The NO.1 Food Stall in the Wasteland novel Chapter 192

Chapter 192: Chapter 192: Don’t Tell Me They’re Here to Cause Trouble?

Little Bei pinched himself hard, forcing himself to calm down.

He put down his metal skewer and chose his words carefully.

"Sister Li, it’s not what you think."

"Oh? And you know what I’m thinking?" Lei Li’s tone grew steadily colder. Anyone who knew her recognized this as a sign she was about to blow up.

Lei Li hadn’t originally believed Jin San’s bullshit. It was obvious he was just trying to stir up trouble.

But once the seed of doubt was planted, she couldn’t rest easy without getting to the bottom of it. That’s why she had sought out Little Bei to get information out of him.

Who would have thought that what Jin San said was actually true!

"You’re just worried the Boss got himself a new girlfriend, right? Heh, that’s not it at all." Little Bei tried to lighten the mood. "The Boss and Boss Shen have a simple employer-mercenary relationship. It’s completely platonic."

Lei Li narrowed her eyes. "Do I look like I’m easy to fool?"

"Of course not, Sister Li. Boss Shen has a fiancé. And she’s completely devoted to him—a lot of people know about it, the Boss included."

Lei Li said nothing.

Little Bei continued, "In short, there’s absolutely nothing going on between the Boss and Boss Shen. Their relationship is strictly professional."

"So, it seems I misunderstood?"

"You did. It’s a total misunderstanding."

Lei Li’s lips curled into a smile. "Good. The man I, Lei Li, have my sights on, I will have. Anyone who dares try to steal him from me... I’ll make sure they die a very ugly death."

Little Bei’s heart skipped a beat, but he immediately cursed himself internally.

’Skipped a beat for what? Boss Shen has zero romantic interest in the Boss. Lei Li has no reason to go after her.’

"What we talked about today stays between us," Lei Li said at last, patting Little Bei’s shoulder. "I don’t want any unnecessary complications."

Little Bei nodded to show he understood.

After finishing his late-night snack distractedly, Little Bei returned to his dorm to rest. Just as he was about to open the door, a voice called out from the shadows.

"It’s late. Where were you instead of resting?"

Little Bei looked over and saw a figure emerge from the shadows. It was Xue Can.

"Lei Li asked me out for a late-night snack," Little Bei reported, holding nothing back. "I just had a couple of beers."

"You should go out with her less often."

"It’s hard to refuse. After all, we all run in the same circles. Making things too awkward wouldn’t look good."

Little Bei sighed. ’Xue Can is always so cold to Lei Li, so someone on our side has to be the one to smooth things over.’

’Besides, Lei Li’s father, Lei Ting, dotes on her. You have to show some deference for her father’s sake.’

"Go get some rest." Xue Can knew Little Bei was just doing it for the good of the Mercenary Corps, so he didn’t press the issue.

Meanwhile, Lei Li had also returned home. She hadn’t fully believed Jin San, but she didn’t fully believe Little Bei either.

She decided to investigate for herself.

After all, she had known Xue Can for a few years now. He always seemed uninterested in women; she had never heard of him being intimate with anyone.

The next day, Lei Li came to Gold Street around noon.

Unless she was on a mission, Lei Li rarely got up before noon. Today, to check out her love rival, she had gotten up early.

It was the peak of the lunch hour, and Little Deer Cuisine was packed. A portion of the crowd was gathered to the left of the main entrance, while even more people were going inside to eat.

"Yes, I am." Shen Lu blinked. "And you are?"

Given the other woman’s question and her not-so-polite tone, Shen Lu immediately snapped out of her awe and went on the defensive.

’She’s not here to cause trouble, is she?’

Shen Lu’s mind immediately jumped to the fact that her food used to have a soothing effect on one’s Spiritual Sea. She was secretly relieved that she was now mixing in local ingredients, weakening the effect until it was almost nonexistent.

"I’m here to eat." The words turned on her tongue, and Lei Li ultimately changed her tune, her attitude softening a bit. "Can you tell me about your dishes? It’s my first time here."

"No problem." Shen Lu had Wang Daguo take over for her and led Lei Li into the fast-food section.

"Right now, the shop offers a Braised Pork Belly set, a Kung Pao Chicken set, an assortment of braised items, and Mala Tang. For drinks, we have mint water. Oh, and we’ll be launching a new set menu soon, so we hope you’ll come back to try it."

Shen Lu gestured. "Please take a tray here and then line up at the end of the queue. If there’s anything else you’re not sure about, you can ask any of the staff, and they’ll be happy to help. Finally, I hope you enjoy your meal."

Lei Li hadn’t actually planned on eating; she was just here to check things out. But when she smelled the aroma and saw the food, she changed her mind.

’The food they sell here looks really delicious.’

For customers who had been here before, the dishes mixed with local ingredients didn’t look as good as they used to. But for a first-timer like Lei Li, they already looked quite impressive.

When her request to order one of each of the two set meals was rejected, Lei Li was a little annoyed.

But miraculously, she didn’t throw her tray down and storm out. She obediently got a serving of Kung Pao Chicken and some braised items and sat down to eat.

After tasting the delicious, savory food, Lei Li felt that this trip had been worth it after all.

Once she had eaten her fill, Lei Li got back in line and bought a Mala Tang and a mint water, eating while playing on her Light Brain.

Suddenly, a familiar figure flashed in the corner of her eye. Lei Li looked up and saw Xue Can walk in from outside.