"Wow! These buns are so fragrant! Auntie, your cooking skills are amazing!"
In the famous Knowledge Pavilion at Finance University, Shen Jiayue sat on a stone stool, devouring the pork grease bun that Lin Xu had brought without any regard for her image.
For something like pork grease, a caloric bomb, she had always steered clear of it in the past. But today, for some reason, when she saw the photo Lin Xu had taken, she couldn't help but want to taste it. She always felt that food related to Lin Xu was supremely delicious. And indeed, it was so.
One bite of this bun would make anyone unable to stop. The steam-softened pork grease, the oil-soaked rice noodles, and the dried beans that seemed to have been soaked in grease were all utterly addictive.
"Don't just eat the bun, have some soup to smooth it down."
Lin Xu opened another disposable takeout box on the stone table, which contained an egg soup that Chen Meijuan had specially packed for Shen Jiayue.
"What kind of soup is this? It's incredibly savory!"
Shen Jiayue was eating a bun when she was suddenly captivated by the savory taste of the soup. It wasn't just her; even students passing nearby couldn't help but glance over.
"This is egg soup my mom made with chicken broth. She added seaweed and shrimp skins, and thickened it slightly with some starch. It's an old-fashioned egg soup often enjoyed in our hometown. Try it."
By now, the soup was no longer scalding. Shen Jiayue picked it up and gulped down two big mouthfuls. Then she let out a sigh of satisfaction, "Wow! This soup is so fresh it could knock off your eyebrows! Auntie really makes everything delicious. No wonder your cooking skills are so high; it must be in the genes."
After taking two more sips, she turned to Lin Xu and said, "This soup is just too delicious. Why not sell it in the shop too? Such a savory soup, what am I going to do if I can't drink it once Auntie is gone?"
Sell egg soup in the shop? Is that necessary?
Just as Lin Xu was about to say that he hadn't planned on offering chicken soup any time soon, a notification from the system echoed in his mind, "Host has taken note of your close friend's sincere advice, triggering a reward mission 'Soup Update': Please introduce a new soup in your store within one week. Upon completion, a Cooking Learning Card will be awarded at Excellent Level."
(Cooking Learning Card: Allows the host to learn any chef's cooking technique at Excellent Level or above, automatically becomes Excellent Level once acquired)
After listening, Lin Xu was dumbfounded. Whose side are you on, anyway? Why issue such a mission immediately just because Shen Jiayue wants soup? If that's the case, then when he got back, he might as well learn it from his mom. Once he had mastered this egg soup, how could his sales not increase by a few thousand yuan?
Thinking this, he said to Shen Jiayue, "Once I get back, I'll practice with my mom and figure out a commercial version of this soup. If it's feasible, we'll add it to the shop's menu in the next few days, so you can drink it anytime you want."
Shen Jiayue's eyebrows lifted in delight instantly. She was dying to hug Lin Xu and give him a kiss.
Today was the graduation ceremony. Many graduates had changed into their academic gowns early and were taking photos everywhere. They had lived and studied here for four years. Every nook and cranny of the campus held memories. And the Knowledge Pavilion, located at the center of the campus, was a focal point for group photos for the graduates. But now, as a batch of graduates in academic gowns, carrying DSLR cameras, eagerly ran to take group photos, they were captured by a delicious savory aroma.
"What's this amazing smell?"
"It smells like chicken soup, but does the school make chicken soup this savory?"
"Forget the school. Even the nearby takeout places don't have anything that smells this good. If they did, it would be famous by now."
The group, speaking among themselves, approached the pavilion, only then did they discover the source of the smell. It was coming from the lunch boxes of two people who were eating breakfast in the middle.
"Hey dude, this... Holy shit, Lin Xu? Aren't you supposed to be running a restaurant? When did you get here? Why didn't you give us a heads up in the group?"
"Who is this... Yo, isn't this Shen Jiayue?"
"What's going on with you two...?"
They were classmates from the same cohort. They had heard of each other's names, to some extent. Especially outstanding students like Lin Xu and Shen Jiayue, who were like fireflies in the dark, exceptionally eye-catching. Seeing this man and woman sitting here having breakfast, an expression of gossip spontaneously appeared on everyone's face.
Shen Jiayue took a bite of the bun and, smiling, said to them, "I was in a hurry this morning and skipped breakfast. Lin Xu's mom made me some buns and egg soup. I hope I didn't disturb everyone's photo shoot, did I?"
Who cared about photos at this moment? Everyone just wanted to sit back and enjoy the show. Lin Xu's mom made Shen Jiayue breakfast? This relationship... They had just left school a few days ago after their defense, and things had already progressed to this extent? Good heavens! This was the unanimously recognized aerobics goddess of the school. Back in school, she was indifferent to everyone. Who would have thought she'd end up with Lin Xu? Wasn't Lin Xu the guy who couldn't find a job and opened a small diner? How did he attract a goddess? Everyone's eyes were blazing with the flames of gossip. They really wanted to know the details.
But by then, Shen Jiayue had already finished eating her bun and drinking her soup, dabbing her mouth with a napkin Lin Xu handed her. Meanwhile, Lin Xu was chatting with classmates while clearing up the meal boxes on the stone table. After tidying up, he threw the meal boxes and the napkin Shen Jiayue used to wipe her mouth into a nearby trash can. Then he stood up and walked away with Shen Jiayue, making room for these classmates who wanted to take photos.
"Damn, I knew I shouldn't have come to the Knowledge Pavilion."
"Right, we came here happily to take photos, only to get a mouthful of dog food."
"But... they really do make a great match."
"Indeed, Lin Xu's looks and height, he totally deserves Shen Goddess."
"Sob, sob, sob, the goddess would rather choose a chef than choose me..."
"Is it still possible to learn culinary skills at New Oriental now?"
"..."
Arriving at their class location, they both picked up their graduation gowns and caps. After dressing up, Sun Minghao and his friends just returned from taking photos at the school gate.
"Fuck, Chef Lin is here, hey!"
"Lin Xu, Lin Xu, can you make more noodles at your place?"
"Right, I went there twice and they were sold out. We're all classmates. I'm not asking for a discount, but at least let us have a chance to eat, right?"
"Noodles are one thing, but Chicken Feet are even harder to get. My colleague and I went there three times and never managed to buy any."
"I did better than you. I went three times and managed to eat once. The taste was really good. My boss has become a fan of Lin Ji's Food, constantly posting in the related threads."
The crowd surrounded Lin Xu, talking about the difficulties of dining at Lin Ji.
Lin Xu helplessly said to everyone, "Try to come early. Everything is mostly available before one in the afternoon and before half-past seven in the evening. I can't guarantee any later than that."
While he was talking, Shen Jiayue took a photo of Lin Xu with her phone and posted it under the topic of Lin Ji's Food, "Lin the boss looks handsome in his graduation gown. We'll be operating as usual this afternoon, so no need to rush."
Right after she posted, a series of replies appeared:
Genius Girl Loves Food: Okay, boss lady!
Panda Brother: Okay, boss lady!
Struggling to Save for Hair Transplants: Okay, boss lady!
Lin Ji Boy Yue Liyue: Okay, boss lady!
...