Chapter 111 September.
The comments at the front row were, as always, very long, sincere, detailed, vivid, and descriptive. They seemed to want to describe the color, aroma, and taste of every dish they ate, so that netizens could understand, or perhaps they were deliberately trying to tempt these netizens.
Although the photos weren't filtered or edited, the lighting was still excellent, showcasing the colors of the dishes to the fullest extent, making them look delicious and tempting.
The first few posts have received over 10,000 likes, and the comments within the thread are even more lively.
Gu Qingqiu clicked to take a look and join in the fun, then exited to browse the comments. She picked out some interesting replies and liked some comments appropriately. This way, when netizens clicked into the comment section, they would see some comments with a small label saying "The author liked it," and would naturally pay more attention to them.
After interacting with netizens and fans in the comment section of Xiaohongshu, she went to the comment section of the post she made on Weibo today to interact with netizens.
This task looked simple but was time-consuming. By the time she finished, Sister Zhou and Sister Tang had also finished their respective tasks and were preparing to go back.
Gu Qingqiu smiled and said, "You should all go back and rest. See you this afternoon."
Sister Zhou smiled and waved, "Goodbye, boss. You should go and get some rest too."
Sister Tang nodded: "Yes, boss, have a good rest at noon. You're the most tired person in our shop."
They all work in the kitchen and know that the chefs are the most tired. Although Meiyu helps out now, the boss still does the cooking. Only the boss can cook such delicious dishes. No wonder the customers love it so much, and they love it too!
Therefore, they cherish their current jobs even more. Putting aside the salary and benefits, the two meals they get every day, lunch and dinner, are enough to make those around them envious.
Gu Qingqiu smiled and agreed. After the two left the restaurant, she got up, closed and locked the wooden door. She didn't need to close the doors and windows. She went straight upstairs to her room, turned on the air conditioner, changed into her pajamas, and lay down.
I originally wanted to go to sleep, but I couldn't resist my playful nature and browsed Weibo for a while.
She habitually clicked on the trending topics page. The top few topics included discussions on key national policies, table tennis championships, and the selection of the worst dormitories in a certain city. Among them was a familiar entertainment trending topic—Yang Shuyi's stunning photos as an endorsement partner of J-brand products.
Gu Qingqiu casually clicked on it and took a look. The nine-grid image of the new product endorsement released by D's official account was indeed stunning.
Yang Shuyi wore very simple light makeup, which made her skin look fair, bright, and delicate. Her whole face looked healthy and clear, perfectly matching the main effects of J brand's new product, which focuses on repairing, anti-wrinkle, and plumping. This makes people believe that the collagen advertised in the product is really effective.
Looking at the comments section, the top comments are mostly controlled by Yang Shuyi's fans. Of course, they might be saying the truth, praising Shuyi for being so beautiful, for having such great skin, and for being a perfect match for J-brand products...
Some passersby were drawn in by Yang Shuyi's beauty, casually remarking how beautiful she was, or asking if the J brand product was really that effective, expressing their interest in buying it.
Anyone with a basic understanding of makeup knows that the nine-grid photo of Yang Shuyi that J.com released this time is absolutely stunning. Her makeup is so clear and beautiful. The key is not the light makeup, but Yang Shuyi's own skin condition. It is so fair, bright, bouncy and plump. Suddenly everyone is paying attention to J.com's new products.
Gu Qingqiu also saw a post from an insider who revealed that the endorsement was officially announced at the end of August. At that time, Yang Shuyi was competing with a certain actress with the surname L. In the end, J.com chose Yang Shuyi as the spokesperson, probably because of her skin condition, which matches the main effects of J.com's products.
Some fans also remarked that Shuyi's skin has been looking amazing lately, and her recent photos from offline events were also stunning. They wondered what skincare products she used, wondering if it was really from Johnny's? They wanted to buy it, but it's so expensive…
Gu Qingqiu smiled after reading it. Compared to the photos of the female lead Yang Shuyi that she had seen when she was looking for information about the TV series "Ten Years' Promise", this time the J-brand endorsement photos were indeed very beautiful. Her face was fair and radiant from the inside out, giving people a youthful feeling full of collagen.
She didn't know if Yang Shuyi used J brand products, but her current plump, firm, and healthy skin condition was probably related to the spiritual energy she absorbed from the food she ate at her family's restaurant some time ago.
Many users on Xiaohongshu (a Chinese social media platform) have posted feedback that their skin has improved after eating Gu's Private Kitchen meals. They say their skin is no longer prone to breakouts or dullness, but is firmer and brighter, and even their fine lines have diminished. Although these comments often attract trolls who say the restaurant's advertising is excessive.
As for Gu Qingqiu herself, she eats the food she cooks every day, which is free of impurities and contains a tiny bit of spiritual energy. With the spiritual energy in her dantian quietly nourishing her body, her skin is in really good condition!
Even if you're in the kitchen all day with the fumes, it's still fine. You don't need to use any special skincare products; just use simple moisturizing lotions and creams to hydrate and moisturize.
Gu Qingqiu exited the app and browsed other trending news for a while before finally putting down her phone and closing her eyes to sleep when she felt sleepy.
At 7 p.m., Xia Yunxin rushed home. Her face showed no signs of fatigue or irritability from working overtime, only anticipation for the delicious food: "Honey, where are my braised chicken feet in abalone sauce?"
"It's just been heated up, I'll bring it out right now." Lin Gangjie, wearing an apron, brought out a plate of stir-fried bok choy. There was already a plate of stir-fried sauerkraut and pork slices on the table.
The braised chicken feet in abalone sauce had been heated up long ago, but he kept them warm in a pot in the kitchen so they wouldn't cool down and affect the flavor.
Xia Yunxin nodded: "Okay, thank you for your hard work. I'm going to wash my hands first."
When she came out of the restroom, she saw a plate of braised chicken feet in abalone sauce on the dining table that looked exactly like the photo she had seen at noon, and even more tempting. She quickly walked over and sat down, took a deep breath, and said with a look of enjoyment, "I can already smell the seafood aroma of the abalone sauce!"
Lin Gangjie took off his apron and put it away in the kitchen. He washed his hands and sat down. "I had the same thing at noon. As soon as this dish was served, I could smell the seafood aroma of abalone sauce, which means that the abalone sauce is made with high-quality ingredients."
Xia Yunxin picked up her chopsticks and said, "You have no idea how long I've been craving that photo you posted at noon. I was looking forward to getting off work early this afternoon to eat, but then you gave me an urgent task that I have to finish today. I'm so angry!"
God knows how many times she cursed her boss in her heart back then, thinking, "I was only able to get back to eat because of this braised chicken feet in abalone sauce, which kept me from working so I could get back to work."
Lin Gangjie is usually busy with work, and when he encounters a big case, he can be busy for a very long time. That state of being overwhelmed and under immense pressure is too unbearable.
He could understand his wife's frustration at wanting to leave work early only to be suddenly given a task requiring overtime. He comforted her, saying, "You've worked so hard. Treat yourself to some braised chicken feet in abalone sauce later. And don't forget the pickled cabbage and pork stir-fry—it's one of your favorites. Eat more tonight!"
He's busier than his wife most of the time, and they take turns on duty. His wife usually takes care of the house and the children. So whenever he's off work, he tries to do more housework, like cooking, to give his wife a break.
He doesn't know how to cook many dishes, but stir-fried pork with pickled cabbage is one of the few dishes he can cook quite well, and his wife loves it.
Xia Yunxin felt relieved after hearing this; her earlier complaints were also due to how frustrating this matter was.
But today, because of the delicious braised chicken feet in abalone sauce that she was about to taste, her mood improved from the moment she entered the house, and she smiled contentedly and said, "Okay, I'll eat more tonight!"
She immediately picked up a chicken foot with her chopsticks and started eating. The abalone sauce and seafood flavor became increasingly rich as it entered her mouth. The sauce was very fragrant, and the chicken foot was especially soft and tender. Both the chicken skin and the tendons and meat inside were full of collagen.
She quickly finished the chicken foot, leaving the whole, meatless bone on the bone plate. Xia Yunxin rolled her tongue in her mouth, unwilling to let go of any remaining savory seafood flavor.
She exclaimed, "These braised chicken feet in abalone sauce really lived up to my expectations all afternoon. They're so delicious! They've completely blown away all the chicken feet I've ever eaten before, whether they're snacks or homemade braised ones from restaurants."
Lin Gangjie had just eaten a chicken foot, and even though he had eaten quite a lot at noon, it still tasted especially delicious.
He said with a hint of pride, "That's right, we tried this dish at noon and kept praising how delicious it was. We even each grabbed a bottle of beer to go with the braised chicken feet in abalone sauce! Old Zhao is really generous; he specially invited us to eat at this restaurant that has such delicious food. Oh, by the way, we also made plans to bring our families to Gu's Private Kitchen for a get-together next time we have time."
While he was speaking, Xia Yunxin quickly finished another braised chicken foot in abalone sauce and nodded without hesitation: "Okay, just let me know when you're free. It's been a long time since I've seen Mu Si and the others."
Because her husband and those brothers have been friends for many years, for over ten or twenty years, and they get together every year, the family members all know each other.
Xia Yunxin got along well with them, and they added each other on WeChat, liking each other's posts on Moments and occasionally chatting privately. However, the men usually organized the dinners.
She laughed, "I saw your message at noon and the name 'Gu's Private Kitchen' sounded familiar. I searched it on Xiaohongshu and found that this restaurant is really famous. In just half a year, there are countless related posts. The restaurant's official account has a lot of followers, and even though the posts they make don't have pictures, the number of likes, saves, and comments is outstanding. You know, these are the numbers we would love to see in advertising, and the restaurant achieves them with ease every day!"
Speaking of this, Xia Yunxin was truly impressed. It was rare to see a restaurant's official account with such an active fanbase. In fact, those who liked and saved each post were probably just casual passersby who caught a glimpse of the post and then decisively followed and became fans.
For example, her.
Xia Yunxin had already started following Gu's Private Kitchen around noon. She was so engrossed in the comments section of Gu's Private Kitchen's post that day that she read every comment carefully and clicked on every food photo to make her mouth water. While reading, she also scolded Lin Gangjie for being selfish, eating such a good meal while she could only eat a takeout box with heavy oil and salt.
Of course, she was quite happy at the thought of having braised chicken feet in abalone sauce that Lin Gangjie had brought back for dinner.
She was completely engrossed in Gu's Private Kitchen's official account after just one swipe, and couldn't get out. If it weren't for an urgent work assignment, she probably would have gone through every single comment section of all the notes posted by Gu's Private Kitchen.
Xia Yunxin suggested, "How about we go to Gu's Private Kitchen for a meal this weekend? Let's invite Mom and Dad along. I've heard the food there is delicious and the ingredients are very fresh, so it's reassuring to eat there. I've been craving these braised chicken feet in abalone sauce all afternoon, and now that I've had them, I'm already craving a whole table of dishes at the restaurant!"
After saying that, she picked up another chicken foot and started eating it.
Lin Gangjie had just had a hearty lunch, but instead of feeling the peace that comes from a greatly satisfied appetite, it suddenly aroused his hidden craving for delicious food. He was also thinking of taking his family to Gu's Private Kitchen for a meal sometime.
He felt that his wife and children would definitely like the taste of this restaurant, which was much better than the restaurants they had eaten at before. This way, they could go there to improve their meals whenever they had time.
For the sake of absolutely delicious food, a 45-minute drive is perfectly acceptable!
He smiled and nodded: "Sure, let's go eat there this weekend and see, I guarantee you'll love it! We'll tell Mom and Dad later, and treat it as a family gathering."
The parents here naturally refer to both sets of parents. Lin Gangjie and Xia Yunxin are both from Jiang City. When their child was young, they were able to work with peace of mind thanks to the help of both sets of parents.
Lin Gangjie didn't say anything like he would go if he could have a normal weekend off. There's a bit of mystery to this line of work; the more you look forward to a holiday, the more likely you are to have a sudden assignment. So, he didn't pray for it, but just kept it to himself.
"Okay, I'll call my parents later and tell them." Xia Yunxin nodded in agreement. She had just finished eating a chicken foot, and the aroma of soy sauce and seafood still lingered in her mouth. She couldn't help but use her tongue to savor every last bit.
After that, she said, "We should be able to finalize the new version of the plan for this project by Friday, then we can easily go over for dinner."
"Sure, congratulations!" Lin Gangjie replied enthusiastically.
He only ate two chicken feet to satisfy his craving and then stopped eating. After all, he had eaten quite a lot at noon, so he wanted to leave more for his wife, who has a particular fondness for chicken feet.
Lin Gangjie then picked up some pickled cabbage and pork slices and ate them with white rice.
The dark brown sauce coating the sliced meat and pickled cabbage dripped onto the white rice, staining each grain with a glossy sheen. The meat slices were cut to a perfect thickness, making them slightly tough to bite into, and the combination of the savory and sour pickled cabbage with the salty and savory sauce made them quite delicious with rice. The pickled cabbage, cut into sections, was crisp, tangy, and fragrant, also carrying a hint of meat flavor, making it equally delicious with rice.
He was fairly satisfied with his cooking skills, feeling that although this stir-fried pork with pickled cabbage couldn't compare to the braised chicken feet in abalone sauce from Gu's Private Kitchen, it was still better than usual, an exceptional performance.
Looking up, Lin Gangjie saw that his wife was not only eating braised chicken feet in abalone sauce, but also occasionally picking up some pickled cabbage and pork slices to mix with rice. She even praised the dish, which made Lin Gangjie happy and he became cheerful as well.
The couple enjoyed the meal, and talked mostly about Gu's private kitchen. Lin Gangjie told Xia Yunxin all the relevant information he had heard from Lao Zhao at the dinner table.
Xia Yunxin was quite interested in the delivery subsidy: "This restaurant is really great. They even paid for their own delivery subsidy. I can understand why Gu's Private Kitchen doesn't offer online delivery. Restaurants like this don't lack business, so they don't need to attract customers through online delivery. Besides, the platform takes such a high commission that the restaurant might lose even more money in the end."
"I feel that launching this delivery subsidy program is partly because the restaurant owner is kind and wants to subsidize customers who ask for delivery services, and partly to stimulate business. As you said, the amount of ingredients they prepare is probably fixed, and the more people order online, the less pressure the restaurant will have to serve them. In addition, they have a good reputation online. Judging from the current data and popularity of Gu's Private Kitchen's official account, there are few restaurants in China that can compare to it."
She got more and more excited as she talked, "I'm just looking forward to the weekend so we can go to a restaurant!"
Lin Gangjie said with a laugh, "I'd like to too, but it's still several days away."
The couple chatted and ate as the meal drew to a close.
Xia Yunxin managed to resist finishing the whole plate of braised chicken feet in abalone sauce, leaving three on the plate. She instructed, "Keep this plate of chicken feet warm in the pot for Jiayi to eat when she comes back."
My daughter, Lin Jiayi, is in her first year of junior high school. The school is quite strict, and she has to attend evening self-study sessions right after starting school. Lin Gangjie and Xia Yunxin, on the other hand, are adapting well. They think it's the same no matter where they do their homework, and at school, teachers supervise their evening self-study sessions, which is great. It saves them from having to fight over cell phones at home.
Of course, her daughter, like her, loves to eat chicken feet.
Lin Gangjie nodded: "Okay, I'll take it inside and keep it warm. Jiayi will be happy to see chicken feet when she gets back!"
In elementary school, students would be dismissed around 4 or 5 p.m., but in junior high, they would have to attend evening self-study sessions. They would enter the school at 7:20 a.m. and not leave until 9 p.m.
Jiayi has been complaining every time she gets home lately: "I'm so tired! This evening self-study session is inhuman! It's inhumane! What's the point of a seventh grader like me having to attend evening self-study sessions? I can finish that little bit of homework in an hour, and the remaining two hours are so boring!"
Lin Gangjie and Xia Yunxin would always smile and comfort her whenever they heard her grumbling like this. They thought that she would be very happy when she got home and saw the delicious and fragrant braised chicken feet in abalone sauce. Once she was happy, her resentment would naturally dissipate.
Xia Yunxin nodded, smiling knowingly, "You guessed right, that's exactly what I was thinking. It's good that you're happy, so you won't start chattering away as soon as you walk in."
Lin Gangjie was very patient: "It's just a transitional period from primary to junior high school. You'll get used to it after a while."
"I hope so," Xia Yunxin said.
Lin Gangjie slapped his forehead as if remembering something: "Oh right, I also packed a portion of longan and water chestnut soup from Gu's Private Kitchen. I was thinking of heating it up for you two to drink together when Jiayi comes home from school later."
Xia Yunxin glared at him angrily after hearing this: "Oh, you! Why didn't you tell me earlier that there was longan and water chestnut soup? You had to wait until I was stuffed before you told me, didn't you? You kept it a secret so well. You didn't mention it once all afternoon."
Despite her words, there was no anger in them.
Lin Gangjie explained with a smile, "We ordered this bowl of longan and water chestnut soup according to the number of people during the meal, and it was supposed to be served after the meal. But we were so busy trying the meat dishes and chatting that we forgot about the longan and water chestnut soup. By the time we remembered, we were all stuffed. So Lao Zhao suggested that we pack all five bowls of longan and water chestnut soup and take them home to enjoy with you all."
He was indeed thinking that there would be enough to eat that night, and he wanted to save the longan and water chestnut dessert for Jiayi to come back later so they could try it together.
Xia Yunxin snorted twice: "You shouldn't have kept it from me, not mentioning a single word about the longan and water chestnut soup. Am I supposed to fight over it or what? Don't do that again next time!"
Lin Gangjie immediately replied sincerely, "Yes, boss, I won't dare to do it again next time. I'll wash the dishes tonight, and I'll heat up some longan and water chestnut soup for you later!"
Xia Yunxin smiled and agreed.
The evening flew by, and Lin Gangjie drove to pick up Jiayi and bring her back.
When Jiayi saw that there was braised chicken feet in abalone sauce, she immediately forgot about the pain of evening self-study, quickly washed her hands and started eating. She wolfed down the braised chicken feet, praising the dish whenever she had a spare moment.
After the family of three enjoyed the three-piece longan and water chestnut soup, another round of enjoyment and praise ensued. At the same time, their anticipation for going to Gu's Private Kitchen on the weekend rose higher and higher, and they were incredibly excited!
The situation was similar in the homes of Zhao Yuanzheng, Rong Chuan, Zhou Hongyuan, and Ma Yongjun. They all raved about the longan and water chestnut soup, finishing it with obvious enjoyment. The culinary delights brought about by Gu's private kitchen added much joy and happiness to these families.
September is the off-season, and business is lower in tourist attractions and restaurants compared to the summer vacation.
Gu's Private Kitchen is also available, but it's not very noticeable. Every day, as soon as the store opens, the dining area is instantly filled with people, and the prepared snacks are taken away by customers in no time.
During this time, Lin Gangjie and Rong Chuan also brought their families to Gu's Private Kitchen to eat. After eating, everyone, regardless of age, loved it and praised every dish. The service at the restaurant was also very good.
The only downside is that business is so good that if you arrive a little late, you have to queue. The worst thing is not being able to get a number, which forces people to leave early and queue up in advance.
The National Day holiday in October is always something Chinese people look forward to. It's a rare long holiday during the year, except for the Spring Festival. Many tourist attractions, hotels, restaurants, and other businesses will see a peak in business during the holiday, and have already launched online booking services.
Before National Day arrives, there is also the Mid-Autumn Festival, which is equally worth looking forward to. After all, such a long holiday created by celebrating two festivals together is something that may not happen once every few years, so a three-day holiday is not bad.
Eating a reunion dinner on Mid-Autumn Festival night is a long-standing tradition, and many restaurants accept reservations in advance. For customers, not making a reservation early means they might not be able to eat at the restaurant they want, and if they go to queue up on-site, there's a high chance they won't get a table.
This year, many customers chose Gu's Private Kitchen for their family reunion dinner, expressing mixed feelings about the restaurant.
The good thing is that Gu's Private Kitchen doesn't accept reservations; you can only queue up and get a number to eat. That means everyone starts on the same footing, seeing who can get in line first. The bad thing is that Gu's Private Kitchen doesn't accept reservations either. I expect there will be a lot of people queuing up before opening time, so it's uncertain.
If you can make a reservation by phone, at least you'll be sure before you go to the store and won't be disappointed.
Fortunately, it's a holiday for the Mid-Autumn Festival. Although we eat a reunion dinner on the night of the festival, it's also fine to have a reunion dinner at noon. So everyone started to wonder whether to go for Gu's Private Kitchen for lunch or dinner.
Some people are bold enough to decide to eat there for both lunch and dinner!
This year, the Mid-Autumn Festival falls on a Friday, resulting in a three-day weekend. Even on Tuesday, during Gu's Private Kitchen's usual break, Gu Qingqiu was busy planning the dishes for the festival.
It is said that the fragrance of osmanthus blossoms fills the air on the fifteenth of August, and this time of year marks the beginning of autumn, a time when autumn dishes can be prepared. Gu Qingqiu wanted to incorporate the element of osmanthus into the dishes for that day.
In addition, it is said that mooncakes are eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival, and many restaurants will launch their own mooncake gift boxes for sale in advance. Gu Qingqiu naturally will not do these things. She is thinking of adding a dessert to the menu so that everyone can enjoy a sweet and happy meal!
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