The old uncle selling chili powder gave an awkward laugh.

Jiang Liu offered him an apologetic smile.

"No worries, no worries. It’s normal for kids to be shy around strangers." The chili powder vendor quickly waved his hands politely.

This was Boss Jiang, after all. It wasn’t that he was afraid of offending him; he was afraid Boss Jiang would get unhappy with the location, close up shop, and move elsewhere.

After all, his whole family was counting on eating Boss Jiang’s delicious food.

The three of them strolled through the wet market for about ten minutes.

They returned to the front of the shop.

The road here was already packed solid with people. A few young traffic police officers from the local detachment had come to manage the flow of traffic.

Even the captain of the Yangzhai Street traffic police detachment was somewhat protective of Jiang Liu. All the officers in his squad loved eating Jiang Liu’s buns.

Xue Guang was watching the old men play cards with great interest. On the table were peanuts and sunflower seeds, along with a pile of fifty-cent and one-yuan coins.

Xia Changzhi: "A pair of fives!"

Aunt Wu: "A pair of twos!"

"Come on, Sister Wu! Why are you playing over me? Old Li is the landlord, okay?"

Xia Changzhi scowled, glaring at Aunt Wu.

Aunt Wu turned her head away haughtily. "What’s it to you? Can’t I play the card I want?"

"Fine, fine, fine! Have it your way!"

"The card is down, it’s final," Uncle Li said, afraid she would take her card back.

"Bah! You two shameless cheaters!"

"Hey! Watch your mouth, you old bastard!"

Just then, the queue erupted into a clamor.

"Hey, Boss Jiang is here!"

"Boss Jiang’s here?"

The crowd immediately started buzzing, the sound like a swarm of ten thousand bees.

They were getting excited!

A few new customers who had come from far away, drawn by his reputation, were surprised. ’This boss is so young and handsome. Can he really make food that’s so delicious?’

A sharp-eyed, flashy young guy with tattooed arms squeezed his way to the front and said ingratiatingly:

"Brother Jiang, let me help you with the cart! You should save your energy to make more buns!"

Jiang Liu smiled and declined. "No need, I can manage it myself."

"It’s no problem, I’ll help you push!"

"Good morning, Tongtong."

"Good morning, grandpas and grandmas, uncles and aunties, big brothers and big sisters."

Jiang Tongtong helped Jiang Liu push the cart, turning to the side and waving with a little, milky voice.

The comical little Tongtong made the waiting customers grin from ear to ear, all of them praising how polite and well-behaved she was.

The new male customers had already shifted their gazes to Jun Qingmeng.

"Who’s that? Boss Jiang’s sister? She’s so beautiful. I didn’t think South City had such a stunning goddess."

A regular customer beside him shot him a speechless glance. "Are you blind? That’s Boss Jiang’s girlfriend. How do they look like siblings at all?"

Upon learning the cruel truth he was unwilling to believe, the new customer sucked in a sharp, pained breath.

’Such a perfect ’white moonlight’ goddess, but alas, she’s already taken. Sigh!’

In the line, Zhong Lin’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. ’So this is Boss Jiang. He’s so handsome!’

She had specifically asked her dad to drive her over today just to see what the legendary Boss Jiang was like. She originally thought he’d be a middle-aged man, not someone so young and handsome.

Zhong Youming spoke with a hint of anticipation, "I heard Boss Jiang doesn’t just make buns, he makes other delicious food too. We might be in for a real treat today!"

He looked at his daughter, wanting to say more but holding back. ’If Boss Jiang could become his son-in-law, he’d agree a hundred times over.’

Zhong Lin took out her phone, snapped a couple of pictures with a CLICK, CLICK, and casually posted them in a group chat:

"Came to Boss Jiang’s base of operations in South City today, haha! He’s actually so handsome! There are over a thousand people in line, and I heard his shop has like five or six different dishes, plus yummy juice and beer! I’ll share more with everyone in a bit."

The group chat went silent for a few seconds.

The customers in Kun City, who were just getting ready to go out and buy buns, were stunned when they saw the photos.

"Boss Jiang is so young and handsome! What do I do, I think I’m in love with him!"

"Holy shit! This is the guy who makes the buns? Damn, he looks about the same age as me! Is that his wife next to him? HISS... I’m so damn jealous."

"Five or six kinds?? For real? Doesn’t Boss Jiang only sell buns? Don’t tell me he sells other food too?"

"I don’t care what else he sells, I’m not buying it. I’m just here for the buns."

"The buns are seriously delicious. I especially love the chive and egg ones. They’re so fragrant and crisp."

The group chat exploded with chatter.

The customers from Kun City hadn’t expected the Boss Jiang they’d been longing for to be so young and handsome, nor that he had more than one type of dish. It felt like they, the people of Kun City, had only gotten to try a single one.

They were so jealous!

So mad!

Someone started a chant in the group: "We warmly welcome Brother Jiang to open a shop in Kun City’s Ba District!"

"Begging Boss Jiang to open a shop at my workplace! I’ll find the spot for you, we’ll crowdfund it!"

"If you come, I’ll bring a hundred of my girlfriends to support you, Brother Jiang!"

"Please help us pass this on to Boss Jiang, we’re begging on our knees!!!"

...

Jiang Liu didn’t look at his phone. He went into the kitchen to prepare the fillings.

Ever since getting the [Bun-Making Tools], his range of operations had expanded greatly.

The preparation time for the sashimi, yak and potato-mushroom soup, and ham wasn’t very long. Besides, Jiang Liu had two excellent knives, so processing the ingredients was super fast.

The clamor of the customers outside seeped into the kitchen through the glass door.

As time passed, the morning sun brightened the dim sky, dyeing the clouds with a golden glow. Waves of warmth dried the dampness from the customers’ clothes.

6:00 AM.

Jiang Liu started stewing the yak meat. The potatoes and mushrooms would have to wait until the meat was cooked.

Taking advantage of the spare moment, Jiang Liu began to prepare breakfast for his daughter and girlfriend.

Today, he was making stir-fried shredded potatoes with shredded green peppers, adding a tiny bit of millet pepper and rice vinegar for a sour and spicy flavor.

It was done in a minute.

The second dish was shiitake mushrooms with bok choy, a relatively common homestyle dish.

It’s best to blanch the shiitake mushrooms before stir-frying. This way, they don’t need to be cooked for as long, preserving their fresh, tender texture and ensuring they aren’t undercooked.

Jiang Liu poured oil into the wok, flash-frying ginger and garlic until fragrant. He tossed in the shiitake mushrooms and stir-fried them over high heat. The rich aroma of garlic-infused oil rushed forth. After thirty seconds, he added oyster sauce for umami, light soy sauce for flavor, and dark soy sauce for aroma and color, followed by two spoonfuls of salt and one spoonful of white sugar to elevate the taste.

The moisture from the mushrooms mixed with the oil, bubbling hotly. Jiang Liu added a bit of a cornstarch slurry to thicken it, and the sauce immediately became viscous.

For the greens, he chose fresh Shanghai bok choy, also known as spoon cabbage, which is nutritious, crisp, and tender.

Jiang Liu poured water into the wok, adding oil, salt, and white sugar, then blanched the bok choy.

Tongtong and Jun Qingmeng were leaning nearby, sneaking bites of the shredded potatoes.

"Ooh, it’s a little bit spicy, but Tongtong can handle it."

"Honey, your stir-fried potatoes are so fragrant. My dad has loved shredded potatoes since he was a kid. How about when we meet him, we bring him a plate of these?"

As she spoke, Jun Qingmeng giggled.

Jiang Liu gave her an exasperated look.

’Bringing a plate of shredded potatoes to such a formal occasion would be a total joke.’

"Honey, what are you making now?"

"See for yourself!"

"Okay."

The two of them were greedy, occasionally using their hands to sneak a few strands of potato.

6:10 AM.

The three of them sat at the table while the customers at the door stared on eagerly.

But it was no use for them to stare; the food wasn’t ready yet.

"Honey, have some mushrooms."

"You two eat as well." Jiang Liu put some food on Jun Qingmeng’s and Tongtong’s plates.

"Daddy, I love leafy greens the most! Can I have two more pieces?"

...