Chapter 28: First to Break Out

Chapter 28: Chapter 28: First to Break Out

Before today, some customers had spoken up for Nan Zhi online, but they were few and far between.

That was because, in reality, over ninety percent of the customers who’d eaten her fried rice had no idea Nan Zhi was filming.

Moreover, not everyone follows entertainment news, so few were immediately aware of the niche, moderately popular variety show.

But after today, things were different.

Tonight, at least, the vast majority of customers had come because they’d seen the show.

Among them, more than half were chronically online young people who loved to socialize and share.

So, what would they do after eating Nan Zhi’s egg fried rice?

Take pictures, check in, and post them online, of course!

And so, a flood of new posts appeared on various social media platforms.

And the post that first caught everyone’s eye was, ironically, this one:

[Title: I tried the legendary Golden Egg Fried Rice, and now I feel absolutely terrible!]

The post had barely been up for a minute when replies started pouring in:

[I knew it! There’s no way that drama queen knows how to cook!]

[So satisfying to see Nan Zhi’s hypocritical, malicious mask finally get ripped off!]

[And she still has the nerve to claim she was wronged? Unbelievably shameless.]

...

These hostile comments were quickly ridiculed by others:

[Uh, judging by the timestamps, you guys definitely didn’t actually read the post.]

[OP is such a clickbaiter, luring people in for the kill! Hahaha!]

[Hehehe, who’s the one feeling satisfied now? I am!]

...

As it turned out, the rest of the post read:

[OP: I watched the show yesterday and remembered the night market was near my house. A few girls on the forum suggested I go try it, so I did. But now... I have so many regrets! The fried rice was so delicious I wanted to lick my plate clean in public, but why does the owner have to be a celebrity? Doesn’t that mean she’ll stop selling it once the show is over? What am I supposed to do then? The thought of never being able to eat this Golden Egg Fried Rice again makes life feel hopeless! My own cooking tastes like pig slop now! Like chewing on cardboard! Fried chicken, barbecue, soda—nothing appeals to me anymore! All I want is her fried rice!]

The users who had actually read the whole post replied with roaring laughter:

[Oh, so you’re the one who said you were going to be the guinea pig yesterday! I’m curious, is it really *that* good?]

[We get it, it’s good, but you’re exaggerating a little. It’s just fried rice.]

[OP replied: You wouldn’t be saying that if you’d tried it. :)]

[I can vouch for the OP! I’m a college student from nearby and went to eat the fried rice tonight, too. It was SO, SO, SO good! Some guy literally yelled at the owner on the spot to quit being a celebrity and become a chef, saying she had no future in showbiz, haha!]

[For real? That’s so over-the-top it sounds like a fake story.]

[I’ve been scrolling through other customer reviews, and it actually seems legit.]

[Shook! I was all ready for Nan Zhi to crash and burn today!]

[What if Nan Zhi is secretly the descendant of an Imperial Chef, burdened by a tragic family history and a blood feud? She planned to use her fame in the entertainment industry to exact glorious revenge, but unexpectedly, her culinary skills were what made her break through, leading to a huge plot twist and a major slap in the face for her haters... This is a classic "powerful female lead" story! I even have the title ready! It’s called *The Imperial Chef’s Heir Slays on a Parenting Show With Her Food*!]

[The pen is yours! Go write it!]

[Oh crap, we’ve actually become the mindless haters in the novel who just jumped on the bandwagon to bash the female lead!]

...

Aside from the users just having fun, there were also customers who wanted to share their sincere experiences.

They wrote lengthy reviews, hundreds of words long, each line brimming with genuine emotion and praising the dish in its own unique way.

The one constant was the highest possible praise they bestowed upon the Golden Egg Fried Rice:

"This is one of the best fried rice dishes I’ve ever had in my life!"

Such high praise piqued the curiosity of even those who had previously been uninterested.

Some people who had actually been there even posted videos they had taken.

The footage wasn’t as polished as what was on the variety show, but the videos were raw and authentic. They perfectly captured what modern internet users wanted to see and began to circulate online at lightning speed, with the most popular one breaking a million views...

And just like that, before the show itself could go viral, Nan Zhi’s Golden Egg Fried Rice beat it to the punch!

-

For the moment, Nan Zhi had no idea that a huge wave of customers was about to descend upon her.

After finishing business for the day, even with her body partially restored by medicinal food, she was feeling the strain.

So when she got home that night, Nan Zhi simmered a gentle medicinal porridge for a late-night snack.

She also used the tuina massage techniques she had learned from an imperial physician in the Otherworld to relieve her muscle fatigue.

Thanks to this, both she and Nan Yi slept soundly through the night.

The next morning, the mother and son were once again full of energy. They grabbed their small pushcart and prepared to head out to the market.

Yesterday’s record-breaking income had replenished their little treasury, which had been emptied after buying medicinal herbs.

Nan Yi, the little money-lover, was ecstatic.

He was usually a little iceberg—cold, aloof, and rarely speaking to anyone besides Nan Zhi.

But today, as they were leaving, he did something completely out of character: he proactively greeted their neighbor, Granny Qian, even flashing a small smile. Granny Qian exclaimed at the rare sight, pulled Nan Yi over, and stuffed a big, bright-red apple into his hand.

Nan Yi immediately pressed his lips together.

But he accepted the apple.

Once they were out of the shantytown, he turned and placed the large apple in Nan Zhi’s hands.

"This is for you."

Nan Zhi’s hands paused.

"This is from Grandma Qian."

Nan Yi sounded like a little grown-up, his tone flat but his words sensible.

"You were so tired yesterday. You should have the apple."

He thought for a moment before adding,

"Besides, I don’t like apples."

The apple from Granny Qian was high-quality, with a faint, fresh scent. Even Nan Zhi found the aroma refreshing, so how could Nan Yi, who was normally so stubborn and possessive about his food, not like it?

But he had given the apple to her anyway.

Nan Zhi lowered her gaze, her eyes landing on the two cowlicks at the crown of Nan Yi’s head.

There’s a saying that people with two cowlicks are the most stubborn.

Nan Yi was certainly stubborn.

But he also possessed a small, quiet tenderness all his own.

’I have another idea for this,’ Nan Zhi thought, but she accepted the apple anyway, tucking it into her canvas tote bag.

Seeing this, Nan Yi’s lips curved into a faint smile.

Then, as if remembering something, he said,

"Yesterday, a few people asked me if we sold anything besides egg fried rice. I was thinking, maybe we could add a new dish? We shouldn’t just sell egg fried rice, since not everyone likes it."

Nan Zhi had actually been planning this for a while.

But hearing Nan Yi bring it up now, she feigned ignorance and asked,

"Oh? What did you have in mind?"

Nan Yi’s suggestion had been tentatively accepted, and a hint of joy showed on his face as he began to organize his thoughts.

Just then, Nan Zhi stopped in her tracks. She narrowed her eyes, her gaze fixed on something up ahead.

A man with a handsome, gentle face stood there. He was wearing a wrinkled T-shirt and carrying a supermarket bag, his hair unkempt. He looked as if he had fallen from the glittering heavens into the mundane world of mortals, completely out of place.

He was standing in front of a fish stall, bent over as if trying to pick out a fish.

But suddenly, without warning, the tail of a fish slapped the water, splashing him from head to toe!