Wait, it actually worked?

Just as Wen Yang thought the customers shared his opinion, the customers around him actually all chimed in.

"Exactly, boss, your chive pockets really are the very best chive pockets I've ever eaten. There's nothing else like them in heaven or on earth."

"In weather this hot, I'm waiting in the sun for your stall, boss. That should tell you how much I love them."

"Boss Shen's scallion pancakes are the GOAT too. They're my favorites, just like his chive pockets."

"As expected of the God of Cooking!"

"Boss Shen, I might not bow to anyone else, but I bow to your cooking skills!"

Wen Yang: ...

Isn't this a little too exaggerated? Could these people be shills?

I need to watch them carefully.

If I can film proof that these people are all shills the boss hired for his opening, the video might even get a little traction. Exposing fake food spots gets more attention than sharing good food.

Besides, he hadn't updated his account in several days. He had to post something for his followers to watch.

Whether the scallion pancakes really were that good or the boss had hired shills, he could use the footage either way.

Wen Yang patiently continued adjusting his camera, wanting to zoom in and film more of the boss cooking.

Meanwhile, listening to a huge wave of Show-off Points rolling in, Shen Chuan was already over the moon.

One reason he hadn't sold chive pockets these past two days was that the lady's chives hadn't grown back yet, and he couldn't be bothered to hunt around for ingredients. Besides, his new recipe still felt fresh, and making scallion pancakes lent itself to showing off better than making chive pockets. The system had no requirements about what he sold, so it was entirely up to him.

Shen Chuan himself wanted to sell something high-end and make more money.

But he didn't have many Show-off Points at the moment. Even the slightly harder recipes in the system shop cost upwards of one or two thousand Show-off Points, and more recipes had yet to unlock. He still had a long road ahead of him in showing off.

Seeing Shen Chuan suddenly fall silent, He Wencai immediately asked anxiously, "Boss Shen, are these ingredients good enough?"

Shen Chuan pulled back his wandering thoughts and looked down. "You even washed these chives? You're pretty thoughtful."

He Wencai chuckled sheepishly. "It's only what I should do. I just want some chive pockets. Please, boss!"

Some customers farther back, who had only learned about the stall yesterday, were also curious about how the chive pockets tasted and joined in.

"Boss, why don't you make some chive pockets? We want some too."

"I had scallion pancakes yesterday. If I get to eat chive pockets today, I can't even imagine how happy I'll be."

Seeing that Shen Chuan still looked a little hesitant, He Wencai seemed to think of something and immediately promised, "Boss, just think of it as me bringing my own ingredients to eat your chive pockets. I'll still pay full price. After all, I'm taking up your time at the stall!"

"Boss, I really can't sleep at night without your chive pockets!"

Shen Chuan shook his head slightly to show that wasn't what he meant. "I was thinking that making chive pockets would mean longer working hours for me. It would delay me getting off work."

He Wencai and the other customers instantly felt the urge to facepalm.

They'd thought the boss was worried about money, but all along, he was worried that making extra chive pockets meant working overtime?

[Ding! Show-off Points +40!]

[Ding! Show-off Points +30!]

In that instant, everyone admitted that Boss Shen had pulled off another flex!

Their expressions were speechless. They opened their mouths, but couldn't find anything to say.

Looking at their expressions and the flood of notifications about incoming Show-off Points, Shen Chuan felt incredibly satisfied.

So showing off feels this good!

When he'd first started running his stall, he would rehearse any boastful remarks in his head several times and still feel too embarrassed to say them.

Now they just roll off my tongue?

Shen Chuan firmly refused to admit that he had always been a show-off.

"Boss, there aren't many ingredients. It won't take much of your time. Besides, you only need to cook. I'll help with everything else!"

Seeing that Shen Chuan hadn't rejected him outright, He Wencai seemed to see hope. He swiftly pushed the food container holding the chives toward Shen Chuan. "Boss Shen, should I put on gloves and move the chives onto the cutting board for you? I probably can't help with the chopping. My knife skills aren't as good as yours!"

Then he picked up the eggs. "But I can help crack the eggs and beat them!"

Jiang Wenyan, who had been squeezed aside: ???

Wait, his job had just been snatched away, just like that?

Jiang Wenyan hadn't been sure whether Boss Shen was willing to make these chive pockets, so he hadn't stepped in to help yet. He hadn't expected this guy to steal his job!

"Boss Shen?"

Left with no choice, Jiang Wenyan leaned forward to ask, hoping to snatch his job back.

"The ingredients you brought do meet my requirements, and there don't seem to be many. I can make them for you, but the price stays the same."

Thanks to He Wencai's actions, he had found an opportunity to rake in quite a few Show-off Points. Shen Chuan wasn't someone who discarded people once they had served their purpose, and this scene also had the impressive air of a God of Cooking. It was perfect for showing off.

So he agreed.

He Wencai was so delighted that he jumped three feet into the air, practically itching to fawn over Shen Chuan by massaging his shoulders.

"Of course! Boss Shen, however many chive pockets these ingredients can make, I'll take them all!"

Wait, it actually worked?

The watching customers hadn't expected the guy's pleading to actually work. Before they had even finished being surprised, they heard him say he wanted them all and were dumbfounded.

Didn't that mean their hopes of tasting some were dashed?

No!

"Come on, bro, that's enough ingredients to make quite a few chive pockets, right? How could you finish them all yourself? Let me help you out. Sell me a few?"

"Yeah, bro, we've never tried the chive pockets. Share some with us. Everyone wants a taste. We'll pay you, okay?"

The customer had brought his own ingredients, and everyone else knew that if he wanted the whole batch, the boss certainly wouldn't refuse.

So now they all crowded around He Wencai, trying to work something out.

Seeing his chance, Jiang Wenyan quickly took the eggs and flour from He Wencai's hands. "Buddy, go discuss it with them. I'll handle helping out here."

None of this had anything to do with Shen Chuan. He had already started making the chive pockets. Honestly, making chive pockets was much easier than making scallion pancakes. Once they were filled and sealed, he could fry a whole pan at once. They cooked fast and sold fast too.

Unlike the scallion pancakes, which he tossed out one at a time and made one at a time. That naturally slowed things down, but scallion pancakes offered more opportunities to show off. There really were gains and losses.

He kneaded the dough and set it aside to rest, then chopped the chives and scrambled the eggs into fluffy little bits before mixing them with the chives.

As a food blogger, he needed a pair of eyes that could spot something new.

Wen Yang soon noticed something unusual.

This stall owner had seriously impressive cooking skills, far beyond the level of an ordinary street vendor.

Judging by the knife skills he had displayed, it would take at least ten years of practice to reach that level.

And his dough-kneading technique was even more practiced than that of some veteran pastry chefs Wen Yang had seen. Even the techniques he used to apply force seemed to have a distinctive rhythm to them.

He zoomed the camera in on Shen Chuan's preparations and began filming carefully.