Chapter 153: Chapter 153: Boss, your accent doesn’t sound local!
It was noon. The streets bustled with people coming and going; it was quite lively. At this hour, hungry people once again started to emerge in search of food.
One greasy spoon after another had already opened, displaying their signs and firing up their stoves. Some sold cold jelly noodles, some sold pork brain, and others sold xiaomian noodles. Jiang Feng also hung up his sign and arranged pots of Bobo Chicken on the table. Next to him stood a large signboard that read: "Bobo Chicken, Bobo Chicken, vegetable skewers for one yuan each, meat skewers for two yuan each." The prices were very reasonable. Bobo Chicken is basically a cold skewer dish; you just grab what you want to eat. This kind of delicacy is very common in Chengdu and is a typical street food.
Soon, Jiang Feng welcomed his first customers: two well-dressed, pretty young women who had come for snacks. They noticed Jiang Feng immediately. People are visual creatures. Some have keen eyes, automatically scouting for handsome men and beautiful women within their field of view. Once they spot someone attractive, their gaze locks on. That’s talent.
"Look over there, there’s a hunk."
"I see him. It’s the Bobo Chicken guy."
"Do you reckon he’s straight or not?"
"I can tell you for sure, he’s straight. The very straight kind."
"How can you tell?"
"I’ve got several gay friends. They’re always acting a certain way; how could I not know their type?"
The two young women gossiped as they approached Jiang Feng’s Bobo Chicken stand.
"Boss, we’ll have some skewers of Bobo Chicken," one of them ordered.
"Sure, pick whatever you like," Jiang Feng responded amiably.
"Boss, your accent... you don’t sound like a local, do you?" one of the young women asked with a smile, her eyes fixed on Jiang Feng’s face as she picked out her skewers.
Jiang Feng’s accent was standard Mandarin, making it clear he wasn’t a local. TV dramas often have this line, "You don’t sound like you’re from around here," but to the audience, all the accents sound the same. Who knows how the characters can tell?
"I just arrived in Chengdu today. I’m trying out setting up a stall here," Jiang Feng replied politely.
"Just arrived? So, Boss, are you single?" the young woman pressed.
The other young woman looked utterly exasperated; she knew her friend’s personality all too well. She’s a goner whenever she meets a handsome guy, and if he’s both handsome and straight, she practically throws herself at him.
She didn’t say much, just grabbed a skewer of beef tripe, popped it into her mouth, and pulled the tripe off the stick with her teeth. The moment the tripe hit her palate, her eyes lit up. Amidst the rich chili broth, there was an indescribable aroma. It seemed to be the savory fragrance of chicken broth, complemented by the flavor of sesame seeds. Then, she began to chew. The tripe was cooked perfectly tender yet had a delightful crispness and great texture; it yielded easily with each bite. As she chewed, the rich red chili oil also spread through her mouth. The sensation was unexpectedly delightful. Soon, a symphony of flavors began to blossom on her taste buds, progressing in layers from savory to spicy. The taste of various seasonings also burst forth.
"Wow!" she couldn’t help but exclaim. "Oh my gosh, this Bobo Chicken is so delicious!"
Meanwhile, her friend was still interrogating Jiang Feng about his personal life.
Jiang Feng replied politely, "I’m still single."
"Can I add you on WeChat?"
"There’s really no need. I’ll be here all week."
"Come on, just add me!" she wheedled.
"I really don’t add people on WeChat."
Just then, her friend nudged her with an elbow. "This Bobo Chicken is delicious! Hurry up and try it."
Only then did the first young woman start eating her Bobo Chicken, muttering as she ate, It’s not like I desperately wanted to add him anyway. She had chosen a skewer of beef balls. Three small beef balls were on the skewer, well worth the two-yuan price. Jiang Feng’s skewers were quite generous. He didn’t rip off his customers.
The young woman took a bite of a beef ball, still feeling a little sullen. But with that single bite, her eyes also lit up instantly.
"Hm?"
The flavor of the red chili oil broth was surprisingly good. It wasn’t too greasy; instead, it had a refreshing zest. As the broth melted in her mouth, the flavors of various seasonings emerged, stimulating her taste buds and making her mouth water involuntarily.
"This really is delicious!"
The two savored their Bobo Chicken. As they ate, the corners of their mouths were smeared with red oil, but they were too engrossed to wipe it off. It was simply too satisfying.
「」
Soon, more and more customers arrived. Many people picked a few skewers of Bobo Chicken, took their sticks, and left, eating as they walked. It was very convenient. After just a few bites, they felt the fragrant spiciness surge in their mouths and were instantly hooked.
"This Bobo Chicken... why does it taste so different?"
"Oh my God, this is so delicious!"
"I’ll get a few more skewers."
Soon, Jiang Feng started getting repeat customers. People came up to his stall, their mouths watering as they looked at the skewers packed densely into basins of red chili oil seasoning.
"Boss, I’ll have another 10 skewers."
"I want 20 more!"
"Boss, is this your first day here? I come here every day and I’ve never seen you."
Facing the customers’ enthusiasm, Jiang Feng always responded with a smile, "Yes, it’s my first day here. I was out of town before."
"Your Bobo Chicken tastes amazing!"
"Thank you."
The seasoning Jiang Feng made was naturally extraordinary. With premium recipes from the System and his superb cooking skills, it would be difficult for his food not to be delicious.
The customers stared at the Bobo Chicken in the basins, their eyes sparkling. One look confirmed it: these were definitely foodies.
Customers trickled into the stall steadily. Sometimes, people wanted freshly blanched skewers, so Jiang Feng would cook a few for them and place them in a disposable round container. The process was simple: the water in the pot was already boiling. He would sprinkle in some salt, then drop the skewers into the boiling water. After they were cooked, he’d briefly soak them in cold water before immersing them thoroughly in the red chili oil broth. Once taken out, they were ready for the customer. It was that simple.
Jiang Feng quite liked this pace: not too busy, not tiring, very leisurely. Ah, this is much better!
He recalled his previous days of running a stall. Back then, looking out, the queue would snake like a long dragon. Countless pairs of hungry eyes would be fixed on him. The intense pressure! Anyone with a shred of responsibility, seeing such a scene, would instinctively speed up their cooking. The spatula would be moving so fast it practically threw off sparks.
But now, he was just sitting at his stall, waiting for customers to arrive one by one. If a customer wanted to chat, he’d exchange a few words. If not, he’d just do business as usual. It was a rare kind of relaxation.
Just then, a few more young women came over to eat skewers. While eating, they kept stealing glances at him. Then, one of them approached to ask for his WeChat. This caught Jiang Feng by surprise.
He said with a wry smile, "I’m really sorry, but I don’t usually add people on WeChat. A few others asked to add me earlier, and I declined them all."
"I’ll be setting up my stall here all week. If you like the food, you’re welcome to come by."
"Today is my first day here; I really didn’t expect this."
Hearing his words, the young woman sighed. "Boss, you have no idea how hard it is to find a handsome, straight guy here in Chengdu."
"You don’t just have to fend off women trying to steal men; you also have to fend off men trying to steal men."
Jiang Feng was a little surprised. Is it really that outrageous?
Jiang Feng wasn’t surprised for long. Because not long after the young women left, a young man approached. He had a rather flamboyant posture, and his every gesture exuded the air of a "seasoned aunty." The young man seemed a bit coy, and his voice was noticeably affected.
"Boss, I’d like a few skewers of Bobo Chicken. Could you blanch them for me, pretty please?"
Hearing his affected tone, Jiang Feng’s brow furrowed slightly. "Alright. Go ahead and pick what you want," he replied.
The flamboyant young man selected a few skewers of Bobo Chicken and placed them on a plate. Jiang Feng blanched the skewers and then immersed them thoroughly in the red chili oil broth.
"Alright, here’s your Bobo Chicken. That’s 18 yuan in total."
The young man scanned the QR code to pay. "Thank you." Then, with a soft, effeminate wave towards Jiang Feng, he chirped, "See you again, Boss!"
Jiang Feng froze on the spot, cringing. He could feel goosebumps erupting all over his skin.
I’m just trying to run a stall, who did I provoke? Business sure is tough!
Jiang Feng generally welcomed all customers, but this was the first time he’d encountered someone like this, and he found it rather peculiar. Actually, gay men usually aren’t interested in straight men—unless the straight man is exceptionally handsome.
Jiang Feng mused, Maybe I should wear a mask when I set up the stall from now on. Sigh, and here I thought everyone was coming for my culinary skills. Turns out they’re all after my good looks.
He maintained a calm exterior, but inwardly he was teasing himself. Of course, he had always been low-key; this was just a private joke, and he didn’t truly think much of it. Life would go on as usual.
The Bobo Chicken sold quickly. Often, customers who initially only planned to buy a few skewers would eat them and then realize, "Damn, this is incredibly delicious!" So they would return to buy more. Business improved steadily. While it might not be a massive hit by tomorrow, it would certainly be better than today.
By around five or six in the afternoon, the Bobo Chicken was nearly sold out. Once everything was gone, Jiang Feng started to pack up his stall, clean the area, and prepare the red chili oil broth for the next day. He was just like any ordinary food stall owner in the bustling marketplace, selling meticulously prepared delicacies and bringing joy and satisfaction to the customers who savored his food.