Chapter 477 - 311: Gained More Followers Over Lunch

Chapter 477: Chapter 311: Gained More Followers Over Lunch

Pasta is essentially the only noodle dish in the daily lives of Westerners, making it one of the most common meals they eat.

Whether it’s fast food in a mall basement, a university cafeteria, a street-side restaurant, a kid’s packed lunch for school, or even a regular meal at home, pasta is one of the most frequently appearing foods.

But the thin, flour-based noodles that Lin Chen was now cooking right in front of them were completely beyond their frame of reference.

If it were just the noodles, it wouldn’t have been enough to make them want to try it.

But then there was the incredibly rich aroma of chili oil that continuously tickled their noses. Add to that the scent of lard and savory sauce from the freshly stir-fried minced meat, and the combined visual and olfactory temptation was more than enough to sway them.

What’s more, among the onlookers were several regulars who had eaten his eggplant dish and fried chicken and fish skins before. Just from the smell, they could tell that these noodles would be delicious too.

Watching Erica pick up a chopstick-full of noodles coated in red oil and slurp them down, combined with the sound of her slurping and the red sheen left on her lips, the regulars couldn’t help but gulp again. One of the more impatient ones even pulled out a ten-dollar bill and shouted.

"Erica, quick, get me a bowl too! How much is it?"

With someone taking the lead, the others snapped out of their daze and began digging through their pockets as well.

"I want a bowl too!"

"Me too, me too! No takeout, I’ll eat it right here!"

The three regulars were already clamoring for it, while the other four new customers, who were just watching the spectacle, were still hesitating.

"That oil was made with a whole basin of chili powder. It’s so red, isn’t it spicy enough to kill you?"

"It smells pretty good, though. Let’s wait and see."

"Too bad, I can’t eat pork. If it were made with beef, I’d buy it."

Lin Chen hadn’t expected that someone would want to buy the lunch he was casually making for himself. Even though he’d put in two packets of noodles, it wasn’t actually that much. Given his and Erica’s appetites, one packet each would have been no problem.

After slurping in a mouthful of noodles, Erica chewed a few times and closed her eyes, quietly savoring the wonderful sensation blooming in her mouth.

’This is completely different from the texture of the noodles that were soaked in ice water last time. These thin noodles, scooped out right after being cooked and mixed with freshly fried minced meat and chili oil, have a very soft texture with just a hint of elasticity. Because they’re so thin, there’s no issue with them not absorbing the flavor.’

’The surface of the noodles is thoroughly coated in red oil. The sticky, gelatinized starch layer makes the fried minced pork cling tightly, interspersed with shreds of cucumber. A single bite combines soft, tender, succulent, and crisp textures. The aroma of lard mixed with peanut oil, paired with the fresh spice of the chili and the refreshing cucumber, cuts through the greasiness while releasing the fragrance to its fullest potential.’

’As she chewed, the sweetness of the starch in the noodles was gradually released, along with the unique aroma of cilantro. In short, the more she chewed, the more fragrant it became, and the more she ate, the hungrier she got.’

She licked the sauce lingering on her lips, opened her eyes, and without another word, picked up another large clump of noodles and stuffed it into her mouth, as if she couldn’t hear the shouts of the people around her at all.

"SLUUUURP~"

This time, there was no need for tasting. She devoured the delicious noodles in huge mouthfuls, and the amount in her bowl decreased at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"GULP."

Watching her eat with such gusto, Lin Chen himself couldn’t help but swallow, his own mouth watering.

He was the stall owner, after all; he couldn’t just ignore the eager gazes of his customers.

’Fortunately, only three customers want to buy some. It’s no big deal to share a little with them. Worst case, I can just go to the Chinese convenience store by the entrance and buy some more dried noodles later.’

"How about this? Since this was meant to be our own lunch and the ingredients aren’t expensive, and you all are regulars, I’ll just charge five dollars as a token gesture."

He quickly packed three boxes of noodles, not forgetting to scoop up a spoonful of the minced meat and cucumber shreds that had settled at the bottom of the bowl to top them off.

"Eat it quickly. These thin noodles get clumpy fast. You’re supposed to eat them right after they’re made. If you let them sit for even two or three minutes, they’ll stick together in a big lump."

The noodles were packed in kraft paper boxes. The portion wasn’t huge, just a bit more than a serving of dry-mixed noodles.

The three who got the noodles immediately became the center of attention. Everyone else craned their necks to get a closer look and see what all the fuss was about.

There were no Chinese restaurants in the small town, so not many people knew how to use chopsticks. The three customers each took a fork, stuck it into the noodles, and gave them a stir.

It had only been about two minutes since the noodles came out of the pot. They looked fine when they were watching Erica eat, but now that they had them in their hands, they could already feel the noodles sticking together.

After a quick stir, the red oil helped the noodles separate and return to their normal state.

They didn’t know the technique of slurping noodles, so they could only twirl their forks to wind the noodles up before putting them in their mouths.

Erica couldn’t help but shake her head at the sight.

"Hey! Eating noodles like that has no soul! Twirling is for pasta. Great Xia’s noodles have to be slurped like this to taste good!"

As she spoke, she once again picked up a mouthful with her chopsticks, stuffed it into her mouth, and demonstrated what it meant to slurp noodles right in front of them.

The three of them, who had already gotten a taste of the chili oil’s rich aroma, nodded as if they half-understood. They immediately abandoned their elegant twirling technique, speared a clump with their forks, and tried to imitate her by stuffing it in their mouths and sucking upwards forcefully.

"COUGH COUGH!!"

The technique of slurping isn’t actually that difficult, but it’s natural to be a bit awkward on the first try. One customer used too much force and sucked the red oil straight down his throat, causing him to choke and cough repeatedly.

White people tend to flush easily. After choking like that, his face turned red in just two or three seconds, as if he were drunk.

"Don’t suck so hard. Just wrap your lips around the noodles and use gentle force, just like drinking a Coke."

Lin Chen chimed in with a timely explanation. The three had a sudden realization. Except for the one who had choked, the other two had already started to get the hang of it. With his guidance, they unlocked the skill of noodle slurping on the spot.

"SLURP~"

"SLURP~"

"SLURP~"

The sound of slurping rose and fell, one after another. Just listening to it gave one the distinct impression that these noodles were delicious.

"So, how is it? Is it spicy?"

"Not spicy, not at all," one of the women, who looked to be in her early thirties, said, shaking her head with her mouth full. "You know my spice tolerance is really low. Even Tabasco sauce can make my lips swell up."

The person she was talking to was another woman of a similar age; they looked like they had come to shop for groceries together.

Hearing this, the other woman licked her lips, finally made up her mind, and pulled a five-dollar bill from her pocket to hand over.

"Can I get one, too?"

The unprecedented aroma captured the customers’ hearts almost instantly. Regulars and newcomers alike were full of praise for the taste of the chili oil.

Aside from looking spicy, the actual heat level was similar to the fried chicken—so faint it was almost imperceptible.

Only after eating a lot would you slowly feel a faint tingling on the tip of your tongue. What lingered more was the aromatic aftertaste in your mouth.

Seeing them eat with such enjoyment, another customer who had been watching finally couldn’t resist and pulled out a bill. Only the man who couldn’t eat pork was left, anxiously scratching his head. ’He wasn’t making this to sell in the first place. It’s one thing for us to eat his lunch for such a cheap price, but to ask him to go buy meat and make a whole new batch? That would be going too far.’

’For five dollars, you might not even be able to afford a hot dog from a street cart, and those are just reheated pre-made ingredients.’

’Lin is a celebrity chef! In theory, even his most ordinary dishes should be more expensive than what you’d get at a regular restaurant. Not to mention he’s making it fresh and even revealed his precious chili oil recipe.’

’That recipe alone must be worth a fortune. We’re already getting a huge bargain!’

The sight of the group slurping noodles attracted the curiosity of many passersby. Those who hadn’t seen the cooking process just gave it a few glances and didn’t linger.

It was still a while before lunchtime, and not everyone who had already bought their groceries would be as eager for a taste as this group.

The one customer who hadn’t gotten a taste felt there was no point in staying any longer. Suppressing the craving worm in his heart, he gritted his teeth and prepared to leave.

"Hey, sir, please wait a moment."

Perhaps sensing his hesitation, Lin called out to him just as he was turning to leave.

"Hm?"

He stopped and looked over, confused.

"It’s like this: there aren’t many noodles left in the bowl, definitely not enough for me. I was planning to cook another packet anyway, which means I have to go to the store by the entrance to buy more noodles and some ground meat."

"Sir, since you can’t eat pork, I can make a beef version. The taste won’t be much different. If you’re interested, would you be willing to wait five minutes?"

"You really can?!" The man was overjoyed.

"Of course. Isn’t our job as chefs to fill our customers’ stomachs?"

He spent five minutes buying the ingredients and making a fresh serving of noodles with fried minced beef. When the steaming, delicious meal was finally handed to him, the man couldn’t wait to take a bite.

He didn’t say a word, just pulled out his phone in front of everyone.

"What’s your account name? I’m following you! I’ll have my wife follow you too when I get home, so she can learn how to make some Daxia Cuisine. This is too delicious!"

His words were a wake-up call for the others, who also pulled out their phones.

"Oh, right, right, follow him! I’ll have my wife learn how to make this when I get home. The flavor of that chili oil is incredible. I feel like it would taste good on anything."

"I feel a little bad eating a celebrity chef’s food for such a cheap price. I’ll give you a follow to help boost your numbers."

Lin Chen was starting to feel a bit embarrassed, but Erica, her own stomach now full and round, darted in front of him. She rattled off his account name while also remembering to snap a picture of the scene.

"Everyone, if you have time this afternoon, remember to come back! Lin will be making something delicious using beef cuts and scraps. If you’re interested, you can come learn and have a free taste!"

"Scraps from a cow?"

Hearing there would be beef in the afternoon, their eyes instantly lit up. The man who was the last to get his noodles was especially enthusiastic, thumping his chest and promising,

"What time in the afternoon? I’ll definitely be there!"