Chapter 23: Let You Open a Gourmet Shop, But You Operate at 3 AM

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Protagonist:

Lu Feng

Li Jiang hurriedly scanned the code to pay, then walked briskly toward the spot where Jiang Chao and the others were sitting.

"What to do, one portion of xiaolongbao per person, how can that be enough to eat full?"

Jiang Chao looked at the six steamer baskets on the table, muttering with a worried frown.

"Eat a bit to pad your stomachs first, later we'll open another round, my treat!"

Li Jiang also felt he hadn't hosted these people well, and felt a bit guilty inside.

Especially Xu Tao and the other four, who had specially driven over from the neighboring city.

Hungry for a good long while, and in the end each person only got one steamer of xiaolongbao, it really was a bit hard to justify.

"Alright, hurry up and taste these xiaolongbao, if you don't eat them I'll help you eat them!"

Seeing the atmosphere a bit awkward, Li Jiang stood up and lifted the lids off the steamer baskets on the table.

"Wow, smells so good!"

Jiang Chao couldn't help leaning in, taking a deep sniff at the xiaolongbao, and praising sincerely.

Xu Tao and the others' eyes also lit up, no longer standing on ceremony, each directly picking up one with chopsticks and putting it in their mouths.

Just one bite down, and the few of them were completely conquered.

"My goodness! These xiaolongbao are too delicious!"

"This is the most delicious xiaolongbao I've eaten in my life... no! The most delicious delicacy!"

"Jiangzi, today you finally did a decent thing, I've never eaten such delicious xiaolongbao!"

Seeing them with mouths stuffed with xiaolongbao still praising desperately, a sense of pride rose in Li Jiang's heart.

Although the buns weren't made by him, seeing the xiaolongbao he recommended being highly recognized by others still gave quite a sense of achievement.

Very quickly, Xu Tao and the few of them swept through like a whirlwind, eating clean all the xiaolongbao in front of each of them.

This amount... not enough to eat!

The few who had just experienced the xiaolongbao's deliciousness, with faces of lingering dissatisfaction, turned their gazes toward... the xiaolongbao in front of Li Jiang.

"Hey... what are you doing? This is my portion!"

Li Jiang's face showed panic, instinctively using his body to shield the xiaolongbao in front of him.

"Brother Jiang! No! I'll call you Grandpa Jiang if that works! Let me eat just one more, just one!"

"Jiangzi, you still remember back in university when I brought you food every day? Eating one of your xiaolongbao isn't too much, right?"

"Jiangzi, we're bunkmates, upper and lower bunks!"

"My great-grandma just said... she wants to come check you out at your place tonight, if you share me one xiaolongbao she won't go."

In the end, under the few people's persistent pestering, Li Jiang extremely reluctantly gave each of them one xiaolongbao.

"You few beasts... my xiaolongbao..."

Li Jiang looked with a mournful face at the steamer basket in front of him, where only one xiaolongbao remained, heart aching to the point of being unable to breathe.

Watching the few people each eat down the xiaolongbao that originally belonged to him, Li Jiang also hurriedly stuffed the last xiaolongbao into his mouth.

He didn't want the last xiaolongbao to also fall victim to their clutches.

"Originally I still felt xiaolongbao at fifty was a bit expensive, now I instead feel it's simply a bargain!"

Xu Tao smacked his lips savoring the xiaolongbao's flavor while praising sincerely.

"Right, it's just one portion per person, not enough to eat."

"I feel with xiaolongbao like this, I could eat ten portions in one meal!"

"Have to say, Jiangzi your brother's culinary skill is really awesome, this flavor is too amazing, even a five-star hotel can't compare!"

The other few people also all nodded in agreement.

"Everyone, today's hospitality was lacking, sorry, later when business hours end I'll treat you to eat your fill."

The next pot of xiaolongbao wasn't steamed ready yet, Lu Feng only now had time to walk over and greet Li Jiang and the others.

"Boss Lu, do you only have xiaolongbao? Anything else?"

Looking at the price list on the hall wall, Xu Tao found it a bit strange.

Logically speaking, a restaurant renovated this luxuriously, currently only seeing xiaolongbao for sale, this is a bit abnormal.

After all, even if specializing in one cuisine, it's impossible to really only sell one thing.

Li Ji also specializes in xiaolongbao, don't they also sell stir-fried dishes and congee and such?

"The shop just opened, temporarily only xiaolongbao." Lu Feng nodded and said.

"Temporarily? So that means there'll be new dishes later? How long is temporarily? What new delicacy?"

Li Jiang seized on the keyword, a string of questions thrown out rapid-fire.

"Next week, as for what new dish it's still uncertain for now, depends on mood."

Lu Feng right now also didn't know what new culinary technique next week's mission would have, so he could only vaguely brush it off.

"Tch, keeping secrets even from good brothers?"

Li Jiang was a bit speechless, but seeing Lu Feng didn't want to chat more, he also tactfully stopped asking.

"Boss Lu! Are the buns ready?"

A customer's shout came from the front desk.

"Fengzi, you go be busy! We'll go out for a stroll, when your business hours end we'll come back."

Li Jiang saw Lu Feng was so busy that he didn't feel right delaying him from attending to customers, so he patted his shoulder and said.

"Not staying a while longer?"

"If we stay longer, can you serve us each another portion of soup dumplings?"

"No."

"Then what's the point of sitting? Smelling the fragrance but not being able to eat—let's go, see you later!"

Li Jiang and the others stood up, greeted Lu Feng, and headed out the door.

Once outside, they didn't go far; they turned right directly into the ramen shop next door.

No choice—a single portion of soup dumplings couldn't fill them up, so they had to eat something else to pad their stomachs.

As soon as they entered, the group was stunned.

The ramen shop looked ordinary from the outside, but inside it was packed with people.

The ramen shop boss came over smiling, took their orders, and immediately notified the kitchen to prepare the food without stopping.

Li Jiang looked around at the customers; many looked familiar—they were the customers who had just eaten soup dumplings at Lu Feng's place.

A moment's thought made it clear: these were all people who hadn't eaten enough and came here for an extra meal.

Not long after, the ramen and stir-fried dishes they ordered were served.

Although the taste was mediocre, at least it could fill their stomachs.

"Jiangzi, your brother's shop is really strange."

"Exactly, business hours so late, and what's with the limited purchase? The new dish is so mysterious, and it depends on his mood?"

"If this were any other shop, I definitely wouldn't come."

Jiang Chao and the others slurped noodles in big mouthfuls while complaining to Li Jiang.

"Forget those for now, just tell me—are the soup dumplings delicious or not?" Li Jiang shook his head, looking indifferent.

"Need you ask? One word: amazing!" The group answered in unison.

"Then that's settled. Let me tell you, those with real skill all have their own rules."

After all, Li Jiang was well-informed and experienced.

He had met several highly skilled chefs; no matter how late the dishes were served, customers couldn't rush them, and if they did, the chefs would get angry.

This showed that they had high standards for their skill and were confident, which ordinary people found hard to understand.

Lu Feng's way of doing business was unique, but his skill was good—that was his confidence.

The group ate and chatted, and soon the ramen and stir-fried dishes were completely finished, after which they left the ramen shop feeling satisfied.

Li Jiang looked around the Food Street and discovered that tonight it wasn't just the ramen shop they had visited.

Other restaurants near Lu Feng's shop, and even the roadside snack stalls nearby, were doing booming business tonight.

Those who hadn't eaten dinner—a single portion of soup dumplings couldn't fill them up, so shouldn't they eat something else to fill their stomachs?

Those who had queued for a long time, smelling the fragrance drifting from Lu Feng's shop, drooled with hunger, so shouldn't they eat some snacks first to ease it?

His brother is awesome—not only is his own business doing well, but he's also brought business to the surrounding small shops.

"Brother Jiang, I feel this shop might become popular in the future!"

Jiang Chao beside him, looking at the lively scene on Food Street, couldn't help but say a word of admiration.