Chapter 27

Dong Shengde first picked up a piece of saury meat. He didn't have high expectations for saury because the canteen at the construction site often had this dish. The meat of saury is a little tougher than other fish, and has a slightly stronger fishy smell. If the internal organs are not handled properly, it will be slightly bitter.

However, because saury is cheap, it is a common dish in major cafeterias.

Dong Shengde would occasionally eat it in the construction site cafeteria. It was indeed woody and fishy, ​​but because it was cheap, the portions were large and he could fill himself up.

Dong Shengde took a bite of the fish without any expectations. The skin was fried very crispy and he could smell the burnt aroma as soon as he put it in his mouth. The fish inside was firm and fragrant, and the fresh taste lingered in his mouth, accompanied by bursts of lemon fragrance.

The fish is crispy on the outside and fragrant on the inside. Although the fish meat is not as tender as other fish, it is fried very dry and fragrant, and has a unique flavor with the aroma of lemon.

"Delicious!" Dong Shengde couldn't help but give a thumbs up to this pan-fried saury. It was completely different from the saury he had eaten in the construction site canteen. The taste was also different. The saury in the construction site canteen was woody, fishy and bitter.

The saury in this box rice restaurant is unusually fragrant, without a strong fishy smell or bitterness.

Dong Shengde picked up another piece of fish and put it into his mouth. The crispy and fragrant fish tasted better and better. He had never imagined that saury could be cooked so deliciously.

It turned out that it wasn’t that the saury was not delicious, but that the saury cooked by others was not delicious. This was the first time that Dong Shengde felt that saury was delicious.

When Chen Kangle decided to make the pan-fried saury dish, he wanted to use cheap ingredients to make a delicious dish. In the market, saury is the cheapest fish, and most people think that the meat of saury is rough and dry and not tasty.

But Chen Kangle knows how to play to his strengths and avoid his weaknesses. When processing saury, the gills and internal organs must be cleaned cleanly, and the black film in the belly must also be cleaned clean, so as to remove the bitter taste of the saury.

The fishy smell of saury is very strong, which affects the overall taste. Therefore, before frying, Chen Kangle will marinate the saury with lemon juice to remove the fishy smell. After frying, squeeze a few drops of fresh lemon juice on the fish to remove the fishy smell and enhance the flavor.

The rough and dry texture of the meat is the biggest drawback of saury, and it is an inevitable drawback. No matter how you make the rough and dry fish meat, it will not become fresh and tender.

Since the texture of the meat cannot be changed, Chen Kangle plans to take advantage of the rough texture of the saury meat and fry it to bring out a dry and fragrant flavor, which tastes dry but fragrant.

Dong Shengde had already eaten several mouthfuls of fish in a row. He didn't care at all about the dryness of the fish. His mouth was full of the rich aroma of the fish. The more he ate, the more he liked it.

The guest sitting next to Dong Shengde saw Dong Shengde eating while standing, so he kindly asked, "Brother, why don't you sit down to eat? It's tiring to stand."

Dong Shengde, immersed in the fish aroma, raised his head and replied, "It's okay, my clothes are a little dirty, and I don't want to dirty the boss's chair, so it's fine to eat while standing."

The tall Dong Shengde bent over and ate bite by bite. Although his posture was a little uncomfortable, the delicious food made him completely ignore the discomfort.

Chen Kangle, who was selling box lunches at the display counter, also noticed Dong Shengde. She hoped that every customer could dine comfortably in the box lunch restaurant.

Chen Kangle walked over and said gently, "Brother, it's okay for you to sit down."

Seeing the pretty and gentle Chen Kangle, Dong Shengde said with a smile: "Boss, my clothes are too dirty, I don't want to dirty your chair."

"It's okay, just wipe it clean later when it gets dirty." Most of the workers on the construction site do dirty and tiring work. They are already very tired when they work. Chen Kangle hopes that they can sit down comfortably and enjoy the food.

Dong Shengde is a person who doesn't like to trouble others. "No need, I can just stand and eat. I'll be done soon."

Knowing that Dong Shengde really didn't want to dirty the chair, Chen Kangle thought for a moment, went to the kitchen and got out a larger piece of cardboard, put the cardboard on the chair, and said, "It won't get dirty if you sit on the cardboard, you can sit and eat."

"Thank you, boss." Dong Shengde was touched and then sat down. It was indeed more comfortable to sit down.

Dong Shengde recalled an incident from the past. He once went to take a bus wearing dusty clothes. As soon as he got on the bus, the driver reminded him to stand and not sit on the dirty bus seat.

So he didn't expect that the boss of the lunch box restaurant would not mind him dirtying the chair. He couldn't help but sigh: "The boss is really kind and nice."

The guests next to her also echoed: "Indeed, our boss Chen is not only beautiful and kind, but also cooks delicious food. She is simply a perfect goddess."

Dong Shengde felt warm in his heart. He picked up the chopsticks and picked up a piece of sweet potato leaves. The sweet potato leaves were emerald green and not black. They tasted fragrant and crispy and were very delicious.

The sweet and sour pork was crispy and not greasy. Dong Shengde ate it piece by piece.

After a delicious meal, Dong Shengde was filled with happiness. He felt that he had a very happy birthday today. He was in a very good mood to eat the cheap and delicious box lunch.

After finishing his lunch box, Dong Shengde stood up very contentedly. He looked at the cardboard on the chair and picked up the box. When he walked to the door, Dong Shengde put the box behind the door before leaving.

On the way back, Dong Shengde received a video call from his wife. After the video call was connected, his wife and child appeared on the phone screen. Dong Shengde smiled brightly and said, "Wife, does Doudou miss Daddy?"

The little girl on the screen kept waving, "Daddy, daddy, Doudou is here, Doudou misses daddy."

The little girl took out a small red flower sticker and said happily: "Dad, this is the small red flower that the teacher gave to Doudou. Doudou is very good in school."

"Our Doudou is so great. Be good and wait for daddy to come home and buy you something delicious." Dong Shengde looked at his daughter on the screen and found that she had grown up a little.

"Today, Doudou kept saying that she wanted to show her little red flower to her dad." Tan Yue hugged her daughter, "Doudou said that this little red flower is a birthday gift for her dad."

The little girl held the little red flower, waved her hands happily, and said, "Happy birthday, Dad."

"Dad, did you go out to eat delicious food today?" Doudou remembered that her mother said that Dad was going to eat delicious food on his birthday.

Tan Yue also asked: "Dad Doudou, did you go to eat delicious food?"

Dong Shengde transferred his salary back home every month, and he himself became visibly thinner. Tan Yue felt distressed when she saw this, because she knew that Dong Shengde had not spared himself from food and clothing in order to earn money to build a house.

It just so happened that today was Dong Shengde's birthday, so Tan Yue ordered Dong Shengde to have a good meal. She didn't know whether Dong Shengde went to eat or not.

When talking about delicious food, Dong Shengde began to talk nonstop: "I just went to eat a very delicious box lunch. The owner of this box lunch restaurant is amazing. The dishes he made are very delicious."

"Dad had sweet and sour pork today. It was especially crispy and sweet. There was also the fried saury which was especially dry and fragrant. There was also the sweet potato leaves that Mom loved to eat. They were crunchy and refreshing."

"Doudou, next time daddy will take you and mommy to eat there, you will definitely like it very much."

Dong Shengde wanted to take his beloved ones to eat the most delicious boxed lunches. He had already made up his mind that when he got his salary this month, he would buy tickets for his wife and children to come to Hai City for fun, and then take them to Kangle Boxed Lunch Restaurant to eat super delicious boxed lunches.

——

At half past twelve, the Kanglehe Restaurant was still very busy.

The customer in the front of the line saw that the sweet and sour pork on his plate was almost gone, and said, "Sure enough, the new dishes are the most popular. Fortunately, I'm in the front of the line. You guys in the back may not be able to eat the new dishes today."

The customers in the back of the queue started to get anxious. “Ah? How could this happen? I just want to try the new dishes. Why is it so difficult?”

Chen Kangle said calmly: "Don't worry, we still have sweet and sour pork."

As he spoke, Chen Kangle went into the kitchen and brought out a large plate of sweet and sour pork.

Knowing that the new dishes would definitely be very popular, Chen Kangle specially prepared many new dishes.

Hearing that there was still sweet and sour pork, the customer behind him became happy again. "It's good to have a Hedian restaurant. In the past, new dishes would be gone once they were sold out. Now, if they are sold out, the kitchen can serve new ones. We don't have to worry about not being able to eat new dishes."

The lunch box restaurant was bustling with activity. Meanwhile, Guo Shujie was carrying two lunch boxes home. He happily shouted to the inner room, "Mom and Dad, I brought you some delicious food."

As soon as he put down the lunch box, his parents came out of the house. Guo Shujie picked up the lunch box and boasted, "Mom and Dad, look what delicious food I brought you?"

Guo Zhaogang hurriedly put on his leather shoes. He glanced at the fast food bag in Guo Shujie's hand and said impatiently, "You think everyone is as idle as you, going to those corners to eat these messy things every day. No one has time to eat these things with you."

He was very disappointed with his son Guo Zhaogang. He was lazy and had accomplished nothing. All he did every day was eat, drink and have fun with his drinking buddies and never did any real work.

No matter what the matter is, his father always likes to deny him as soon as he opens his mouth. Guo Shujie hates his father's attitude very much.

He kindly brought back a delicious lunch box, but his father didn't even taste it and said that what he brought back was a mess. Guo Shujie was furious and said angrily: "You haven't even eaten it, how can you say it's a mess!"

"Hmph, if it's not a mess, then it can be a good thing." Guo Zhaogang looked at the lunch box in Guo Shujie's hand. There was not even a store name on the fast food bag. It was obviously something from a roadside stall.

"It's good stuff, good stuff you've never tasted before." Guo Shujie became angrier as he spoke.

Xiao Rong noticed that the atmosphere between the father and son was not right, and hurried forward to persuade them to stop fighting, "You two should talk properly, don't get so angry after just a few words."

These two father and son usually talk to each other less than half a sentence at a time, and they quarrel at any time, as if they dislike each other from birth.

"I'm too lazy to talk to him. I'll go out first." Guo Zhao had just put on his shoes and was ready to go out.

Guo Shujie shouted directly at the door: "Just get out, we are not used to you not being at home anyway."

Ever since Guo Shujie could remember, he had the impression that his father was out for social events almost every day, and the number of days he stayed at home for meals in a year could be counted on two hands.

"I won't go out. Who will make money for you to have fun outside every day? Do you think money falls from the sky?" Guo Zhaogang said as he opened the door and went out.

Guo Shujie didn't say anything else and just sat there in silence.

Xiao Rong could sense her son's disappointment, "Xiao Jie, your father is out on a business trip. He's very busy right now. Please be considerate of him."

Guo Shujie still didn't say anything. He had an indescribable feeling in his heart. Looking at the lunch box in his hand, he originally thought that he had brought back a delicious lunch box, and his parents would eat it happily and would praise the lunch box he brought back as delicious.

Xiao Rong also looked at the lunch box in Guo Shujie's hand. She had originally planned to go out for dinner with friends, but now seeing her son's lost expression, she couldn't bear to refuse her son's lunch box.

"Xiao Jie, where did you buy your lunch box? Let mom try it and see if it tastes good." Xiao Rong decided to turn down her friend's dinner and stay to eat the lunch box her son brought back.

Today she and her friend made an appointment to have dinner at a famous restaurant. They heard that the chef was a famous chef who had returned from abroad, and her friend had reserved the table with her connections. Now she had to give up the food made by the famous chef in order to eat the unknown lunch box brought back by her son, and Xiao Rong felt a little sad.

When Guo Shujie heard his mother say that she wanted to eat a box lunch, he suddenly became happy again. He quickly took out the box lunch and introduced it enthusiastically: "Mom, this box lunch is really delicious. I specially bought your favorite sweet and sour pork."

Whenever talking about boxed lunches, Guo Shujie becomes extremely happy.

Xiao Rong took the lunch box from her son and smiled reluctantly, "Mom will eat it. I'll eat what you bought."

Xiao Rong knew that her son liked to eat all kinds of food outside, whether it was a big restaurant or a roadside stall, he would not be picky. She looked at her son's lunch box and knew at a glance that it was from an unknown small shop.

"Mom, please open it quickly, it smells really good." Guo Shujie was already getting a little excited.

"Okay, Mom will open it now." Xiao Rong opened the lunch box in her hand, and the golden and shiny sweet and sour pork came into view. As soon as she opened it, she smelled the pungent sour aroma of white vinegar.

“This smells pretty authentic.”

Xiao Rong likes to eat sweet and sour pork very much. When she smelled the pungent and sour aroma, she knew that the taste of this sweet and sour pork must be good.

She picked up a piece with great anticipation and took a bite. With a crunch, the outer skin was extremely crispy, and the sweet and sour taste filled her mouth. The tenderloin inside was crispy, tender and full of meat flavor.

"Xiao Jie, it's delicious." Xiao Rong didn't know how to describe her current mood. She felt as surprised as if she had accidentally picked up gold.

Guo Shujie: "If it tastes good, eat more. I bought a lot especially for you."

The lunch box was full of golden and crispy sweet and sour pork, which made people happy. Xiao Rong picked up another piece and started eating. She ate five or six pieces in a row and did not feel greasy at all.

Any fried food will feel a bit greasy if you eat a few more pieces, but this sweet and sour pork is completely different. The moderate sweet and sour taste will whet your appetite and you won’t feel sick at all.

Seeing his mother eating with gusto, Guo Shujie became greedy again. He opened the lunch box that he had originally intended to give to his father and said, "That stubborn old man doesn't want to eat because he doesn't have a good appetite. If he doesn't want to eat, I'll eat it myself."

"Yes, your dad would be depriving himself of the good fortune if he doesn't eat such delicious rice crusted pork." Xiao Rong said while eating.

Guo Shujie also started eating. He had just come back from a box restaurant, but now he was craving for it again.

After eating all the sweet and sour pork in the lunch box, Xiao Rong still didn't feel sick of it. "This sweet and sour pork is amazing. I never get sick of it no matter how much I eat it. Xiao Jie, where did you buy the sweet and sour pork?"

"I bought it at a box meal restaurant in the suburbs. The owner of this box meal restaurant is amazing. Every dish she makes is delicious." When talking about Chen Kangle, Guo Shujie couldn't help but praise her.

"Send the address of the box restaurant to mom later, and she can bring her friends there to try it next time." Xiao Rong wanted her friends to try the delicious sweet and sour pork.

As soon as she mentioned her friend, her friend sent her a message: [Sister Rong, you missed out today. The steak made by this famous chef is delicious.]

Xiao Rong was originally a little sad that she didn't make it to the dinner party, but now she's not sad at all. She's especially happy to be able to eat the delicious sweet and sour pork.

Xiao Rong replied to her friend: [Not a loss, not a loss. I just had delicious sweet and sour pork. Next time I will take you to eat this delicious sweet and sour pork and shock you.]

——

At the Hedian Restaurant, Chen Kangle and his friends had already sold all the food. They closed the restaurant at around 1pm, packed up their things and closed the restaurant for a break at around 1:30pm.

Chen Kangle went upstairs, changed her clothes and lay on the bed to rest. She remembered that she had promised the guests that she would make soup tomorrow, so she began to think about what kind of soup she would make tomorrow.

Currently, most of the customers of Heya Restaurant are construction workers, so every time when preparing new dishes, Chen Kangle first considers the price issue.

The workers' consumption level is not high, so she will try to set the price as low as possible, but she opened the lunch box restaurant not for charity, but to make a profit.

So when preparing new dishes, she would choose to make dishes with ingredients that are not very expensive. Inexpensive ingredients do not mean using bad ingredients, but that the ingredients themselves are not very expensive, such as saury. Even good quality saury is not very expensive.

Now preparing to make the soup, Chen Kangle is also considering the price. She plans to price it at two yuan per bowl.

The cheap price means that expensive ingredients will not be used. If it is beef soup or shrimp soup, the price will definitely be more than two yuan a bowl.

Chen Kangle thought for a long time and finally decided to make seaweed and pork soup. Seaweed and pork are not expensive ingredients, so even if you only sell them for two yuan a bowl, you can still make money.

After a break at 2:30 in the afternoon, Lin Huiling rushed to the boxed lunch restaurant from home. She really likes her current job, not only can she eat delicious boxed lunches every day, but she can also go home to rest during the break.

Lin Huiling doesn't know how to ride an electric bike, so she walks slowly from home to the Heya restaurant every day. When passing by the village temple, Lin Huiling heard the villagers discussing Chen Kangle again.

"Did you know that the lunch box restaurant owned by the granddaughter of the Chen family opened today? I heard it was quite lively."

"She just set up a stall at the construction site not long ago, and I didn't expect that she would open a store so soon."

"I passed by and took a look today. There were really a lot of people inside, including workers from the construction site and residents from nearby communities. I heard that many people from the city drove over specifically to eat there."

"Have any of you tried her lunch boxes? How do they taste? Is it delicious?"

"I don't know. We rural people cook and eat at home. Who would go to a restaurant to eat for no reason?"

"I heard from Yang Chunxia that it's really delicious. Now her family eats lunch boxes from the restaurant every day."

Lin Huiling recalled that when she first went to work for Chen Kangle, she also heard the villagers discussing Chen Kangle. At that time, they all said that it was shameful for Chen Kangle, a college student, to set up a stall to sell boxed lunches.

Now that Chen Kangle has opened a Hezi Rice Box Restaurant, these people don’t seem to be so harsh in their words.

Lin Huiling walked over and said with a smile: "Our box lunch restaurant is open today. If you are interested, you can go and have a taste."

Although Lin Huiling doesn't like these gossipers, the people nearby are potential customers of their box lunch restaurant. If they want to eat at the box lunch restaurant, she certainly won't refuse.