Chapter Ninety-One: Fried Rice with Egg (Lots of comments during the live stream)...
The show has already aired several episodes, using a combination of live and pre-recorded formats, allowing viewers to choose their preferred viewing method to maintain its popularity. The production team is also quite clever, starting promotions early on about a mystery guest.
However, this "mystery guest" wasn't mysterious at all; everyone already knew it was Boss Yu, so they were all incredibly excited and glued to the live stream. Boss Yu's cooking has long been a cherished memory for the people of Yuncheng. Coupled with Yunhe's video and the celebrity effect, it gave "Yuncheng's Lively Atmosphere" a huge boost in popularity. Inviting Boss Yu this time was truly like inviting a major celebrity.
"The Vibrant Atmosphere of Yuncheng" even made it to a minor trending topic.
Lin Xiangwan, Chen Yufei, and Xiang Huai all reposted the message expressing their anticipation for Boss Yu's appearance, which further boosted the popularity of the live stream.
And today, Yu Miaoyin will make her appearance.
As soon as the live stream started, the number of viewers soared to over 100,000. When the camera focused on Yu Miaoyin, who was holding a spatula and wearing an apron, the chat exploded.
[Is this Boss Yu? She's so beautiful! I can't imagine her flipping the wok and stir-frying vegetables at all.]
I'm willing to marry Boss Yu. I'll give you my salary, a house, a car, and all the housework. I just ask that Boss Yu cook delicious meals for me every day.
Seeing that the famous Boss Yu was so young and beautiful, they were as shocked as if they had seen that the math and physics genius who scored full marks was actually a pretty boy.
The screen was flooded with comments about "sisters," everyone wanting to be Yu Miaoyin's younger sister. Little Tangbao tilted her head, watching the comments about the "sisters" appear.
Grandma, Jiajia, and Yiling were all watching the live stream, with cat ears made by Sister Ayin next to them.
The cat ears are round, like small seashells, with uniform thickness and distinct red and white colors. The rich, salty aroma of fermented bean curd lingers in the air.
Jiajia ate while watching. The cat ear pastries were very crispy, fragrant, and crunchy, and the slight aroma of alcohol made the taste of the cat ear pastries less monotonous.
"The competition is about to begin," Grandma said, putting her hands together and silently praying, "Heavenly spirits and earthly spirits, please bless Xiaoyin so she can succeed."
The camera focuses on Yu Miaoyin. The competition rules have already been explained by the production team. Contestants draw the main ingredient from a spinning wheel and can choose one ingredient as a side dish. They can use various seasonings, such as scallions, ginger, and garlic, as they wish. They must prepare the dish within a specified time, and the final product will be submitted to the judges for tasting and voting.
After Xiaoyu finished explaining the rules, everyone started drawing ingredients, and the comments section was incredibly excited, as if they were the ones standing on the stage.
[What delicious food is Boss Yu going to make this time? I wish I could be a judge in his body, I want to eat it too!]
[It feels like Boss Yu can win no matter what he draws, I'm rooting for Boss Yu]
[I also support Boss Yu! His live streams are so entertaining, I really love watching them. I'm eating snail rice noodles right now.]
Yu Miaoyin went up to spin the big wheel. She didn't really care what ingredients she could get. She was quite confident that she could do well with whatever she was given.
The large disc slowly turned until it finally stopped, and the pointer pointed to a bowl of something called leftovers.
Yu Miaoyin helplessly spread her hands. She really didn't care what the ingredients were, but she couldn't just be given a bowl of leftovers, could she?
The comments section was filled with laughter—
[I never expected this, hahaha, it was actually a bowl of leftover rice!]
I was quite shocked to see leftovers on the spinning wheel; I was thinking how unlucky the person who got it must be.
[This is hilarious! Was the production team deliberately stirring things up? Boss Yu got picked, and his shock looks so real, hahaha. He probably never expected to have such bad luck.]
After staring speechlessly at the leftover rice she had drawn, the unlucky Yu Miaoyin began to think about what she could do with it. Since she had drawn leftover rice, she decided to make fried rice with eggs.
The production team never expected Mr. Yu to be so unlucky; out of so many ingredients, he drew a bowl of leftover rice. Heaven is my witness, they really didn't tamper with anything.
Yu Miaoyin asked the production team for a few eggs as her side dish.
Qin Zaiyang drew beef, while the other contestants drew chicken and pork respectively.
The only leftover rice that Yu Miaoyin drew was the worst one. If she hadn't drawn it herself, and considering it was being broadcast live, she would have suspected that the production team had deliberately arranged it for the sake of the show.
Xiao Yu livened up the atmosphere and praised Yuncheng, inviting everyone to visit Yuncheng. She said that Yuncheng not only had the delicious food made by Boss Yu, but also all kinds of other delicious food. She listed all the delicious food in Yuncheng like she was reciting a menu.
Yu Miaoyin took the leftover rice and started making fried rice with eggs, and the other contestants also started.
Qin Zaiyang was slicing beef. He's the star chef of Xianmanlou, with decades of culinary experience—maybe even older than the restaurant owner, Mr. Yu. He sliced the beef quickly and skillfully, achieving even thicknesses, drawing praise from the online comments for his exceptional knife skills. The contestants were all professional chefs, familiar to many long-time residents of Yuncheng; after all, who hasn't dined at their chain restaurants?
For example, Qin Zaiyang's father, Qin Youyi, was the founder of Xianmanlou. Qin Youyi started with a dish of stir-fried beef noodles and gradually built it into a large restaurant and then a chain restaurant.
Qin Zaiyang, as the chef's only son, learned cooking from his father from a young age, starting when his father opened a breakfast shop. Naturally, his cooking skills are superb.
Qin Zaiyang was making stir-fried beef with kale. He had just finished slicing and marinating the beef when he heard the sound of the gas switch being turned on from Yu Miaoyin's side.
Heat the pan with oil until it's hot enough, then turn off the heat. This makes the eggs taste better; they won't be dry, but more tender, tasting like steamed eggs, but with a unique flavor. Yu Miaoyin holds a spatula and swirls the pan, and the eggs instantly turn into golden, fluffy bits.
After frying the eggs, she added some oil. Once the rice was added to the pan, Yu Miaoyin gently patted it, and the clumps of rice immediately broke apart, each grain coated with a thin layer of oil. Fortunately, the production team was honest; the rice was indeed leftover rice, suitable for making fried rice.
After the rice had separated, she turned up the heat and began to stir-fry. The rice rustled and spread out as she stirred. Yu Miaoyin tossed the wok with ease and skill. The way she cooked was also a delight to behold.
The production team gives each contestant a separate shot, and unsurprisingly, Yu Miaoyin's side has the most viewers. Even Xiao Yu is watching out of the corner of her eye as Boss Yu flips the wok to make fried rice.
It's just a simple bowl of fried rice with eggs, so why is she so tempted?
Before long, Yu Miaoyong's egg-fried rice noodles were ready. The fried rice was piled on a white porcelain plate, with golden eggs hidden among the distinct grains of rice, and garnished with bright green scallions.
Her fried rice was ready, and the other contestants were almost done too. Qin Zaiyang made stir-fried beef with kale; the kale was bright green, and the brownish beef still had a touch of pink. The other two contestants made stir-fried chicken with scallions and ginger, and stir-fried sliced meat with garlic.
Just then, the bell rang, reminding the contestants that time was up.
The staff came over and divided the food into ten small portions for the judges to taste and vote on. The judges were backstage and had no way of knowing which contestant had prepared what dish, ensuring absolute fairness and impartiality.
"The competition is over. Congratulations to our four contestants for successfully creating their dishes. Now, please welcome the judges to come up and vote for our contestants," Xiao Yu said after interacting with the chefs.
The judging panel is composed of a wide variety of people, including veteran chefs who have been working for decades, ordinary neighbors, and even those with elderly parents and young children.
The judges went up on stage together, saw the dishes in front of them, and scratched their heads. Why was there a bowl of fried rice with egg?
The judges then looked at the other dishes: stir-fried beef with kale, stir-fried chicken with scallions and ginger, and stir-fried pork slices with garlic. The three dishes exuded different meaty aromas, which were quite tempting, but why did they unconsciously look at the fried rice?
Aunt Liu from the community was invited to be a judge. She usually loves meat and considers eating meat the happiest thing. But surprisingly, she now craves this hot, fragrant, golden, and perfectly separated egg fried rice.
Qin Zaiyang's father, Qin Youyi, looked at the dishes with his hands behind his back, silently giving his opinion before even tasting them. At first glance, the stir-fried beef with kale did look quite good, appearing exceptionally refreshing and appetizing. However, having been a chef for so many years and having cooked countless servings of stir-fried beef with kale, Qin Youyi could tell at a glance that the kale had been "steamed" and lacked the bright green color of a quick stir-fry, significantly diminishing its flavor.
No one knew who made these dishes. Qin Youyi thought to himself, surely it couldn't have been his son? He's been learning from him for so many years, how come he's always just a little bit off? The remaining dishes looked and smelled good, but they each had their own flaws. The garlic-flavored stir-fried pork was too garlicky, and the stir-fried chicken with scallions and ginger lacked a bit of wok hei (wok aroma). Only the egg fried rice, though simple, was anything but simple in appearance and aroma.
The loose yet firm rice grains, with a slightly charred aroma, are stir-fried over high heat to release a wonderful wok hei (wok aroma), which blends perfectly with the rising fragrance of rice and eggs, making it truly exceptional.
Xiao Yu told the judges that they could eat it, and there were no requirements. Everyone could try each of the four dishes according to their own preferences before voting.
Without prior arrangement, everyone picked up the small bowl of fried rice.
Aunt Liu had been craving fried rice for a long time, and when she found out she could eat it, she scooped out the whole small bowl and ate it all.
The happiness she felt after taking a big bite was no less than the happiness she felt eating meat. The rice was fried until each grain was distinct and exceptionally chewy, not dry at all, and the eggs were incredibly tender, with a subtle aroma of oil rising up afterward. There wasn't much fried rice in the bowl to begin with, and after she scooped up a big mouthful, only a few grains remained clinging to the sides of the bowl.
Aunt Liu immediately took a spoon and scraped it clean, not letting a single grain of rice go to waste.
Other judges, such as the director of Yuncheng Culture and Tourism Bureau, a cleaning lady, a TV station staff member, a kindergarten principal, a sixth-grade student, and so on, all followed Aunt Liu's example and ate the last grain of rice in their bowls clean.
Qin Youyi savored it slowly, taking three small bites in a row. His mind was filled with how delicious it was. Was this really just a bowl of fried rice?
The aroma of eggs, oil, and caramel mingled together, spreading with each swallow. The fluffy eggs were soft yet fragrant with a caramelized aroma, and the rice was perfectly cooked with a wonderful wok hei (the smoky flavor imparted by a hot wok). He savored each small bite, his eyes widening involuntarily, and he ate several more mouthfuls, still amazed. The oil made the whole bowl of fried rice even more fragrant and moist, yet not greasy. Such simple fried rice, such an amazing flavor.
He didn't realize he had finished eating until the spoon hit the side of the bowl and made a sound. Still not enough, he followed everyone else's example and ate every last grain of rice in the bowl, adhering to the principle of not wasting food.
Viewers in the live stream couldn't actually eat it, but just looking at the presentation made their mouths water. However, some people thought it was too exaggerated.
[Even if Boss Yu's cooking is delicious, it shouldn't be like this, right? It feels like the actors he hired haven't eaten in centuries.]
It's just a bowl of fried rice with eggs. I understand the production team is eager to promote the show, but this approach could easily backfire...
[That feels a bit exaggerated; it's just a bowl of fried rice. However, the actors the production team hired were really good at acting, their emotions were genuine.]
Diners who have eaten at the small restaurant also said that this is not an exaggeration at all.
[Seriously, it's no exaggeration to say that you can't explain it to someone who hasn't eaten there; it's my absolute favorite little restaurant!]
[How could she possibly be an actor hired by the production team? I'm that child's mother. My son wouldn't even acknowledge me when I make fried rice, let alone have acting skills like that. Boss Yu's cooking is truly delicious; he can turn the ordinary into the extraordinary.]
Jiajia and Yiling didn't think it was an exaggeration. It was the first time they had eaten Sister Ayin's tea eggs and her stir-fried beef noodles. They felt amazed and their tongues, throats, and stomachs were all activated.
The next few dishes were all tasted by everyone, and they were indeed quite good, much better than what they had made, but they were far from amazing.
The judges went to vote with their little cards, and the contestants interacted with Yu Miaoyin. She talked about the food in Yuncheng, and Yu Miaoyin said to the camera: "Welcome everyone to visit Yuncheng and eat delicious food. I guarantee you will want to come back for more."
Qin Zaiyang and several other contestants also helped promote Yuncheng and, incidentally, their own restaurant.
Xiao Yu looked at the comments on the screen, picked out a few and read them aloud to Yu Miaoyin, "Everyone's asking you, will they be able to eat Boss Yu's cooking when they come to Yuncheng?"
Yu Miaoyin replied half-jokingly, "Of course I can. I'm a fast cook, so don't worry. Besides, I'm also wishing I could grow eight hands to cook for you all."
A barrage of "hahahahaha" comments flooded the screen.
After asking a few questions about Yu Miaoyin, Xiao Yu also asked a few questions to consider the feelings of the other contestants, creating a very harmonious atmosphere.
After the votes were cast, the judges left first, and Xiao Yu secretly asked everyone to guess who was the winner. Unsurprisingly, the screen was filled with comments praising Boss Yu.
As expected, and without any doubt, Yu Miaoyin won first place with an overwhelming victory.
Qin Youyi was somewhat shocked to learn that the fried rice was made by Boss Yu. He thought his son had surpassed him and was eating the fried rice with pride, but he never expected this!
Qin Youyi had never competed against Boss Yu on the same stage before. He was usually arrogant, but for the first time, he willingly admitted defeat and even wanted to rush up and beg Boss Yu to cook more.
The contestants were neither surprised nor angry upon learning the result, nor did they feel unworthy. Instead, they felt honored to compete on the same stage as such a formidable person, and even if they lost, they would accept it wholeheartedly. The three of them rushed up and asked, "Boss Yu, could you make another plate of egg fried noodles? We'd like some too."
The judges, the host, the photographer, and all the backstage staff cast expectant glances at Boss Yu; they wanted to eat there too.
Because the production team didn't prepare that much leftover food, everyone didn't get to eat Boss Yu's fried rice.
Little Tangbao smiled happily, "Big sister is number one, so many people voted for her!"
Jiajia said, "If it were an online vote, I think Sister Ayin could get more than a million votes."
The program went very smoothly and was a great success. The director of the Yuncheng Culture and Tourism Bureau personally thanked Comrade Yu Miaoyin for her significant contributions to the tourism industry in Yuncheng. The Chen Fugui and He Tianyou family also benefited, selling out of their bamboo noodles and chestnuts.
The hashtag "Yu Ji Restaurant" trended on social media, with people asking how delicious it was and sharing photos of their meals there, making everyone drool.
Even Li Jiayu posted a picture of fish balls made by Yu Miaoyin, making everyone want to go fishing for big fish and then have them cooked by Boss Yu. She scrolled up and down through the posts, quickly skipping over those sharing food to avoid tempting herself, and defending the small restaurant when she saw comments saying their marketing was too exaggerated.
After all, she is a living example; the "it's actually good" principle will play out equally in everyone.
—
After the recording ended, Yu Miaoyin rested for a few days, spending her time with Xiao Tangbao, playing with cats, watching cartoons, and enjoying a very comfortable and free life. Little did she know how long her customers had been waiting for her.
Grandpa Xu sighed for the three hundredth time as he looked at the restaurant's closed doors. Without Xiao Yin, life was tough. He patted his stomach, then pulled out his phone to watch Yunhe's Little Restaurant series.
Jiajia makes bets with Xiaodu every day, betting on whether Sister Ayin will open the door or not.
In short, everyone really misses Boss Yu's cooking!
At the end of November, the temperature dropped suddenly and unexpectedly. Jiajia sneezed, put on her mask, and told Yiling to be careful not to get infected.
At the same time, Xiaotangbao, who had taken leave due to a cold caused by the temperature drop, was wearing a mask and staring at Jiajia.
"Jiajia, have you caught a cold too? I made some congee with preserved egg and lean pork. Come and have a bowl to warm yourself up," Yu Miaoyin called out.
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