Chapter 85

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Protagonist:

Lu Feng

Hearing the uncle's words, Zhang Xianyang felt somewhat caught between laughter and tears.

However, this scalper uncle had already fulfilled his promise and could be considered trustworthy; Zhang Xianyang's impression of him improved slightly as well.

Moreover, seeing the uncle's pitiful expression at this moment, he couldn't bring himself to drive the man away.

"Suit yourself."

Zhang Xianyang said casually, then looked at the Crab Roe Fried Noodles before him.

The fried noodles in the white porcelain plate were steaming with waves of heat, carrying a rich, savory aroma that rushed toward his face.

The fried noodles were evenly coated with a layer of crab oil glowing with a reddish luster; the gaps between the noodles were piled full of golden crab roe and snowy white crab meat, garnished with a few emerald-green Nine-story Pagoda tender leaves, looking simply like a work of art.

The intense savory fragrance traveled along his nasal cavity straight to the crown of his head; just smelling this aroma made the saliva in his mouth flood wildly.

Zhang Xianyang grabbed his chopsticks, not caring that the noodles had just come out of the wok and were still somewhat hot, and quickly picked up a clump of fried noodles wrapped in crab roe and crab meat.

He blew hard a few times at the still-steaming noodles, waited until the temperature dropped a little, then impatiently sent the noodles into his mouth and slurped fiercely.

The next second, Zhang Xianyang's eyes suddenly lit up, as if the world before him had shrunk to only this plate of Crab Roe Fried Noodles.

Springy, smooth noodles; rich, delicate crab roe; fresh, tender, delicious crab meat — they erupted in his lips and teeth with a flavor beyond words.

The rich, savory texture reverberated continuously in Zhang Xianyang's mouth, deeply stimulating every taste bud on his tongue.

Zhang Xianyang's mouth was stuffed full of noodles and crab meat, his cheeks bulging high; chewing, he mumbled praise: "So delicious! This umami! It's absolutely incredible!"

As a mouthful of noodles went down, Zhang Xianyang couldn't help leaning back against the chair, his throat letting out a satisfied sigh that seemed to come from the depths of his soul, his brows and eyes full of enjoyment and contentment.

This flavor was too intoxicating; with this one mouthful of noodles, Zhang Xianyang felt that even if he had to wait even longer, it would still be worth it.

Choosing this Crab Roe Fried Noodles tonight was absolutely an incomparably correct decision.

Before Zhang Xianyang could carefully savor the lingering aftertaste of that mouthful of Crab Roe Fried Noodles, his brain impatiently commanded his right hand to stuff clump after clump of fried noodles into his mouth nonstop.

A large portion of Crab Roe Fried Noodles was eaten clean by Zhang Xianyang in no time at all.

After finishing the fried noodles, he even carefully inspected the empty plate, confirming not a single shred of crab meat had been missed, before stopping with some reluctance.

If not for the scalper uncle sitting beside him watching him eat, Zhang Xianyang would really have wanted to lick the remaining crab oil in the plate clean.

The scalper uncle sitting next to him stared fixedly at every movement Zhang Xianyang made while eating, afraid of missing even a single detail; his nose greedily inhaled the aroma of Crab Roe Fried Noodles in the air, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down nonstop, desperately swallowing the saliva constantly welling up in his mouth.

His mood right now was filled with deep regret; clearly he could have eaten this supreme delicacy tonight too, but because of a moment of greed, he had missed it just like that.

Zhang Xianyang finished the fried noodles, picked up the tissue on the table and wiped his mouth, let out a burp carrying crab fragrance, picked up the takeout box on the table, and walked out of the shop with a heart full of satisfaction.

……

Lu Feng carried five portions of freshly cooked Crab Roe Fried Noodles out of the Kitchen again, and shouted to the queuing diners: "Crab Roe Fried Noodles probably only have the last ten portions left; those behind who didn't get in line can order Crab Roe Xiaolongbao, or order other fried noodles."

The diners exploded into an uproar the moment they heard this news.

The dozen or so diners at the front were all excited, secretly rejoicing that they had come early today, otherwise they wouldn't have gotten to eat this rare Crab Roe Fried Noodles.

But the diners further back couldn't quite accept it.

"No, Boss Lu! I haven't eaten the Crab Roe Fried Noodles yet, how can it be gone?"

"Yeah, Boss, queued for half a day just wanting to eat Crab Roe Fried Noodles, sold way too fast, right?"

"Brothers in front, could you order other fried noodles? Leave a few portions of Crab Roe Fried Noodles for us in the back!"

"Boss, you can't be this heartless! Not opening on weekends is one thing, but at least let me eat a mouthful of Crab Roe Fried Noodles tonight!"

"Boss Lu, don't force me to beg you; believe it or not, I'll cry for you right now?"

Listening to those wailing cries from the diners in the back, Lu Feng also felt quite helpless.

Every portion of his Crab Roe Fried Noodles had a very generous amount of crab roe and crab meat.

The two hundred Hairy Crabs prepared tonight, minus those used for xiaolongbao and the portion he kept for himself, the remainder could only make about thirty portions.

Actually, if he used less crab roe when frying the noodles, he could have made a few more portions of Crab Roe Fried Noodles.

But Lu Feng wasn't willing to do that; no matter whether he sold xiaolongbao or fried noodles, the amount of profit wasn't important to him — he hoped more that every diner who came to the shop could taste the most ultimate deliciousness.

This was also the principle he had always followed since opening the shop.

"Truly sorry, everyone; the quantity of crab roe is limited, only enough to make ten more portions of Crab Roe Fried Noodles."

Lu Feng smiled apologetically at those disappointed diners in the back, finished speaking, and turned back into the Kitchen.

Hearing that Crab Roe Fried Noodles were about to sell out, the diners in the Hall who had been slurping noodles with gusto suddenly felt the fried noodles before them had become exceptionally precious; one by one they slowed their eating speed.

This is rare Crab Roe Fried Noodles after all; one mouthful eaten is one mouthful less; who knows if there'll be a chance to eat it in the future.

Even if the boss continues to make it in future business, judging by tonight's popularity of this Crab Roe Fried Noodles, it will absolutely be extremely sought-after from now on.

……

After Doctor Zhang Xianyang left, the scalper uncle did not leave with him; after hearing what Lu Feng just said, he sat in his seat silently thinking for a long time, then made up his mind, stood up, and walked toward those few diners who had just bought fried noodles.

"Brother, you look so thin; you probably can't finish such a large portion of fried noodles, right?" The scalper uncle grabbed a young man thin as a bamboo pole, asking with a face full of smiles: "How about you share half your fried noodles with me? I'll pay half the price, how about that?"

Just now watching Zhang Xianyang eat with such enjoyment, he could only sit on the side and watch helplessly, drool nearly flowing all over the floor; his stomach was churning violently right now.

The scalper uncle made up his mind: tonight, no matter what, he had to eat this Crab Roe Fried Noodles!

The young man grabbed by the uncle showed an unwilling face: "Who said I can't finish it? This one portion isn't even enough! Uncle, don't set your sights on me; no way!"

Not to mention that fragrant aroma, just looking at the expressions of those diners slurping noodles like crazy tells you how delicious this Crab Roe Fried Noodles is.

Finally managing to catch this one chance today, how could he possibly be willing to share this delicious fried noodles?

The uncle didn't lose heart after being refused, and continued negotiating: "Then how about this — you sell me this portion of Crab Roe Fried Noodles; I'll pay two hundred yuan for it, so you'd still earn a hundred; pretty good deal, right?"

That young man sneered disdainfully, lifted his right foot to reveal the Nike logo on his shoe: "Uncle, do you think I'm short of that one hundred yuan?"

After saying that, he didn't wait for Uncle Scalper to continue speaking, sprayed a few "pei pei pei" mouthfuls into the plate before him, then looked at him with a smile and asked, "Uncle, do you still want it?"

Seeing this, Uncle Scalper could only give up with a helpless face; in a blink he spotted another young man carrying a tray who had just sat down and was preparing to eat, and immediately switched targets.

"Young brother, are you selling this crab roe fried noodles? I'll offer two hundred yuan!" Uncle Scalper plopped down beside that young man, reached out and pressed down on his hand that was just about to pick up chopsticks, and asked with a face full of smiles.