Universe Infinite Canteen

Qi Yu hugged the table leg tightly under the table, looking like he was ready for a drawn-out battle with the enemy.

"I'm wearing your favorite black stockings. If you come out within a minute, you can touch them," the female editor said.

Upon hearing this, a longing look flashed across Qi Yu's face, but ultimately, he resisted the temptation and said stubbornly, "I won't!"

"Come on out, you can't hide under there forever."

"But I can keep hiding until you leave."

"I won't leave unless I get the draft," the female editor declared resolutely, while she pulled up a chair and sat down at the table.

"But I can only draw the draft at home. Blocking me like this will only delay getting the draft even longer," argued Qi Yu. "Plus, I need to eat, don't I? Let me eat first, then I'll draw it for you."

"You said the same thing two days ago, but I found out you weren't even at home. You were shopping at Taikoo Li and visiting the Porsche Center to look at cars. You said the same thing yesterday, and then I found your phone's location at the Hot Spring Hotel. I asked the front desk, and you had even ordered room service."

Qi Yu's face turned red in an instant, and he stammered, "I've, I've never tried room service before. I was just curious and wanted to give it a try."

"How was the room service?" Ma Lu asked curiously.

"Not great. It wasn't the person from the promotional page. A lady older than me arrived," Qi Yu shook his head, "She was wearing black stockings too, but she looked very solemn."

He paused, then turned to the female editor, "Why do you have my location?"

"You didn't know how to use your new Apple phone, so I helped you download the app using my ID account, and that's why I can track your location."

"Apple phones have that feature?" Qi Yu was shocked, "It's my first time using one. Had I known, I would've stuck with Android."

"That's not the point. The point is, I won't be fooled by you again, nor will I let you go!" the female editor said.

"But this time I really need to eat. You can't stop me from eating, right? Even prisoners in jail have the right to eat," protested Qi Yu.

"You want to eat?"

"Yes, I need to eat!!!" Qi Yu exclaimed loudly as if he had grasped a lifeline, "How can I work without a full stomach!"

"Fine, I'll let you eat. In exchange, you give me the draft. It's a win-win," the female editor said, her eyes gleaming with a strange light.

Qi Yu thought about it and felt that this way, he could stall for a while longer, at least until he finished eating. As for after... he could find a new excuse to delay further.

So he nodded, "That's exactly what I meant."

"Then it's settled," the female editor turned to Ma Lu, "Boss Ma, could you please bear witness for us?"

"There's no need for that, why involve a third party in our business?" Qi Yu interjected.

But the female editor insisted, "I need a notary."

"Umm... I don't know, I generally don't like meddling in other people's affairs," said Ma Lu, stroking his chin, "Plus, I'm a fan of Teacher Qi Yu. I don't want to leave a bad impression on him."

"If you're a fan, then you would also want to see the upcoming content of 'One Person Below'," the female editor reasoned.

"That's true, well okay, I'll reluctantly act as your notary," Ma Lu eventually agreed.

"Great," the female editor was pleased, then she called out to Qi Yu under the table, "Come on out, Teacher Qi Yu."

Qi Yu hesitated, "About the condition you mentioned earlier..."

"It's gone, the minute has well passed," the female editor said sternly.

"Ah, I was just asking." Qi Yu crawled out and sat back down in his chair.

At this moment, Ma Lu heard the bell from the kitchen.

Today's first dish was spicy meat sauce corn rolls. A classic Mexican snack.

The soul of Mexican food is the sauce.

Soak dried chilies, fresh chilies, garlic, onions, and diced tomatoes in chicken broth, add various spices, and blend them. Then, mix with flour that has been fried in butter to form a thick sauce.

Next, stir-fry beef mince, onions, carrots with pickled hot pepper, and kidney beans together, then stew with the sauce made earlier.

Finally, drizzle fresh salsa and yogurt on the fried golden brown corn rolls to complete the dish.

Just by the looks of it, Qi Yu's mouth was watering. He was about to savor it, but the female editor interjected, "Hold on."

"Oh, I almost forgot." Qi Yu said to Ma Lu, "Boss, could you please add another pair of chopsticks?"

"No need," the female editor reached out and brought the plate of spicy meat sauce corn rolls to herself.

Qi Yu became anxious, "Hey, you're really not treating yourself as an outsider, are you? At least leave me a taste! Boss Ma is treating me to this meal."

"I know, don't worry, I won't eat it; this whole plate is yours."

As she spoke, the female editor opened her backpack and took out a laptop and placed it in front of Qi Yu.

Qi Yu was puzzled.

But he recognized the device in front of him, "Isn't this my laptop?"

"Correct," said the female editor.

"How come it's with you?"

"I took it from your house."

"Why were you able to get into my house?" Qi Yu was baffled.

"I have your spare key, which makes it convenient for pushing you to submit drafts. Stop asking questions; do you still want to eat or not?"

"Of course, I do!" Qi Yu kept his eyes on the plate of spicy meat sauce corn rolls, almost drooling.

The female editor then took a graphics tablet out of her bag and handed it to Qi Yu, "Let's get started then, Teacher Qi Yu."

"Started with what?"

"What we just agreed on."

"What did we just agree on?"

"I let you eat, and you give me the draft," the female editor said. "From now on, for every page of the draft you give me, I'll let you eat one dish."

???

Qi Yu blinked and then his expression changed dramatically, "Ah, that's not what I meant! Let me eat first, then I'll draw for you."

"Given your track record with me, that's obviously not going to work. If I let you eat first, you'll definitely find other excuses to continue delaying the draft."

"But, but by the time I finish drawing one page, the food will be cold," protested Qi Yu, reaching out for the plate.

But the female editor quickly lifted the plate and guarded it beside her, "Then you better draw quickly."

"But I can't draw if I don't eat!" Qi Yu pressed on as if he would pounce at any moment.

"If you come any closer, I'll spit in it!" the female editor warned, "We can all go down together."

"......"

Qi Yu gasped, "Do you have to be so ruthless? I just missed one week of updates, it's not that big of a deal."

"Two weeks, you've been missing updates for two weeks now, and this time, you cannot miss again!"