Cooking System: Street Food Rules

This time, while setting up his stall, Jiang Feng encountered quite a few acquaintances. There were people from Eastern Shandong and Chengdu.

The person before him was Guo Li, the reporter who had interviewed him before in Chengdu.

Guo Li was a very astute and capable person. She had previously worked in the urban news section, looking for local hot news stories. Later on, feeling there was no future in it, she moved to Pudong to join a large news company and cover news stories nationwide.

Jiang Feng had a good memory, so he recognized her immediately.

Guo Li greeted him, saying,

"Boss Jiang, long time no see."

Jiang Feng nodded and replied,

"Yeah, I didn't expect to meet you here."

"I remember you said you were going to other places to cover news. How has that been going?"

Guo Li looked very happy, full of energy and ambition. She said,

"It's going well. I found a new company, and the stories I cover are bigger."

"I'm here this time for you, naturally."

"Your stall is getting national attention now."

Jiang Feng had anticipated this.

Since starting the stall, quite a few reporters had shown up. After all, this event was a hot topic, and every news station wanted to post about it online as soon as possible.

In the lifestyle news sector, Jiang Feng was an absolute top draw.

"Sometimes, even I'm surprised by how inexplicably popular it's become," Jiang Feng offered a polite remark.

"Nowadays, everyone likes these things related to daily life; it's easier for people to relate to them."

"Your sudden popularity makes sense," Guo Li added.

Jiang Feng didn't continue on that subject but instead asked,

"Have you finished getting all your footage?"

Guo Li nodded, saying, "Finished yesterday. I've already sent everything to the company. Timeliness is crucial in our line of work."

"I'm also done with my tasks and rarely get a day off, so I came here to have a meal."

"Come to think of it, both of my big stories have been about you. You're practically my main subject."

Jiang Feng just smiled.

The Wuma Crispy Fried Crab was ready. Jiang Feng passed it to Guo Li, who waved her hand and went to the side to start eating.

Jiang Feng saw many people, many things.

Guo Li was very career-driven. She wanted to build something for herself and was suited to venturing out and making her own way. Some people just preferred stability and security.

Jiang Feng continued frying crabs in the pan.

The queue was getting longer and longer.

At this moment, in Wenzhou city, purchasing managers from many restaurants were contacting seafood merchants everywhere, attempting to buy crabs.

"Hey, however many crabs you have, I'll take them all."

"What? The price went up? By how much?"

"Increased by twenty percent? Okay, bring them all to me!"

Getting crabs now meant spending a lot of money.

As the price of crabs went up, naturally, the prices of all sorts of crab-related delicacies would rise as well. This kind of price increase was temporary; once Jiang Feng left, the price of crabs would stabilize again. After all, Wenzhou people loved river crabs, and there were a great many farmers, so the market would continuously fluctuate.

The locals were delighted. They started following Jiang Feng's culinary style; whatever he made, they would go eat, or they'd try cooking it themselves at home. After all, the recipes were not complicated.

In the line, Liu Lili was queuing up with her parents.

Liu Lili, a university student in Hangzhou, had tried Jiang Feng's roast duck before and was deeply impressed by his skills. She heard Jiang Feng was setting up a stall in her hometown of Wenzhou, and the official Bureau of Culture and Tourism was even heavily promoting it. So, she made a special trip back for the weekend to see for herself.

Wuma Street, usually quiet, was now incredibly bustling. People were coming and going. Many livestreamers were broadcasting. Some watched near Jiang Feng's stall for a bit before heading off to shop in the surrounding stores. The streets here were indeed worth a stroll.

Liu Lili's parents, who were middle-aged, stood in line and found the scene quite novel.

"We can fry crabs at home. Why do we have to go out for it?"

"I could cook them for you!" Liu Lili's mother couldn't help but whisper reproachfully.

Sometimes, taking elders out could be a bit of a downer. In their eyes, one could make do with anything, no expense seemed worthwhile, and they didn't understand what young people were thinking. It couldn't be helped; those who had lived through tough times tended to be frugal with everything.

Liu Lili responded,

"Mom, just try the crabs someone else made! This chef is incredibly skilled. Look how many people are in line—do you think they're all fools?"

Liu Lili's father was relatively open-minded and comforted her, saying,

"Since we're already here, let's just wait. Our daughter rarely comes home. It's so lively here; it'll be nice for us to enjoy a crab meal together."

Hearing this, Liu Lili's mother turned her face away, still not looking too happy.

She thought buying crabs made by others was no different from making them at home. It's just eating fried crabs. Why queue up and spend money when you can just cook it yourself? Some attitudes can't be changed.

Liu Lili, on the other hand, was full of anticipation.

She could be regarded as a fan of Jiang Feng; ever since his roast duck went viral in the university town, Jiang Feng's name had become well-known across the universities in Hangzhou. Many regarded Jiang Feng as their idol.

Moreover, there was a video of Jiang Feng that was very popular at her school, especially among the female students. This video wasn't a cooking tutorial, but a unique clip of him impulsively playing the violin while making steaks. It was just a short clip. In it, he was wearing a chef's apron with his sleeves rolled up, playing the violin. He stood tall and had an excellent demeanor. He had an air about him that appealed to all tastes, both refined and common. Female students particularly loved this video.

What was a perfect boyfriend? Someone who could play the violin, cook delicious food, was good-looking, exceptionally wealthy, and had a great personality too. Who wouldn't love that?

Liu Lili and her family slowly moved forward in the queue. There were mostly youngsters around, as well as quite a few local residents. This scene felt exactly like queuing for a tourist attraction. Jiang Feng himself had become a mobile cultural landmark. Everyone who came wanted to catch a glimpse.

About half an hour later, Liu Lili and her family finally made it to the front of the line.

There was a limit of one portion per person, so Liu Lili ordered three.

Even then, Liu Lili's mother still said, "Just order one portion to try. That's enough."

Her words instantly annoyed Liu Lili. Ugh, it can't be helped, she thought. Chinese parents often seem to be party poopers.

Liu Lili didn't listen to her and insisted on three portions. Seeing this, her mother didn't say anything more. She just thought these were all small matters.

Soon, the family of three found a spot to sit with their plates.

Eager to eat, Liu Lili picked up her chopsticks and began to taste the crab. As the savory juice of the crab meat burst in her mouth, Liu Lili squinted her eyes in satisfaction.

It really is this delicious!

Boss Jiang never disappoints!

Liu Lili's dad also started to taste the crab. After one bite, his eyes widened in surprise.

Delicious! Extremely delicious!

However, with Liu Lili's mother sitting right there—and since she did all the cooking at home—he tactfully avoided overpraising it. He merely said,

"It tastes pretty good, almost like what your mom makes."

A married man's survival instinct is strong.

When Liu Lili's mother tasted a piece of the crab, her appetite was instantly whetted. She found Jiang Feng's crab to be fresh and delicious; even the oil was fragrant. Moreover, the flavor of the crab meat was more complex, and the texture was much better. It was noticeably different from the crabs she usually ate.

A true master chef, indeed! Naturally, his culinary skills couldn't be compared to ordinary home cooking.

Realizing how delicious the crab was, Liu Lili's mother stopped making discouraging remarks. Instead, she offered a rare compliment,

"It's quite tasty. That young boss is very skilled."

Hearing this, Liu Lili smiled subtly, as if she had expected it.

Jiang Feng's popularity was built on his superb culinary skills. Besides, everything he made was delicious.

He's an all-rounder!

Liu Lili boasted,

"Of course! He's a master of both Shandong and Sichuan Cuisine, and his cooking videos are all certified."

"Every time he sets up his stall, it's open to the public. Anyone can come buy, anyone can taste."

"Of course, it's delicious."

The family kept eating the crab. By the time they had finished all the crab on their plates, they somehow felt even hungrier.

It couldn't be helped; crab isn't very filling. And since each person only got a little more than one crab, it was hard to feel full. It was just enough for a taste.

"Can we get seconds? I want another portion," Liu Lili's father asked.

"No, it's limited to one portion per person because so many people come. They have to make sure more people get a chance," Liu Lili, who had already found this out, responded.

Hearing this, Liu Lili's dad looked disappointed.

This crab is truly delicious, absolutely addictive! So fresh and savory. One wouldn't forget it for a long time after eating it. And after eating it, any other crab would seem lacking.

Once you've tasted the best, mere waters seem tasteless; no other clouds can compare after you've seen Wushan. Once you've experienced the best, you always want to try it again. This could be considered a side effect of Jiang Feng's gourmet food. However, having eaten only one, the impact wasn't too significant. It would simply remain an unforgettable taste.

So delicious!

Liu Lili felt utterly content. She quickly took pictures, checked in to commemorate the moment, and posted the photos on her social media feed. Her post instantly received many likes and comments.

"You actually got to eat crab made by Boss Jiang! I'm officially so envious!"

"Missing Boss Jiang's food!"

"I heard he's causing a huge stir with his stall in Wenzhou!"

"Envious +1"

Seeing the comments on her feed, Liu Lili's vanity was greatly satisfied. For her, such a result made the half-hour queue entirely worth it. It was more than worth it!