Chapter 55: The Heartwarming Restaurant

In the days that followed, Yu Yanan’s charity restaurant flourished, bustling with activity. Many students came to help, drawn by the promise of a meal. University life was leisurely, and this opportunity to both dine and do good was irresistible to the young women. Yu Yanan managed the restaurant with careful restraint; in order to sustain it long-term, she limited daily servings to just two or three hundred, offering only five or six dishes—two of which were meat, the rest vegetables. If the food were too lavish, freeloaders would swarm in. Her only requirement was cleanliness and hygiene; each person could take only one portion, unless there were special circumstances—such as an elderly spouse unable to leave home, in which case an extra serving was permitted.

Most patrons were university students, yet even the poorest among them were not allowed to eat for free; they needed to contribute by cleaning or distributing food. This arrangement suited them well. Their pride remained intact, for earning a meal through work felt more comfortable and required little time—never more than an hour.

Shen Xin sometimes lent a hand, watching the diners queue up and serve themselves in an orderly fashion, which brought him a quiet satisfaction. He acknowledged he had taken many lives, and though his victims were hardly innocent, he carried a lingering sense of guilt. Running the charity restaurant was, in part, his way of easing that burden. Now that the restaurant was thriving, he could rest easy.

Shen Lan’s expenditures far exceeded those of the restaurant; each act of assistance cost at least tens of thousands, sometimes more than a hundred thousand. When Shen Xin glanced at the half-monthly financial report Shen Lan handed him, he felt a headache coming on—over three hundred thousand spent in just a fortnight. He voiced his concern, “Shen Lan, this can’t go on. You need to think of another solution.”

Shen Lan sighed, “Brother, you don’t know how desperate some of these patients are. I just can’t help myself!”

After much thought, Shen Xin suggested, “Why not buy some insurance for them?”

“Brother, are you really unaware or just pretending? How can you buy insurance after someone’s already sick? I can’t do that. I’ve been so stressed these past two weeks, I’m close to depression!” As she spoke, tears rolled down her cheeks.

Shen Xin quickly comforted her, “It was my oversight. Why don’t you open a shop? The type is up to you.”

At his words, Shen Lan wiped away her tears, thought for a moment, and said, “I want to open a food shop, specializing in safe vegetables, fruits, and meats. As the saying goes, illness enters through the mouth; eating safely means fewer illnesses.”

“Alright, go ahead. Let me know if you need more funds.”

A little over two weeks ago, Shen Xin had transferred five hundred thousand to Shen Lan; now only two hundred thousand remained, and opening a shop would surely require more. “Brother, give me another three hundred thousand so I can round it up to five hundred thousand. This time, I promise I’ll stick with it longer.”

“No problem. If you want to sell safe produce, remember to ask some seniors from the College of Chemistry to help with testing.”

“Of course. I plan to source vegetables from local farmers, which should be safer.” Shen Lan was instantly reinvigorated.

Shen Xin smiled, “No need to look far. The College of Agriculture grows plenty of produce—clean and hygienic. They struggle to sell it, so buying from them will save you a lot. If it’s not enough, then source from neighboring farms.”

“You’re right, brother, you’re so knowledgeable.”

He chuckled and reminded her, “If anyone asks you to draw lots or follow them, don’t do it, understood?”

“Brother, you’ve said that so many times. I’ve already remembered.”

Over the next few days, Shen Lan energetically set up her food shop, focusing on ecological, healthy, and pure ingredients at affordable prices. Several students from the College of Chemistry were hired part-time, sitting at the entrance and carefully testing each type of produce. Passersby, seeing this, felt reassured. Shen Lan stood nearby, explaining to customers how to distinguish toxic foods. Any unsold vegetables were sent to the charity restaurant, so nothing went to waste.

Soon, Willow Brow arrived as promised, inviting the Crane Team to Yellow Mud Village to catch the Spirit Turtle. Shen Xin already knew the outcome, as well as the turtle’s location, but he wouldn’t betray it for a mere hundred million. Besides, the share would only be ten million per person. Still, he went.

Upon entering the village, he wandered the mountains, occasionally practicing his skills. The day passed in boredom, with only Wu Bing’s dinner providing a hint of comfort.

Early the next morning, he slipped out of the village. When he saw the group of Taoists arrive, he immediately used spatial distortion; their bodies burst apart, dying instantly. He did this to protect the Spirit Turtle from discovery, knowing that the last time the turtle left Yellow Mud Village, the river dried up and the village became abandoned.

The Spirit Turtle suddenly appeared, smiling, “Thank you, big brother. That Taoist might have actually found my true form.”

Shen Xin laughed, “It was nothing. By the way, do you have any more Earth Pulse Fruits?”

The Spirit Turtle replied with difficulty, “I don’t. You know I can’t stray far from my true body, but I do know where some Earth Pulse Fruits are.”

“Where?” Shen Xin was delighted—Earth Pulse Fruits were superb spiritual fruits, gentle enough for ordinary people to eat, able to improve constitution and strengthen the body!

Some days ago, he had obtained four Earth Pulse Fruits, eaten two himself, and given the other two to Shen Lan and Yu Yanan.

“I can take you nearby, but you’ll probably have trouble finding them. Earth Pulse Fruits grow on spiritual veins dozens or even hundreds of meters underground.”

“Ah, well, take me to see anyway.”

“Alright, big brother, try to keep up.” The Spirit Turtle moved swiftly, capable of short-range teleportation. Unfortunately, it had no offensive abilities; otherwise, it would be formidable.

The two teleported in quick succession, soon arriving at the site where the Earth Pulse Fruits grew. The Spirit Turtle pointed to a towering mountain, “Beneath that mountain are Earth Pulse Fruits, but I can’t cross over.”

Shen Xin took out his phone, opened a map, and marked his location, saving a screenshot. He couldn’t perform earth-burrowing, so digging for the fruits was a fool’s errand; with such a vast mountain, who could tell where they might be?

He asked curiously, “Could I move your true form closer to expand your range?”

The Spirit Turtle shook its head, “It’s useless. There’s a guardian spirit beast over there—the mountain god, as you call it. I can’t cross its domain, unless it’s to unclaimed land.”

“I see.” Shen Xin’s spirits lifted; since he could find the Spirit Turtle, perhaps he could locate the other spirit beast and trade for some Earth Pulse Fruits. He began to inquire.

“Spirit Turtle, do you know anything about the spirit beast on the other side? How can I find it?”

“I don’t really know; we never meet.”

Shen Xin wondered, “Then where did your previous Earth Pulse Fruits come from?”

“From the spiritual vein beneath Yellow Mud Village, of course. But it’s very small—a hundred years yields only ten or so fruits.”

“Ten or so—what about the others?”

“I ate them, of course! You think I don’t need food?”