Chapter 192: Chapter 192: Truly an Unfathomable Person
"Are you sure Executive Chef Jiang is at the mountaintop?" Lin Fang asked, gazing towards Mount Qingcheng from the foot of the mountain.
This week, the three of them had come to Chengdu for sightseeing. They happened to hear that Jiang Feng was selling breakfast on Mount Qingcheng, so they made it their first destination. Ji Mingming, Xiao Yu, and Lin Fang were students at the University of Science and Technology who had become ardent fans of Jiang Feng after tasting his delicious food.
"There are videos; many people have posted them," Ji Mingming confirmed.
"Then let’s go! Time to hike!"
The three of them followed the mountain path upwards. The scenery here was beautiful, with many Taoist pavilions and pagodas where one could browse or light a stick of incense as a pleasant way to relax. Their travel itinerary included climbing Mount Qingcheng during the day to watch the sunrise, having breakfast at the summit of the back mountain, and then spending the night in Dujiangyan. The next day, they’d visit the Panda Base and then return home. It was a pretty nice route, except for the slightly outrageous part about going to the mountaintop for breakfast. But knowing Jiang Feng was up there made it all seem reasonable.
Today was Jiang Feng’s third day setting up his stall on the mountaintop. Instead of making soybean pudding, he was making tofu jelly. Tofu jelly was somewhat different from soybean pudding.
As Jiang Feng was busy, a fair-skinned man with a southern accent approached him. "Young man, give me a bowl of tofu jelly," the man said. "I see you’re adding scallions and chili to yours; please don’t put those in mine. Just add some white sugar, that’ll be fine!"
Hearing this, Jiang Feng responded, "Sweet style, right? No problem. I also have coconut milk and sesame paste. Would you like to add some of that?"
Jiang Feng had prepared a wide range of condiments, both sweet and savory, as eating habits varied by region. Even for savory versions, there were two kinds: one with simple seasonings and another with a braising liquid or master sauce. Jiang Feng had prepared the seasoning-based savory option.
The customer, slightly surprised by Jiang Feng’s thorough preparations, said, "Add some coconut milk, please. That would be good."
"Okay, just a moment," Jiang Feng replied amiably.
A few customers behind the man widened their eyes, shocked to see him eat tofu jelly that way.
What the heck? Tofu jelly with white sugar and coconut milk? Is that really tofu jelly? Can that even be eaten? Isn’t it supposed to have chili oil, sesame oil, scallions, and cilantro? Heresy!
Online, the sweet versus savory tofu jelly debate had long been contentious. Many older people in real life, however, didn’t realize this, assuming everyone ate it the same way. So, seeing this was still rather shocking to them.
As for Jiang Feng, he personally leaned towards the northern preference for savory tofu jelly with chili oil, scallions, and sesame oil. However, as a chef aspiring to master the eight major Chinese cuisines, he needed to be able to make and appreciate all kinds of flavors.
Before opening his breakfast stall, Jiang Feng and Sun Zhuangfei were busy preparing. Seeing Jiang Feng adjusting and tasting sweet tofu jelly, Sun Zhuangfei asked, "Boss, can that actually be good? I tried sweet tofu jelly once and gagged after just one bite. It’s the same with savory zongzi. I’ve eaten sweet zongzi since I was a kid, and a single bite of the savory kind makes me gag."
Hearing Sun Zhuangfei’s comments, Jiang Feng, while eating sweet tofu jelly himself, replied, "Gagging is an instinctive self-protection mechanism. When something conflicts with the information your brain has, your body might think the food is poisonous, causing you to gag. I can teach you a way to overcome it."
Sun Zhuangfei’s interest was piqued. "What way?"
"It’s about self-deception, tricking your own brain," Jiang Feng explained. "For instance, with this bowl of sweet tofu jelly, don’t tell yourself it’s sweet tofu jelly. Think of it as grass jelly or some other sweet dessert. That way, it becomes much easier to eat. The same goes for meat zongzi. Don’t think of it as zongzi; think of it as ’cold meat mixed with rice, wrapped in bamboo leaves.’ Then you’ll be able to eat it."
Jiang Feng shared his secret.
"What? That actually works?" Sun Zhuangfei was thoroughly impressed with Jiang Feng. Only the boss would have such a solution!
Jiang Feng had prepared both sweet and savory versions of tofu jelly, ready to make whichever his customers wanted.
Another customer approached the stall. "Boss, do you have that tofu jelly in a spicy, peppery soup, like they make in Henan?" the customer inquired.
"I don’t have that one," Jiang Feng replied. "I only have the standard spicy and sweet versions of tofu jelly."
Customer tastes were indeed quite unique. In the Henan region, for instance, some people enjoyed their tofu jelly in a distinctive spicy and peppery soup, but this wasn’t commonly seen in Chengdu.
Jiang Feng’s stall was doing well. His tofu jelly was particularly delicate and didn’t fall apart easily; it could be picked up with chopsticks. The sauces were also full of flavor, so customers really enjoyed it. Mountain climbers would often linger here, and some took photos to mark their visit. Quite a few recognized Jiang Feng, but it didn’t interfere with his business. Only at the top of a mountain could one enjoy such leisurely scenery.
「Around 7:30 in the morning.」
Ji Mingming and her two friends finally reached the summit of Mount Qingcheng’s back mountain. The view was stunning, and the pictures they had taken along the way turned out especially well.
"We’re finally here! Is Executive Chef Jiang around?"
"Look over there! Is that him?"
"It’s him!"
The three of them were thrilled. Jiang Feng was busy at an indoor stove, with tables and chairs set up outside where several customers were eating. Others were lining up to place orders. Climbers often stopped here to grab a bite.
After spotting Jiang Feng, the trio immediately joined the queue. There’s a saying: "When fellow townsfolk meet far from home, their eyes well up with tears." Seeing Jiang Feng on a mountain filled them with excitement, reminiscent of lining up in the second cafeteria back at university.
"Executive Chef Jiang!" Xiao Yu, a typically extroverted Type E personality, immediately waved and greeted him.
All the customers turned to look their way. Jiang Feng also looked up.
There was a popular internet "test" that claimed if three girls in front of a guy all turned to look at him simultaneously, he would instinctively make eye contact with the one he liked most. This reaction was supposedly subconscious and involuntary. Others said one would usually look at the prettiest girl first.
When Jiang Feng looked over, his eyes first landed on Ji Mingming. It couldn’t be helped; with her fair skin, beautiful face, and long legs, she was a classic beauty and naturally caught the eye first. Only then did Jiang Feng turn his gaze to Xiao Yu.
"Hello! Long time no see!" Jiang Feng greeted them with a smile. Encountering familiar customers while running his stall was always a pleasant surprise. He then returned to his work.
The queue moved quickly, and soon the three friends reached the front of the stall.
"Executive Chef Jiang, you really are elusive! Who would’ve thought you’d set up a stall on a mountaintop?" Xiao Yu exclaimed in amazement.
"Just enjoying the mountain scenery. It’s more peaceful here," Jiang Feng said. "Are you all visiting Chengdu?" he asked politely.
Ji Mingming responded, "Yes, we’re here for two days. We planned to visit Mount Qingcheng first and then see the giant pandas at the Panda Base tomorrow."
"That sounds nice," Jiang Feng nodded. "Giant pandas are very cute."
The three of them ordered a bowl of tofu jelly and three large fried dough sticks. They also took the opportunity to take a photo with Jiang Feng. Almost all visitors from Eastern Shandong asked for a photo with him, so it was no longer a surprise.
Then, they found a place to sit. The three of them were all foodies. In this day and age, many young women identify as "foodies," and even after graduating and starting work, a high proportion of their spending often goes towards food. Consequently, Jiang Feng had a fair number of female fans.
"Quick, try Executive Chef Jiang’s tofu jelly! It looks so delicate!"
The trio immediately picked up their spoons, stirred the tofu jelly lightly a few times, and then scooped up a spoonful. The tofu jelly on the spoon wobbled, incredibly springy. Once in the mouth, it was extremely smooth, feeling as if it could slide down the throat without even needing to be chewed. No one knew how this tofu jelly was made, but the texture is simply amazing!
"Ah! He’s still the best!" Xiao Yu exclaimed, full of praise.
"This trip is so worth it," Lin Fang nodded in agreement. "Mount Qingcheng has beautiful scenery, and we get to eat Executive Chef Jiang’s snacks."
"In the future, if we want his food, we can just check his updates and follow him wherever he goes," Ji Mingming suggested.
As they ate their tofu jelly, their spirits lifted. It’s rare for a simple bowl of tofu jelly to be made this well.
A short while later, the freshly fried dough sticks were served. Jiang Feng’s fried dough sticks were thick and large, with a very pleasing texture. The trio looked satisfied as they began to eat them.
"Executive Chef Jiang, will you be making fried dough sticks for the next few days?" a customer asked just then.
Jiang Feng had been planning to change the menu the next day, but someone had preempted his announcement.
"Tomorrow, I’m planning to make scallion pancakes and wontons," Jiang Feng replied. "I won’t be making soy milk or fried dough sticks anymore. A bowl of wontons in the morning is quite comforting."
Upon hearing about wontons and scallion pancakes for the next day, the customers were momentarily stunned.
"Huh? New items tomorrow?"
"Why did you have to tell me this?"
"Oh man, does this mean I have to come again tomorrow?"
"Climbing the mountain two days in a row? I can’t take it!"
Everyone immediately began to groan. The thought of having to climb the mountain again for delicious food was, for some, a painful dilemma. Some decided to give up, others resolved to come back the next day, and still others planned to return in a couple of days.
Ji Mingming and her friends also felt a pang of regret.
"New items tomorrow!"
"And we’ll miss them!"
"Isn’t that just like him? Executive Chef Jiang is always making different things, constantly changing the menu!"
"He’s such an unpredictable person!"