abcnovels
Chapter 8 - University Town Stall Is a Hit! People Flocking to Watch!
Chapter 8 - University Town Stall Is a Hit! People Flocking to Watch!
Chapter 8 University Town Stall Is a Hit! People Flocking to Watch!
In the night market of the university town, down a side alley, a father-daughter duo, both exceptionally good-looking, set up a stall selling fried noodles. There are eight or nine customers already standing in line. The stall owner was incredibly handsome, and his stir-frying skills were professional and smooth. His fried noodles were delicious, and everyone was eager to find out for themselves.
The stall owner’s daughter was super cute. Though she was only of kindergarten age, she already knew how to help her father with the business. She was thoughtful, well-behaved, and the type of child others envy. Everyone wanted to take both this little cutie and the fried noodles home with them.
With eight or nine people queuing up, Lu Qin’s stall started to gain some popularity, attracting more curious passersby from the alley entrance.
“What are they selling that’s so good?”
“Wow! These noodles look so delicious—ah, I mean, smell so good!”
“So many people in line, it must be delicious!”
“New here? Never seen them before. I usually only eat from Liu’s, their fried noodles are fresh, fragrant, and spicy, just the way I like it.”
“I came to check it out because of the line, but I’m not a fan of fried noodles, they’re too oily and heavy after just a few bites.”
Some of those drawn by the crowd decided to wait in line to give it a try, while others, uninterested in fried noodles, shook their heads and went next door to buy oden or marinated skewers instead.
The sudden influx of people brought more buzz to the alley. Even the oden seller, who had half-packed up his stall, decided to reopen it. The neighboring stalls, which had been quiet, also started calling out for business. The deep alley became lively in no time.
Lu Qin didn’t stop, working the spatula non-stop, frying batch after batch of noodles. He didn’t feel tired, either. Every serving sold meant an extra ten yuan, keeping him constantly motivated.
Beside him, his daughter, Lu Xiyao, was busy packing up the fried noodles, clearly enjoying the work. But in just a few minutes, the table was covered with unpacked servings, and the little one started to panic—she couldn’t keep up.
“Daddy, why are you cooking so fast?”
The rising aroma from the wok wafted through the air, drawing even more people into the line.
“Boss, your noodles smell amazing! I’ll take three eggs, two portions of ham, and some diced meat, please. I’m starving, I haven’t had dinner yet.”
“I’ll take two portions to go, add egg and ham as well.”
…
“Alright, please wait a moment. I’ll fry them up right away.”
Lu Qin quickly grabbed three takeaway boxes, tossed them onto the table, and scooped out the three portions from the wok. He turned off the stove for a moment to pack the noodles. His movements were swift and efficient, without any wasted effort.
“Here’s your fried noodles, with the three add-ons. That’ll be 13 yuan. Please scan the QR code on the right.”
“Thank you.”
“Next, your egg-fried noodles. That’ll be 9 yuan.”
“Three portions of fried noodles are packed and ready.”
…
The sound of WeChat payment notifications kept ringing, and Lu Qin noticed that no one had left without paying. It seemed the public’s sense of integrity was high.
“Xiyao, let Daddy do the packing. I don’t want you to get tired. Are your hands sore?”
The little girl looked up with bright, wide eyes, clearly still excited.
“Daddy, I’m not tired! Look at all these customers! Does that mean we’re going to make a lot of money?” She asked.
Lu Qin chuckled, reached out to pinch his daughter’s soft cheeks, and said, “If you’re tired, just let Daddy handle the packing, okay?”
“Got it!” Lu Xiyao nodded.
Lu Qin continued stir-frying. Most customers were taking their orders to go, scanning the payment code and leaving with their food. Two young men who had been working late installing billboards nearby followed the delicious aroma of fried noodles to the stall. After waiting for about five minutes, it was their turn. As soon as they got their noodles, they couldn’t even bother sitting down and immediately started eating while standing.
There were still seven or eight customers in line, most of them playing on their phones. But now, they all turned to watch the two young men eat. The moment they tasted the noodles, both men visibly perked up, their eyes lighting up instantly.
One of them showed a look of amazement, exclaiming, “Wow! This tastes nothing like any noodles I’ve ever had—it’s incredible!”
The other quickly devoured several bites, his mouth full of food and oil dripping from his lips. Looking at Lu Qin, he said, “Man, boss, how are your noodles this good? Are you sure this is just fried noodles?”
Lu Qin, smiling while flipping the wok, replied, “Glad you like it. Come back anytime.”
“Definitely! I could eat this every day,” One of them said before both went silent, focusing on their food. They were clearly starving.
The customers in line started to wonder if these two guys were hired actors, as their reactions seemed too exaggerated.
It’s just fried noodles, they thought. Could they really be that good? Skeptical, some customers who had planned to take their noodles to go decided to try eating them right there to see for themselves.
One bite, and several more customers were just as blown away.
“Oh my goodness, these noodles are incredible!”
“I’ve never had fried noodles this delicious!”
“The noodles are perfectly springy, fresh, and fragrant. Paired with eggs and ham, it’s a match made in heaven. Taking a big bite fills you with happiness—truly amazing! Five stars!”
“Hey miss, are you auditioning for a comedy show or preparing for grad school? Young man, I’ve got just two words for your fried noodles—top notch!”
Lu Xiyao tilted her head and said curiously, “Uncle, ‘top notch’ is three words.”
The nearby customers burst into laughter, and the man scratched his head, laughing too.
“Haha, my bad, my bad.”
After confirming that Lu Qin’s fried noodles were indeed as tasty as people were saying, some customers who had only ordered one portion came back to order more. Others who had ordered plain noodles upgraded to versions with full toppings.
In just half an hour, Lu Qin sold nearly 40 portions of fried noodles. His speed was impressive—almost twice as fast as the other stalls. This was thanks to his top-tier frying skills and fluid, practiced movements.
Another key factor was the quality of the ingredients. The noodles he used didn’t stick, clump, or burn. Crafting such high-quality noodles required meticulous hand craftsmanship. From selecting the rice, soaking, grinding, drying, boiling, stirring, pressing, shaping, and sun-drying, each step demanded the patience and care of a skilled artisan, elevating each grain of rice into the unique handmade noodles he used. But great ingredients also need a skilled chef to turn them into extraordinary dishes. The simple fried noodles seen in every street corner became something truly special in Lu Qin’s hands—irreplaceable and one-of-a-kind.
“Hey cutie, no need to pack mine. I’ll eat right here,” One customer said.
“Excuse me, handsome, can you move over a bit? I can’t wait any longer. I’m eating here too!”
“I’ll skip the takeout as well—just give me a pair of disposable chopsticks! I’m about to drool myself dry!”
Lu Qin handed out the last two portions of noodles, and when he looked up, he couldn’t help but chuckle.
There were now seven or eight customers standing in front of the stall, all eating in unison. Some were even making satisfied noises between bites. Most of them were men—women, concerned about maintaining their image, tended to take their food home to eat.