"We'll burn it off when we climb the mountain later."
"Fine... Fried rice noodles really do smell amazing..."
Their weight-loss plan died before it even got off the ground.
A young couple had just posted it on their social media when likes and comments started rolling in.
"That pastry looks pretty good. Where did you get it?"
"What is that? It looks so delicate. Is it good?"
"Holy crap! Is that Ice Crystal Cake?"
"Is that the Ice Crystal Cake from Boss Lu's snack stall?"
"Where is it? He wasn't setting up at People's Square today! Where did he run off to? Tell us the address already!"
Confused, the woman replied beneath the comments:
"You've eaten from this stall before? It's at Huaguoshan Park."
"I eat there every day! If I go a day without it, I feel awful all over! Huaguoshan Park, right? I'm coming over right now!"
Over at People's Square, a huge crowd was waiting for Lu Qin's snack stall to show up.
But they waited and waited, and it never came.
Until someone suddenly shouted:
"Boss Lu is setting up at Huaguoshan Park today!"
Everyone was stunned, and complaints immediately broke out one after another.
"Damn! Why'd he go all the way over there?!"
"If you were changing locations, you should've said so earlier! I skipped breakfast and lunch just waiting for Boss Lu's fried rice noodles!"
"Huaguoshan Park is pretty far from here. Are you trying to starve me to death on the way there?!"
"Let's go! Hurry to Huaguoshan Park!"
These regular customers complained with their mouths, but their feet were already moving.
They immediately shifted battlefields.
I came here to lose weight! I haven't even started climbing the mountain, and I'm already full!
Huaguoshan Park.
Most people came there to take walks or exercise.
But the appearance of Lu Qin's snack stall disrupted the park's original ecological balance.
Two in the afternoon.
Thirty or forty people had already gathered near Lu Qin's snack stall.
Some were lining up to buy fried rice noodles, while others had already gotten theirs and found a nearby spot to start stuffing their faces.
It was as lively as a vegetable market.
"Hey, old man up front, can you stop taking so long ordering your fried rice noodles? Hurry up!"
"Iced mung bean paste! Hurry, hurry! I just came down from the mountain! I desperately need something tasty and refreshing!"
"Boss, your little whiteboard says Twice Cooked Pork. Do you have it right now? If you do, give me a serving!"
"Holy crap! Twice Cooked Pork? Isn't that a bit over the top?!"
"Mung bean paste with Ice Crystal Cake! Fried rice noodles with Twice Cooked Pork!"
"This is terrifying! I came here to run and lose weight! But before I even started, I'd already wolfed down a serving of fried rice noodles, a cup of mung bean paste, and a box of Ice Crystal Cake. As for that Twice Cooked Pork... forget it, give me a serving too. I have to try everything. It's just too delicious!"
"Ugh, I can't do it anymore. I've eaten two servings of fried rice noodles, a box of Ice Crystal Cake, and three cups of mung bean paste. I seriously can't eat another bite. Boss, will you be here tomorrow? That's it for today. I'll fight again tomorrow!"
"Can someone lend me a stomach? This is getting hard to handle! But my mouth still wants to eat!"
"Huh? Why is my belly so big? Am I pregnant?"
"Boss, other people's fried rice noodles cost money. Yours cost lives!"
"Boss, I suspect you're trying to stuff me to death so you can inherit my lizard Huabei!"
Half an hour later.
The huge crowd that had been waiting at People's Square charged into Huaguoshan Park.
The already bustling snack stall became even more packed.
The park security guards on patrol were dumbfounded. Why had so many people suddenly appeared?!
Gathering in a crowd... to eat fried rice noodles?
That was a terrifying number of people!
The head security guard hurriedly arranged for two trash cans to be brought over, so they would not cause any sanitation problems.
"Captain, those fried rice noodles smell amazing!"
"Go get in line! Let's try some too!"
Lu Qin looked at the huge mass of customers in front of him and called out loudly:
"Please line up properly and don't litter. If the city inspectors come and I can't keep the stall open, then none of you will get to eat."
Those words worked well. The noise immediately died down considerably, and the line became much more orderly.
"Boss Lu, set up here boldly. I know all the city inspectors in the western district. I asked already; it's fine to run a stall here."
"Everyone, mind your manners. Don't throw trash around. The one affected will be Boss Lu."
Lu Qin rinsed the wok and began preparing the Twice Cooked Pork his customers had ordered.
With the wok hot and the oil cold, Lu Qin opened the Fresh-Locking Thermostatic Box, grabbed a handful of sliced pork, and tossed it into the wok.
The freshness of the meat had not changed at all.
He stir-fried it until the pork slices began crackling in the wok.
The slices curled slightly, showing that their fat had rendered out. If he kept cooking them after that, they would turn tough.
By then, the rich aroma of meat had already drifted through the air.
The customers around him all swallowed.
This Twice Cooked Pork was going to drive people crazy with craving!
Lu Qin added a large spoonful of Doubanjiang, a spoonful of Douchi, and sliced garlic.
He stir-fried everything over medium heat until the red oil came out, then tossed in the pork slices to coat them with color.
Finally, he added scallion segments and green and red peppers, followed by a spoonful of cooking wine, a spoonful of sugar, a small spoonful of salt, and a large spoonful of light soy sauce.
He stir-fried everything evenly and served it.
The lucky person who had ordered the first serving of Twice Cooked Pork had long since become impatient.
"Boss Lu, give it to me first. I'll scan the code and pay after I'm done eating!"
As he spoke, saliva swirled around in his mouth.
The customers beside him watched enviously.
One bite, and the fresh fragrance burst through his mouth.
Garlic sprouts and pork slices intertwined perfectly—rich without being greasy, spicy without being harsh, fatty without being cloying, lean without being dry.
The customer did nothing but eat.
Only the sound of his teeth going "crunch, crunch" could be heard.
The sounds of people swallowing rose and fell all around him.
Lu Qin began making the second, third... servings of Twice Cooked Pork.
A group of people trying to lose weight ate until their mouths shone with oil. Even as they felt guilty, they could not stop praising it. "This Twice Cooked Pork is damn fragrant!"
"Boss Lu, why don't you make a group chat? Post a location every day showing where you're setting up, so we won't miss you."
The suggestion came from a chubby young man in his twenties who had the unmistakable air of a foodie.
As soon as he said it, the other customers nodded in agreement.
Lu Qin thought about it and nodded.
He opened the Penguin app he had not used in years and created a group with a five-hundred-person limit.
He wrote the group number on the little whiteboard.
The customers rushed to join the group.
Lu Qin made the chubby young man an administrator to maintain order in the group.
The chubby young man was named Zhou Weiwei, a loyal fan of Lu Qin's snack stall.
Lu Qin remembered him. A couple of days ago, Zhou Weiwei had ordered six servings of fried rice noodles at once.
Before you continue