The Spirit of Gourmet

Chapter 99 Qin Lang's Serious Business

"Uncle, give me five servings of mixed-flavor pancakes."

"okay!"

The vendor of the mixed-flavor pancakes responded, looked up at Qin Lang standing in front of the stall, and smiled, "Why did you order two more servings today?"

"You still remember me?" Qin Lang was somewhat surprised.

"Of course," the stall owner said with a smile. "How could I forget a customer who just came yesterday?"

"And you're also a spirit chef."

Qin Lang nodded knowingly, watching the other man skillfully make the mixed-flavor cakes as he had yesterday, and suddenly asked, "Uncle, how long have you been running this stall?"

"It's been several years."

The stall owner answered without looking up, "A few years ago, this food street wasn't as big as it is now. I was already here back then."

"I see." Qin Lang looked around and then asked, "Do I need to pay rent to set up a stall here?"

"Hmm?" The stall owner couldn't help but look up at Qin Lang.

If an ordinary person asked him this question, he probably wouldn't think much of it, but Qin Lang is a master chef...

"What, you want to set up a stall here too?" the stall owner asked half-jokingly. "You've become a Spirit Chef at such a young age, you have a long road ahead of you, there's no need to compete with us old guys for business, is there?"

"Let me find out first," Qin Lang replied vaguely, neither confirming nor denying.

"Setting up a stall here definitely requires paying rent." The stall owner lowered his head again and continued with his work. "Moreover, in the past two years, as the food street has become more and more popular, the rent has also risen accordingly."

"Don't be fooled by my seemingly good business; many stalls have been losing money for months because the owners' cooking skills aren't up to par."

"I understand." Qin Lang nodded knowingly. "Then, uncle, if there were a more popular spot where you could raise your prices, and the rent was lower, or even free, to set up your stall, would you be willing to go?"

"Hmm?" The stall owner looked up at Qin Lang again. Seeing that Qin Lang was serious, he shook his head and chuckled. "If there really is such a good place as you described, I will take my food cart there right now without saying a word."

While the two were talking, the stall owner had already made the mixed-flavor cakes that Qin Lang had ordered, put them in a bag, and handed them to him.

"Your five servings of mixed sesame cakes."

"Thank you." Qin Lang took the mixed-flavor cake, smiled, and turned around.

Watching Qin Lang leave, the stall owner shook his head and chuckled.

It seems that I am overthinking it.

"Guru Guru~"

After leaving the stall, Danbao immediately went to the bag, sniffed the familiar aroma, and a drooling expression appeared on his face.

"Don't eat it now." Qin Lang stroked its big ears. "You'll have your chance to eat it when we get back to the hotel."

"Gulu!"

Egg Baby nodded emphatically, suppressing the craving in his stomach.

Qin Lang continued walking along the snack street and soon arrived at the second stall set up by the Imperial Chef. After queuing up in front of him, he did the same thing and bought five portions of food from the stall. During their conversation, he asked the same question.

Then, the third, the fourth...

Qin Lang had more and more food in his hands, and when asked if he would be willing to change his stall location if there were a better one, the vast majority of stall owners gave an affirmative answer.

When he reached the middle of the snack street, Cao Dongdong and Zhao Qian were already waiting for him there.

Like Qin Lang, the two of them were also carrying all sorts of delicious food.

"Qin Lang, I've already asked around at all the stalls over there." Seeing Qin Lang approaching, Cao Dongdong spoke up. "Only one stall doesn't want to move."

“Everyone else has been very proactive.” “I’ve already marked the one that doesn’t want to move.”

“They all said yes to the ones I asked,” Zhao Qian followed up.

"Okay." Qin Lang nodded and took the food from their hands. "Thank you for your hard work tonight."

"Let's go back to the hotel now."

"It's time to get down to business."
-
"Should we...knock on the door now?"

Cao Dongdong stood in front of the door, looking nervous and conflicted.

"Go ahead and knock!" Zhao Qian took out her phone and glanced at the time. "Qin Lang told us not to pay any attention to him this morning and not to bother him."

"It's a minute past noon now, not morning."

“What you said makes a lot of sense.” Cao Dongdong nodded seriously. “If Qin Lang complains about me knocking on the door later, I’ll just say it was your idea.”

"Huh?" Zhao Qian glared at Cao Dongdong. "I think you want to get beaten up!"

"Just kidding...just kidding!" Cao Dongdong chuckled, took a deep breath, and strode towards the door, reaching for the doorknob.

Before his hand could even touch it, the doorknob suddenly turned with a "click," and then the door was opened from the inside.

Qin Lang yawned, looking at the two of them with a sleepy expression, and said, "The sound of your voices can be heard inside."

"Come in, everyone."

Cao Dongdong and Zhao Qian exchanged a glance and quickly followed him into the room, arriving at the attached kitchen.

Looking at the various seasonings scattered haphazardly in the kitchen, the lingering aromas of various delicacies, and the empty takeout boxes on the floor, their gazes finally settled on the center of the counter.

Seventeen bottles and jars, each labeled with a different number, were arranged neatly according to the size of their numbers.

"Qin Lang, did you finish the important business you were supposed to do yesterday?" Zhao Qian couldn't contain her curiosity and couldn't help but ask.

"All done." Qin Lang smiled and picked up a damp towel to wipe his face, looking at the seventeen bottles and jars. "This is the big thing I'm going to do."

"What's this? Seasoning?" Cao Dongdong couldn't help but lean forward, randomly opened one of the boxes, dipped a little of the powdery substance into it, tasted it, and then his expression changed instantly.

"It tastes terrible, what kind of seasoning is this..."

He stubbornly tried the others, and each one made Cao Dongdong show a disgusted expression.

"I didn't say it was a seasoning!" Qin Lang shook his head, both amused and exasperated. "These things aren't meant for cooking in the first place."

"These are my secret weapons for persuading the seventeen spirit chef stall owners on the food street."

"Persuade them?" Cao Dongdong was skeptical. "Just based on that?"

"Open your eyes wide and look carefully." Qin Lang smiled without answering, and carefully put the seventeen bottles and jars into a bag.

"Gulu~"

Looking at all those bottles and jars, Danbao couldn't help but swallow hard.

Only it, which worked with Qin Lang until late last night, knows the magic of these seventeen little bottles and jars.

"We're leaving now."

Today is a weekday, and the food street is mostly busy in the evening, but when Qin Lang and his two companions arrived at the food street, there were still quite a few people strolling and eating.

"You all stay by my side and keep an eye on things." After saying this, Qin Lang walked directly towards the first spirit chef stall owner.

The owner who makes mixed-flavor cakes.

(End of this chapter)