The Gourmet Customizer

As if mocking someone in particular...

"The sugar coating has hardened, and the Wanzi are perfectly round. How are you going to pierce one?" Su Chen was at a loss for words.

He was beginning to question the three-thousand-yuan monthly salary he paid Zhang Li. With an IQ like hers, what could possibly justify it?

"Here, use a spoon." Liu Ahbao’s gaze was full of sympathy, as if he were looking at a mentally challenged child.

"Thanks!" Zhang Li took the spoon. This time, she wouldn’t mess up. With a steady hand, she scooped out a Wanzi.

CRUNCH!

As she bit down, the sound of the crisp shell cracking echoed in her mouth. This was immediately followed by a different, unique crispness, and then the succulent interior of the Wanzi!

It was so tender, juices burst forth and flowed between her teeth!

’So delicious!’

With her cheeks puffed out, Zhang Li’s eyes widened. She was the type of person who simply couldn’t hide what was on her mind.

If she thought something was delicious, she would subconsciously break into a joyful expression.

Seeing her reaction, the others grabbed either chopsticks or a spoon, and soon everyone had taken one.

"Holy crap! This Wanzi is so good! I’ve never had anything with this sweet and savory meat flavor before!"

"This outer sugar coating is incredible! It’s so sweet and satisfyingly crunchy!"

"What do you mean, a famous dish from Qilu? This is just a snack! I could eat a hundred of these Wanzi a day!"

Everyone was happily munching away, except for He Shuting. She stood to the side, holding Ah Bao’s camera and watching, dumbfounded.

This...

’But... I can’t eat meat. Eating fatty meat makes me sick to my stomach...’

On one hand, there was her fear of fatty meat. She’d seen with her own eyes when Su Chen was making them—they were nothing but granules of fat!

On the other hand, seeing how much everyone was enjoying them, a powerful craving gnawed at her.

In the end, her craving defeated her fear.

"I’ll try one too!"

He Shuting wielded a spoon to dig one out, then picked it up with her fingers and brought it to her lips.

She didn’t dare pop the whole Wanzi into her mouth like the others. She only dared to gently take a tiny bite first.

CRUNCH!

’Huh? The texture’s actually pretty good!’

He Shuting continued to chew the small bite. The first sensation was sweetness. As she chewed, she could sense a meaty fragrance, yet she could hardly detect the texture of any meat granules.

Chewing a few more times, she could feel a unique chewiness created by the meat juices mingling with the doughy interior.

Until she swallowed.

The faint sweetness and meaty aroma continued to linger in her mouth.

’It’s not cloying at all, is it?’

He Shuting popped the remaining half of the Wanzi into her mouth and began chewing heartily.

Delicious! This is so delicious!

It felt a bit like eating Jiangmitiao, but with the added fragrance of meat and deep-frying.

In the blink of an eye, everyone had devoured all the Wanzi in the wok.

Looking at the completely empty wok, a question popped into Su Chen’s mind.

’I definitely fried 21 Sugar-Crisp Wanzi, so why didn’t I even get one? Someone must have eaten more than their share!’

"How was it, Ah Bao? Are you confident you can make it?"

Liu Ahbao licked his lips, which were still dusted with sugar flakes. "It’s hard to say on the first try, but I should be able to master the technique after a few more attempts."

Su Chen nodded. He believed that Liu Ahbao would have no problem at all making a dish like this.

"Alright then. Get some more practice in. If you run out of Wanzi, just fry another batch." Su Chen said, then turned to leave. He stopped halfway and added, "Everyone can eat the practice batches, but not the final product."

For a moment, Liu Ahbao didn’t understand. He just nodded blankly before it dawned on him.

’That’s our boss for you!’

’The practice batches are basically just kitchen waste, but the finished product is for paying customers!’

’Good thing I’m the head chef here... ahem. It’s perfectly normal for a cook to taste one while he’s working, right?’

Just as Su Chen expected, Ah Bao only needed one taste test; by his second attempt, he had successfully replicated the dish.

He learned so quickly that the rest of the Delicious staff were filled with regret—if only he’d needed a few more practice runs!

The morning flew by.

A little before twelve, He Shuting and Zhang Li went downstairs to wait by the bus stop.

"There are over a hundred children... I’m getting a little nervous."

Zhang Li held He Shuting’s hand. "You’re so pretty, the kids are sure to love you. No need to be nervous!"

He Shuting murmured in assent, then turned her head and saw two yellow school buses slowly approaching.

Following behind the two school buses were several private cars.

"What are those?"

Zhang Li saw them too. "I don’t know. Maybe they’re customers here for lunch?"

"But for some reason..." He Shuting trailed off as she saw a young woman get out of a black sedan. "Doesn’t that woman look a little familiar?"

"Familiar? Relax! Let’s get ready to greet the kids!"

It wasn’t just children on the school buses; there were chaperoning teachers as well.

A teacher hopped off the bus first and called out to the children, "Everyone off the bus, slowly and in an orderly fashion! Once you’re off, line up just like we practiced at school! Understand?"

A chorus of high-pitched, childish voices replied in unison, "We got it!"

He Shuting and Zhang Li stared blankly at the group of children. It was just a kindergarten class; the oldest were only five or six, while some of the youngest were barely over three!

Led by their teachers, the children from the two buses quickly formed four lines after disembarking. They all wore small yellow hats, looking remarkably orderly.

"Wow, now that’s some discipline!" Zhang Li couldn’t help but recall being that age—she was probably still in her village, trailing after the older boys to go raid birds’ nests...

"You must be Teacher He?"

He Shuting froze. It was the first time anyone had addressed her that way. "Ah, yes, that’s me," she replied, a little embarrassed.