Zhang Qiaoyue did exactly as Chi Chan had instructed.

The next day, I took some time to go to the second-hand market and bought two high-powered gas stoves, which I placed in the courtyard. I also provided them with gas cylinders.

With the help of better tools, Zhang Qiaoyue increased the quantity of each type of boxed meal by 5-10 portions when preparing them.

Chi Chan was worried that her mother was working too hard, but seeing her mother's cheerful appearance every day when she came home, she didn't say anything.

After all, at the entrance of the No. 1 Middle School, only her mother is selling boxed lunches, so there is no competition and they sell very well every day.

Because of Zhang Qiaoyue's business selling boxed lunches, Chi Chan has also become much more popular in class recently.

There's no way around it, business is just too good. Often, if students are a step too slow, the boxed lunches will be sold out.

After a classmate learned from Zhuo Zhiyuan that the person selling boxed lunches was Chi Chan's mother, more and more people started ordering boxed lunches from Chi Chan.

If you book half a day in advance, you can leisurely walk to the school gate at mealtime, find Zhang Qiaoyue, give her your name, and buy the food you want. This is much easier than racing against a group of athletes.

But even these reservations are limited in quantity, with only 15 available per meal.

Even Jiang Jingjing and Zhang Panli awkwardly approached Chi Chan and ordered boxed lunches twice, but Lin Chunni never did.

Chi Chan didn't care about any of this.

After receiving the money, Chi Chan readily wrote down the names of Jiang Jingjing and Zhang Panli in the reservation notebook.

People order boxed meals from her; that's business, and that's a separate matter.

Chi Chan usually disliked her, but Jiang Jingjing and Zhang Panli took the initiative to give her money.

Who would complain about having too few of these shiny banknotes?

She's definitely going to make money!

Only a fool would turn down money.

After school that day, Chi Chan tore off the pre-order form with more than a dozen names written in her notebook and walked happily toward the school gate.

From afar, one could see that a strange woman was standing in the spot where Zhang Qiaoyue usually stood.

This woman was also carrying an insulated box and hawking boxed meals.

Zhang Qiaoyue, on the other hand, stood a little further back.

Although most students lined up with Zhang Qiaoyue, a small number lined up with that woman.

Chi Chan raised an eyebrow. It's only been half a month!

So quickly—someone's already following suit?

Upon closer inspection, Chi Chan indeed noticed that although Zhang Qiaoyue was still cheerfully introducing the boxed lunches and collecting money from the students, Chi Chan could sense the displeasure emanating from her.

More than just displeased, Zhang Qiaoyue would have come over and fought with that woman if she didn't have to sell boxed lunches.

How shameless! He took her place as soon as he arrived.

They even sell the exact same dishes as her, but at a lower price.

She sells boxed lunches for ten yuan a serving, while the woman sells them for eight yuan; she sells boxed lunches for twelve yuan a serving, while the woman sells them for ten yuan a serving.

Zhang Qiaoyue didn't hear any women hawking these boxed meals, which cost fifteen yuan each.

It definitely wasn't done today, but who knows about tomorrow.

If Chi Chan hadn't told her beforehand that the boxed lunches she made were all made with high-quality ingredients and were delicious and visually appealing, and that she absolutely couldn't lower the price arbitrarily.

Today, she really wants to lower the price as well.

In her anxiety and frustration, the female classmate in front of her asked her a question, clearly having overheard the price from the woman's side.

"Auntie, why is your boxed lunch two yuan more expensive than hers?"

Zhang Qiaoyue was speechless. She couldn't very well tell her something like, "Xiao Chan said that you kids are all rich," could she?

The students aren't short of two dollars, but they're not going to be fooled either.

Chi Chan, who had just arrived, quickly glanced at the name cards of today's dishes that her mother had stuck on the outside of the insulated food container.

Today, her mother prepared three kinds of boxed meals: sweet and sour pork ribs, stir-fried pork with chili peppers, and shredded pork with garlic sauce.

This idea came to her when her mother saw vendors displaying prices prominently on their stalls while shopping for groceries on the street.

After Zhang Qiaoyue returned home, she asked Chi Chan to write the names of each of the boxed meals she had sold on cards.

The menu, including the dishes and prices, is posted on the outside of the insulated box so students can easily see it.

"Because my mom makes boxed lunches with only the best ingredients."

These ribs and meat were bought by my mom early this morning at the market; they're the freshest and highest quality!

The chili peppers, carrots, and leafy greens used in the stir-fries were all grown by my grandparents at home—safe, nutritious, and delicious!

My mom's cooking is also amazing; all the classmates who have eaten her boxed lunches once say they're delicious!

Are you still going to buy it?

If you're not buying, I'll pick some first. Lots of classmates have pre-ordered lunchboxes from me; I was worried we wouldn't have enough!

After Chi Chan finished speaking, she cunningly took out the paper from her pocket that had been used to reserve the number of boxed meals for tonight, and waved the paper at everyone.

The small piece of paper was covered with dense notes.

All the names of the students who made reservations and the dishes they ordered were listed.

Before the female classmate could even see clearly, Chi Chan had already put it away.

But the female classmate didn't realize at all that Chi Chan was fooling her.

After all, you have to sprint to buy the boxed lunches from Aunt Zhang as soon as get out of class is over, otherwise they'll be gone if you're even a little late.

She was just being nosy, that's why she asked that question.

Could it really be that they're short of two dollars? Who knew Chi Chan would pull out that piece of paper?

They were so densely packed, it was quite frightening to look at.

If we wait for Chi Chan to finish picking first, will there be any sweet and sour pork ribs left for me?

She remembered very clearly that the boys who were in front of her in line had all bought boxed lunches with sweet and sour pork ribs!

Moreover, the female student noticed that in the insulated box, there was only one box left of the row of lunch boxes containing sweet and sour pork ribs.

Students at the No. 1 Middle School in the city all know that Aunt Zhang sells 15-yuan boxed lunches, and that's the minimum number she makes for each meal!

I finally got to eat there today, and it was her favorite sweet and sour pork ribs. Why did I have to be so curious and ask?

After hearing what Chi Chan said, the girl just wanted to tear her mouth off and throw it away.

That wasn't her own mouth; she didn't say those words just now!

The female student waved her hands repeatedly, her face turning red: "Auntie, I just asked casually, I want a sweet and sour pork ribs rice!"

Chi Chan pretended to be in a difficult position.

"A classmate just happened to order a sweet and sour pork ribs from me!"

"Mom, how many portions are left?"

Upon hearing what Chi Chan said, the female classmate immediately became anxious and shoved the money she had prepared into Zhang Qiaoyue's hand.