Chapter 324

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Protagonist:

Lu Feng

Ma Wenliang sat in his chair, smacking his lips as he savored the aftertaste for a good long while.

The flavor of the hot pot soup-soaked rice still lingered in his mouth, and it took him a long time to snap back to his senses.

Just now the three of them had split half a bowl of soup-soaked rice; that tiny amount was nowhere near enough to eat their fill.

Ma Wenliang's gaze swept over the diners queuing in the hall, and suddenly his eyes lit up.

In the line, a tall, thin young man wearing black-rimmed glasses was looking down at his mobile phone.

He instantly grew excited and slapped the shoulder of Zhou Shuai beside him.

Zhou Shuai had finished the soup-soaked rice and was now enjoying the Red Braised Pork in front of him with a look of bliss; the sudden slap made him shudder: "What's up, bro?"

"Lv Shuai, speaking from the heart, how have I treated you normally?"

Ma Wenliang leaned in toward Lv Shuai, speaking with a dead-serious face.

Lv Shuai couldn't help but quietly shift his Red Braised Pork closer to himself, looking conflicted: "Bro, I only have a few pieces of Red Braised Pork left. If you want some, I can give you one piece at most..."

"Who wants your Red Braised Pork? I have something else to ask you."

Ma Wenliang shook his head and looked at Lv Shuai with an expectant face.

"Not asking for my Red Braised Pork?"

Hearing this, a wary expression instantly appeared on Lv Shuai's face, and his hand involuntarily reached for the mobile phone in his pocket.

This guy wouldn't be trying to borrow money from me, would he?

This month's salary was just paid not long ago, but the rent still has to be paid.

His girlfriend's birthday is next week, and he's already planned to buy her a necklace.

The remaining money is just about exactly enough for his food expenses.

He absolutely has no extra spare cash to lend out.

Lv Shuai squeezed out an embarrassed smile and stammered: "Bro, I really don't have any spare cash this month..."

"Not borrowing money! Where did your mind go?"

Ma Wenliang waved his hand before he could finish, pointing at the bespectacled tall young man queuing up: "That one in line, I remember he's Xiao Zhou who joined the company with you, right? I see you two usually get along well. You help me tell him to order an extra portion of rice; I'll pay for the rice. I still want to eat hot pot soup-soaked rice."

Lv Shuai finally let out a breath of relief, patted his chest, and said with a relaxed face: "Hah! I thought it was something serious! No problem!"

As long as it's not asking him for money, anything is easy to talk about.

"Good brother! I'll remember this favor!"

Ma Wenliang instantly beamed with joy, excitedly patted Lv Shuai's shoulder, then turned to look at Zhu Chang at the neighboring table.

"Zhu Chang, I see there's still quite a bit of soup left in your pot. Are you still eating?"

Zhu Chang had long since eaten his half bowl of soup-soaked rice clean; right now he was holding a spoon and drinking the red soup from the pot.

Hearing Ma Wenliang say this, he immediately guarded the hot pot in front of him warily: "Of course I'm eating! What are you trying to do?"

He had seen clearly just now how the three of them scrambled to eat the soup-soaked rice.

This kid probably didn't eat enough and has come back eyeing my hot pot soup.

"I've got a colleague over there who'll help order another portion of rice in a bit. Same as before: half a bowl of rice for a few spoonfuls of your hot pot soup. Deal or not?"

Ma Wenliang said with an enthusiastic smile.

"No need. I plan to drink the rest of the soup directly."

To Ma Wenliang's surprise, Zhu Chang actually refused his proposal this time.

He scooped up a large spoonful of hot pot soup, gulped it down in one go: "Awesome! Drinking this pot base straight is plenty flavorful too! Should've said earlier — my carbs are already topped up for today, so no rice. I'm dieting!"

"Hey, you..."

Ma Wenliang got anxious, pointing at the red oil in the pot unwillingly: "You're the one who said you're dieting? This pot base is all oil; the calories aren't less than rice, right? Didn't you also say that soaking rice in the pot base is the correct way to eat it?"

"Thanks for the kind intention, but I just discovered that drinking this spicy soup base straight also tastes good. Boss Lu's soup base flavor is just different from outside; drinking it straight is also satisfying."

Zhu Chang said with a beaming smile, then scooped another spoonful, drinking and smacking his lips.

Ma Wenliang persuaded for a long while, but Zhu Chang remained unmoved.

In the end he could only watch helplessly as Zhu Chang drank the remaining soup base in the pot clean to the bottom, wiped his mouth with a satisfied face, stood up, and left.

Ma Wenliang had no choice but to give up with a face full of regret.

After finishing his own ordered soup noodles, Ma Wenliang walked out the gate of Lu Family Restaurant.

He turned back, looking enviously at the diners in the hall at several tables who had ordered Spicy Hot Pot and were enjoying soup-soaked rice.

Tomorrow I must come earlier, and I must order a Spicy Hot Pot!

One portion of rice is simply not enough. Before coming, I'll have to pack two more boxes of rice to bring along!

Ma Wenliang left the shop with a determined face, silently making up his mind.

…………

As Lu Feng's shop operated, the diners queuing at the entrance grew more and more, the line stretching from the entrance all the way to the street corner of Food Street as always.

That beverage vending machine placed not far from the entrance of Lu Feng's shop, unsurprisingly, also became a hot commodity.

Because the queuing speed wasn't fast, plus the vending machine was this close to the entrance.

There were quite a few young people among the queuing diners; many bought a bottle of drink on the way and drank while queuing.

The Braised Food Shop proprietress was carrying a case of drinks, walking briskly toward the vending machine.

The smile on her face couldn't be concealed no matter what, and she was even humming a little tune.

Lu Feng's Shop had been open for less than an hour, and she had already restocked the vending machine three times.

She crouched beside the vending machine, stuffing drinks into it at flying speed.

This was already the fourth time she had come to restock today.

"Hmph, sold out again?"

A sudden cold snort made the Braised Food Shop proprietress's movements pause for a moment.

She looked up and saw the Ramen Shop owner from the left side of Lu Feng's Shop standing at the door of his own shop right now.

He was currently looking at her with slanted eyes, his honest face revealing contempt.

The Ramen Shop owner's shop had been open on Food Street for several years; because Food Street's popularity had never been high, business was also lukewarm.

But ever since Lu Feng's Shop opened, his customer flow had now multiplied several times over compared to before.

He knew very clearly in his heart that this was all thanks to the popularity Lu Feng brought, which gave his shop its booming business.

Right now, seeing the Braised Food Shop proprietress sell quite a few drinks by riding on Lu Feng's popularity, he felt a bit displeased in his heart.

The Braised Food Shop proprietress didn't acknowledge him, continuing on her own to stuff the last bottle of drink into the vending machine.

Then she spoke smugly, deliberately raising her voice: "Aiyo, exhausted me to death! How is this business so good? My drinks sell for two yuan more than the convenience store, yet so many people still buy? Could it be I'm still selling too cheap?"

As soon as these words came out, the owners of several surrounding shops and the stall vendors couldn't help but all look toward her.