Chapter 113: Chapter 113: No way, bro, are you really comparing yourself to him?
Moon River Fishing Big Shots Group.
"Did someone really catch a blackfish over ten pounds today? Didn’t the line snap?"
"For real. I saw it with my own eyes."
"It was that popular food stall owner, the young and handsome one."
"I heard it was his first time fishing."
"So impressive! Feels like he’s trained before."
The atmosphere in the group was extremely heated.
Jiang Feng had become the center of discussion among the fishing bros.
At this moment, Jiang Feng had returned home. After buying some ingredients, he started making delicious sauerkraut fish.
Today’s task reward was: [Shandong Cuisine – Jinan Dishes – Dezhou Braised Chicken Recipe]
It seemed that because he was about to take over the Shandong Cuisine Restaurant, the recent recipes he’d gotten were all from the Shandong Cuisine line. There was no hurry to make the Dezhou Braised Chicken, as he was selling homemade boxed meals this week.
Fishing by Moon River felt quite nice; fresh ingredients were available every day. The blackfish was just perfect for sauerkraut fish. Once the fish was filleted, there weren’t many bones. He boiled it for a while in the bubbling sauerkraut pot. Once the fish was fully cooked, he scooped it out to taste, much like with a hot pot.
The fish had already soaked up the flavors. It was infused with the flavors of the broth and the tangy sauerkraut. The fish melted in the mouth—incredibly tender with an exceptional texture.
The only regret was that there was too much fish for Jiang Feng to finish by himself. Sometimes he even had to feed Little Black a few slices. Jiang Feng made sure the fish was boneless before putting it in Little Black’s bowl. The little fellow stuck out his tongue, licked, chewed, and swallowed; down went the fish.
This kind of life was quite comfortable.
「The following day, Jiang Feng arrived at the shop early again to start preparing the food.」
The stove was blazing hot. The air was filled with the aroma of food.
Around nine in the morning, a large group of fishing bros eagerly awaited at the street corner.
"Hasn’t he arrived yet?"
"He should be here around 11 o’clock, I guess."
"We’re waiting for the braised pork to use as bait!"
"Me too, I just want to catch a blackfish."
Everyone was discussing animatedly. For fishing bros, nothing was more important than fishing.
「At the same time, outdoor streamer Liu Bao and his cousin arrived by the river.」
Liu Bao streamed outdoor content: exploring shops, reviewing food, and doing outdoor challenges—anything his viewers enjoyed, he’d do.
"Folks, today we’re at Moon River to review Executive Chef Jiang’s boxed meals and also check out his fishing skills," Liu Bao said to the camera. "Look, there are already a lot of people waiting for Executive Chef Jiang. It’s always like this wherever he goes."
The livestream focused on the fishing bros, and the viewers, finding it interesting, responded:
[Brother Bao, where is this place? I want to check it out too!]
[Brother Bao, this is your chance to beat Executive Chef Jiang!]
[We believe in you!]
[Look at all those people!]
The viewership in the livestream chat picked up. People were waiting by the river for Jiang Feng. Some were fishing bros, some were Jiang Feng’s regular customers, and there were also a few content creators.
Around 10:40 AM, under everyone’s eager gaze, Jiang Feng’s food truck slowly approached from down the road.
"He’s here! He’s here!"
"Get ready to line up!"
"No pushing!"
"Keep the order we agreed on!"
The fishing bros got excited. Some had been queuing for a long time, and as more people arrived, they all agreed on the lineup order. Now that they saw Jiang Feng arrive, the line formed immediately.
When Jiang Feng drove up and saw the scene, he was also a bit surprised.
Wow, the queue’s already formed? So efficient!
When Liu Bao, mid-livestream, saw this, he was also stunned.
Where did all these people come from? How did so many people line up the moment I turned around? What’s going on here?
Confused, he joined the end of the line. The enthusiasm of the fishing bros was beyond his imagination.
Next, the queue began to move forward rapidly.
"Boss Jiang, three boxed meals, with braised pork!"
"I want three boxed meals too, with braised pork!"
"Same as them!"
"I’ll also take three."
The customers placed their orders one after another, scanning the QR code to pay.
"Alright, just a moment." Jiang Feng took out the boxed meals and handed them to the customers.
Selling three at a time, the boxed meals were flying out. He had prepared nearly four hundred meals, but in just a short while, over a hundred had been sold.
Soon, Liu Bao reached Jiang Feng’s stall. "Boss Jiang, my cousin behind me and I, we’ll take four in total, different flavors."
"Alright, just a moment."
Jiang Feng took out four meals, found a bag to pack them in, added chopsticks, and handed them over.
"Thanks." Liu Bao took the boxed meals and went to his vehicle to start his review.
The results, naturally, spoke for themselves. Jiang Feng’s culinary skills were evident; the food, made with care, was undeniably delicious. Liu Bao praised them profusely on the livestream.
"This is incredible! Take this stir-fried pork with wood ear mushrooms, for example. The mushrooms are soft and tender, incredibly flavorful. The pork slices are fresh and tender too; you can feel the juices bursting in your mouth as you chew!"
"The braised pork is even better! I’ve never had braised pork this delicious. The meat is so tender it melts in your mouth; you can feel the fat just dissolving."
"Do you all know that feeling? The flavor of the meat in my mouth is unreal! The more I eat, the more I want—I just can’t stop!"
"Phew! How does he make it so delicious!"
Liu Bao’s lips were glistening with oil as he ate, his face a picture of pure bliss as he spoke.
Seeing his expression, the viewers commented bitterly:
[Damn, he’s making us jealous again!]
[Is it really that good? I won’t believe it unless you send me some!]
[I haven’t eaten yet, and his expression is making me so hungry! It’s torture!]
[Executive Chef Jiang’s cooking is truly unforgettable. You can’t forget it after just one taste.]
The viewers in the livestream chat chimed in.
Jiang Feng sold his boxed meals even faster than usual today. The fishing bros mostly bought three meals each. Jiang Feng didn’t know whether to cry or laugh.
Are they really using braised pork as bait?
Fortunately, throwing braised pork into the river could be considered an ecological improvement, beneficial for the river’s flora and fauna.
Well, let’s just consider it a contribution to nature.
Soon, the food truck was sold out of boxed meals again. Business was so good, he never had to worry about sales.
Jiang Feng packed up, grabbed his fishing gear, and headed to the riverbank to fish and feed the cats again.
After a while, Liu Bao appeared next to Jiang Feng.
"Executive Chef Jiang, I’d like to livestream fishing here. Is that alright with you?" Liu Bao said with a chuckle.
Seeing his expression, Jiang Feng smiled calmly. "Sure, go ahead. It’s a public spot."
Liu Bao then said, "I fish quite often myself. I’ve been to Moon River a few times. I didn’t expect you to enjoy it too. My fishing skills are pretty good. How about a little competition?"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Feng’s lips curled into an almost imperceptible smile.
This is the first time someone’s walked right into it.
"Sure, I don’t mind," Jiang Feng replied.
Two other fishing bros nearby shook their heads in sympathy after hearing Liu Bao’s words.
Seriously, man? You’re actually going to compete with him? Who gave you that courage? Do you even know how he fishes? He reels them in one after another! Haven’t you noticed all those feral cats flocking to him? Don’t you realize how serious this is?
Liu Bao had no idea about Jiang Feng’s level of skill. He just excitedly set up his little stool, prepared his bait, and got ready to show off.
Jiang Feng, worried Liu Bao might leave, deliberately held back from casting his line, waiting for him for a bit.
Finally, Liu Bao announced, "Alright, I’m starting to fish!"
"Okay." Jiang Feng nodded.
The viewers on the livestream, seeing this, got excited and started placing bets.
[Who do you think will catch more?]
[My money’s on Executive Chef Jiang!]
[I bet Brother Bao loses!]
[You guys are embarrassing Brother Bao! Though, I also think he’ll lose!]
[Embarrassing? Since when do we fans care about our streamer’s pride?]
The atmosphere in the livestream chat heated up as well. Fishing can be dull sometimes; you always need a bit of a spectacle to keep it interesting.
Then, Jiang Feng and Liu Bao cast their lines at the same time.
A moment later, Jiang Feng’s float moved.
Liu Bao just glanced sideways.
After a while, Jiang Feng caught his second fish.
Liu Bao turned his head slightly in that direction.
Before long, Jiang Feng caught his third.
Liu Bao looked anxious and even jiggled his own fishing rod.
Next, Jiang Feng caught his fourth fish.
Liu Bao finally lost his composure. He reeled in his line, checked that the bait was still there, and cast out again.
After that, Jiang Feng caught his fifth fish.
"No way, are you cheating?" Liu Bao exclaimed, completely unsettled and standing up in astonishment. "Is there someone in the water hooking fish for you?"
A group of kittens surrounded Jiang Feng as he handed out the fish he caught.
Two kittens glanced at Liu Bao with a hint of disdain, as if to say,
We knew you were unreliable.
Initially confused, the livestream audience soon erupted with laughter.
[Hahaha, such a brutal loss! I can barely watch!]
[Quick question, why isn’t our streamer catching any fish? Does he not like fishing or something?]
[I’m cringing for Brother Bao. He was just bragging about his fishing skills. What an own goal!]
[Brother Bao, just jump in the river if you can’t take it! We can’t stand watching this beatdown!]
[This is a complete curb stomp!]
The comments scrolled relentlessly.
The few other fishing bros nearby had already anticipated this outcome. One of them said to Liu Bao, "Man, you’ve got guts, daring to compete with Executive Chef Jiang in fishing. A lot of people don’t even dare to fish near him. He catches fish so fast, it’s demoralizing to watch. See those cats? They always gather around whoever catches the most fish."
Liu Bao smiled awkwardly and didn’t respond.
How was I supposed to know he was this good? If I’d known, wild horses couldn’t have dragged me here. This is like willingly slapping my own face against his hand.
At that moment, Jiang Feng, unhurried, caught another fish. He reeled in his line and tossed the fish to the kittens. The kittens happily feasted.
Thankfully, just then, Liu Bao’s rod twitched. He caught a small fish and a wide smile spread across his face.
"I knew it, finally!" Liu Bao held the fish in his hand, visibly excited. He had finally salvaged some face.
"Here, Meow Meow, come get some fish!" he dangled the small fish towards the kittens by the riverbank.
The group of kittens looked at him with complete indifference, showing no intention of approaching.
Just then, Liu Bao’s cousin, who was beside him, piped up, "Bro, I don’t think they’re interested in your fish."
His cousin’s words were like a dagger to Liu Bao’s heart.
"Fine, I wasn’t going to give it to them anyway!" he huffed. Liu Bao resentfully placed the small fish into his bucket.
After this fishing debacle, he probably wouldn’t want to go fishing again for a very long time.