Infinite Cosmic Cafeteria Chapter 16: Father and Son

Translator: Stellar Novels Editor: Stellar Novels

Ma Lu and Old Wang had been standing at the subway entrance for a full 20 minutes, yet they hadn’t sold a single Fried Meat Patty.

During that time, a few people had approached, but after hearing the price, they gave up on trying it. Some were drawn in from afar by the advertising picture of cold seafood dishes, only to find out they were selling Fried Meat Patties.

They walked away muttering, “What a nutcase, didn’t even bother to change the sign.”

It was already past 12:00, and more people were starting to gather outside the subway entrance. Even the Henan man’s bracelet stall was attracting customers, not to mention the nearby stalls selling grilled sausages, grilled gluten, and roujiamo. Within moments, some of them had already made seven or eight sales, while Ma Lu’s side had yet to see its first customer.

The enthusiastic Henan man came over again to offer some advice. He suggested, “It’s your first time setting up a stall, right? When you’re not busy, you can still do something with your hands—pretend you’re working. It’s easier to attract customers that way.”

Seeing Old Wang pick up the oil pan and start waving it around, the man broke into a cold sweat and quickly added, “No need to go all out like that. Just wipe the stove or stir a spoon, something simple. And maybe fry one and leave it out as a display.”

“Good idea!” Ma Lu gave a thumbs-up. “You really know your stuff, brother. Have you sold snacks before?”

“No, no, I’ve always been here selling bracelets. Seen enough of these stalls to figure it out over time. But the key is still making your food delicious; only then will people be willing to spend money. And…”

The Henan man hesitated.

“It’s fine, brother, go ahead. We’re just starting our business, and we’re open to learning.”

“Alright then, I’ll be blunt. I think your price is a bit too high. 18 yuan can buy a whole roasted chicken. Many people won’t even want to try it at that price. Early on, you could lower it a bit to get the business going.”

Ma Lu also felt that 18 yuan was a bit steep, but considering it was made from 2-star ingredients, which were unavailable anywhere else in this universe, he thought the price was quite reasonable. Plus, from Brother Yang’s earlier reaction, it was clear that some people were willing to buy at that price.

The key was to let people realize how delicious the Jackal Patties were.

While Ma Lu was thinking of ways to attract customers, a voice suddenly interrupted him, “Give me one patty, please, boss.”

The speaker was a man wearing glasses who looked polite and refined, with an eight or nine-year-old boy beside him, probably his son.

As soon as they left the subway entrance, the boy started clamoring for grilled sausages. When the man refused, the boy squatted on the ground and wouldn’t get up.

Unable to persuade him otherwise, the man finally brought him to the sausage stall. But after taking one look at the dark brown oil in the pot, he pulled his son away.

After checking out several food stalls, they finally stopped in front of Ma Lu’s tricycle.

“Alright, it’s 18 yuan each.”

Hearing the price, the man with glasses hesitated. Ma Lu quickly added, “We use premium, healthy, eco-friendly desert pork—hormone-free, free-range, freshly slaughtered and butchered, air-shipped to us. The ingredients are high quality, so the price is a bit higher.”

The man with glasses looked doubtful but still pulled out his phone to scan the QR code and pay.

Old Wang put the patty in the oil, and once both sides were golden brown, he took a pancake wrapping paper bag, filled it with shredded cabbage, and added the patty. He was about to drizzle sauce on it when the man stopped him.

“What are those?”

“Lemon juice and tomato sauce, all-natural, no additives, made by us.”

Ma Lu explained.

“Okay.” The man with glasses looked slightly relieved.

The little boy, who had been clamoring for sausages, quieted down as the aroma of the Fried Meat Patty filled the air, his eyes fixed on the frying pan.

“Be careful, it’s hot.” Ma Lu handed the freshly made meat patty to the father and son, watching them walk away.

Though it took a while, they finally made their first sale after leaving home. But when the second sale would happen was still uncertain.

Ma Lu glanced at his phone; it was 12:13. He needed to do something, or he would miss the lunch rush entirely.

With a plan in mind, he said to Old Wang, “Fry four more patties—two for display on the rack and two to cut up for samples.”

Lowering the price was the simplest and most effective solution, but Ma Lu didn’t want to take that route unless absolutely necessary.

With a taste rating of one and a half stars, the Fried Jackal Patty could easily outperform 99% of its competitors on the market and was well worth the current price. Plus, each time he gathered ingredients, there was at least a six-day gap.

Even on his next trip, there was no guarantee he’d be able to get jackal meat again. As a limited-time delicacy, it couldn’t be sold too cheaply.

Just as Ma Lu was about to put his plan into action, a second customer unexpectedly approached, and it was the previous one.

The refined man with glasses walked back from across the street, looking exhausted, and said to Ma Lu, “Give me another Fried Meat Patty.”

Ma Lu glanced at the little boy behind him, who was panting heavily, with tear streaks on his face, looking as if he’d just been through a great battle. His school uniform and backpack were dirty, suggesting he’d been rolling on the ground quite a bit.

Ma Lu silently gave him a thumbs up in his heart and said, “Alright, just a moment.”

Luckily, Old Wang had already started frying more patties, so it only took a minute for the next one to be ready.

The man with glasses hesitated, “Actually... make that two more.”

He had never been fond of street food stalls, always feeling that their food tasted mediocre compared to restaurants, or even home-cooked meals. The hygiene was questionable, and the origins of the ingredients were often unknown and suspicious.

However, he had no choice when his son insisted on eating. He had initially picked Ma Lu’s stall because the oil in their pan looked relatively clear.

As for the price, he also found it a bit high—claims of free-range desert pigs sounded far-fetched. But perhaps their ingredients were genuinely better than others, and for the sake of his son’s health, he was willing to pay the extra.

The man originally hoped that the Fried Meat Patty would keep his son quiet until they got home, but they hadn’t walked far before the boy devoured it like a starving tiger.

Then, perhaps fueled by the newly replenished energy, the boy threw another tantrum, rolling on the ground and loudly demanding another one.

Those who haven’t raised children may never fully understand this kind of despair. Every time the man took his son to and from school, it felt like he was accompanied not by a person, but by a bear.

A bear that constantly unleashed its special move, the Furious Strike, wildly attacking everything around it.

He had tried hard to fight back, to maintain his dignity as a father, but it was clear that a man could never truly win against a bear.

And after all that struggling, he was tired. Watching his son enjoy the food so much, he surprisingly felt an unprecedented desire to try it himself.

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