239: "Achuan, I'm hungry!"

Lu Chuan's shoulder sank from the pat, but his heart lightened. A happy smile on his face, he was about to say something like 'welcome back' when He Jingrui scratched his head and whispered, "A Chuan, is there anything to eat? I'm hungry!"

"Wait."

Lu Chuan shook his head with a helpless smile, then turned and went back to the kitchen.

"Time to try out the new ingredients."

He took out the rare ingredients the military had sent: a golden poultry breast with a moist, glistening surface, a translucent vegetable like an ice sculpture, and a few deep purple berries with a strange fruit aroma.

He Jingrui followed him, watching eagerly, his Adam's apple bobbing, muttering continuously.

"More meat, the kind that fills you up! That dream last time... uh, anyway, I didn't get enough to eat!"

Lu Chuan's hands moved without pause, his actions in preparing the ingredients flowing like water, possessing a unique beauty.

The golden poultry meat was sliced into even thin pieces with precise knife work, the ice-jade-like vegetable emitted a cool aura, and the purple berries were squeezed to release a thick juice, which, mixed with several special sauces, gave off a complex and enticing aroma of fruit and richness.

Hot wok, cold oil. The moment the ingredients hit the pan, a sizzling sound accompanied by an indescribably exotic aroma instantly erupted, filling the entire kitchen.

Smelling this scent, He Jingrui's eyes instantly widened, and his stomach began to rumble uncontrollably.

The aroma seemed to have a magical power, directly stirring the desire of every Gourmet Cells in his body, making him wish he could eat it right then.

Ding Xinyang also couldn't help but lean into the kitchen, sniffing non-stop.

Soon, a plate of "Golden Jade Full House Stew," golden in color and fragrant, was brought to the table.

He Jingrui skillfully set out the bowls and chopsticks, then looked at Lu Chuan with eager eyes.

Only when Lu Chuan also sat down and said, "Eat," did he suddenly pick up his chopsticks and start shoveling the fragrant, soft rice into his mouth.

The moment the food entered his mouth, he suddenly froze, his eyes wide.

The extreme deliciousness impacting his taste buds was inevitable, but more importantly, he could clearly feel an indescribable, gentle "airflow" emanating from the food in his stomach, quickly surging into his limbs and bones, creating an astonishing resonance with the ubiquitous Gourmet Cellss in his body.

The Gourmet Cellss were cheering and leaping, greedily absorbing this "airflow" and transforming it into purer power, feeding back into his body.

Although his injuries had recovered and his strength had greatly increased in recent days, he always felt a certain "fickle" power. Now, it solidified, and even slowly grew!

That sense of fullness and satisfaction far surpassed any previous eating experience.

"Mmm... delicious! So delicious!"

He Jingrui praised indistinctly, his chopsticks flying, devouring the delicacies on the plate like a whirlwind, even a faint heat beginning to emanate from his body.

Lu Chuan watched him eat, the corners of his mouth curving slightly. He also took a bite, savoring it carefully.

The effect was indeed much stronger than ordinary ingredients. It truly lived up to the official description of "rare ingredients."

Just as He Jingrui was about to lick the plate clean, the door was knocked on again.

Ding Xinyang reluctantly put down his chopsticks and went to open the door again, only to see a cool-tempered female officer in a capable combat uniform standing at the entrance.

"Is Mr. Lu Chuan here?"

The female officer's voice was clear and cold. Her gaze swept across the room, lingering for a moment on the ravenously eating He Jingrui, a flicker of imperceptible surprise in her eyes, but she quickly regained her composure.

"I am Lin Wei, the liaison for Dean Ye Chen's project team. I have been ordered to meet with you to discuss the specific details of our future cooperation."

Lu Chuan wiped his hands and walked to the door, motioning for her to come in and sit.

He Jingrui heard the name "Ye Chen," remembered Old Dean's instructions, and finally looked up from his rice bowl.

He glanced at the female officer, a hint of wariness in his eyes, but his mouth was still chewing non-stop.

Lin Wei entered the house, her gaze quickly sweeping over the slightly messy dining table and He Jingrui's almost brutal eating style, then she smiled at Lu Chuan.

With that smile, her originally stern face gained a touch of approachability.

"Please sit."

Lu Chuan pointed to the sofa in the living room.

Lin Wei took out a document from her briefcase and said, "Mr. Lu, according to Dean Ye Chen's instructions, I will serve as your exclusive liaison for the project team. You can understand it as me being the bridge between you and the project team, and also your direct contact person for future tasks."

Lu Chuan nodded, signaling her to continue.

"Regarding your cooperation model, Dean Ye Chen has already given his approval. In principle, we respect your wish to operate your stall freely five days a week."

Lin Wei's speech was steady.

"However, during these five days, you will still need to prepare corresponding nutritious meals. We will provide the ingredients, venue, and equipment; you only need to be responsible for the cooking. In return, you will receive generous compensation. Specific amounts and payment methods are detailed in the document."

Lu Chuan took the document but didn't immediately flip through it. Instead, he asked, "Corresponding? Does that mean whatever I sell at my stall, they will eat?"

"In principle, yes."

Lin Wei nodded.

"Dean Ye Chen believes that the food you prepare at your stall is quite ingenious, exquisitely delicious, and widely praised by diners. Perhaps it is closer to a certain 'human touch' or 'randomness' required by the Gourmet Cellss, which may have unexpected benefits for activating and stabilizing cell activity. Of course, we will conduct safety inspections and energy assessments."

This was unexpected for Lu Chuan. Ye Chen had even considered this?

"What if I just make a simple egg fried rice?"

Lu Chuan probed.

"Then you will provide egg fried rice."

Lin Wei's expression didn't change.

"But we will adjust the allocation based on the energy consumption of the team members, which might require you to make... extra-large portions."

Imagining the scene of special forces members lining up for egg fried rice, Lu Chuan's mouth twitched slightly.

He Jingrui, who was eavesdropping from the dining table, almost choked upon hearing this and quickly shoveled a large mouthful of rice to calm himself down.

"Regarding the issue of random stall locations," Lin Wei continued, "for safety and management considerations, we hope you can inform us of the approximate area in advance so we can make corresponding arrangements to ensure smooth ingredient delivery and meal collection. We promise not to interfere with your specific stall choice, nor will we pry into your cooking secrets."

Lu Chuan could accept this point. Informing the area in advance was better than being constantly monitored.

"In terms of compensation, in addition to your basic salary, you will receive an additional performance bonus for each special meal you provide. At the same time, you will have access to P4 level rare ingredients. The specific catalog is detailed in Appendix Two. Furthermore, you will receive a special ID that grants you a certain degree of passage and convenience in specific situations." Lin Wei paused, then added, "This is to provide you with 'unofficial personnel' status protection, considering your special circumstances."

The conditions were indeed generous enough to be hard to refuse.

Lu Chuan carefully read the clauses in the document, word by word, confirming there were no hidden traps.

"What if I have something urgent and can't provide meals?"

Lu Chuan asked cautiously.

"You need to report to me 24 hours in advance, but not more than twice a month."

Lin Wei's answer was watertight.

Why did it feel like working a job?

Lu Chuan kept complaining silently.

After a detailed Q&A, Lu Chuan finally signed his name on the document.