The tasting event continued day after day, drawing in an ever-growing crowd.
By the third day, even the department store’s food procurement manager had come in person to sample the offerings.
“Dad, hurry up! It’s this stall—this one! The pig’s feet here are especially delicious!”
Luo Xiaoxuan, a self-proclaimed die-hard fan of pig’s feet, chicken feet, and duck feet—anything rich, fatty, and pleasantly chewy—was dragged along by his friends to the tasting event the very next day. The moment he tasted the braised food, he fell hopelessly in love with it.
No matter what his father said, he insisted they buy some to take home. Unfortunately, the elegant young woman at the stall was firm: purchases had to go through official supply channels.
Although still young, Luo Xiaoxuan knew very well that his father’s workplace—the department store—was one of those official channels.
Since his father had no idea just how good this food was, Luo Xiaoxuan naturally felt it was his duty to bring him here to taste it personally.
Food this delicious—if it wasn’t sold in the department store—would be nothing short of a tragedy.
Moreover, in recent days, the department store had received numerous customer complaints asking why there was no good braised food or fried snacks available. That alone had already piqued Manager Luo’s curiosity. If the taste truly lived up to the rumors, then purchasing it for the store was only logical.
After all, who would turn down a profitable opportunity?
As father and son approached the tasting booth, a faint but irresistible aroma of braised meat drifted toward them.
Manager Luo, much like his son, was fond of pig’s feet and marrow bones. The familiar scent made his throat tighten slightly; his Adam’s apple bobbed unconsciously as he swallowed.
“Can all of these really be sampled for free?” he asked, unable to hide his curiosity.
Before anyone else could answer, Luo Xiaoxuan blurted out proudly, “Pretty sister, my dad is the food manager at the department store! He’s the one in charge of buying food products!”
In Luo Xiaoxuan’s mind, anyone hoping to sell goods in the department store had to win his father’s favor. Sometimes, his father wouldn’t even agree to meet them.
This pretty sister was not only beautiful, but her food was unbelievably delicious. Of course he had to help her secure cooperation.
The moment he said that, Manager Luo felt a wave of embarrassment wash over him. “Xiaoxuan, stop talking nonsense.”
Xu Ying, however, remembered the child clearly.
Fair-skinned, bright-eyed, and impossible to forget—this was the very same boy who had gnawed on her pig’s feet the day before and then shamelessly asked for seconds. When she refused, he had even threatened to call his father over so he could eat to his heart’s content.
At the time, Xu Ying had only laughed, thinking the little fellow outrageously bold.
Now it turned out—he actually had the credentials to back it up.
Suppressing her amusement, Xu Ying smiled gently at Luo Xiaoxuan. “Pick whatever you’d like to eat.”
“Yay!” Luo Xiaoxuan bounced on his feet, waving his hands in delight. “That’s awesome!”
Xu Ying then turned toward Manager Luo and stepped forward politely.
“Hello, Manager Luo. All of our products are available for tasting today. These here are our braised items—duck necks, duck wings, pig’s feet—slow-cooked in a spiced soy-based broth (a traditional Chinese ‘lu wei,’ known for its deep aroma and layered flavors). Over here are our fried items, best enjoyed fresh from the wok.”
Zhou Yi and Yang Nan exchanged excited glances.
Was this it?
Was a major order finally coming through?
Had their mission reached its turning point?
Yang Nan even shot Zhou Yi an unmistakably smug wink.
Qiao Yuzhu was equally thrilled. The exhaustion of the past few days finally felt worthwhile.
Qian Yuanyuan, who had been away for several days and was already worn down by the hardship, only wanted to complete her task and go home. Seeing the department store manager appear, her spirits lifted as well.
Eager to show off, she stepped forward enthusiastically.
“Manager Luo, fried food tastes best when it’s freshly made. I’ll fry some for you right now.”
Qiao Yuzhu’s heart skipped a beat.
Having spent several days together, she knew all too well that Qian Yuanyuan was a thoroughly pampered young lady—someone who couldn’t even chop vegetables properly, let alone cook with oil.
Frying required precise control of heat. One careless move and the pan could go up in flames.
“Yuanyuan,” Qiao Yuzhu asked cautiously, “are you sure you can handle it?”
“I can,” Qian Yuanyuan replied confidently.
She had watched Xu Ying and Zhou Yi fry food countless times. It looked simple enough. Besides, she had come here specifically to leave an impression on Zhou Yi—and now that the department store manager was present, this was her perfect chance.
If the cooperation succeeded, she could rightfully claim a share of the credit.
She would have something impressive to boast about once she returned.
Manager Luo nodded, signaling his approval.
Encouraged, Qian Yuanyuan tied on an apron, set up the iron wok (a traditional Chinese cooking pan), and poured in the oil. Almost immediately, she added the ingredients.
“Wait—!” Qiao Yuzhu didn’t even have time to stop her. “Good heavens, the oil isn’t hot yet! You can’t fry food like that!”
“What?” Qian Yuanyuan stared at her in confusion. “I’ve been waiting forever!”
“The fire’s barely lit—it’s too weak,” Qiao Yuzhu said calmly. She had expected this outcome. “You have to wait until the oil is properly heated.”
Only then did Qian Yuanyuan realize her mistake.
Meanwhile, Xu Ying continued introducing the products.
Manager Luo ate with evident enjoyment. “I feel like I’ve heard of your braised food before… somewhere…” he paused mid-bite, then suddenly remembered. “Wait—did Anthony buy from you?”
Xu Ying nodded.
At that moment, any remaining hesitation vanished from Manager Luo’s heart.
If this food was good enough that even foreigners enjoyed it, then refusing to purchase it would only make him seem tasteless.
“Miss Xu,” Manager Luo said decisively, “why don’t you come with me later so we can discuss cooperation in detail?”
Xu Ying’s smile widened. She nodded. “Of course.”
Suddenly—
“Ahhh!”
A sharp scream cut through the air as flames burst violently from the wok.
“Fire!”
“What do we do? What do we do?!” Qiao Yuzhu panicked, staring at the blazing oil. Regret flooded her chest—she should never have let that girl near the stove.
There was no water nearby, and the fire only grew fiercer.
“Director Xu!” Qiao Yuzhu cried out instinctively, using Xu Ying’s official form of address.
Xu Ying turned sharply. One glance was enough to assess the situation. “Where’s the lid?”
Qiao Yuzhu was frantic. “The fire’s so big—how can we cover it? What if it slips and hurts someone? Director Xu, there’s no water—what should we do?”
Xu Ying’s heart lurched.
Water? On burning oil?
Was she out of her mind?
“Do not use water,” Xu Ying said sharply. “Cover it with a lid.”
(In cooking, pouring water into hot oil causes the water to vaporize instantly, violently splashing burning oil and greatly increasing the danger.)
Zhou Yi, being a college student with basic safety knowledge, reacted immediately. He grabbed a lid and firmly covered the wok, smothering the flames.
Qian Yuanyuan watched him reach toward the fire, her heart nearly leaping out of her chest.
Just as the lid settled into place, Uncle Xu suddenly appeared, carrying a large basin of water. Fortunately, the flames had already been sealed beneath the lid.
Disaster was narrowly avoided.
After escorting Manager Luo away, Xu Ying asked Zhou Yi to briefly explain proper fire-safety procedures to everyone present.
When the explanation ended, Uncle Xu and the others felt lingering fear settle in their bones. Had the water been poured into the oil, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
That afternoon, Xu Ying went directly to meet Manager Luo, contract in hand.
Upon seeing her, Manager Luo’s expression turned uneasy. His eyes darted away as he said apologetically,
“Little Xu… I owe you an apology.”