In the 1970s, it started with contracting out communal dining.

"Hiss—" Old Dong covered the back of his hand, grimacing and looking indignant.

The crowd around burst into laughter.

"Hahaha—Old Dong, how dare you take advantage of public resources!"

"Shut your damn mouth! Who's taking advantage of the public funds? It's just some cheap cold dishes, how much could it be worth!" Old Dong retorted, pursing his lips.

"What's so great about cold dishes! They're just made with a little salt and vinegar!"

"Alright, alright!" Line manager Zhao Xuegong quickly waved his hand to stop him. "Old Nian, today wasn't your night shift anyway. Hurry up and pack up, get ready to go home!"

Seeing that Zhao Xuegong had already spoken, Dong Laonian had no choice but to shut his mouth.

But his feet seemed glued to the spot, not moving an inch.

Although he had retreated to the back of the line, his eyes were still fixed on the cart that Wu Xiaochun was pushing.

Of course, the focus of attention was still on the two bowls of cold dishes that Chen Wei had made.

Although it was covered with a lid, the wisps of fragrance wafted out of the large basin, making one's mouth water.

And the bowl of cold dishes was covered with countless water droplets, which looked refreshingly cool.

The surrounding air seemed even hotter. Old Dong took a deep breath, feeling as if the weather was being baked by a raging fire.

My appetite is completely stifled by the summer heat, and right now I really want to take a bite of that cold dish.

Wu Xiaochun glanced at him smugly, snorted coldly, and directly overturned the large basin on the car.

"Wow--"

The people around him immediately exclaimed in surprise.

The moment the wooden lid of the enamel basin was lifted, a cool, spicy, and refreshing aroma instantly broke through the stuffy smell of coal smoke and iron filings, directly hitting everyone's nostrils.

Inside the large bowl, layers of translucent, slightly yellow radish shreds, as thin as cicada wings yet each strand clearly defined, were layered. Red chili shreds dotted the surface, creating a refreshing and eye-catching color scheme.

A subtle salty and savory aroma, mixed with a hint of sweetness and sourness, wafts up, and the cool, refreshing scent emanating from the basin itself is enough to soothe the heat in one's heart.

"My goodness, what is this! It smells so good!"

Wu Xiaochun put his hands on his hips, smiled smugly, and pointed to the vegetables in the bowl.

"This is a new dish Chef Chen invented today, called 'Lantern Shadow Radish Strips'! Just listen to the name, how elegant! I'm not exaggerating, you should try it; it's definitely better than what chefs at state-run restaurants make!"

"My goodness, this is a radish!"

"My goodness, when have I ever seen such a thin radish? It's as thin as a strand of hair!"

"This...this is so exquisite!"

Immediately, workers exclaimed in amazement, their eyes fixed on the pot of radish shreds under the lamplight. Their Adam's apples bobbed involuntarily, and they could hardly contain their saliva.

Zhao Xuegong, who was maintaining order at the back of the line, also curiously leaned forward after hearing the exclamation.

At a glance, you can see the pile of silvery-white radish shreds, which intertwine and coil at the bottom of the enamel basin, like a cloud shimmering in moonlight.

His eyes lit up: "Great stuff! It smells amazing!"

"Of course!"

When Wu Xiaochun heard someone praise Chen Wei's cooking, he immediately put his hands on his hips and looked smug.

He was even happier than when someone praised him.

Well, Chen Ge is really talented; everything he cooks tastes delicious!

He had already eaten a lot on the way here, so how could he not know how it tasted!

"Everyone line up, one serving per person, don't rush!" Wu Xiaochun shouted, hands on his hips.

Someone below pointed to another enamel basin with a puzzled expression.

"Brother Xiaochun, what's in there down there?"

"This... ah..." Wu Xiaochun chuckled, deliberately keeping everyone in suspense, "This is even better than the shredded radish with lampshade!"

"Wow? That's amazing!"

The crowd gasped in surprise, exchanging bewildered glances and becoming increasingly curious.

This shredded radish smells delicious enough; if this were even better than shredded radish, it would be incredibly tasty!

Immediately, someone shamelessly begged Wu Xiaochun, "Brother Xiaochun, stop keeping us in suspense and let us see it! Just the smell is making my mouth water!"

These words naturally struck a chord with Wu Xiaochun, who smiled smugly.

He deliberately waved away the workers surrounding him before setting aside the pot of shredded radish and suddenly lifted the lid of the cucumber salad.

Instantly, a fragrant aroma, a blend of sour and spicy, wafted through the air. Unlike the previous shredded radish in lamplight, this cucumber salad had a refreshing, sour, and spicy flavor.

The cucumbers, arranged in layers at the bottom of the bowl, are surrounded and soaked in an amber-colored sauce. Dotted with garlic cloves and red chili rings, the cucumbers make the bowl look like a meticulously crafted jade ornament.

"Plop—"

Someone swallowed first, and then the workshop was filled with a chorus of swallowing sounds.

Wu Xiaochun's satisfaction level was now at its maximum, and he immediately brandished his large ladle, exercising his power for the day.

"Line up, line up! There's plenty for the night shift workers, but sorry to the day shift workers!"

As he said this, the young man deliberately glanced at Old Dong, who was standing at the back of the line, before starting to serve everyone food with a wicked grin.

Old Dong craned his neck and looked for a long time, but he still couldn't see what the vegetables in the bowl were. He was so anxious that he kept stamping his feet.

Standing in his position, one could only smell faint fragrances, which became even stronger when the cover was opened.

Those at the front of the line were already starving, and everyone was busy getting food, so naturally no one paid any attention to them.

Old Dong craned his neck to look ahead, but was pushed back by several strong men in the group.

"Line up! Line up! Don't you know the rules?!"

Old Dong was scolded and pursed his lips, but didn't dare to say anything. He had no choice but to obediently step back and join the back of the line.

The long queue stretched as far as the eye could see, with at least 100 more men ahead of him. Old Dong thought he probably wouldn't be able to get dinner tonight.

He only heard someone mention shredded radish, but he didn't quite catch what the other dish was. He really wants to know what delicious dish Chef Chen made this time!

Just then, a few young people who were at the front of the line for food came out. They didn't care about their image and started eating as they walked.

"Crunch, crunch! So delicious! This smells amazing! It's even better than meat!"

The sound was exceptionally clear in the noisy workshop.

Old Dong's eyes lit up, and he quickly moved closer.

"Dude, what did you make today? It smells amazing!"

"Didn't I just say what it's called again? Green Light Radish Strips! And a Cucumber Salad! Anyway, it's delicious!"

The boy, with food in his mouth, mumbled incoherently.

As soon as he got close to the kid, Old Dong's nostrils were filled with a tangy, spicy, and appetizing aroma. The food in the kid's lunchbox was now the only thing that could attract his attention.

His craving became even more intense!

I couldn't help but regret it; I should have known better than to say something so rude!

But seeing the line getting longer and longer, he realized he probably wouldn't get to eat today.

Old Dong was extremely anxious, so he swallowed his pride and slowly approached Wu Xiaochun.