Chapter 317: Chapter 317: The First Reaction Is Disbelief

A commotion broke out in the fast-food area again, and Shen Lu had to bring Wu Jun over to handle it.

There were too many customers today. Shen Lu didn’t have the energy to reason with anyone, so she just kicked out both parties involved in the fight.

"You fucking bitch, you’re actually kicking me out?!"

"I get you kicking him out—he started it. I was just defending myself! Why are you kicking me out too?!"

"The owner’s picking on people!"

"The owner’s beating people to death!"

"Shut it, all of you!" Huo Qian shot each of them a death glare. She took the money they had just spent and stuffed it into their collars, one by one. "Don’t you know you’re not supposed to cause trouble in here? You’re on the blacklist now. No service for a month."

"What? No way!"

"No, no, that won’t work! I’ll die if I can’t eat here for a month!"

"Can I apologize?"

"Get lost. If you don’t leave now, I’ll add another month to the ban!"

At these words, the rowdy group didn’t dare let out another peep. They grudgingly took their money and left.

Shen Lu briefly reassured the other customers in the shop before returning to the back kitchen to cook.

Once all the prepped ingredients were cooked, Shen Lu went out to the front.

She glanced at the number of people and had Wang Daguo put up a sign at the entrance, telling those further back not to bother waiting in line anymore. Even if they got to the front, there was no food left.

"How can that be? It took me two hours to walk here, and you’re just telling me there’s no food?"

"No, please! I’m still starving. I’m so weak I can barely move my arms and legs. Making me leave in this weather... are you trying to kill me?"

For a moment, a chorus of wails and complaints erupted.

Meanwhile, those already in front of the sign felt a surge of relief, considering themselves lucky.

Shen Lu had to go out again to placate these resentful customers. Some were reasonable and easy to talk to, but others were stubbornly insistent, demanding that Shen Lu sell them something.

Shen Lu couldn’t be bothered to argue. She resorted to her ultimate apology technique: the spicy radish skin salad. Those who left peacefully were promised a free portion of it on their next visit. Those who didn’t, got nothing.

As expected, it worked.

By the time the last customer finished eating and left the shop, it was already four in the afternoon.

Shen Lu let out a long sigh of relief and told Wang Daguo to close up.

"I’m completely wiped." Shen Lu collapsed into the chair behind the front counter, feeling like her soul was about to leave her body.

When she was idle, she wished she were busy. But when she was truly busy, Shen Lu found it a little overwhelming.

It wasn’t just Shen Lu; everyone else in the shop was exhausted. They all found a place to sit and rest. Their stomachs, empty from skipping lunch, were GROWLING, but no one wanted to move.

Shen Lu called Xiao Lang over. She took out some milk bread and cereal bars and had him pass them around so everyone could have a bite to tide them over.

Fu Cheng noticed Shen Lu’s hand was trembling slightly. He went over and gently squeezed it a few times. The young woman let out a comfortable sigh. "Could you massage it a little more?"

It had been a while since she’d cooked with such high intensity. Today had been a mad rush, and her hands felt weak and exhausted.

Fu Cheng’s warm palms kneaded along the muscles of her arm. After massaging her left hand, he moved to her right, then worked on the tension in her shoulders and neck as well.

"Can’t even lift your arm, can you?" he asked. "Want me to feed you some bread?"

"Mhm," Shen Lu hummed, her eyes half-closed.

’It’s perfectly reasonable to be taken care of once in a while, right?’

’After all, I’ve fed Fu Cheng plenty of times. It’s only normal for him to return the favor.’

Fu Cheng tore off a piece of bread and brought it to her lips. Shen Lu just had to open her mouth to eat it.

The way the young woman ate couldn’t be called elegant. In fact, because she was ravenous, it was almost ferocious. She even ended up biting Fu Cheng’s fingers a few times.

But Fu Cheng still found her incredibly cute.

The tips of his bitten fingers tingled, a feeling that spread all the way to his heart.

After a half-hour break, everyone finally recovered. Those in charge of cleaning started cleaning, and those on dish duty started washing. Shen Lu wanted to invite them all to stay for dinner, but those who didn’t live at the shop politely declined.

"Boss, I’ve got some things to take care of at home."

When Shu Meng and Deng Ying said this, Shen Lu understood. But when Xin Yu said it, she wasn’t so convinced.

"Isn’t your place empty?"

"I’m worried about my house," Xin Yu sighed. "The wind has died down today, so I have to go back and check on it."

"Alright then."

Before they left, Shen Lu gave each of them two steamed buns, a small bag of pickled vegetables, and an apple.

"If the weather is bad tomorrow, don’t force yourselves to come in. Just stay home," Shen Lu said, singling out Xin Yu. "Especially you. Don’t let what happened last time happen again."

"Got it, Boss."

The employees had barely left when Xue Can arrived.

"Mr. Xue, you’re recovering well." Shen Lu saw that his complexion had improved considerably; he was no longer as pale as a sheet of paper.

Mo Bei popped up from behind him. "Boss Shen, I’ve missed you to death!"

"AHEM!" Xue Can’s eyes sharpened as he let out a heavy cough.

Mo Bei pouted. "I mean, I’ve missed your cooking to death."

Shen Lu invited the two of them in. Xiao Lang came scampering out and hugged Xue Can’s leg, refusing to let go.

"Brother Xue, you’re finally here!"

He was very sensitive to Xue Can’s presence. The moment Xue Can entered the shop, he sensed it and immediately ran out to greet him.

"Have you had any trouble with your practice lately?"

Xiao Lang thought for a moment. "I did have a problem."

Xiao Lang explained how he had lost control and overused his superpower.

"If it wasn’t too serious, then it’s fine. Even we over-exert ourselves sometimes." Xue Can didn’t think much of it. After all, Xiao Lang seemed perfectly fine and full of energy now, so there couldn’t have been any major issues.

"If Mr. Xue doesn’t know how to teach a novice, it would be best not to play the role of a teacher at all." Fu Cheng’s cool voice came from behind them.

Xue Can didn’t turn around. He replied with a hint of sarcasm, "Does this have anything to do with you? Or are you just jealous that I have a good apprentice like Xiao Lang?"

"It doesn’t have much to do with me, and I’m not jealous you have an apprentice," Fu Cheng said truthfully. "It’s just that you’ve caused trouble for Little Deer."

Little Deer.

Xue Can jealously ground his back teeth. He only called Shen Lu "Boss Shen" now, but this shameless man, Fu Cheng, was calling her "Little Deer" so casually.

"I’ll ask Boss Shen myself. I don’t need an outsider like you butting in."

"I have no objection to you teaching Xiao Lang. I just hope that when you do, you’ll repeat the precautions a few more times." Fu Cheng hadn’t come to get into a war of words with Xue Can; he just wanted to give him a reminder. "Xiao Lang has never been exposed to superpowers before. He doesn’t know some of the basic, common-sense things that we take for granted."

Xue Can was annoyed by Fu Cheng’s condescending attitude. He turned his head, ready to snap back at him, but Xiao Lang suddenly tugged on his hand.

"Brother Xue, a few days ago, I overused my superpower... It was Brother Fu Cheng who saved me. Mom said Brother Fu Cheng was in bed for a whole day before he got better."

"Him?"

Xue Can’s first reaction was disbelief.

He had pulled some strings to look at Fu Cheng’s medical records. Not only were his physical injuries severe, but his Spiritual Sea had also been critically damaged.

It was a miracle he was even alive. He couldn’t believe Fu Cheng could have possibly recovered his strength.

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