txolops Chapter 71 A Triumphant Return
Chapter 71 A Triumphant Return
7:30 p.m.
Friday saw peak foot traffic at the Yintai Plaza.
After a busy week, office workers finally unloaded their work burdens, and the lines in front of the stalls were longer than usual.
"Click".
Lin Chen pressed the knob with his left hand to turn off the gas stove valve.
He put the last two portions of fried rice into a takeout box and pushed it to the side of the table.
Wang Hai took a large stainless steel rice spoon and swung it back and forth between the two insulated containers, making a crisp clinking sound.
"Not a trace left, it's cleaner than a face."
Wang Hai looked at the empty bottom of the bucket, then turned to look at the soup bucket next to him, which was also empty.
He straightened up, clasped his hands together, and shouted loudly to the more than twenty people still queuing in front of the stall.
"Dear customers, I am so sorry!"
"All 150 servings of fried rice and the free clear soup for today are sold out!"
These words immediately caused an uproar among the previously quiet crowd.
"Huh? No way, boss! It's only 7:20!"
A young man third in line immediately wailed, "I made sure not to work overtime at the company today, and rushed down to queue up right on time. How come it's all gone so quickly!"
"Yeah! They usually sell until almost eight o'clock, don't they?"
A female office worker in business attire behind her looked regretful. "I even brought colleagues from two other departments to try it out today. Boss, it's all gone now. Where do I put my face?"
Wang Hai smiled broadly and bowed repeatedly, saying, "I'm so sorry everyone!"
It's Friday today, and many customers are packing five or six portions to take home. They're going through the food too quickly!
We prepared the materials according to the prescribed quantity; there wasn't a single bit of excess.
"Boss, is there any clear soup left?"
"I won't drink it for free, can I buy a bowl?"
Someone in the crowd asked, unwilling to give up.
Wang Hai tilted the stainless steel soup pot slightly and said with a wry smile, "It's really gone. I've scraped the bottom of the pot dry."
The female customer at the front of the line mentioned the two portions of fried rice she had just packed, and patted her chest with relief.
"Thank goodness, I managed to get the last two servings, otherwise my late-night snack would have been ruined."
The female customer said with a smile.
Tangtang sat on a small stool, holding two disposable spoons in her little hands, and obediently handed them over.
"Pretty auntie, here's a spoon for you."
Tangtang's voice is soft and sweet.
"Thank you, Tangtang!"
The female customer happily accepted the spoon. "Have a great weekend, Tangtang! Auntie will come see you again tomorrow!"
Goodbye, Auntie!
Tangtang waved her little hand.
Those customers who didn't manage to buy anything sighed. Although they were disappointed, they knew that this was the rule of roadside stalls: once they sold out, they would pack up and leave in twos and threes.
About ten meters away from the stall, behind a thick street lamp post.
Watanabe, dressed in casual clothes, stood in the shadows like a stiff stone statue.
He watched as the young stall owner skillfully cooked the last dish of rice.
He looked at the group of multinational executives who looked disappointed because they couldn't buy fried rice.
He watched those who had bought fried rice leave with their plastic bags, as if they had acquired some priceless treasure.
There's no fancy decor here, no soothing background music.
There was only one tricycle stall, one iron pot, and a few stainless steel barrels.
But right here, 150 servings of fried rice were snapped up by this group of normally pickiest diners.
Watanabe's lips trembled slightly.
He originally came here to find flaws and expose the roadside stall's "deceptive" tricks.
But he stood there and watched for a full half hour.
He saw the young man's composure as he cracked an egg with one hand, his ability to control the heat, and the muscle memory he developed when flipping the pan.
That is a pure and ultimate basic cooking skill.
There are no fancy gimmicks, only absolute control over the ingredients and cooking time.
Watanabe lowered his head.
His proud "craftsman spirit" seemed so pale and powerless, even somewhat laughable, compared to that street fried rice he had just eaten.
He lost. He lost completely, without even a single excuse to refute it.
On the edge of this bustling square, no one noticed the distraught chef from the cherry blossom country.
Watanabe turned around, staggered towards the building, and disappeared into the night.
At the stall, Lin Chen took off his faded apron, picked up a clean rag, and began wiping the water stains from the edge of the iron pot and the stainless steel table.
As Wang Hai folded the small table, he took out his old phone and opened WeChat.
"My goodness..."
Wang Hai stared at his phone screen, his eyes widening suddenly. He immediately took the phone and moved closer to Lin Chen.
"Brother Chen! Brother Chen, look!"
Wang Hai said excitedly in a low voice, "Our fried rice team's WeChat group has only been created for two days, and the number of members is already approaching two hundred!"
There are now 196!
Lin Chen continued wiping the rag in his hand and asked, "What were they saying in the group chat?"
"Everyone's posting pictures like crazy!"
Wang Hai was overjoyed, his hand rapidly swiping across the screen as he loudly read out the messages in the group chat.
"Look at this one, it was posted by Brother Liu from the planning department."
Wang Hai pointed to a photo of an empty lunchbox and said, "Brother Liu said that Friday's happiness comes from Boss Lin's fried rice."
Not a single grain of rice was left; I even scraped the bottom of the bowl clean!
"And this one, posted by Li Na."
Wang Hai flipped to the next picture, which was an empty plastic soup bowl. "After drinking this free clear soup, all the lingering smells from the week's work disappeared, and I felt completely refreshed."
I suggest Mr. Lin sell the soup separately; I'll buy it every day!
Wang Hai grinned as he scrolled through the chat history: "Brother Chen, there are still a lot of people in the group who didn't get a turn today and are wailing about it."
Everyone's asking us what time we'll set up our stall tomorrow, and whether we'll increase the quantity.
These office workers are insane! It's the weekend, and instead of going to any of the fancy restaurants around here, they're all eyeing this beat-up tricycle of ours.
Lin Chen put the cleaned iron pot back in its original place and wrung out the rag, draping it aside.
"Pack your things, get ready to go home."
Lin Chen spoke up.
"Okay!" Wang Hai put his phone back in his pocket and started moving the empty thermos.
Lin Chen nodded.
"Daddy..."
A soft, sweet voice called out from the side.
Lin Chen turned his head and saw Tangtang sitting on a small stool, her little head bobbing up and down like a chick pecking at rice.
The little girl shared her lunchbox at kindergarten at noon today, and then obediently handed out spoons at the stall for more than two hours in the afternoon. Now she can no longer resist the drowsiness, and her big eyes are almost closed.
Lin Chen put down the rag in his hand, strode over, bent down, put his hands under his daughter's armpits, and gently picked her up.
"Tired?"
Lin Chen's voice softened instantly.
"Um……"
Tangtang instinctively stretched out her two little hands and hugged Lin Chen's neck tightly.
She buried her face in Lin Chen's broad shoulder and mumbled indistinctly, "Daddy, I want to sleep..."
"Okay, Daddy will take you home to sleep."
Lin Chen steadily supported his daughter with one hand and picked up the small stool with the other, walking to the tricycle.
He climbed into the passenger seat, adjusted himself into a comfortable position, and let Tangtang rest peacefully in his arms.
"Brother Chen, the buckets are all packed and tied up tightly!"
The folding tables and chairs are all set up!
Wang Hai checked the thick rope at the back of the car, and after confirming that there was no problem, he climbed into the driver's seat and turned the key.
"Drive more steadily."
Lin Chen gave a brief instruction, then reached for a thin jacket draped over his shoulder and gently covered Tangtang with it.
"Don't worry! It will be stable!"
Wang Hai gripped the handlebars with both hands.
The tricycle started smoothly and slowly drove away from the gradually quieting Yintai Building Plaza.
The early summer evening breeze blew along the street, carrying a touch of coolness.
Tangtang nestled in Lin Chen's arms, her breathing becoming even and deep; she had fallen into a deep sleep.
The little girl's lips curled up slightly, as if she were having a sweet dream.
Wang Hai drove his tricycle through the city's neon lights, heading towards the urban village.
A busy and hectic day came to a close with the steady clatter of wheels.