Chapter 59

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Protagonist:

Lu Feng

Lu Feng placed the beef on the chopping board, took out a knife, and began slicing.

While cutting the beef, Lu Feng decided that after business ended today, he would definitely buy a large piece of beef and make a super-sized portion of beef fried noodles as his lunch at noon.

This beef isn't cheap in the System Mall; with Lu Feng's previous salary level, he might not have been willing to eat it even once in a lifetime.

But now the seven-figure sum in his bank card gave him enough confidence — he can afford it now.

As a chef, one absolutely cannot shortchange one's own stomach.

Soon, a large piece of beef was sliced into thin slices, looking almost identical in size at a glance.

Lu Feng took a large bowl, put the sliced beef inside, added light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, cooking wine, and other seasonings, stirred them evenly with chopsticks, then covered it with cling film and placed it into the refrigerator to marinate under refrigeration.

Then came the familiar steps of mixing filling, kneading dough, and wrapping xiaolongbao.

Once everything was ready, it just so happened that business hours had arrived.

Lu Feng walked to the hall and opened the gate; diners had already lined up in a long queue, faces full of excitement.

He glanced toward the back of the queue — Food Street had no streetlights, only the lights from store entrances still open for business.

Under the lights, diners were packed in a line; those further back were queuing on the dark street, seemingly stretching very far.

As expected, just as Lu Feng predicted, the number of diners coming to eat today had increased again.

He walked back to the store entrance and shouted to the queuing diners: "Today, fried noodles are limited to one portion per person. There are two flavors available: egg fried noodles and beef fried noodles. But everyone rest assured — the portion size is generous; one portion is enough to fill you up."

Diners who had bought xiaolongbao last week were not surprised to hear today's limited-purchase news.

Seeing so many people queuing today, they had already mentally prepared themselves and started considering which flavor of fried noodles to eat today.

"Boss, why are fried noodles limited purchase now?"

"Exactly. Even if one portion fills you up, with fried noodles this delicious, eating two or three portions is what makes it satisfying!"

"How come it's limited? I still need to buy takeaway for my several good buddies after I finish mine!"

"You're new customers, right? Limited purchase today is normal — don't you see this many people? If it weren't limited, the people at the back might not get any at all."

"Right. With this many people, there has to be a limit. Being able to eat at all is good enough. Last week Boss Lu also limited xiaolongbao; I queued for a whole week before I got to eat once."

"At least you got to eat. I didn't get any even once last week, and I still don't know what xiaolongbao tastes like in my mouth!"

The diners attracted this week were mostly people from nearby internet cafes who stay up all night online.

Hearing that fried noodles had started limited purchase, each one expressed confusion.

But before Lu Feng could say anything, the regular diners in the queue stepped forward one after another to explain for him.

Those diners who wanted to buy takeaway for their good buddies immediately pulled out their mobile phones and hurriedly called their friends still sitting in the internet cafes waiting to eat fried noodles, telling them to come queue.

"Hello? Liangzi! Stop the fuck playing games! Hurry over and queue — today each person can only buy one portion of fried noodles!"

"Dachuan! You hurry and call the others to come to Food Street fast! Any later and we won't get to eat tonight!"

"What? Buy one portion and share it? Are you kidding? One portion isn't even enough for me alone!"

"Boss said today fried noodles are limited to one portion... What? Let me give you my portion? Keep dreaming — in dreams you have everything!"

Listening to the wave after wave of calls in the queue, Lu Feng estimated another surge of customer flow would follow.

At exactly 3 AM, today's business officially began.

Ma Wenliang, near the front of the queue, wore a troubled expression.

Yesterday when he came here to eat, fried noodles weren't limited, and he was quite happy — he ate one portion himself and bought another as takeaway for Manager Wang; it was simply perfect.

He originally thought that with Lu Feng opening at 3 AM this week, there wouldn't be too many customers, and the unlimited fried noodles could be eaten for a whole week.

He didn't expect that upon arriving at Food Street today, seeing so many people queuing at the entrance, he had an ominous premonition.

Sure enough, Lu Feng's words just now turned that premonition into reality.

What to do now?

If he eats fried noodles himself today, he can't buy takeaway for Manager Wang.

For that supervisor position, he had originally slapped his chest and guaranteed he would definitely complete the task Manager Wang assigned.

If tomorrow Manager Wang arrives at the company and discovers there's no takeaway for him, how will he explain it then?

Say the boss limited purchase to one portion per person, and he ate his own portion so couldn't bring one for him?

That absolutely won't work!

If Manager Wang gets unhappy and gives the supervisor position to someone else, what then?

Or could he tell Manager Wang that he went too late yesterday and by the time he queued up it was sold out?

That won't work either.

There are several programmers in the company with more seniority than him, yet Manager Wang was still willing to promote him to supervisor, showing he values him highly and trusts him.

Facing someone who trusts him like this, he really doesn't want to fob him off with lies.

Ma Wenliang was caught in a dilemma — delicious fried noodles and his future prospects; of course he wants the future.

But the delicious fried noodles he equally hates to give up.

Is there any way to have the best of both worlds?

Ma Wenliang was at a loss, when he suddenly thought of an idea.

He patted the person standing in front of him and said sincerely: "Bro, can you do me a favor?"

The guy in front turned around, looking at Ma Wenliang in puzzlement: "What favor?"

"It's like this." Ma Wenliang smiled embarrassedly: "I want to buy two portions of Fried Noodles, can you let me have yours in a bit?"

"Let you have it? What a joke! Why should I!" That male student's face immediately showed displeasure upon hearing this: "I came at two o'clock, queued for half a day, bought it back just to let you have it?"

"I'll give you money!" Ma Wenliang hurriedly took out his Mobile Phone, his tone carrying a few parts pleading: "These Fried Noodles are very important to me, is one hundred yuan okay?"

"No!" That male student didn't even think before shaking his head and refusing, turning his body away crisply and ignoring him further.

Ma Wenliang spoke persuasive words for half a day, seeing that male student with an appearance of perfunctory indifference, he cast his gaze toward the male student behind him.

"Don't look at me, no way!" Before he could speak, the male student behind spoke up first.

Obviously this male student had heard the words he had just spoken.

Ma Wenliang sighed helplessly, looking at the appearance it seemed this week he wouldn't get to eat Lu Boss's Fried Noodles.

He could also understand those two male students' attitudes.

If someone wanted to buy Fried Noodles from his hand, Ma Wenliang estimated he would refuse even more crisply than those two.

Because no matter whether it's xiaolongbao or Fried Noodles, they're really too Delicious!

As long as one has tasted the delicious food Lu Boss makes, that's truly a Lifetime wanting to forget but unable to forget, ate and still want to eat.

Wanting to let someone buy Fried Noodles from another's hand, unless... that person has Never Tasted Lu Boss's Culinary Skill.

But it's already this late, where to go find such a person?

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck Ma Wenliang's mind!

Got it!

He took out his Mobile Phone, began rapidly flipping through his Contact List.