It was a clear and sunny afternoon.
At his roadside food truck, Jiang Feng donned a white apron and bustled about, his hands moving rapidly.
It had been three days since Jiang Feng arrived in a parallel world. His identity here was that of a small food stall owner. Although luck hadn't been on his side, his transmigration cheat had finally kicked in last night.
"Host body detected as normal: God of Cookery System binding in progress..."
"The God of Cookery System requires satisfaction from patrons. The more satisfied they are, the greater the system's rewards."
Hearing this prompt, Jiang Feng was somewhat baffled.
A system? Does this thing really exist?
"Congratulations to the host for receiving the Newcomer Gift Pack: Mastery of Cooking."
"Mastery of Cooking: The host masters cooking skills, achieving master-level standards in ingredient handling and seasoning."
Then, information appeared on the system panel, and Jiang Feng acquired the skills rewarded by the system.
Jiang Feng understood that the God of Cookery System's function was straightforward: it issued missions for him to complete. The system could obtain satisfaction from patrons to maintain its operation, while Jiang Feng could receive rewards from the system. System missions were released once a week, and accepting them was entirely at Jiang Feng's discretion.
Then, as expected, the system's mission arrived:
[Task Initiated: For seven consecutive days, sell 200 servings of rice combo sets each day.]
[Task Reward: 5,000,000]
[Recipe Acquisition: Braised Chicken Legs, Home-Style Stir-fried Pork, Fish-Flavored Shredded Pork, Tomatoes and Scrambled Eggs, Mushrooms with Greens]
Looking at the system's task, Jiang Feng was immediately intrigued.
Sell rice combo sets for seven days and get 5,000,000?
Jiang Feng immediately chose to accept the task.
I'm not interested in money, he thought. I just enjoy selling rice combo sets at my stall.
So, that afternoon, Jiang Feng prepared his food truck, headed to a corner of the park, set up his small stall, and started his vending business.
Due to a recent economic downturn, small stall businesses were allowed, as long as they didn't interfere too much with the city's appearance.
On the food truck, various side dishes were neatly chopped and arranged. The meat had been defrosted and was ready in a basin for use at any moment. The most troublesome part of cooking was preparing the side dishes; proper frying, sautéing, and deep-frying didn't take nearly as much time.
Next to the food truck were three tables and about eight or nine small stools. In front stood a sign that read:
#Freshly Made Rice Combo Sets, Healthy and Tasty#
It was the transition from late summer to early autumn, and the weather was perfect. Many people were exercising in the park. Grandmothers square dancing, grandfathers practicing with iron whips, and young people jogging—all were present.
The spot Jiang Feng chose was strategic. This path led directly to a subway entrance a short distance ahead, and residents taking the subway would also pass by here.
There were quite a few vendors nearby, selling items like savory crepes, grilled sausages, soy milk, and fried dough sticks.
Initially, there weren't many people around, but gradually, the crowd began to grow. Most people were buying savory crepes or eating grilled sausages; few came for rice combo sets in the afternoon.
At that moment, a patron approached, glanced at Jiang Feng's menu, and said, "Give me one meat and one vegetable dish—the chicken leg and tomatoes with scrambled eggs."
Seeing an opportunity for business, Jiang Feng immediately responded, "Right away!"
Jiang Feng then busied himself.
First, he heated oil in a wok and added seven or eight pre-boiled chicken legs to stir-fry. He cooked a larger batch at once, which would be convenient if other patrons ordered the same dish later. His movements were skilled and steady.
Just as the chicken legs started to turn golden brown and the fragrant aroma of rendered fat filled the air, Jiang Feng quickly scooped up aromatics like scallions, ginger, and garlic, and threw them into the wok to stir-fry with the chicken.
Before long, the aroma of stir-fried chicken legs permeated the surroundings.
The smell of soy milk, fried dough sticks, or savory crepes couldn't waft very far. But when Jiang Feng started stir-frying directly in the wok, that aroma really spread. The rich aroma of stir-frying meat quickly diffused through the air.
Jiang Feng added dark soy sauce to give the chicken legs color, then some oyster sauce for flavor. Finally, he poured in boiling water to simmer them, casually tossing in some umami-enhancing seasonings.
After just a short simmer, the braised chicken legs were ready.
While the braised chicken legs simmered in the pot, Jiang Feng started on the tomatoes and scrambled eggs. The tomatoes and scrambled eggs were even simpler to make.
He whisked the eggs until smooth, adding a quarter part water. He then heated oil in the pan, waited a moment for it to get hot, and poured in the egg mixture to begin a slow scramble. They couldn't be cooked for too long; they had to be removed from the heat while a small amount of egg mixture was still liquid. Because of the pan's residual heat, the egg mixture would set completely within a few seconds of being removed. This method produced scrambled eggs that were tender, silky, springy, and delicious.
The tomatoes were blanched, peeled, chopped, and then simmered. When they were nearly done, sugar and salt were added, followed by the silky scrambled eggs. After plating, a handful of chopped scallions was sprinkled on top, and the tomatoes and scrambled eggs were complete.
As Jiang Feng stir-fried, more and more unsuspecting people began to gather around.
Young men out for an afternoon jog to lose weight would suddenly catch a whiff of the tantalizingly rich scent of stir-fried meat, so captivating it was.
Grandmothers square dancing would suddenly smell the fresh aroma of scallions mixed with eggs.
It wasn't dinnertime yet, and no one had eaten. Who wouldn't get hungry smelling such a savory aroma!
Moreover, Jiang Feng prepared his dishes on the spot, and the ingredients he used were clearly visible.
Although a set with one meat and one vegetable dish cost 18 yuan, and one with two meat dishes and one vegetable dish cost 25 yuan—expensive for a rice combo set—the tantalizing smell was irresistible, awakening the cravings rumbling in their bellies.
When people get hungry, their first thought is what to eat. Dieting and exercising? Those are considerations for after they've had their fill.
So, these people couldn't suppress the hunger gnawing at their stomachs and, drawn by the aroma, converged on Jiang Feng's food truck.
Once the first customer's dishes were ready, Jiang Feng took out a disposable plate and heaped a serving of rice onto it. He spooned some tomatoes and scrambled eggs over the rice, then added a braised chicken leg. Finally, he ladled some of the rich broth from the braised chicken legs in a circle over the rice.
A rice combo set with one meat and one vegetable dish—complete!
"Boss, I'll have one of those too!"
"I want two meat dishes and one vegetable dish: a chicken leg, home-style stir-fried pork, and tomatoes with scrambled eggs."
"I want one meat and one vegetable dish: home-style stir-fried pork and mushrooms with greens."
After the first customer placed his order, more and more people started to arrive.
The aroma of a dish doesn't lie; if something smells this delicious, the taste is unlikely to disappoint.
Jiang Feng got even busier.
Some customers, after placing their orders, didn't sit down but stood nearby, watching him cook. One had to admit, Jiang Feng's cooking skills were incredibly proficient. Especially the tomatoes and scrambled eggs—the eggs looked incredibly soft and velvety just from watching him prepare them.
The first customer was Wang Hai, an office worker who had planned to grab a quick bite on his way home from work. Wang Hai's stomach had been rumbling for a while. Upon seeing a food truck selling rice combo sets by the roadside, he had come over to place an order. He didn't have high expectations for a roadside stall. As long as the food wasn't bad and could fill his stomach, that would suffice.
But when Jiang Feng served him the rice combo set with a chicken leg and tomatoes with scrambled eggs, a look of surprise appeared on Wang Hai's face.
Goodness, so many eggs in a street food rice combo set!
The eggs, still emitting the fresh scent of having just been fried, mingled with the aroma of scallions, immediately whetting Wang Hai's appetite.
He first took a bite of the chicken leg.
With that one bite, his pupils dilated slightly in surprise.
This flavor is incredible!
The chicken leg was exceptionally tender and thoroughly seasoned. As he bit into it, savory juices burst forth in his mouth. The juices were savory and hot, their rich, meaty flavor making his mouth water.
"Delicious!" Wang Hai exclaimed.
To think a roadside stall could have this kind of quality?
Wang Hai then mixed some of the scrambled eggs with rice and took a large mouthful. Chewing a few times, he experienced an inexplicably delightful sensation. The eggs seemed to have a springy elasticity, bouncing lightly against his teeth as he bit into them. Because the cooking heat had been controlled perfectly, the eggs were exceptionally flavorful, their savory aroma released completely.
The more Wang Hai ate, the more he relished it. It was like he'd started on a pack of his favorite snacks—he simply couldn't stop!