Chapter 379: Chapter 379: Boss, Can You Come... Save Me?

Upgrading the shop’s scale was a main quest. Since it didn’t come with daily reminders like the daily quests, Shen Lu had almost forgotten about it.

Upgrading the shop’s scale was neither difficult nor easy.

First, she needed an expansion permit.

The expansion permit could be purchased from the Mysterious Mall for 1,000 reputation value.

Then there were the materials for the upgrade.

Shen Lu could understand the need for materials like tungsten wire, refined iron, and aluminum alloy ingots. But there wasn’t a single place that used wood, so what was the deal with needing 200 pine planks for the upgrade?

Finally, it also required 5,000 popularity value.

It was really so expensive.

When she upgraded from a stall to a small shop, all it took was a business license and 1,000 popularity value.

Now, just to make the shop a little bigger, it required so many things.

All the miscellaneous things added up, costing seventy to eighty thousand popularity value and 1,000 reputation value.

Shen Lu had originally planned to make do for now, given the bad weather. She would save up popularity value and reputation value and then upgrade next spring.

But now, it seemed better to just get the upgrade done.

’I should pick a time when the wind is so strong that no one can go out.’

They closed up the shop and everyone had a simple bowl of noodles with toppings for lunch.

The Liu father and son duo didn’t get any. It was Liu Qiang’s own fault for acting up yesterday; Shen Lu wasn’t going to let it slide so easily.

Yang Jing was much bolder than before now, eating all three meals a day with everyone.

Before each meal, she would carefully wash her hands and face and change into clean shoes and clothes.

Shen Lu had nothing to say about this. It was good, and she hoped Yang Jing could keep it up.

After lunch, Sang Yue borrowed a vehicle, saying she was going to sign a rental contract.

Shen Lu agreed.

’Heavens, this high-maintenance guest is finally leaving. What a joyous occasion.’

Deng Ying came over to ask for time off, saying she wanted to go back home for a bit in the afternoon.

Her younger sister had been back for two days, and she didn’t know how she was doing.

Shen Lu agreed to this as well.

There wasn’t much to do in the afternoon anyway, just marinating pork ribs and steaming some buns. Being short two people wouldn’t affect anything.

Around five o’clock, people started showing up at the shop’s entrance one after another. Most of them were acquaintances of the shop’s employees.

They hesitantly pulled out some metal materials from their pockets, waiting for Shen Lu to speak.

The wind was strong, so people who went to the scrap yard didn’t dare pick up bulky metal scraps. Small, high-value items like copper blocks and tungsten wire were the top choices.

Shen Lu only accepted materials that met her standards, and the prices she offered were very fair. Those who didn’t want money could exchange their items for coarse grain buns of equal value.

Half the people chose money, and the other half chose the buns.

Shen Lu glanced at her reputation value. It was slowly increasing by +1, +1, but it stopped after gaining about ten points.

In total, seventeen or eighteen people came to deliver materials today. She rejected two of them because the quality of their materials was too poor, but she accepted everyone else’s.

’This return rate is pretty high.’

’If seventy or eighty people come tomorrow, won’t I get at least seventy-some reputation value?’

’Excellent. If this keeps up, there’s hope for buying Fu Cheng’s prosthetic limbs and eyes.’

Thinking of this, Shen Lu couldn’t help but sigh.

She really didn’t want Fu Cheng to take this risk.

Wouldn’t it be better for him to just wait safely for her to save up enough reputation value to buy the prosthetics and eyes from the Mysterious Mall?

But she had no way to stop Fu Cheng.

’Speaking of which, the Fu Cheng in the original story also got prosthetic limbs. Who was it that fitted them for him?’

’I’m a little curious.’

’Could it have been the Yun Family?’

But so far, aside from Yun Lian, Shen Lu hadn’t met any other members of the Yun Family.

’Could it be that I’ve taken such good care of Fu Cheng that they don’t feel the need to intervene?’

’That doesn’t seem right.’

Shen Lu racked her brain, trying to recall the plot. If the Fu Cheng in the book had really been saved by the Yun Family, then he shouldn’t have been so cold during their reunion later on.

Shen Lu rubbed her temples.

’The plot has long since gone off the rails. It’s not really feasible to rely on cheating with my knowledge of the original story anymore.’

Or rather, from the moment she chose not to abandon Fu Cheng like the original owner of this body did, many things had fundamentally changed.

’Based on the current situation, Fu Cheng probably won’t become the great villain.’

’Without the great villain, how will things turn out?’

After dinner, Shen Lu pushed Fu Cheng around the greenhouse in the backyard for a stroll.

The scallions had grown to be as tall as her palm. They were a vibrant green, and you could smell their fragrant aroma as you got closer.

"The scallions are growing well." This was the first time Fu Cheng had seen them growing in the ground. In the past, even if the Fu Family grew things in pots, it was always ornamental flowers and plants.

"Of course. You should see whose land it is."

The two plots where the scallions were growing were fertile land; anything planted there would grow well.

Shen Lu now had Yang Jing plant the sunflower seeds. Once they sprouted and grew into seedlings, they would be moved to ordinary soil.

After all, there was no telling when she’d get another plot of fertile land from a lucky draw. And if you asked Shen Lu to buy one, she wouldn’t be willing to part with the money.

A plot of fertile land wasn’t cheap; it cost a hundred thousand popularity value.

She believed the seeds provided by the system were resilient and could grow in any soil. It was just that they would probably grow better and faster in fertile land.

Liu Yaozu sat on his bed and saw Shen Lu pushing Fu Cheng on a walk. He commented sourly, "She has time to take that cripple out for a stroll, but no time to deal with us."

Liu Qiang ate an Insect Cake with a blank expression. "We can’t just keep waiting around."

He had been feeling incredibly frustrated these past few days.

In Liu Qiang’s mind, after the divorce, Yang Jing was supposed to have a worse and worse life, while his own would get better and better.

But the opposite had happened.

His life was far worse than before, while Yang Jing had somehow managed to suck up to Shen Lu, moved into a nice house, and was eating good food and fine dishes every day.

Liu Yaozu asked, "Dad, what do you have in mind?"

"Get married." Liu Qiang fiercely swallowed the throat-scratching Insect Cake. "I’m going to find a wife who’s richer than Shen Lu and younger, gentler, and more considerate than Yang Jing!"

The corner of Liu Yaozu’s mouth twitched.

He had planned the same thing before, but that was based on the premise that Shen Lu would be willing to arrange it.

Now, Shen Lu was giving the father-son pair the cold shoulder. Why would she possibly be willing to help them find such a good woman?

’If there really was a girl like that, why would she marry his dad? Wouldn’t it be better to marry him?’

’He was younger than his dad, and it would be his first marriage, too.’

Shen Lu was painting a pretty picture for Fu Cheng, telling him that in another three months, the sunflowers would bloom. Once the flower heads matured, they could harvest the seeds and roast them to eat.

Fu Cheng watched her with a gentle expression, feeling that such warm and tender moments were truly wonderful.

Suddenly, the Light Brain on Shen Lu’s wrist began to flash urgently.

It was a call from Deng Ying.

Shen Lu let out a sound of surprise. She suddenly remembered that it was already this late, and Deng Ying still hadn’t returned. ’Could something have happened to her family?’

After answering the call, Deng Ying’s trembling voice came through.

"Bo-Boss, can you come... save me? I..."

Before she could finish, a sudden LOUD BANG erupted, as if someone had viciously kicked a sheet of metal.

Muffled curses were mixed in with the noise, and a sharp, grating sound of metal scraping was ear-piercing. Shen Lu heard a bloodcurdling scream, and then the call was disconnected.

"Deng Ying’s in trouble," Shen Lu said, a little panicked. "I have to go save her."

Fu Cheng glanced at the sky outside, then checked the weather forecast. He decisively told her to call Wu Jun and Huo Qian and get into the military armored vehicle with them.

"Starting from seven o’clock tonight, the winds will get stronger. It’s safer to take the armored vehicle."

Wu Jun and Huo Qian looked at each other in dismay. "Boss Shen, we don’t know how to drive this thing."

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