In the evening, Qian Erniu stood at the entrance of the cafeteria, feeling completely numb.

To handle the leftover lunch dishes, dinner was left as it was, with nothing new made. The leftovers were just reheated, something that's been done before, selling each dish one or two yuan cheaper at most.

For patients and staff, the hospital prohibits outside food deliveries and doesn't allow the use of high-power appliances in the wards, so what happens if you don't eat at the cafeteria?

But as time passed, Qian Erniu's confidence slowly dwindled, until by 9 PM, he had only made 390 yuan in total.

"The inpatient department is full, but no one comes to the cafeteria to eat. Does that make sense? Have all the patients suddenly developed anorexia?"

Qian Erniu's wife, Wang Cuilan, was munching on sunflower seeds, "Call your brother and ask him what's going on."

"Brother, brother, always telling me to call my brother! What can my brother do if the patients don't come to the cafeteria to eat?"

Such matters are not something Qian Erniu likes to discuss with his older brother, "Alright, close up and go to sleep first; I'm going out for a walk. Oh, don't forget to freeze those dishes; we can still eat them for tomorrow's lunch."

Wang Cuilan acknowledged, got up to tidy the dish basins, seeing so much made at noon with so much left, she was infuriated.

"Ugh! Making food for you and you don't come to eat, treating the hospital like their own home, serves them right if they starve!"

Spit flew in all directions, intentionally or unintentionally, most landed in the dish basins.

Qian Erniu shook his head, too lazy to argue with his wife, walked out of the cafeteria slowly with his hands behind his back, taking a deep breath of fresh air.

"Why does it smell like meat?"

Qian Erniu turned to see if the cafeteria's exhaust fan was broken, but then remembered that the kitchen only reheated food tonight and didn't cook. Besides, the aroma was definitely not from his kitchen.

There's no way my cafeteria could make such delicious-smelling food!

Following the scent, Qian Erniu wandered around the hospital, walking and walking.

"How did I end up here?"

Looking up at the massive inpatient department, Qian Erniu took a deep breath. Since he was here, he might as well go in and see what's up with these patients today.

Unbelievable. How could anyone stay in the hospital all day without eating a bite?

Could it be that the duty doctors have been slack on checking appliances and someone's been cooking in secret? If that's the case, Qian Erniu felt he could mention it to his brother.

Wandering into the inpatient department.

As usual, Qian Erniu first looked around the first floor; everything seemed normal enough, but something still felt off.

These patients didn't look ill at all, with their faces glowing red—not characteristic of sick people at all. They were either on their phones or chatting away.

The other three floors were roughly the same, especially the fourth floor, which had a room with three people in it! It was outrageous, like they were playing chess!

"Nurse Zhang, didn't find anyone using high-power appliances to cook today, did you?"

Day-shift nurse Zhang Qing saw it was Qian Erniu and replied coolly, "No, doctors checked during the day, and I just checked too, no one used any."

Qian Erniu asked again, "No food deliveries got in today, right?"

Even though Zhang Qing was a bit impatient, considering Qian Erniu's position, she explained patiently, "Absolutely not. Deliveries can't even get past our hospital gates; you know that."

That's true.

Delivery people can't even get past security guards.

"Then why haven't I seen any inpatients heading to eat today?"

Zhang Qing could no longer hold back, thinking he should know why the patients aren't eating, wasn't it obvious?

"Master Qian, I really don't know! I'm busy all day changing bandages, giving injections, and pulling tubes for patients. I don't have time to worry about that."

Qian Erniu became even more puzzled.

He nodded and left the nurses' station, wandering over to the back door.

Hey? The aroma of meat was even stronger!

"Could it be?" The moment Qian Erniu pushed open the door, he saw the yellow catering van, it really was him!

"Ha, Mr. Chen, you're really conducting inspections here?"

Chen Mo lifted his eyelids and glanced, "Work, what can you do?"

"How's business, not bad, right?"

Chen Mo nodded, then shook his head, leaving Qian Erniu utterly confused.

"I set up a stall here; what business could I have, Boss Qian? Aren't you just asking the obvious?"

Qian Erniu awkwardly laughed twice and said nothing, instead sitting on the small yellow stool in front of the food van.

"Buns, noodles, Mapo tofu, braised chicken. You have quite a variety of offerings."

But once Qian Erniu saw the prices on the menu, he stood back up. Originally, he wanted to support the business, to be honest, just wanted to test it out.

But...

Mapo tofu for 58 yuan? Braised chicken for 58 yuan? A bowl of clear soup noodles for 12 yuan? A meat bun for 5 yuan?

"What the hell, this guy's even more ruthless than me!"

"Business at these prices, go figure!"

Qian Erniu immediately got up and left the back courtyard passageway, thinking he initially thought the head office sent someone over to mess with him, but it turns out the person sent is trying to take advantage of this opportunity to make a killing?

Simply ridiculous.

Over these few days in the hospital, Qian Erniu had long realized one thing, to have a good business these days, taste is not as crucial—what matters is being cheap, then business won't be bad. He runs a niche business, and even if it's priced a bit higher, there'll still be customers.

This guy though, selling a plate of tofu for 58 yuan—forget it, forget it, there must be another reason why the patients aren't eating. Qian Erniu couldn't be bothered to head back to the cafeteria, so he just sat in the lobby of the first floor of the inpatient department.

"I want to see if you all really can go a day without eating and skip dinner too?"

Time slowly passed.

By 11 PM, Qian Erniu wandered around and found most patients asleep.

Hold on a bit longer!

By midnight, Qian Erniu finally realized something was off!

The patients who were asleep were now all awake. The wards were dark, but each bedside was lit, and from time to time, there was the sound of geese-like laughter, it's just bizarre!

Close to 1 AM, Qian Erniu couldn't endure any longer. It was so late there was probably nothing worth waiting for, so he stood up, stretched a bit, and was about to leave the inpatient department.

However, just as Erniu stepped out of the inpatient department, he had a shock!

The previously pitch-dark inpatient building, suddenly!

Lit up brightly!

"Hmm?" Erniu turned around to see that almost all the lights in the building were switched on at the same time.

What on earth happened!

Quickly returning to the inpatient department, the scene before him left him utterly bewildered.

Just then, two patients wearing hospital gowns, one supporting the other, and the supported one was clutching their butt, staggering towards the back door.

"Damn it, those bastards lack morals, sending gifts to streamers to bring meals, Ming, let's be self-reliant!"

Liu Chengming supported Du Qiming, "Xiao Du, you're right. The early bird does catch the worm, let them wait in the ward while we get a head start!"

The two of them reached the back door, and there came another person in hospital attire strolling over.

Unlike Du Qiming, who was clutching his butt.

This guy was clutching his crotch!

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