My Exclusive Dream World Adventures

Chapter 95: 095 Picky Eating
 

It was late at night, already past midnight.

Chen Xu saw Chen Ziqi huddled in a chair, clutching a hot water bottle, barely able to keep her eyes open, and said, “We’re closing, come help me.”

“Huh?”

Chen Ziqi, still groggy, lifted her head and realized what was happening. She tossed aside the hot water bottle and helped to bring in the tables and chairs, while saying, “Aren’t there still people here?”

“You’re so sleepy, I told you to go back earlier, but you insisted on staying,” Chen Xu said.

“You think I’m that heartless? It’s your first day of business, of course I had to stay and help,” Chen Ziqi said, her movements not slowing down.

“Actually, you’re just scared to go home alone, aren’t you?”

“…”

Chen Ziqi chose not to respond.

The two of them quickly finished with the few tables. Chen Xu pulled down the shutter, locked it, and walked her back to her rented place.

“Chen Xu, you sold six bowls of noodles tonight, fifteen yuan each, making only ninety in total. Assuming profit is fifty percent, that’s just forty-five yuan. Rent per day is one hundred thirty-three point three. Your net loss is eighty-eight point three,” Chen Ziqi calculated while walking, then added, “Listen to me, start selling barbecue instead. Otherwise, at this rate you’ll lose over seven thousand nine hundred in three months. Why bother?”

“You don’t need to worry about it, focus on your own studies.”

“What studies? I’m skipping school, in case you haven’t noticed.”

Seeing her stubbornness, Chen Xu didn’t argue and said, “It’s good you understand what’s most important right now. Ninth grade is a critical period, don’t slack.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Chen Ziqi turned her face away, quickly reaching her rented place.

Chen Xu waited for her to go inside and was about to close the door when suddenly she said, “Chen Xu, what if you work during the day and I watch the shop? But you’d have to pay me a salary.”

“I can’t afford to hire you. Better you stay home,” Chen Xu said with a chuckle. “And get to bed early.”

With a bang, he closed the door and wore a slight smile facing it.

After spending more time with her, he felt this cousin wasn’t annoying at all; in fact, she was much cuter than his other cousins.

…

The next day, Chen Xu had to work overtime again. By the time he got back to his rental, it was past eight. Upon opening the door, he was greeted by a pair of resentful eyes.

There was Chen Ziqi, pitifully nestled in the chair, saying, “Chen Xu, if you hadn’t come back, I would have starved to death.”

“Weren’t you supposed to have gotten your food delivery? The app showed it was completed.”

Chen Ziqi pointed to a bag of takeout on the table, untouched.

“Why haven’t you eaten?” he asked, perplexed.

“I wanted noodles.”

Chen Xu frowned, “You’re too old to be this fussy. Besides, it’s wasteful to order food and not eat it.”

“I don’t care, I just want noodles.”

Not wanting to argue, Chen Xu relented, “Alright, fine. In the future, I’ll be sure to order noodles for you.”

“No,” she shook her head, “I want you to make them for me.”

Chen Xu paused for a moment before realizing she was hooked on his cooking. Amused, he said, “That’s fine while you’re here, but what will you do when you go home?”

Chen Ziqi’s expression turned serious, as if realizing the problem.

Chen Xu, half-joking, went to cook noodles. Soon, he brought out two steaming bowls.

Chen Ziqi sat up straight, took her chopsticks, and said, “Why don’t I just transfer schools and come live with you?”

“Don’t,” Chen Xu laughed, “If your dad heard that, he’d be heartbroken. Am I worth less than a bowl of noodles?”

“You don’t understand.”

Chen Ziqi earnestly said, “Never underestimate good food and good company.”

Chen Xu nodded and said, “Nice, I love hearing that. Keep calling me ‘little brother’ a few more times.”

“Bah, if it weren’t for our age difference, you’d just be an uncle.” Chen Ziqi rolled her eyes at him, picked up her chopsticks, and began eating her noodles.

…

After finishing their meal, the two headed to the shop.

Chen Xu said, “I told you, you don’t need to help today. Wouldn’t it be better to stay home and sleep?”

“Mind your own business. I was stuck in my rented place all day and almost suffocated. Can’t I come out for some fresh air?”

“And look, it’s so windy today, your nose is all red.”

“I just have a slight cold.” As Chen Ziqi spoke, she suddenly noticed someone standing at the shop’s entrance and quickly changed the subject, “Hey, there’s someone at the door.”

Chen Xu looked over and sure enough, there was a person. He recognized him instantly—it was the guy from the first pair of customers who had visited the shop yesterday.

The person saw them too and immediately rushed over, yelling, “Boss, why are you only coming now? What time do you call this?”

His furious look startled both Chen Xu and Chen Ziqi.

Chen Xu instinctively stepped in front of Chen Ziqi and asked, “What do you want?”

“Boss, I’ve been waiting all day for you.” It was Yanqing, his eyes almost teary as he looked at him.

Seeing his face turned pale from the cold, sniffing, and looking a bit miserable, presumably from waiting for a while, Chen Xu felt a bit sorry for him and said, “You want to eat noodles, right?”

“Yes, yes, I want take-out, two portions, and quickly, please.”

“It’s for your girlfriend, right? Okay.”

Saying this, Chen Xu took out his keys, opened the door, and went in to fire up the stove and began preparing two portions for him.

Chen Ziqi moved tables and chairs by herself. Seeing Yanqing standing still, she said irritably, “Hey, what are you spacing out for? Come and help quickly.”

“Oh.”

Seeing that she was a young girl, Yanqing felt it was hard to refuse and came over to help move tables and chairs. Meanwhile, he asked, “Why are you opening the shop so late today?”

Chen Ziqi replied, “We serve late-night snacks, opening at this time is normal, right?”

Yanqing was puzzled for a moment, “Your noodle shop only serves late at night?”

“What do you know.”

Chen Ziqi, sensing his skepticism, was displeased and said, “It’s called differentiation competition. The whole street serves barbecue, but we want to be different, to have our specialty, so we serve noodles.”

Are you kidding me?

Yanqing opened his mouth and wisely swallowed his words, feeling it was a huge injustice. He had made several trips here today and had just waited almost half an hour outside, only now realizing they opened in the evening.

Chen Ziqi asked, “Did your girlfriend ask you to come?”

“Yes, her stomach has been acting up, she can’t stomach anything except your noodles. Today, she only had a little porridge,” Yanqing replied, couldn’t help but sigh.

Chen Ziqi looked at him with some sympathy, which puzzled him a bit.

“Your noodles are ready.” At this moment, Chen Xu came over carrying the packaged noodles.

After paying, Yanqing ran home at top speed, woke his girlfriend who was lying in bed, and said, “I got the noodles.”

Liu Bing jumped up instantly, ran to the living room, opened a portion, and started eating. After a few bites, she suddenly asked him, “What are you doing?”

“Eating noodles.” Yanqing had already opened the other bag of noodles and replied.

“Let go.”

“Huh?”

“I think one portion might not be enough.”

“Uh—” Yanqing felt a bit disgruntled; he had waited in the cold wind for half an hour and hadn’t even tasted them yet.

“Sweetie, you go eat some instant noodles, okay?”