I Don't Even Know Him

The food street was bustling with people, and with so many customers eating in front of Shen Chuan's stall, it was noisy. But after those two finished speaking, the scene suddenly fell silent-for a full ten seconds.

Then everyone's eyes turned to the two of them in unison, as though they were looking at a pair of brave warriors.

The man the old man had nudged hurriedly edged away, giving a dry laugh as he distanced himself. "I don't even know him."

The regulars knew Boss Shen's temperament better than anyone. Grumbling in private was one thing, but who dared complain to his face?

Given how Boss Shen could find all sorts of excuses to slack off even when nothing was wrong, wouldn't overhearing their complaints just give him another excuse?

So whenever Boss Shen showed off, everyone either ignored him or agreed against their conscience, terrified they would lose their chance to eat his food.

Who would have thought two brave warriors would turn up today!

Shen Chuan froze for a moment too. He had been showing off for Show-off Points for quite some time now. Every time he finished showing off-back when he first started, he had found it deeply embarrassing too, but after doing it enough, he had gotten used to it.

As long as no one said anything and he wasn't embarrassed, the embarrassment belonged to everyone else.

He hadn't expected someone to call him out to his face today.

Now he couldn't even pretend he hadn't heard.

Feeling the utter silence around him, Shen Chuan began to feel a little embarrassed too.

Everyone was sneaking glances at him, watching his reaction.

After that brief embarrassment, a thought struck Shen Chuan. Wasn't this the perfect excuse to take a break?

Once he finished today's stint at the stall, he should have enough Show-off Points. He could look for new recipes when he got home tonight, which meant he would definitely need tomorrow off.

Then they couldn't blame him!

Shen Chuan stood up with a smile, as though he hadn't heard anything. "So in your eyes, my wholehearted pursuit of perfect food is nothing more than an excuse to slack off. You've really let down all my good intentions!"

Then, as though deeply wounded, he continued in a thoroughly dejected tone, "Since that's what you all think, I'll close for the day tomorrow."

[Ding! Show-off Points +50!]

[Ding! Show-off Points...]

"What!"

The customers were completely dumbfounded when they heard that.

Their vague, ominous premonition had come true!

The customer who had accidentally spoken his mind and the old man had already been standing there stunned for some time. Under everyone's stares, neither dared move a muscle.

The customers who heard him all crowded around.

Jiang Wenyan, who was packing things away, suddenly remembered something and told everyone, "Now I remember. When Boss Shen finished his very first day here, he said whether he opened depended on his mood. If he was in a bad mood, he wouldn't open."

The customers immediately looked as though the sky had fallen, refusing to believe it.

"Boss Shen, you're joking with us, right?"

"It has to be a joke!"

Jiang Wenyan set down the food storage container and glanced back at the stern-faced Shen Chuan, beginning to feel miserable himself.

What was wrong with this batch of customers? Why complain about someone right to his face!

My part-time job, and those scallion pancakes I've been longing for!

Seeing the customers erupt and Boss Shen looking so wounded by his words, the old man felt terribly guilty.

He stood there uneasily, looking at the young fellow who had complained with him, hoping he would come up with an idea.

Spoken words were like spilled water. They were done for now.

Who could have imagined the boss would simply refuse to open tomorrow because of their complaints?

Wasn't that going to be the death of him!

The old man was on the verge of breaking down. Seeing the young fellow trying to shrink into himself like a quail, he had no choice but to step forward and hurry to apologize to Shen Chuan himself.

"Boss Shen, I'm an old man, and my mind's a little muddled. I was just talking nonsense. Please don't hold it against me. I only grumbled a little because I didn't get a pancake."

The customers nearby also began putting in good words in great anxiety, truly racking their brains to coax Shen Chuan.

One customer said against his conscience, "Boss Shen, you work so hard coming out here every day. It's so hot, and the sun's so strong, yet you can't stay home enjoying the air conditioning. I... you really work so hard..."

He stumbled over his words, his cheeks flushed bright red. Clearly, forcing out this insincere praise was particularly agonizing, but his eyes remained fixed on the stall, and he didn't dare let the flattery stop for a moment.

"Boss, your stall hours are especially well planned. We don't even have to stay up late looking for food anymore. We're home by nine every evening, and our families no longer have to worry about us coming home late. My whole family is grateful to you."

"Boss, you should open whenever you like. I think leaving home at four thirty and closing at eight thirty are simply the best working hours in the world. Really."

"As long as there's food, we're not picky!"

Everyone chimed in, praising everything from how well Shen Chuan arranged his opening hours to how hard he worked making pancakes.

Zhang Jiale and the other university students who had gotten to know Shen Chuan even worked up the courage to come over and massage his shoulders, telling him not to tire out his hands.

Listening to the system announce his incoming Show-off Points, Shen Chuan was grinning uncontrollably on the inside, but his face remained stern and serious.

Opening the stall was out of the question. He needed to prepare new ingredients, and he really did need a break.

He had even picked up plenty of Show-off Points along the way. Three birds with one stone.

As it happened, Jiang Wenyan had finished packing up the stall. Shen Chuan stood and handed him the chair.

After Jiang Wenyan put the chair in the space specifically left for it, Shen Chuan ignored everyone's pleas to stay and climbed straight into the vehicle. Turning to the customers surrounding the tricycle, he said, "I'm taking tomorrow off. No stall. We'll see the day after, when I'm in a better mood."

Once Shen Chuan said to leave, Jiang Wenyan didn't dare delay. He immediately drove the tricycle toward the exit of the food street.

Seeing that Boss Shen meant it, the young fellow no longer dared hide like a quail. He ran alongside them, shouting, "Boss Shen, we really were wrong! I shouldn't have complained about you. None of what I said was true. Believe me! I'm your loyal fan. Could you please open tomorrow?"

"If nothing else, even an hour would do. You could finish work early."

The other customers followed behind, trying to persuade him too. "Yes, yes, yes! You don't even have to come to the food street. Just set up outside your home. Give me the address, and I'll come buy from you there. Even half an hour would be fine. I won't tell anyone else, and I promise I won't let you wear yourself out."

The other customers were still hoping Shen Chuan would change his mind. Caught off guard by those words, they immediately glared at that customer.

Was this guy serious? Boss Shen wasn't even opening tomorrow, and he was still scheming here. The beads of his abacus were practically flying into their faces.

Unfortunately, Boss Shen remained unmoved, still sitting in the vehicle looking dispirited, leaving everyone wracked with guilt.

They could only watch helplessly as the tricycle disappeared from the food street and merged onto the main road.

Then they all turned back to glare at the young fellow and the old man.

The two hunched their necks under everyone's stares, bitterly regretting what they had done.