Li Man sat in Huo Jian Sheng's car and arrived at a hot pot restaurant in Chongqing.
Although they arrived early, before mealtime, the restaurant was already full of people. The place was bustling with noise, and as soon as they entered, they were greeted by a strong and spicy aroma.
It smells so good! Li Man couldn't help but salivate.
The tables by the window were already occupied, so they found a random spot to sit.
"Order whatever you want. I can afford anything here. Eat to your heart's content, don't be polite with me," Li Man said generously.
Huo Jian Sheng smiled and picked up the menu, selecting the dishes he wanted to eat.
Li Man also ordered some of her favorite items: fatty beef, pig brain, goose intestines, duck blood, tripe, lotus root, konjac noodles, tofu, and baby bok choy. Finally, she also ordered a glass of plum juice.
After ordering, Li Man asked, "What did you order?"
Huo Jian Sheng handed the menu to Li Man and replied, "I ordered these."
As Li Man looked at the menu, she realized that their choices were quite similar. "I didn't expect us to have such similar tastes."
Huo Jian Sheng pursed his lips and smiled. "Great minds think alike."
Li Man couldn't help but laugh and cry. Wasn't that phrase not meant for the two of them?
"Thank you for your help. That's all for now," Li Man handed the menu to the waiter.
"What kind of broth would you like?" the waiter asked.
"Spicy broth," Li Man and Huo Jian Sheng said simultaneously.
After speaking, they exchanged smiles.
"This morning, you mentioned wanting to quit your job," Huo Jian Sheng asked.
Li Man nodded and took a sip of the complimentary tea in the restaurant. "I want a change of environment."
"You don't have to worry too much about what others say. Give it some time, and things will get better," Huo Jian Sheng said.
Li Man shook her head and said, "It's not just that. After what happened, the clients no longer trust me."
Who would want to work with someone who has killed before? Although Li Man acted in self-defense, they wouldn't care about the reasons. They would only remember that she had taken a life.
Huo Jian Sheng fell silent and picked up his cup from the table. After taking a sip of tea, he asked, "What are your plans then?"
"I want to start a street stall," Li Man said.
That day, when she and Chen XiaoHui went to the night market, they saw that it was crowded, and almost every stall was doing well. That day, she said to Chen XiaoHui, "Why don't we start a street stall too?"
Chen XiaoHui readily agreed, "Sure!"
Chen XiaoHui was also struggling financially, so if Li Man wanted to start a business, she naturally wanted to join in. Working a regular job would only provide enough to get by, but buying a house in the city was out of the question.
"What will you sell?" Huo Jian Sheng didn't object.
"Barbecue!" Li Man said.
Li Man didn't realize that when she mentioned selling barbecue, her eyes were shining, and she became lively and radiant. She was incredibly charming, and Huo Jian Sheng was captivated by her.
"Will you be selling alone? It will be quite tough," Huo Jian Sheng couldn't help but pour some cold water.
"No, I'll be with Chen XiaoHui, the one you lent your coat to," Li Man replied.
"Oh!" Huo Jian Sheng remembered, but he couldn't recall Chen XiaoHui's appearance anymore.
"Do you remember now?" Li Man asked.
Huo Jian Sheng nodded. "Yes, I remember."
"Well, it's just the two of us."
"That's fine, but we'll have to stay up late. Can you handle it?" Huo Jian Sheng took a sip of tea and asked.
"As long as we don't die, we'll work ourselves to death. What can't we handle? I'm not afraid of hardship!" Li Man said passionately, as if she was about to embark on a great mission. Huo Jian Sheng was infected by her passion and almost blurted out, "I'm in!"
Fortunately, he didn't say it out loud. If he had, it would have been the smallest investment he ever made, right?
Just thinking about it sent shivers down his spine.
Suddenly, he felt that Li Man would be suitable for joining a pyramid scheme. She had a way of speaking that was so persuasive."
