Was Money as a Food Shill This Hard to Earn Now?

Shen Chuan had thought that once he finished showing off, everyone would quietly grumble about him again. Instead, after freezing for just a few seconds, they began praising him wildly from every possible angle.

Even he was utterly impressed by the things they came up with.

It was so over the top. How could they even bring themselves to say it?

Luckily, after all these days of showing off, he had already developed a hide as tough as iron walls. Though the praise left him a little embarrassed, he still maintained the calm, unruffled air of a God of Cooking.

As praise rose around him, Shen Chuan raised a hand and pressed it down twice, smiling as he said, "Keep it low-key, keep it low-key. Though I know everything you're saying is true, I don't cook for empty fame. I devote myself to studying the culinary arts, seeking only to perfect every serving of food and live up to the expectations of everyone who made a special trip here. My greatest wish is simply for everyone to eat their fill and leave satisfied."

[Ding! Show-off Points +55!]

The diners kept smiling, but inwardly, they all rolled their eyes. His words sounded selfless, yet there wasn't a trace of humility in them. Still, no one dared undermine him, so they could only keep agreeing.

"Only someone as sincere as you could make food this delicious, Boss Shen. Truly admirable!"

"We're the fortunate ones, getting to eat your cooking!"

Shen Chuan remained composed at their words, as though he had merely said something perfectly ordinary. His hands never stopped as he continued cooking the golden, crispy flatbreads.

The scene of "harmony" in front of the stall left a passerby who had been drawn over by the aroma staring in disbelief.

After listening to their entire exchange, he stood dumbfounded, his mouth hanging so wide open that an egg could almost fit inside.

Would you people listen to what you're saying?

Was this really a normal conversation?

They were all speaking the same language, so why did he feel like he couldn't understand it anymore?

Were these people all shills hired by the owner?

Was money as a food shill this hard to earn now?

Not only did they have to queue in this heat, they also had to provide emotional validation for the owner?

Soon, the flatbreads in the oven were ready.

A hot, dry fragrance of wheat filled the air.

As Shen Chuan took out the perfectly baked flatbreads one by one, the once snow-white dough had been completely transformed, baked to an immensely tempting golden color. The coloring was uneven, with a ring of lightly scorched dark brown around the edges and irregular tiger-stripe markings.

Once they were on the plate, the golden, threadlike patterns on their surfaces were clearly visible, winding in circles that spread outward from the center. The patterns rose slightly, and as sunlight slanted across them, the thin edges were almost translucent.

The diner at the front exclaimed at the sight, "That flatbread looks so crisp, and you can see all those layers. Add that meat that smells so good it's making me swallow my drool-good heavens, I feel satisfied before I've even eaten it."

He glanced at the price on the sign again. Twenty-two yuan each. His wallet ached a little. At twenty-two apiece, just two or three would easily cost dozens of yuan.

His salary was only so much. If he kept eating like this, he would end up living paycheck to paycheck too.

But then he thought, wasn't money earned to be spent?

If he couldn't even satisfy himself when it came to food, what was the point of earning it?

He couldn't afford a cruise or a luxury car in this lifetime, but surely he could eat a couple more twenty-two-yuan roujiamo.

Having figured that out, the diner was suddenly brimming with swagger. He gestured to gauge the size of a roujiamo, rubbed his stomach, and called out, "Boss Shen, give me four roujiamo."

"Sure, just a moment."

Shen Chuan turned and fished a large piece of braised meat out of the pot, placing it on the wooden chopping block.

The meat had been braised so tender that the whole piece trembled gently the moment it was set down. The fat had rendered thoroughly, leaving the fatty portions translucent. They jiggled twice with the movement of Shen Chuan's fingers, like a piece of translucent jelly.

When the blade fell, the meat offered no resistance and collapsed beneath it. With the rhythmic chopping, it broke apart, little glints of oil rising to the surface.

The aromas of meat, fat, and spices were thoroughly stirred up, surging into the air and straight into their noses.

Even an immortal couldn't resist that smell.

Jiang Wenyan swallowed hard. Usually, he first took care of whatever needed doing at the stall, then checked on the queue and reassured the diners farther back. Only after working for a while would he buy something to eat.

But today, he decided to exercise his rarely used privilege of buying first.

After asking Shen Chuan, he happily picked up a paper bag and waited for the first roujiamo to be filled so he could dig in and have a taste.

The diner at the front had been grinning, thinking the roujiamo was practically in his mouth already, only for Jiang Wenyan to cut in. Now his smile vanished. He was craving it so badly that even another second of waiting left him restless.

He was a regular and knew that Jiang Wenyan helped Boss Shen every day. He might even have reserved a roujiamo on the way to pick him up. But Jiang Wenyan had always waited a while before eating in the past. Why did this young fellow have to eat first just when he was at the head of the queue?

No martial virtue at all!

The regular's smile promptly collapsed, and he teased helplessly, "Don't you usually eat partway through? Why are you eating first just when I'm first in line? Have you got something against me?"

Swallowing his saliva, Jiang Wenyan hurriedly waved his hands and explained:

"Sorry, uncle. It's not that I don't want to let you go first, but today's roujiamo is just too tempting. I smelled that meat the whole way here, and I can't hold out anymore. Blame Boss Shen for making roujiamo this irresistible. Even an immortal couldn't withstand it, let alone a college student like me who's barely seen the world. I'll just have one first to satisfy my craving. Otherwise, how could I focus on working?"

The regular had only grumbled because he was craving the food. At that, he nodded emphatically. It really was impossible to resist. Just standing there, he felt as though he was about to drool!

"It's fine. I'm craving it too, so I was just saying. I'll eat the second one."

On the chopping board, Shen Chuan had already finished chopping the large piece of meat.

Even meat this tender hadn't become a mushy mass of mince under Shen Chuan's knife. Instead, it had become distinct little pieces.

Only this way would the meat retain its own texture when chewed.

He brought over a flatbread, pressed his left hand onto it, and sliced horizontally. With a crisp crack, the flatbread split into two halves. Shen Chuan packed the middle with a thick filling of chopped meat, then drizzled on a small spoonful of broth to enhance the texture before slipping it into the paper bag.

"Thank you, Boss Shen!"

Jiang Wenyan happily accepted the roujiamo and stepped aside. His already excited taste buds drove him to bring the flatbread to his mouth at once.

His teeth first met that golden crust. It had no toughness whatsoever. With a gentle bite, an extremely faint yet crisp crack rang out in his mouth, and the crust instantly shattered into countless thin, fragrant, flaky fragments.

They carried the distinctive toasted fragrance and wheat aroma of baking. Before he could savor their texture, those thin, crisp layers quickly softened and melted down in his mouth, becoming a concentrated mouthful of warmth that dissolved with a gentle press of his lips.

It was flaky without reserve, crisp with a clean, decisive snap.