Gourmet: The Master Chef Just Wants to Leisurely Set Up a Stall - Chapter 6

Wang Yiwen eagerly accepted the bet, bypassing the chubby boy to examine the stall.

The chubby boy’s previously puffed cheeks turned into a sly grin at the sight of the skewers.

“Wang Yiwen, if you regret it now, I can let you off.”

“Stop talking nonsense!”

“Sis, besides the five chicken tender skewers I just added, give me two of each kind!”

With a flourish, the chubby boy ordered a full set, prompting Wang Yiwen to scoff and casually order a few skewers herself.

A few minutes later…

Both the chubby boy and the little girl stood beside Zhao Xiaojing’s stall, devouring skewers in quick bites, neither speaking and braving the heat to shove more into their mouths.

Wang Yiwen, having ordered less, finished her own and reached over to grab more skewers from the chubby boy’s box.

“Why are you snatching mine? Didn’t you say they weren’t good?” The chubby boy reached to reclaim his stolen skewer.

“You win, you win! I’ll transfer the money soon as I finish. Get me more!” Wang Yiwen quickly promised, protecting the skewers she had grabbed.

Smugly, the chubby boy passed over his box, and they continued their silent feasting.

Drawn by the aroma, Li Donglai, who was there to pick up his son, glanced at the golden, crispy skewers covered in sesame seeds and sauce and couldn’t resist stopping.

“Boss, get me a few skewers!”

“One chicken cartilage, fried just like theirs, crispy. Also, uh… this one, this one, and that one. Oh, not too many options here, so one of each.”

“Okay, would you like spicy or non-spicy sauce?”

“Spicy, with extra chili!”

The start was promising; Zhao Xiaojing felt relieved as her nerves began to settle.

She kept a close eye on the skewers’ cooking status, flipping them occasionally with tongs.

Each type of skewer demanded different frying times and temperatures.

The first out of the oil were the squid tentacles, needing about 40 seconds—crispy outside, chewy inside.

Next, the thinnest chicken tenders, which required lower oil temperatures and just a minute of frying before removal.

Then came the pork belly, pigeon gizzards, chicken cartilage, and finally the pork chops.

While waiting for the pork chops to fry, she added the vegetable skewers—battered ones first, then plain ones—and took them out when their skins wrinkled slightly.

Standing beside the stall, the aroma intensified. Li Donglai couldn’t help but swallow at the sight of golden brown skewers in the condiment tray, eager to try them.

His wife often scolded him for being a foodie, but he seemed to have an innate radar for delicious finds—he simply couldn’t help it!

“Here you go. Spicy as requested. Try it first, and I’ll add more if needed.”

“Alright, I’ve already paid via your QR code.”

Receiving the box, Li Donglai immediately picked up a squid tentacle skewer to taste. He figured it was the first out of the pot and likely the least hot.

One bite left him amazed.

Have school gate skewers reached this level of deliciousness?

Goodness! Whose squid tentacles achieve such perfect texture? Chewy yet crisp, and the flavor saturates beautifully, complemented by the impeccable sauce!

He quickly finished it and moved on to a battered mushroom skewer.

Golden and appetizing with a reddish-brown sauce, it looked irresistible.

A big bite revealed unexpected crunchiness; the outer shell seemed dry but concealed perfectly tender insides, still juicy!

“Wow! These skewers look amazing. Big sis, how much for the skewers?”

“Vegetable skewers are 1 yuan, meat skewers are 3 yuan.”

“Hmm… I’ll have fried bananas and rice cakes!”

“Sis, I want fried bananas too, and three pork bellies!”

“I’ll take an eggplant skewer, two pork bellies, two of those red meats, a long one, and also potatoes!”

“Hey pretty lady, one banana and ten chicken tenders!”

Zhao Xiaojing smiled as she acknowledged each order, retrieving skewers and tossing them into the pot. After frying, she calculated costs, packed them up, and handed them over.

A chirping crowd of kids quickly gathered around her stall, with more people eating skewers by the minute. Even several parents joined in on the street-side feast of skewers.

Don’t ask why—they were just waiting for their kids and enjoying the vibe, unable to resist the enticing aroma everyone was savoring.

Finishing his last skewer, Li Donglai felt unsatisfied and turned his eye back to the glass cabinet.

He was about to order two more pork bellies when he noticed a student paying nearby.

“Hey, Li Feiyu! You’re supposed to find your dad after school, not eat alone here!”

Li Donglai pulled his son Li Feiyu’s head over as he admonished him for holding freshly received skewers.

“Dad! Why are you here? I waited for you at the school gate forever—Zhang Leilei suggested we come eat.”

“Wait, Dad, why do you have a skewer box too?”

…

“You just eat; it’ll get cold. I’ll wait for you.”

Luckily his wife wasn’t present, or he’d get scolded again. Li Donglai chose not to respond further, sheepishly standing aside.

Nearby, a little girl who’d finished one fried banana wanted more. Glancing at her dwindling pocket change, she decided to buy another for her hurried mother.

“Mom, these fried bananas are delicious. I bought one for you! It’s still warm; hurry and try it.”

Her mother resisted initially but couldn’t refuse her daughter’s eager eyes, reluctantly taking a bite.

The hot banana briefly burned her tongue, but her expression shifted noticeably.

The steaming banana glistened golden, with a crispy exterior and soft interior. High-temperature frying enhanced its sweet fragrance, perfectly complementing the crunchy shell.

That bite was utterly delightful.

Unconsciously indulging in enjoyment, her daughter beamed up at her.

“Mommy mommy, is the fried banana tasty?”

“Delicious!”

“Can we buy more, please? This sister’s skewers all look so good; I want to try them all with you!”

Crafty little one, waiting for this moment! Her mother chuckled at her daughter’s clever ploy.

“If you want them, go ahead. I’ll pay. And get me another fried banana too.”

“Thanks, Mom!”

The little girl gleefully rejoined the bustling group of students around the stall for another round of orders.

Nearby kids watched in awe. Wow, we’re all elementary students here; how did you reach the stratosphere?

Quickly assessing the situation, they mimicked her tactic—devouring remaining skewers rapidly, sparing just one.

“Dad! You finally made it! These skewers are amazing; I got one just for you! It’s still warm; have a bite…”