Song Tan's Notes

Chef Zhou's frying spoon paused for a moment.

He sized up the shy young man in front of him: You're quite daring, aren't you?
If he were willing to sell, would everyone have been able to get a bite to eat today? And why did we almost come to blows just now?
The live streamers next door, whose faces had just been smeared with steam from the wok, also cheered!
For no other reason than that if they can't have it, then no one else should have it either.

People need comparisons.

Young man, encountering the Song family's big pot is both your luck and your misfortune.

Listen to my advice, it's better if you can't have it. If you did, you'd crave it for the rest of your life.

I've been there, and let me tell you something honestly: you'd better not eat it, otherwise you won't have any money left over each month.

The older generation has already said all the big truths, so I won't repeat them. In short, I'm happy you can't have it.

[Exactly! I didn't get any, so anyone here who did is my enemy!]

Thinking about it this way, it's actually quite good. We're just watching from behind a screen, similar to watching a regular mukbang, but those watching live definitely get to smell the food, which makes them even more hungry, right?

Everyone laughed and joked, and Chef Zhou stirred the pot again:

"Young man, so many people are waiting to eat here, I really can't sell this."

The young man looked around.

Everyone was eating barbecue, stew, and gulping down herbal tea... It seemed like everyone was full and satisfied. Who would have thought they needed this pot of fried rice?

But he's different; he just finished his night run and is currently feeling very hungry!

But they just won't sell to him, and he can't force them to buy or sell.

The thought had barely crossed his mind when he saw a burly, dark-skinned man sitting at the next table, taking a big bite out of a skewer of grilled meat and slowly pulling it apart with his right hand.

The gleaming iron rod grazed his cheek, creating an unexpected sense of bloodshed.

The young man felt a chill run down his spine and dared not look any further.

But as he shifted his feet, wanting to leave, the fragrance seemed to be deliberately enticing him...

It smells so good, you can't blame him for having weak willpower, can you?

He stood frozen in front of the pot, watching as Chef Zhou began to reduce the heat, before he pitifully said:

"Well, if you're not selling it, could I at least have a bite?"

Then he carefully extended one finger:

"Just one bite."

no……

Everyone was shocked by this person's shamelessness.

Because in this day and age, no one could possibly refuse such a statement, right?

Master Zhou was also at a loss, looking left and right, unsure of who to ask for advice.

Even Song Tan didn't know how to respond—if we tell them to eat, it would be so awkward if they didn't eat their fill and then we stopped feeding them!

But we can't let them eat it, since they're so pitiful and only wanted one bite...

Even Qiaoqiao looked at him with sympathy, thinking that the older brother in front of her who couldn't afford to eat must be having financial difficulties.

Left isolated and helpless, Master Zhou hesitated for a moment, then finally picked up a disposable plastic spoon from the side:
"Then...then you can scoop a spoonful from the pot yourself."

Sigh, it's embarrassing to say this out loud. He's never been so stingy in his life—but we really can't let this precedent be set!

The young people were invigorated!
At this moment, respectfully take the spoon with both hands, then take a deep breath and forcefully scoop, shovel, and press the spoon into the pot!
Once the bottom of the spoon was trembling and full, he carefully flipped it over and scooped up the trembling clump of fried rice again.

A huge mound of fried rice had piled up on the small spoon, looking like a snail carrying its shell, looking rather apprehensive.

Pale yellow pickled peppers, bright red chili rings, vibrant green garlic shoots, and slightly dull-looking sweet potato stalks stir-fried inside.

Topped with golden eggs and rice grains, it trembled, trembled...

In an instant, the clump of fried rice captured by the camera drew everyone's attention in the live stream.

This is unacceptable!!!

Someone silently shouted from the screen:
No, no, no! I disagree!

Everyone resisted hysterically, simply unable to tolerate this kind of luck.

Everyone else can't get any, so why should he be able to?
The young man was even being dishonest; how could he serve such a large spoonful of fried rice? Wouldn't it have been enough to just dip a couple of grains in and taste it to check the seasoning?

Everyone was screaming and shouting in the comments, their jealousy was palpable.

But by then, no one was paying attention.

Everyone's attention was drawn to the trembling spoon, but it had barely left the pot when the other person quickly reached out to catch it from below. After finally pulling it close to their face, they opened their mouths wide—

However, this gesture revealed the complicated expression on Master Zhou's face, and the young man shut his mouth again, then said apologetically, "This spoon... isn't it a bit too big..."

Master Zhou was silent for a moment, but didn't say whether it was big or small: "Although I told you to try a bite, if you can't finish this spoonful in one bite, don't force yourself... you can take a few bites..."

Otherwise, I'm afraid I'll stretch my cheeks until they burst.

The young man smiled, though his ears were burning red and he felt the gazes of the people around him. He tried his best to suppress his unease, while simultaneously regretting his impulsiveness and drooling over the delicious food.

Until he finally tasted that spoonful of fried rice.

woo woo woo...

He finally understood why, when he was a child, there was always a particularly exciting piece of music playing when he ate delicious food in cartoons!

Because at that moment his mind was blank, the taste of the hot and sour fried rice instantly filled his mouth, hot and spicy and fragrant.

The young man shut his mouth and whimpered, frantically trying to protect the remaining half-spoon of fried rice while muttering under his breath:
It's so hot! But how can it be both hot and delicious?!

It tastes so good!
He was so good to him he almost cried!

Looking again at my spoon, I realized there was only half left, and I was overcome with sadness once more...

Lu Chuan nudged Song Tan's leg with his knee, looked up to signal her gaze, and then silently spoke to her:
A malicious person.

Song Tan touched his nose.

Oh dear, she might be a little envious of others, but at most she just wants to see them unable to have it.

I didn't expect this young man to be so exaggerated! Sigh, he's still too young and inexperienced.

Besides, if someone wanted a bite, she shared it, didn't she? Where was she being malicious? At most, she was just a little bit mean...

So he replied in a breathy voice:

Just tell me if you like watching it or not—

This time, Lu Chuan remained silent.

Not only did he enjoy watching it, but everyone was watching it intently.

Judging from the faint sense of pride on their faces, it seems that Song Tan's wicked scheme was actually a result of everyone's crowdfunding.

The young man stood there in front of the pot, slowly and carefully chewing on this hard-earned fried rice.

Master Zhou glanced at him, and now that the fried rice was ready, he hesitated to call everyone to serve it.

There was no movement on the table. He slowly finished his meal, then looked at the table with longing eyes.

But at this moment, Master Zhou had already hardened his heart and stopped looking at him.

Just kidding, with that spoonful of skill, if he catches a few more glances, there won't be any left of this fried rice tonight.

……

The young man left reluctantly.

Only after he left did I finally dare to speak loudly in front of the barbecue grill:
"Oh my god, I almost tried to persuade them to stay because they looked so pitiful."

"Yes, yes, I was just about to politely suggest having some more, but then I remembered I hadn't eaten yet, so I held back..."

Everyone chimed in with their opinions, and they all had to admit that they couldn't handle this.

Fortunately, the fried rice is ready. After a couple more bites, it's time to pack up and head home.

Until Dr. Guo said sadly, "I really can't eat anymore."

She touched her round, tight belly and regretted not wearing a loose dress today; now the elastic band of her casual pants was too tight.

Zhang Yanping was actually quite full, but she still subconsciously advised, "At least try a couple of tastes..."

Dr. Guo waved his hand: "No, we've already eaten this much. If we eat any more, I'm afraid we'll throw up when we get in the car and start swaying back home."

Firstly, the posture of sitting in a car can easily put pressure on the stomach.

Secondly, although the road in Yunqiao Village is a newly paved asphalt road and not bumpy, it has quite a few winding mountain bends, causing it to sway and wobble...

"No, no, that won't work."

It's not a big deal to spit it out, but it's such a waste to eat something so delicious, only to have it spit out after you've had your fill of it.

After this concern was expressed, everyone fell silent.

Because we're all facing the same predicament!
Master Zhou: ...

I told you you couldn't eat another bite, so this fried rice—

Forget it.

He looked at the water chestnut stems inside, and realized that the fried rice still needed to be made! In any case, the ingredients couldn't be kept overnight.

So he simply said, "Then I'll put it in a bucket and take it back."

Bring it along.

Although we can't eat them now, the thought of getting up early tomorrow to eat them makes everyone look forward to it again.

Master Zhou hurriedly filled the cleaned stainless steel bucket with rice, but before he had filled it more than halfway, five or six people suddenly rushed over from a distance.

The other party, like a groundhog in an animation, stood by the roadside sniffing, quickly found its target, and swarmed over.

The young men were still wearing basketball jerseys, and the steaming heat of sweat was overwhelming, but their faces all had the same youthful glow.

"What are you..."

Master Zhou hesitated: the water chestnuts were sold out long ago, and they didn't sell them at their barbecue stall either...

Suddenly, the young man at the head of the group bowed deeply to everyone!
"Dear brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, brothers and sisters, my friend said there's super delicious fried rice here. Could we have a taste?"

He held up one finger: "Just one bite—I'm starving from playing ball..."

This was something even Song Tan hadn't anticipated.

Everyone stared wide-eyed, and Master Zhou was even more surprised that there would be a follow-up!
He suddenly turned his head and looked at Song Tan, his eyes filled with obvious accusation and doubt—

You people from Yuncheng are all like this, like this...

He couldn't think of any adjectives. (End of Chapter)