Abnormal Gourmet Chronicle
Chapter 134 - 115: The Acting School

Chapter 134: Chapter 115: The Acting School

"So, what should I do now?" Qin Huai sought help from the two spirits.

One was a Plant Spirit who woke up in a muddled state, the other was a Bi Fang who knew everything but resolutely refused to wake up.

These two spirits didn’t seem very reliable either.

"Just do your best," Chen Huihong replied, "We can only do our utmost to help Xiao Qu wake up, but given his current condition... it’s quite difficult to wake him."

"What do you mean?" Qin Huai felt that Chen Huihong was still holding something back.

"Didn’t I just say it? Crossing tribulations is mainly up to the spirit themselves. Xiao Qin, you currently have an extremely rare situation where you can lend a hand, but even this help has its limits."

"For example, my tasks are relatively easy to complete, Luo Jun’s first task was easy, and the second task has gotten you stuck. Qu Jing’s first task has nothing to do with herself, and tasks that are related to herself are that hard, which indicates that her chance of successfully crossing the tribulation was already very low."

"If my chance of waking up is 1%, then Qu Jing’s is probably one in ten thousand or even one in a hundred thousand. My obsession was Hui Niang, and Heaven let me meet Huihui. But with what we know about Xiao Qu now, you can’t see what her obsession is at all."

"She has no one she cares about, nor anything she cares for, she seems completely unattached. For a spirit in their final lifetime, this is the most unresolvable situation."

"I think Qu Jing quite loves her job." Qin Huai quietly quipped.

"That’s why I just told you, even if Xiao Qu fails the tribulation, you shouldn’t have any psychological burden. Passing the tribulation is our own business as spirits, and the hurdles in our hearts need to be overcome by ourselves. You’ve already done a lot, but if the outcome isn’t ideal, it has nothing to do with you."

Luo Jun clicked his tongue, "What kind of nonsense are you spouting? I told you long ago, you Plant Spirits are muddle-headed and dull-minded. Xiao Qin’s system has long given a hint about Qu Jing’s obsession, didn’t you notice it at all?"

Qin Huai & Chen Huihong: ?

The two looked at Luo Jun together.

"Qu Jing’s affirmation," Luo Jun had a ’really now, who’s the system holder here, how could someone be blurrier than I am’ expression, "Read it out again."

Qin Huai flipped to [Qu Jing’s Affirmation] and read it out again.

[Qu Jing’s Affirmation]: Receiving the affirmation of the dedicated doctor, Ms. Qu, signifies that you have gained Qu Jing’s recognition, becoming one of her few friends. You have a slim chance to have her open up to you and discover her deeply hidden secrets.

"Didn’t the system guide you on how to complete the task?" Luo Jun took another bite of the flower bun, "Befriend her, make her open up to you, and discover her deeply hidden secrets."

"In the final lifetime, if she still hasn’t woken up, how could she have no obsession at all? The fact that you don’t see it only means that this obsession is well-hidden. She’s afraid to tell anyone, or you haven’t reached that level of friendship."

"I’ve told you many times to talk, chat, and give Qu Jing some snacks, why are you as stingy as Chen Huihong, insisting on making Qu Jing come to the shop to buy them?"

Qin Huai: ...

Unfair, he even secretly gave Qu Jing a dumpling this morning, although Qin Luo delivered it.

And having Qu Jing come to the canteen every day wasn’t it to get her into the habit, see how well it’s working now, she’s almost blended in with the uncles and aunties at the shop.

If you didn’t know better, you’d think Qu Jing got a part-time job at the canteen, needing to clock in every day.

"So... did you already see that the key to helping Qu Jing through her tribulation lies in finding her secret?" Qin Huai looked at Luo Jun with newfound respect.

Despite Luo Jun’s bad temper, medical disputes, and penchant for mocking Plant Spirits, his brain was truly sharp, and he really could pinpoint the problem.

"Does that even need to be seen? It’s common sense." Luo Jun rolled his eyes disdainfully at Chen Huihong, "Do you think all spirits are as muddle-headed and clueless as Plant Spirits?"

Qin Huai continued looking at Luo Jun, "So you’re actually very clear on what your obsession... should be. Could you elaborate?"

Luo Jun: ...

Luo Jun glared at Qin Huai, thinking weren’t we talking about Qu Jing? How did it come back around to me?

"No rush, it’s just my first lifetime, I still have memories when I die and reincarnate. When I pass on, I’ll leave all my inheritance to you. When I come back and can get out, I’ll find you, and you can return it to me then."

"Qu Jing is in her final lifetime, and she’s more anxious. Deal with her first."

"Will you still eat the dumplings?"

"Of course! Can you make something different? Eating apple dumplings every day is making me sick, and I’m not that fond of apples."

Faced with a request from a true patron, Qin Huai immediately responded:

"I can make anything! Look, I’ve already started learning to make fish-shaped flower buns, how far away can I be from making other kinds of dumplings?"

Luo Jun looked at the half-eaten bun in his hand, which resembled the kind of fish Chen Huixi might draw two or three years ago with crayons, and slowly tapped out a question mark.

In the end, after Chen Huihong finished eating the fruit platter, cracked a few sunflower seeds, and casually took some unsold sesame brittle, Pine Nut Date Paste Cake, and Eight Treasure Cake from the past two days, Luo Jun eventually kicked the two out, and informed Qin Huai he would be going to the hospital for therapy the next afternoon.

Tomorrow, Qu Jing has the day shift.

As Chen Huihong chewed on sesame brittle while entering the elevator, she handed the bag to Qin Huai and asked if he wanted some, emphasizing that it was especially free.

Qin Huai declined, saying they were sold in their canteen and were already free.

"Sister Hong, do you think Qu Jing is more difficult to awaken, or is it Luo Jun?" Qin Huai asked.

Chen Huihong thought for a moment, "Probably Luo Jun."

Seeing Qin Huai’s puzzled expression, Chen Huihong explained, "It’s already the final lifetime for Xiao Qu. She doesn’t need to completely dispel her obsession, as long as she can recall her previous memories through certain opportunities, it counts as successful awakening."

"In this matter, Xiao Qin, you can actually be very helpful."

"But Luo Jun now is someone who knows everything and understands it all, but just doesn’t want to. Perhaps he can awaken in the second or third lifetime, but the probability in this lifetime is very low."

"That’s why many spirits will quickly end their lives and start a new round of reincarnation once they find they’ve failed the tribulation. It’s quite rare to see someone like Luo Jun who insists on living this long despite knowing they’ve failed."

Chen Huihong thought for a moment, "Maybe it’s because the times are good, and TV shows are indeed quite entertaining."

Qin Huai: ...

Is that really the point?

Suddenly, Qin Huai empathized with Luo Jun. I’m really impressed by you Plant Spirits.

Aren’t you a little too unrestrained in front of those you know well?

When Qin Huai returned to the canteen, Chen An had already finished his meal and left. The hall was still full, and the two meat Chefs were busy tossing woks, constantly bringing out new dishes, while Zheng Siyuan was kneading dough in the kitchen.

Seeing that Zheng Siyuan had started working overtime, Qin Huai quickly changed clothes and joined in.

"Qin Huai," Zheng Siyuan called him seriously as soon as he saw him return, his expression so stern that Qin Huai couldn’t help but stand stiffly, as if facing a reprimand from the dean.

"Have you really not thought about hiring more pastry chefs?" Zheng Siyuan asked, "Even though you run a canteen, not a restaurant or a dedicated pastry shop, your foot traffic isn’t any lower than a dedicated pastry shop."

"I did try to hire more! It’s just that because I run a canteen, it’s particularly hard to hire professional pastry chefs, Chen An is already the best I could find."

To prevent Zheng Siyuan from disbelief, Qin Huai explained, "Before I met you and Master Zheng, I was already recruiting, but you and Master Zheng showed up later, and Sister Hong mistakenly took you two as benchmarks, making it impossible to recruit anyone. Only when we lowered our standards did we find Chen An."

"Now using Chen An’s standards to hire, still no fitting candidates, not even for apprentices."

"Sometimes I really wonder, how hard can it be to hire a pastry chef? After all, meat cooking chefs are easy to find."

Zheng Siyuan thought for a moment, then asked, "Sister Hong helped you with the recruitment?"

"Yes," Qin Huai nodded, "To be precise, President Chen helped. Doesn’t he own a property management company? Their company has a dedicated HR department."

Zheng Siyuan: "... You can’t possibly find a professional pastry chef this way. The excellent pastry chefs are already rare and circulate among prestigious restaurants, you..."

"Don’t you know anyone? Or rather, I guess you don’t, I don’t either."

"Let me ask my dad if there are any looking to switch jobs, as for apprentices, you can lower the requirements. Your skills speak for themselves, you just need to express your willingness to take on good ones as apprentices, I believe there will be volunteers."

"Thanks," Qin Huai expressed genuine gratitude, with a hint of curiosity, "But Si Yuan, why are you suddenly concerned about this?"

Zheng Siyuan’s face was blank, "Your canteen business is too good."

"I feel like I’m doing triple the work every day."

Qin Huai: _(:з」∠)_

Honestly speaking, the good business is mainly because of you.

Everyone’s afraid you’ll leave randomly, so they binge buy everything, creating three times the demand.

Zheng Siyuan, being the kind who can’t stand seeing pastries sold out early and the disappointed looks of customers, can’t resist making more, which is how he fell into the customers’ trap.

Overworking every day til he’s questioning life.

In fact, Qin Huai suspects these neighborhood grandpas and grandmas have realized this trick works and are intentionally showing disappointed looks to manipulate Zheng Siyuan.

After all, these wealthy and idle seniors have excellent acting skills.