Divorced and Determined: The CEO's Ex-Wife Fights for Love - Chapter 81

Chapter 81 Why Don’t You Just Aim for the Main Artery!

With 2,046 points in his system account, Lu Qin lounged comfortably on his bed, a hint of excitement in his expression as he began the lottery draw.

[100 points consumed, obtained 50 mint candies.].

[100 points consumed, obtained attribute point: +0.1 Stamina.].

[100 points consumed, obtained proficiency in Grappling and Combat.].

Lu Qin paused for a moment, feeling something was off. This was supposed to be a food stall system, so why did it offer grappling and combat skills? He was a cook, not a fighter.

The system’s explanation?

[For handling dine-and-dash customers, respond with immediate and decisive force.].

It made sense, but so far, Lu Qin had never encountered a dine-and-dasher. After all, this was a society governed by law and civility, with security cameras near his food stall. Pulling off a dine-and-dash wasn’t that easy.

Besides, his fried noodles stall was so popular that anyone trying to flee after eating wouldn’t make it more than a few meters before being pinned down by the queue of waiting customers.

Still, having some combat skills might be useful—if anyone tried to bully Lu Xiyao, he’d be ready to step in without hesitation.

He continued the lottery draw.

[100 points consumed, obtained a portable solar-powered fan.].

He retrieved the fan from the system space and placed it on his bedside table. The sleek white fan stood 48 cm tall, 32 cm wide—compact and portable. Its base had suction cups that could stick to any surface, with adjustable angles.

The highlight was the 5×10 cm solar panel on the base. Thanks to the system’s enhancement, the charging capability was exceptional. It could fully charge in 30 minutes under any light source, regardless of brightness. Once fully charged, the fan’s strongest setting could run for five continuous hours. In short, it was an infinitely powered portable fan.

Lu Qin appreciated the system’s thoughtfulness—this gadget was both practical and convenient. He gladly accepted it.

[100 points consumed, obtained mastery in driving with a Class C license.].

A Class C license?

That covers small passenger vehicles and light or micro cargo vehicles.

Lu Qin pondered, he only had a three-wheeled vehicle right now. Was this the system’s indirect hint that he should buy a car?

[100 points consumed, obtained max-level skill in making Crystal Shrimp Dumplings.].

Lu Qin’s heart skipped a beat—finally, a skill related to cooking!

In an instant, his brain, body, and nerves were infused with unparalleled culinary expertise.

From kneading the dough, seasoning the filling, to the precise steaming time and heat control, every detail and image of making crystal shrimp dumplings was etched into his memory. The knowledge seamlessly integrated into his understanding. It was time to introduce a new dish tomorrow. He continued drawing.

[100 points consumed, obtained 30 mint candies.].

After completing 20 draws, Lu Qin began feeling sleepy and drifted off into a peaceful slumber.

The next morning, at precisely 4:50 a.m., without an alarm clock, Lu Qin woke up as if guided by an internal clock. He felt refreshed and energetic. After washing up in the bathroom, he stepped into the courtyard and practiced a set of grappling and combat moves. Each punch and kick carried a lethal force.

Now, Lu Qin could take down ten ordinary adults without breaking a sweat. Even five armed attackers wouldn’t stand a chance against him.

He was strong. But strength wasn’t always necessary. He hopped onto his three-wheeler and headed out for his usual grocery run. At the community activity grounds Several elderly people were exercising.

Mr. Ge was furiously spinning the discs on the Tai Chi wheel. If it weren’t for the screws holding them in place, they’d probably fly off into the sky.

Chen Dahai was performing a set of Five Animal Frolics. His movements looked peculiar, but he carried them out with utmost seriousness.

Seeing Lu Qin riding out on his three-wheeler, the two paused briefly.

“Young Lu, you’re up this early every day. Don’t you ever feel tired?”

“Not at all. I feel great,” Lu Qin replied cheerfully.

Chen Dahai, with his left hip raised and left foot off the ground, mimicked a bear’s paw in mid-motion as he practiced the ‘Bear Frolic’.

“Morning, Lu. Don’t exaggerate. Young people these days don’t get up until noon unless they absolutely have to. You’re only up early because you have to run your stall. Still, your hard work is admirable—really impressive!”

Mr. Ge nodded.

“Young Lu, are you still setting up at the Sunshine Elementary School gate today?”

“Yeah, and I’ll be making crystal shrimp dumplings today. If you want some, come early to line up.”

Chen Dahai, Mr. Ge, and the other elderly folks lit up at the mention of crystal shrimp dumplings.

Crystal shrimp dumplings are a famous Cantonese dim sum dish, a must-order item for morning tea in Guangzhou. They’re also common in Jiangcheng’s tea houses.

Many had tried them before, but the taste was usually just average. Chen Dahai grew excited at the thought of Lu Qin’s version.

He nudged Mr. Ge.

“Stop messing with that thing—you’ve worn the surface smooth. Go home, get ready, and head over early to line up. These shrimp dumplings are bound to be limited.”

Lu Qin arrived at the familiar Jingyuan Market.

At the rice noodle stall, Auntie Zheng greeted him warmly.

“Lu, you’re here! How about a bowl of iced jelly? Just made it—smooth, refreshing, and perfect for cooling down.”

Auntie Zheng was always very polite. When Lu Qin arrived, she didn’t immediately ask how many pounds of rice noodles he needed but treated him like a regular, first exchanging pleasantries.

After all, Lu Qin always bought in bulk—hundreds of pounds at a time. He was a VIP customer, paying a discounted price of 3.8 yuan per pound for the authentic, high-quality rice noodles she sold.

“No need to be so polite, Auntie Zheng. Today I need 250 pounds of Anyang rice noodles. Just deliver them directly to Mr. Zhao at the disposable tableware shop by the entrance. He’ll be passing by to make a delivery later.”

“Got it. I only have 120 pounds here right now. Let me get my husband to fetch the rest from the storage room.”

Lu Qin didn’t need to wait around. He headed straight to the seafood section.

“Boss, how much for the freshwater shrimp?”

“29.5 yuan per pound. They’re delivered fresh—just look at them, every one of them is lively! How many pounds do you want, handsome?”

“Give me 20 pounds.”

“Got it, 2 pounds, right? Wait, what? Did you say 20 pounds?”

The middle-aged man in a leather apron froze for a moment, visibly startled. Then his expression shifted to one of shock—he even dropped the cigarette he had been holding between his lips.

A big customer!

The man quickly broke into a grin.

“Boss, are you sure you want 20 pounds? I’ll give you a discount—28.5 yuan per pound.”

Lu Qin replied, “How about 26.5 yuan?”

The man feigned surprise.

“Young man, you can’t just slash prices like that—it’s like cutting my main artery! 28.5 is already a fair price. If you don’t believe me, check out the other stalls. At Darunfa Supermarket, this same shrimp is 33 yuan per pound!”

Lu Qin chuckled.

“At the Chengnan farmers’ market, the same shrimp goes for 26 yuan per pound. If you don’t believe me, you can go check.”

The man’s expression changed slightly. He glanced at Lu Qin—ah, so this guy had done his market research! Why didn’t he mention that earlier and save me the performance?

“Well, haha, fine, let’s go with your price—26.5 yuan per pound.”

Twenty pounds were worth the equivalent of ten regular customers. A little less profit was acceptable.

The man weighed out 20 pounds of shrimp. “Boss, that’ll be 530 yuan. Here, you can scan my code.”

Lu Qin glanced at the payment QR code stuck on the glass tank, then at the man’s phone displaying his WeChat payment code.

Smiling, he said, “Boss, I’ll scan you directly? Is this your secret stash away from your wife?”

“Shh—!”

The man jumped, quickly gesturing for silence.

“Hey, hey, we’re both men—you understand.”

Lu Qin grinned.

“Then how about we make it 500 flat? Let’s skip the change.”

“What the heck! Young man, you’re taking advantage of me while I’m down!”

The man pulled out a pack of Liqun cigarettes, offered one to Lu Qin, and smiled.

“Running a business isn’t easy. This deal barely makes me a few dozen yuan. If I give you another 30 yuan off, I won’t even have enough for my trouble.”

“Add me on WeChat. Next time, I’ll give you a flat 26 yuan per pound.”

“But the shrimp’s quality and freshness need to be guaranteed. Otherwise, I won’t take them.”

“You don’t need to worry about that. The quality is 100% guaranteed. If it’s not fresh, I won’t even sell it—I’ll eat it myself. I’ve been running this seafood stall at Jingyuan for twelve years. Reputation matters.”

Lu Qin added the man, Hao Boss, on WeChat and transferred 530 yuan to him.