ryethenovel Chapter 60 Turns out Dad really is a big star!
Chapter 60 Turns out Dad really is a big star!
At 10 a.m., the uproar that had almost blown the roof off the store finally subsided.
As the last diner left, patting his belly with satisfaction, this frenzied "offensive" finally came to an end.
Chen Feng tossed the soaking wet rag into the basin, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and let out a long sigh of relief.
The intense stir-frying left his arms trembling slightly, and his hands still felt sore and swollen from the blood congestion.
Meanwhile, in the corner of the kitchen, Xingruo was staring intently at the sink, which was piled high with dishes and chopsticks.
A few drops of bright red soup still clung to the gaps between the layers of white porcelain plates.
Perhaps in other people's eyes, this is a headache-inducing household chore.
But in Xingruo's eyes at this moment, this was simply her "medal of honor," the "main battlefield" where she found her value and helped her master pay off his debts.
"Hehe...so many."
Xingruo stared at the pile of bowls and chopsticks, a silly smile unconsciously curving her lips.
He even unconsciously rubbed his hands together, his eyes shining with an astonishing light.
She had been waiting for two whole hours, and now, it was finally her time to show off her skills.
She had just taken a step, rolled up her sleeves, and was ready to fight when a large hand gently pressed down on her shoulder.
"Master?" Xingruo was stunned for a moment, then turned to look at Chen Feng.
"Let's go out and rest for a while, Xingruo." Chen Feng's voice, though tired, was still gentle.
"You've been busy all morning, preparing ingredients and handing out seasonings. Your leg isn't fully healed yet, you can't stand for long."
"I'm not tired, Master!"
Xingruo panicked, her face turning bright red, and she tried to crawl closer to the edge of the pool.
"Master, I'm not tired at all right now, really! Master, please let me wash you, I promise I'll wash away every last drop of oil!"
Chen Feng looked at the child's expression that said, "I'll feel bad if I don't do any work," and felt both angry and amused.
He simply used a bit of skill, grabbing Xingruo by the collar like he was carrying a kitten, and led her towards the store.
"This is an order, from my first disciple." Chen Feng deliberately put on a stern face.
"Now, immediately, go outside and sit down. We need to conduct 'post-war resupply'."
Xingruo was dragged away from the kitchen, her body obediently moving outwards.
But his head was turned 180 degrees away, his eyes filled with sorrow as he gazed at the pile of bowls and chopsticks that were gradually receding into the distance.
Oh, my bowls and chopsticks! My bowls and chopsticks piled up like a small mountain!
Xingruo let out a desperate wail in her heart, looking exactly like a child whose beloved toy had been taken away.
Seeing her expression, as if she wanted to die with the porcelain plate, Chen Feng finally couldn't help but burst out laughing.
This kid, he usually seems so quiet and reserved, but he becomes like he's possessed whenever it comes to washing dishes.
"Qiangzi, stop wiping, take a break first."
Chen Feng called out to Zhang Qiang, who was huffing and puffing as he moved the table, and then looked down at Mengmeng, who was sitting behind the cashier counting money.
"Mengmeng, stop counting now, come here, Daddy has something good to give you."
Chen Feng turned and walked towards the old well in the backyard. The well water was always at a constant temperature, making it the best "natural freezer".
Chen Feng picked up the taut rope, exerted force with his wrist, and pulled it upwards steadily.
With a splash of water, a watermelon, chilled and translucent from being soaked, landed steadily in Chen Feng's hand.
Chen Feng specially put this watermelon in the well after he closed up shop yesterday, and it soaked in the deep, cool well water all night.
When the watermelon was served, a thin layer of water mist still clung to its surface, making it sparkle in the sunlight.
Chen Feng picked up the kitchen knife, and with a "snap," the emerald green melon rind split open, revealing the bright red, agate-like flesh.
It was a perfectly ripe, sand-pressed melon, exuding a sweet and refreshing aroma.
"Wow! It's iced watermelon!"
Mengmeng was the first to cheer and run over.
Her little hands shivered from the cold on the melon rind, but she couldn't wait to take the big piece Chen Feng handed her and take a big bite.
"Ouch—it's so cold! Dad, this watermelon is so cold!"
Mengmeng shrank her neck from the cold, but she couldn't bear to put it down. The refreshing sweetness instantly slid down her esophagus into her stomach, and her originally hot little face quickly regained its rosy color.
Chen Feng handed Xingruo a piece and then slipped another piece to Zhang Qiang.
In the mountain city after 10 a.m., the sun was already starting to get quite scorching.
Although the shop was cool, the residual heat from just being removed from the stove had not yet dissipated.
At this moment, a sip of well water and watermelon, and the icy coolness exploded on the tip of the tongue, precisely washing away all the hard work, heat, and lethargy of the morning.
"Awesome!" Zhang Qiang wiped the melon juice from the corner of his mouth, let out a long sigh, slumped in his chair, and let out a satisfied sigh.
"Fengzi, the melons soaked in this well water taste much better than those taken out of the refrigerator."
Xingruo also took small bites of the watermelon, and the coolness of the watermelon calmed her previously hot forehead.
While eating melon seeds, Zhang Qiang's gossip instincts were reignited.
He recalled the old man who had been crying and laughing earlier, and who had said goodbye to Chen Feng before leaving. He couldn't help but lean closer and ask:
"Hey, Fengzi."
What exactly happened with that Uncle Ma just now?
I'm completely confused by how you guys keep calling me "Uncle Ma" and "Little Chen" all the time.
I remember that old man looked vaguely familiar, but I can't quite place him.
Mengmeng also rested her chin on her hand, blinked her big eyes, and asked curiously:
"Dad, was that grandpa one of your old fans?"
How did you conjure that "magic fried egg"?
Chen Feng took a bite of watermelon, and the coolness brought him into a brief period of reverie.
He gazed at the faded shadows of the old street outside the window, his tone growing somber:
That was more than 20 years ago.
Back then, my grandfather was in charge of the shop, and I was just a little rascal who couldn't even reach the stove.
Uncle Ma wasn't as fat back then as he is now. He was a hard worker, doing the heaviest jobs in the old town—pulling carts and carrying heavy bags.
Chen Feng pointed to the stone path outside the door:
"Uncle Ma's family used to be poor. In order to support his children's schooling, he would only eat one meal a day to save two cents."
Every time he came to our shop, Grandpa would secretly bury a poached egg under his big bowl of rice and then pour two extra spoonfuls of fatty pork broth over it.
Grandpa often told me:
"Xiao Feng, look at Uncle Ma. His bent back is the weight of life, but the family he supports is the spirit of humanity."
At this point, Chen Feng smiled, his eyes revealing an extremely pure sense of pride.
"The fried egg I just made was cooked according to the method my grandfather used to use."
The edges should be charred, and the soy sauce should be plentiful.
That was Uncle Ma's only "luxury" in his life.
Just now, when he called out "Xiao Chen".
Suddenly, I felt as if my grandfather was standing right next to me, personally handing me that steelyard balance.
A brief silence fell over the shop.
Zhang Qiang scratched his hair, somewhat moved.
Although he was a rough and uncultured man, he could understand the weighty entrustment he was being entrusted with.
Xingruo was so engrossed in listening that she didn't even notice that she had almost finished eating the melon rind in her hand.
She suddenly realized that the reason why the chef was so particular about every dish and every trivial matter was not only for money, but also to protect these "thoughts" that Uncle Ma had held onto for decades.
"Wow, Dad really is a big star!"
Mengmeng muttered softly, her eyes practically overflowing with admiration for Chen Feng.
"Alright, that's the end of the story. Let's take a look at the results of this morning's battle."
Chen Feng composed himself, took out his phone, skillfully opened his WeChat payment history, and calculated the cash he had received.
"Everyone come and take a look."
Mengmeng and Xingruo immediately swarmed over like two little rabbits smelling a fragrance, and Zhang Qiang also craned his neck.
"One, two, three... up to Uncle Ma's order just now, that's exactly the 58th one."
Chen Feng pointed to the row of bright green payment records on the screen, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"Yay! Long live Daddy!"
Mengmeng excitedly spun around in a circle, her rabbit ears twitching happily.
"Sister Xingruo, look! We're really making a lot of money!"
As Xingruo looked at those numbers, her mind raced with calculations.
58 dishes... It's still a long way from paying off the money my master owes me, but I can wash even more dishes!
Thinking of this, Xingruo turned her gaze to the kitchen again.
She felt full of energy; she could not only wash the dishes, but she also felt she could scrub that big iron pot until it shone.
However, before they could celebrate for more than a minute, Zhang Qiang's ears suddenly twitched.
"Fengzi, listen." Zhang Qiang frowned slightly and looked towards the door.
Outside the quiet old street, a series of chaotic footsteps and the hushed conversations of young men and women suddenly broke out.
"Is this the one? The 'Human Touch' restaurant?"
"That's right! I just saw Xiaoyu's post on WeChat Moments. She said the shredded pork with garlic sauce here is amazing, and if we don't come soon, there won't be a single shred left!"
"I also saw the message in that 'Protecting the Best Little Bunny' group!"
Chen Feng's smile froze.
Before he could even clean up the watermelon rind, three stylishly dressed young people carrying cameras suddenly appeared at the door.
They were holding up their phones, comparing the photos in Lin Xiaoyu's WeChat Moments, and peering inside with excited expressions.
"Boss! Are you open? We took a taxi from the next district, please, please save us a serving!"
Following these three individuals, five, six, or even a dozen more customers appeared who had been "poisoned" by the posts on social media and tweets.
Chen Feng turned his head and looked at Xing Ruo's ecstatic expression of "another person has arrived," and then looked at his own arms, which were still swollen.
"Qiangzi, let's get to work!"
Chen Feng sighed, but then shook his head with a smile.