Chapter 93 Rescuing the Food Festival
Su Yingxue was about to politely decline when she suddenly caught a glimpse of a group of people moving towards her on the mountain path in the distance. She squinted to see more clearly—it was a tour group dressed in matching outfits! The leader was holding a small flag, and behind him were more than twenty tourists, climbing up the winding mountain path.
"Wait!" Su Yingxue suddenly perked up and quickly relit the fire. "Aunt Guo, I'm not leaving. I'll wait a little longer."
Aunt Guo looked at her with a puzzled expression, but nodded anyway, and turned to walk to the edge of the stall to look around.
In less than ten minutes, the tour group indeed came into view. Su Yingxue took a deep breath, ripped off the sign that originally read "Temporarily Closed," and hung up a brand new handwritten sign instead.
"A refreshing meal for mountain climbing! Authentic Yangzhou fried rice, all you can eat for ten yuan!"
She specifically lowered the price from fifteen yuan to ten yuan, and added a small line of text below the sign: "Hiking is physically demanding, so this is the top choice for replenishing your energy!"
"System, please check the heat and ingredients of the fried rice again," Su Yingxue silently prayed.
"The test passed. The fried rice meets the 'golden three elements': each grain of rice is distinct, the egg aroma is rich, and the temperature is maintained at 65℃ for optimal taste."
When the tour group arrived at the food festival area, the tour leader was explaining the history and culture of March Mountain. Tourists were scattered in twos and threes in front of the various stalls; some bought water, some bought cotton candy, but most just looked on curiously. There was no real desire to buy anything.
"Fellow group members, there are just a few more stalls up ahead, these are our March Mountain specialty food festival stalls!" the tour leader said, pointing to Su Yingxue's stall. "I've heard the food here is quite special, you should all try it!"
Su Yingxue immediately greeted them warmly: "Hello everyone! You must be tired from climbing. I have some specially made Yangzhou fried rice here, it's nutritious and affordable, only ten yuan a serving!"
The tourists in the tour group looked at each other, while a few young people, attracted by the aroma, came closer.
"Miss, is this really Yangzhou fried rice? It smells delicious." A girl with a ponytail asked curiously.
"Of course!" Su Yingxue smiled and lifted the pot lid, immediately releasing a steaming aroma. "I used Wuchang rice, ensuring every grain is separate, and I also added fresh eggs, carrots, and scallions. It's nutritionally balanced, perfect for eating after a hike!"
"Give me one!" A middle-aged male tourist was the first to reach for his money. "It does sound like it's good for replenishing energy."
"I'll have one too!" the girl with the ponytail said, taking out her money. "Auntie, can I make it spicy?"
"Of course!" Su Yingxue deftly added another spoonful of special chili oil. "We also have a secret-recipe chili sauce, free refills!"
In just five minutes, Su Yingxue sold five servings of fried rice. Aunt Guo, watching in astonishment, couldn't help but interject, "Look! This fried rice smells so good! I ate a whole bowl. I want more! I just tasted it and I think it's even better than my husband's!"
These words were like a floodgate opening. The other tourists in the tour group gathered around, some asking curiously, "Is it really as delicious as you say?"
"Try it and you'll see!" Su Yingxue enthusiastically handed a small spoonful of fried rice to a hesitant aunt. "Just try a bite; if you don't like it, you don't need to buy it!"
The aunt took a bite with some skepticism, and her eyes immediately lit up: "Wow, it's really good! This rice smells so good! It's delicious, really delicious."
"This rice is Wuchang rice, and the oil used is also good quality, so it smells especially fragrant when stir-fried!" Su Yingxue explained with a smile, her hands moving non-stop as she stir-fried one pot after another. "My grandma is an old chef, and she taught me this skill!"
Seeing this, the tour guide couldn't resist buying a serving: "Young lady, your fried rice is really good, much better than what I had in Huangshan last time!"
The news spread like wildfire. Tourists who had originally planned to leave turned back, and even the young couple who had previously scoffed at the fried rice came over: "Young lady, give me one too! Your fried rice looks better than the stinky tofu I bought!"
In less than half an hour, the twenty servings of fried rice that Su Yingxue had prepared were sold out. She continued preparing the ingredients.
When Zhou You arrived, panting, this was the scene he saw: Su Yingxue's stall was surrounded by tourists, the air filled with the sounds of spatulas sizzling and the aroma of food filling the air; while the other stalls had very few tourists.
"This...this..." Zhou You was dumbfounded, completely unexpected that the situation would suddenly reverse.
The leader followed, and seeing the bustling stall, the gloom on his face gradually dissipated. He patted Zhou You on the shoulder: "Looks like the stall owner you hired is quite something! Selling so many portions in such a short time. Not bad, not bad!"
Su Yingxue wiped the sweat from her forehead, looked at the empty fried rice pan and the box full of loose change, and a smile involuntarily crept onto her lips. The system's task seemed to have a chance of completion.
And all of this is just the beginning.
Zhou You stood on the outskirts of the crowd, watching Su Yingxue deftly stir-fry the rice in the pan. Golden egg coated every grain of rice, and the aroma seemed to come alive as it spread outwards. His phone kept vibrating. When he opened it, he saw a message from the scenic area's official account—in just ten minutes, the topic of "March Mountain Food Festival Fried Rice" had already garnered hundreds of comments and shares.
"Xiao Su!" Zhou You squeezed to the front of the stall, his voice filled with rare excitement. "Xiao Su, the boss told you not to stop, keep cooking! The tourists are all waiting!"
Su Yingxue's wisps of hair were damp with sweat, clinging to her cheeks, but she didn't bother wiping them away. The fried rice in the pan was almost ready; she skillfully sprinkled on some bright green scallions, instantly intensifying the aroma. "Manager Zhou, we're running low on rice. I brought fifty portions, but I only took out twenty. I didn't expect the ingredients wouldn't be enough... I'm still preparing the ingredients."
"I'll go move it right away!" Zhou You turned to run, but Su Yingxue stopped him.
"Wait, don't take the whole bag yet." Su Yingxue stopped him, taking out several food storage containers from the insulated box. "Pack the spare rice I brought into smaller portions first. Use these aluminum foil containers; they keep it warm and are convenient. Also, take some disposable chopsticks. I also have some pickled radish here; put a small dish of it to eat with it."
Zhou You's eyes lit up: "Great idea! I'll go prepare right away!" He turned and ran towards the scenic area's supply truck, thinking to himself: This girl is not only good at fried rice, but she's also quick-witted.
The leader stood to the side, took out his phone and snapped a few photos of the busy stall. "Young lady," he said, walking over, his tone much gentler than before, "your fried rice is really good. Looks like we didn't invite the wrong person."
Su Yingxue continued frying the egg fried rice without stopping. She smiled and nodded, "Thank you for the compliment, boss. Would you like some too?"
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