"Wow... so many people..."

"Who said there aren't any people at Mount Tai in winter? This feels like it's as busy as during Labor Day!"

"I heard there are 40,000 people here today, and that's with crowd control. Otherwise, there might be tens of thousands more."

Li Wei and Feng Haoyu were using binoculars to look down from the mountain top while whispering to each other.

They're both from Lu Dong, and seeing so many tourists in their hometown during winter made them incredibly happy.

Wang Fan, however, threw a bucket of cold water on their excitement: "How did you guys sleep last night? Ready for a tough battle today?"

"It's no big deal. We're young and full of energy. I refuse to believe that grilling skewers will tire me out."

Li Wei showed no fear at the approaching tourists. After yesterday's special training, he could grill over 300 lamb skewers an hour. Together with Feng Haoyu, they could easily grill 500 an hour.

Feng Haoyu hadn't left after all. Although he hadn't signed a contract, he had made a verbal commitment, and a real man keeps his word.

Wang Fan said, "I've made breakfast. Let's eat and get to work; there are still 3,000 skewers waiting for us in the group."

Breakfast made by Boss Wang?

Hearing this, Li Wei and Feng Haoyu's eyes lit up.

Sure, earning a daily wage of 1,000 is tempting, but the most attractive thing is that Boss Wang promised them meals!

The two quickly followed Wang Fan back into the shop, where they saw a table full of food already laid out.

This morning, Wang Fan had prepared a simple breakfast: a clay pot of century egg and lean pork congee, a boiled egg each, and some chicken thigh sandwiches. The chicken thighs had just been fried by Wang Fan and were still steaming with a white mist; the lettuce was lush and green, offering a pleasant color contrast to the chicken.

Knowing their appetites, Wang Fan had prepared a lot, essentially enough for five of him.

Li Wei picked up the bowl of freshly served congee and took a deep breath.

The freshly cooked congee was steaming and fragrant, with the subtle aroma of the rice melding with the rich scent of the meat, along with the unique smell of the century egg.

These flavors blended perfectly to form a unique and enticing aroma, as if they had a magical power that stimulated Li Wei's taste buds and made him eager to taste the congee.

He blew on it hard, then took a large sip directly from the bowl, skipping the spoon.

The fragrance was intoxicating! He'd be willing to work here for free just for that bowl of congee!

As soon as he took a sip, he could feel the congee's smoothness and softness, with the rice grains gently rolling over his tongue, carrying a rich rice fragrance.

Soon, the distinctive aroma of the century egg was released, mingling with the taste of the congee, its unique flavor lingering on his palate.

The tender lean meat added a rich texture to the congee; every bite offered the fibers and freshness of the meat. As he gently chewed, the salty fragrance of the meat matched the sweet fragrance of the congee, making him want to gulp it down all at once.

When he swallowed and savored it, Li Wei only felt the gentle richness of the century egg congee, without any overwhelming aroma, just a warm, hearty comfort, as if he had eaten a small sun, leaving him feeling incredibly relaxed and content.

"Boss, your cooking skills are extraordinary, even such a simple dish as century egg congee is so delicious. Honestly, you can cut some of our pay as long as you feed us."

As a fan, Li Wei was never stingy with his praise, and he felt he was speaking the absolute truth.

Wang Fan chuckled, "It's nothing really; it's all about the quality of the ingredients."

The rice he used was new Wuchang rice brought from home, the rice fragrance so rich even the century egg couldn't overpower it. Could congee made with such good stuff taste bad?

Feng Haoyu had no time to talk; he was practically burying his face in the bowl of congee. He hoped Li Wei would keep talking, so he could drink more congee than Li Wei.

Li Wei wondered why Feng Haoyu wasn't praising the boss and turned to see him wolfing down the food like a gopher.

"Damn you, you rascal! That's unfair!"

With a curse, Li Wei hurriedly began shoveled food into his mouth, finishing one bowl, portioning more congee with one hand, while using the other to grab a chicken thigh sandwich, aiming for maximum efficiency.

After eating and drinking their fill, the three got to work on the skewers.

Wang Fan had cut the meat early in the morning, over 200 pounds split between two large basins. One basin was marinated with onions and apples, while the other had nothing added; last night he had made a barbecue seasoning while being AFK, which didn't require pre-marinating the meat skewers.

The three of them sat on small stools, continuously skewering. Even with the help of two, Wang Fan didn't take a break himself.

He wanted a break, but the messages in the group chat were like a whip urging him to keep working on the skewers.

"@Boss Wang, dear Boss Wang, we've arrived at the foot of the mountain, expecting to see you within 6 hours. Remember to have my skewers ready, hahaha."

"@Boss Wang checked in at the mountain gate. I've also arrived, ready to start climbing."

"@Boss Wang, a real man keeps his word; I've reached the mountain gate and as an experienced climbing enthusiast, I expect to reach the top in just over 4 hours."

"@Boss Wang checking in, I feel I can reach the top in 3 hours. I can already see the peak, doesn't seem so high."

"@Group Leader, Group Leader, should we send a message to gather everyone for a group photo?"

Each check-in message clearly told Wang Fan to get the skewers ready, that they wouldn't let him rest today unless he was completely exhausted!

...

Shen Teng was confident about conquering the mountain in front of him.

To him, it didn't look very high. He couldn't understand why so many people online said Mount Tai was difficult to climb. They must just not exercise regularly, unlike himself.

I'm a muscle guy who runs 5 kilometers every day, not comparable to those weaklings.

"Guys, I'm heading out first. I'll definitely be the first to reach the top!"

After the group photo, Shen Teng was the first to charge ahead.

Running 5 kilometers daily really paid off, as his speed was incredible, hopping up the stairs and crossing three steps at a time.

Cong Fu watched Shen Teng run further and further away and shook his head. Is that how you're supposed to climb a mountain? With his pace, he'd be exhausted in half an hour at most.

"I look forward to eating Boss Wang's barbecue, so I'm off now, haha."

"Judging by today's number of tourists, it seems there will be a long queue at Boss Wang's, I'm heading off first."

"Just a little thing like Mount Tai? Watch me reach the top in five hours. Brothers, see you soon!"

Cong Fu ignored them, as someone who had once reached the pinnacle of the Himalayas, he had his own pace. He glanced up at the mountain top with a smile, and leisurely began his ascent.

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