Chapter 143 Trending Topic Explosion! Making money is great, but it's deadly!

Lin Mo was woken up halfway through his nap by a loud, muffled noise.

The sound wasn't the cough of the old man walking his bird, nor the bell of the tricycle used by the scrap collector.

It was like a surging wave, forcefully squeezing into this century-old alleyway made of blue bricks.

He rubbed his sleepy eyes and sat up in the canopy bed.

He put on a loose coat, slipped on his slippers, and slowly pushed open the door to the main room.

In the courtyard, Wang Cunzhu was peering out through the crack in the gate, his legs trembling like leaves.

"Boss Lin... come quick and see what's going on outside! Why are there so many people?"

Wang Cunzhu turned around and looked at Lin Mo, who looked sleepy.

Lin Mo yawned, walked to the front door, and reached out to pull open the heavy, black lacquered wooden door.

There was a loud "whoosh".

The noise outside was amplified a hundredfold, like a heavy hammer hitting my eardrums.

Lin Mo was stunned.

Everywhere you look, there are people.

The dense crowd stretched from the steps of Lin's Restaurant all the way to the entrance of the alley, and even turned a corner to extend onto the main road.

Long lenses and short lenses of mobile phone cameras were all raised in unison, the flashes making people dizzy.

At the very edge of the crowd, the few menacing bodyguards in black who were originally responsible for keeping watch were now being squeezed against the wall by hundreds of elderly men and women and young men.

Their faces were contorted, their hands clutching their chests, like sardines being squeezed in the subway during rush hour.

Jiang Jianguo's proud physical blockade became a complete joke in the face of the overwhelming tide of people.

"The door's open! The boss's open!"

"Finally, we've seen one alive! This is it! The Cloud Deer hotspot!"

"Boss, hurry up and open for business! We've been lining up since early this morning!"

The crowd erupted in enthusiastic cheers, and several young women in the front even stomped their feet in excitement.

Lin Mo was so shocked by the scene that he took half a step back.

He turned his head and saw Jiang Ruoyun walking in through the back door.

She casually tied her hair up, held a glass of warm water in her hand, and wore a sly smile that hinted at hidden merit.

"Why are you looking at me?" Jiang Ruoyun took a sip of water, her tone light and airy. "Didn't you say it would be quiet since no one's coming?"

Lin Mo stared at the densely packed heads, his mind racing.

Although he is someone who likes to slack off, he is a pragmatic person at heart.

The gleam in these people's eyes wasn't green, it was gleaming gold banknotes.

Lin Mo's eyes lit up.

He grabbed the towel draped over his shoulder and swung it around in a loud, twirling motion.

"It's stupid not to take money that's offered to you!"

"start!"

With this order given, Lin's Restaurant ushered in the craziest moment since its opening.

For the next two whole days, this courtyard house practically turned into a high-speed money-printing machine.

Flames soared into the sky in the kitchen.

Lin Mo swung the large iron pot in his hand, and sparks flew out.

Heat oil in a wok, sauté until fragrant, stir-fry, and serve.

The movements were fluid and fast, so fast that one couldn't even see the afterimage.

The range hood was making a loud, strained noise.

The intense aromas released by the collision of various ingredients under high temperature wafted out wave after wave, making the people in line salivate.

The once empty space in the front courtyard has been filled with small square tables.

Seats are full.

Jiang Ruoyun sat behind a square table that served as a makeshift cashier.

The payment notification speaker on the table has been playing non-stop since this morning.

"WeChat payment received, 128 yuan."

"Alipay payment received, 260 yuan."

Jiang Ruoyun's fingers flew across the calculator, her wrist aching from collecting money.

She's usually a rich girl who has no concept of money; she can buy a bag without batting an eye.

But at this moment, looking at these bits and pieces of income that amounted to tens or hundreds of dollars, she felt an unprecedented sense of accomplishment.

That was money she and Lin Mo earned together.

In the most inconspicuous corner of the kitchen in the courtyard, a human tragedy was unfolding.

Wang Cunzun squatted in front of several large red plastic basins.

The basin was piled high with greasy bowls, chopsticks, plates, and dishes, like small, precarious hills.

This leading figure in the Department of Architecture at National Tsing Hua University, wearing a pair of pink plastic gloves, is mechanically scrubbing dishes frantically with a dishwashing sponge.

His hands were white and wrinkled from being soaked in water.

"These hands of mine... are what I used to draw the blueprints for the National Centre for the Performing Arts..."

As Wang Cunzhen washed his clothes, he muttered to himself, his eyes filled with despair.

But just as he finished muttering, Lin Mo passed by carrying a pot of freshly stewed pork rib soup.

The rich aroma of meat wafted straight into his nose.

Wang Cunzhu swallowed hard, and his movements instantly doubled.

"Washing dishes is good, washing dishes is wonderful, after washing they're ready you can eat braised pork!"

The atmosphere in the dining area of ​​the lobby was even more lively.

Those fans who were attracted by the "Deer in the Clouds" comic originally just wanted to check it out.

But when the first bite of food entered their mouths, everyone's eyes widened.

The sensory impact of the taste, which surpasses that of ordinary restaurants by several dimensions, directly creates a huge cognitive contrast.

The slap in the face came too fast, like a tornado.

"This tastes amazing! I declare this the number one restaurant in Beijing!"

"This boss could easily make a living off his looks, but his cooking skills are just too amazing!"

Just then, a scream suddenly erupted from the corner.

A girl with a ponytail suddenly stood up, her finger trembling as she pointed at Lin Mo, who was serving dishes.

"Oh my god! You're Lin Mo! You're Lin Mo from 'Heartbeat House'!"

That shout stopped most of the people in the courtyard.

Countless gazes converged on them.

"Holy crap, it really is him! That straight guy who was totally slacking off on the dating reality show!"

The girl turned to look at Jiang Ruoyun at the cashier, covered her mouth and gasped.

"That...that pretty cashier, is that Jiang Ruoyun?"

"You two are really together?!"

The courtyard instantly erupted in excitement, especially the CP fans, who were as excited as if it were New Year's Day.

They never expected that a casual visit to a store would lead to them receiving candy personally distributed by the person in question.

"The boss's wife is so beautiful! Even more beautiful than on TV!"

Several bolder boys couldn't help but praise it.

Jiang Ruoyun was doing the accounting when she heard this, and her cool eyes lifted slightly.

She ignored the boys' attempts to flirt with her and instead turned to look at Lin Mo.

"Lin Mo, add another serving of rice to table number three, hurry up."

His tone was undisguisedly bossy and entitled.

Lin Mo was wiping his sweat when he heard this. He smiled and said gently, "I know, I'm coming."

Jiang Ruoyun turned her head and looked at the boys who were still making a fuss, a proud smile curving her lips.

"Eat your food and stop staring at him."

This possessive and domineering attitude towards food didn't make people feel disgusted at all; on the contrary, it made the yard filled with pink bubbles.

Busy times always fly by.

Two days later, late at night, when the clock struck one in the morning.

As the last group of guests left satisfied, the heavy wooden door of Lin's Restaurant finally closed slowly.

The courtyard, which had been bustling for two days, suddenly fell into a deathly silence.

In the courtyard, three people were sprawled out on rattan chairs and benches.

On the stone table, there was a scattered stack of colorful cash.

There were two mobile phones next to him, and the total amount received displayed on the screens was a string of numbers that made his heart race.

This was the first pot of gold Lin Mo had actually earned since coming to the capital.

The amount was surprisingly large.

But at this moment, Lin Mo looked at the money, but there was no excitement in his eyes.

He felt like all the bones in his body were about to fall apart.

My wrist, which had been holding the iron pot for a long time, began to ache and protest.

My shoulders felt as heavy as lead, and I didn't even have the strength to lift my arms.

He turned his head and looked at Jiang Ruoyun, who was lying on the rattan chair next to him.

Jiang Ruoyun closed her eyes, her long eyelashes casting shadows in her eye sockets.

One of her hands hung limply at her side, while the other hand was rubbing her reddened wrist intermittently.

On his fair fingers, there was even a tiny red mark left by a coin.

Lin Mo's heart clenched suddenly.

He went to great lengths to renovate the courtyard so that he would have a place to stay.

He opened this small restaurant so that he would have a legitimate reason to stay in this alley and stay by her side.

He envisioned a leisurely life where he could drink tea, do woodworking, and bask in the sun every day.

He kept Jiang Ruoyun by his side because he wanted her to taste his cooking and to see her smile.

It's not so that she'll come here with me and collect money until her hands cramp up.

This kind of relentless, mechanical labor, this kind of rhythm where you overdraw your body to earn money.

What is this?

Lin Mo took a deep breath and suddenly sat up in the wicker chair.

The rattan chair made a crisp "creak" sound, which was particularly clear in the night.

Startled by the sound, Jiang Ruoyun opened her eyes slightly and looked at him in confusion.

"What's wrong?" Her voice was a little hoarse, revealing a deep sense of exhaustion.

Lin Mo looked at her, his expression more serious than ever before.

"no."

He uttered two words with unwavering certainty.

Jiang Ruoyun was taken aback: "What do you mean, 'not allowed'?"

"I came to the capital to be with you, not to be a cook."

Lin Mo pointed to his sore shoulder and then to Jiang Ruoyun's reddened wrist.

"I didn't come here to be a donkey pulling the millstone for the production team!"

"This kind of relentless, day-and-night work completely contradicts my original intention of giving up!"

Lin Mo's tone carried a hint of annoyance tinged with gritted teeth.

What's the point of earning this little bit of money? If you ruin your health and lose time to spend with your wife, that's putting the cart before the horse.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ruoyun did not think he was unambitious.

Instead, his eyes lit up, as if he had finally found his people, and he nodded frantically in agreement.

"Yes! I'm so tired! I've never seen so much change in my life!"

Jiang Ruoyun raised her hand in grievance, "My wrists tremble even when I hold a paintbrush, it's practically torture for art!"

At this moment, the two reached an unprecedented level of consensus.

To hell with traffic, to hell with order surges.

Life comes first.

Lin Mo stroked his chin and exchanged a glance with Jiang Ruoyun.

"Boss lady, we need to have a meeting and change the rules in this shop. If this continues tomorrow, Professor Wang will probably end up in the ICU with a workplace injury."

In the corner, Wang Cuncun, exhausted and sprawled on the ground, let out a weak protest.