When Ares smelled the aroma, he thought: "I can kill the mutated octopus too."
Then, his thoughts changed when he tasted the spicy stir-fried octopus.
He thought: So what if it's a mutated octopus?
Can't it be killed without a mech and a grenade launcher?
That's impossible!
He can still fight hand to hand!
What?
He can't beat it?
That's impossible!
Although he's a commander, but his combat ability is among the best in the Empire.
Tonight, he's going to kill mutated octopuses!
Kill two!
Waaah!
Spicy stir-fried octopus is so delicious!
The octopus meat is chewy and springy, one bite reveals a delightful combination of bouncy texture and tender softness.
Beneath the firm, thick, soft flesh lies the fresh aroma of the ocean, unfolding layer by layer with each bite.
Like the sea, gently reaching out its hand, offering you a sweet and fragrant embrace.
Ares took a satisfied breath, feeling the salty flavor envelop him, and felt…
He was filled with strength.
He wanted to kill the mutated octopus right now!
If he'd known it was so delicious, he would have killed it long ago!
Although it was difficult to kill, but there were many of them!
Ares was eating, and Sheng Jiu wasn't idle either.
She hadn't finished her previous serving yet.
Sheng Jiu wasn't as fast as Ares, she ate slowly, occasionally taking a sip or two of Interstellar Dates tea.
But not much, afraid that drinking too much water would dilute her stomach acid, so she just drank a couple of sips to satisfy her craving.
By the time Sheng Jiu finished eating, Ares was already eating his sixth serving.
Sheng Jiu: ...
Okay, she'll go cook some more right now!
And his teammates are all waiting to be fed.
Sheng Jiu quickly started cooking again.
Li Cheng Xiang: ...
Little Boss, at least look at your phone!
Don't you know how many people outside are practically drooling with envy?
Those diners who didn't know the news came over and, smelling the aroma, didn't want to leave.
Some people smelled the seafood and guessed, "If I can't have it today, may be I can tomorrow?"
"But why aren't you open for business if you've cooked so much?"
"Does the Little Boss need any taste testers?"
"I'll pay myself to taste it, waah, please, please open the restaurant!"
...
After being captivated by the aroma, the diners began to act wildly.
Fortunately, they all managed to control themselves and didn't actually bang on the door.
As the aroma wafting from the restaurant gradually faded, Ares had finished eating and drinking, and then took out another forty servings.
Before leaving, he added, "Little Boss, leave the cleaning work undone, I'll come back and take care of it later."
Sheng Jiu responded loudly. After Ares left, she quickly took a shower to wash away the grease and grime, then packed up the remaining octopus meat and froze it.
She couldn't go back to the village for the time being, so she froze it and would have Sheng Si Yu take it back when she came.
After packing it up, Sheng Jiu finally had time to check her phone.
She first saw a message from Li Cheng Xiang. She replied apologetically, saying she had been busy and hadn't seen it before, and added that if she had the chance, she would add spicy stir-fried octopus to the menu.
Li Cheng Xiang: ...
He had been craving seafood so badly that he ordered a seafood in sauce, but after a couple of bites, he found it hard to swallow.
Now, after seeing Sheng Jiu's reply, he felt the food wasn't worth it at all.
He had wasted over a hundred yuan.
Waaah, he knew it would take him hours to earn over a hundred yuan!
Li Cheng Xiang wiped away his tears and replied to the message, saying it was okay, he could wait.
Besides Li Cheng Xiang, Lin Qi and the others, who had previously added her on WeChat, also inquired.
Sheng Jiu felt her business hours weren't very consistent, and she actually needed to create a group chat.
If anything happened, she could announce it in the group beforehand, letting more customers know her normal business hours.
With that in mind, she created a group chat overnight, added Lin Qi and the others, then took a screenshot of the QR code and sent it to the owner of the copy shop she had added before, asking him to print a few copies for her.
The two briefly discussed the quantity needed and calculated the cost on WeChat, then arranged a time to pick up the items.
After finishing her business, Sheng Jiu casually scrolled through her WeChat Moments. The various messages were a bit chaotic, and before she could read them carefully, a call came in.
Ling Qing.
Sheng Jiu's biological mother.
Seeing her call, Sheng Jiu raised an eyebrow, wondering why the other person was calling at this hour.
Most likely it was about her going to the police station to report the incident, right?
Thinking of this, Sheng Jiu sighed softly.
After the call connected, Sheng Jiu simply responded with a sound of agreement and didn't rush to speak.
Ling Qing didn't know what to say to Sheng Jiu.
The mother and daughter...
Their relationship was really not close.
After hesitating for a long time, Ling Qing finally asked softly, "...Your cou...no, did Gu De Ming cause you trouble?"
Ling Qing initially wanted to say "your cousin," but guessing Sheng Jiu wouldn't like it, she changed her mind.
Sheng Jiu didn't hide anything, responding simply, "Mm."
Ling Qing was silent for a moment, then whispered, "I'm sorry, it's because Mom is incompetent."
Sheng Jiu listened and remained silent, but not for long: "It's okay, I don't blame you."
Sheng Jiu was long past the age of wanting her mother to stand up for her.
Now, she can protect herself.
Therefore, without expectation or disappointment, there's nothing to resent.
She had seen her mother protecting her younger brother, back then, Ling Qing was like an awakened lioness, fierce and unapproachable.
At that moment, Sheng Jiu understood that no one dictates that a mother must love every child equally.
Nor does anyone dictate that every child must love their mother.
She is grateful to her mother for giving her life and thankful for the years she loved her.
Sheng Jiu is willing to understand her mother's hardships, but that's where it ends.
The deep mother-daughter bond that Ling Qing craved was something she couldn't give her.
Sheng Jiu had never experienced such love, never been loved consistently from beginning to end, so she didn't know how to reciprocate.
For now, not disturbing each other, occasional contact—that was the best way to get along.
Sheng Jiu even secretly breathed a sigh of relief when she heard Ling Qing's phone call, where she apologized instead of blaming her.
She thought, at least her mother hadn't blindly sided with the other person, she was content.
Ling Qing also knew that she and Sheng Jiu weren't close.
Even after remarrying, she didn't see Sheng Jiu for several years, not even a single phone call, in order to start a new life.
Despite not being far apart, but it was as if she had vanished.
By the time Ling Qing belatedly realized what was happening, time had already passed.
At this moment, listening to Sheng Jiu's words, Ling Qing felt sad, bitter, and awkward, but she didn't want to blame Sheng Jiu.
Ling Qing opened her mouth, and after a long pause, whispered, "Take care of yourself."
Sheng Jiu responded softly, "Mm, I know."
The mother and daughter remained silent for a while. Finally, Ling Qing couldn't bear the silence any longer, said something, and hung up the phone.
After hanging up, Sheng Jiu didn't have time for sentimentality before she heard a knock on the upstairs door, and at the same time, the system notification sounded.
[This knock is very likely from a new customer~]