Xiao Han looked at the twice-cooked pork piled high on Bai An’an’s plate and scoffed inwardly.

’Women. You think we’re as easy to fool as men?’

Bai An’an waited until her friends went to grab some buns.

She quickly stole a few more slices of meat, carefully hiding them behind her fruit juice.

"Hey, slow down, everyone! We just had that huge feast for lunch. Be careful, or you’ll wake up three pounds heavier!"

She threatened them with a perfectly straight face.

Yang Zishan shot her a look. "You’ve got some nerve. Weren’t you the one who ate the most at lunch? And aren’t you the one eating the most right now? If you’re not scared of getting fat, why should I be? Shut up, you little green tea!"

"BANG—Who are you calling a green tea?!" Bai An’an slammed the table and shot to her feet, not forgetting to stuff a bun into her mouth.

"You, a foodie green tea!"

"Oh, right! That’s right! If I’m the green tea, then sitting at my table makes you a big bottle of Master Kong Black Tea!"

"..."

Their ironclad sisterhood suddenly seemed incredibly fragile in the face of good food.

The table where the five friends sat was shaking and rattling from all the pounding.

Jiang Liu, who was ladling beef soup, felt his eyelid twitch violently. A bit of soup even sloshed out of the bowl.

’Women are crazy when it comes to food.’

’At this rate, my table is going to fall apart!’

Seeing the drop of rich soup that had spilled, Uncle Liu was heartbroken. He shot a gloomy look at the five squabbling friends.

Just then, Jun Qingmeng walked over, her beautiful eyes cold. "If you’re not going to eat properly, then give up your table for the customers behind you!"

Her voice wasn’t loud, but it carried a chilling air.

The scene instantly fell silent.

The five "plastic" friends acted as if nothing had happened, lowering their heads to eat in silence.

It was a textbook case of being put in their place.

Jun Qingmeng glared at them one more time.

Even the foreigners at the neighboring table were startled.

’That beautiful young lady is so fierce!’

Her work of intimidation complete,

She turned, her sweet smile returning, and ran over to Jiang Liu with her hands behind her back to ask for a reward.

"Honey, did you see that? Wasn’t I amazing just now?"

Jiang Liu blinked.

"Amazing. The most amazing in the world!"

A beautiful arc formed at the corners of Jun Qingmeng’s mouth.

"So, is your wife beautiful?"

"Beautiful. The most beautiful in the world!"

"Tch, what a player’s answer! I’m not talking to you anymore."

Jiang Liu shrugged.

’That’s just how women are. You get used to it.’

"Boss Jiang, do you have any more twice-cooked pork for sale?" a female student rushed in, drenched in sweat.

"Let me see... Ah, just the last portion."

"Phew! Oh yeah!" The student pumped her fist in a celebratory gesture.

She had thought it was a lost cause, especially since she had been number eighty in line.

"It smells amazing, Boss Jiang! Your twice-cooked pork with green peppers is incredible with every bite! My dad especially loves to stuff it inside a hot steamed bun."

The student took the twice-cooked pork and inhaled its pungent, spicy aroma.

"Thank you."

"You’re welcome. Oh, by the way, I’ve been meaning to ask, Boss Jiang, why did the twice-cooked pork sell so slowly today?"

Her use of "slow" was limited to Jiang Liu’s standards. If you were to compare it with other businesses... well, let’s just say that without comparison, no innocent businesses would be harmed.

Jiang Liu thought for a moment. "There have been a lot more new customers lately. Newcomers don’t always order the daily special."

"Oh, I see. Well, you’re busy, Boss Jiang." The student sighed, carrying her plate to an empty seat.

She felt a little unhappy. Boss Jiang was such an amazing culinary treasure, and such a good person. It would be so much better if he could forever belong just to the people in their area.

She didn’t want to share him with outsiders!

Not even a single leg!

After Xiao Han and her four friends finished eating, they helped Jiang Liu wipe the table clean and left, saying their reluctant goodbyes.

Once they were back in the car,

Xiao Han couldn’t resist posting on her social media feed.

(Image)

"Pardon my bluntness, but Boss Jiang’s twice-cooked pork is number one in the universe. Don’t believe me? Come at me!"

She was much smarter this time than the last.

She had taken a picture of the "complete" dish before it was served.

The nocturnal foodie crowd always lurks on social media at night.

Just one minute after she posted the picture, dozens of comments poured in.

Sister Beibei: "Whoa! How many beauty filters did you put on this handsome Mr. Twice-Cooked Pork? I refuse to believe meat can be that good-looking."

OHH: "Sister Han, you’re so mean! I just finished dinner, and now I’m hungry again. But my nanny already went home for the night (crying emoji)."

Mo Zhilin: "Is that the one in South City? My dad told me it’s an outstanding restaurant where every single dish is a masterpiece. It’s just a shame it’s so hard to get anything from there."

Only A: "Your dad went too? So did mine! A few days ago, my dad was negotiating a deal with another company, and their boss specifically insisted on going to Boss Jiang’s eatery. After my dad came back, he even brought me a cup of their fruit juice. It’s a hundred times better than that milk tea stuff!"

Super Sleepy: "@Han Zhilin @Only A. Are you serious?! Please, oh great ones, share the location!"

Sister Beibei: "Ah, so I was wrong? Is it really that good?"

Mo Zhilin: "Delicious! You know my dad, don’t you? After that picky man ate there, he came home and has been completely out of it ever since. My mom’s professional chef makes him meals, and he won’t even eat them. He just keeps mumbling about wanting to fly over to Boss Jiang’s for another fix."

Sister Beibei: "!!! No point in just thinking about it. Time for action."

OHH: "OK, I’ll call Xiao Han for the address in a bit. Anyone who wants to go tomorrow, find me and I’ll add you to the sisters’ group chat."

...

As expected, business that evening was booming right up until closing.

By 7:56 in the evening, the line had finally disappeared.

Basking in the light from Jiang Liu’s shop,

A dozen or so old men were playing Chinese chess and cards at the entrance, their occasional shouts and applause breaking the evening calm.

"Get him!"

"Yes! That’s a brilliant move from Old Liu! Next, you listen to me. Jump your horse and put him in check!"

"Get lost, you don’t know the first thing about chess."

"Bullshit! When I was playing chess, you were still shitting in your diapers!"

A few minutes later,

Lin Qiu and Jiang Dahai arrived at the shop, jogging in matching tracksuits.

One was pink, the other gray.

"Hello, Mother, hello, Father!"

"Grandma, hug me!"

"Well, look at this. Are both of our little sweethearts here at the shop?" Lin Qiu scooped Tongtong up with one arm, balancing her on her hip, and wrapped her other arm around Jun Qingmeng.

Jun Qingmeng said obediently, "Please, sit down, Mother. I’ll get you and Father some water."

"Alright."

Lin Qiu didn’t refuse.

The last table of customers hurriedly packed up their food and left.

The table wasn’t dirty; the customers had kept it very clean.

Jiang Liu wiped everything down and sprayed it with alcohol. He was planning to make some dumplings and a dipping sauce.

The dipping sauce was the soul of the dumpling.

He diced green and red chili peppers, mashed some garlic, and placed them in a bowl. Then, he added scallions, fermented broad bean paste, and poured a ladle of sizzling-hot oil over the top. With a loud CRACKLE,

The aromas of garlic, chili, and scallion filled the air.

Next came vinegar, sesame oil, and light and dark soy sauce. Finally, a pinch of salt.

Savory, fragrant, spicy, and rich.

Besides the dumplings, Jiang Liu also made a pound of cumin beef.

The kitchen filled with the spicy aroma of beef.

Tongtong and Jun Qingmeng, the two little gluttons, followed Jiang Liu around, not leaving his side.

Jiang Liu didn’t make the two of them wait long.

Ten minutes later,

The dumplings were boiled and ready, and the cumin beef was served.

Lin Qiu and Jiang Dahai each picked up a dumpling, dipped it in the fragrant, oily sauce, and popped it into their mouths.

"How is it?" Jiang Liu asked, watching his parents’ blissful expressions.

"The dipping sauce is incredible, and the dumplings are excellent too."

...