I Am Your Natural Enemy

Wen Yan gave Sparrow Cat a sidelong glance, his face full of astonishment.

”But I’m a properly employed person, and you’re asking me to take over a fried chicken shop? Fry chicken for you every day?”

”I meant you could buy it and become the boss!” Sparrow Cat’s eyes widened with anticipation.

Just like some people who used to read books in rental stores as kids, thinking it would be great to open a bookstore in the future.

Some people, after growing up, consider opening a coffee shop, making some freshly ground coffee, listening to customers’ stories, pricing not too cheap, just for leisure.

They’ve thought of many wonderful and comforting ideas but never considered how to cover rent, utilities, and still make a profit.

Sparrow Cat heard about this, and the first reaction was to take over the shop.

After all, they’d have all the fried chicken they want, checking the taste daily shouldn’t be a problem, right?

They also never considered how not to lose money.

”Then hire someone to do it? If it’s not done well, wouldn’t it ruin the reputation?

If the taste isn’t as good as before, and even you don’t want to eat it, why take over?

Don’t tell me you don’t know, the same recipe, the same method.

But different people make it, and the taste can vary.”

Sparrow Cat chewed on the air, pondering Wen Yan’s words, and thought he was right.

It was puzzling why such a simple thing as fried food could taste delicious even when delivered from some stores, while others, freshly fried, were still horribly unpalatable.

Even those chain stores with very stable quality control, had significant fluctuations in their standards.

Sparrow Cat thought for a moment and motioned to the side.

”That fat fox next door, who has nothing to do all day but come over for free meals, isn’t she just idle? After taking over the shop, let her run it, and Shishi also said that being idle at home and eating felt bad, so the two of them opening a shop, there shouldn’t be an issue, right?”

Wen Yan thought about it, too. Making money was secondary; the important thing was to give people something to do.

He wasn’t sure if he liked Shishi, but Bai Jiahui definitely did.

This guy justifies coming over to help with spiritual practice and becomes increasingly brazen about getting free meals, especially with their eating habits, even when restrained, it still wasn’t as graceful as Sparrow Cat.

Sparrow Cat, at least would spit out the bones when eating chicken...

After contemplating, Wen Yan scrolled through his contacts and found Misha’s number. Such a simple task didn’t require bothering Zhuge Wanjun unnecessarily; Misha the assistant could handle it instead.

The shop owner didn’t know that Sparrow Cat was indeed a sparrow cat, only assuming it was an adult customer who loved their fried chicken.

After all, no matter how much parents spoil their kids, it’s impossible to let them eat fried chicken every day.

He instructed Misha about it, considering it a solo project for her with a labor fee.

After confirming, Wen Yan reminded Sparrow Cat to call the shop owner, expressing thanks even if they couldn’t do it in person.

If it was just one meal delivery, it would be fine, but they mentioned gifting all the shop equipment, chairs, tables, and even renovating, which wasn’t cheap — that clearly showed sentimental value.

Wen Yan knew this shop as well; business was good. If Sparrow Cat, who was this picky, loved eating there, the taste must be fine and consistent — if they wanted to transfer it, it should be quite easy.

After reminding twice, Sparrow Cat hurriedly dialed back, thanking them first, and then said they didn’t want to stop eating there in the future, so they were indeed interested in taking over. However, they weren’t convenient to go there in person, asking someone else to help instead.

Of course, paying what’s due wouldn’t let people suffer a loss.

Even while on the call, Sparrow Cat couldn’t help but smack its lips, making the shop owner on the other end laugh.

In the northern part of Virtue City, just over two kilometers from the entrance to Wen Yan’s neighborhood, inside a fried food shop, a middle-aged man with a few strands of gray in his hair, a tired face showing a hint of a smile, hung up the phone.

Not far away, a middle-aged woman packing things up raised her head and asked.

”Who were you on the phone with just now, smiling so happily?”

”The top customer of our shop, they said they’re willing to take over the shop. They genuinely love eating here, couldn’t help but smack their lips over the phone.”

”If it’s them, that’s perfect. If it was entirely handed over to others, I wouldn’t be really willing.”

The man chuckled. If not for that unbearable picky eater, who criticizes their other dishes while ordering their fried chicken daily, truly being too fitting, he originally had planned just to close the shop.

The inquiry was made casually, without expectation, who would have thought that customer would respond so quickly?

Thinking about it now, it’s good that something they’re proud of can be inherited by those who appreciate it.

The man tidied up the shop and retrieved the temporary sign from outside.

He looked up, rubbing his eyes, and glanced at the eerie Evil Ghosts hanging from the streetlights.

When he first noticed them a few days ago, it was quite unsettling, giving him a fright, but later he realized that others couldn’t see them, those terrifying things hung on the streetlights seemed nonexistent like decorations, having no effect.

Gradually, he got used to it, and many stories and things he’d heard from his grandfather during childhood surfaced, like wood slowly rising from deep dark water, clearly emerging in his mind.