Chapter 198: Chapter 198: A Swarming Crowd, Everywhere on the Mountain!
A mountain path on Mount Qingcheng.
A large group of people was rushing upwards, everyone hurrying along.
Among them, two or three tour groups mingled with the crowd, their various-colored baseball caps particularly eye-catching.
Some people had come to climb the mountain just to see the sunrise; they were only there for the sunrise and had no idea what else was happening.
They saw the surging crowd and were all somewhat baffled. What in the world is going on? What’s everyone doing?
"Why is everyone running? Is this the new trend in mountain climbing?"
"I don’t get it either! I have no idea what’s gotten into everyone."
"Excuse me, may I ask why everyone is running up the mountain?" they asked, stopping a fast-climbing tourist.
"You don’t know? It’s for Boss Jiang’s breakfast."
"There isn’t much breakfast available. It’s first come, first served. You go to the summit, have breakfast, then enjoy the scenery. It feels even better," the person replied.
Hearing this, the two were even more confused. Eating breakfast? Is it that exaggerated?
There was no helping it. The news about Jiang Feng online was spreading like wildfire. Everyone wanted to check in and share it on their social media, so of course, they were rushing over.
Of course, most people didn’t have great Staminia; just a few quick steps left them tired, and then they slowed down to a walk.
Li Pao’er kept picking up speed because he had a mission to accomplish and was being monitored by a large group in his livestreaming room.
His assistant trailed behind, holding up a phone and filming.
Seeing the crowd rushing up the mountain, the audience in the livestream burst into laughter.
Moreover, many netizens who swiped to his livestream and saw the people spread all over the mountain couldn’t help but enter the stream to inquire.
*What’s going on here? Are the six major sects attacking Bright Peak?*
*Where is everyone going?*
*Is there a celestial being at the summit? Is everyone rushing to become immortals?*
Seeing the questions from new netizens, others immediately explained:
*It’s to go to the summit for breakfast, to check in on a very popular chef!*
*That’s right, it’s for Boss Jiang. Let me tell you, although I haven’t eaten anything he cooks, I’ve become his fan now!*
*Hahaha, this scene is too much fun!*
*Lying in bed early in the morning, watching a bunch of people running up the mountain. It feels even better!*
The atmosphere in the livestreaming room was heated.
Li Pao’er hadn’t realized the number of people in his livestreaming room was continuously increasing. Although there were few viewers in the morning, there were now more than at night.
This was the second time such a scene had occurred.
Li Pao’er climbed while wailing, "This is ridiculous, far too ridiculous! I’ve never had breakfast like this in my life!"
"Do so many people need to compete?"
"Leave some for me!"
The more miserable he looked, the happier the netizens laughed.
At this moment, Jiang Feng had already prepared the ingredients, waiting for the eager customers to ascend the mountain.
The egg drop soup in the pot, filled with vegetables, egg ribbons, and dried shrimp, simmered on the stove. It was savory, rich, and had an excellent texture.
Two basins of dough had proofed. A large basin of beef filling and another of pork filling were also placed nearby.
The dough was specially formulated by Jiang Feng. It looked quite sticky.
This level of stickiness was perfect for making filled pancakes.
Sun Zhuangfei arranged the tables, chairs, and stools, and tidied the bowls and chopsticks, everything in readiness.
Nearby, an old man was also sitting and waiting.
The old man looked a bit thin, but he had indeed worked as a mountain porter for many years, having gone up and down the mountain countless times.
He was hired by Jiang Feng with one simple task: to collect the trash.
This included items like the paper bags for the filled pancakes and the disposable spoons used for the egg drop soup.
All had to be collected properly.
Before long, the first wave of customers finally arrived.
They were somewhat tired and looked at the sign, which read:
"Tomato Seaweed Egg Drop Soup: 6 yuan a bowl"
"Pork Filled Pancake: 10 yuan each"
"Beef Filled Pancake: 10 yuan each"
"Boss, give me a bowl of soup, and one pork and one beef filled pancake each," one person ordered.
"Okay, just a moment," Jiang Feng agreed.
"The same for me!"
"And for me!" the other two said as well.
"Alright, no problem."
At that moment, Jiang Feng thought of something and asked them, "Are there still many people climbing up today?"
Hearing Jiang Feng’s words, the group became animated and, while catching their breath, said, "Boss, ’many’ doesn’t even begin to cover it; there are tons of people!"
"We didn’t dare to look back!"
"It’s packed with people, just like a battle scene!"
"Lucky we ran fast!"
"You’ll see in a bit."
The few of them stood aside to rest, still feeling somewhat overwhelmed.
Jiang Feng nodded; he was mentally prepared, so he wasn’t particularly surprised.
Jiang Feng began to cook the filled pancakes.
He grabbed a sticky ball of dough, filled it generously with beef filling, then pulled the edges of the dough around to envelop the meat, shaping it into a round pancake.
Then he placed the filled pancake on the electric griddle to cook. He cooked both sides until golden brown, and the filled pancake was done.
To maintain cleanliness and hygiene, Jiang Feng wore transparent disposable gloves.
Actually, this step wasn’t strictly necessary, as anyone who has cooked knows that most ingredients are washed and kneaded by hand.
For example, when marinating meat slices, you have to use your hands to evenly rub the seasonings into the meat.
But Jiang Feng knew that many diners didn’t like to see chefs touching food with their bare hands.
Wearing a pair of disposable gloves made for a much better impression.
As a chef, he definitely took his diners’ feelings into account.
After all, he wanted to be a down-to-earth chef who satisfied his customers, not one of those high-and-mighty chefs fond of adding various association titles to their names.
Jiang Feng made four filled pancakes in a row, placing them all on the electric griddle to cook.
There was a layer of oil on the surface of the electric griddle, and under the heat from the oil, the filled pancakes cooked quickly.
The side in contact with the oil gradually firmed up and turned golden brown.
Seeing it was about time, Jiang Feng used a spatula to flip the filled pancakes over to cook the other side.
Whether a filled pancake is good or not depends on three things.
First, the taste of the filling. Second, the texture of the dough. And third, the skill in cooking it.
For Jiang Feng, none of these points posed any difficulty.
Just as he was cooking the pancakes, another large group of diners arrived at the summit.
Everyone swarmed over in an instant.
"Please line up, everyone!"
"Form a line; there’s no rush. Everyone’s early, so there’s plenty!" Jiang Feng, having procured a loudspeaker from somewhere, shouted to the customers.
Hearing his words, the customers who had just ascended immediately formed a queue.
Just then, the filled pancakes were ready. Jiang Feng bagged them, and Sun Zhuangfei walked over to hand them to the customers.
People gazed at the filled pancakes made by Jiang Feng.
The filled pancakes were large and round, about a knuckle thick.
The crust was golden and crispy, glistening with oil, without any hint of charring. Some areas were lightly browned, indicating perfect temperature control.
Parts of the surface of the filled pancakes were somewhat transparent, allowing a vague glimpse of the meat filling inside.
Jiang Feng was truly generous.
The meat filling was very ample.
Two of these filled pancakes, paired with a bowl of hot, steaming Tomato Seaweed Egg Drop Soup, would leave a person completely refreshed and happily satisfied!
The earliest climber sat on a small stool, taking a filled pancake out of its bag.
No sooner had he held it in his hand than he quickly let go and then blew on his fingers, "PHEW, PHEW."
The filled pancake was still scalding hot from being freshly made.
Seeing his reaction, the queuing customers were all drawn to watch.
Some watched openly. Others, thinking it impolite to stare at someone eating, sneaked glances, looking away only to steal another peek moments later.
The young man picked up the filled pancake, holding it with its paper bag, blew on it, and then bit into it.
That first bite immediately reached the meat filling, which was scalding hot, making him hurriedly exhale a few breaths.
His antics, vivid and expressive, somewhat resembled the famous ’Chen Peisi eating noodles’ sketch.
A gap emerged from where the filled pancake was bitten.
The generous meat filling was fully revealed. It was a deep, savory brown, with sizable chunks glistening enticingly.
You could see some juices oozing from the meat; this bite promised a burst of flavor.
The young man had been burned by the juice that burst out.
A hint of astonishment flashed in the young man’s eyes. OH! This filled pancake is delicious! The taste is simply too good!
He blew on the bitten edge a couple more times, then took another mouthful.
With this bite, he had both crust and filling in his mouth.
The aroma of the meat instantly exploded, mixing with the juices and spreading in his mouth.
The meat filling was thoroughly seasoned. The high heat caused the flavors of the meat to blossom, but because it was encased in the dough, these flavors were concentrated inside the filled pancake.
Thus, the taste of the meat was perfectly preserved.
"Really good! Quite delicious!"
At this, two middle-aged men eating filled pancakes nearby exclaimed in admiration.
"Indeed, it’s great! So much meat! Selling it for 10 yuan is a bargain," the other echoed in agreement.
Though the filled pancake tasted exceptionally good, being pure meat, it could become a bit rich if you ate too much of it.
This was the perfect moment to take a sip of the Tomato Seaweed Egg Drop Soup.
The flavors of tomato and seaweed cut through the richness, and the warm soup settled comfortingly in the stomach.
The taste was simply unforgettable.
Filled pancake and Tomato Seaweed Egg Drop Soup—truly a perfect match.
Thanks to Jiang Feng’s skill, every customer who bought breakfast felt a sense of deep satisfaction, warming them from the inside out.
After eating their fill and letting out a satisfied belch, they could enjoy the mountain breeze and take in the distant scenery.
That feeling carried a hint of the joy of a carefree life.
Mount Qingcheng is a famous Taoist mountain.
To experience such carefree enjoyment from a simple breakfast atop this famous Taoist mountain also resonated deeply with Taoist philosophy.