The divorce comeback system arrived right after I was born.

Chen Zhi poured the last bit of charcoal ash into the trash can and patted the dust off his hands.

Lin Wanwan hasn't left yet.

She seemed to have nails stuck to her bottom, twisting and turning on the small stool, the bamboo skewer in her hand almost worn smooth from handling it.

"Chen Zhi".

"Spit it out."

Chen Zhi tidied up the balcony without looking back, folding up the barbecue grill with a clattering metallic sound.

"I don't think I'm suited for studying."

Lin Wanwan threw the bamboo skewer into the trash can and said with a serious expression, "I just had an epiphany. A genius like me was born to do great things."

Chen Zhi stuffed the folded shelf back under the bed.

"so what?"

"That's why I want to start my own business!"

Lin Wanwan jumped up from the stool, rushed to Chen Zhi in two steps, and spread her arms to block his way.

Her eyes shone with an alarming light, as if she had discovered a new continent.

"Let's sell this grilled gluten! Seriously, your skills are amazing. If we set up a stall at the night market, we could definitely beat all the other vendors!"

Chen Zhi walked past her, went to the desk, picked up a water glass, and took a sip.

"I'm not going."

Why?

Lin Wanwan clung to Chen Zhi like a shadow, grabbing his arm and shaking it.

"Summer vacation is so boring! All I do at home is homework and watch TV. I'll get moldy. But I can make money! We'll split it 50/50... no, 40/60! You get 60%, I get 40%!"

Chen Zhi was shaken so badly that he almost spilled water.

"Am I that short of money?"

He pulled his arm away and glanced at her sideways.

There is definitely no shortage.

He sold his Bitcoin and invested in Musical Notes, and now he's financially independent.

This girl actually wanted to drag me to buy two-yuan skewers of grilled gluten.

This contrast made Chen Zhi find it somewhat amusing.

"You don't lack money, but I do!"

Lin Wanwan retorted confidently, "You stay at home all day and never interact with society. How will you take over... what's that word again? Oh right, a business empire!"

Chen Zhi almost spat out his water.

This girl has been reading too many domineering CEO novels lately.

"No, it's too hot," Chen Zhi refused decisively.

Lin Wanwan's eyes darted around, and suddenly an idea came to her.

"Can't I even invite Zhiyi?"

Chen Zhi paused for a moment.

"Li Zhiyi?"

"That's right!" Seeing an opportunity, Lin Wanwan immediately pressed her advantage. "Zhiyi must be so lonely at home all by herself. Her grandparents went to the countryside to harvest wheat and haven't come back yet. Let's take her out to play and earn some pocket money at the same time, isn't that great!"

Chen Zhi remained silent for a moment.

Li Zhiyi is such a pitiful child.

Since we've been given a second chance at life, we should lend a helping hand if we can.

Besides, it's good to let that brooding person out and get some fresh air, so they don't get sick from being cooped up at home.

"Alright."

Chen Zhi put down his water glass and sighed, "But it's settled then, you guys do the dirty and hard work, I'll just provide technical guidance."

"Yay! Chen Zhi, you're the best!"

Lin Wanwan cheered and turned to run outside.

"I'll go call Zhiyi! You stay home and prepare the ingredients; we'll meet downstairs in half an hour!"

The security door was slammed shut again.

Chen Zhi looked at the empty doorway and shook his head helplessly.

He went to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator.

There was still quite a bit of starchy sausage and gluten left inside, which I originally planned to keep for myself to eat slowly.

It now appears that it will be confiscated.

Chen Zhi rummaged through the cupboard and pulled out a large bag of chili powder, and then took out an unopened bottle of MSG.

If you're going to sell, you have to show some real skill.

That unforgettable "Hextech" flavor must be perfectly blended.

Half an hour later.

Chen Zhi was pushing a folding cart that he had somehow gotten his hands on, standing at the entrance of the apartment building.

The vehicle contained a barbecue grill, a charcoal box, and a styrofoam box filled with ingredients.

The sun was scorching, and the asphalt road surface had softened somewhat from the heat.

Not far away, two figures were walking towards them.

Lin Wanwan walked ahead, carrying two small stools in her hands, her steps brisk and energetic.

Li Zhiyi followed half a step behind her, head down, hands clasped together, looking somewhat awkward.

Upon seeing Chen Zhi, Li Zhiyi lowered her head even further, as if she wanted to shrink into a crack in the ground.

"Chen... Chen Zhi."

Her voice was so faint that it was almost inaudible unless you listened very carefully.

Chen Zhi nodded in response.

"Everything ready?" Lin Wanwan hung the stool on the cart and clapped her hands excitedly. "Where should we set it up? People's Square or the pedestrian street?"

"None of us are going."

Chen Zhi took a baseball cap out of his pocket and put it on his head to block out the glaring sunlight.

"Go to the back gate of No. 2 Middle School."

"Huh? School?" Lin Wanwan was taken aback. "Nobody's at school during summer vacation, what would I be doing there?"

"Tutoring."

Chen Zhi pushed the cart forward, the wheels making a rumbling sound on the ground.

"The seniors started extra classes today, and it just so happens that evening self-study is ending. Those beasts have been studying all day, they're so hungry they could eat a whole cow. What we have isn't enough to sell at all."

Lin Wanwan suddenly realized and gave Chen Zhi a thumbs up.

"A swindler! He really is a swindler!"

Li Zhiyi followed behind, listening to their conversation. A very faint smile appeared on her lips, but it quickly disappeared.

She quickened her pace and reached out to help push the cart.

"I...I'll push it."

Chen Zhi avoided her hand.

"No need, take this."

He shoved the palm-leaf fan he was holding into Li Zhiyi's hand.

"Once we get there, your job is to fan the flames and make sure the fire doesn't go out."

Li Zhiyi held the still-warm palm-leaf fan and nodded vigorously.

"Um."

The three of them, in a dilapidated cart, set off in a grand procession toward the Second Middle School.

Passersby along the way couldn't help but turn their heads to look.

After all, this combination is rather strange.

A primary school student wearing flip-flops was pushing a bicycle, with an incredibly beautiful and energetic girl beside him, and a little girl who looked like a doormat trailing behind.

It looks like some kind of strange idol drama filming set.

The back gate of No. 2 Middle School is a narrow alley.

This place is usually crowded with mobile vendors, but it's not open yet, so there are only a few stalls set up.

Chen Zhi found a sheltered spot and parked the car.

"start."

At his command, the two girls immediately got to work.

Lin Wanwan was in charge of arranging the ingredients neatly on the plates.

Li Zhiyi squatted on the ground and carefully scooped the charcoal into the stove trough.

Chen Zhi took out a lighter and lit the ignition block.

Flames rose up.

A wave of heat hit us.

Chen Zhi skillfully fanned the charcoal fire, waiting for the charcoal to burn completely.

"Chen Zhi, how much should we price per skewer?" Lin Wanwan took out a piece of cardboard, holding a marker, ready to write the price tag.

"Gluten is 1.5 yuan, and starch sausage is 2 yuan."

Without looking up, Chen Zhi said, "No bargaining."

"Isn't it too expensive?" Li Zhiyi said softly. "The old man at the school gate only sells it for one yuan."

Chen Zhi poked at a piece of red-hot charcoal.

"Ours has a secret recipe added."

He picked up a brush and applied a layer of oil to the empty grill.

"Sizzle—"

Oil fumes rose.

"It tastes much better than his."

Chen Zhi tossed several skewers of gluten onto the shelf and skillfully flipped them.

"The school cafeteria food is awful, so they need this kind of oily and spicy stuff to stimulate their taste buds. Don't even mention 1.5 yuan, even if it costs 3 yuan, as long as the taste is strong enough, they'll still pay for it."

Lin Wanwan thought Chen Zhi's words made a lot of sense.

She quickly wrote down the price on the cardboard, then found a brick and placed it in front of the cart.

"Alright! Lin's BBQ Stall is officially open for business!"

As the temperature of the charcoal fire rose, the first batch of gluten began to sizzle and release oil.

Chen Zhi picked up the bowl containing the chili oil sauce.

This is his trump card.

It not only contained various spices, but also "one drop of fragrance" that had not yet been demonized by the public at that time.

That one stroke.

The aroma, like an atomic bomb exploding, instantly swept through the entire alley.

The woman selling jianbing guozi next to her sniffed and looked over warily.

This flavor is so overpowering.

"It smells so good..."

Li Zhiyi squatted down to the side, fanning herself, when the aroma made her stomach rumble.

Her face flushed, and she quickly covered her stomach.

Chen Zhi glanced at her, then casually picked up a skewer of freshly grilled starch sausage and handed it to her.

"Try it salty."

Li Zhiyi waved her hand hastily, "No...no need, I'm not hungry."

"Just eat what I tell you to eat, stop asking so many questions."

Chen Zhi shoved the skewer into her hand, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Li Zhiyi held the hot starch sausage, her fingertips feeling slightly hot.

She glanced at Chen Zhi secretly.

The boy's profile appeared somewhat blurred in the smoke and fumes, yet it felt exceptionally real.

She took a small, careful bite.

The crispy skin crumbles between your teeth, and the rich aroma of meat mixed with the spiciness of the sauce explodes on your tongue.

Li Zhiyi's eyes lit up instantly.

This was the most delicious thing she had ever eaten in her life.

"Is it good?" Lin Wanwan leaned closer and asked expectantly.

Li Zhiyi nodded vigorously, a little sauce on the corner of her mouth.

"So...delicious."

Just then.

A sudden school bell rang, breaking the tranquility of the alley.

Immediately afterwards, heavy footsteps and clamor poured out from inside the school gate.

It was like a flood bursting its banks.

The students, dressed in blue and white school uniforms, rushed towards the snack street at the back gate like zombies unleashed.

"They're here!"

Chen Zhi tossed the palm-leaf fan in his hand into Li Zhiyi's arms, picked up a skewer of barbecue, and banged it loudly on the iron rack.

"Cheer up, everyone! That's our wallets beckoning to us!"

Lin Wanwan immediately stood up straight, cleared her throat, and prepared to call out.

Li Zhiyi gripped the palm-leaf fan tightly, her palms sweating profusely.

The first person to rush to the stall was a fat man wearing glasses.

His nose twitched, as if he had been forcibly pulled over by that domineering fragrance.

"Holy crap, this smells amazing!"

The fat man stared at the sizzling, oily gluten on the shelf, his Adam's apple bobbing violently.

"Boss, five skewers of gluten! Five skewers of sausage! Mildly spicy!"

Chen Zhi's lips twitched slightly.

Business comes knocking.

"Okay, just a moment."

His wrists flew as he sprinkled ingredients, brushed oil, and flipped the food, his movements fluid and rhythmic.

He doesn't seem like a novice at all; he seems like a seasoned veteran who's been in this business for over a decade.

"It's seventeen yuan and fifty cents in total. Let's round it down to eighteen," Chen Zhi said casually.

The fat man froze for a moment, his hand reaching for his money hanging in the air.

"what?"

Lin Wanwan chuckled and quickly smoothed things over, "Don't listen to his nonsense, just give it to Seventeen!"

The fat man then realized he had been tricked, but instead of being angry, he happily handed over the money.

"The boss is really funny."

The fat man took the skewer and eagerly took a bite.

In that instant, the fat on his face relaxed.

"Awesome!"

The fat man gave a thumbs-up and mumbled, "This tastes amazing! A million times better than the pig slop in the cafeteria!"

That roar was simply the best way to bring someone to life.

The students who were initially observing immediately surrounded them.

"Boss, I want one too!"

"Give me two skewers!"

"I want ten skewers! Hurry, hurry, I'm starving!"

The small stall was instantly surrounded by a huge crowd.

Lin Wanwan was in charge of collecting money, and she was so busy that she was flustered, but the smile on her face was brighter than the sunshine.

Li Zhiyi squatted on the ground, fanning herself frantically. She coughed from the smoke, but dared not stop what she was doing.

Chen Zhi stood amidst the swirling smoke, holding dozens of skewers in his hand, his expression focused yet indifferent.

He's like an emotionless barbecue machine.

These high school students, like hungry wolves, can't wait.

"Lin Wanwan, don't take the wrong money," Chen Zhi reminded her without turning his head. "That guy with the buzz cut was short one yuan."

"Huh? Did I see that right?"

Lin Wanwan hurriedly counted the change in her hand, a fine layer of sweat appearing on her forehead.

"Li Zhiyi, turn the fire down, or the sausage will burn."

"Oh... okay!" Li Zhiyi quickly slowed down the fanning frequency.

Chen Zhi controlled the rhythm of the entire event.

Just then.

A sudden commotion arose outside the crowd.

"Make way! Make way, everyone!"

A few thugs wearing floral shirts and with brightly colored hair pushed through the crowd and swaggered in.

The leader, a blond-haired man with a cigarette dangling from his mouth, brazenly scanned Lin Wanwan and Li Zhiyi before finally fixing his gaze on Chen Zhi.

"Oh, a new face."

Yellow Hair exhaled a smoke ring and stepped on Chen Zhi's cart wheel.

"Don't you know the rules? Did you pay protection money for setting up a stall in this area?"

The surrounding students immediately fell silent and backed away, afraid of getting into trouble.

The once bustling stalls suddenly became a vacuum.

Lin Wanwan turned pale with fright and instinctively shrank behind Chen Zhi.

Li Zhiyi was so frightened that she trembled and dropped the palm-leaf fan in her hand to the ground.

Chen Zhi's hands didn't stop moving.

He slowly sprinkled the last handful of gluten in his hand with cumin, then flipped it over.

Oil dripped, and flames leaped up.

Through the distorted heatwave, Chen Zhi raised his eyelids and glanced indifferently at the blond-haired man.

There was no fear or anger in his eyes.

There was only a calmness, like looking at a dead person.

"What if we don't pay?"

Chen Zhi picked up the sharp scissors and, with a snip, cut off the burnt edges of the gluten.

The sound of metal closing was particularly jarring in the deathly silent alley.

The blond-haired man was stunned for a moment.

He never expected that this seemingly gentle and refined young man would be so tough.

"Not paying?"

Yellow Hair sneered and flicked the cigarette butt toward the grill.

"Then we'll help you loosen up your bones!"

The Mars streaked across the sky in a parabola, about to land on the freshly baked food.

Chen Zhi moved.

The iron clamp in his hand shot out like a silver snake.

"Snapped!"

The cigarette butt was precisely clamped in mid-air.

Chen Zhi flicked his wrist, holding the still-burning cigarette butt between his fingers, and shoved it directly in front of the blond-haired man's nose.

It was less than a centimeter away from the tip of the nose.

The scorching heat made the blond-haired man's eyes cross instantly, and cold sweat poured down his face.

"I don't like it when people waste food."

Chen Zhi's voice was soft, yet it clearly reached the ears of everyone present.

The clamp in his hand was as steady as a rock.

"besides."

Chen Zhi leaned forward slightly, lowered his voice, and said in a volume that only the two of them could hear:

"This street is under the jurisdiction of Captain Liu of the Urban Management Brigade; he's my second uncle. Do you want to go to the police station for a chat?"

That's a lie.

But he was certain that these thugs were too brainless to bother verifying the information.

Information asymmetry is always the best weapon for achieving a decisive victory.

The blond-haired man's pupils suddenly contracted.

Time seemed to stand still at that moment.

The glow from the cigarette butt reflected in the terrified eyes of the blond-haired man, and also in Chen Zhi's calm, expressionless eyes.