Chapter Sixteen: What a Frightening Girl

In full view of everyone, Azure picked up her chopsticks with unhurried grace. She first selected a strand of pork, then a sliver of green bamboo shoot, and finally a strip of black fungus. Bringing the three ingredients together, she let them soak in the thick sauce at the bottom of the plate, then raised them to her lips with elegance, chewing slowly and savoring each bite.

Everyone waited, anticipation thick in the air, for her verdict.

After a moment, Azure set down her chopsticks.

“The pork is tender and springy, with a satisfying chew, its juices rich and lingering on the palate. There must have been some special marinating technique involved; otherwise, it would be impossible to achieve such texture. The sauce is thick, the aroma of fermented bean paste strong and enveloping. Yet, the various flavors within are perfectly balanced—none overwhelms the others. Instead, they interact and even create delightful contrasts. The crispness of the bamboo shoots and wood ear mushrooms cuts through the richness of the sauce, harmonizing the dish just right. You can clearly see the chef’s masterful control of heat. In my opinion, pricing this perfect shredded pork in garlic sauce at fifty-six yuan per serving is actually too low.”

As her thorough critique ended, the dining hall had already fallen into utter silence. Only the lingering aroma of the sauce teased everyone’s appetite.

“Are you all shills?” Zhao Gang broke the tension, scrutinizing the group of young diners with a probing gaze. He finally voiced his suspicion, unable to hold back. “From the start, I thought something was off. Of all days, you show up on the very day the restaurant changes its prices. And with so many eateries on Old Street, you just happen to pick this inconspicuous little place? That’s a bit too much of a coincidence, isn’t it?”

At his words, realization dawned on the crowd. Thinking back, it really did seem that way! Even just judging by the restaurant’s barely noticeable exterior, Neighbor’s Kitchen was at the bottom of the list—easy to overlook.

Beside him, Su Rui fell silent in thought.

“Well, when you put it like that, you’re not entirely wrong,” Luo Yuan admitted, setting down his chopsticks as well.

“So you admit it?” Zhao Gang’s expression hardened, his eyes sharp.

“I wouldn’t go that far,” Luo Yuan remained unfazed. “We just heard an acquaintance of ours was working as the chef here, so we came to satisfy a craving. That’s all.”

“And that’s not being a shill?” someone in the crowd called out.

“A true shill is someone who tries to lure others into a trap,” Luo Yuan said, dabbing his mouth with a napkin. “We’re simply being honest.”

“Do you really think anyone’s going to believe that now?” a burly restaurateur retorted sternly.

“Belief is your business,” Luo Yuan met the man’s gaze without flinching. “We never cared whether you believed us or not. If you think it’s too expensive, you’re welcome to turn right out the door. We won’t see you off. In fact, if I could, I’d actually prefer you never believe us.”

“Hm?” Zhao Gang frowned.

“That way, we’d never have to wait in line when we come here,” Luo Yuan replied.

“Exactly, exactly! The prices here are too high and the food isn’t good—everyone should just leave and get on with their day,” a girl sitting next to Luo Yuan chimed in hurriedly.

The crowd was left baffled, completely unable to guess what these young people were up to.

“Feeling guilty, are you?” Zhao Gang seized the moment, determined to brand Luo Yuan and the others as shills. His move was nothing short of cunning.

The girl who had spoken clearly hadn’t meant it that way and was about to defend herself when Azure stopped her.

“Sir, I don’t know why you insist on interfering with this restaurant’s price changes, but at this point, nothing anyone says can compare to trying it for yourself,” Azure turned her gaze to the onlookers by the entrance, her meaning plain as day.

“I…” Zhao Gang swallowed his words, cold sweat beading on his back. With just half a sentence, this breathtaking girl had shifted the entire balance, even destroying the impartial image he’d worked so hard to create!

“If I keep arguing, everyone will think my intentions are suspect. That’ll be real trouble… What a terrifying girl…” Zhao Gang realized with a start, falling silent.

“What a pretty young lady—such a pity she’s got bad intentions, trying to trick us into spending money here. I’m not falling for it,” someone muttered.

“Forget it, this is boring—just another scam.”

“I’ll go in, but only if you’re paying!”

“That’s right! If it’s free, I might as well give it a try—but if it’s not good, I’ll let you have it!”

…

The jeers and taunts made Su Rui’s face darken with embarrassment. She’d rather those mocking words were aimed at herself than at the innocent. Yet, when she looked at Azure, she saw only a calm smile, as if everything was well within her control.

…

“What’s the point of a bunch of grown men picking on a young woman?” A rotund auntie in the crowd couldn’t stand it any longer. “It’s just a taste test, isn’t it? I’ll go!”

With that, she elbowed past several burly old men and strode into the restaurant.

“Hey, isn’t that Aunt Luo from Canteen Home? Why’s she not at work but hanging around here?”

“She had a fight with her boss over wages this morning and quit.”

“What? Aunt Luo worked there for over twenty years. She’s a good person—maybe not the star, but surely she did her part. What was the owner thinking?”

“Who knows?”

“Alright, bring me an order of shredded pork in garlic sauce,” Aunt Luo called out as she settled into a seat, thinking that after more than two decades as a waitress, today she’d finally get to be a customer for once.

Su Rui, not daring to neglect her, hurried over with a smile to pour tea.

…

Five minutes later, the steaming dish was served. Aunt Luo wasn’t in a rush to taste it; she habitually asked for a bowl of white rice first, then finally dug in, shoveling a generous mouthful into her mouth.

The sauce, pork, and Sichuan peppercorns nearly spilled from the corners of her lips. Her eating manners were… a bit rough. But at her age, who was she trying to impress with refinement?

“Aunt Luo, how is it?” someone hollered from outside.

Smack! Aunt Luo slapped her thigh. “Oh, I was so eager I swallowed it before it even touched my tongue!”

The crowd roared with laughter.

“Don’t rush, don’t rush. I’ll eat slowly this time,” Aunt Luo said, unfazed by embarrassment—she’d never known the meaning of the word. She picked up another bite, though with the crowd’s reminder, she took a little less. Still, not by much; her plump cheeks puffed out all the same.

The sound of her smacking lips had a mesmerizing magic…

She ate with such relish.

When the last drop of sauce was swallowed, Aunt Luo slowly raised her right hand and, under everyone’s gaze, gave a big thumbs up. “Delicious!”

“Aunt Luo, you’d better not be lying,” Zhao Gang warned, his eyelid twitching.

“I’ve lived on Old Street for decades. Who’s ever heard of me lying?” Aunt Luo replied, clearly displeased.

“Still, you should give us a real review. ‘Delicious’ is too vague,” someone pressed.

“I’m not educated. I can’t spin fancy words,” Aunt Luo shot Zhao Gang a look. “All I’ll say is—it’s good! Better than any shredded pork in garlic sauce on Old Street!”

A stir swept through the crowd.

“Damn, let me try!”

“I’m in too!”

“Boss, two orders of shredded pork in garlic sauce!”

“Three orders!”

As customer after customer streamed into the restaurant, Zhao Gang felt a growing sense of foreboding.

(To be continued…)