I've been possessed by a culinary genius, and I've turned Shaxian snacks into a rip-off!

Huo Wang picked up the glass of warm water that Li Zhibai had poured for him and took a sip.

I must say, the water in this shop is pretty good. It even has a subtle sweetness after drinking it, which is better than the purified water at home.

After taking two more sips, Huo Wang put down the cup and looked at the shop owner again, still feeling a bit strange.

To be honest, the main reason he went out for a walk in the middle of the night was because he couldn't sleep.

His wife passed away early, and his children are either abroad or in other provinces and rarely come back. He is usually alone at home, and it is empty.

When I lie in bed alone at night, I can't help but think about old things and can't fall asleep, so I just go out for a walk to kill some time.

I was thinking that once I got tired of walking, I could go back and get a good night's sleep.

Who would have thought that just as I reached the entrance of Shaxian County, I wasn't paying attention and stepped on a loose paving stone, causing me to slip and fall.

Then the enthusiastic shop owner helped me into the store.

At first, he was quite touched, thinking that this young man was very nice and enthusiastic. But when he saw the menu, he suddenly felt like he was going against the grain.

I haven't tried to extort you, and you're trying to extort me in return?

He even had an impulse to lie down now and see who could outsmart whom.

Thinking about this, Huo Wang found it funny and shook his head.

"Forget it, let him try to extort me. Consider it a thank you to this young man for helping me."

Regardless of the other person's motives for helping him, whether it was genuine kindness or not, given that there were so many people present and only he stepped forward to help him, he should be encouraged.

It's just the cost of a meal; he can afford that.

Just as he was thinking about these things, Li Zhibai came out of the kitchen carrying a tray.

On the tray was a bowl of mixed noodles and a pot of chicken soup; not much else was served.

Li Zhibai knew that the old man's appetite was not as good as that of a young man, and that serving too much would be a waste. Moreover, his real purpose was not just for this meal.

While the Golden Legendary is certainly worth hunting, the second Gourmet Heart is of paramount importance.

First, win people over with noodles and soup, let them taste your cooking, and once they're hooked and become repeat customers, then slowly inquire about the details and stories behind the braised pork.

"Sir, please enjoy your noodles and soup."

Huo Wang nodded and looked down at the food in front of him.

Upon seeing this, he was immediately surprised.

The golden noodles, resembling golden chrysanthemums, are topped with a layer of orange-red crab roe and minced meat topping, emitting an enticing aroma. Next to it, a purple clay stew pot holds a clear, bottomless chicken broth, with wisps of steam rising from it, carrying a savory fragrance that blends the aromas of mushrooms, meat, and a hint of herbs.

Just one whiff of it is enough to warm you from your stomach to your heart.

Huo Wang was genuinely surprised.

He originally thought that the shop was just overpriced and the food was probably just so-so. After all, he often ate at Shaxian snack shops. There was a Shaxian shop in an old alley that hadn't been demolished on a street not far from where he lived.

But the noodles and soup in front of him were completely different from the Shaxian snacks he knew, just by their appearance.

This young boss seems to really have some skill.

Huo Wang first picked up a spoon, scooped up a mouthful of chicken soup, put it in his mouth, then squinted his eyes, smacked his lips, and commented:

"Fresh but not greasy, clear but not bland, a wonderful soup! Delicious!"

This soup is clearly not the kind of fake umami made with MSG and chicken bouillon. Fake umami tastes pungent, makes your tongue feel slightly numb, and makes your mouth dry if you drink too much, making you thirstier the more you drink.

But this soup is different. Its umami flavor is clearly the kind that comes from the natural flavor of the ingredients, slowly simmered until it's fully cooked. It's warm and lingering in your mouth, warming you from the tip of your tongue all the way to your stomach.

He took a few more sips, becoming more and more addicted, and eventually couldn't stop.

After finishing the last sip of soup, Huo Wang put down his spoon and looked at Li Zhibai: "Young man, who taught you how to make this soup?"

"I taught myself," Li Zhibai said.

"Self-taught?" Huo Wang didn't believe it at all and asked again, "You're so young to have this skill, you must have a master. Was it a Cantonese chef or a Fujian chef?"

"Grandpa, I really don't have a master."

"There are some people in this world who are born geniuses, and I'm obviously one of them. There's nothing I can do about it, it's just how I am, it's bothering me too," Li Zhibai said, putting on a little show of bravado.

Huo Wang: "..."

This kid is quite narcissistic.

However, he had to admit that the young man's skills were indeed excellent.

Then he started eating the noodles.

The moment the noodles entered his mouth, Huo Wang couldn't help but squint his eyes and slowly savor them.

He's been eating noodles for decades, from knife-cut noodles in the north to plain noodles in the south, and he believes he has the right to speak on noodles.

But this bowl of noodles, in terms of the chewiness of the noodles, the layers of scallion oil, and the toppings, firmly stands at the pinnacle of all the noodles he has ever eaten.

Twenty minutes later, the bowl of noodles was empty, and the soup was all drunk up.

Huo Wang wiped his mouth with a tissue and let out a long sigh of relief.

Comfortable!

so comfy!

He hadn't had such a comfortable meal in a very long time.

Since his wife passed away, he either cooks some noodles for himself to eat, goes to the small restaurant downstairs for a meal, or orders takeout.

His children would occasionally come back for holidays and take him to those upscale restaurants, but he never ate anything that made him feel comfortable. In fact, he didn't really like eating at those upscale restaurants.

Today, at this Shaxian snack shop, he finally tasted that long-lost food that warmed his heart.

"Young man, your skills are truly exceptional."

"I've been eating in Jiangcheng for decades, and I can count the number of restaurants I'd want to come back to on one hand. This place is one of them."

"You flatter me, sir." Li Zhibai changed the subject: "Sir, I noticed you were very focused when you ate, which shows you're a true connoisseur of food. I'd like to ask you a question: you must have eaten a lot of good things in your life, what do you think is the most delicious thing?"

Huo Wang looked at him and laughed: "Young man, why do I feel like you're trying to trick me into telling me things?"

"No, it's just curiosity, pure curiosity," Li Zhibai said sincerely.

"As for the best food, it's really hard to say. I've lived most of my life, and there have been too many delicious things to eat."

"But if I had to pick my absolute favorite, there would be one dish."

"What dish?"

Braised pork belly.

Upon hearing this, Li Zhibai thought to himself: Here it comes, it really is this.

Just as he was about to continue the conversation on this topic, wanting to ask about the intricacies of braised pork, its flavor, and how it was made,

"Ha~~~" Huo Wang suddenly let out a long yawn.

Perhaps it was the very satisfying meal that triggered his drowsiness, as he is now clearly feeling sleepy.

"Young man, what time does your shop open?"

"We open at 6 p.m. and stay open until 2 a.m."

Huo Wang nodded, stood up, paid, and said, "Come again tomorrow night," before slowly walking outside.

Although Li Zhibai wanted to chat a little longer and try to get more information out of the old man, he saw that the old man was sleepy and had no choice but to see him off.

After seeing the old man off, he said goodbye to Sister Zhao, then pulled down the shutter door and closed the shop.

After washing up, he lay in bed and glanced at the system panel again.

[Bodhi Jade Pavilion sold a total of 16 units (84 more units are needed to unlock the next Gourmet Heart reward).]

"Looks like I need to figure out a way to sell 100 servings as soon as possible so I can conquer the second Gourmet Heart."