The NO.1 Food Stall in the Wasteland novel Chapter 142

Chapter 142: Chapter 142: [Thanks for Playing, Better Luck Next Time!]

"We’re already operating on thin margins, man," Wang Daguo said, refusing to budge on the price. Before they left, Shen Lu had repeatedly warned them not to lower prices just to attract customers.

"We’ve sold mint water and grilled sausages before, not just the Sunflower Seed Worms. If we start lowering our prices randomly, it wouldn’t be fair to the customers who bought from us before."

If things went wrong, they might get bad ratings in secret, and their popularity value would disappear.

Shen Lu didn’t mind her employees taking the cart out, but she was very particular about not losing customer satisfaction or popularity value.

The lack of a bulk discount turned many people away.

Of course, even more people were lining up to buy—mostly returning customers who had eaten at Shen Lu’s stall before.

"I was starting to think this food cart would never show up again. Is it just the two of you tonight? Where’s your Boss Shen?"

While turning the grilled sausages, Cai Su said, "Boss Shen is resting. She works really hard."

"That makes sense. Why isn’t she here watching the movie, though?"

Cai Su just smiled without answering. ’I’m not Shen Lu,’ she thought, ’how would I know why she didn’t come?’

Xiao Lang came running over, his face flush with excitement. "Mom, I sold all the Sunflower Seed Worms! Quick, pack some more for me."

"Really?" Cai Su was surprised. She pulled ten small bags of Sunflower Seed Worms from under the food cart and stuffed them into the cloth pouch on his chest. "Don’t run too far, and rest if you feel tired, you hear?"

She was genuinely worried he might overexert himself.

"I know!" Xiao Lang answered brightly, his little arms and legs quickly weaving back into the crowd to peddle the Sunflower Seed Worms.

Shen Lu busied herself in the kitchen for a while, blanching the pig’s trotters, spare ribs, and chicken legs before placing them in the braising stock. She hard-boiled some eggs, knowing they would be easier to peel after a good soak in cold water.

While waiting, she stepped out the back door. The sky was almost completely dark, with only a faint afterglow lingering behind the mountains.

Several large lamps lit up the area for the open-air movie, casting just enough light on the ground to prevent a stampede in the packed crowd.

The CRACKLE of the speakers being tested echoed through the air, and the crowd erupted in a roar. Everyone knew this was the signal that the movie was about to start.

The next second, a screen of light abruptly materialized in the deep blue night. After a brief adjustment, a familiar dragon emblem appeared.

Shen Lu let out a soft "ah," the realization dawning on her a bit late.

’I’ve done it again,’ she thought, ’projecting things from my old world onto this one. The technology here is so advanced, an open-air movie on a laser screen is practically child’s play.’

Even though she’d just seen the movie a few days ago, she found herself watching it with great interest.

Shen Lu leaned against a pillar and watched for a full half-hour, only reluctantly heading back inside when she remembered the braising pot in the kitchen.

She added the peeled eggs and dried tofu to the pot, lowered the heat to medium-low, and went back out to the yard.

This time, she brought a chair with her. She redeemed a bag of roasted sunflower seeds from the System Mall and settled in to leisurely crack seeds while watching the movie.

Ye Fan leaped down from the fifth floor and sauntered over with a shameless grin. "Boss Shen, watching the movie? What’s that you’re eating? Care to share?"

"Sure," Shen Lu said with a nod, giving him a handful.

Ye Fan happily took them and started cracking into the seeds with relish. A moment later, Lin Zhou appeared silently beside Shen Lu and quietly held out his palm. "Boss Shen, could I have some?"

Shen Lu was in a good mood today. ’What’s a few sunflower seeds between friends?’ she thought. ’We’re all watching a popcorn flick together. It wouldn’t be right without something to snack on.’

"So, what do you guys think of the movie?" Shen Lu suddenly asked.

Ye Fan gave a noncommittal answer. "It’s great. So much excitement."

’He was a simple man and didn’t care for fancy things like movies. If he had the money, he’d never waste it on a ticket for something like this. He’d rather throw in a little extra and go look at some legs at a club.’

"It’s something to watch," Lin Zhou replied more pragmatically. "It’s all fake anyway."

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