory aroma and bursting with flavor when eaten.
"This food is actually amazing," Yang Fei said in amazement.
Mao Guangjian picked up the plate of spicy fire-roasted fish and scraped all the remaining minnows into his own bowl.
"You guys have had plenty. The rest is mine! Hey, miss! Bring us a bottle of booze!"
"They don’t serve alcohol here," Mo Bei said.
"What kind of place is this? They don’t even have alcohol? No way. It’s a crime to eat this food without it. I’ll go buy a couple of bottles."
Mo Bei grabbed him. "Just calm down. You can get the fish to go and eat it later. Don’t drink here."
"No way, I want to drink now."
"Drink my ass! I know what you’re like. You have a little bit of piss-water and you forget your own name. If you dare make a drunken scene in here, my boss will skin you alive."
Mao Guangjian clicked his tongue. "What does this have to do with your boss?"
"Ahem... This shop is a partner of our Mercenary Corps. Alright, just hurry up and eat."
Don’t be fooled by Mo Bei’s usual smart mouth, or how he was always running his gums in front of Xue Can. When it came to outside matters, he was tight-lipped.
’The fact that his boss has been chasing someone for ages without success, only daring to drop subtle hints of affection? He would absolutely never tell anyone about that.’
As they ate, Mao Guangjian and Yang Fei made a new discovery.
"Huh, my head was feeling a little off when I came in, but now the pain is completely gone."
"Me too. The only reason I came back to the base to rest was because my Spiritual Sea was about to fluctuate. But I feel fine now."
Mo Bei said nonchalantly, "And that’s why a single dish from Boss Shen costs 1,888."
Yang Fei asked in disbelief, "What are you trying to say?"
"It’s exactly what you think it means."
Mao Guangjian was skeptical. "No way. Don’t tell me this food has something... extra in it?"
"No. Boss Shen is an honest business owner. She wouldn’t do anything shady like that."
Mao Guangjian and Yang Fei exchanged a look. "Well, if that’s the case, then 1,888 for a dish really isn’t expensive."
Not expensive? It was a downright bargain.
They wouldn’t get results this good even from hospital treatment!
And that was expensive, too. If they weren’t at their absolute limit, they would never go to the hospital.
A few minutes later, dishes like pickled cabbage fish and shredded potatoes were served. This time, without any prompting from Mo Bei, Mao Guangjian and Yang Fei immediately started wolfing down the food.
After serving the dishes, Deng Ying returned to the kitchen and remarked to Shen Lu.
"They’re eating like they haven’t had a meal in days. They looked so fierce, I was afraid they were about to start a fight."
Shen Lu smiled. "That won’t happen."
’Cause trouble in her shop?’
’She wouldn’t show any mercy. She’d just use her authority to kick them out and be done with it.’
After she finished preparing the grilled fish and had it sent out, the shop welcomed its second table of customers.
Jiang Gong walked in with two or three unfamiliar faces and greeted Shen Lu enthusiastically the moment he saw her.
"Boss Shen."
"Mr. Jiang."
"Vice. I’m the Vice-Captain."
Shen Lu smiled faintly. "’Mr. Jiang’ just rolls off the tongue. How about I call you ’Little Jiang’?"
"You can just call me by my name." Jiang Gong’s personality was completely different from Xue Can’s; he was very easygoing and friendly.
Shen Lu didn’t insist. "Then you can call me by my name from now on, too."
"Hmph." The young woman standing behind Jiang Gong glanced at Shen Lu with disdain, her expression full of scorn.
Jiang Gong heard her and turned to shoot her a glare.
"Gao Manting, knock it off!"
"What did I do now?" Gao Manting pouted. "Jiang Gong, you yelled at me! I’m going to tell my aunt!"
Jiang Gong didn’t indulge her. "Then go ahead. Just stop sticking to me all day long. It’s so annoying!"
Gao Manting stomped her foot, looking like she was about to throw a tantrum. The young man with glasses who was with them coaxed her in a gentle voice, "Man Ting, Brother Jiang didn’t mean it like that. I checked, and this place is supposed to be pretty good. I heard they even have pizza, which you like."
"What could possibly be good at a crappy little shop like this in the Lower City District?" Gao Manting grumbled. "They probably just use ingredients the Upper City District didn’t want. There’s no way they can make decent food."
"If you don’t want to eat, then leave. I didn’t want to bring you in the first place. You’re the one who shamelessly forced your way into the car," Jiang Gong said irritably.
"Jiang Gong!" Gao Manting shouted, fuming.
Seeing that the two of them were about to start a real fight, Shen Lu quickly stepped in to smooth things over, instructing Deng Ying to bring four glasses of mint water.
’Forget about serving tea. The leaves were expensive, after all, and Shen Lu wasn’t about to serve tea to just anyone.’