52 Chapter 52 (Three in One)
◎There's no meal we can't deliver. Just pay extra! ◎
Old Li glared at the crowd speechlessly, then silenced his subordinates who were trying to join in the fun. "The commendation ceremony has concluded successfully. I hope everyone will unite and work together in the future. Okay, I won't delay everyone's meal. Let's eat now!"
Ye Ping'an went downstairs with the bonus and check. Old Li lagged behind by two steps and vaguely heard muttering in front.
"Why do you all despise medicinal food? Medicinal food is so delicious and so useful, why can't it be sold?"
It would have been better if he hadn't said it, but after he did, Old Li seemed to feel that strange taste all the way up his throat again.
...It's bad. I can't think about it. I feel like vomiting when I think about it.
Old Li smiled awkwardly but politely, "Boss Ye, eat your food, eat your food."
The speech process came to an end, music played on the stage, and waiters pushed hot dishes on the stage. The theme was clear: just eat and it's done.
The fish in June was nothing special, and most of the dishes at Jiangxin Restaurant were okay, but not very interesting.
Ye Ping'an only tasted it briefly and happily counted the numbers in his account on his mobile phone.
The three-prawn noodles and the final soup were served together, and Ye Pingan sat up straight at once.
The three-shrimp noodles are not difficult to make. The most troublesome part is dealing with a large number of river shrimps with eggs.
Shrimp roe, shrimp brain, and shrimp meat are the "three shrimps." Just preparing river shrimp takes at least several hours.
There are employees available in the store, and Ye Ping'an can only cook for himself at most. It is impossible to put it on the menu - unless the store is only open for one hour a day.
The soup, noodles and toppings are separated on the tray, and several exquisite side dishes are placed together for guests to add at will.
The shrimp topping is coated in sizzling shrimp roe, the chunks of shrimp brain glowing orange-red, and the dry aroma of the stir-fry over high heat is tangy. Add a spoonful of broth and a spoonful of topping, and stir it into the noodles while they're still hot. The delicious flavor spreads in the rising steam.
Pick up the noodles with a chopstick, and you will naturally see the small river shrimps, each of which is tender and firm. One bite is full of freshness, salty and fragrant, so delicious that it will make your eyebrows drop.
Suzhou-style thin noodles have a firm texture when they're a little firmer, but if they're too firm, they'll feel undercooked. This bowl of noodles was just right, and Ye Ping'an was delighted as he ate it.
Jiangxin Restaurant’s seasonal specialties are indeed worthy of their reputation.
Unfortunately, as is common in large restaurants, the portions were too small. Ye Pingan finished his meal after just a few bites.
Ye Ping'an ate noodles with big mouthfuls, his eyes were bright, the corners of his lips were raised in a good mood, his cheeks were bulging, and he looked like he was eating very happily.
Tu Shansui sat upright at the table, examining the documents carefully. He didn't look like someone who came to attend a banquet at all, but his peripheral vision was always paying attention to the side.
He hadn't eaten for a long time and didn't need to eat. But when he saw Ye Ping'an eating, he unexpectedly felt like eating.
Take a look, and then take another look.
Ye Ping'an put down the empty bowl and noticed the gaze next to him.
Have you ever seen her eat like a whirlwind?
Ye Ping'an looked back with confidence, his gaze stopping on the tray in front of Tu Shan Sui... which had not been touched at all.
"Excuse me, do you still want to eat this bowl of noodles?"
Tu Shansui's gaze was like a tail being caught, and he had no time to retract it, and it stopped at her smile.
It's over, I was caught spying. What should I do? How do I explain...
Ye Ping'an said sincerely, "This noodle is delicious, but the portion is too small. I ate it too fast and didn't taste all the flavor. I have a big appetite, so if you don't want to eat it, why not give it to me?"
Tu Shan Sui: ...?
When the question came out, Lao Li was stunned.
Did she hear it wrong? How could someone be so self-contained and ask for it right away?
Old Li immediately tried to smooth things over, "Boss Ye! Jiang Xin's portion isn't enough. I want another bowl..."
Ye Ping'an shook his head. "It's wrong to waste food. The banquet has one portion of noodles for each person. He doesn't want to eat it, but I do. So, giving it to me is a win-win for both of us!"
Ye Ping'an spoke frankly and righteously, and at the end, he nodded affirmatively.
Old Li opened his mouth.
But, is this right?
Old Li quickly looked at Consultant Tushan's expression and his heart skipped a beat.
Ye Ping'an was not short to begin with, and Tu Shansui was even a head taller than him.
The white-haired young man sat quietly, solemn and composed, like a cold, snowy mountain. He simply stared at the other person with little expression. Even though he wasn't the one being stared at, Old Li felt the immense pressure and unconsciously tensed up.
Old Li was trying to think of how to explain the wording when he saw Tushan Sui move.
Tu Shansui nodded and pushed the tray to Ye Pingan, "You are right."
Lao Li: ...Is this right???
Ye Ping'an got to eat the noodles he wanted, and Tu Shansui successfully escaped from the panic of being caught.
Only Old Li was confused and frightened during the meal, fearing that the two would have a conflict.
After the main course and soup were served, the commendation banquet came to an end.
After safely getting through the entire banquet, Old Li breathed a sigh of relief. "Boss Ye, should I ask Xiao Xia to take you home?"
Ye Ping'an waved his hand, "No, no, I drove here by myself and I didn't drink, so why do I need a send-off?"
Probably because most of the police officers were women, and they had to work in the afternoon, no alcohol was served during the meal, but there were quite a few specialty drinks.
There are two bottles of mineral water on each table, which are said to be a high-end brand that comes from mountain springs.
Tu Shansui stood up as well, and Lao Li turned to him, "Advisor, are you going back with everyone? Or..."
Tu Shansui said succinctly, "The assistant is driving."
Before leaving, Ye Ping'an rolled his eyes, grabbed the unopened bottle of water in front of him, put it in his pocket and took it away.
Since I'm here, I might as well try the water quality of this brand.
Tu Shansui noticed her gaze and silently picked up his two bottles of water.
The assistant who came running over was completely confused. "Advisor, are you thirsty?"
Consultant Tushan's material desires were so low that they seemed nonexistent. The assistant had been following him for days, but had never even seen him drink water or eat. Today, however, they were all enlightened.
"Is it enough for a case with my salary?" Tu Shansui asked him to look at the bottles, thought for a moment, and then added, "Is it enough?"
The assistant was stunned. "Enough! Of course it's enough! The account opened for you by the bureau has always been there, but I haven't seen you touch it. I'll go and handle it right away. Should I send it to the newly renovated store in the food court?"
"Um."
The assistant worked quickly. Tu Shansui got into the car and the van in front had just driven a few dozen meters away.
The two cars started one after the other and drove in the same direction.
Old Li saw it from upstairs and looked at it again uncertainly.
With Tushan's aloof personality, even his good looks were useless; he could freeze anyone curious enough to death. After several encounters, Lao Li didn't dare to say he was familiar with him.
When did these two become so familiar with each other?
The assistant was driving in front and heard his cell phone ring a few times.
Huh? It's a message, not a phone call. It doesn't sound like it's from the headquarters, so what could it be?
The phone screen lights up.
AAA Xile Restaurant: [Advisor Tushan, I didn't have time to ask you in public just now. I want to ask you a question. Is that convenient? [Cat heart]]
Looking at the little heart emoticon that popped up, Tu Shansui's cheeks felt slightly hot.
Tushan: [Please speak.]
The screen on the other side displayed "typing" for almost a minute, and it seemed that it was hesitant to speak.
What could it be? "In public," "Is it inconvenient?"... Had Ye Ping'an recognized him?
Tu Shansui suddenly discovered that even though Ye Ping'an was not in front of him, his heartbeat began to quicken.
AAA Happy Hotel: [Don't worry, I don't mean any harm. I just wanted to ask where you ordered the tail and ear headband for your nine-tailed fox cosplay? They look so soft and nice to touch.]
In the rearview mirror, Tu Shansui's face became more and more expressionless.
The assistant shrank his neck out of the cold, not daring to look anymore. He concentrated on driving, not wanting to bring bad luck at all.
Tu Shansui: "Let's go to Xile Restaurant."
"You said last time that you wanted to observe closely in the food court. Would it be okay if we just went there... okay?" The assistant subconsciously asked, but quickly turned into professionalism and agreed directly.
"Very soft and nice to touch", "The tail props...
A few words flashed before his eyes again and again, and Tu Shansui held the phone in his hand, motionless.
A faint blush spread from the tips of her ears to her neck, but it was not very noticeable in the car with the sunshade film.
-
Ye Ping'an sent a few messages while waiting for the traffic light, but didn't get a reply and scratched his head in confusion.
"Was I not asking politely enough? Or is this a cosplayer's secret weapon that can't be shared? Or... is he afraid I'll let it slip, and it'll sound unprofessional if it gets out that an expert has a cosplayer hobby?"
Ye Pingan had no other options. Luckily, she now had a small, fluffy black cat to serve as a meal replacement.
The car stopped at the entrance of Xile Hotel. As Ye Ping'an entered the store, he saw a familiar-looking car parked at the entrance.
"Hey, Tu Shansui is going the same way as me?"
Ye Pingan waved his hand. "I heard that the owner of the coffee shop on the street has changed. Is it you?"
"Yeah." Tu Shansui handed her the two bottles of mineral water he had carried all the way, and the assistant behind him grunted as he brought down a box of water.
Ye Ping'an took a look and didn't answer.
"This is?"
"A gift." Tu Shansui said.
During the days when he was circling Jiang City in search of strange auras, he saw ordinary people interacting with each other.
You can give gifts when a business opens, when a neighbor moves, when a friend arrives, when a partner arrives... you can also give gifts.
Tu Shansui looked at her without blinking, with a hint of expectation between his eyebrows.
But Ye Ping'an's eyes couldn't help but drift behind him.
Actually, if she wanted to give a neighbor a greeting gift, she'd really like to ask for a plush prop. She really didn't want to tell me where she bought it, so maybe letting her touch it would be okay?
"Okay, I'll send you a flower basket when you open your business." Ye Ping'an agreed without hesitation.
I was thinking two bottles of water might not be enough, so I'd rather not use them. Neighbors, neighbors, reciprocity is the norm.
"Meow--" A hoarse cat's cry came from upstairs.
Hearing that Ye Ping'an had returned, the black cat jumped at the stairs and rushed out on the table like lightning, rushing around like a semi-trailer.
"Be careful!" Tu Shansui's pupils shrank slightly and he took a step forward.
Ye Ping'an tried to catch the cat with his backhand, but his position changed and he failed to catch the cat. He grabbed Tu Shansui's shoulder and staggered.
Bang! The black cat hit Tu Shansui's chest, and its already unstable body was knocked over, colliding with Ye Ping'an like a domino.
Tu Shansui's mind went blank, his blood was pounding, his heart was beating like thunder, his skin was trembling instinctively, and his hands and feet were so stiff that he almost lost control.
The moment he fell, he subconsciously moved sideways to hold Ye Ping'an's shoulders and helped her to change her position.
The two people and the cat rolled into a ball, the distance between them was infinitely shortened, their eyes met, and they could hear each other's breathing.
Ye Ping'an pressed on Tu Shansui, her hands supporting Tu Shansui's chest. She could clearly feel the rapid and unsteady heartbeats under the thin muscles of her palms.
The thin-looking young man had tight abdominal muscles. His low body temperature was like a piece of cool jade that suddenly appeared in the hot air. Ye Ping'an did not stand up immediately.
...The temperature has risen again?
Tu Shansui was dressed very warmly, with his collar buttoned up even in the hottest summer. No wonder his face turned red from the heat.
Tu Shan Sui had fair skin, and his face was red from the tips of his ears to his cheeks, and even the corners of his eyes were slightly red.
Only then did Ye Ping'an realize that Tu Shansui had a pair of narrow, fox-like eyes with green pupils, which seemed to emit electricity when he moved. It was only because his temperament was too cold and his expressionless that suppressed his bewitching and seductive charm.
But at this moment, he didn't even know where to put his hands. He just lay on the ground without a sound of pain, his short snow-white hair disheveled, as if he had been bullied and his hair stood on end.
Silly.
The white hair felt very good, and Ye Ping'an's hands felt a little itchy.
If I can't touch the stray fox, or the fox tail prop, then...
As soon as the hand moved.
"Ahhh!!!" The black cat screamed as it was grabbed by the scruff of the neck the moment it fell down.
Everything happened so fast that when the assistant who went to the store to add water came out, it was too late.
The assistant's pupils trembled, "Advisor!!!"
The emotions in the scream were quite rich, comparable to that of a black cat that failed to escape, and it sounded as if one's own cabbage had been eaten clean without realizing it.
Ye Ping'an came to his senses and realized that the two of them had fallen at the door in a very unruly posture.
Ye Pingan stood up as if nothing had happened, reached out to pull Tu Shansui, and said, "Are you okay? Come into the store and take a look."
"Thank you." Tu Shansui squeezed out a dry voice and followed her hand and foot.
The assistants surrounded him nervously and looked at him. Tu Shansui tried his best to control his expression and didn't notice at all. His mind was full of thoughts: "It's over, it's over. I wanted to help but messed it up. How embarrassing."
Ye Pingan waved his hand and said, "I haven't thanked you yet for helping me."
"Thank you." The Tushan Sui brand repeater is online.
After saying it twice, Ye Pingan laughed, "If I really want to thank you, then in the following way——"
Tu Shansui, whose mind was in a mess, suddenly pricked up his ears, and the heat on his face that had just subsided came back.
With? With what? Last time, Ye Pingan asked him to pledge himself to her.
Don't stress so much...
Ye Pingan: "Settle with money, the more the better!"
Tushan Sui:?
Tushan Sui's heart, which had been hanging in the balance for a while, suddenly settled down.
It turns out that my heart is dead.
Seeing that his complexion returned to normal, Ye Ping'an nodded with satisfaction.
He looked so hot just now. Look, come in and get some fresh air, and he'll feel better immediately.
But why aren't you talking? Are you crazy from the heat?
Ye Ping'an's eyes rolled, and he suddenly understood why he had such a stiff expression.
Ye Pingan lowered his voice, "COS is just a personal hobby. I won't tell anyone and ruin your professional image. If you really don't want to tell me where you bought the props, forget it. I just want to touch..."
"Yes, I did it myself." Tu Shansui's tail almost popped out when he heard this and he immediately interrupted her.
"Oh." Ye Ping'an was not giving up, "The material..."
"It's my own home too."
Ye Pingan was disappointed, "Okay then."
"Meow..." The black cat, whose neck had been clamped for a long time and unable to move, was about to be flattened into a strip of cat flesh. It made weak sounds in Ye Ping'an's hands.
Ye Pingan sneered, "Why are you yelling? You made a mistake and you still have the nerve to tremble here? You sneaked away and bumped into someone, and we haven't settled the score yet!"
Only then did Tu Shansui notice that the culprit of the accident was a black cat with a weak aura similar to that of a ferocious beast.
But he felt something was wrong when he heard Ye Ping'an's tone, so he asked to confirm, "Wild cat?"
"Yes. I just got it yesterday, and it's not very obedient yet."
Ye Ping'an angrily rubbed the cat's head. "I finally managed to raise a fluffy cat, and after not seeing you for the whole morning, how come you've shrunk again? You're losing weight so quickly even though I'm feeding you. Are you doing this on purpose so you can get out of the leash and run away?"
A cat?
Tu Shansui's eyes widened slightly in disbelief, feeling a little aggrieved.
He had clearly said he wanted to raise a fox. He had clearly been here first.
"On the day of the music festival..." Tu Shansui reminded softly.
I told you not to mention it, why are you still asking?
Ye Ping'an was speechless. "Go out and ask around. Everyone knows that I'm honest, trustworthy, and kind to others. I won't say anything. Don't worry, this is our first meeting. I'm going to deal with this bad cat. Consultant Tushan, is there anything else?"
Tushan was struck by lightning.
That day, I held him down and touched him all over. He had already touched the fox's tail, which was only touched by his partner, and now he's going to deny it?!
Why is she like this!
"It's okay. Goodbye." Tu Shansui said goodbye sullenly.
The assistant chased after him, confused. "Advisor! Advisor, where are you going? Are you hurt anywhere?"
Tu Shansui pointed to a bookstore not far from the end of the street, which had just been renovated and had a sign hanging on it. "Open."
Tu Shansui walked through the open glass door and calmly arranged the itinerary, as if the embarrassment and nervousness were just an illusion. "Go to the bureau to organize the information. Leave as planned."
The assistant agreed repeatedly and asked, "The consultant..."
The glass door creaked shut, and only a piece of manuscript paper and the words "Quiet" were thrown out.
Assistant: I feel like I’m being ignored.
He opened the manuscript and was stunned. "This is... a stele pattern prepared for the [Hungry Ghost]?!"
After all, this is the last resort. The Investigation Bureau has survived many B-level ghost crises, and we can't just rely on consultants now.
Judging from the information, Tu Shansui didn't seem to pay attention to this matter.
But this complex stele pattern clearly couldn't have been completed in a single day. It was identical in design to the stone stele in the restricted area that could activate the Strange Suppression Stele, though with one part missing. It was said that the stele was previously erected, and only the final activation of the Strange Suppression Stele would be completed by the consultant himself.
"Thank you, consultant! Please take a rest first. I will go get the information and pick you up when the time comes, or you can just give me a call." The assistant wandered outside the door for a while, and only drove away after making sure that Tu Shansui didn't want him to stay.
One wall of the cafe has been replaced with a bookshelf, with newly arrived books neatly arranged. A few books are casually placed on the small tables in the reading area, creating a leisurely atmosphere.
The breeze brought by the opening and closing of the door made the pages of the book on the nearest table rustle.
The page where Tu Shansui stopped was a story about a fox demon.
The fox demon was abandoned by the human she loved, and only then did she realize that the human had never cared about her from the beginning to the end.
After returning to the tribe, it turned into an old fox a long time later and told the fox spirits not to believe the sweet words of humans.
Tu Shan Sui's eyelashes drooped, and the shadows they cast trembled slightly like butterfly wings.
Close the book and put it back on the bookshelf.
He pushed it deeper into the bookshelf and used other books to block it out, as if trying to cover up his mistake.
Tu Shansui then pursed his lips, took out a new piece of manuscript paper and sat down.
Looking out from the bookstore, I could just see half of the main door of the Xile Restaurant. The golden light of the two characters "Xile" on the sign flashed onto the bookstore's glass, and the spots of light danced before my eyes.
Tu Shansui pursed his lips even tighter, and the tip of the pen outlined the other half of the intricate lines, accidentally piercing the paper, making a loud hissing noise.
-
Ye Ping'an taught the black cat a lesson, fastened the leash again, and locked it back upstairs.
Although no hair loss was seen, Ye Ping'an still kicked the sweeping and mopping robot to mop the area where the cat had walked a few more times.
When Ye Ping'an found that the black cat had become thinner again, he immediately sent a message to Lao Li, asking her to contact the Institute of Biology to collect samples for research.
The chickens that kept dying in the store were a lesson for us. The cat wilted even faster than the chickens.
It was so hard to raise a fluffy animal, and Ye Pingan hoped it would stay strong for a few more days. Don't let it die before the research even begins, at least give it a chance.
Ding ding, the phone vibrates.
Lao Li just replied to the message, saying that his subordinates who were nearby came directly and asked the institute to remotely control the sampling.
Ye Ping'an doesn't care how they deal with it, as long as they can get it done.
Cheng Yi remained silent and focused on washing the pig's trotters.
When Ye Ping'an entered the kitchen, he saw that the materials that were designated to be processed had been processed.
"Not bad, not bad. Go take a break."
Cheng Yi wiped the sweat off his face and said, "Boss, someone came to the store this morning when you were away. They said they were from Xingkui Group and wanted us to provide employee meals. The price was very high. This is the business card they left. I didn't know what to do with it, so I gave it to them with your business card."
"Finally, someone wants to talk about employee meals?" Ye Ping'an took the business card.
A simple quotation and expectation for cooperation were written in the blank space. The tone was much more sincere than the previous person who called in the middle of the night to contact for group meals. Now the other party was eager to do business.
"Not bad, not bad. Seeing that I have a good relationship with the police, my company's reputation has improved and business is coming to us."
Ye Ping'an found a new contact with the note "Xingkui Group" and, through his friend, set a time for a home meal tasting in just a few words.
Ye Pingan patted Cheng Yi on the shoulder and said, "Well done. The iced mung bean soup should be ready. Go and have a bowl."
Blanch the pig's trotters to remove the fishy smell and maintain the elasticity of the skin. Cover the trotters with fried sugar color, add the soaked soybeans, and start stewing.
The pot was simmering slowly on the fire, and Ye Ping'an leaned back in his chair, lazily browsing his phone.
Xia Zihan disappeared for several days. Today, it was like he was on vacation. He posted more than ten messages on WeChat Moments in one go, all of which were links to short videos.
Summer is peak season for fruits, vegetables, and meat, and partners are churning out promotional campaigns one after another. Only Zhou Shi is quite resentful, too busy to fish.
After browsing his Moments and commenting on a few new fruits that interested him, Ye Ping'an was just about to watch some short videos when he paused at the Green Bubble homepage.
Huh? Tushan Suikong's initial profile picture has been changed to a white fox!
Look at the soft white fur, the green eyes, and the fluffy forked tail... Even though the photo was taken at a very bad angle, you can still see that the fur is very good-looking.
Isn’t this her beloved concubine!
Ye Pingan immediately perked up and sent a message: [Hello, where was the profile picture taken? Was it taken today? Is Fox still there?]
The phone dinged, and the only contact I had contacted kept asking questions. His concern was evident in his words, and he was much more excited than when they met.
The corners of Tu Shansui's tightly pursed lips rose slightly.
AAA Happy Hotel: [This is my beloved concubine. Although the fox ran away and wandered, I have been waiting for my beloved concubine to come back! ]
Tu Shansui's earlobes suddenly turned pink.
What are you yelling about?
Tushan: [The fox did not wander.]
The fox is the fox of Tushan clan.
Although his mother, sister, and tribe are gone, and His Majesty Xuanyuan is gone, he has not wandered. He is still here, the people are still here, and the monument is still here.
Ye Pingan reacted, [Is this the fox you raised? ]
No wonder, Fox and Tushan Sui appeared at about the same time last time.
You can’t kidnap a fox that someone else owns… No, you can adopt one and take it home.
Ye Pingan turned his disappointment into motivation and was ready to make a move: [Did Consultant Tushan bring the fox to the store? Can I come and see the fox?]
Although I can't raise it, it's nice to be able to touch it more often because it's close to the water.
Tu Shan: [On a business trip. Not here.]
Tushan: [See you when I get back.]
AAA Xile Restaurant: [okkk waiting for you. We accept pre-orders, welcome to bring your fox to dine.]
Sunlight streamed onto the paper, illuminating it brightly. Tu Shansui finished writing in one go. Soon, his assistant received a call: "Let's go to the workshop where the stele will be made."
He had booked a furry pet to touch, and his goal was achieved. The video of the furry pet raised on the cloud could no longer attract Ye Ping'an's attention.
Ye Ping'an hummed a tune, saved the latest photos of his beloved concubine, and happily watched the food documentary in his favorites.
Three large pots were set up in the kitchen at once, and the pig's trotters were boiled little by little in the heat until they became gelatinous, bringing out a rich meaty aroma. They were cooked until they were well-seasoned inside and out, and the bones could be removed with a single suck.
Ye Ping'an paused the video and opened the lid of the pot.
Cook over high heat until the sauce thickens. Bubbles bubbling among the soybeans in the pot absorb the meat flavor and balance the excess fat. A spoonful of it is soft and tender, just like meat.
The brown-red pig's trotters have a chewy surface, but when you bite into them, they are so soft and glutinous that they stick to your mouth. When you bite into the top, you can find traces of lean meat deep inside, which is covered with oil and is surprisingly tender.
The pig's trotters stewed with soybeans are not as rich in flavor as the braised ones, but in the summer, people are naturally hot, so a taste that is moderately salty and sweet, and meaty but not greasy is just right.
After eating two meals in the morning, Ye Pingan stopped eating after finishing a pig's trotter and signaled Cheng Yi to eat quickly, "It's time to open the shop after we finish eating."
"The God of Wealth has arrived, the God of Wealth has arrived..."
The phone rang, and Ye Pingan took a look and asked, "Why is Lao Liu calling again?"
Old Liu's excited voice came over the receiver, "Hello? Boss Ye, why haven't you come yet? Haven't you decided whether to buy or not? I'm not kidding you, I have some great oil. It's already loaded into several trucks. It's right here at the factory in the old city of Zhoukou. If you don't come soon, it will be gone!"
Ye Pingan was puzzled. "Didn't you say you should bring the samples back and we can talk about it when we meet? What's the rush?"
"...If you don't come soon, it will be gone!" Old Liu repeated a few words over and over again, his voice becoming more and more excited and sharp.
Ye Ping'an frowned and held the phone further away. "If someone didn't know, they would think the oil factory was your business. The kickbacks from the oil factory must be so high. Look how anxious you are. Okay, let's talk about it later. I'm going to open the business soon. I'm hanging up now."
"My family's business? Kickbacks?"
In Zhoukou City, Lao Liu sat under a faded sign that read "Grain, Oil, and Non-staple Foods," muttering a few words.
His excited expression gradually turned into confusion. "Who is Boss Ye? What kind of business is my family in?"
Old Liu raised his head slowly, but his skinny neck could hardly support his head, making a stiff and creepy friction sound.
Old Liu was completely unaware. He tilted his head to look at the sign and sniffed uncertainly, "The oil smells so good... Am I selling oil? No, am I buying oil? Selling oil? Buying oil?"
"Oil seller, what are you mumbling about? Oil! Sell me some oil!" Someone came on the dim street, dragging a huge snakeskin bag that was moving back and forth, and pushed the bag onto the counter behind Lao Liu.
thump.
The snakeskin bag fell down as if it had fallen into a pool, and a dull sound of water came from behind the wooden counter.
The wooden counter had been used for who knows how long, coated with layer after layer of thick patina, glossy black. On the side of the counter stood barrel after barrel, the wood stained red from repeated grease.
"The oil... the oil is here." Old Liu stood up unsteadily, took the stainless steel basin from his hand, and walked to the counter with his huge belly.
The equally skinny and pot-bellied man stared at his back and licked his dry, sagging lips. "Smells so good... smells so good."
Boo.
As the lid of the wooden barrel was opened and the thick cloth stuffing inside was pulled out, a rich aroma gushed out.
The "guest" who had just arrived didn't bother to look at Lao Liu. He stared at the wooden barrel greedily, drooling from his mouth, "Oil!"
The clear yellowish oil was poured into the stainless steel basin. It looked like only a spoonful was scooped, but the basin was actually half full.
"It smells so good..." Old Liu stuffed the wooden barrel in a daze, and couldn't help stretching his neck to get close to the basin and smell it.
"Oil seller, how dare you steal food?!"
The "guest" snatched the stainless steel basin with a vicious hand, checked the amount, and gulped down two large mouthfuls of food. He then smeared his greasy mouth and complained, "The price of oil has gone up again, why is there only this much?! Even if I save it, it's not enough. I have to go catch a few more pigs."
The "guest" held the oil pan and sneaked into the shadows of the street.
Old Liu stared at the sign in the sky, then slowly grinned and called out, "Oil for sale, oil for sale!"
The shadows swayed, and the sound of swallowing could be heard faintly in every corner.
-
Ye Pingan hung up the phone, lost in thought. "Although Lao Liu also likes to make money, his products are not too bad. He's so excited, could it be that there really is good, cheap oil with a large rebate? Such a good business is not impossible to do."
[Ding Dong, have you eaten your order?]
The store was open as usual, and as soon as I opened the takeout order, a series of order reminders popped up.
Cheng Yi was already a mature waiter, and could arrange things on her own between serving dishes and sorting out takeout orders, without Ye Pingan having to worry about it at all.
Ye Ping'an was seasoning the next pot of pig's trotters when he heard a gasp from outside.
"Boss!" Cheng Yi's face turned pale as he ran into the kitchen holding the order receipt. "This ID has been blocked, but it just typed out the order on its own."
【*Cross-city order**Pre-order*
Soybean and pork trotter stew x1. Wuchang rice x4.
Address: Bone Crushing Workshop No. 4, processing plant next to the crematorium in Central District, Zhoukou City, Lin Province.
Pre-order delivery time: 12pm tonight.
Order Notes: The rice needs to be inserted vertically with chopsticks.
The customer of this order has added 10% delivery fee as service reward, and it is recommended to give priority to delivery. 】
From the delivery address to the requirements, this order exudes a sense of eerie weirdness.
Cheng Yi still remembered the strange takeout story that Lao Niu had told her a few days ago. Could it be that another "spirit" had come to see the boss?
Cheng Yi was not afraid and was even vaguely looking forward to it.
She was nervous: "I, I didn't modify the platform settings!"
"Yeah, I know. Go ahead and get busy. These two orders are for tables of 17 and 3 respectively. There will be a lot of people sharing tables at noon, so make sure you don't send them to the wrong table."
Ye Ping'an patted Cheng Yi and glanced at the backend of the food delivery platform.
The black and white avatars that have been ordered in the past few days have appeared again.
The last time I asked for more money, this customer kept silent.
"That's a 10% increase for once. Where's the double delivery fee plus the tip you promised last time? You're so stingy."
Ye Ping'an replied perfunctorily, "I'm busy," and was about to press cancel.
[Ding Dong, the customer has modified their requirements, please check in time! ]
On the order page, the delivery fee was suddenly doubled.
Ye Pingan stopped immediately, his eyes rolling. "The store is too busy, and the booking time exceeds the eight-hour working day. It's hard to find someone to deliver it. The cross-city delivery fee is more expensive than the meal. Should we cancel it?"
Order page: Double delivery fee + 100 yuan reward.
Ye Pingan curled his lips, "One hundred yuan is barely enough to buy a high-speed rail ticket. Who are you looking down on by adding this little tip?"
Ye Pingan: [It’s really hard to send to Zhoukou City.]
There is no mention of money in every sentence, every sentence is about adding money.
The order was refreshed several times, and the rewards were increased layer by layer.
The page refreshed again and became: original delivery fee.
Ye Pingan:?
Why is it getting less and less?
A dialog box pops up with a new message.
Unknown customer: [1000 yuan deposit. 1000 yuan in cash upon arrival.]
That means… delivery plus 2,000, and you don’t have to pay the platform! This deal is really good.
Ye Ping'an's eyes lit up and he quickly forwarded the payment code.
Thank you for your continued love! Everyone at Xile Restaurant praised the food! We delivered it on time tonight, rain or shine.
Yes, we can deliver anything. There is no meal that cannot be delivered, just add money!
The outline of the customer's black and white portrait was faintly distorted, like an inflated pufferfish.
Unknown Customer: [I'll wait for you.]
The moment the order was confirmed, sounds of surprise were heard from the information department area of the attack command center in Zhoukou City, Lin Province.
"1,000 yuan suddenly disappeared from the account of a True Spirit Society member who was confirmed dead in the ghost den?"
"I have it here too, it's 197.5. It's weird, who used their card? The bank hasn't been able to track the money yet."
"...There are both odd and even numbers. Could it be that the [Ghost Takeaway] has appeared again? But there was no money flow at all for its previous orders."
The technicians looked at each other in confusion and quickly reported the situation.
【Author’s words】
Irresponsible Little Theater
[Ghost Takeaway]: Even if you're stuck for days and can't escape, they'll still offer to pay you. Desperate for money! Desperate for money!!!
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