The NO.1 Food Stall in the Wasteland novel Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Chapter 7: I’m Not Impressed by This Stuff of Yours

Shen Lu walked to her spot from yesterday and quickly set up.

It was nearing noon, and the sun was brutal. There weren’t many people on Gold Street.

This area was busiest at night. At noon, only a few scattered restaurants were open for business. The other shops had their doors shut tight and probably wouldn’t open until the afternoon.

[Ding-dong~ New quest issued: Please sell 15 cups of mint water and 5 egg waffles.]

The system’s voice suddenly rang out in her mind, making Shen Lu jump.

The quest was harder than yesterday’s, but Shen Lu was confident she could complete it.

The people coming to Gold Street at this time were mostly looking for lunch. Shen Lu placed the egg waffle maker on a metal stool, poured in the right amount of batter, and closed the lid.

Before long, the incredibly fragrant aroma of egg waffles wafted out, hooking every person who passed by Shen Lu’s small stall.

A little boy swallowed hard and pulled his mother over.

"What’s that? It smells so good!" the little boy asked, curiously pointing at the operating egg waffle maker.

"Egg waffles. Fragrant, delicious egg waffles," Shen Lu said, bending down to introduce them to her little customer with a smile. "They’re a very fragrant, sweet, and soft snack. They’re delicious!"

"I want one!" The little boy’s mind was clouded by the overpowering aroma of the egg waffles. He shook his mother’s arm. "Mom, I don’t want a meat bun anymore, I want this!"

The little boy’s mother frowned, glancing at Shen Lu and then at the egg waffle maker.

She had never seen this kind of food before, nor had she ever smelled such an aroma—one so fragrant it could make a person lose their reason.

She suddenly remembered a news report from a few days ago about an additive circulating on the market called a "flavor enhancer." Even the most disgusting food would become intensely aromatic and whet one’s appetite if you just added it.

Flavor enhancers contained small amounts of toxins. They weren’t lethal, but eating too much would have side effects. The government didn’t encourage their use, but they didn’t seem to have any intention of dealing with the problem, either. They just reported on it in the news, letting citizens be careful on their own.

"Eat what?!" The boy’s mother smacked him on the back of the head and dragged him away. "That thing is obviously full of flavor enhancers! You can’t eat it!"

"WAAAH! I wanna eat it! I have to eat it!" the little boy wailed. If he couldn’t eat such a fragrant egg waffle, he wouldn’t be able to sleep at night.

But he was no match for his mother. The little boy was still dragged away, earning a hard slap across the face for his troubles.

Shen Lu pursed her lips and tilted her head slightly.

’Flavor enhancer?’

’What is that? An additive?’

’I’m a perfectly scrupulous vendor. My ingredients are all-natural and pollution-free. Why would I use additives? If I did, I wouldn’t eat them myself.’

’Is it my fault the egg waffles are too fragrant?’

Shen Lu felt truly wronged.

Noon passed quickly, but Shen Lu’s business wasn’t good. At least thirty or forty people had passed by, yet she had only sold two cups of mint water and one egg waffle.

The customer who bought the egg waffle even wore an expression like a hero marching to his death, as if he was certain it contained flavor enhancers. But it was just too fragrant, and he was just too greedy, so he braved the risk of being poisoned to satisfy his craving.

Shen Lu was left speechless.

At two in the afternoon, during the most brutal part of the day, Shen Lu was waiting in the shade when a plump auntie holding a somewhat worn black umbrella walked over.

Shen Lu’s eyes lit up. ’Just from her build, I can tell she loves to eat,’ she thought. ’This sale is in the bag.’

"Ma’am, would you like an egg waffle? Paired with an ice-cold mint water, it’s a double delight."

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