Infinite Cosmic Cafeteria Chapter 74: He Xiaoqian

Translator: Stellar Novels Editor: Stellar Novels

“Queen’s Crisps has a taste rating of ★★☆, and that werewolf wasn’t impressed, meaning we need at least a ★★★ dish to catch his attention.

“No, wait, that guy’s been on Earth for over two thousand years and has probably tried all the food here. Plus, he must have tasted dishes from other dimensions before coming here, maybe even those made by Cosmic Chefs. I’m afraid only a ★★★★ or higher dish will satisfy him.”

Ma Lu analyzed while sitting on the sofa, munching on Queen’s Crisps.

“The highest-level dish we can currently make is ★★★, and since your chef level is now 2, there’s a 25% chance to add a ☆, making it ★★★☆. But it’s still half a star short, and that probably won’t be enough.

“We need to get higher-grade ingredients. How about 5-star ingredients? If we can hunt 5-star ingredients, that should solve the problem.”

Old Wang nodded. “With 5-star ingredients, I can indeed try to make a ★★★★ dish.”

“Alright, then our next hunts will focus on 5-star ingredients.”

Ma Lu decided firmly. “Once we get the Phase Shifter and the Very Beaver, we can open the restaurant. Also, you mentioned that the Desktop Farm is a must-have. Why?”

“Yan Wu is right; this thing is perfect for us. With it, we can start farming our own ingredients, which would make your job much easier.”

“But as far as I know, the Collection Bag can’t store living creatures, right?” Ma Lu asked. “I tried to put some Honey Gecko eggs in it before, but it didn’t work. Or are you planning to raise regular chickens, ducks, pigs, and cows?”

“That’s because your Collection Bag isn’t high enough level yet,” Old Wang explained. “Once it’s upgraded to LV6, it can unlock that function.”

“LV6?” Ma Lu did the math and found that upgrading the Collection Bag to LV6 would cost around 240,000, which isn’t a small amount. Even at his current earning speed, it would take over two weeks.

Looking at it that way… well, that’s not too slow either.

Making over 10,000 a day is actually pretty impressive, but because he has so many expenses, it always feels a bit tight. In reality, his earning speed has already surpassed that of an Alibaba P9 level employee.

(Translator's Note: P9-level employee at Alibaba is typically referred to as a “senior expert”, with an annual salary package plus stock options that could reach 3 million yuan (US$418,000)
Source: https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3228530/chinese-e-commerce-giant-alibaba-overhaul-employee-ranking-system-including-removal-categories)

And this was just the beginning; Ma Lu felt there was still a lot of room for improvement.

…………

A week passed quickly, and ever since the Volcano Sausage was discontinued, the popularity of Universe’s Best Snack Stall had declined.

Netizens soon turned their attention to new trends like “Man Obsessed with Alchemy Steals Car Underpinnings Six Times” and “Woman Releases 5 Boxes of Roaches in Community Flowerbeds.”

The internet is like that—never short of trending topics, and no one can stay in the spotlight forever.

Fortunately, this wave had already made Universe’s Best Snack Stall famous. Coupled with its solid flavors, even switching to new items didn’t affect sales.

And with the reduced traffic, the eccentric crowd also dwindled.

The girl who cosplayed Rin Tohsaka still stuck around, finding a spot near the stall that didn’t interfere with Ma Lu’s business or the flow of passersby, streaming her dance sessions.

Since she wasn’t good at chatting, she hardly spoke during her streams, just danced nonstop for three to four hours, barely resting except for a few sips of water. Her stamina was remarkable.

By the end of each stream, her hair was plastered to her forehead with sweat.

Shen Yue kept her promise and brought in a makeup artist the next day to help the girl. After the makeover, even the usually nonchalant Shen Yue’s eyes lit up, and she handed over the mirror.

“Look at yourself. What do you think?”

The girl stared at the mirror, feeling that the reflection looked a bit unfamiliar. She hesitated, “Doesn’t this look… too fake?”

“Fake? Haven’t you seen other streamers? They slim their faces to the max, and their skin is so smooth it looks like they’ve erased reality. You just put on some makeup—what’s the big deal?”

“But I’m about to dance later. Won’t it smudge if I wear this much?”

“Don’t worry, I used waterproof eyeliner and mascara, and I sprayed setting spray on you too. It’ll last until the end of your stream.”

The girl who helped with the makeup encouraged her, “You’ve got a great base, be confident.”

Shen Yue, standing nearby, had already pulled out her phone and cheerfully moved closer. “Hey, girl, what’s your name? Where are you from? Let’s add each other on WeChat.”

“He Xiaoqian. I’m from Huize.”

He Xiaoqian pulled out her Z6X, added Shen Yue, and then added the girl who did her makeup, thanking her again before timidly asking,

“How much? I’ll transfer it to you on Alipay.”

She had been sneaking peeks at the makeup products, trying to estimate their price. But seeing brands like NARS, Shu Uemura, and HR, which she didn’t recognize, she wasn’t sure if she had enough money left in her Alipay.

The makeup girl smiled, “No need. You can keep these makeup products. Just use them as I taught you.”

Seeing He Xiaoqian still wanted to say something, Shen Yue cut her off, “If Han Feifei wants to give them to you, just take them. She’s the richest girl in our department, with a monthly allowance of 50,000 yuan. She doesn’t care about small change like this.”

“That may be true, but you still need to pay back the money you borrowed from me,” Han Feifei said to Shen Yue. “And don’t forget what you promised me. I’m leaving.”

Shen Yue’s expression changed slightly at those words.

After Han Feifei left, Ma Lu asked curiously, “What exactly did you promise her?”

“I told her that if she helped me with someone’s makeup, I’d perform shibari with a ball gag for her. But I was just joking—does the rich lady’s taste really run that heavy?” Shen Yue shivered.

(Translator's Note: Note even gonna explain this one. Google it at your own risk LOL)

Hearing this, He Xiaoqian looked frightened too. “Then… maybe I should go return the makeup to her and apologize properly. I think Feifei seems like a nice person; she’d probably forgive us.”

Ma Lu, knowing Shen Yue’s tricks all too well, warned her,

“Don’t let her fool you. This brat’s never spoken an honest word in her life. She’s making it sound more serious so that you feel indebted, making it harder for you to refuse any of her unreasonable requests later on.”

“Just because she’s a woman doesn’t mean you should lower your guard. She’s actually bisexual.”

“That’s slander!” Shen Yue loudly protested, feigning righteousness. “Even if I were lying, would I stake my own reputation on it?”

Ma Lu ignored her and turned to He Xiaoqian. “You have Han Feifei’s WeChat, right? Just ask her directly.”

Hearing this, Shen Yue instantly backed down. “It’s just a small thing, no need to bother Feifei. Seriously, it’s no big deal. Let’s not talk about it. I’m off to buy the ball gag.”

With that, she bolted out of sight.

He Xiaoqian didn’t immediately start her stream but instead blushed and asked Ma Lu, “Can I… add you on WeChat too?”

“No, you can’t. You’re not even buying my snacks.”

“Huh?” He Xiaoqian hurriedly opened Alipay.

“I’m just messing with you. But honestly, if you’re not buying snacks, adding me on WeChat doesn’t really serve any purpose.”

“Oh, I just want to keep track of the kind people who’ve helped me,” He Xiaoqian said earnestly. “If I ever get the chance, I’ll definitely repay all of you.”

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