Chapter 46: Close People Take Directly

Su Ning swore she really couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Qiao Duoduo immediately shot her a glare, forcing her to stifle the laughter.

Seeing Su Ning’s face twisted as if she might laugh herself sick, Qiao Duoduo took a large stack of simple soup containers from her backpack system and said, “Come over and help divide the soup. Once you’re done, put them in your backpack. Don’t leave them outside to cool—let him serve himself.”

Upon hearing this, Huoyang immediately took the rice ladle and containers from Su Ning. Su Ning chuckled, scratching her head. “Oh, so I finally have a proper job.”

That’s what friends are for—when something needs doing, there’s no hesitation. “Exactly. Once you’re done, you’ll get a reward,” Qiao Duoduo said proudly.

Su Ning pouted and responded with mock annoyance, “One portion isn’t enough. At least ten.”

Qiao Duoduo patted Su Ning’s shoulder and said earnestly, “Young one, don’t be impatient. Keep steady, work hard, and you won’t be treated unfairly in the future.”

Hearing this classic pre-apocalypse boss line, Su Ning and Huoyang couldn’t help but laugh piggishly, and even Qiao Duoduo herself burst out laughing.

The three of them efficiently packed for over an hour before finally finishing.

Looking at all the takeout containers, Qiao Duoduo felt proud. “Su Ge, don’t you think I’m about to get rich and reach the pinnacle of life?”

Without waiting for Su Ning to respond, she looked at Huoyang, gently held his hands, and said with deep emotion, “Honey, don’t worry. I’ll work hard, earn money, and let you stay at home, as beautiful as a flower.”

Watching his wife’s over-the-top moment, Huoyang suppressed a laugh and played along, “Don’t worry, my wife. Wherever you are is home. No matter how late it is, I’ll always leave a light on for you.”

Su Ning sighed, “Enough, consider the audience’s feelings.” The three of them laughed again.

Once seated again, Qiao Duoduo became serious and subtly hinted to Su Ning, “Su Ge, this shop is a serious business—my future source of income.”

Su Ning thought about what she said, unsure. “Did I say it’s not serious?”

“In your shop, advertise for me,” Qiao Duoduo said bluntly, seeing Su Ning’s exaggerated performance, figuring it was faster to be direct. Su Ning considered and said, “Advertising… I can think of two ways.

1. I could put your shop’s slogan in the shop’s auto-reply, though the effect might be limited.
2. You give me some of your dishes and soups, and I can include them as freebies when listing simple hairbands each day. I think this works better, though the initial investment is bigger. I’ll personally buy a batch of lamb rib soup for my family to try first.”

“I think the second option is better. The money’s not much to lose. But Su Ning, why not just take it directly? Buying in bulk is unnecessary.”

Huoyang had full confidence in his wife’s skills and didn’t care about advertising investments. As for Su Ning, they were family—just take it directly; no need for unnecessary formalities.

After Huoyang spoke, Qiao Duoduo and Su Ning looked at him mischievously. Huoyang felt a little flustered but didn’t feel he’d said anything wrong. “Wife, Su Ge, what’s going on?”

“Yang Ge, are you really this generous? Do you know how many people are in my family? On my dad’s side alone, there are over forty people who can walk. My mom’s side adds nearly twenty more. And that doesn’t include my sisters-in-law’s families or my brothers-in-law’s parents. Even without counting in-laws, combining my parents’ sides, it’s at least sixty people.”

Su Ning looked at the stunned Huoyang and continued, “Duoduo spent the whole afternoon making soup—seems like less than fifty portions.”

She couldn’t help laughing. Huoyang had known Su Ning’s family was large, but never imagined it was this massive. Fortunately, Qiao Duoduo often heard Su Ning’s complaints, so she was aware of the four-generation family structure and dared not casually let anyone take freely.

Seeing Huoyang dumbfounded, Qiao Duoduo couldn’t help laughing and tried to smooth things over: “Alright, don’t laugh at him. He doesn’t know the situation. Next time, I’ll prepare more—at least we’ll calculate a cost price for you.”

Su Ning laughed and agreed. Huoyang snapped out of it, thought quickly, and said to his wife, “Wife, we won’t do takeout. No need to advertise. We can’t make that much food anyway, it’s exhausting. We’ll just sell to Su Ge’s family. Even with sixty relatives, plus in-laws and friends, it’s around a hundred people. We can’t cook that much anyway. Just post the shop link in the family group, support reservations, first come first served. Every day, sell out—sound good?”

Qiao Duoduo, seeing the excited Huoyang, immediately broke his business plan: “Later, yes. Not now. No need for obvious advertising yet, or too many customers will come, and we won’t have time to cook. Once we settle down and don’t have to fight monsters daily, we can run a small restaurant—half a day open, half a day rest.”

“Okay,” Huoyang quickly nodded, imagining a future holding hands with his wife, walking a dog, maybe a child too.

Su Ning broke the overly romantic mood again: “Then let’s do the first advertising method. I’ll take five portions of lamb rib soup—one for my dad, one for my mom, one for me, and two for my two regular customers.”

Just five portions—Qiao Duoduo didn’t mind.

At home, with the increasing frequency of transactions, Su Ning no longer needed to negotiate prices with Luo Nanchuan. Since he always paid above her set price, she simply conducted remote transactions directly.

Receiving the short-sleeved shirts and lamb rib soup, Luo Nanchuan, remembering the extra cousin at home, rubbed his head and opened a private chat.

Luo Nanchuan: “Can I buy another portion of this soup?”

His request made Su Ning frown slightly—was Mr. Fat Sheep picky about a freebie? But with the spirit of “never leave money on the table,” she enthusiastically recommended Duoduo’s shop.

Su Ning: “No, the soup is a freebie, just to let you try it. Purchase link: Sleepy Little Eatery.”

Luo Nanchuan checked the shop and, seeing the prices, realized the two shops must be connected: lamb rib soup—35 copper coins per portion, spicy rabbit head set—50 copper coins, braised rabbit meat set—50 copper coins.

For someone low-level, eating these three meals in a day would cost more than they could earn.

Still, the reluctant Luo Nanchuan bought a portion. Bringing it to the living room, he saw Yao Qianqian chatting and laughing with Yanhang, and thought—if they were together, it wouldn’t be bad.

Unfortunately, Yao Qianqian, still inquiring about Luo Nanchuan’s relationship status, was now firmly categorized as a potential friend only. Some people are naturally stubborn—this opportunity might never come again.