Afraid of losing it, Mo Xixi quickly reattached her name tag. Unlike the uniform, which had multiple sets, there was only one name tag.
Satisfied, she closed the box, placed it in the corner, and tucked her old clothes beside it.
When she stepped back into the store, she spotted Hao sitting in the corner.
“Little Xixi, come over here.” Hao called.
Mo Xixi walked toward him, her nerves cracking up. Was she about to start working? What exactly was she supposed to do?
She had never worked in a store before. What if she messed up? Would she get kicked out?
But instead of instructions, Hao just said casually. “Let’s eat first.”
“After this, you’ll really start working. Don’t worry, though – it’s all within your shift.”
’Right, system? As an employee, she should know how to eat and experience how amazing the store’s products are, right?’
[That is correct, host. Meal breaks are included in the shift, but any time exceeding 30 minutes is not allowed.]
[Additionally, firsthand experience with store products will enhance the employee’s ability to recommend them effectively.]
’Yeah. That’s what I’m talking about.’
Hao glanced at Mo Xixi, who was still standing there, unsure of what to do. He gestured to the seat across from him. “Sit first.”
On the table were two cups of instant noodles. Hao pushed one toward her. “This is yours.”
“This is the one that costs one crystal, boss?” Mo Xixi looked at the cup.
“Yes.” Hao leaned back. “It’s free for you, though. Employee benefits.”
“You’ve never had instant noodles before, right?”
“I’ve eaten noodles before, boss. But instant noodles… I don’t know anything about them.”
She chose to be honest. If she lied, it might cause problems later.
“That’s alright. Take this as a lesson. You need to know how to prepare and eat them properly. Otherwise, how will you explain it to our customers?”
“So this is part of my training?”
“Exactly.”
Hao pointed at the cups. “They’re already cooking, but let me explain the process.”
He gestured toward a strange-looking machine in the corner. “First, you open the lid, and bring it to the water dispenser.”
Mo Xixi followed his gaze. “That thing, boss?”
“Yeah. It’s called water dispenser.”
“You can think of it as an artifact that can produce water. It can release boiling, freezing, or just regular water – depending on what you need.”
Mo Xixi looked at it again. It was her first time seeing such an artifact, but if it worked as Hao said, it was quite useful.
“The water dispenser automatically pours the right amount of water into the cup. All you have to do after that is close the lid of the cup and wait for it to cook.”
He tapped his fingers on the table. “That’s what I did. Now we just wait.”
“Do you follow? Or is there any part you don’t understand?”
Mo Xixi nodded. “I think I got it all, boss.”
“Can you repeat the steps for me?”
Without hesitation, Mo Xixi recited everything from opening the lid to waiting for the noodles to cook. She was confident in her memory.
Hao smiled and gave her a thumbs-up. “Perfect. You got it all right.”
“The noodles should be ready to eat now.”
He picked up his chopsticks. “You know how to use chopsticks, right?”
Mo Xixi scoffed. “Of course, boss. What do you take me for?”
She picked up her chopsticks and lifted the lid of her cup noodles.
A wave of rich, savory aroma hit her nose.
Her throat bobbed, and for a second, she nearly drooled, but she shut her mouth and composed herself. She had to maintain her dignity.
Mo Xixi took her first bite –
And ascended to heaven.
“…”
’This… this taste…’
’What divine chef crafted such a masterpiece?’
The broth was deep and flavorful, the noodles springy and perfect. Every slurp sent waves of warmth through her body, nourishing not just her stomach but even her qi.
Was it her hunger making it taste so good, or was it just that amazing?
No, it was that amazing.
She slurped up the noodles like a starved beast, completely losing herself in the taste.
Mo Xixi finally understood. This was why it costs one crystal! It was more than worth it!
She paused mid-bite and looked at Hao with utter seriousness.
“Boss, we should charge more than one crystal for this.”
Hao rejected instantly. “No.”
“No?”
Hao gave a firm head shake. “The price will always stay the same.”
“But boss – ”
“Don’t let greed cloud your judgment.” Hao interjected.
“Now that you’re an employee of this store, remember – everything here is fairly priced, and that will never change.”
“Even if an emperor kneels and begs to pay more, it will still be one crystal.”
Not that he had a choice in the matter. If it were up to him, he’d have raised the price a little. Something of this quality should cost more, right?
But the system had set the price, and unless he wanted to argue with an all-powerful, rule-enforcing entity, he had to follow along.
Mo Xixi nearly dropped her chopsticks. Even if an emperor kneels…?
She stared at Hao, stunned. Who else in this world would stick to such a principle?
There was only one explanation.
Her boss… must be an immortal. A far stronger immortal than anyone else!
She puffed out her chest.
“Understood, boss. As your loyal subordinate, I shall follow your will without question.”
Hao almost choked on his noodles. ’Subordinate’
’What in the world is Little Xixi on about? Is she bugging again?
Before he could say anything, Mo Xixi had already gone back to slurping down her noodles at lightning speed.
Hao sighed before returning to his meal.
As they finished eating, just as Hao figured, Mo Xixi suddenly froze. Her breathing steadied, her expression turned serene.
’Enlightenment… figures.’
Hao scratched his head. This is a problem. Her break is only thirty minutes, and this could take just as long. If she goes over, does that mean she’s slacking off?
Before he could worry too much, the system’s voice rang out.
[Host, there’s no need for concern. Enlightenment gained from store products is classified as proper work. Strengthening an employee contributes to the store’s operations. Therefore, this will not count in her meal break.]
’So getting stronger is considered work? That’s one way to look at it.’