The God of Cooking's signature dish-roujiamo

Shen Chuan smiled mysteriously at Jiang Wenyan's words. "You'll find out when we get to the stall!"

With that, he closed his eyes and leaned back in his seat to rest, saying nothing more.

That nearly killed the already inquisitive Jiang Wenyan with curiosity, but he could get no answer and spent the entire ride itching to know.

Normally, whenever Jiang Wenyan picked up Boss Shen, he would first send his roommates a message to let them know Boss Shen was heading out to set up his stall.

Today, however, he hadn't sent one, because his roommates all felt that Boss Shen's stall was no longer what it used to be. It was now the Niohuru So Many People Stall.

With so many people going early to wait every day, if they kept arriving right on time, they might not get anything at all. So when Jiang Wenyan went to pick up Shen Chuan today, they had already left ahead of him and were now lining up on Food Street.

They were giving it their all for food, too. Normally, they made do with every meal and calculated their other living expenses over and over, putting all their money toward the delicious food Boss Shen made.

As the saying went, spend where you should and save where you can. Money should be spent where it counted.

The modified three-wheeler stood out more than any other three-wheeler at the night market. The moment it entered Food Street, people along the road noticed it.

One customer glanced at Shen Chuan sitting inside and shouted, "Boss Shen's here!"

Then he quickened his pace and ran toward the stall. Several people nearby who hadn't been running heard that Shen Chuan had arrived and sped up as well.

The line at the stall was already incredibly long, yet they still broke into a hundred-meter sprint just to secure a spot a tiny bit farther ahead.

One customer was here for the first time today. Dragged to the stall by his friend, he saw the long line stretching out of sight and immediately blurted out, "Holy shit."

"Good lord, this line is so long! Are you sure we're here to buy flatbreads, not collect free eggs? I could call my grandma over to join us."

"Just run! If they sell out right when it's our turn, I'm going to cry."

His friend sped toward the back of the line, leaving him no choice but to run along. The farther he ran, the more astonished he became, and the harder it was to believe.

People. Nothing but people. The line was incredibly, incredibly long. At a glance, there was no telling how long they would have to wait.

Did they absolutely have to eat these flatbreads?

His friend answered firmly, his tone resolute. "Absolutely. If you and I weren't the closest friends in the whole company, I wouldn't even tell you this stall had good food. Every extra person I invite to line up is another competitor for me."

The customer followed his friend hesitantly. If his friend hadn't still been holding his hand, he would already have turned around and left.

This line really could drive people away.

Remembering how his friend had mentioned several times that the food at this stall was delicious, and how he would start drooling whenever he said more than a few words about it, the customer endured it.

The instant the customers in line saw the three-wheeler appear, they all breathed a sigh of relief. Luckily, Boss Shen had only been unhappy for one day and had come today. Otherwise, they would have cried right there on the street.

"As long as he's here. Thank goodness he's here! I'm definitely going to give Boss Shen a few compliments later and praise him until he's bursting with joy and in a great mood."

"Exactly. We have to praise him, and not just for one day. We need effective praise, planned praise, daily praise. Shower Boss Shen with compliments so he's happy every day. That way, he can run his stall every day."

Those words struck a powerful chord with the other customers, who all chimed in.

"Exactly. From now on, whenever we line up to buy flatbreads, we should slip in a compliment for Boss Shen. A different one every day, whatever makes him happy. That's called catering to his tastes. Boss Shen gets to be happy, and we get our flatbreads. Two birds with one stone."

The customers quickly agreed on their plan. When the three-wheeler reached its destination and Shen Chuan got out, he was greeted by their most enthusiastic welcomes.

When he had arrived before, the customers had greeted him too, but they had simply been craving his food. After a couple of polite greetings, they would wait expectantly for him to make flatbreads.

Today, however, every customer's tongue seemed coated in honey, and their greetings were especially sweet.

"Boss Shen's here! You look particularly handsome today. In that suit, you're so stunning it shakes heaven and earth. You're the best-looking guy on all of Food Street!"

"Did you put mousse in your hair today, Boss Shen? What a great hairstyle! It looks even better than a professional stylist's work. Clever with your hands and good at everything you do-that's you, Boss Shen!"

"Although I fail at everything and eating is my only talent, I got to know you, Boss Shen! Ever since I met you, my world has been bright every day, and my life has been happy."

"Same here!"

The flattery filled Shen Chuan with joy and left him feeling wonderful all over. He finally understood.

This was why bosses at companies liked hearing their subordinates flatter them. It made them happy and even fired up their enthusiasm for work.

The praise was practically making him float.

Although he was overjoyed inside, his expression remained calm, as though neither praise nor disgrace could ruffle him, while he directed Jiang Wenyan to prepare today's ingredients.

Only after everyone quieted down did he speak. "It really is your good fortune to know me. There's food all over the streets, but there's only one place serving food made by the God of Cooking, with no other branches. Treasure it."

[Ding, Show-off Points +50!]

[Ding...]

Hearing Boss Shen's familiar spiel, the regulars couldn't help their expressions twisting for an instant, even though they had already foreseen this scene.

They knew it!

Whenever they talked Boss Shen up, they were handing him an opportunity to start showing off!

Normally, they might have grumbled about him in their heads, and even their voices would have grown awkward.

But after yesterday's trial by fire, everyone had improved. Afraid they might accidentally voice their inner complaints, they kept straight faces even after hearing Boss Shen's words, smiling and agreeing with him. "You're right, Boss Shen. Getting to eat your cooking is our good fortune."

"It's so hot, yet you still came out to run your stall. You're working so hard! Sit down and rest a bit first. We're in no hurry."

Those words were truly pleasant to hear, but then some odd voices piped up.

"Boss Shen, my wish is to have this good fortune every day!"

"I think that sounds doable!"

In your dreams, Shen Chuan grumbled inwardly.

Anyone this lively had to be one of those university students. Shen Chuan walked into the stall, enjoying the air conditioning, and said calmly, "A fine wish. Don't make it again. I don't want what you think. I want what I think."

[Ding, Show-off Points +50!]

[Ding...]

Although the people talking to Shen Chuan were all regulars, the new customers standing in line heard their conversation too. As Show-off Points began trickling in again, Shen Chuan was in an excellent mood.

Reading more domineering CEO quotes really had been the right choice. Look how easily those show-off lines rolled off his tongue now!

Jiang Wenyan had already set out everything that needed setting out. Today, he had only seen a sack of flour, with no scallions or chives.

Thinking he had overlooked them, Jiang Wenyan searched the cabinet below for quite a while, but still couldn't find any.

There was, however, a large pot in the corner of the cabinet, still warm. To prevent its lid from falling off during the trip, it had been firmly secured with rope.

Jiang Wenyan remembered how Boss Shen had switched to scallion pancakes after selling chive pockets for a few days last time, as well as the aroma of braised meat throughout the journey. His eyes widened with delighted surprise.

"Boss Shen, did you change snacks again? Are the fillings in this pot? I can already smell them even with the lid closed!"

Shen Chuan smiled slightly and motioned for him to open the stockpot and put it on the stove.

"That's right. A different snack. I don't feel like making scallion pancakes today."

Then he prompted everyone to look at the sign.

[The God of Cooking's signature roujiamo-22 yuan]

Jiang Wenyan had carefully lifted the large pot out and placed it on the stove. After removing the rope, he wiped down the lid before opening it.

The moment the stainless steel lid lifted, a wave of steam carrying a rich fragrance hit him in the face. Jiang Wenyan yelped at the heat and closed the lid, but that mellow aroma, concentrated a thousandfold, had already washed over his face.

The rich meaty aroma rushed straight into his nose without a trace of gaminess. There was only the pure, natural fragrance of meat after its fat had rendered out, an aroma he could keep smelling forever. It surged forcefully into his nose, intoxicating him with a single sniff.

His taste buds awakened and seethed at the fragrance, and saliva involuntarily began pooling in his mouth.

The spices had long since melded into the meat. Their own fragrance was no longer apparent; instead, they made the meat's aroma seem even purer.

Jiang Wenyan was utterly captivated by the fragrance. He swallowed hard and said, eyes shining, "That smells amazing! It's the smell of braised meat, but it's way too fragrant. I've never smelled anything this good before!"

He struggled to open the lid again, his hands itching to move. If he hadn't retained his reason, he would have grabbed a piece of braised meat to eat immediately.

As soon as the lid lifted, the aroma drifted everywhere. The customers standing behind him caught it, their eyes gleaming with hunger. Who wouldn't lose their head over such a rich, mellow meaty aroma?

Another look at the sign revealed that the familiar scallion pancakes had already been replaced by roujiamo.

They all began swallowing, and some of the greedier ones even secretly flicked their tongues a few times.

"My god, that smells so good I'm instantly hungry!"

"You could probably smell this from ten li away! Thank goodness I came early today!"

The customers had originally come for scallion pancakes. Many had even lined up for two or three days without managing to eat one, and had become a little obsessed with them. They were determined to have a bite, no matter what.

When they heard there would be no scallion pancakes today, the aroma of braised meat eroded their resolve before their minds could even react.

Roujiamo sounded great. They could eat meat!

Of everyone there, He Wencai was the happiest.

He was allergic to scallions. For the past two days, he had watched his wife eat every day while he could only sit beside her craving it, unable to touch any. Heaven knew how wronged he felt.

Even calling his parents to ask them to grow more vegetables wouldn't let him eat any right away.

But today, Boss Shen had changed the menu!

The Buddha had truly blessed him. It seemed his daily incense offerings at home and his wish to eat Boss Shen's cooking had come true!

He would have to be even more sincere when offering incense and praying to the Buddha later!

Roujiamo! Delicious roujiamo!

He had unconditional faith in Boss Shen's cooking!

He Wencai was so excited that tears spilled from his eyes. "My happiness is back! I can finally smile again! Hahahahaha!"

He laughed so excitedly that his whole body trembled, looking practically crazed.

Meanwhile, Wen Yang, who had come to line up, had originally planned to buy nothing but flatbreads today. Yet the boss had switched to another snack. Wasn't this material delivered right into his hands?

He could enjoy a delicious snack while taking care of work. Perfect! What an angel of a boss Boss Shen was!

As a food blogger, he carried basic filming equipment whenever he went out. If he encountered anything interesting, he could film it on the spot and record a video, allowing him to provide his followers with the videos they wanted at any time. After all, timeliness waited for no one.

Wen Yang took his filming mount out of the small bag slung over his shoulder, mounted his phone, and adjusted the focus.

A fan standing behind him tugged gently at his clothes and asked quietly, "Brother Yang, I... the roujiamo smells good, but I still want to try the scallion pancakes you've all been praising for so long. Wh-what should I do?"

This fan seemed to be the introverted type, a little socially anxious. She kept her head lowered as she spoke, her voice quiet. It was obvious that even talking to Wen Yang had taken tremendous courage.

Someone nearby chimed in as well. "Can't we have both? I want a scallion pancake in my left hand and a roujiamo in my right."

Someone called out teasingly, "Does anyone still remember the chive pockets by Daming Lake?"

That drew a burst of laughter.

Wen Yang had been about to tell this fan to go up front and ask the boss when there would be scallion pancakes again. But seeing her shrinking there with her face flushed bright red, he knew she probably wouldn't dare.

"I was just going up front to film Boss Shen making roujiamo. I'll ask while I'm there and bring you back an answer."

The fan's face grew even redder, and she stammered all the more in her excitement. "Th-thank you, Brother Yang."

Carrying his mount, Wen Yang went to the very front of the stall.

Shen Chuan was already making the bread for the roujiamo.

The most distinctive feature of the bread in the roujiamo recipe taught by the system was its thousand layers of golden strands, so crisp they shed flakes. It was completely different from ordinary baiji flatbread.

It used unleavened dough without yeast, which greatly reduced the preparation time.

He added warm water to all-purpose flour, mixed in a little baking alkali, then added snow-white, silky lard. That lard was not to be underestimated; it was the foundation of the crispness.

While the dough rested, he picked up a ladle and gently stirred the pot of braised meat. The meat had already been simmering over low heat, and that stir sent an even richer fragrance spreading out.

Hearing the sounds of swallowing from the line and seeing passersby stop after catching the aroma, Shen Chuan was very satisfied.

Come on, come on, more new customers! Let me earn more Show-off Points.

Wen Yang glanced into the pot of braised meat and involuntarily let out a "Wow." What met his eyes was a date-red braising liquid, its surface scattered with clear, golden droplets of oil.

Chunks of pork lay immersed in the liquid, barely peeking out. The pork skin had been dyed amber by the broth and gleamed with an oily, gelatinous sheen, while the lean meat had taken on a deep chestnut color. Its fibers were plump and distinct, saturated with braising liquid.

The liquid simmered gently, bubbles rising from time to time. The meat quivered rhythmically in the broth with a gentle, bobbing motion. Just looking at it, he could feel how meltingly tender and thoroughly flavored it had become.

"What beautiful braised meat! Boss Shen, can I film it? It looks so good it doesn't even need special effects."

Wen Yang stared at the pot of braised meat, his eyes shining. He had a feeling this video would be another huge hit.

His previous video had brought him plenty of new followers. This one would definitely be even more popular.

"Yes, but don't get in anyone's way."

Shen Chuan had already cut the rested dough into portions of identical size and was rolling them into ox-tongue shapes with a traveling rolling-pin motion.

After spreading lard over the dough sheets and rolling them up, he took out a slitting knife and cut the sheets into long, thin strips connected at one end. Once rolled up, those cuts would form distinct layers of golden strands.

"Thank you, Boss Shen."

Wen Yang found the best angle on the pot and filmed several clips from different positions. Only then did he move the camera toward Shen Chuan, capturing his smooth, steady movements as he made the flatbreads.

"Oh, right, Boss Shen, when will you make scallion pancakes again? A lot of us haven't managed to try them yet and still want some."

Shen Chuan glanced at him in surprise. To still be thinking about scallion pancakes after smelling this braised meat-that was true love.

"There aren't that many ingredients. After selling them for a few days, I've almost used up all the scallions growing in their fields. I can't make any."

With that, he straightened up and solemnly reminded everyone, "Be careful when you eat later."

Be careful? The customers looked puzzled.

"About what? Not burning ourselves?" That was the only thing Wen Yang could think of.

"No!" Shen Chuan declared righteously. "It's so delicious that I'm afraid you'll eat too fast and bite your tongues."

[Ding! Show-off Points +100!]

[Ding...]

The customers' excited expressions froze on their faces, and they all began to look strange.

There he went again. Boss Shen really did show off anytime, anywhere.

Wait, they couldn't make strange faces. What if they upset Boss Shen? If he was unhappy, he wouldn't come out to run his stall!

After a few seconds of silence, the line hurriedly returned to its earlier liveliness.

Even Wen Yang reacted quickly, replacing his speechless expression with a sincere smile.

"Thank you for the reminder, Boss Shen. I'll definitely be careful and eat slowly. I'll do my best to protect my tongue."

The other customers chimed in as well.

"Boss Shen is so kindhearted! Even while selling flatbreads, he doesn't forget to worry about his customers' safety."

"Good thing Boss Shen reminded us. Otherwise, my tongue might have suffered."

"Exactly. Boss Shen is so thoughtful. That would never have occurred to me."

"..."