Gourmet: The Master Chef Just Wants to Leisurely Set Up a Stall - Chapter 56

Guo Gaoang finally managed to recognize the person in the video.

Wasn’t this the quiet, studious girl from high school? The one who suddenly dropped out midway through senior year—what was her name again? Something Jing?

She had been really pretty back then, not much of a talker but always at the top of the class.

A bunch of boys in class had crushes on her, including Guo’s best friend during high school, Wei Liguo.

Once, a group of them bet on who could get her WeChat contact. Whoever succeeded would be crowned the boss, and the rest would follow his lead forever.

Guo, not being interested in her, had joined in for the fun of it.

While most of the boys chickened out, they pushed Guo forward since he was the only one indifferent about her.

Bracing himself for rejection, Guo thickened his skin and approached her. To his surprise, she was unexpectedly friendly. Figuring that they were all classmates, she gave him her contact without any fuss.

Excited, Guo returned triumphant and shared the WeChat contact with his buddies. Everyone added her except for Wei Liguo, who hesitated and never followed through. For weeks afterward, Guo’s friends treated him to meals in gratitude.

Then, out of nowhere, the girl dropped out of school. No one knew why, and Guo hadn’t heard anything about her since.

After adding her on WeChat, Guo didn’t bother setting a note for her contact. Over time, he completely forgot who she was. If it weren’t for this video, he wouldn’t have remembered her at all.

But how did his ex-girlfriend even dig up this old high school classmate?

During his relationship, Guo’s ex had alienated every female acquaintance he had—deleting contacts, sending insults, and monitoring his WeChat like a hawk. It had been utter chaos, driving all his female friends far away.

Yet this particular high school classmate? He hadn’t even spoken to her! And she hadn’t contacted him either.

Puzzled, Guo scrolled through their three-message chat history again but found no answers.

Eh, forget it. His ex’s mind was a labyrinth he was glad to be free of now.

Thank goodness they’d broken up!

Relieved, Guo shook his head and sighed. He figured he might as well place an order in the group next time and use the opportunity to apologize to his old classmate. She didn’t deserve to get caught up in his ex’s drama.

Now that he thought about it, he should probably let Wei Liguo know as well. Back when she dropped out, Wei had been heartbroken for quite some time. Even now, he was still single!

Guo had tried helping Wei track her down before, but they found nothing. Who could’ve guessed she’d turn up selling skewers after all this time?

Still, Guo decided it would be best to confirm whether it was really her before contacting Wei. After all, so many years had passed—it could just be a case of mistaken identity.

As Guo mulled over these thoughts, he noticed his old classmate speaking in the group chat.

She posted a list of over twenty types of skewers, asking for everyone’s input on creating a daily menu. The group immediately erupted in excitement, with people eagerly discussing what to eat and how to arrange the schedule.

Guo couldn’t resist joining in. In the end, the group collectively decided to rotate through the entire list of meat options—one type each day.

Once everything was settled, the group admin posted the finalized menu as an announcement, and they began taking pre-orders using the relay method.

The next day’s special was fried squid tentacles, and Guo, feeling apologetic, quickly placed an order for ten pounds.

After putting his phone down, Guo’s mind buzzed with curiosity—wondering about his ex’s antics and looking forward to seeing Wei Liguo’s reaction when he told him the news.

Finally, the next day arrived.

By eight o’clock, Guo was already waiting at the agreed meeting point outside Chushan Road Supermarket.

There was a large open space near the entrance, usually not too crowded. But today, a large group of people had gathered there.

“Feiyu’s dad, we owe you big time! If it weren’t for you running into the boss, who knows when we’d get to eat these skewers again!”

“That’s right, Feiyu’s dad—you’re lucky! We all need to thank you!”

Li Donglai was surrounded by parents who had joined the group yesterday, all praising him.

“Oh, come on! It was pure luck. But let me tell you, the boss’s skewers are even better now. She’s refined her seasoning. Yesterday, I bought three different types of skewers, and each one came with its own unique spice mix! Sure, you have to refry them yourself, but let me tell you—the taste is unbeatable. My family devoured a pound of crispy pork and another pound of tenderloin in just one day!”

Li Donglai, initially upset that more people were now competing for skewers, felt his spirits lift after receiving so much praise. He enthusiastically began promoting the upgraded version of the skewers.

“Even better than before? That’s insane! My kid had them once before and went crazy when I told him there’d be more today. He refused to eat dinner last night and even got grounded!”

“Same here! My kid couldn’t focus on homework—all he kept asking was when we’d leave to pick up the skewers.”

“It’s not just the kids—I’ve been craving them too! Ever since placing my order, I haven’t wanted to eat anything else. I could barely focus at work today.”

“Tell me about it! Today…”

The parents, mostly familiar with one another, chatted away while Guo listened from the sidelines, growing more intrigued by the minute.

This classmate sure had something going on—selling skewers felt like a multi-level marketing scheme, with members brainwashing each other!

Guo had been a food blogger for three years and had visited countless restaurants around Yang City. He found it hard to believe that fried skewers could be so exaggeratedly good.

Usually, when things were hyped to this extent, it was because restaurant owners hired influencers as shills. But these people seemed genuinely convinced—they weren’t just putting on a show.

Suppressing his amusement, Guo prepared to record a video when he suddenly noticed the crowd growing more animated, rushing toward a particular direction.

Looking up, he saw the very same stall cart—and his old classmate—approaching.

“Boss!! Where have you been all this time? How could you abandon us?!”

“Boss, do you remember your loyal customers who waited in the alley?”

“Boss, where’s my brush and tongs? I’m ready to set up a stall!”

“Yeah, Boss, let’s get the stall going!”

“Boss! How can I live without you?!”

Seeing Zhao Xiaojing again, the customers were ecstatic. None of them even mentioned picking up their orders—they were too busy bombarding her with dramatic declarations. Several even held up their phones to record videos.

Caught in the center of the commotion, Zhao Xiaojing was instantly reminded of how overwhelming these parents could be. That familiar sense of helplessness flooded back!

She never knew how to deal with customers who loved making a scene at any given moment!

“Hahaha, the boss is still so shy!”

“I’m telling you—it’s you guys scaring her off from setting up her stall!”

“Boss, don’t mind them—I’m number seven in the relay. I’ll take my skewers first.”

The crowd burst into laughter before calming down as one parent stepped forward to collect their order. Soon after, the rest of the parents followed suit, lining up patiently.

“I’ve posted instructions for refrying the squid in the group chat today—make sure to check it out. The seasonings are packed separately; I’ve written out how to use them in the chat as well. If anyone has questions, feel free to ask me.”

As Zhao Xiaojing handed out the neatly packaged skewers to each customer, she patiently explained everything they needed to know.