Chapter 320

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Protagonist:

Lu Feng

Hearing Zhu Chang say this, he thought of how to eat this hot pot base without any side dishes, and the surrounding diners all became interested.

Even Hu Xiaoyun behind the counter couldn't help but become curious.

At this moment, Lu Feng in the kitchen had already started simmering the Spicy Hot Pot base.

By now, the diners outside had all smelled the spicy fragrance wafting in the air.

This smell, indeed, was even more enticing than those in hot pot restaurants.

However, this hot pot only had the soup base and no side dishes; aside from those few diners who planned to pack it and take it home, the others really didn't have Zhu Chang's courage to try it.

Right now, Zhu Chang actually said he had discovered a way to eat the hot pot soup base, which instantly made those diners whose gluttony had been hooked by the hot pot aroma look forward to it.

Seeing everyone's appetites were sufficiently whetted, Zhu Chang then prepared to reveal his new discovery.

He walked slowly to the counter and said to the curious-looking Hu Xiaoyun: "Xiao Yun, rice can be ordered separately, right? Can you add a portion of Rose Fragrant Dew Rice for me?"

After speaking, he smugly scanned a glance at the diners queuing behind him.

His gaze suddenly landed on Grandpa Qin and his group not far away, and he suddenly felt a bit apprehensive.

He knew these old grandpas; usually what they couldn't stand most was people cutting in line at Lu Feng's shop.

The smugness on Zhu Chang's face vanished instantly, and he asked nervously: "Does this... count as cutting in line?"

Grandpa Qin and the others, upon hearing Zhu Chang added another portion of Fragrant Dew Rice, all revealed looks of sudden realization.

"You little fatty, your brain is quite nimble."

Grandpa Qin looked at Zhu Chang with a chuckle, then waved his hand: "This time won't count as you cutting in line; don't make a habit of it."

Liu Zhen Guo sidled up behind him with a wicked grin, patted Grandpa Qin's shoulder: "Old Qin, I know what you're planning. Later when you order the Spicy Hot Pot, you have to share some soup base with me. You know me, my mouth is the strictest; I absolutely won't tell Xiao Yu that you ate Spicy Hot Pot!"

Zhao Jian Hua and Xu Shao Ying beside him had the exact same expression.

Grandpa Qin swept a disdainful look across their three faces and sighed helplessly: "Fine fine fine, I'll share some with all of you later! Look at your greedy faces; had I known, I wouldn't have called you guys out today!"

Liu Zhen Guo and the other two revealed satisfied smiles.

After getting Grandpa Qin's permission, Zhu Chang finally breathed a sigh of relief, then looked at Hu Xiaoyun behind the counter.

"I understand, Brother Zhu, you want to use the hot pot soup to soak the rice and eat it, right?"

Hu Xiaoyun reacted instantly, placing the order on the computer while asking with a smile.

"That's right, it's soup-soaked rice, using Boss Lu's soup base paired with rice; the taste will definitely be delicious!"

Zhu Chang's face showed a smug expression again, and he said with certainty.

"Those words aren't wrong at all. Hard to say how others' soup-soaked rice tastes, but Boss Lu's — the taste definitely won't be bad."

Ma Wenliang and his colleague beside him nodded in agreement.

Their hearts also began to harbor strong curiosity about the taste of this Spicy Hot Pot.

It's just a pity they had already ordered soup noodles; wanting to switch now was already too late.

Ma Wenliang's gaze swept toward the queuing diners and suddenly spotted a familiar figure in the line.

It was another colleague from their company, Lv Bin; previously when Ma Wenliang packed xiaolongbao to go, he had even shared one with him.

Ma Wenliang hurriedly walked quickly over there, his face carrying a hint of anticipation.

"Don't even think about it. This Spicy Hot Pot isn't cheap. At this price, I'd rather get a plate of Red Braised Pork; I haven't even eaten that last week!"

Looking at Ma Wenliang walking over, Lv Bin didn't wait for him to speak; with one glance he saw through his inner thoughts and flatly refused.

He was different from Ma Wenliang; his probation period hadn't ended yet, and his salary was a large chunk less than Ma Wenliang's.

That bit of salary of his was only enough for him to eat at Lu Feng's shop once or twice a week.

Between meat and soup, he still chose to eat meat.

The hot pot soup — wait until later when Boss Lu's place has side dishes, then we'll talk.

"Alright."

Lv Bin's refusal was within Ma Wenliang's expectations; he could only give up with a helpless face.

But he had already secretly decided in his heart that tomorrow he must taste the hot pot soaked rice flavor.

Before long, Hu Xiaoyun carefully carried a tray out from the kitchen.

On the tray sat a small hot pot and a bowl of Fragrant Dew Rice.

"Brother Zhu, your Spicy Hot Pot and Fragrant Dew Rice are ready!"

Hu Xiaoyun placed the tray on the counter and added a worried reminder: "This hot pot is still very hot; be careful when you carry it."

"Thanks, Xiao Yun!"

Zhu Chang nodded excitedly, his voice full of anticipation.

He hurriedly picked up the tray and impatiently found a seat in the hall to sit down.

Placing the tray on the table, he didn't rush to eat; he leaned over to carefully examine the hot pot before him.

The size of this hot pot was about the same as those individual hot pots in revolving hot pot restaurants; it looked small and exquisite.

Under the hot pot was a small ceramic basin, padded with a few pieces of burning solid alcohol; pale blue flames were still burning.

The pot on top wasn't the common stainless steel pot either, but a casserole with very good heat retention.

Looking again at the red soup in the pot, it was still bubbling and rolling up and down, with a layer of red oil floating on the surface.

As the soup base in the pot kept boiling, heat steamed out, carrying the hot pot's spicy fragrance rushing into the nasal cavity.

"Hey! This hot pot's appearance looks really not bad!"

Zhu Chang couldn't help but exclaim in admiration, leaning his nose closer to sniff.

A rich fragrance instantly rushed into his face.

First came the mellow aroma of beef tallow as the base, followed by the pungent fragrance of chili peppers, with the flavors of various spices intermingled in between.

Although this smell seemed very spicy, it wasn't the least bit harsh on the nose; instead, smelling it whetted the appetite.

Zhu Chang sniffed hard a few times, the fragrance hooking him into drooling uncontrollably.

His eyes instantly lit up, extremely satisfied with the aroma of this hot pot base.

"Lu Boss, do you have a slotted spoon? I don't want to eat the Sichuan peppercorns inside the pot base later."

Zhu Chang swallowed his saliva, shouting loudly facing the Kitchen.

You have to know, what Lu Feng made was Spicy Hot Pot.

The Sichuan peppercorns hidden inside could be considered food assassins.

Zhu Chang liked Spicy Hot Pot, but that didn't mean he could accept the taste of Sichuan peppercorns.

Once he ate and bit into a Sichuan peppercorn, that taste was indescribably uncomfortable.

Swallowing it wasn't right, spitting it out was stingy.

Lu Feng's voice soon came from the Kitchen: "The spices in the hot pot have already been fished out, you can eat directly with a spoon."

Hearing this, Zhu Chang looked carefully again at the red soup rolling in the pot.

Sure enough, not a trace of spice residue could be seen in this pot base, only the red pot base.