AGN -Chapter 116 Acting Skills

“So, what should I do now?” Qin Huai asked the two creatures for help.

One was a plant-type spirit who had woken up in a confused state, and the other was a Bifang who knew everything but firmly refused to wake up.

These two didn’t seem very reliable either.

“Just do your best to complete it,” Chen Huihong said. “We can only help Little Qu awaken to the best of our ability. But judging from her current condition… it’s very difficult for her to wake up.”

“What do you mean?” Qin Huai felt that Chen Huihong was still hiding something from him.

“Didn’t I already say? A spirit’s tribulation is mainly something they must overcome themselves. Xiao Qin, your situation is a very rare exception where outside help is possible—but even that help has limits.”

“For example, my tasks are relatively easier to complete. Luo Jun’s first task is easy, but his second one is currently stuck. As for Qu Jing, her first task is unrelated to herself, yet even tasks related to herself are this difficult. That shows her chances of successfully overcoming her tribulation were already very low to begin with.”

“If my probability of awakening is 1%, then Qu Jing’s might be one in ten thousand, or even one in a hundred thousand. My obsession is Huiniang—I met Huihui because fate allowed it. But based on what we know about Little Qu now, you can’t even tell what her obsession is.”

“She has no one she cares about, nothing she particularly values. She appears detached from desires. For a spirit in its final lifetime, that is the most unsolvable situation.”

“I think Qu Jing cares about her job quite a bit,” Qin Huai muttered.

“That’s exactly why I told you earlier—even if Little Qu fails her tribulation, you shouldn’t feel any psychological burden. Tribulation is our own affair. The inner obstacles must be overcome by ourselves. You’ve already helped a lot. If the final outcome isn’t ideal, it’s not your fault.”

Luo Jun clicked his tongue. “What nonsense are you talking about? I already said it—your plant spirits are muddled-headed. Qu Jing’s obsession has already been hinted at by your system. Haven’t you two noticed at all?”

Qin Huai & Chen Huihong: ?

Both of them turned to look at Luo Jun.

“Her ‘acknowledgment,’ of course,” Luo Jun said, looking at them with an expression that seemed to say seriously? Who’s the system owner here? Why are you two more clueless than me? “Read it again.”

Qin Huai scrolled back and read [Qu Jing’s Acknowledgment] again:

“The acknowledgment of diligent doctor Ms. Qu. Obtaining this title means you have gained Qu Jing’s recognition and become one of her few friends. There is a very small chance she may open her heart to you and reveal secrets she has hidden for years.”

“Doesn’t the system already tell you exactly how to complete the task?” Luo Jun took another bite of a flower bun. “Be her friend. Let her open up to you. Then uncover the secret she has hidden for years.”

“How could someone who hasn’t awakened in their final lifetime have no obsession at all? The fact that you can’t see it only means it’s deeply hidden. She either doesn’t dare tell anyone, or you simply haven’t reached that level of closeness yet.”

“I already told you to talk to her more, share snacks, build rapport—yet you’re as stingy as Chen Huihong, insisting she must come to the shop and buy things.”

Qin Huai: “……”

Unjust accusation. He had even given Qu Jing a dough snack that morning—though it was Qin Luo who had given it.

And making Qu Jing come to the cafeteria every day was meant to help her build a habit, wasn’t it? Look at how well it was working—she had already blended in with the regular elderly patrons.

At this rate, it looked like Qu Jing had a part-time job at the cafeteria, checking in every day.

“So… you actually already figured out that the key to helping Qu Jing awaken is finding her secret?” Qin Huai’s gaze toward Luo Jun became much more respectful.

Although Luo Jun had a bad temper, liked causing trouble in hospitals, and enjoyed sarcasm, his mind was sharp—he always got straight to the point.

“Do you even need to think about that? It’s common sense,” Luo Jun said, rolling his eyes at Chen Huihong. “Do you think all spirits are as muddled as plant spirits?”

Qin Huai continued looking at Luo Jun. “So you actually know your own obsession… or inner demon. Could you elaborate?”

Luo Jun: “……”

Luo Jun glared at Qin Huai, thinking: weren’t we talking about Qu Jing? Why are we back to me again?

“Not urgent. This is only my first lifetime. If I die and reincarnate, I’ll still retain my memories. When I’m reborn and able to go out, I’ll come find you, and you can repay me then.”

“Qu Jing is in her final lifetime. She’s more urgent—deal with her first.”

“Then are you still going to eat the dough snacks?”

“I will! But can you make something else? I’m getting tired of apple dough snacks every day. It’s not like I particularly like apples.”

Faced with the true “big customer’s” request, Qin Huai immediately responded:

“I’ll make them! No problem! Look, I’ve already started learning fish-shaped buns. Doesn’t that mean I’m not far from making other types of dough figurines?”

Luo Jun looked at the half-eaten bun in his hand—a fish that probably resembled something a child like Chen Huihui would draw with crayons two or three years ago—and slowly raised a question mark in his mind.

After Chen Huihong finished her fruit platter, snacked on some sunflower seeds, and casually took away the remaining sesame candies, pine nut red date cakes, and eight-treasure cakes, Luo Jun finally kicked them both out, telling Qin Huai that he would go to the hospital for physical therapy the next afternoon.

The next day, Qu Jing would be working the day shift.

As Chen Huihong walked into the elevator while eating sesame candy, she handed the bag to Qin Huai and asked if he wanted some. “Free, and very tasty.”

Qin Huai declined. It was the same items sold at their cafeteria—already free to begin with.

“Sister Hong, who do you think is harder to awaken—Qu Jing or Luo Jun?” Qin Huai asked.

Chen Huihong thought for a moment. “Luo Jun.”

Seeing Qin Huai’s puzzled expression, she explained:

“Qu Jing is already in her final lifetime. She doesn’t need to completely eliminate her obsession—if she can recall past memories through certain triggers, that counts as successful awakening. In this matter, Xiao Qin, you can still play a big role.”

“But Luo Jun is different. He knows everything, understands everything—yet simply refuses. He might awaken in a second or third lifetime, but the probability in this lifetime is very low.”

“That’s why many spirits, upon realizing they’ve failed their tribulation, quickly end their lives and begin a new reincarnation cycle. Spirits like Luo Jun, who knowingly fail yet stubbornly continue living for so long, are very rare.”

Chen Huihong thought for a moment. “Maybe it’s because the times are better now. TV dramas are quite good.”

Qin Huai: “……”

Is that really the point?

For a moment, Qin Huai even found himself empathizing with Luo Jun.

I really can’t deal with you plant spirits.

You all become way too unrestrained in front of people you’re familiar with.

When Qin Huai returned to the cafeteria, Chen An had already left after finishing his meal. The dining hall was still full, with two wok chefs continuously stir-frying dishes, and Zheng Siyuan kneading dough in the kitchen.

Seeing Zheng Siyuan already working overtime, Qin Huai quickly changed clothes and went in to join him.

“Qin Huai,” Zheng Siyuan called him seriously. His expression was so stern that Qin Huai instinctively stood straight, as if facing a school principal’s lecture.

“Have you really not considered hiring a few more pastry chefs?” Zheng Siyuan asked. “Even though this is a cafeteria and not a restaurant or a dedicated pastry shop, your customer flow is no less than that of a specialty shop.”

“I have,” Qin Huai replied. “It’s precisely because it’s a cafeteria that it’s very hard to hire professional pastry chefs. Chen An is already the best I could find.”

To reassure Zheng Siyuan, Qin Huai added, “Before I met you and Zheng, I had already been recruiting. But after you two arrived, Sister Hong—who was helping with hiring—mistakenly used you as the benchmark. As a result, we couldn’t find suitable candidates. After lowering the standards, we finally hired Chen An.”

“Even now, using Chen An’s standard, we still can’t find suitable people—not even apprentices.”

“Sometimes I really wonder—why is it so hard to hire a pastry chef? Wok chefs are much easier to find.”

Zheng Siyuan thought for a moment. “Sister Hong helped you recruit?”

“Yes,” Qin Huai nodded. “To be precise, it was Manager Chen. He has a property management company with a dedicated HR department.”

Zheng Siyuan: “……”

“With the way you’re doing things, how could you possibly find professional pastry chefs? The truly skilled ones are already circulating among major restaurants.”

“Do you not know any? …Forget it, you probably don’t. I don’t either.”

“I’ll ask my father if he knows anyone looking to switch jobs. As for apprentices, you can lower your requirements. With your skill level, if you’re willing to take on and train good apprentices, I believe there will be people willing.”

“Thanks,” Qin Huai said gratefully, then asked curiously, “But why are you suddenly concerned about this?”

Zheng Siyuan’s face was expressionless. “Your cafeteria is too busy.”

“I feel like I’m doing three times the amount of work every day.”

Qin Huai: (:з」∠)

To be honest, the high business volume was mostly because of you.

Everyone was afraid you might randomly leave after a period of time, so they were buying in a frenzy—effectively tripling the demand.

And Zheng Siyuan was the type who couldn’t bear to see pastries sell out early while customers looked disappointed, so he kept pushing himself to make more. In doing so, he unknowingly fell into the customers’ “trap.”

Working overtime every day to the point of questioning life.

Lately, Qin Huai had even started to suspect that the elderly patrons in the neighborhood had realized this tactic worked and were deliberately putting on disappointed expressions in front of Zheng Siyuan.

After all, those wealthy, idle elders had acting skills that were truly top-tier.