[Ding! Received 200 yuan via WeChat]
[Ding! Congratulations on drawing the yellow box! You will receive a boxed lunch of stir-fried pork kidneys and lotus root stir-fry!]
[Ding! Congratulations! You've won the green box and will receive a Three-Cup Chicken + Stir-Fried Green Beans Bento Box!]
Qin Yi was just about to take out some ingredients from the refrigerator to cook a few dishes to tantalize the taste buds of the diners when she heard the system's three consecutive announcements.
She quickly went to the front desk to collect the food tickets.
"Boss lady! Long time no see!"
It turned out to be the male college student she met at the rice noodle stall. Qin Yi still remembered him and his roommates.
Are you coming alone today? Where are your roommates?
"Oh~ I came to the night market with Yang Zhou today. He's that boy who speaks in a very refined manner. He's playing chess with an old man right now."
"I'll call him to eat as soon as the food is ready!"
"Boss lady, you're back from your wedding? Is the banquet all over?"
Qin Yi's hand, which was holding the vegetables, froze!
"Uh...yes, how long does it take to hold a banquet?"
Lu Zi scratched his head: "I've never been married, so I don't know."
"By the way, boss lady, you're not losing money on these four dishes? Three-cup chicken costs over a hundred yuan a piece in the restaurant."
Qin Yi thought for a moment, "That's right, I can't lose money and be suspected." "Then I'll just fry half a chicken for you!"
Lu Ziyi: I shouldn't have had this mouth!
Qin Yi first took out the pork kidneys and carefully made several decorative cuts on them, creating a network of small, crisscrossing slits.
Then, after carefully cleaning the kidneys, they are marinated.
Next, prepare the side dishes, such as celery stalks, pickled peppers, and scallions.
First, prepare a bowl of sauce.
Heat the oil in the pan to prepare for stir-frying.
Qin Yi had just put the pork kidneys in.
Suddenly, I heard a commotion outside.
Tian Rong shouted from outside the car, "Sister, run! The city management officers are coming!"
Qin Yi turned around in a panic: "What?! Why did you introduce me to an illegal street vendor spot?! What do we do now?!"
Tian Rong gripped the handlebars with both hands, while a group of diners followed behind, shouting, "Boss, my noodles! I've already paid!"
The little girl was already overwhelmed: "Those who have paid, follow behind my car! We're going to a safe place! Business is booming here! I'm off now, you run!"
This was the first time Qin Yi had ever been so speechless after running a stall for so long.
There are still pork kidneys being stir-fried in the pot! If you stir-fry pork kidneys for too long, they'll become tough and not taste good!
Seeing that the city management officers were still some distance away, she decided to finish cooking the dish first before running away!
But we have to bring that college student along.
So Qin Yi kept an eye on the location of the city management officers while cooking, and also called out to the diners, "Excuse me, excuse me! We might have to find somewhere else to eat!"
Why is no one paying attention to me?
Qin Yi turned her head and saw the male student who had just ordered the food running away quickly with a chessboard in his arms.
There was someone behind him she recognized; it was Yang Zhou, the one who talked in a cryptic way, right?
There was another person, Qin Yi looked closely.
...
Grandpa Yu, panting heavily from running...
Is this a bitter pill or a cursed fate for us...?
Lu Zi darted into the car, placed the chessboard in the carriage, and then beckoned Yang Zhou and the old man to get in.
"You two can play chess here. I ordered two boxed meals, so you can eat while you play."
"By the way, sir! This lady who runs the stall cooks incredibly well! We've been looking for her for ages, and we finally found her at her stall. You're really lucky today!"
Grandpa Yu: "I admit it..."
Seeing the city management officers about to reach them, Lu Ziyi said, "There's no time to explain anymore, boss lady, you continue cooking, I'll help you avoid the city management officers!"
After saying that, he jumped out of the car, closed the door, sat in the driver's seat, started the car, and sped off!
Life is a drama full of mixed feelings.
You never know who you'll meet on your next turn.
"Boss lady! I didn't believe it when Lu Ziyi told me, but it really is you!" Yang Zhou said excitedly.
"Young man, you have to finish this game with me." Grandpa Yu looked at the unfinished game on the ground, his heart itching with resentment.
He wouldn't have come to this little girl's territory again if it weren't for wanting to save face.
I've already tricked him twice; a wise man won't fall for it a third time!
Qin Yi didn't want to see Uncle Yu either. The chef's only two stains had both happened to him, as if they were incompatible.
The two stood behind Qin Yi.
Qin Yi waved the ladle, looking slightly embarrassed. This was the first time a customer had stood next to her watching her prepare the food.
Shouldn't we do a couple of things?
Qin Yi forcefully tossed the pork kidneys and side dishes into the air, and a burst of flames shot up. The oil sizzled and the wok heaved, filling the small carriage with thick, spicy, and pungent smoke.
"Cough cough cough!"
Don't you have an exhaust fan here?
The old man's face was flushed from coughing, and he struggled to maintain his balance by holding onto the control panel.
Squeak!
Lu Zi slammed on the brakes.
Everyone leaned their weight forward towards the car, and the food in the pot was about to float out. Qin Yi threw down the ladle, grabbed the pot handle with both hands, and used the spinning force to scoop it out with the pot!
The stir-fried pork kidneys were caught perfectly!
A crisp "bang!" rang out!
Ouch!
Grandpa Yu covered his head, and a bright green celery stalk rolled down from his silvery-white short hair.
He opened his palm, and glistening rapeseed oil slowly flowed out from the part of his hair on his forehead.
It swept across his ravaged old face.
"I'm so sorry, sir!" Qin Yi quickly picked up the ladle, rinsed it clean, and then gave the old man a tissue.
They then moved the stools to Grandpa Yu and Yang Zhou.
"Cough cough! Exhaust fan!" Grandpa Yu's face flushed red. He was holding back his anger, but remembering that this girl had saved his granddaughter, he forced himself to hold it in.
Qin Yi quickly turned on the exhaust fans around the roof of the car, and as they spun around, the air in the car instantly became much fresher.
Lu Ziyi was still driving ahead at breakneck speed, while Yang Zhou lay on the floor of the car picking up the chess pieces that had fallen.
Qin Yi felt the atmosphere was too awkward, so she quickly went to the refrigerator to get ingredients to cook a second dish.
Heat sesame oil in a pan, add the chicken pieces and stir-fry until set.
Add three cups of light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and rice wine to the stove.
After reducing the sauce over high heat, stir-fry until just cooked through and remove from the pan.
"Basil and fragrance are the indispensable soulmates of Three-Pot Chicken."
Qin Yi then took out a lotus root knife and shaved it into lotus flower shapes, and used scissors to cut the two ends of the snow peas into swallowtail forked shapes.
Green beans, lotus seeds, lotus flowers, lily bulbs, and carrots—a lush and vibrant stir-fry with a natural, fresh aroma.
"A sudden shower of rain on the pond, a bright pearl held aloft like a green canopy." Grandpa Yu recited on tiptoe.
"Green leaves support lotus blossoms, lilies blush red." Yang Zhou also began to chime in.
For the last dish, the spring, summer, autumn, and winter beans, don't rush to deep-fry them. Instead, use low heat and a little oil, and patiently stir-fry them until they have a slightly charred, tiger-skin-like appearance.
After removing them from the water, heat oil in a separate pan, stir-fry dried chilies, Sichuan peppercorns, and minced garlic until fragrant and the strong spicy aroma hits you right in the head – that's the taste!
Qin Yi promptly added the tiger-skin green beans to the mixture and stir-fried them. After seasoning, she drizzled sesame oil on top, plated them, and served them.
The colorful minivan, carrying a strong aroma of food, drove through the streets.
Finally, Lu Ziyi drove the car to the night market entrance at the back gate of Nan University.
He jumped out of the driver's seat and opened the rear cargo door.
"Boss lady, we've reached the finish line. There won't be any city management officers around our school at night, so you can set up your stall without worry."
Qin Yi moved the folding table and chairs outside the carriage, then placed four dishes on the table and served them with three bowls of white rice.
She glanced at Grandpa Yu, who had jumped out of the car, and asked provocatively, "Dare to eat it a third time?"
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The poem quoted in this chapter is "After the Rain" by Zhao Ruzhi of the Song Dynasty.
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