Chapter 128: Making Golden Coin Egg Skewers

Jun Qingmeng’s eyes were sparkling.

’How is everything Jiang Liu makes so delicious? He’s incredible!’

’She suddenly realized her judgment was impeccable. She’d found a diamond in the rough so easily!’

Jiang Liu didn’t say anything, just smiled.

He continued to busy himself with his work.

He poured oil into the wok, stir-frying ginger, garlic, and chili peppers until fragrant before adding the golden-brown fried eggs.

He tossed them a few times to let the aromas meld, finally adding garlic sprout leaves, salt, chicken bouillon, light and dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, and white sugar.

Before long,

a wok of spicy Gold Coin Eggs was ready.

Jiang Liu brought out a plate of it.

The golden egg slices glistened with red chili oil, making one’s mouth water at the sight.

The aroma was incredible, and it looked absolutely appetizing!

"Whoa~"

"Tongtong is so lucky! Daddy, come quick, we’re going to eat together."

Jiang Liu came from the back kitchen with three bowls of rice soup. "Don’t just sit there, you two. Hurry up and eat, it’s getting late."

"Okayyy—"

Jiang Tongtong gripped her chopsticks and picked up a slice of egg.

The rich aroma of egg, mixed with the fragrance of garlic sprouts, wafted up to her.

"Ooh! It’s a little hot, but it’s so yummy!"

"This is the best egg I’ve ever eaten!"

"Not bad!" Jun Qingmeng took a bite, secretly astonished.

’The flavor is even more perfect than I imagined.’

’I can’t believe a simple egg can be fragrant, crispy, and tender all at the same time.’

’The saltiness is just right.’

And because of the light soy sauce, chicken bouillon, and oyster sauce,

the flavor was also incredibly savory.

"Jiang Liu, is this a new item for the restaurant’s menu?"

Jun Qingmeng asked expectantly.

Jiang Liu shook his head. He took a sip of rice soup and said,

"Not exactly, but sort of. I’m considering selling these Gold Coin Eggs, but not every day. For example, today I made some for you two, and just made a little extra to sell."

"That’s a great idea. It’s up to you!"

Jun Qingmeng nodded agreeably.

After quickly eating his fill, Jiang Liu hurried to the kitchen to make steamed buns.

6:53 AM.

The adult and child gracefully finished their meal.

It was time for Jun Qingmeng to take Tongtong to kindergarten.

"Daddy, will you miss me?"

"I will. Now, go on."

Jiang Liu looked up from his work.

"SOB... Hug me one more time. I don’t want to leave you, Daddy."

Jiang Liu sighed in resignation and picked Tongtong up again.

’This kid is getting more and more clingy.’

Tongtong pressed her cheek against Jiang Liu’s before reluctantly letting him put her down.

"Daddy, you can go back to work. I’ll be worrying about you."

"Let’s go, Tongtong."

Jun Qingmeng took Tongtong’s little hand. As the two of them walked out the door, they copied what they did yesterday, turning around and making a heart shape for Jiang Liu with their arms.

"Bye, Daddy."

"Bye, dear!"

"Er, goodbye. Watch out for traffic."

Jiang Liu went to the door and watched them leave.

He turned and went back into the shop.

The warm, golden sunlight spread across the rooftops of the Phoenix District opposite the shop.

The morning air was growing muggy.

The customers at the door were getting antsy.

"What time is it?! Boss Jiang, open up already! We’ve been craving your steamed buns."

"Lots of tuna today?"

"I just saw Boss Jiang eating some braised pork."

"What? The man’s holding out on us! Boss Jiang! Is that braised pork for sale?"

"Braised pork? Damn, Boss Jiang made another new delicacy?"

The topic had gone off the rails.

The more the customers chatted, the more excited they became.

One after another, they clamored at the door, demanding to try the braised pork.

In their minds, you could buy anything Jiang Liu made without a second thought; it would never be a disappointment.

Jiang Liu looked utterly baffled.

’What are they talking about out there? What braised pork?’

Catching a glimpse of the plate on the table from the corner of his eye, Jiang Liu suddenly understood.

’So the customers mistook my Gold Coin Eggs for braised pork.’

He found it rather amusing. ’My customers are really something else.’

"Alright everyone, we’re open for business! Same as usual, please form a line. Anyone causing trouble will be blacklisted from the shop."

"Also, to clarify, I didn’t make any braised pork. This morning, the shop is introducing a new item: Gold Coin Egg Skewers. Five yuan a skewer, first come, first served."

Originally, Jiang Liu had planned to sell them in small bowls.

But seeing there wasn’t much in the wok—at most a dozen or so portions—he’d had a change of plans.

So he’d thought of putting them on bamboo skewers. The equivalent of two eggs could make about three to four skewers. On each one, Jiang Liu had deliberately placed pieces of green and red chili pepper and garlic sprouts between the slices of egg.

The moment he finished speaking,

the line erupted.

"Damn, a new item for real?! Gold Coin Egg Skewers... what the hell is that? I’ve never had it. And five yuan is so cheap!"

"Yeah, Brother Jiang’s food is never expensive, and it’s always amazing."

"Shit, I regret this so much. If I’d known, I would’ve gotten here at four. Now that I’m way back in line, I probably won’t get any."

"Boss Jiang, how many are there? How many can one person buy?" The speaker was a student. He had no idea what Gold Coin Egg Skewers even were, but that wasn’t the issue. The real issue was the risk of not being able to buy one.

Jiang Liu replied from the service window, "To be fair to the people in the back, there’s a limit of one skewer per person. We have thirty-five skewers right now."

"Why so few? That’s not enough!"

"Will you have more at lunchtime?"

Jiang Liu shook his head. "We’ll see. Maybe sometimes. Gold Coin Egg Skewers are a new snack I’m experimenting with."

"*Hiss!* For real?! So it might be a one-time thing?"

"Sounds like it."

At this, the customers at the back of the line, who now faced the prospect of missing out, started to get restless.

Some of them had even traveled a long way to get here.

How could they possibly miss out on a new, potentially one-of-a-kind delicacy?

A portly boss with slicked-back hair hurried to the front of the line, pulling three bills from his pocket.

"Would someone do me the honor? This is three hundred yuan. I want to buy a spot within the first thirty people. Anyone willing to sell?"

Ever since he first tasted Jiang Liu’s steamed buns, he had been completely hooked.

He hadn’t missed a single special, be it the fruit juice, the wild tuna, or the shrimp noodles.

No matter what, he was determined to complete his "delicacy collection" today.

A customer near the front gave a cold smirk.

’In your dreams.’

’It’s only a few hundred yuan, as if the rest of us are broke.’

’You can always earn more money. But if Boss Jiang’s new dish is gone, where are you going to find it?’

’You really think Boss Jiang is going to make a special batch just for you?’

"You wish! We’re all fans of Boss Jiang’s cooking here. You think I’m going to sell my spot for a few hundred yuan when this might be a dish we never get to taste again?"

"A masterpiece like this is priceless, okay?"

"Not a chance. I want to try it, too. I can tell it’s delicious just from the name."

"How about you give me three thousand? Then I’ll let you have my spot."

The one who spoke was an older woman. She figured Jiang Liu would make the dish again someday, so it wasn’t a big deal to wait.

The portly boss frowned in hesitation. "How about five hundred? If you won’t sell, I’ll just wait for next time."

"Fine, deal!"

The woman gleefully took the money and moved to the back of the line.

The portly boss chuckled to himself. ’What’s the point of earning money if not to eat, drink, and be merry?’

He didn’t regret it in the slightest. In fact, he felt he’d gotten a bargain.

As for Boss Jiang’s food, forget little South City—it was a top-tier delicacy even in the whole of Hua Country.

The ingredients and the culinary skill were both impeccable!

Jiang Liu brought the steamed buns and a basin of Gold Coin Egg skewers to the front and began selling.

The shop filled up in an instant.

Jin Wei had managed to get Table One today. Under a barrage of envious stares, he placed his order. "Ahem, Boss Jiang, I’ll have fifteen steamed buns, a bottle of juice, and one skewer of... Egg-Egg Gold."

Jiang Liu corrected him, "It’s ’Gold Coin Egg Skewers’."