Chapter 34

This move, looks quite proper, huh?

Zhao Xiao Yan stood to the side watching Wei Dalei's big, expansive movements, giggling as she spoke. It is said that from an evolutionary perspective, men's movements when doing physical labor naturally produce a certain attraction to women.

Chen Mu didn't give her a tool, because it was obvious Zhao Xiao Yan's labor capacity relative to Wei Dalei's was almost negligible, so he simply had her stand guard and keep watch on the surroundings.

"I did this kind of work when I was little on my dad's construction site." Wei Dalei, praised by Zhao Xiao Yan, grinned and laughed heartily.

To save time, Chen Mu also joined in shoveling flour; although his strength was far less than Wei Dalei's, his technique was actually better than Old Wei's, so his speed wasn't much slower.

"Boss, you're really capable, you can pick up anything, haha."

"I've done this kind of work in many places; I guess even your dad's." Chen Mu smiled.

Wei Dalei knew Chen Mu's background and had no doubt about it.

With the two working together, the plastic bucket on the cart was quickly filled.

Chen Mu sealed the opening.

The earlier celery leaves, he rolled them up and stuffed them into the gap between the bucket and the cart's railings, to prevent them from being blown away outside.

All done, shall we go back?

If there's no salt, we'll have to look elsewhere." Chen Mu looked at the seasoning jars up high and ultimately decided to temporarily give up on this place.

Generally, seasonings are placed higher up to avoid moisture; originally Tang Jing suggested they come to the steaming room because she remembered some bagged salt placed on the floor here, but obviously she either misremembered or the staff moved it, after all Tang Jing couldn't often run to the canteen back kitchen to play with her uncle.

Chen Mu originally intended to wait and come back next time.

But upon further thought, the longer the delay, the higher the danger in the cafeteria; besides, next time we'd still have no direction, and going back and forth would waste a lot of time.

Is salt really that urgent?" Zhao Xiao Yan asked.

Of course, if a person consumes no salt at all, they can't hold out for 10 to 15 days. I don't know how much our current bodies differ from before, but by the time we notice the problem, it'll be too late.

But I remember my mom, to lose weight, ate vegetables without any oil or salt." Zhao Xiao Yan recalled, saying.

It also depends on the situation; some people's constitutions can tolerate longer periods, but mainly, salt intake doesn't have to come entirely from table salt; our ordinary food contains some amount, for instance animal blood and meat have a little salt, while things like sauces, pickled products, and even snack drinks themselves contain high salt levels.

So, usually we don't feel like we're eating much salt, and it's not a big problem.

But like us now, eating only rice and flour and a bit of celery leaves, with no meat at all, it's definitely not enough.

Then where else should we look?" Zhao Xiao Yan asked.

Let's first check the kitchen.

The three returned once more to the corridor they'd just been in, with rooms lined up on both sides, most doors open, but the problem is we have no idea what's inside; searching room by room would probably take several days.

Zhao Xiao Yan, try sniffing along the way for any pepper or similar scent.

Why pepper?" Zhao Xiao Yan puzzled.

Because salt itself has no odor, but seasonings are usually stored together; if you can smell any one of them, your chances of finding it increase greatly. Pepper has a strong smell, so I think it'll be relatively easier to locate.

Okay, I'll try my best.

Afterward.

The three of them set out again.

When they came, they had already prepared to spend the night outside; now it's just about noon, and time is still quite ample.

Zhao Xiao Yan indeed kept snuffling like a little dog the whole way, constantly twitching her nose in the air; Wei Dalei several times wanted to laugh out loud, but Chen Mu slapped him back each time.

However, the cafeteria's air is filled with mixed odors, especially after we became small, the accessible air is scarce; plus Zhao Xiao Yan has never deliberately trained her ability, so this whole route yielded little result.

Wait.

Just as Chen Mu had finished preparing to look for a place to spend the night, Zhao Xiao Yan suddenly called a halt, strained her nose in the air, and after a moment said: "It seems there really is pepper smell…… no, it's some kind of sauce…… no, this smell is very familiar, I just can't recall it right away."

Are you sure it's some kind of seasoning?" Chen Mu asked.

Sure!

Then let's go take a look.

In fact, in this environment, if Zhao Xiao Yan can clearly smell it, it means they're not far away; otherwise even a strong odor would be masked by other things.

Chen Mu calculated the time; if things go smoothly, they should still be able to return before dark.

Zhao Xiao Yan, while sniffing the scent, guided the two.

Soon.

The three arrived before a room.

Inside the cafeteria, many rooms have thresholds, but considering staff often carry basins and such in and out, for safety the thresholds are kept low.

Take the steaming room we just saw as an example; it actually only has a single plastic barrier, mainly to prevent water on the floor from spreading.

But the room before us now is clearly different from the other rooms in the cafeteria.

Inside it is very dry.

Upon entering, the sticky, greasy feeling underfoot is also much reduced.

Is this the place?

Yes.

This is an interior room not adjacent to the outer wall, so it has no windows; fortunately it's noon, and with the door open we can roughly see what's inside.

They are rows of cardboard boxes, some even stacked up to the ceiling height.

It looks like a warehouse-like room.

The three didn't dare rush in all at once; until they'd slightly adjusted to the dimness at the doorway, they proceeded with extra caution, slowly walking in,

The smell is getting more obvious…… ah, I know what it is.

Zhao Xiao Yan's excited voice came: "It's instant noodles."

You can't even think of instant noodles?" Wei Dalei wondered.

I rarely eat instant noodles; actually, since I secretly ate some as a child, I haven't had any since. My mom says instant noodles are unhealthy—she herself never eats them and forbids the whole family from doing so. When she found out I'd sneaked some, she spanked me hard, and after that I didn't dare again, but that taste really is quite good.

During high school, students are basically still under their parents' supervision; especially Zhao Xiao Yan, this well-behaved girl, being tightly controlled by her mom, not having eaten instant noodles is understandable.

Thinking again of her mother who never put oil or salt in her vegetables, Chen Mu suddenly felt that his own childhood wasn't so bad either.

And while Zhao Xiao Yan was speaking.

Chen Mu also saw the large characters printed on the cardboard box in front of him.

"Master Kang's braised beef noodles."

"More for no extra price."