Chapter 47
The string beans were also a natural, fresh green. Lu Ling gently squeezed one pod—it was firm, just the right tenderness, and clearly in its best, most delicious state.
Lu Ling: “???”
This must be Michelin-star quality ingredients, right?!
The quality of the vegetables was so good that even Lu Ling, who had been a vegetarian for years, couldn’t find a fault.
“Customer, would you like a serving of hotpot?” Jian Yunlan smiled slightly as he noticed Lu Ling’s approach, offering his sales pitch, “We have a base soup flavor, and you can choose your ingredients.”
Looking at Jian Yunlan’s handsome face and hearing his tempting words, Lu Ling’s heart skipped a beat.
A base soup flavor with selectable ingredients!
Lu Ling didn’t like many of the hotpots sold on the market because they focused too much on meat and only threw in a few bland vegetables, often from the leftovers of the market, to cut costs. With the strong, spicy flavor of hotpot, customers couldn’t distinguish whether the ingredients were fresh or not.
Lu Ling also didn’t like spicy food.
But this hotpot stall not only allowed him to choose his own ingredients, but the vegetables also looked so fresh, and they even had a non-spicy base flavor!
Looking at Jian Yunlan’s smiling lips, Lu Ling was almost ready to say, “I’ll have a serving of the base soup.”
But at the last moment, he restrained his inner desire.
…That was close, he almost got tempted by the hotpot siren!
Lu Ling coughed, cleared his throat, and said, “I’ll take another look.”
As Song Shixia’s father, it was his duty to set an example, teaching her from a young age to eat fresh, healthy vegetables, not untrustworthy street food.
Of course, more importantly, Lu Ling had already declared that he would never eat hotpot and was going to eat his own salad instead.
If he changed his mind now, wouldn’t it be embarrassing?
Lu Ling looked at the plastic bag in his hand, filled with fresh, glistening vegetables… For some reason, he no longer felt the excitement he once did. Instead, a trace of melancholy filled his heart.
This sense of melancholy reached its peak when Song Jing’an and Song Shixia got their hotpot.
The father and daughter’s hotpot was number 7 and 8. By the time they were called, the previous six customers had already been served.
Including Song Lanzhen, they were sitting at the tables set up by Jian Yunlan. Even though the environment was simple, they were all smiling from the heart, eating joyfully, and calling out as they ate:
“It’s so delicious!” “The tripe is amazing, ah—” “Haha, so hot, phew, I can eat three more bowls~”
Song Jing’an could hardly wait.
Finally, Boss Jian called their number:
“Number 7 and 8!”
“We’re coming, we’re here!” Song Jing’an said, holding Shixia, stepping forward.
Jian Yunlan nodded, took the number tag, and prepared the base soup.
Since Song Jing’an wanted extra spicy, the base soup was topped with thick, shiny red oil, full of Sichuan peppercorns and dried chilies. Jian Yunlan used a ladle to pour the red soup over the ingredients, and just the color of the broth was incredibly tempting. Jian Yunlan then scooped the ingredients that Song Jing’an selected with a strainer and mixed them with large chopsticks before pouring another scoop of rich soup…
Under the lights, the steaming bowl of hotpot, with its rich, spicy fragrance, had various ingredients soaking in the red oily broth. The beef rolls curled up, the fresh tripe glistened, and it was topped with crushed peanuts, sesame seeds, and chopped green onions, making everyone’s mouth water!
It had been so long since he’d had hotpot. To be honest, even if it was the simplest Yang’s hotpot, Song Jing’an would have been happy.
But even so, this bowl of hotpot was beyond his expectations.
Song Jing’an picked up a piece of beef tendon. The tendon was soaked in the broth, translucent, and trembling when picked up, with a rich reddish color. The surface was coated with red oil and sesame seeds, and the aroma and heat hit him all at once…
Song Jing’an put the beef tendon in his mouth.
The moment he chewed, he was completely stunned by the taste!
The beef tendon was both tender and chewy, with a satisfying bounce as you bit into it. As you chewed, the collagen-rich flavor filled your mouth, smooth without being greasy. In the spicy, slippery red oil broth, it became even more addictive the more you chewed.
Lu Ling couldn’t figure out what method the stall owner had used to make the beef tendon so perfectly tender without being mushy, oily without being greasy. The boiling hot beef bone broth with red oil overflowed in your mouth, and the taste lingered on your lips and teeth.
At this moment, Song Shixia beside them also exclaimed, “Oh my gosh, this meatball bursts with soup! It’s so fragrant and delicious!”
The father and daughter were thoroughly enjoying their hotpot, heads sweating from the heat.
Meanwhile, Lu Ling felt increasingly uncomfortable watching them…
After finishing the beef tendon, Song Jing’an eagerly picked up a piece of fatty beef.
The ultra-thin slice of fatty beef had soaked up the red broth. It was smooth, tender, and soft but still had a bit of chewiness from the fibers.
As he chewed, the fat from the beef melted out, releasing in the spicy red oil, making it so delicious it was hard to stop!
Song Jing’an had chosen the extra-spicy option, and at first, it didn’t seem too hot. But the more he ate, the spicier it became, a delicious, flavorful spice that was soon making him sweat heavily, constantly panting.
At this moment, Jian Yunlan thoughtfully brought over a bowl of sesame paste, placed a spoon in it, and announced:
“This is our new sesame paste. We’ve considered that some customers might not like the flavor, so feel free to add it or not.”
This sesame paste was something he had gone through great lengths to acquire to present the perfect taste to his customers.
“Little Mei, Lele, Tangtang… you guys can rest easy,” Jian Yunlan thought with compassion.
—”Yay! Sesame paste lovers rejoice!”
A few customers eagerly rushed forward, spooning generous amounts of sesame paste into their hotpot.
Song Jing’an also scooped a big spoonful. The sesame paste was smooth and fine, and just smelling it made his mouth water.
Once the sesame paste was mixed into the hotpot, Song Jing’an picked up a piece of tripe. It was coated with sesame paste and red oil, and the broth was dripping down. He placed the tripe in his mouth…
Song Jing’an: “!!!”
The texture of the tripe was both crunchy and tender, perfectly cooked, so fresh that it almost made him gasp in delight.
The flavor of the sesame paste was even more surprising.
It was the first time Song Jing’an had tasted such a fragrant and flavorful sesame paste. The silky texture and the rich flavor in his mouth didn’t overpower the ingredients but perfectly complemented them.
—Under the rich sesame paste, the tripe’s freshness was enhanced even further.
With a gentle bite, the crispy, tender texture of the tripe was released, along with its own savory broth, the spicy bone broth, and the aromatic sesame paste, all intertwined into a sensory feast.
So! Delicious!
After years of eating salads, Song Jing’an finally got to indulge in a hearty meal, filled with spicy, oily meat, satisfying his long-repressed appetite.
Song Jing’an was deeply moved.
“Boss Jian,” he said tearfully, his tears spilling into the hotpot broth, looking utterly pitiful, “This hotpot is so good. I feel like I can’t go back… I’m sorry, honey, sob sob.”
Having eaten this hotpot, how could he ever go back to the days of eating bland, all-vegetable salads every day?
Song Shixia, holding the oversized hotpot bowl for her small frame, was also moved, her big eyes shining with tears.
She still had all her baby teeth, so the hotpot that Jian Yunlan made for her was especially soft and tender, with only a small amount of spice, just right for a little child who wanted a hint of spice but couldn’t handle too much heat.
The beef meatballs were easy to bite into, and as soon as her teeth closed, the steaming, delicious broth flowed out. With a little spice, the chewy texture of the meatballs made her want to eat even more.
“Papa, I really love hotpot! I want to eat hotpot every day, sob sob sob.”
Lu Ling: “…”
Rather than anger, Lu Ling felt more frustrated.
It turned out that Song Jing’an and Song Shixia didn’t dislike his salad, but they didn’t want to disappoint him, so they had forced themselves to eat it.
Recently, Lu Ling had been very busy with work. His law firm had taken on several cases that required his attention, and he didn’t even have time for lunch, just nibbling on biscuits to get by. He knew he hadn’t spent much time with his family lately, and today, when he finally left work early to buy groceries, he had planned to make a heartfelt dinner for them. But instead, his good intentions had backfired…
The exhaustion from days of hard work flooded over Lu Ling, making his steps feel unsteady. His heart was heavy with sadness and self-blame.
Suddenly, a flicker of light from a lotus lantern caught his eye.
“Thank you for your hard work,” a gentle and ethereal voice sounded in his ear, carrying the fragrance of lotus. “Don’t force yourself. Don’t put yourself through hardship. Open your heart and embrace new things…”
Who, who is speaking to him?
Lu Ling snapped back to reality, and under the soothing sound, he felt the fatigue in his body vanish, as if he had just woken from a refreshing nap, full of energy!
Was someone really speaking to him, or was it just an illusion?
Lu Ling looked around, then followed the direction of the voice…
It was the hotpot stand.
No, not the stand itself, but the vegetables on it.
The fresh, delicious vegetables seemed to be waving at him. It was the spirits of the vegetables speaking to him!
Meanwhile, his husband and daughter were still trying to persuade him.
“Honey, don’t force yourself, you should have a bowl too,” Song Jing’an said, sniffing.
“Yeah, yeah, Dad, you can pick the vegetables you like,” Song Shixia added, “It’s really delicious!”
The fresh vegetables on the stand seemed to be calling out to him.
“I… I’ll judge the taste,” Lu Ling reluctantly nodded, still stubbornly saying, “Let’s see if they’re using gutter oil or bad ingredients.”
If the hotpot stall owner’s cooking skills weren’t up to par and ruined the vegetables, he would definitely do everything he could to save them!
Lu Ling turned around and joined the queue in front of the hotpot stall.
—Wait.
Why had the hotpot stall, which was empty just moments ago, suddenly formed a line?!
The line was filled with familiar faces—those “kind” strangers who had just advised the family to stay harmonious on the street. Now, they all pretended to be calm, hands in pockets, gazing at the sky, as if they weren’t in line for hotpot but admiring the scenery.
But their feet were firmly planted, and they refused to move an inch.
Many of them were regulars at the community gym, and after hearing Song Shixia’s cry of “I want hotpot, not salad,” they were reminded of their own desires and were drawn by the tempting aroma of the hotpot.
As a result, several of the customers in line looked muscular, and some were even lifting dumbbells while waiting, comforting each other:
“Old Wang, you’re eating hotpot too? You must’ve wasted today’s workout!”
“It’s okay, I’m in my bulking phase, eating some hotpot won’t hurt, hahaha. I’ll just add some protein powder to the broth later.”
“This is a cheat meal, don’t you know? Once a week, you can indulge. Hotpot today, plain steamed buns with water tomorrow…”
“Yeah, yeah, I lost 100 pounds to reach 200 pounds, and only I know the sour, fragrant, spicy goodness of it.”
“…”
Lu Ling: “…”
Lu Ling silently stood at the back of the line.
For some reason, he felt a bit embarrassed.
As the crowd grew, the line moved slower. The hotpot stall owner, busy handing out number tags and maintaining order, moved through the crowd like a graceful silver flash.
Someone curiously asked Jian Yunlan, “Boss, is this your dog? You take good care of it.”
Hearing this, the dog raised its head proudly, strutting its muscles with elegance.
As an ancient mythical beast, though known for its appetite, it had never neglected its workouts, which had led to its powerful and imposing physique!
The crowd erupted in astonishment.
“Wow, those muscles!” “Feels like one punch could knock me out three times!” “Look at those muscles—Boss, does this dog eat your hotpot too?”
“Maomao is my employee,” Jian Yunlan explained again. “Employee benefits include free hotpot.”
“Wow!”
A few of the gym-goers exchanged looks, seeing confidence in each other’s eyes.
If this dog could build such impressive muscles from eating hotpot every day, surely they could easily sculpt six-pack abs in three days or get a flat stomach in five days?
Hotpot is spicy and hot, and you sweat while eating, which means you’re burning fat while enjoying it. Essentially, it’s zero calories!
This was a solid plan.
As customers approached the hotpot stand, the lotus lantern immediately emitted a warm glow, enveloping them.
A few gym-goers who had just come from the gym suddenly felt their exhaustion vanish, and the pain in their knees was gone. They felt they could head back to the gym for another hour of lifting weights.
They felt the sky was clear, the autumn breeze smelled of plants, everything around them was lovely, and the hotpot in front of them radiated an inviting warmth.
“I told you, this hotpot works! I haven’t even eaten it yet, and I already feel so relaxed!”
“Yeah, I was feeling like life wasn’t worth living after my workout, but now everything feels so much better…”
Soon, the steaming hotpot was served at the table.
Groups of friends huddled together, eagerly eating the hotpot, sweating and exclaiming:
“My gosh, this tripe is amazing! It’s such a big piece and so crispy.” “I could eat ten more skewers of beef tendon.” “After eating this hotpot, I’ll probably wake up with abs tomorrow, right?”
Jian Yunlan: “…”
“Our hotpot is just regular hotpot. It has no special effects and no protein powder added,” Jian Yunlan had to clarify.
The crowd burst into laughter.
More and more people were drawn to the queue, including residents from the community, office workers off-duty, and high school students coming from evening classes.
By now, it was nearly 8 PM, and the hotpot stand had become the most popular street vendor at the entrance of Lotus Pond Community.
“Boss Jian, I want a very spicy one, the spicier the better! I’ve been doing math problems all day and I’m so tired…”
“Two medium-spicy ones over here. I’ll have one, and take one back for my partner.”
“Boss, I want a non-spicy one, just the broth.”
Some people cast curious looks at Lu Ling.
Although Jian Yunlan had prepared both a mild broth and a spicy broth, since people came to eat hotpot for the spice, the mild one was actually a bit unpopular.
Lu Ling ignored the curious gazes, grabbed a basket, and walked toward the vegetable selection area. He scrutinized the vegetables, trying to find some flaw—but there was none!
Indeed, this was the will of the vegetable spirits.
The more he looked at the vegetables, the fresher and more delicious they seemed. Just by looking, Lu Ling couldn’t help but feel his eyes sparkle as he added many to his basket.
Five or six bunches of lettuce, some baby bok choy and water spinach, mushrooms, soft and powdery potatoes and yams—he added those as well, and of course, the essential crispy lotus root…
Since few people ordered the non-spicy broth, Lu Ling’s all-veggie hotpot was quickly prepared.
“Be careful, it’s hot,” Jian Yunlan said with a smile. “If you need sesame paste or extra spice, you can add them at the condiment station here.”
“Mm.” Lu Ling nodded slightly.
As a loyal fan of salads, Lu Ling looked at his bowl of hotpot with a scrutinizing eye.
Such fresh and delicious vegetables deserved only the simplest, most straightforward cooking methods to showcase their true flavors, right?
Why use such good vegetables for hotpot? It felt like a waste!
—That was Lu Ling’s original thought.
However, the bowl of broth-based hotpot before him was so delicate and creamy, with the milky white beef bone broth bubbling and steaming. The surface was covered with a layer of golden, glistening oil droplets.
Inside, the ingredients were soaking up the broth: the mushrooms, cut with cross patterns, glistened with oil; the baby bok choy and lettuce maintained their original colors, and there were golden, crispy tofu puffs, tender white lotus root slices, all immersed in the beef bone broth, radiating warmth and infusing the dish with the essence of the soup.
Lu Ling picked up a piece of baby bok choy and put it in his mouth.
So fresh and juicy!
The delicious beef bone broth had completely soaked into the baby bok choy leaves. As he chewed, the steaming broth and the natural sweetness of the bok choy flooded his mouth.
The hotpot didn’t strip the baby bok choy of its natural sweetness; instead, it enhanced the unique, sweet flavor, creating a completely new and delightful taste!
He eagerly picked up a piece of enoki mushroom, dipped it generously in sesame paste. The mushroom absorbed both the broth and sesame paste, becoming fragrant and tender with a slightly chewy texture.
The sesame paste’s rich, intense fragrance mixed with the mushroom’s juices, layer by layer, making each bite incredibly satisfying.
Not to mention the melt-in-your-mouth potatoes, the burst of juice from the tofu puffs, and the crisp lotus root.
Even the beef bone broth itself was so delicious…
Having worked all day with hunger gnawing at him, Lu Ling’s stomach was demanding food. So when this bowl of hotpot was placed before him, he couldn’t control himself anymore.
Unknowingly, Lu Ling began eating faster and faster. In just ten minutes, he had completely finished the entire bowl of hotpot, drinking the soup as he ate.
The bowl was empty, not a drop of soup remained.
After finishing, Lu Ling was still left craving more.
…He finally understood why Song Jing’an and Song Shixia could eat with such joy.
This hotpot… it was so delicious!
Lu Ling’s gaze towards Jian Yunlan instantly changed.
It now carried a sense of awe.
Surrounded by customers at the hotpot stand, Jian Yunlan, casually tying his apron, was skillfully using a slotted spoon to scoop ingredients into the pot. The steam rising from the hotpots blurred the air, and in that mist, Jian Yunlan’s side profile looked incredibly beautiful. Even his smile seemed mysteriously radiant, as though surrounded by a holy light.
——This is no mere spicy hotpot demon.
This is a spicy hotpot deity!
Lu Ling thought, the voice that just spoke in his mind must belong to the child under the guidance of a deity…
The inexplicably transformed child under a deity’s guidance: ???
Song Jing’an, holding Xia Xia, looked at Lu Ling with expectant eyes and asked, “Wife, what do you think of Boss Jian’s hotpot? It’s not bad, right?”
Lu Ling, however, looked very serious.
Song Jing’an’s heart sank, thinking he didn’t like it.
The next second, Lu Ling said, “Hearing you call him ‘Boss Jian’ just like that, my heart skipped a beat. What were you thinking? Is ‘Boss Jian’ a name you can just call? That name is too heavy. You should refer to him as ‘The God of Spicy Hotpot’!”
Song Jing’an: “…”
What should I do if my wife seems to have been possessed by something?!
The hotpot stall was crowded with people.
More and more people joined the line, and Jian Yunlan’s prepared tables and chairs weren’t enough.
But the customers were all very kind; after finishing their meal, they would voluntarily get up to give others a seat.
The atmosphere around the hotpot stall was full of the lively, down-to-earth energy unique to such places, mixed with the tantalizing, spicy aroma that made people constantly glance over.
No other snack stall near the entrance of the neighborhood could overpower the fragrance of this hotpot.
Over at the nearby plaza, the aunties dancing to square dance music began to look around.
Darn it, it smells so good!
The aunties couldn’t help but start talking among themselves.
“Xu Lijun and Song Lanzhen haven’t been here for two days. Could they have sneaked off to eat spicy hotpot?”
“I want to go eat too…”
“No! Don’t you remember? We’re on a diet! We have to set a good example for the younger generation!”
The aunties encouraged each other, with Aunt Han, the leader of the dance group, dancing the hardest, energizing everyone with her spirit.
The aunties were all rejuvenated. Yes, like Aunt Han, they couldn’t let themselves fall to these temptations. They needed to perk up!
After the dance ended, Aunt Han, holding her stomach, said, “Sorry, I’m not feeling well. I’ll go to the restroom, everyone continue dancing.”
No one suspected anything, and they kindly said, “Go ahead, go ahead. Aunt Han, your stomach’s been bad lately. I’ll bring you some traditional medicine next time.”
Aunt Han nodded, her face pale, bending over as she jogged toward the restroom…
Once past the woods, she suddenly stopped.
Aunt Han let out a deep breath, her face returning to its normal color, and she straightened up. With joy in her eyes, she rushed toward the hotpot stall, filled with excitement.
Yesterday, she had caught a whiff of that aroma from Song Auntie’s takeout box, and she couldn’t stop thinking about it all night. Today, she was determined to taste it herself.
The spicy hotpot—she was coming for it!
However, after waiting in the long line and finally reaching the front, the young, handsome hotpot stall owner regretfully announced, “The hotpot is sold out for today. Thank you for your support. I’ll be back tomorrow at 7 AM.”
“No, this can’t be true.”
Aunt Han felt her legs go weak, and her heart sank.
Around her, several other customers who also hadn’t been able to get in line showed despair on their faces:
“No way, I’ve been waiting for half an hour!”
“Wahhh, Boss, please prepare more ingredients tomorrow! It’ll sell out for sure!”
“Yeah, yeah, if you don’t sell it all, I can buy ten servings myself…”
The spicy hotpot, their spicy hotpot!!!
Looking at the three-wheeled cart carrying the hotpot stall owner leaving, Aunt Han sorrowfully clutched her chest.
It was at that moment that a voice from behind startled her: “Aunt Han, what are you doing here?”
Aunt Han suddenly turned around.
Behind her stood her square dance sisters.
Since Aunt Han had been gone for so long, the others had grown worried and searched for her. When they found her, they were surprised to see her in front of the hotpot stall, not the restroom.
The sisters looked at her with questioning eyes.
Aunt Han: “…”
Aunt Han’s heart was shattered.
*
The Multiverse Live Stream.
Because Jian Yunlan’s live stream reached the top of the plot-breaking leaderboard yesterday, many highly ambitious viewers were drawn in.
At this moment, these viewers slowly started typing question marks.
[?]
[…What’s going on? This streamer is going off-track! Wasn’t he supposed to change the plot of the dog-blood novel?!]
[What off-track? A food stall is his real path (lights a cigarette)]
[. Yes]
[But the spicy hotpot really looks so delicious! Ahhhh, that huge beef tendon looks so fragrant and spicy, it must have such a chewy texture! I really want to eat it… slurp, slurp, slurp!]
[Boss Jian is still hanging at the top of the plot-breaking leaderboard, holding the first-place spot! The gold content of being number one is incredible!]
[Isn’t clearing the game just around the corner? The guy who does handstand hotpot might really finish the entire pot in one go!]
But most viewers were not so optimistic.
Although Jian Yunlan’s plot-breaking progress was high, he still hadn’t met one of the protagonists of Dark River, Bright Light, and without meeting, how could there be any affection? And how could there be healing?
Even those streamers who started gaining Yu Ming’s favorability as soon as they landed on the scene had not yet raised his favorability to 10%. As for someone like Jian Yunlan, who was taking an unconventional route, both Yu Ming’s and Fu Changfeng’s favorability remained stuck at 0%.
It was somewhat bleak.
In dog-blood novel transmigration, the key still lay in targeting the protagonist couple. After all, the entire world of a dog-blood novel revolves around the main characters.
In the past, many streamers, just like Jian Yunlan, tried various unconventional methods to advance the plot, but because they failed to raise the protagonist couple’s favorability, they were quickly eliminated.
[Yu Ming is so stubborn and solitary, many streamers who started interacting with him as soon as they entered the world couldn’t even gain his trust, let alone someone like Boss Jian, who still hasn’t even met him yet. ]
[Do you all remember the once aloof Ning Sheng and Gu Xingzhou… Give Yu Ming a taste of Boss Jian’s spicy hotpot, and he’ll definitely be conquered right away. His favorability will skyrocket instantly!]
[You’re thinking too much. Yu Ming has a psychological block against spicy hotpot. No matter how good it tastes, it won’t change his opinion. I advise you to change your strategy, Boss Jian.]
[…By the way, isn’t the Dark River, Bright Light forced task about to start soon?]
The forced task was one of the most exciting parts of Dark River, Bright Light, a high-difficulty dog-blood novel. All streamers had to take part in a unified challenge, and anyone who failed the task would be immediately eliminated.
*
At the headquarters of the All Worlds Live Stream Company.
Gong Siyuan looked at the note in her hand, which contained the topic for this year’s forced task:
—”The challenger must play the role of a rich and unruly young master, domineering and strong-willed, and make Yu Ming, a waiter working at a luxurious KTV, voluntarily feed him grapes.”
Gong Siyuan smiled mysteriously:
“Boss Jian…”
“I don’t believe it. With such a forced task, you’ll still stick to your principles and continue running a food stall!”