Chapter 8: The Kitchen Stove is Her Territory

Chapter 8: Chapter 8: The Kitchen Stove is Her Territory

Nan Zhi Nan Yi weren’t gone long before they returned, their hands full of bags.

Nan Yi was hugging a basket overflowing with eggs. His thin, frail arms were a nerve-wracking sight, making one constantly worry he would drop it.

Nan Zhi followed behind him, carrying a heavy bag of rice in one hand and a large bag of green onions in the other, along with salt, lard, and other seasonings. Yet, she was no more reassuring than the four-and-a-half-year-old Nan Yi.

She was so frail that even in a thick knit dress, she had a sickly, delicate look.

Just as the viewers in the live stream chat were wondering why Nan Zhi had prepared so many ingredients,

Nan Zhi put the groceries down, went around to the back of the house, and rolled out a sheet-metal food cart covered with a plastic tarp.

The food cart was brand new but very basic, equipped with only the essentials: a gas stove, a large iron wok, and a rice cooker.

It wasn’t even a motorized model you could just ride away on; it had to be pushed by hand!

And with that, the mystery of Nan Zhi’s profession was finally revealed!

The screen was instantly flooded with question marks.

Then, the viewers began to mock her, one after another:

[A food stall? Are you crazy, or am I?]

[I suggest the production team get an ambulance on standby. If anyone gets food poisoning, they can be hauled away immediately!]

[I’m more curious about where the ingredients came from. She clearly couldn’t have bought all that with just 100 yuan.]

[It’s scripted, obviously! As soon as she sets up her stall, a crowd of paid actors will show up to perform ’It’s so good I’m crying!’ for the camera.]

[Tsk tsk, they’re really going all out to fool us viewers!]

[Nan Zhi must have gotten the golden-child script. I just came over from the other streams. Everyone else is honestly trying to adapt, so you can’t just write them all off.]

[Nan Zhi doesn’t look like she can cook. If her food turns out to be good, I’ll do a handstand and eat shit!]

...

Nan Zhi and Nan Yi put the ingredients into the food cart together.

The lower part of the cart was enclosed on three sides with sheet metal. After loading the ingredients, a small empty space remained.

On a whim, Nan Zhi asked Nan Yi:

"Yiyi, want to sit in here?"

Nan Yi said nothing, only watching Nan Zhi quietly with his dark eyes.

Nan Zhi could only dismiss the thought with some regret.

"Alright, let’s get going then."

Nan Zhi and Nan Yi pushed the cart out of the shantytown and saw the night market just across the street.

Though only a stone’s throw away, it felt like two different worlds—

The shantytown was old, dark, and damp, like a small shadow left behind on the edge of time.

The night market, on the other hand, was bustling and bright, its air a tapestry of aromas from all kinds of food—the very essence of earthly, comforting life.

It was almost six o’clock.

It wasn’t peak hour yet, but diners were already beginning to show up.

All sorts of food stalls were already lined up, leaving very few empty spaces. All the good spots were already taken.

Nan Zhi Nan Yi had arrived a little late, so they had to settle for a spot tucked away in a corner.

Fortunately, since this was part of her character’s pre-written storyline, the production team had already taken care of the fees and permits required to operate a food stall at the night market, saving Nan Zhi a lot of trouble.

She laid everything out. First, she washed the rice and set it to steam, then chopped the green onions. After that, she took out a piece of cardboard and a pen she had brought and wrote a single line—

Golden Egg Fried Rice, 20 Yuan.

Nan Yi craned his neck on his tiptoes to get a look, but quickly acted nonchalant the moment Nan Zhi turned around.

He even started mimicking the owner of the neighboring stall, picking up a small cloth and busily wiping down the cart.

In reality, their cart was spotless—so shiny it was reflective—and didn’t need wiping at all.

Nan Zhi arched an eyebrow.

"Want to take a look?"

"No."

Nan Yi’s words belied his true feelings.

Even as he refused, he snuck a peek out of the corner of his eye, and then blurted out:

"That egg fried rice is so expensive!"

His pitch-black eyes were wide and round, revealing a rare, innocent childishness.

But as soon as the words were out, Nan Yi seemed to realize something, and his face went white.

Nan Zhi was busy hanging up the cardboard sign and didn’t notice the change in his expression.

The live stream chat, however, exploded with discussion:

[What’s with Nan Yi? His expression is strange.]

[He actually knows that’s an expensive price? Wow.]

[Is that price really considered expensive? I thought it was pretty cheap. Any old restaurant sells fried rice for twenty or thirty yuan.]

[You guys in the chat are the ones who are truly out of touch! You said a *restaurant*. This is a *night market*, which is supposed to be cheap! Judging by the ingredients, it’s just plain egg fried rice with no meat. Ten yuan should be the absolute max!]

[It’s probably Nan Zhi who doesn’t understand the market. Can’t she just watch and learn from the other stalls? Fu Chao doesn’t know anything either, but at least he’s humble enough to ask questions! Seriously, I can’t with her!]

[Her spot is already out of the way, and she still dares to charge that price. She’s insane! I guarantee she won’t get more than three customers tonight!]

[Or maybe even zero.]

Just as the chat predicted.

From the moment they set up the cart to the time the rice finished cooking, not a single customer came over to inquire.

People would either glance from a distance and walk past as if they hadn’t seen it,

or they would walk up, see the sign and the price, and be scared off immediately.

Nan Zhi wasn’t worried in the slightest.

She leisurely asked Nan Yi:

"How about we have egg fried rice for dinner?"

Nan Yi pressed his lips together, a hint of anxiety on his face.

He wanted to say something, but held back by their cold, strained relationship, he couldn’t get the words out.

He was bursting with frustration!

Nan Zhi, on the other hand, was unfazed.

After speaking her piece, she simply set up the iron wok, lit the stove, and poured in the oil.

—In that instant, her entire demeanor underwent a dramatic transformation!

Before, Nan Zhi had seemed somewhat listless, or perhaps just sickly.

She was usually quiet, her eyelids occasionally half-closed, as if deliberately diminishing her presence.

But the moment she stood before the stove, that listlessness vanished completely. It was as if every strand of her hair had begun to glow!

This tiny stovetop was her domain. All before her was hers to conquer!

SIZZLE!

The egg hit the wok, instantly puffing up!

The steaming rice followed. As she shook the wok, her spatula moved in sync, and the egg-coated grains of rice became a flowing river of gold, tumbling over and over!

Grains of salt fell like flurries of snow. No other seasoning was needed. A sprinkle of chopped green onions just before it left the wok was enough to release a rich aroma that rolled out like a heatwave!

CLICK.

Nan Zhi set down her spatula and turned off the heat. Her movements were as fluid as running water. She placed the egg fried rice in front of Nan Yi:

"Golden Egg Fried Rice."

Nan Yi was dumbfounded.

The viewers were dumbfounded.

Even the neighboring stall owner was dumbfounded.

Only Nan Zhi remained composed. She picked up a spoon and scooped up a mouthful.

"Why aren’t you eating? Not hungry?"

Of course Nan Yi was hungry.

He couldn’t help but swallow, his eyes glued to the fried rice.

His hands, however, were anything but slow. He snatched up the spoon and, like a starving tiger pouncing on its prey, shoveled a massive spoonful of fried rice into his mouth.

The fragrance of the egg, the aroma of the rice, and the zest of the green onions, all melded together by a simple touch of salt, created an astonishingly delicious taste.

In all his four and a half years, this was the first time Nan Yi had a tangible understanding of what the word "Food" truly meant.

He stared blankly at Nan Zhi. For once, the veiled sharpness in his eyes was gone, replaced by a peaceful curiosity.

It was as if he was getting to know Nan Zhi all over again.