Even Chen Mo was dumbfounded.
The young man took two scoops from four portions of fried rice and put them into an empty lunchbox.
Thus, it turned into five portions of fried rice. The guy paid for them and happily strolled towards the internet cafe.
"Wow, these young people nowadays..."
Uncle Liu was also astounded, "To come up with such an idea, this kid will surely be successful in the future!"
As the guy left, the area by the bridge fell completely silent.
The five portions of fried rice brought Chen Mo another 100 yuan in income. Now he only needed 400 yuan to max out his Experience Value.
"This is the downside of setting up a stall. If there's no foot traffic, everything is just empty talk."
Chen Mo gazed into the distance, unable to see a single person. Though feeling a bit down, he accepted the situation peacefully.
If today doesn't work out, there's always tomorrow. After all... he had already tried his best.
Seeing that no more customers were likely to come, Uncle Liu walked over, "Xiaochen, how about making two more portions of fried rice?"
"Oh?"
Uncle Liu, smiling, started recounting the traditions of setting up a stall at the bridge, and after finishing, he looked at Chen Mo with a smile.
"So, your business has been so good these past few days that it's never our turn to support you, otherwise I would have supported you long ago."
Brother Squid thought that Old Liu was really shameless. To flatter Brother Jiaozi, he could say something like that. In this case, Brother Squid couldn't be weak either.
"Yes, Brother Jiaozi." Brother Squid placed two skewers of squid next to the food cart, "I've long smelled your delicious dumplings and that porridge, but couldn't get in line. Today, I must support you with two portions of fried rice!"
Saying that, Brother Squid put his stuff on the food cart, "Here, these two skewers are on me."
Old Liu squinted at Brother Squid, "These two sausages are on me."
"How can I possibly accept that..." Chen Mo said politely, but he accepted their goodwill with his hands, "How about I treat you two to a drink today, since I see you drink every day?"
Without waiting for them to reply, Chen Mo ran across the street to a 24-hour convenience store and bought a bottle of potent liquor. Although he felt a twinge of pain, they had shown goodwill, and Chen Mo wasn't stingy.
On his way back with the liquor, Chen Mo saw a middle-aged woman crouching on the ground, her eyes blank, tears silently streaming down her face.
In the middle of the night...
"Are you okay? Do you need any help?"
The woman looked up at the young man in front of her and shook her head, "No, thank you."
Chen Mo was curious; he looked back during his walk back and saw the woman taking a deep breath as if she'd made a decision, picking up her phone.
Returning with a few more servings of rice, Chen Mo started chopping sausages and squid, "Since I haven't eaten either, should I fry three portions?"
Brother Squid took the bottle of liquor off the table, "One portion each for Old Liu and me!" He swiftly scanned a QR code to pay forty.
Chen Mo tried to stop him, but Uncle Liu, carrying freshly grilled sausages, sat down, "That's also our rule. There's no business without payment."
The two excitedly poured the liquor into cups, chatting over sausages and grilled squid while waiting for Chen Mo to prepare the fried rice.
Brother Squid took a sip and let out a big satisfied breath, "We provided the ingredients, Brother Jiaozi cooked, and still charges us money. Something feels off here, doesn't it?"
Uncle Liu was pleasantly drinking, "There's nothing off; it's just right!"
Today's gamble was thus called off.
Chen Mo started chopping sausages, readying to fry rice, still somewhat curious. He glanced over and found that the middle-aged woman from before was gone.
...
"Hey, Mom, about Old Zhao... never mind, you better come over. We're at Central Avenue, the place is called Shanshui Hall. It's a foot massage store!"
After hanging up, Guo Aiping's heart raced, her face stained with tears but full of determination, "Old Zhao, don't blame me for being merciless. It's over for us!"
Initially intending to take a taxi directly to the massage store, Guo Aiping changed her mind halfway.
Thinking about how she saved every bit at home for her kids and husband.
If Old Zhao simply gambled or dined during his outings, even if he got massages at a massage store, she wouldn't interfere too much.
But Old Zhao went overboard, a standard massage wasn't enough, and he even spent an extra 288 on a meal?
Recalling her online post that received many responses.
288, while it might not get you a big meal at a foot massage store, it's definitely enough for a prostate care session!
The more she thought, the angrier she got, realizing that this life couldn't continue. Better to take strong action and directly inform the family to witness Old Zhao's disgraceful behavior, even if it meant throwing away 20 years of marriage!
After the call, Guo Aiping jogged to the other side of the street from Shanshui Hall, hiding in the shadows, waiting for her family's arrival.
...
With three servings of mixed fried rice, Chen Mo served it all at once.
On the small side table by the street, there was fried rice, fried sausages, grilled squid, and wine glasses filled by Uncle Liu.
Old Liu and Brother Squid couldn't wait to dig into the mixed fried rice.
Both showed faces full of enjoyment, and Brother Squid even forgot to drink, burying his head in eating.
Uncle Liu, with poor teeth, found chewing the squid a bit tough, but the fried rice still brought him immense joy. In amazement, he said, "I thought the guy inviting you to work at a hotel was a joke, but you've really got some skills! How can this fried rice be so delicious?"
Realizing the oddity in his statement, Old Liu reflected.
He watched Chen Mo cook from start to finish, a standard procedure except for Chen Mo's occasional twitching during cooking. Everything seemed normal otherwise.
Chen Mo took a big bite.
"Just make it the way I imagined."
Unlike the others, besides finding the fried rice delicious, Chen Mo felt validated by the system.
'All the ingredients are very ordinary. It seems the key to deliciousness lies in executing each step to perfection.'
Chen Mo pondered, 'If each step is perfect, the fried rice made will be the most perfect!'
This involved the heat control, timing for adding various ingredients, and the amounts of various seasonings and condiments used.
Isn't this the most crucial culinary technique?
It's just that the system presented it in a more straightforward way.
Seeing Chen Mo silent, Uncle Liu turned to clink glasses but got distracted by Brother Squid with his face buried in the lunch box, "Wow, you call that drinking?"
Usually, they would pair a sausage with a small cup of liquor, but now Brother Squid finished a big serving of fried rice without touching his drink!
"Hehe, it's too good, let me have my fill first."
Brother Squid truly exaggerated his eating as if he didn't need to chew, quickly swallowing every mouthful of rice, finishing it in about two minutes.
"Come, Xiaochen, let's drink!" Old Liu said with exasperation, clinking his glass with Chen Mo.
Chen Mo did feel like having a sip.
Setting up a stall and working for days left him somewhat mentally and physically exhausted. A sip of liquor would be nice, as long as he didn't get drunk.
The only pity was that his Experience Value was stuck at 9640, unable to reach the remaining 360 no matter what.
The glass barely reached his mouth when...
Loud arguing came from not far away.
"Wife, let me explain, I really just went there to eat..."
"Go to a foot massage store to eat? Why not reach for the sky? Why not say you went to a restaurant for a foot massage? Forget about me; ask these shop owners if they believe you?"
The three of them looked over simultaneously.
They saw a man— someone familiar!
Being dragged by the ear by a woman towards the bridge, followed by a group of aggressive people, a bunch of onlookers, and female technicians looking amused!
The man being dragged by the ear was Old Zhao.
And that woman, upon a closer look, wasn't she the woman crying at the convenience store earlier?
Old Liu took a sip of strong liquor, chuckled, and said.
"A cheating scandal? Here comes the drama."
Chen Mo was quite shocked, realizing from Old Liu's expression that such scenes of catching cheating spouses were a regular occurrence by the bridge!
But if you're going to catch them...
Why does it seem you're heading straight for me?