Boss, make my chive pocket spicy.

Wait, thinking about the boss's cooking, nobody could even argue if someone called him the God of Cooking reborn. Never mind, then.

It was perfectly normal for the God of Cooking to have a few requirements of his own!

Seeing that not a single person who had tried the chive pockets had anything bad to say, and that some who had bought just one to try were already lining up a second time, the new customers in line grew even more eager.

Every one of them watched Shen Chuan knead and roll out the dough with longing eyes, wishing they could jump in and help so they could get a chive pocket into their mouths sooner.

Quite a few customers who had already bought their chive pockets stood nearby, happily eating. Hearing that such a good opportunity was available, they grew tempted too.

They wanted that spot as the first person to buy chive pockets, too.

Standing in line for so long in the summer heat was truly painful, even if the chive pockets were delicious!

And so, a whole group of customers turned shining eyes toward Shen Chuan.

"Boss, I want that first spot to buy chive pockets too. Let me pick you up, drop you off, and help you set up your stall. I'm really steady on a tricycle. I don't need two hundred. One eighty will do!"

Jiang Wenyan, who had just been happily eating his chive pocket, had never expected someone to compete for his job after only one day of picking up Boss Shen!

And they were undercutting him!

What was that supposed to mean?!

Before he could speak up to defend his great job, another man who had been utterly won over by the chive pockets eagerly chimed in. "So what if you can ride a tricycle? I can do that too! Riding a tricycle, setting up the stall, helping serve customers-I can do all of it. I'm the top salesperson at my company. My gift of gab is second to none! Pick me, boss!"

"Get out of here. With chive pockets this delicious, who needs you to help sell them?"

Someone raised his hand high. "Boss, my ancestors actually pulled rickshaws, and my grandfather ran errands for people. From head to toe, I radiate the aura of someone born to run errands. Let me do it. I promise, if you say east, I won't dare go west. If you say forward, I won't retreat even if it kills me."

Shen Chuan's hands paused as he fried the chive pockets. Do you even hear what you're saying?

Won't retreat even if it kills you? It's just riding a tricycle. Is there any need to go that far?

The competition was too fierce. Seeing his livelihood under threat, Jiang Wenyan decided to go all out.

He took a deep breath and put on the look of a pitiful little waif.

"Gentlemen, uncles, I'm only working this hard to cover my living expenses. I'm still in school, working part-time while studying. At home, I've got a gambling dad, a sick mom, a rebellious little brother, and poor, pitiful me."

He wiped nonexistent tears from the corners of his eyes. "Please leave this opportunity to me. Give me a chance to turn over a new leaf."

The noisy crowd fell eerily silent. Whether they were eating chive pockets or waiting in line, everyone looked at Jiang Wenyan with an indescribable expression.

Did he think they never watched videos or knew any memes?

Had he really become this shameless just to fight for the chance to ride Boss Shen's tricycle? Who said college students were innocent? This one was nothing but a shameless scoundrel.

Shen Chuan fought the urge for ages before finally managing to suppress his laughter.

Damn it, he almost made me break character!

Seeing that the scene was about to turn into a massive competitive recruitment session, Shen Chuan quickly called out, "The chive pockets are ready."

"Got it! I'll come help right away."

Jiang Wenyan caught Shen Chuan's signal in an instant and immediately transformed from a pitiful waif into a helper. He walked over to the stall, washed his hands, and expertly began serving customers with a bag in his left hand and tongs in his right, moving quickly as though afraid someone would steal his job.

"Miss, how many chive pockets would you like? I'd recommend three, or you might not have enough."

As he served customers, he swiftly scanned the chive pockets on the draining rack and deftly set aside the one he thought looked best, reserving it for himself as he chuckled, "Heh heh heh."

The customers: ...Why did they suddenly feel like punching him?

In fact, every chive pocket was identical in size and color, each flawless as though copied and pasted. Who knew what there was to pick over?

Just then, the next customer reached the front and said to Shen Chuan, "Boss, make my chive pocket spicy."

Shen Chuan did not even look up. "No chilies. Can't add any."

Jiang Wenyan had already held out a bagged chive pocket to the customer. "Sir, the original flavor is the most delicious. Why add chilies? Boss Shen's chive pocket recipe is already perfect. Here, take this and eat it over to the side. I guarantee you won't want to add any spice after you've tried it."

The customer hesitated.

"I like adding spice to everything I eat. I don't like food without it."

As he hesitated, the people behind him grew impatient. Someone poked him in the back.

"How about you step aside to think it over, then come back and buy one once you've decided?"

At those words, the customer who wanted spice immediately grabbed the chive pocket from Jiang Wenyan and took out his phone to pay ten yuan.

Are you kidding? I've been lining up forever. If I step aside to think, there won't even be a crumb left by the time I come to my senses. Trying to trick me? No way.

The customer who wanted spice stepped aside but still refused to give up. He said to Shen Chuan, "Boss, bring some chilies next time you set up your stall. Plenty of people like spicy food. Just put some chili powder in the filling."

Shen Chuan had not expected the customer to be so persistent. If he did not show off now, he would be letting down all the show-off lines he had memorized in advance!

"My recipe is the best way to make it. As the God of Cooking, I won't change my recipe lightly, so I can't and won't add spice. Everyone has different tastes. I won't force anyone!"

[Ding! You upheld your signature flavor, fully displaying the God of Cooking's confidence. Show-off Points +35!]

The customer wanted to argue that it would definitely taste better spicy, but remembering that he had not even tasted the seasoning yet, he decided to try a bite before debating it with the boss.

In all his years, he had eaten plenty of things, and a little spice always made them taste better.

What nonsense about it tasting best without spice...

The very next second, his inward grumbling came to an abrupt halt.

The chive pocket's crust was still a little too hot in his mouth, but that very heat kept it crisp. He had thought such a crispy crust would shed crumbs when he bit into it and instinctively held out his other hand to catch them. To his surprise, despite being so crisp, it did not shed a single crumb when he bit down!

The chive pocket had thin skin and plenty of filling, letting him taste the filling with a single bite. The crust was piping hot, and the inside was no less so. The heat made him squeeze his eyes shut as soon as it entered his mouth, followed by the intensely assertive fragrance of chives.

It surged from his mouth straight to his head in an instant. Unlike the pungency of raw chives, these chives had a fresh sweetness, mingling with the rich aroma of eggs. The oil combined with the toasted fragrance of frying and rushed fiercely into his nose on a wave of heat.

For a moment, the impact of food so perfect in color, aroma, and flavor left him speechless.

Beside him, Jiang Wenyan had been keeping an eye on his reaction. After all, out of so many chive pockets sold, this was the first customer to ask for spice. He needed to check whether the customer was satisfied.

"Well? I told you Boss Shen's chive pockets are the best, spicy or not!"

The customer who had wanted spice eagerly took another bite. At those words, he looked up at Shen Chuan with shining eyes.

"Boss, you're right. Your recipe is perfect. This is the first time I've thought something without spice could have so much flavor!"

"Oh my God! How can it be so fresh and sweet? It smells incredible!"

Still showering it with praise, he kept walking toward the back of the line to queue again, feeling not the slightest embarrassment at being proven wrong, only amazement at the food in his hand.