Iced Mung Bean Paste needed to be stored in an insulated container. There was no need to buy one; a large foam box lined with two layers of aluminum foil would achieve the same effect.
Lu Qin packed the Mung Bean Paste into the foam box and loaded it onto the three-wheeler food cart.
Then he soaked another 60 jin of rice noodles, chopped up some ingredients, sorted out the takeout containers and other supplies, loaded everything onto the cart, and set off.
Lu Qin took out his phone and found the information on the Stall Map APP.
People's Square Pedestrian Street, 4.1 km away, foot traffic: 1,800, stall fee: 20 yuan
He did not need navigation for this place. Everyone in Jiangcheng knew it.
Lu Qin got on his vehicle and headed out.
People's Square Pedestrian Street was a bustling commercial stretch in Jiangcheng's old district. About 800 meters long, it was a food street.
Of the more than 120 shops on this food street, over 80 were restaurants, while countless other stalls sold all kinds of snacks and delicacies.
A temporary stall like Lu Qin's definitely could not enter the prime stall area in the center of the Pedestrian Street. Those were permanent stalls, with not only steep fees but annual payments as well.
After paying the 20-yuan stall fee, Lu Qin set up at a secluded spot on a side street south of the Pedestrian Street.
There were two stalls beside him, run by two middle-aged women. One sold starch sausages, while the other sold fried potatoes.
Business here was not very good. They only got two or three customers over half a day. The two aunties were bored out of their minds, had turned off their stoves, and chatted idly.
Lu Qin's arrival drew their attention.
"Young man, are you selling Fried Rice Noodles? You came at the wrong time. You might get a little business at noon, but at this hour, people don't come this way."
"In weather this hot, Fried Rice Noodles don't sell well. Why aren't you selling cold noodles?"
Perhaps because Lu Qin was so handsome, the two middle-aged women started chatting. There was no business anyway, so they might as well pass the time talking to a handsome guy.
"For now, I only sell fried noodles. Have you two been running stalls here for a long time?"
Lu Qin laid out his bottles and jars of seasonings and chatted with them with a smile.
The location was out of the way, so it was always difficult to get business started.
Lu Qin was in no rush. He simply waited patiently.
The two middle-aged women beside him considered themselves experienced stall vendors and began offering Lu Qin advice.
"Young man, there are plenty of teppanyaki squid, fried skewer, and barbecue stalls in the prime area over there. You can learn from any of them. Anything would be better than selling fried noodles."
"You can't make much money selling fried noodles. I know an older guy who sells them, and even on a good day he only manages a little over fifty portions. He can only earn some hard-earned cash, and it works him to the bone."
"Exactly, and there are so many fried noodle stalls too..."
More than twenty minutes after setting up, a few tourists finally came over to rest in the corner after getting tired from walking around.
A young couple walked over beneath a sun umbrella, each carrying a cup of milk tea.
The man tossed his empty milk tea cup into the trash can, then looked over the three stalls on Lu Qin's side.
The two middle-aged women hurriedly smiled and called out to attract business. "Handsome guy, beautiful lady, want a starch sausage?"
"My fried potatoes are delicious. Want a serving?"
The couple merely glanced over, completely uninterested. There were at least eight or ten stalls selling those two snacks on this food street.
There were also five or six stalls selling fried noodles.
"Do you sell water?"
"Yes, yes, yes." The auntie selling starch sausages had a whole case of Wahaha bottled water ready.
"Do you have any cold ones?" The man frowned. He and his girlfriend were tired and thirsty, and all they wanted was ice-cold water. Drinking room-temperature water made them cough.
"Darling, go buy some from the convenience store ahead. I can't walk anymore."
"I don't want to walk either. We've been wandering around for two hours."
At that moment, Lu Qin smiled and said, "You two, I have Iced Mung Bean Paste here. Would you like some?"
"Iced Mung Bean Paste? That's perfect. It'll quench our thirst and cool us down!"
The couple immediately walked over to Lu Qin's stall.
Lu Qin opened the foam box and took out two cups of Mung Bean Paste for them.
"This is pretty great. I didn't expect a fried noodle stall to sell Mung Bean Paste too. Boss, you really know how to do business."
The man eagerly took the Mung Bean Paste. "I'll scan and pay in a moment. Let me quench my thirst first."
"Sure. The straws are in front. Help yourselves."
Seeing how handsome Lu Qin was, the woman could not help taking a few extra looks at him.
Once the cool, sweet Mung Bean Paste entered their mouths, the young couple could not help exclaiming:
"Huh? This Mung Bean Paste is so good!"
The man drank quickly, finishing his cup in two gulps.
"Boss, what kind of Mung Bean Paste is this? The flavor and texture are amazing! Give me another cup!"
"Mm... I want another cup after I finish mine too. This Mung Bean Paste is such a pleasant surprise. It tastes way better than milk tea!"
Lu Qin took out two more cups of Mung Bean Paste for them.
The aunties next door selling starch sausages and fried potatoes were both baffled. One of them had once sold Iced Mung Bean Paste from a stall herself, but business had been poor, so she switched to selling starch sausages.
Were the expressions on these young people's faces not a little too exaggerated?
"Boss, did you make this Mung Bean Paste yourself? I feel refreshed all over after drinking it!" The young woman's eyes shone.
The man nodded frantically as well. "Damn! I've never had Mung Bean Paste this good before! Boss, another cup!"
It was already his third cup. The man had quite the appetite and could still keep drinking.
The young couple's excited reaction caught the attention of other tourists.
"Is this Mung Bean Paste really that good?"
"Insanely good!"
"Boss, give me a cup too!"
"Is it iced? That's great, I'll take two cups!"
Another four customers came over to try Lu Qin's Mung Bean Paste.
There was no question about it.
It was unbelievably delicious, and they all bought a second cup.
"This Mung Bean Paste is incredible. How is it so good?!"
"If I'd known, I wouldn't have had milk tea. I would've saved room for this Mung Bean Paste!"
None of the customers seemed inclined to leave. They stood in front of Lu Qin's stall, drinking Mung Bean Paste and praising it nonstop.
Seeing the crowd in front of a fried noodle stall, other passing tourists gathered around as well.
"What good food is there here?"
"Iced Mung Bean Paste!"
"Is it good?"
"They're already on their third cup. What do you think?"
"Boss, one cup for me!"
In just over ten minutes, Lu Qin's stall became wildly popular.
"Young man, I want a cup too!" The two aunties next door temporarily abandoned their own stalls and bought Mung Bean Paste to try first.
"Boss, you're amazing. This Mung Bean Paste could melt my stomach!"
"Boss, give me an order of fried noodles to try."
The Mung Bean Paste was so delicious that the Fried Rice Noodles probably would not be bad either.
This boss seemed to have some real skill.
Some customers thought so.
When Lu Qin tossed the rice noodles into the wok and started stir-frying, the aroma drifted out, and the customers all swallowed.
"These fried noodles smell so good. They have to be delicious!"
"Then I'll have one too, with two eggs, ham, and meat."
"Handsome guy, I'll take one. How much is it?"
"Two portions. I didn't eat lunch."
Boss, you're playing dirty. Your Fried Rice Noodles are so good—why didn't you say so earlier?!
Before you continue