Chapter 85

Chapter 85: Two Hundred Jin of Cabbage Just Got Eaten Like That...

“Xiao Mi? Xiao Mi?”

Fang Zhe still hadn’t gotten around to eating!

This recalling hardship and tasting sweetness session was a critical part of the whole pyramid scheme curriculum!

Many people see scam cases involving pyramid schemes and think they’re ridiculous. The products or services used in these scams usually can't withstand scrutiny—a person with normal thinking can easily spot the problems.

So why do so many still fall for it?

Because in that environment, under extreme emotional manipulation, people become brainwashed, stirred up, and fall into a completely irrational frenzy.

And this recalling hardship and tasting sweetness session was precisely designed to push people into that state quickly.

Everyone shares their own suffering, encourages one another, even weeps together—and then develops a sense of belonging to the organization. After that, it's much harder for them to spot the flaws.

That’s why the emotional continuity of this session was so important. It was also why Liu Chenyang and Fang Zhe insisted everyone hold their meal trays and keep sitting while eating.

Getting into this state was hard—but snapping out of it was all too easy! Even during meals, things shouldn’t pause. The atmosphere they’d painstakingly built up had to continue, for the brainwashing to fully take root.

Now it was Mi Chengzhi’s turn to speak, and yet what was he doing? Holding his rice bowl and just endlessly eating?

Fang Zhe hadn’t eaten yet either!

He reached out, forcing a warm, gentle smile onto his face, and patted Mi Chengzhi softly.

“Xiao Mi, how about you talk first? Look, everyone’s waiting to hear your story!”

Fang Zhe patted Mi Chengzhi’s shoulder twice, watching as the other person continued to eat his stuffed eggplant with a look of infatuation, showing no reaction at all.

He started to lose control of his emotions.

Fang Zhe had previously attended Boss Lou’s pyramid scheme training camp. He’d even scammed his own parents out of everything before earning Boss Lou’s appreciation.

After successfully scamming six people, he became a team leader and followed Manager Liu Chenyang to start building his own team.

So, this was Fang Zhe’s first time running an event like this.

Seeing Mi Chengzhi completely ignoring him, Fang Zhe reflexively tugged at the hand holding the meal tray: “Stop eating!”

But unexpectedly, just that one tug prompted a reaction far bigger than he’d imagined.

Mi Chengzhi suddenly stood up!

Not only that—he even raised his tray high with one hand, holding it at a height Fang Zhe could never reach.

Watching Mi Chengzhi still manage to shove the entire stuffed eggplant into his mouth in the middle of all this, Fang Zhe’s nerves were on the brink of collapse.

All he did was pat him—was this guy acting like he was trying to steal his food?

It’s just some cabbage and potatoes—what’s so great about it?

The trainees were under restricted movement, but the organizers like him weren’t. Once the class ended, he’d be out feasting on chicken, duck, and fish! Sitting here with this plate of potatoes and cabbage was just for the sake of showing approachability!

Did they really think he liked this stuff?

“Aren’t we all family? Why are you trying to steal my food?”This was the best meal Mi Chengzhi had eaten in days!

At first, the meals at the pyramid scheme site were cooked by the trainees themselves. But Liu Chenyang and Fang Zhe hadn’t expected that even something as simple as cooking rice and dishes would result in everyone vomiting and having diarrhea.

Getting an upset stomach was minor—but what if someone had to go to the hospital and the pyramid scheme base got exposed?

So, under the circumstances, Liu Chenyang had no choice but to go out and find Chen Ran, asking her to come be the cook.

And finally, the trainees were able to eat something other than just boiled instant noodles.

“I’m not trying to steal! Why would I steal your food!”

Fang Zhe wanted nothing more than to slap this college student, but considering his base hadn’t recruited anyone yet and they were at a critical stage of the brainwashing process, he had to try patiently coaxing him.

“Okay, okay, I won’t disturb your meal. Let’s sit down and talk—finish that plate, and then tell your story, how about that?”

Mi Chengzhi was a bit stubborn by nature. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have ended up being lured into a pyramid scheme base.

He had wanted to sit down, but when he saw the stuffed eggplant on Fang Zhe’s plate, he got tempted again.

—He’d already eaten all three of his own stuffed eggplants!

“Then give me one of your eggplants!”

Fang Zhe broke down.

He was supposed to be running a pyramid scheme!

Why did he end up acting like a daycare worker?

“Fine, fine! I’ll give you two! Just sit down already!”

Mi Chengzhi was very satisfied—but still didn’t sit down.

—He didn’t even set his own tray down, as if afraid Fang Zhe would take the chance to steal food off his plate. His eyes stayed glued to Fang Zhe’s tray the whole time.

Fang Zhe completely broke down. With a resigned sigh, he lifted his tray high in the air, watching as Mi Chengzhi picked off two eggplants, and even took a scoop of mock crab dish while he was at it, before finally sitting back down.

“Alright, alright—let’s eat first. After the meal, we’ll get back to the stories, okay? We’ve all gathered here because of life’s unfairness...”

Fang Zhe tried hard to steer the group back on track, but the whole room stayed silent—no applause, no agreement.

But calling it “silent” wasn’t quite right...

After all, the mock crab dish was a soup-based item, and it wasn’t easy to eat with chopsticks. Some people even picked up their plates to drink the soup, making loud slurping sounds.

Fang Zhe glanced at the planted agent he’d assigned—eating even more happily than the students!

He suddenly started to doubt himself. Could the food really be that delicious?

He cautiously picked up a bit of cabbage and egg with his chopsticks and slowly placed it in his mouth.

Honestly, even though he didn’t have much money on him, Fang Zhe had never skimped on food. Outside, Liu Chenyang even had two drinks a day.

People in their line of work made money purely by scamming—it came easily and went just as fast.

Just last night, they’d all splurged on a barbecue meal, eating and drinking their fill—it cost five to six hundred.

So what’s the big deal about some cabbage and egg...Wait, what? Why is this cabbage and egg dish so delicious?

Fang Zhe usually had a heavy palate and liked everything a bit spicy. This was actually the first time recently he’d eaten something this light.

Not to mention the refreshing sweetness of the cabbage and the tenderness of the egg—what really hit him was that intense umami flavor that closely resembled crab. It jolted him fully awake.

How could it be this savory?

It was pure umami, without any fishiness. The egg, not scrambled but gently steamed with residual heat, perfectly mimicked the tenderness of crab leg meat. The sweet broth from the cabbage carried that umami all the way to the depths of his mouth.

Fang Zhe was momentarily dazed. Could there be some rare luxury ingredient in that kitchen he didn’t know about?

He scooped up another bite of rice, soaking it in the cabbage broth.

That spoonful of rice in broth—even better!

After an entire afternoon of hoarse yelling, crying, and emotionally manipulating the trainees in this room, Fang Zhe was feeling pretty hungry himself.

That sweet, savory broth sliding down with the rice stirred an unstoppable urge in him to just devour bowl after bowl.

And then there was the stuffed eggplant...

Fang Zhe picked one up and bit into it.

That crispy, fragrant texture!

For someone like him who preferred strong flavors, this stuffed eggplant suited his taste perfectly.

The eggplant was fresh, fragrant, crispy, and delicious, while the mashed potatoes inside were rich and filled with the flavor of meat.

After biting and swallowing the crunchy eggplant shell, the mashed potato lingered in his mouth, releasing that enticing meaty aroma.

And then taking a bite of rice and swallowing it all together...

Just as Fang Zhe was about to eat his second one, he suddenly remembered—he’d given two of his three eggplants to Mi Chengzhi!

He turned his head to look.

Mi Chengzhi, still on guard, instantly slid a full meter away, eyes blazing.

“What? You gave them and now you want to take them back?”

Fang Zhe let out a heavy sigh and slapped his forehead hard.

Why was he arguing with this kid? There was more in the kitchen—he could just go get two more!

But just as he stood up, his pants were grabbed—by none other than the previously cautious Mi Chengzhi.

And another trainee on the side reached out too.

“Finish what’s on your plate first!”

“Yeah, even you, Instructor, can’t just cut the line!”

“Didn’t you say we’re all family? How come you’re playing tricks just to get food from your own family?”

Seeing the good mood that had come from the just-finished session on “bitter memories and gratitude” start to fall apart, Fang Zhe gave up and sat back down on the floor.

Forget it. That cabbage and egg was ridiculously delicious anyway.Just as he was about to continue eating, he suddenly noticed that where the stuffed eggplant had blocked his view, someone had also taken a big piece of egg from his “crab-style” dish!

Fang Zhe glared at Mi Chengzhi, only to see him eating rice even faster!

Quickly finishing the last sip of soup, Mi Chengzhi cheered victoriously, “I’m going to get more rice!”

“I’m coming too!”

Fang Zhe glanced over and saw that right behind Mi Chengzhi was not an ordinary trainee, but one of the plants he had arranged!

Was that really necessary?

It’s just cabbage and egg!

While grumbling inwardly, Fang Zhe couldn’t help but eat even faster.

He had only gotten one stuffed eggplant just now; if he wasn’t quick enough, he wouldn’t get any more later.

The whole pyramid scheme hideout fell even quieter.

Everyone was trying hard to eat!

When they queued for food earlier, everyone had seen exactly how much food was left in the pot. If they ate too slowly and got there late, they’d miss out!

And the deliciousness of the dishes—forget about eating at home or in the cafeteria; even dining out rarely offered something this good.

Don’t be fooled by the simple potato and cabbage—when made by this young lady, the food was actually more fragrant than meat!

Soon, with everyone eating fiercely like it was a competition, the extra food that Chen Ran had specially prepared was all used up.

“There’s none left. Really none left.”

Chen Ran was secretly a little worried too. Luckily, she had eaten early today.

Because she had lost her sense of taste, she usually wasn’t very eager to eat. Most of the time, she’d finish cooking first and then eat a bit later.

But today, less than ten minutes after the food line started, all the dishes were gone!

“Really none left,” she lifted the lid to show the others. “Look, there’s nothing left in this pot either. Only some plain rice remains.”

The others craned their necks to look into the pot, clearly seeing there was still some broth left in the pot where the “crab-style” dish was made.

“Give me more rice!”

Chen Ran scooped the last bit of rice from the bottom of the pot and watched as the boy pressed the rice back into the pot, carefully soaking up the broth.

“All done! This time it’s really gone!”

Those waiting behind him protested.

“That’s too little, I’m still not full... burp.”

“You’re burping and you’re still not full? I just saw you get rice twice!”

“I also think it’s too little! Make more next time, sister!”

Chen Ran instinctively wanted to nod but then turned to look at Liu Chenyang.

Liu Chenyang was a little smug.

It was right that he hadn’t joined the group of trainees to eat just now!Not only did he eat two extra stuffed eggplants, but there was still half a plate of “crab-style” dish on his tray to savor slowly!

Anyway, it was a vegetable dish with little oil, made so deliciously that he could eat half a plate more!

But now, seeing Chen Ran looking over, and a group of trainees’ faces slowly turning toward him, he instinctively hid his tray behind his back.

Gotta say, the sight of a dozen hungry college students all turning their faces to look was a bit intimidating.

Liu Chenyang was still a little scared: “Alright, make more tomorrow, and keep making this dish, okay?”

After all, it’s just some cabbage, potatoes, and eggplant—let these people eat as much as they want! If they can’t afford other things, how can they not afford cabbage and potatoes?

Seeing Liu Chenyang nod, everyone’s mood calmed down a bit, and only then did Fang Zhe dare to speak.

“Alright, alright, let’s continue the meeting! It was Xiaomi’s turn just now, let’s continue!”

Fang Zhe exhaled deeply. Later at night, after the trainees mostly fell asleep, a few of them left one to watch the door and went out together, looking for a place to drink.

“Eat something good! I especially want to eat crab today!”

“Crab, huh...”

Fang Zhe looked at his WeChat balance, steeled himself, gritted his teeth, and led a few people to a seafood street stall.

Anyway, the pyramid scheme site here didn’t cost much money; no matter how delicious it was, it was just potatoes and cabbage.

However, after a few dishes arrived, they began to feel something was off.

“Is this place’s ingredients not fresh? How come this stir-fried crab tastes...”

Fang Zhe frowned.

Why did he feel this real crab wasn’t as fresh and lively as that cabbage and egg dish?

“Hey, young man, don’t talk nonsense! You all picked the crabs yourselves, they were still hopping around alive before going into the pot! Speak with evidence, don’t make baseless accusations!”

Fang Zhe forced a smile and then turned his face away.

They were doing pyramid schemes and didn’t dare to provoke the locals.

He lowered his voice: “How does it taste to you all?”

Zheng Er took a bite, chewed hard, even rinsed his mouth with beer and tried again.

“It feels like something’s missing... but it doesn’t seem stale. Maybe the boss just isn’t good at cooking.”

However, after several drinks, no one cared much about whether the crab was fresh.

Work hard! Trick a few more people! A bright tomorrow is just ahead!

The next day, a re-energized Fang Zhe worked even harder in his speech. Liu Chenyang even connected live to Boss Lou on the spot and sent greetings to everyone.

Boss Lou knew how to set the mood, showing off photos with various celebrities, his expensive watches, and luxury cars in his garage.

Fang Zhe tried hard to encourage everyone to applaud, but unfortunately, no one was very enthusiastic today.

He frowned and suddenly smelled a fresh aroma...

Chen Ran was cooking again!The dishes were still the same, with those limited ingredients—it was hard for her to imagine any new recipes.

But even without new recipes, it was enough to surprise these trainees.

The familiar fresh aroma squeezed in through the door crack, instantly capturing everyone’s attention. Even the sparkling big diamond watch on Boss Lou’s screen couldn’t compare to this fresh scent at the moment.

“The crab-style dish must be ready…”

“Should be done! This smell is really fresh!”

“Eggplant boxes are being made! Do you smell that? That’s the scent of the potato filling!”

Everyone’s attention was drawn by the ever-changing smells outside the door.

“The eggplant boxes are in the oil!”

“That oily fragrance…”

“Almost done! The eggplant aroma is coming out!”

“Can’t take it, my stomach’s growling!”

Seeing Boss Lou frowning across the room, Liu Chenyang quickly ended the call, gave Fang Zhe a look, and went out to talk to Boss Lou alone.

“Yes, yes, these trainees are a bit distracted. Mainly because it’s mealtime and they’re still hungry.”

“Don’t worry! We didn’t give them anything good to eat, how could we spend that money? It’s just cabbage and potatoes…”

“Yes, yes, they have to be full, otherwise the room is too cold. If something happens and they get sent to the hospital or attract the cops, it would be over.”

Liu Chenyang sighed heavily and went back.

Fearing the trainees might hear, he specifically stepped outside to make the call. The call lasted nearly twenty minutes, and Boss Lou gave him a scolding.

He sighed again, opened the door to go back, and immediately saw a large crowd gathered again at the kitchen door.

“What’s going on here?”

“Not full yet! Want more food!”

Among the crowd, Chen Ran stuck her head out a little innocently: “There’s no choice, today we cooked all the leftover dishes from yesterday. Not a single cabbage left, no potatoes either, only two eggplants remain…”

“What?!”

Liu Chenyang was shocked—it was two hundred jin of cabbage, wasn’t it?

Before choosing this place, they had specially gone to the local vegetable market and stocked up one hundred jin of potatoes, two hundred jin of cabbage, even a bag of eggplants.

And it’s all gone already?

“No eggs left either.”

With Chen Ran’s addition and looking at the group of eyes shining a bit green, Liu Chenyang couldn’t help but feel a little scared.

Like a pack of hungry wolves!

“Tonight! We’ll make more tonight! I’ll go buy vegetables with Xiao Fang later!”

After finally coaxing the trainees back to the room, Liu Chenyang felt a mix of pain and a bit of relief.Fortunately, before Liu Chenyang called Boss Lou, he had already served himself a plate of food.

He had taken six eggplant boxes!

Seeing Fang Zhe walk over to say something, Liu Chenyang impatiently waved his hand.

“Forget it, we’ll talk later. I’ll eat first. Buying vegetables won’t cost much, and we haven’t started charging yet. We can’t starve these college students into rebellion.”

“No, I’m not saying—”

“Later!”

Liu Chenyang loudly interrupted Fang Zhe, pushed open the door to the next room, ready to enjoy his meal.

But in front of him was an empty plate!

Fang Zhe swallowed and said, “I was just about to remind you… after they finished eating, someone smelled your plate and divided it all.”

Liu Chenyang was furious beyond words!

They even divided it by smelling it? How do these college students know how to eat like that!

They’re already in a pyramid scheme den; can’t they have any ambition?

He picked up the plate and felt that not only was the food taken, maybe even the plate had been licked clean.

Why was it so shiny?

“So… shall we go buy vegetables?”

Fang Zhe asked cautiously.

“Of course! What else can we do?”

Liu Chenyang frowned, “This cook is too tricky. Should we get rid of her? We’ll cook the leftovers ourselves?”

Fang Zhe moved his lips and couldn’t help but lick them.

On his lips lingered the exquisite fresh taste of the crab-style dish.

Only after coming back today did he realize—yesterday it wasn’t that the crab was not fresh, but that the cook’s crab-style dish was just too delicious!

“No way, if we send the cook away now, won’t she just go to the police station to report us?”

Liu Chenyang thought about it and agreed. Honestly, he was still bitter about missing those few eggplant boxes!

“Forget it, it’s just potatoes and cabbage anyway. Let’s go, this time we’ll buy a whole cart!”

Fang Zhe sighed and followed out with a heavy heart.

This pyramid scheme spot was built by Fang Zhe; he was responsible. Liu Chenyang was the “teacher” sent by the organization.

In other words, Fang Zhe was the one paying the money.

Being the small boss seemed glamorous, but before the sales started, Fang Zhe didn’t have much money in his pocket.

Soon, on the way back with a cart full of potatoes, cabbage, and eggplants, Fang Zhe was calculating.

It was truly heartbreaking for anyone who heard it—his WeChat balance was already half gone!“It’s nothing, don’t worry. Let’s work hard these days and get the sales going quickly! Don’t underestimate these college students—though they have no money now, once we get one person to join, that’s about forty thousand yuan!”

While Liu Chenyang was painting a bright future for Fang Zhe, at the pyramid scheme base’s “remembering the bitterness and cherishing the sweetness” meeting, Mi Chengzhi was secretly persuading the other trainees around him.

“You really plan to bring your dad over?”

The other nodded: “Yes! I think Boss Lou is right. People like us can’t rely on working for a paycheck; that’s impossible!”

Mi Chengzhi agreed, but he wasn’t planning to call home so soon.

He cleverly proposed another possibility.

“I’ve also thought about calling both my dad and mom over after a while, then I can get promoted to manager,” he said, seeing the other look at him. “But at least it has to be a few days from now, right? These days we can’t even eat enough…”

“Right! My dad can really eat, especially loves cabbage. If I call him over, I’ll have even less food…”

The two food lovers’ eyes met and sparked like they had finally found comrades. They shook hands fiercely!

“Yes, anyway, no one’s going anywhere. Let’s eat plenty and get full for a few more days first!”

While all this was happening, Fang Zhe and Liu Chenyang were downstairs, bitterly unloading cabbage and potatoes.

Afraid that the trainees would take the chance to run away, and worried that a large flow of people in and out would be noticed and reported, so many cabbages and potatoes could only be slowly carried up by these two.

They encouraged each other.

“Once we start making sales, it’ll be fine!”

“Right! Today I saw Xiaomi was actually tempted too. Once he calls his dad over, it’ll be perfect!”