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

When Li Zhibai carried the casserole and stew pot out of the kitchen, Yang Chongwu was still sitting there staring blankly at his phone, as if he had lost his soul.

"Brother, your food is ready. Eat it while it's hot."

Yang Chongwu looked down at the food in front of him and was immediately stunned.

A black casserole dish appeared in front of him, containing a chicken leg.

The chicken leg was beautiful; the skin was caramel-colored, like amber, and it was still steaming slightly, emitting a fragrance he had never smelled before.

The aroma is not only rich, but also has an indescribable sweetness.

Beneath the chicken leg were glistening grains of rice, and the golden-brown crust at the bottom of the pot was faintly visible, with oil still sizzling around the edges.

Yang Chongwu subconsciously swallowed.

He hadn't eaten a single bite of food since noon, only a few cups of coffee to tide him over. His stomach was already so hungry that he barely felt anything, but when he saw this pot of chicken leg rice, his stomach suddenly seemed to be awakened and started gurgling.

"This...this really is Shaxian chicken leg rice?"

This was truly the first time Yang Chongwu had ever seen chicken leg rice like this.

He was very familiar with Shaxian snacks, having eaten them since his school days. A typical Shaxian chicken leg rice dish is served on a large plate with a dark, braised chicken leg, some rice, two leafy greens, and a braised egg—very simple.

But the chicken leg rice in front of me is completely different.

Although the presentation wasn't as refined as the Michelin-starred restaurant across the street, it was still visually appealing and delicious. Just the aroma alone was enough to whet one's appetite and make one's mouth water.

"Brother, eat it while it's hot, the crispy rice crust won't be crispy when it gets cold," Li Zhibai said, handing him a pair of chopsticks.

Yang Chongwu snapped out of his daze, took the chopsticks, and first picked up a mouthful of rice and put it in his mouth.

The moment the rice entered his mouth, his pupils dilated sharply.

This rice is so delicious!

How to describe it? It gives you the feeling that every grain of rice has its own natural umami flavor. The texture is not the soft and sticky kind of traditional rice, but rather Q-bouncy. When you bite into it, you can feel the rice grains gently bouncing between your teeth, and then the rich umami flavor explodes in your mouth.

"How...how can this food taste so good?"

Yang Chongwu took only one bite, and tears streamed down his face.

It wasn't because I was sad, but because it was so delicious I wanted to cry.

Then he picked up the chicken leg again; the meat separated from the bone very smoothly and was very tender.

He picked up a piece of chicken leg and put it in his mouth, then closed his eyes again.

The chicken skin becomes incredibly gelatinous during the slow-cooking process, melting in your mouth with the sweet and salty sauce and the delicate aroma of matsutake mushrooms—it's not greasy at all.

The chicken fibers were packed with juice; the moment he bit into it, the juice burst out in his mouth, so fresh he almost bit his tongue.

"Waaaaah..."

With chicken stuffed in his mouth, Yang Chongwu made strange noises uncontrollably.

He now truly understands what it means to be "so delicious you'll cry".

This thing can actually cry!

Yang Chongwu's taste buds were completely activated, and he immediately began a frenzied eating spree.

At the same time, all the messy worries in his mind disappeared, and all he could see was the delicious food from Shaxian.

First, eat a bite of rice with chicken leg meat. When the umami flavor in your mouth is about to dissipate, then scoop a spoonful of fish maw, conch, and stewed old chicken soup.

The moment the soup entered his mouth, his soul seemed to tremble.

Delicious! This soup is so good too!

Moreover, after drinking it, there was a warm feeling that lingered from the mouth to the stomach.

It's very comfortable!

What's even more surprising is that, as everyone knows, soups usually become dry and tough after being simmered for a long time because all the essence has been extracted into the soup, making them not very palatable.

I don't know how the owner did it, but the chicken, fish maw, and conch all retained their excellent textures, which is amazing.

A bowl of rice, a cup of soup.

Yang Chongwu didn't stop eating from beginning to end, and didn't say a word except for the sounds of chewing and the occasional strange humming.

After finishing the last drop of soup, he reluctantly put down his chopsticks, picked up the casserole, and used his chopsticks to scrape off the golden-brown crust at the bottom of the pot piece by piece. He ate it all up, leaving not a single grain of rice behind.

Finally, he put his chopsticks on the table and leaned back in his chair.

"Hiccup~~"

After letting out a long burp, Yang Chongwu felt his lost soul return to his body, and he became full of energy again.

One thousand six hundred and eighty yuan.

This meal cost him 1,680 yuan.

Before today, if someone told him that he would spend 1,680 yuan on a meal at a Shaxian snack shop, he would have thought that person was crazy.

But now he only wants to say one thing.

"Worth it! It was fucking worth it!"

This meal helped him rediscover the meaning of life.

The blow of being laid off had almost broken him, and he felt that the future was bleak. But this meal was like a ray of light, pulling him out of the abyss and giving him the motivation to live again.

Even if it's not for anything else, but just so he can come and eat at this Shaxian restaurant more often, he has to live well and make money.

"Boss."

Li Zhibai was wiping the stove when he heard the sound and looked up at him: "What's wrong, bro? Not enough to eat? Want another serving?"

"One serving isn't enough, two will do!"

No, no.

Yang Chongwu quickly waved his hand and said, "I just wanted to tell you that you must keep this shop open!"

"I probably won't be able to come here often anymore because... I'm going to lose my job."

"But I will definitely come back. Once I find a new job, I will bring my wife and kids to eat here, so they can also taste what real Shaxian snacks are like!"

After saying that, he slung his backpack over his shoulder, turned around, and left.

Li Zhibai watched his decisive departure and felt a pang of unease.

Just then, the system's voice rang out.

[Congratulations, host! Today's revenue is 1680 yuan.]

[Task progress: 2/100]

[Friendly reminder to the host: This customer's personal financial rating is purple. Customers at the purple level usually don't fall into a complete slump due to one job loss. As long as they regain their confidence, the probability of making a comeback is very high.]

"so what?"

Therefore, the host need not feel sad for him.

"..."

"Who said I'm sad for him?"

"I'm heartbroken, heartbroken to have lost a repeat customer. I wish I could have ripped him off a few times first."

The customer just said he lost his job, so he probably won't be coming to eat anytime soon.

Li Zhibai himself still owes 600,000 yuan in rent.

【system:......】

[The host's ruthlessness has increased once again, which pleases this system greatly.]

"hehe......"

Li Zhibai sneered and began to clean up the dishes, chopsticks, and clay pots on the table. After washing them, he wiped the stove inside and out.

After doing all that, he pulled down the shutter and closed the shop.

After washing up, Li Zhibai lay on the hard wooden planks upstairs, looking at the first amount deposited into his account on his phone.

On the first day of opening, we were reported as a shady business.

But at least one order was sold, generating a turnover of 1680 yuan.

There are still 98 copies needed to reach the target of 100.

There's still a shortfall before the end of the month when rent is due...

Forget it, stop calculating. The more you calculate, the less you can sleep.

Li Zhibai turned over, tossed his phone aside, and closed his eyes.

Tomorrow will be better.