Food: Randomly set up stalls, even the little guy is drooling.

Chapter 74 This is a scam! A blatant scam! (Bonus Chapter)

Lu Feng pricked up his ears, carefully discerning the subtle sounds carried by the wind.

This doesn't sound like footsteps, nor does it sound like human voices. This sounds a bit like—the roar of an engine? But it doesn't seem to have much horsepower. Could it be a downgraded version of a motorcycle?

Soon, a slightly old pink car came to a stop on the side of the small square.

A sprightly old man dressed in Tai Chi practice clothes jumped off the bus. Who else could it be but Grandpa Zhang, who had just bought some kebabs and come down the mountain?

"Hey boss! Hurry up! Give me another one—no, two! Forty skewers!" Grandpa Zhang shouted at Lu Feng as he strode over, a triumphant look on his face.

Lu Feng was taken aback. "Uncle Zhang? What are you doing—" He thought to himself, "It's good that you're back to buy more, but I'm worried you might have indigestion from eating so much at once. These skewers are delicious, but don't overindulge!"

Grandpa Zhang walked to the stall, pulled out a hundred-yuan bill, and slammed it on the table. "You wouldn't believe it, I just came down from the mountain to give the skewers to my grandson who's about to go to school, and he was so happy."

"When my wife saw it, she started scolding me! She said junk food was unhealthy and that I was a pervert."

"I was so angry, so I said, 'You guys try it too, and then you can complain!' Hey, guess what?"

Lu Feng thought to himself, "We Southerners shouldn't try to speak like the old Beijingers; it sounds awkward." He still replied aloud, though, "So, what's up?"

Grandpa Zhang slapped his thigh, amused by his own words. "They each tried a skewer, and then they all shut up! They were fighting over it, and they ate all of my grandson's skewers! He's crying his eyes out, saying he won't go to kindergarten anymore!"

"That's why they asked me to go up the mountain and buy some more. This way, I won't have to take money from my own savings." Grandpa Zhang proudly pointed to the money on the table. "It'll even be reimbursed!"

Lu Feng was both amused and exasperated. He deftly finished grilling the twenty skewers in his hand, packed them for Grandpa Zhang, and then counted out another twenty skewers of beef to put on the shelf, all the while saying with a smile, "That's great! Thank you and your whole family!"

Grandpa Zhang understood the meaning of the thanks, but something still felt off.

Looking at the bright red bills, he suddenly felt a pang of regret. He leaned closer and said, "Young boss, the taste is undeniably amazing. I'm an old man, and I've never had such satisfying barbecue. But can't you really negotiate the price? Give me a kickback? Make it cheaper, and I'll come back often and recommend you to my other old friends!"

Grandpa, if you lower the system price for me, I'll immediately give my family a bonus!

Lu Feng had no way to deal with the system, so he could only smile wryly and say, "Grandpa, do you think ordinary beef is this delicious? My beef is from premium Wuling Yellow Cattle, free-range in the mountains. That was a breed that was once reserved for the imperial court! They eat mountain herbs and drink spring water from mountain streams. The cost is 200 yuan per catty! Look at my ingredients, they are all clean and hygienic. If I don't sell it at this price, I can't even break even."

Grandpa Zhang was skeptical, but knowing that good things don't come cheap, he sighed, "Alright, alright, what can I do? My grandson loves it!"

Just as Lu Feng was focused on grilling skewers, the vermilion gate of the temple was suddenly pushed open with a bang.

A middle-aged man in hiking gear walked out, looking displeased and muttering, "What the hell! Are you trying to fool me? Do you think I'm short of money? Do I look like someone who can't afford steamed buns? Huh?!"

Following behind him was a middle-aged monk dressed in a brown monk's robe. If Hai Chi and Hai He were here, they would definitely recognize their master, Master Ru Chen, who served as the head monk of the temple.

The middle-aged tourist had a loud voice, which attracted the attention of Lu Feng and Grandpa Zhang.

The tourist continued to complain, his voice trembling with anger, "Let me tell you, right here on the top of Qingzhu Mountain, a monk brought me a vegetarian bun to try, and it was just this small!"

The tourist gestured with his hands, slurped his saliva, and continued, "It really is delicious! But he said this is for tasting, not for sale. If you want some, you have to come directly to the entrance of Kaiyuan Temple!"

"They even said these buns were made with organic vegetables from the mountains, worth 10 yuan each! I thought that was quite a good deal, so I thought I'd try them and support your temple. And what did I get?" He pointed at Master Ruchen, looking heartbroken. "What did your guest master bring me? They said they were two yuan each? At first, I thought there was a mistake, but what's the difference in taste between these and the ones at my workplace that cost 1.5 yuan each?"

"This is a scam! A blatant scam! Do I look like someone who can't afford steamed buns? I'm saying this right now, give me back those ten yuan for each bun, and I'll forgive you. I'll even double it, I'll buy them for twenty yuan each!"

Master Ruchen clasped his hands together and said repeatedly, "Amitabha, benefactor, I have already explained to you that our temple's dining hall has always only offered this one kind of vegetarian bun, which costs two yuan each—"

Master Ruchen was at a loss for words. The temple's dining hall had always kept up with the times and also served food to the public. The steamed buns were made with high-quality ingredients, all from the farmers' own produce, making them hygienic and nutritious, and they had always had a good reputation.

It's normal for them to be a little more expensive than street vendors, but they certainly can't compete with restaurants where a bun costs 5 yuan, let alone 10 yuan. Even if they dare to sell them, the worshippers might not necessarily buy them.

The tourists persisted, "What do you mean there aren't any? They're right on the mountaintop, with two monks, one fat and one thin! They said they only sell them at the temple gate! They made it sound so convincing!"

He grew angrier the more he thought about it, feeling utterly wronged. "Isn't this false advertising? I'm going to file a complaint! I'm going to call 12315 to report you!"

Master Ruchen found it increasingly strange. A fat monk? A thin monk? Why did this sound so much like his two disciples who had disappeared early that morning?

Master Ruchen's heart skipped a beat. He had forgotten to charge his phone last night and hadn't turned it on since morning. Could this really be the work of those two wicked disciples?

"Benefactor, there must be some misunderstanding. Let this humble monk investigate and clarify the matter—"

"What are you investigating! I think it's you—" the tourist said indignantly, about to continue his tirade. Suddenly, an extremely unreasonable aroma of meat forcefully entered his nostrils.

Grilled skewers? The smell was both jarring and incredibly tempting in the chilly air in front of Kaiyuan Temple. He paused in his cursing, his nose twitched involuntarily, and he swallowed involuntarily.

This aroma—it smells fucking amazing! It's more enticing than anything he's ever smelled at any other barbecue stand!

His voice softened as he said, "What? Your temple sells barbecue skewers?"