The first thing I did was to find out

Chapter 540 [Zhou Hu's Desire]

While Zhou Hu was still in a daze, Qin Huai had already casually opened the game panel to check the newly acquired missions, completely ignoring Zhou Hu's increasingly terrified gaze.

Practice makes perfect, and Qin Huai believes that people today are quite receptive to such things. The staff of Yunzhong Canteen, Huangji, and Zhiweiju all accepted it, didn't they?

Master Qin has some mental issues, he has delusions, it's not a big deal.

Qin Huai believed that with Zhou Hu's professional skills, he would know the rumor that Master Qin, despite his excellent craftsmanship, had some mental issues as soon as he inquired a little. Previously, Qin Huai wasn't sure if Zhou Hu was a spirit, so he had to put on an act in front of him. Now that he had figured out the mission, what was there to pretend about?

We are all family!
Qin Huai was carefully reading Zhou Hu's side quest.

It's a bit specific, but also quite abstract.

[Zhou Hu's Desire]: As a renowned fortune teller who deeply despises feudal superstition, Zhou Hu both loathes his side job and is forced to bow to money. Over the years, while he hasn't made a fortune in this industry, he's earned enough to make ends meet and pay his mortgage. He feels guilty for having cheated many longtime neighbors and loyal customers. Zhou Hu has always wanted to give back to his loyal customers, but his main job is unstable, leaving him with little savings. It wasn't until he received a large order from Luo Jun and ate snacks at Yunzhong Canteen for the first time that he felt he had found an opportunity to repay his customers. Players are asked to fulfill Zhou Hu's wish and help him repay his loyal customers.

Task Rewards: [A Dream of Zhou Hu], [Zhou Hu's Affirmation]
Qin Huai read Zhou Hu's side quest five times because he always felt that the quest details were incomplete. The beginning was very clear, even to the point of being a bit verbose, making it seem like Zhou Hu's need for certain snacks was already obvious, and then it abruptly ended, like a poorly written novel.

What does this mean? What are the implications of these task details?
It feels like I've said everything but haven't gotten to the point. What exactly is Zhou Hu's desire? Do you expect me, Qin Huai, to just stand in front of Zhou Hu and say, "I think I sensed your desire just now. Have you had a wish in your heart ever since you first stepped into the Cloud Canteen? Speak up and tell me what you want. Chef Qin will definitely make your dream come true!"
Are you sick?
It's not impossible, though.

Qin Huai frowned, looked at the mission details again, and took a big bite of shaved ice.

Zhou Hu: ...

He was certain that Master Qin might really have some mental issues, and that he was probably having a relapse.

Zhou Hu immediately became worried. He studied funeral services and worked part-time as a fortune teller. He had seen all kinds of customers, but this was the first time he had seen someone with mental problems that were not usually noticeable. How should he deal with this situation?

Under normal circumstances, Zhou Hu would have chosen to protect himself and keep his distance if he knew the other party had such a mental illness, but Qin Huai was different.

Qin Huai was the person who paid the final installment.

Although Zhou Hu didn't know whether Luo Jun would live or die this year, whether he would continue his fortune-telling business and pay off his mortgage through fraud this year and next, and whether he could retire from this business for two years, all depended on this case with Luo Jun.

If Qin Huai doesn't pay the final payment, it will be a huge blow to Zhou Hu. Luo Jun is the current sugar daddy, and Qin Huai will be the future sugar daddy.

Zhou Hu had always thought that the current sugar daddy was just a bit short-tempered and had a strange personality, making him difficult to deal with. The future sugar daddy, on the other hand, seemed very kind, easy to talk to, and easy to coax. Otherwise, Zhou Hu wouldn't have thought of helping Xu Tuqiang achieve his wish by getting something for nothing.

Unexpectedly, the most difficult thing to deal with was the future.

How do you appease a sugar daddy with mental health issues?

Zhou Hu was a little confused.

Qin Huai looked up. He had been so engrossed in analyzing the mission that he had almost forgotten what he had talked about with Zhou Hu a few minutes earlier.

Forget it, it doesn't matter.

Qin Huai thought for a few seconds without hesitation, because sometimes if you hesitate, you can't say anything.

"Zhou, do you like the snacks in our cafeteria?"

"Huh? Oh, um, I quite like it."

For some reason, Zhou Hu had always been quite cautious around Qin Huai. Before speaking, he would think through his words carefully, considering whether he should say them. This was the standard way he spoke to Qin Huai when dealing with a client.

When faced with some inappropriate remarks from Qin Huai, Zhou Hu would first pause and then think, considering whether Qin Huai's words had a deeper meaning or whether he simply had a problem with his brain.

Now Zhou Hu was convinced that Qin Huai had mental problems and was in the midst of an episode. His caution vanished, and he spoke without thinking, often blurting out words.

In a sense, the dialogue between the two people is a product of the smoothing out of the folds of the brain, possessing a kind of beauty that comes from the absence of the brainstem.

"Master Qin, your pastries are indeed very delicious. I've heard Mr. Xu Tuqiang mention them before, but because it's so far from where I work, I haven't been there much, so I never thought of buying some pastries to try."

"Really? But Zhou, didn't you buy a house in a good school district and take out a 30-year mortgage? The school district shouldn't be next to the funeral home, it should be in the city center, right? Where do you usually live?"

“The school district house was rented out, and my family lives right next to the funeral home. Otherwise, my dad wouldn’t have wanted me to work at the funeral home and study funeral services in college.”

"Really? That's great. Zhou, what's your favorite snack from our Cloud Cafeteria?"

"I've tried several kinds, and the locust flower steamed bun is the best, but it's a bit expensive. It costs 20 yuan for one bun, and it hurts a little when I buy it."

“Normally, steamed buns wouldn’t sell for 20 yuan. The main reason is that locust flower steamed buns are grade S, and anything below 20 yuan is really not worthy of this grade.”

"What S-rank?"

"It's not important, you'll find out later."

"Hey Zhou, how many years was your dad sentenced to?"

"Life imprisonment."

"Oh, so you can't get out then? When you visit your dad in prison, do you want to bring him some snacks? I can make you extra."

“You can’t bring food when visiting someone in prison, it’s very inconvenient.”

"Really? That's such a shame. Did you plan to buy a large quantity of snacks from the Cloud Cafeteria that week? I can give you a 95% discount."

"Yes, but Chef Qin, the snacks in your cafeteria are a bit too expensive. I haven't finished planning Mr. Luo's funeral yet. The funeral hall layout is not finalized, and I haven't found a troupe that suits Mr. Luo's taste. I've only received a 5% deposit, so I'm short on funds."

"You only took a 5% deposit? I'll talk to Mr. Luo tomorrow and make him pay at least 25%. I'll send you the price list of our Yunzhong Cafeteria's snacks later, so you can order what you want in advance."

While trying to clear his head, Qin Huai still managed to get some information out of her. She felt it was time to end this conversation about whatever she was dreaming about; if they kept going, her mind would start to wander and she could actually hear the sound of water.

Qin Huai took another bite of shaved ice and said, "Planner Zhou, we've talked enough. It's a rare opportunity to come to an amusement park. Have you ever ridden the roller coaster here? It's really thrilling. Would you like to try it?"

Zhou Hu's brain hadn't returned yet, and he subconsciously said, "Master Qin, let's finish our shaved ice before we go. This shaved ice is quite expensive at 58 yuan a serving, let's not waste it."

Master Zhou is also a master of saving food. Qin Huai had no objection; he was just worried about Zhou Hu's stomach—he had already eaten more than half of his shaved ice, while Zhou Hu had only taken two bites of his.

After Zhou Hu finished his shaved ice, Qin Huai chatted with him for a few more minutes, and their conversation gradually returned to normal. Zhou Hu started wondering, "Who am I? Where am I? What was I just doing? Was I even myself just now? Could there really be cultivators in this world, and I was just possessed?"

When Zhou Hu was led by Qin Huai to the queue for the most thrilling roller coaster in the entire amusement park, which was also Qin Luo's favorite, he was completely stunned.

In front of the queuing area was a row of benches for resting. Ouyang sat on the bench with a vacant look in his eyes, as if his soul had left his body. He was carrying snacks and staring blankly. When he saw Qin Huai, he looked at him as if he had seen a savior.

"Qin Huai, you're finally here! Where did you go? I called you but you didn't answer. I texted Lao Shi and he said you went to get dessert. Is this the time for dessert? What are you eating so early in the morning?" Ouyang said hurriedly. "When Youyou comes down later, hurry up and talk to her. I can't persuade her. She's already gone on the roller coaster four times with Luoluo!"

"This is the fifth trip!"

"Is this really her first time at an amusement park?"

Qin Huai was taken aback. He hadn't expected An Youyou to love roller coasters so much. It was definitely the right choice to have Qin Luo take An Youyou to the amusement park. The two of them were natural amusement park buddies.

Qin Huai finally focused his gaze on the bag of snacks in Ouyang's hand and said, "Luo Luo and An Youyou are playing together. If you don't want to ride the roller coaster, you can go play other rides or find Lao Shi and the others. You don't need to stay here to watch Luo Luo's things."

"Luo Luo isn't a seven or eight-year-old anymore. You've come all this way to the amusement park, aren't you going to play?"

Qin Huai was surprised that Ouyang had a talent for taking care of children.

"I'm not watching Luo Luo's things; I just got off the roller coaster and am sitting here to cool off," Ouyang said. "I just went on four rides with them."

Qin Huai: ?
Xiao Ou's handmade lemon tea shop went bankrupt so quickly, and Ouyang couldn't take the blow, so he came to the amusement park to commit suicide?
"Are you... alright?" Qin Huai asked cautiously.

"I don't understand," Ouyang murmured. "Is it really my problem? Why can everyone else ride the roller coaster four times, but I can't?"

"Has there been absolutely no result from my workouts during this period?"

Zhou Hu: ?
Zhou Hu no longer felt that there was something wrong with his brain just now. He felt that there must be something wrong with the magnetic field of this amusement park, and that everyone who entered this amusement park was a little mentally unstable.

Damn it, isn't he the one who hates feudal superstition the most? Why is he starting to think about this kind of thing? Sure enough, there's something wrong with the magnetic field of this amusement park!

Zhou Hu, feeling dizzy, followed Qin Huai onto the roller coaster, and regretted it as soon as it started moving.

It wasn't until he got on the roller coaster that Zhou Hu realized that when he was a child, his family's persistent poverty prevented him from affording amusement parks. During his university years, the heavy academic workload and lack of a girlfriend meant he never considered going to an amusement park. Later, his father went to prison, and Zhou Hu, busy making a living, had even less time to visit amusement parks.

As a funeral planner, he would never come to an amusement park to discuss business with clients.

Zhou Hu had never been to an amusement park or ridden a roller coaster.

On the roller coaster, Zhou Hu, the top strategist and conscientious mastermind, let out the most piercing scream of his life.

"Holy crap, help me!!!"
.
After the roller coaster ride, Zhou Hu was so nauseous that he threw up the shaved ice that had melted into thick sugar water and the undigested buns he had eaten that morning, all mixed with stomach acid. He felt like he wanted to hug a trash can and vomit.

Seeing Zhou Hu vomit like that after just one roller coaster ride, Ouyang suddenly felt refreshed. His head was no longer dizzy, and he was no longer emo. He didn't want to ride the roller coaster anymore; he just wanted to do some other rides and eat a couple of potato chips from Qin Luo's snack bag.

Ouyang handed the potato chips to Qin Huai, indicating that his good buddy could eat while watching, and casually asked, "Qin Huai, why didn't you invite me when you went to the dessert shop with Planner Zhou? I heard from Sister Hong that he is Mr. Luo's funeral planner. Actually, I was just about to ask you at the amusement park entrance, why is Mr. Luo's funeral planner here? Did you give him a ticket too?"

"I was just talking business with him," Qin Huai said succinctly.

Ouyang suddenly realized: "You're talking about Mr. Luo's funeral planning, right? I heard that the plan hasn't been finalized yet. That's normal. You don't know, when we were in the neighborhood committee, every time we wrote articles about Mr. Luo, the manuscripts and photos would be rejected dozens of times."

"No," Qin Huai shook his head. "It's about selling snacks. Planner Zhou wants to order a large quantity of snacks from Yunzhong Cafeteria."

Ouyang's eyes lit up: "The Cloud Cafeteria can take large orders for pastries? Qin Huai, do you make them? Wow, I knew you were in a good mood lately, but I didn't expect you to be in this good mood!"

"Could you take my order? To be honest, I'm a little reluctant to keep the lemon tea shop lately. I'd like to leave it to my parents and let them find someone to manage it, but I'm afraid they'll beat me up."

"You have no idea how dangerous it was when I went home last time. Luckily, I've been working out a lot lately and my reflexes are quick. My mom's slap came out faster than my snack."

"I have many relatives, so it's definitely a large quantity!"

Qin Huai tossed one at Ouyang, "You must have ridden four roller coasters and your brain's been shaken so much, what kind of dreams are you having?" He looked at Ouyang and said, "Don't even think about it."

"I noticed that Zhou, the planner, has been very dedicated to planning Mr. Luo's funeral lately, running around doing everything from start to finish. He even went to other places to find a theatrical troupe. He meticulously redid the plans, sending them back more than a dozen times. I felt that such a good funeral planner was hard to find."

“I’ve seen Zhou, the planner, in the cafeteria. I know he likes my snacks, so I’ll find an excuse to give him special treatment and sell more.”

When Qin Huai spoke the last two sentences, he deliberately raised his voice, and every word went straight into Zhou Hu's ears as he was vomiting into the trash can.

Zhou Hu was touched for a moment, but then felt that he had really done something stupid today.

Zhou Hu had actually heard many rumors about Qin Huai. When Xu Tu was asking for the luck charm, he had to state his request, and while stating his request, he would also praise Qin Huai excessively.

She has excellent skills, good character, is warm and considerate, dedicated to her job, loves to cook for others, and loves every kind of pastry she sees. Her only flaw is that she doesn't like to stay in the city and always wants to go out. When she goes back to her hometown for the Chinese New Year, she stays for half a month.

Of course, Xu Tuqiang, a loyal follower of Master Qin, would never spread negative comments such as Qin Huai being mentally unstable and having delusions.

This is something Zhou Hu was able to realize on his own today.

Zhou Hu suddenly understood why Xu Tuqiang was so eager to get into the kitchen, even spending tens of thousands of yuan to buy a lucky charm, rather than talking to Qin Huai directly.

Faced with such a skilled, warm, considerate, and thoughtful Master Qin, who could possibly ask for his help?

Who wouldn't want to be that person whom Chef Qin genuinely wants to give special treatment to, the kind of person everyone envies because of their connections?
Holding the trash can, Zhou Hu began to ponder whether he could squeeze some money out of his precarious savings to order a batch of delicious and affordable pastries.

We can't let Master Qin down!
"vomit."

Zhou Hu vomited as he thought.

(End of this chapter)