The NO.1 Food Stall in the Wasteland novel Chapter 43

Chapter 43: Chapter 43: You’re So Devoted to Your Fiancé

Shen Lu complained bitterly to herself.

If she’d known that the deodorizers used in the Upper City District were different from those in the Lower City District, she would have had even more to complain about.

After selling the last serving of mala tang, a system notification announcing the task’s completion echoed in her mind.

[DING! Mint Water: 40/40. Egg Waffles: 30/30. Mala Tang: 30/30. Fried Rice: 5/5. Fried Noodles: 5/5. Task complete. Reward: One Lottery Ticket.]

At that moment, a familiar male voice spoke up.

"Looks like I’m too late."

Shen Lu looked up. The man before her was covered from head to toe in a dark combat suit, with only his eyes visible. A powerful heat radiated from him, making his agitated state easy to sense.

"Mr. Xue?"

"It’s me." Xue Can didn’t pull down his tactical mask. The Lower City District always stank after heavy rain, and his Spiritual Sea was already in turmoil. The stench would only worsen the pressure in his head.

"Is there anything left to eat? Egg waffles? Mint water? I’ll take anything."

"All gone." Shen Lu was a little touched.

Xue Can had been her very first customer. And while they’d gotten off to a rocky start, there was no denying he was now her most loyal one.

’Look at him,’ she thought. ’He just got back from a mission, and the first thing he does is come support my business.’

Xue Can’s eyes narrowed, his gaze falling on the mala tang cooker. "Isn’t that soup?"

"Uh... that’s not exactly soup..." Shen Lu began to explain, but Xue Can cut her off gruffly. "Sell me two cups."

"Fine."

’He’s so insistent, and he’s a regular.’ Shen Lu didn’t have the heart to refuse him again.

Shen Lu ladled out a bowl of the tomato broth, sprinkled some chopped green onions on top, and passed it to him.

"This one’s on the house. Sorry, all the ingredients are sold out. You’ll have to come earlier next time."

Not caring whether it was scalding hot, Xue Can pulled down his mask, picked up the bowl, and poured the contents straight into his mouth.

The tomato broth, which had simmered with all sorts of ingredients, was intensely flavorful, but Xue Can had no intention of savoring it. All he wanted was for his Spiritual Sea to quiet down.

There were always a few days each month when his Spiritual Sea would become especially volatile. Those were the hardest times to get through.

Kids from wealthy families, like Bai Lei, could spend a fortune on hospital treatments. But for someone like Xue Can, who didn’t have that kind of financial backing, he had to find other solutions.

He could either tough it out or go to the black market.

The black market was cheaper than the hospital, but the effects were mediocre. Xue Can had gone a few times and found it to be of little use.

Now, however, he had a better option.

After downing the bowl of tomato broth, the splitting pressure in Xue Can’s head immediately subsided.

The relief was so profound he let out a long sigh.

’He looks less like someone who just had tomato broth and more like he just downed a divine elixir,’ Shen Lu thought.

’Is it really that good?’

’I’ve had tomato hot pot myself. It’s delicious, sure, but not *this* good.’

’This is too much.’

Shen Lu suspected that any second now, his clothes would burst off, his cheeks would flush red, and he’d start moaning with tears in his eyes.

’No way. Seriously, no way.’

’This isn’t some cooking anime I’ve been dropped into.’

"Boss Shen, sell me whatever’s left." Xue Can wasn’t picky. Whether it was mint water, egg waffles, or tomato broth, he’d take anything as long as it soothed his Spiritual Sea.

He had another urgent mission to attend to, and he was leaving tonight. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have rushed over in such a panic.

"Well... alright." Shen Lu couldn’t argue with Xue Can. She sold him the broth from the clear and tomato pots but skipped the spicy mala one. Xue Can only had one canteen, and while mixing the clear and tomato broths was acceptable, adding the spicy one to the mix would be a disaster.

Shen Lu only charged Xue Can 100 Star Coins as a "friendship price." After all, she might need to ask him for a favor someday.

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