Chapter 32: Tycoon Simulation 2
When Chu Yun brought them into the small diner, Butler Zhou found another reason to scowl in disapproval.
Curling his lip, he took out a handkerchief and wiped the iron stool over and over again before allowing his young master to sit down. After that, he kept his eyes locked on Chu Yun without blinking for a single second, terrified that she would try some sort of underhanded trick.
In his mind, this girl had already been branded a fraud. He was only going along with this to humor his young master, hoping to make the boy realize the sinister nature of humanity a bit earlier.
However, the longer he looked around, the more alarmed he became. Ordinary families here only consumed nutrient solutions, and radiation-treated meat currently sold at astronomical prices. Consequently, a proper kitchen with woks, bowls, and ladles was a setup usually reserved for wealthy, aristocratic families.
Yet he hadn’t expected to see them in this run-down hole-in-the-wall. A few bottles and jars sat beside the cooking counter, filled with liquids that were either black or golden-yellow. He hadn’t seen them before, but they felt vaguely familiar.
What was even more miraculous was seeing Chu Yun retrieve two small handfuls of green vegetables from a cabinet beneath the counter.
Butler Zhou’s eyes widened. He hadn’t seen wrong—those were genuine green vegetables, not some 3D hologram. Butler Zhou retrieved his personal scanner to run a quick test. Zero radiation! It was actually a completely uncontaminated green plant. If this news got out, it would trigger an absolute sensation across the city.
Sitting on his chair, the little boy was just short enough to look over the exposed section of the counter. This was also his very first time seeing real green vegetables. Previously, he had only heard his mother describe their appearance, but he had never seen a picture of them.
This was because the dissemination of such media was strictly banned by federal decree, a law officially enacted exactly a hundred years ago.
Back then, the mukbang videos left behind by the ancients were remarkably popular. People watched them while walking, watched them while drinking nutrient solutions, and watched them while sleeping. Over time, the bland, flavorless nutrient solutions became increasingly difficult to swallow. After all, nutrient solutions only provided the basic energy the body required to function; they didn’t bring a real sense of satiety to the stomach. Consequently, the more people watched, the hungrier they felt.
As time went on, many people developed anorexia. The situation later escalated and triggered massive civil unrest. Only after a significant number of casualties occurred was this prohibition finally enacted. However, because the videos had been spread across the network, a few stray files still slipped through the cracks.
But those vibrant green leaves looked far more realistic and beautiful than the virtual trees outside. So this was what the true green of a plant looked like; the color of his small green flying car was woefully inferior by comparison.
A pleasant, fresh botanical fragrance enveloped the small room, and the little boy determined at a glance that these were authentic green vegetables. This was an incredible development; he would be the very first person in three hundred years to lay eyes on the extinct green vegetable. Scientists all over the world had researched for three centuries without successfully cultivating a single real plant, yet this small shop owner produced a whole handful with a casual reach.
The gaze the little boy directed at Chu Yun instantly filled with pure admiration. Butler Zhou also adjusted his demeanor, looking at Chu Yun with absolute deference.
A person who could produce authentic food to open a restaurant was definitely no ordinary figure. He had to curry favor with her properly, making it convenient for the family leaders to cooperate with her in the future.
While Chu Yun was washing the vegetables, Butler Zhou drafted a brief report and transmitted it to the family patriarch—the little boy’s grandfather. The patriarch immediately commanded Butler Zhou to build a solid relationship with this benefactor and, if possible, bring back some plants.
Butler Zhou took a deep breath, thinking to himself: I haven’t done anything out of line to her, right?
Chu Yun ignored the kaleidoscope of expressions shifting across Butler Zhou’s face. She focused on tossing the washed vegetables into the oiled wok, holding her iron spatula to flip and stir-fry with practiced ease. Before the game, she had purchased two extra sets of oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar at the community convenience store. Combined with the set the system had provided on the counter, it would be just enough to last for two months if she economized.
Although she only poured a tiny splash of oil to coat the bottom of the wok, the resulting stir-fry smelled exceptionally fragrant. Coupled with Butler Zhou and the little boy—two individuals who had never experienced authentic food in their lives—the aroma felt all the more profoundly staggering. Their worldview was thoroughly shattered. Their pious gazes locked onto Chu Yun, staring like treasures at the small plate of vegetables she brought over.
“Lettuce in Oyster Sauce is ready! Give it a try.” Chu Yun handed over a pair of chopsticks.
The little boy came from an affluent household and frequently ate uncontaminated meats, so his handling of chopsticks was much better than average citizens.
He accepted the chopsticks and awkwardly clamped a piece of lettuce, shoving it straight into his mouth. The vegetable freshly plucked from the wok was scorching hot; he puffed and panted a few times but refused to spit it out, causing Butler Zhou standing to one side to pale in fright.
The first piece of lettuce was swallowed whole, leaving nothing but a trace of crisp sweetness on his palate. He smacked his lips and carefully savored the second piece of lettuce.
This time, he truly and clearly experienced the power of authentic food. Unlike radiation-treated meat, which always retained a sour, foul stench no matter how it was prepped, this piece of lettuce possessed a delicate texture, a tender crunch, and a sweet, refreshing taste. It was exactly like the advertising slogan on the skyscraper: Awakens your tastebuds, melts on your tongue.
Watching his young master clamp down on the vegetables in the dish piece after piece without a single pause, Butler Zhou felt both gratified and heartbroken.
He felt gratified because the young mistress had been consumed by grief over the master’s accidental passing while pregnant, and her poor mental state led to severe anorexia. Consequently, the young master had been born with a weak constitution, and no matter how they tried to nourish him later, his health couldn’t be restored—plus, this world offered nothing that could serve as nutritional therapy.
This was the very first time he had seen the young master eat a dish of food with such fervor.
What broke his heart was that this was a rare, precious green vegetable, a miracle of the world. He was fortunate enough to witness it once, yet he didn’t have the chance to taste it.
He stared at the vegetables on the plate with a conflicted expression, hesitant to speak. Right on cue, Chu Yun’s second dish—Stir-fried Garland Chrysanthemum—was brought over. Sensing Butler Zhou’s burning gaze beside him, the little boy hesitated for a moment before saying, “Butler Zhou, you’ve worked hard. Come try some too!”
“Thank you, Young Master!” Butler Zhou picked up the chopsticks beside the table, grabbed a piece, and shoved it into his mouth, terrified the young master would regret it in the next second. The exact instant he chewed the vegetable, Butler Zhou felt his soul attain enlightenment. Oh my god! So this is what a plant tastes like. To be able to witness and eat a real plant again in his lifetime meant he could die without regrets.
Looking at Butler Zhou’s expression, which looked as though he were ready to ascend to heaven, Chu Yun felt entirely helpless. Sigh, both the old and the young are so dramatic.
A child’s stomach capacity was small. With two small dishes down, the little boy began to feel a bit full.
He tilted his head, puckering his lips as he said to Chu Yun, “Big Sister, can you prepare another portion of the two dishes I just ate? I want to take them home for Mother and Grandfather to eat.” The maid older sisters at home had told him that this expression was his cutest, and was exceptionally well-liked by older sisters in this age bracket.
The old butler watched the young master weaponize his charm and felt deeply gratified. The young master was truly too kind, and the patriarch had happened to instruct him to bring some back anyway. He looked at Chu Yun expectantly.
Chu Yun suppressed the urge to pinch his cheeks and replied, “Uh, I don’t have takeout containers here. You guys can come eat here next time; I’ll be operating here for the next couple of months!”
The little boy replied, “Really? I’ll bring Grandfather and Mother along tomorrow then.”
Chu Yun flashed an aunt-like smile. “Alright, I’ll be waiting for you here!”
Finally, Butler Zhou prepared to pay. “Miss, how much does it cost?”
The average salary here was 10,000 credits, a bottle of standard nutrient solution cost 20 credits, and the newly released strawberry-flavored option cost 50 credits. Her green vegetables were likely unique in this instance world outside of players, so selling them at 250 credits a plate shouldn’t be an issue, right?
Thus, Chu Yun replied, “250 credits a plate. That’s 500 credits in total.”
Butler Zhou went blank for a moment. Is this girl naive or foolish? A pound of treated radiation meat cost 5,000 credits, and her green vegetables were far more precious than meat, yet she only charged 250 credits.
At this moment, Chu Yun’s image grew even more grand. In Butler Zhou’s eyes, Chu Yun was not only magically capable but also remarkably charitable.
Butler Zhou said, “Alright. Give me your optical computer link, I’ll transfer it to you.”
Optical computer? That sounded far too high-tech; Chu Yun didn’t have one. But she recalled the payment app on her smartphone, so she immediately fished out the phone, tapped into the app, and brought up a QR code for receiving funds.
Butler Zhou truly couldn’t contain himself any longer, blurting out, “What era is this? You’re still using this antique?”
Chu Yun offered an embarrassed grin. “Hehe, limited conditions, limited conditions!”
Butler Zhou thought: Perhaps this is what an expert is like—living in isolation, completely detached from mundane worldly matters.
Chu Yun was entirely oblivious to Butler Zhou’s internal musings. She stared with absolute fascination as her personal balance shifted from 5,000 to 5,500. The first step is always the hardest; now that she had made her first breakthrough, she believed her gold coin count would only snowball from here.
After sending off Butler Zhou and the little boy, Chu Yun waited for another two hours without spotting a single soul.
According to Butler Zhou, her storefront was located alongside a high-speed transit lane where parking was highly inconvenient, and because it sat in a semi-basement, almost no one walked over from the parking areas. If his young master hadn’t gotten out of the car on a whim out of boredom, they never would have noticed her.
But Chu Yun didn’t need to worry. In this world, food was absolute king. Good wine needs no bush; now that she had her first pioneer to advertise for her, the subsequent cascade effect would grow increasingly pronounced.
Chu Yun stir-fried a large plate of green vegetables and brought it next door. She and Xu Dongdong each held a mantou, dipping it into the savory sauce to eat. Xu Dongdong set down his paintbrush and began dining with her. There was no telling what stage Yu Wenhao had reached in exploring this new world, as he hadn’t returned yet.
In the afternoon, Chu Yun didn’t plan on heading back out into the blistering sun to drum up business. After waiting for two hours without seeing a single soul, she asked Xu Dongdong to keep an eye on her diner while she went to Happy Farm to inspect the layout.
The moment she entered, she received a fervent welcome from her five employees. In their eyes, Chu Yun was an immense benefactor, providing an excellent job that spared them from participating in those bizarre survival instances.
The green vegetables planted yesterday in Happy Farm repeated the growth pattern of the previous batch, pushing out fresh shoots. Chu Yun was delighted to discover several varieties that were different from the first harvest.
The green vegetables left for seed harvesting had fully matured, beginning to flower and age. An older lady was gathering the seeds, washing them clean by the brook before handing them over to the employees responsible for sowing.
The growing conditions inside the farm were exceptionally ideal. Chu Yun inspected them and found that the collected seeds were all large and plump.
There was a massive quantity of seeds. After the aged plants were uprooted to re-cultivate and sow anew, a full two-thirds of the seeds remained. She instructed the employees to place the leftover stock at a supply pile beside the brook.
She had established rules for the Happy Farm instance; players entering for tasks could not take any supplies from the farm unless she gifted or sold them. Therefore, she didn’t have to worry about supply security at all.
The rice had grown to nearly a meter tall, and Chu Yun saw that it was on the verge of setting fruit. The other staple crops had progressed to the exact same stage.
The fruit trees had grown taller than Chu Yun by now, and the watermelons beneath the trees had already flowered, with some already pushing out a tiny green node. A single watermelon contained numerous seeds; she had planted them all back then, and now the ground beneath the trees was fully blanketed in watermelon vines.
After checking every single plant, Chu Yun bid farewell to her employees and exited Happy Farm.
By now, the sky had dimmed slightly. Yu Wenhao had returned and was watching Xu Dongdong paint. Xu Dongdong told her that absolutely no one had patronized her restaurant or his art studio all afternoon.
Chu Yun stir-fried a plate of green vegetables as usual, and the three paired it with mantous for dinner. After eating, led by Yu Wenhao, the three shut their shop doors, intending to head out to take a look at this instance world.
This world possessed a highly advanced state of technology. Jobs with technical content were long since unsuited for a group of 21st-century players like them.
The only jobs available upon entering this instance world were a tiny handful of simple courier and service roles, as most manual labor had been entirely replaced by machines. Consequently, Yu Wenhao had not only failed to find a job all day but hadn’t managed to recruit a single student either.
The only progress on their end was that Chu Yun’s storefront possessed an immense explosive potential and had already hosted a customer with massive potential. A conservative estimate suggested she would be exceptionally busy in the future. Chu Yun had given the two a heads-up in advance that she would need them to come over and assist her when the time came.
