The NO.1 Food Stall in the Wasteland novel Chapter 254

Chapter 254: Chapter 254: Bonus

She shook the sand from her clothes, and a robot vacuum immediately zipped over, getting to work with a KUKU sound.

"Why does it feel like the sandstorms are especially bad here?"

’In the original owner’s memories, sandstorms that hit without warning were never this intense.’

Shen Lu asked, a bit worried. ’What if this is a sign that this year’s dust season will be particularly harsh? I should probably make some preparations in advance.’

"Not really." Wang Daguo scratched the sand out of his hair. "This is actually pretty mild. On this day last year, we couldn’t even go outside."

Shu Meng said, "Boss, the sandstorms are less severe in the Upper City District. Also, our shop is in a bad spot with no buildings to block the wind, so it just seems worse here."

Shen Lu: ...

’I was too hasty.’

At first, when she heard people talk about the dust season, she had assumed it was similar to the sandstorms of her past life, just with more frequent high winds.

Seeing Shen Lu’s brow furrowed in thought, Xin Yu comforted her, "The dust season is only really intense for about ten days or half a month. As long as you’re careful the rest of the time, it won’t affect daily life much."

Deng Ying chimed in, "Yeah, winter is actually the toughest season."

The Imperial City was located in the north, and winter temperatures could drop below -10 degrees. Vegetation was scarce, so heating materials like charcoal and firewood were out of the question. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

The people of the Upper City District enjoyed electric heating, while those in the Lower City District could only bundle up in more layers and tough it out.

Those who were slightly better off might buy a small heating stove, but that was the extent of it.

As a result, many people froze to death each winter. It wasn’t uncommon to see the bodies of the homeless frozen solid on the streets like ice sculptures.

Shen Lu sighed. Without saying anything more, she told the staff to start prepping the ingredients.

"Song..." Xin Yu started to call for Song Zhigao to move the pork, but he cut himself off. He remembered that after the poisoning incident, Song Zhigao had been detained by Shen Lu. Of course he wouldn’t be working in the kitchen anymore.

The others tacitly pretended not to hear, each focusing on their own tasks.

With Song Zhigao gone, Shen Lu took on the job of cooking the braised pork belly herself.

Shu Meng shot several glances at Shen Lu before finally blurting out, "Boss, what if I take over making the braised pork belly from now on?"

She and Song Zhigao had been rivals. Now that he was out of the picture, Shu Meng was certain she would be kept on permanently.

She felt she should take on more responsibility. The braised pork belly only required supervision during the initial steps. For the simmering part later on, she would just need to check it occasionally, so it wouldn’t interfere with her work stir-frying the side dishes.

"Alright." Shen Lu didn’t refuse. Shu Meng couldn’t just cook vegetable dishes forever; she needed to learn how to prepare meat dishes as well.

The braised pork belly wasn’t difficult to make. Shen Lu was in charge of all the seasonings, so Shu Meng just had to follow the steps. With Shen Lu watching, she successfully prepared her first batch.

Shen Lu had Shu Meng taste her creation.

"It’s very close," Shu Meng said after tasting it carefully, offering a thoughtful critique. "The version I made just seems a little greasier."

Shen Lu nodded. "That’s because you didn’t sear the pork belly for long enough at the start. But it’s not a major issue. Some people prefer it less fatty, while others like it richer."

And in this Otherworld, most people actually preferred it richer. After all, with food so scarce, everyone was short on fats and oils.

"You’ll get the hang of it with more practice," Shen Lu said, patting her on the shoulder.

Shu Meng smiled like a young girl. "I won’t disappoint you, Boss!"

[DING-DONG~ Mission issued: Sell 820 Braised Pork Belly set meals, 720 Kung Pao Chicken set meals, and 380 Steamed Fish Head with Diced Hot Peppers set meals. Achieve a total revenue of 180,000 Star Coins with customer satisfaction at three stars or higher. Time limit: eight hours.]

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