Chapter 158: Chapter 158 Little Black: Why does this house seem a bit small?
The skewer business was really booming.
Chengdu had many well-known Bowl Chicken Shops, and the competition was fierce, but there were only a few that were truly famous.
Jiang Feng’s business quickly caught people’s attention.
In the afternoon, a sharp-looking man wearing jeans and a leather jacket arrived at Jiang Feng’s stall. He first ate many Bowl Chicken skewers, then savored the taste contentedly before approaching Jiang Feng with a smile.
"Boss, I have a money-making business proposal for you. Would you consider it?" the shrewd man asked Jiang Feng with a chuckle.
Jiang Feng smiled faintly and replied calmly, "No, I’m not interested."
Upon hearing this, the shrewd man was slightly taken aback.
So decisive? He doesn’t even want to hear about a lucrative opportunity?
The shrewd man hurriedly said, "Boss, come on! I’ve been looking at your place. It’s only so big, with a maximum daily customer flow of five or six hundred, and the profits aren’t high. Here’s what I’m thinking: I’m planning to open a larger Bowl Chicken Shop. I’ll invest, I’ll find the location, I’ll hire the staff. You just manage it and make more chili oil sauce. I’ll give you a thirty percent profit share. How about that? It’s definitely more than what you’re making in this small shop; the monthly turnover could increase several times over."
Hearing the shrewd man’s words, Jiang Feng just smiled and said, "I’m really not interested. You should find someone else."
The shrewd man wanted to say more, but a customer eating skewers nearby couldn’t stand it anymore and spoke up. "Hey, do you even know who this guy is? He owns a super popular restaurant in Eastern Shandong; his net worth is over a hundred million! You want him to partner with you and basically work for you? What were you thinking?"
Surprised by these words, the shrewd man was momentarily taken aback. "How much? A net worth over a hundred million?"
Jiang Feng responded with a smile, "Well, it’s not quite that much, but I do have tens of millions."
The shrewd man was dumbfounded. He had originally heard that Jiang Feng’s secret chili oil seasoning was exceptionally good and the Bowl Chicken was tasty too, so he’d thought about investing money to establish a larger Bowl Chicken Shop with him.
Who knew that the owner of this greasy spoon was actually a big boss?
Who would have guessed?
The other customer added, "Just search for Executive Chef Jiang online, and you’ll see. He’s a renowned chef from Eastern Shandong who came to Chengdu to experience the food culture. Everyone’s been talking about him lately. Your profit-sharing offer isn’t going to be enough to hire him."
After hearing the customer’s words, the shrewd man felt too embarrassed to bring up the shop idea again and left dejectedly.
When you run a stall for a long time, you meet all kinds of customers. This was all quite normal. Jiang Feng didn’t think much of it; he’d experienced similar things before.
"Boss Jiang, I read online that when you previously ran a stall, you used to change your main ingredient every week. Is that true?" the customer who had spoken up earlier asked.
Hearing this, Jiang Feng nodded. "Yes, that’s true. I enjoy trying to make different kinds of food; it feels more interesting to me."
"That’s such a shame! This Bowl Chicken is so delicious; other people won’t get to eat it anymore," the customer lamented.
"There are many delicious foods out there. If there’s no more Bowl Chicken, there will be other things," Jiang Feng replied with a smile.
"So, the stall will be closed tomorrow?" the customer asked again.
"Yes, it will be closed tomorrow and then reopen in two days."
Hearing that the Bowl Chicken stall was closing, the surrounding customers all looked disappointed. They gazed at Jiang Feng with a hint of reluctance. Some people even ordered more skewers.
"What will you be selling when you reopen in two days?" the customer continued to inquire.
"I plan to sell crayfish," Jiang Feng replied with a smile.
This time, the system had issued the task in advance. The task notification indicated it would become available to accept in two days.
Sell spicy crayfish at the stall for seven consecutive days, and the reward will be the Culinary God’s Cleaver. Culinary God’s Cleaver: A kitchen knife made of a special metal, extremely sharp, with a pure gold handle inlaid with jade and jewels.
This task was quite unusual, and Jiang Feng naturally chose to accept it without hesitation.
Actually, for him, the weekly stall rewards were now secondary. The daily bonus of an additional Sichuan cuisine recipe was what he truly desired. He no longer cared much for gold and silver; he was more interested in mastering new culinary skills.
Jiang Feng thought being a top-tier chef felt pretty good, especially the sense of accomplishment that came from creating delicious food.
When the customers heard Jiang Feng would be selling spicy crayfish in two days, their initial disappointment transformed into excitement.
Spicy crayfish! That’s good stuff! If he can make it delicious, it’ll be a real treat.
"Spicy crayfish? That sounds great!"
"Boss, I’ll be back in two days to support you," the customer said with a happy smile.
"You’re welcome."
Jiang Feng always maintained a relaxed demeanor. Even when his hands were busy, he exuded a very laid-back vibe, and customers enjoyed chatting with him.
The shop was packed, both inside and out. Every table was covered with used skewer sticks, and some people were even waiting in line.
A few young people discussed quietly among themselves:
"Is this the shop opened by that famous out-of-town chef? There are so many people here!"
"That’s him! He’s amazing!"
"I saw those videos—so many people were lining up!"
"I’ve seen news about him these past few days too. Lots of food bloggers have come here to shoot videos!"
In this age of social media, many people were food bloggers. Like gold panned from sand, the disreputable ones had mostly vanished, leaving behind those of relatively higher quality. Their method of earning money was to find trending food spots and give objective reviews. After gaining a following, they would accept commercial promotions. For instance, praising a shop could earn them three thousand, five thousand, or even ten thousand yuan. The competition was fierce, but those who managed to stand out could earn a lot.
After Jiang Feng’s Bowl Chicken Shop became popular, quite a few food bloggers did indeed visit. Since it was just a small eatery, Jiang Feng didn’t think much of it. As long as their reviews are objective, it’s fine.
The shop was constantly packed, both inside and out. Customers in line had to either eat standing up or get takeout, and they were happy to do so. This was because the chili oil seasoning Jiang Feng made was incredibly fragrant and delicious. The food on the skewers acted as a perfect vehicle, allowing the seasoning’s flavor to fully blossom.
Ostensibly, chili and sesame seeds were the most prominent. In reality, however, the foundation was a combination of broad bean paste with various spices, along with the flavors of green onion, ginger, garlic, and onion. Furthermore, a rich, savory chicken stock served as the element that harmoniously blended all the flavors.
It would be hard for it not to be delicious.
This kind of chili oil seasoning didn’t just rely on a good recipe; it also depended on Jiang Feng’s exquisite culinary skills. After all, every step required a solid foundation in cooking that ordinary people genuinely couldn’t replicate. Street-side Bowl Chicken vendors typically used commercial Bowl Chicken seasonings, which were completely different from Jiang Feng’s handmade version.
That was why his business was so good.
Good things will always shine through.
"It’s so delicious!"
The young man and woman who had been discussing Jiang Feng’s identity finally tasted the Bowl Chicken he made. They had been drawn in by the videos—partly because they had nothing better to do, and partly because they wanted to join in on the excitement.
After tasting the fresh, aromatic, and delicious Bowl Chicken, they were overjoyed. It was even better than they had anticipated. The first bite was pure savory aroma, followed by a pleasant, lingering spiciness.
Amidst the joyful chatter of its patrons, the small street-side eatery’s business continued to flourish.
"Boss, will you be closed tomorrow?" another customer, having noticed the words on the sign, asked.
"Yes, we’ll reopen in a couple of days. I need some time to prepare," Jiang Feng answered with a smile.
"Ah? That’s such a pity! I was planning to come again!"
"No worries, there will be other opportunities."
The group of young people also overheard their conversation, and they too felt regretful.
Closed tomorrow? So soon? Does that mean this delicious Bowl Chicken will be gone?
After just seven days of business, he had already gained many regular customers. This top chef from out of town had conquered many people with his food in just one week of dedicatedly running his stall.
"I welcome everyone to come and support us in a couple of days. I promise you won’t be disappointed," Jiang Feng said to the crowd with a smile.
This was his promise. He was quite happy running his stall here. The customers were all friendly and enthusiastic.
That day, he kept the stall open very late, until every last skewer was sold. Jiang Feng and the two aunties then cleaned up the small shop before finally closing up.
The 140-square-meter apartment awarded by the system had already been processed. It was in a relatively new mid-rise building, an upgraded type of housing that was fully furnished and ready to move into. He just needed to find time to go to the housing management bureau to complete the handover procedures.
So, Jiang Feng now had a proper place to stay here.
I’ve settled down here now, and things have gone quite smoothly. I’ve also learned a few Sichuan dishes; I can try cooking them myself, Jiang Feng thought.
He wasn’t in a rush. After all, establishing a Sichuan restaurant wasn’t something that could be accomplished overnight. Besides, he had a naturally laid-back personality. He’d be busy when necessary and rest when it was time to rest.
Anyway, the system will take care of the arrangements.
Having closed the stall, Jiang Feng felt a rare sense of relaxation. He went to check out his new apartment.
The apartment was spacious. The previous owner had renovated it and then gone abroad on business. They had never lived in it, so it had stood empty for three months. Jiang Feng could move in right away. He just needed to purchase some furniture, a dog bed for Little Black, and a few other essentials.
Little Black ran around the apartment twice, then trotted over to Jiang Feng, looking somewhat gloomy.
It seemed to be thinking, "Isn’t this place a bit small?"
After all, until now, it had either lived in a villa or on a ranch, always having plenty of space to roam. Now, in a 140-square-meter apartment, it felt a bit confined.
Poor little fellow. Since being adopted by Jiang Feng, it had never known what "poverty" truly meant.
Jiang Feng patted its head. "It’s not too small. We’ll just be here at night. During the day, we’ll still be at the shop. Tomorrow, I’ll buy you a proper dog bed and some toys. For tonight, you’ll just have to make do with the floor."