Chapter 97: Danger (1)

Chapter 97 -96: Danger (1)

“Chief, she’s someone who never admits defeat. She always manages to surprise us,” Liu Hui Chun said with a chuckle.

Gu Rongjin looked at Chen Momo. The long queue in front of her counter truly surprised him. To think that an ordinary village woman could turn the tide entirely on her own. Such immense energy was hidden within Chen Momo’s small frame; it seemed he still didn’t understand her well enough.

Liu Hui Chun smiled and asked, “Chief, we’re only a week away from the headquarters’ inspection. Do you think we should change all our promotional materials to feature Chen Momo instead?”

“Not yet.” Gu Rongjin interrupted him, looking toward the sauerkraut fish counter. “Let’s wait a bit longer. If the number of people at the sauerkraut fish counter stabilizes after three days, we’ll switch it to Chen Momo.”

Liu Hui Chun nodded. “Understood. Since you’re here at the cafeteria this noon, you should have lunch here. What would you like to eat?”

“I’ll have the sauerkraut fish.” Gu Rongjin found a table and sat down, handing his card to Liu Hui Chun. “Let’s eat together.”

“Alright, I’ll go line up for the sauerkraut fish right now!” Liu Hui Chun said with a grin.

Huang Yuqing and her husband, Yang Shunsheng, were sitting at a table in the cafeteria. A bowl of Japanese ramen sat in front of each of them. Even though they were so sick of the Japanese ramen that they could vomit, Huang Yuqing still insisted on supporting the Japanese ramen counter every day.

Seeing the line at the sauerkraut fish counter growing longer and longer, Huang Yuqing couldn’t help but become exasperated. “Shunsheng, what kind of trick is your ex-wife playing? Why are there so many people lining up for her sauerkraut fish? It’s even more than the crowd at Chen Wanwan’s counter!”

Yang Shunsheng glanced at Chen Momo’s counter and noticed that the queue for her sauerkraut fish had indeed surpassed the one at Zhang Wanwan’s counter. A sudden wave of gratification washed over him. Faced with such a formidable opponent, his ex-wife, Chen Momo, hadn’t backed down. Instead, she had calmly and collectedly taken on the challenge, completely turning the tables. This surprised Yang Shunsheng greatly.

Before their divorce, he had considered his ex-wife a good-for-nothing housewife. However, it was only after the divorce that Yang Shunsheng began to notice more and more of her shining qualities. It even seemed that she was radiating more brilliance now than before they had gotten married.

Comparing her to Huang Yuqing—ever since she gave birth, Huang Yuqing’s shrewish nature had been fully exposed. She was gluttonous and lazy, spending her days doing nothing but scolding him and the child. When he contrasted this with his ex-wife, Chen Momo, Yang Shunsheng began to deeply regret hurting her.

“Yang Shunsheng, I’m talking to you! What on earth are you thinking about?”

Huang Yuqing’s dissatisfied roar pulled Yang Shunsheng back from his thoughts into reality. He glanced at her and continued to bury his head in his noodles. “I’m not thinking about anything.”

Huang Yuqing furrowed her brows. “Not thinking about anything? The moment I mention your ex-wife, you zone out. I bet you still haven’t forgotten about her, have you?”

Yang Shunsheng frowned. “What nonsense are you sprouting? I’m living with you now.”

“Living with me doesn’t stop you from thinking about your ex-wife in your heart!” Huang Yuqing shouted.

Her shrill voice was loud, drawing frequent stares from people around them toward their table. The two of them were the couple who argued the most in the base. Huang Yuqing, in particular, would kick up a fuss regardless of the occasion whenever she was upset.

Yang Shunsheng regretted it to death now, having married a woman with no sense of propriety. Back then, he had let his head get cloudy, getting together with Huang Yuqing simply because he thought she was young and beautiful. He hadn’t expected that more and more conflicts would erupt after their marriage.

Yang Shunsheng didn’t want to be stared at like a monkey in a zoo, not to mention his ex-wife’s counter was just a short distance away. So, slamming his chopsticks onto the table, he tossed out the words, “You’re completely unreasonable.” Then, leaving Huang Yuqing and the child behind, he walked off alone.

“Chief, the sauerkraut fish is here.”

Liu Hui Chun carried over two aromatic portions of sauerkraut fish, placing one in front of Gu Rongjin and the other in front of himself.

It was Gu Rongjin’s first time eating sauerkraut fish. He didn’t understand why so many people were lining up for it, but driven by curiosity, he decided to give it a try. He picked up a piece of fish with his chopsticks. Upon entering his mouth, the meat quickly melted away, and the fragrant aroma of the fish lingered between his lips and teeth.

“Chief, her broth is the real masterpiece here. Give it a taste,” Liu Hui Chun said with a smile from the side.

Gu Rongjin picked up his spoon and scooped up some of the broth. After drinking it, a wave of comfort instantly washed over his entire body. There was no trace of artificial additives to be tasted; it was evident that this broth had been meticulously simmered with great care.

Gu Rongjin couldn’t help but take a few more sips. To drink such a piping-hot bowl of soup in the dead of winter, both warming and nourishing, was truly a blissful experience. Moreover, the savory flavor of the broth didn’t mask the natural aroma of the fish at all. Instead, it brought out the best in both. The tender and fresh texture of the fish was practically a luxury in this apocalyptic world plagued by food shortages. From the fish to the broth, every element showcased sheer dedication.

Gu Rongjin finally understood why so many people were choosing to line up at the sauerkraut fish counter. If the people from headquarters came for an inspection, treating them to a delicious dish of sauerkraut fish would undoubtedly be an excellent idea.

With this thought in mind, Gu Rongjin changed his tune. “Replace all the materials. Switch them to Chen Momo’s sauerkraut fish.”

Liu Hui Chun was very surprised. “Chief, you’ve made your decision?”

Gu Rongjin nodded. “We’ll use the sauerkraut fish to entertain the folks from headquarters. Once we finish eating, go ahead and adjust the promotional materials.”

Liu Hui Chun smiled and nodded repeatedly. “Alright, will do. As soon as I finish my sauerkraut fish, I’ll change all the materials over to Chen Momo’s!”

Meanwhile, in a corner of the cafeteria, a man appeared. He had a gaunt face, dyed blonde hair, a single earring, and wore a turtleneck sweater. The man was arguably handsome, but his sunken cheeks exuded a dangerous aura. He gently rolled up the sleeve of his black sweater. Beneath his skin, the dark outline of a dragon tattoo faintly showed through.

This wasn’t an actual tattoo; it was a precision electronic device implanted inside his body. This dragon, embedded deep within his skin, represented his loyalty to the organization. Through this device, the implantee could communicate and stay in contact with the organization at any time. Of course, should they ever betray the organization, the implanted electronic device would detonate instantly, blowing the traitor’s body to pieces.

Yao Ye quietly rolled his sleeve back down, covering the black dragon on his arm. He had just finished a portion of sauerkraut fish, supposedly the signature delicacy of Han City Base.

He had to admit, these people really knew how to live. Even the blizzards hadn’t extinguished their passion and desire for life. They had rapidly established a refuge base in Han City, and were even living their new lives with vibrance and flair.

However, Yao Ye guaranteed that these happy days wouldn’t last much longer!