Chapter 197: All for the Sake of Research

The New Year's holiday in Fu No. 1 High School, strictly speaking, lasts three and a half days.

Of course, if you count the New Year's Eve party day as well, it becomes four days.

Classes are off on the 1st morning, and the 2nd is Friday, so it connects seamlessly with the weekend.

Then, by Sunday the 4th, everyone must return for evening self-study.

For students who need to make up classes or attend competition classes, they must return to school in the afternoon—for example, Ying Chanxi.

By evening, Xu Youyu, who had spent the whole afternoon typing, was about to go find Li Luo to head to school when he noticed a pile of items placed on the kitchen floor.

A large sack of rice, many boxes of eggs, a big bag of carrots and ham sausages.

In addition, two large buckets of cooking oil and a whole carton of plastic food containers and insulated foam boxes.

Li Luo and Zhao Rongjun were standing in the kitchen counting the supplies; after confirming everything was in order, Li Luo stood up, patted his backside, and stretched his neck: "First day—we won't overdo it. Just practice a bit, feel out the path."

"Do it now?" Zhao Rongjun asked. "Aren't we supposed to go to evening self-study?"

"Of course not now," Li Luo replied, pointing at the carrots and ham sausages. "Eggs can be beaten fresh, but the diced carrots and sliced ham—we can prep them ahead."

"I already cooked the rice this afternoon. It's cooled down; we can use it when we get back tonight."

"As planned, today we'll test the taste with acquaintances and do a little promotion, so we won't make much—just ten portions of fried rice."

Given the size of their wok, they could fry three or four portions at once.

Just the frying time for one wok of egg fried rice takes three to five minutes; ten portions would take about ten minutes.

With Zhao Rongjun helping out, they'd have more than enough time during the third period of evening self-study—forty minutes total.

"So… what are you two up to?" Xu Youyu, still unaware of their plan, stood there bewildered, completely lost.

"Of course we're making money, senior," Li Luo smiled at her. "Don't go snitching on us, my lord."

…

Third period of evening self-study at Fu No. 1 High School.

Yan Zhusheng sat at her desk, diligently reviewing her lessons, occasionally slipping off-task to play with the harmonica Li Luo had given her.

Li Luo had already left school; for her, it was like the game had entered garbage time—she just wanted class to end.

Especially with Li Luo's instructions for tonight in mind, Yan Zhusheng carefully thought through and memorized them again; as soon as the bell for evening self-study rang, she went to find Xu Yinghuan.

"Huanhuan, I'm treating you to something delicious tonight."

"Huh?" Xu Yinghuan blinked. "Delicious? Are you taking me to the supermarket, Zhusheng?"

Yan Zhusheng shook her head. "Just come with me and you'll see."

About two-thirds of Fu No. 1's students live on campus; after school, the flood of students was quite spectacular—like opening a dam and letting a mountain of piglets run wild.

Yan Zhusheng led Xu Yinghuan out of the school gate, through the dormitory compound, past the bustling supermarket with its long queue, past the boys' dormitory building, and arrived beside the fire escape gate next to the girls' dormitory.

Xu Yinghuan followed, puzzled, unable to help asking: "Zhusheng, why are we coming here… uh?"

Before she finished speaking, she looked along their path and immediately spotted an electric tricycle outside the gate, along with several familiar figures standing beside it.

"Monitor? Xi Xi?" Xu Yinghuan blinked, then walked up to the gate, astonished and confused. "Why is Zhao Rongjun here too? And… and Senior Xu?"

At that moment, Li Luo and Zhao Rongjun had opened the foam boxes on the electric tricycle, pulled out two portions of fried rice, and passed them through the gate's gap to Yan Zhusheng and Xu Yinghuan.

Nearby, Ying Chanxi smiled helplessly. "They suddenly announced they were doing this, so I came along to see."

"I think it's kind of fun," Xu Youyu chuckled. "But these are all friends—you're not seriously going to charge them, are you?"

"Here." Yan Zhusheng pulled out a twenty-yuan bill from her pocket and handed it to Li Luo.

"What's this? I already said it's free for you." Li Luo gave her a look, patted her hand, and signaled her to take it back. "But there's no such thing as a free lunch—and no free late-night snacks either."

"Take these."

Saying that, Li Luo pulled out over a dozen disposable chopsticks and handed them to Yan Zhusheng and Xu Yinghuan.

"What's this for?" Xu Yinghuan blinked, still not catching on. "Why do I need so many chopsticks?"

"Who said they're for you alone?" Li Luo smiled. "The fried rice is free for you to eat, but I have one condition."

"When you get back to your dorm, open your fried rice and walk around in front of your roommates, letting them smell the aroma."

"If anyone asks where you got it, say you bought it by the gate—ten yuan per portion, generous serving, you couldn't finish it yourself, and ask if they want some."

"But don't give too much—just let each person taste two bites. Eat the rest yourself. Don't let them get full."

"After they've eaten, add this: the fried rice is sold in very limited quantities—you got lucky today and snatched one, and many others queued up but didn't get any."

Xu Yinghuan listened, stunned, then quickly understood, eyes wide. "You're using me as advertising?! Where's this queue you're talking about?"

"Not today. But from now on, there will be." Li Luo grinned. "Wanna do it? If you do, anytime you want fried rice later, we'll still be making it—and we'll give you free portions."

"Really?"

"Why would I lie to you?"

"Okay okay~" Xu Yinghuan beamed. "Leave it to me! I can even visit more dorms—I know all the first-year girls' dorms!"

"No no," Li Luo waved his hands. "That'd be too obvious. Just promote it in your own dorm. We won't sell much anyway—too many customers would be a problem."

After seeing off Yan Zhusheng and Xu Yinghuan, Li Luo was soon approached by several more acquaintances.

Including Zhu Yufei and Zhang Guohuang from Class Eight, Zhao Rongjun's desk partner Luo Jiajia, and the rock club's Niu Qingling and Shao Youpeng.

In addition, a few other students Zhao Rongjun knew well from Fu No. 1.

Soon, all ten portions of fried rice were given out, completing today's task.

"Will this method work?" Ying Chanxi asked skeptically. "Will lots of people line up tomorrow?"

"Don't underestimate how desperately dorm students crave food," Li Luo smiled, utterly unfazed. "And we won't sell much—just twenty portions per day, sold out and gone."

"I'm getting hungry," Xu Youyu patted her stomach. "Let's make a few more. I want some too."

"Alright." Li Luo nodded, then called out to a figure crouched by the roadside smoking. "Uncle! Let's go. Done!"

"Finished?" Li Luo's uncle Lin Xiufeng tossed his cigarette on the ground, crushed it with his heel, exhaled his last puff, and walked over to the electric tricycle. "Then let's go."

The four youngsters obediently climbed aboard and sat in the back compartment of the electric tricycle.

Lin Xiu plopped himself into the driver's seat, started the vehicle smoothly, and drove them past the dormitory compound toward Bihai Lanting.

"So you're planning to sell boxed meals every night from now on?" Lin Xiu asked, somewhat exasperated.

Earlier, Li Luo had called him, saying he needed a favor and asked him to bring over an electric tricycle.

But it turned out Li Luo just wanted him to deliver food—egg fried rice, no less.

"At most, we'll sell for half a month," Li Luo grinned. "If you're busy, just leave the tricycle here—I'll return it when I'm done."

"Nah, I'll come every night," Lin Xiu shook his head.

These kids were pulling this stunt; as an elder, Lin Xiu couldn't just let them go unwatched—he had to keep an eye on them to feel at ease.

But he didn't stop Li Luo from doing it.

After all, earning money through hard work wasn't shameful; Lin Xiu thought it was fine.

Kids should endure some hardship.

He had nothing else to do late at night anyway; helping his nephew sell boxed meals was no trouble.

The only thing that disappointed him was that he'd originally thought this was another good opportunity like selling belts.

Instead, he ended up being the laborer.

"Uncle, we split the money based on effort," Li Luo said. "We'll divide the profits into five parts: Zhao Rongjun and I each take two, and you take one."

"You're splitting it that strictly with me?" Lin Xiu chuckled. "Just keep it all."

"No, no—even brothers keep accounts clear," Li Luo grinned. "We're just playing around; consider it like you're playing house with us."

"Fine by me," Lin Xiu laughed. "As long as it earns me enough for a pack of cigarettes."

"Cigarette money? No problem," Li Luo calculated. "Each box of egg fried rice costs us just two yuan for ingredients."

"We sell each box for ten yuan—that's eight yuan profit."

"Sell twenty boxes a night—that's 160 yuan in revenue."

"You'd get 32 yuan—enough for cigarettes easy."

Hearing this, Lin Xiu froze.

"You can make 160 yuan in one night?"

"Yeah," Li Luo nodded. "We're limited by time—we can only make about twenty boxes."

"But if word really spreads, the number of people coming to buy egg fried rice at night will far exceed twenty."

"If we sell fifty or sixty boxes a night, that's four or five hundred yuan in income."

At this, Lin Xiu fell silent. After dropping Li Luo and the others off at home, he stood there thinking for a moment, then waved them off and left.