"The sunrise at Mount Tai is truly beautiful."

Zhuo Qianqian walked from Jade Emperor Peak towards South Celestial Gate, still reminiscing about the recent stunning scenery as she reached South Celestial Gate.

The red sun slowly rose from the clouds, and the aroma was... too fragrant?

What the heck?

Jolted awake from her reverie, Zhuo Qianqian couldn't figure out why she associated it with fragrance!

Once she snapped out of it, she immediately understood it wasn't the sun that smelled so good; it was Wang's Barbecue.

She returned right after watching the sunrise, just in time to see Wang Fan preparing the staff meal. The oysters had just been placed on the grill, but the garlic chili sauce's aroma was already wafting through the air.

"Slurp..."

Zhuo Qianqian couldn't help but swallow a mouthful of saliva, as her taste buds seemed to recall yesterday's deliciousness again.

Wang Fan had placed only three oysters on the grill.

After all, it was his first time grilling; he needed to remember all the characteristics of grilling oysters.

Li Wei and Feng Haoyu might not quite understand, but they trusted that their master had his reasons for everything he did, so they just watched and learned without commenting foolishly. Did they forget about the garlic chili sauce just now?

"For oysters of this size, there's no need to preheat. Just put the fresh garlic sauce on the oyster and grill it directly."

"Pop pop..."

As the heating time increased, the meat of the oysters began making a bubbling sound; Wang Fan was watching the color change, smelling the scent transformation, and memorizing the sound variation.

"Sizzle..."

The oyster's flavor grew increasingly rich and appetizing, and Wang Fan astutely heard the change in the grilled oysters' sound.

He took out the garlic chili sauce and drizzled some over the existing fresh garlic: "Remember the current sound and aroma. If you can't recall accurately, observe the moisture inside the oyster shell. At this point, the fresh garlic sauce is eighty percent cooked; remember to add the cooked garlic chili sauce."

"Sizzle sizzle..."

As the grilling continued, the moisture inside the oyster evaporated further, and the sound on the grill grew louder, turning into an urgent "sizzle" sound. Wang Fan quickly realized this and promptly used the tongs to remove the oysters.

Staring at the grilled oysters on the tray, he frowned.

"Try it."

He said, taking one up himself first.

Upon closer inspection, Wang Fan shook his head even more unsatisfied.

The color and aroma were telling Wang Fan—"You've overcooked me!"

Li Wei eagerly picked one up, pinching the very edge of the oyster shell, which wasn't too hot.

He didn't immediately eat it; instead, he took out his phone to snap a photo.

"Don't photograph this one; it hasn't been grilled well."

Before he managed to take the shot, he heard Wang Fan's words and quickly put away his phone.

Wang Fan had already placed another three oysters on the grill, while Li Wei and Feng Haoyu, at once puzzled, wasted no time using chopsticks to scoop the oyster meat into their mouths.

The oyster meat, weighing about three to four taels, wasn't too big. With a flick of the chopsticks, the entire oyster meat with its tender juice and garlic chili sauce entered their mouths together.

"I knew it; this garlic chili sauce would taste good even on a shoe sole!"

At the moment it entered, the mouth first felt the exquisite taste of the garlic chili sauce.

The rich garlic aroma mixed with chili's fragrance danced elegantly on the tip of the tongue, with a hint of a mild stimulating sensation.

With a slight press of the tongue, the tip could appreciate the unique texture of the garlic chili sauce, as the uneven garlic bits endowed it with a distinctive soul.

Then, the oyster's deliciousness began to unfold, its rich marine flavor unable to be concealed by garlic or chili. Under the grill's heat, the oyster meat turned slightly yellow, offering a bit of crispness, a texture he hadn't experienced before.

With a gentle bite, the juicy tenderness of the oyster meat unraveled in the mouth, the unique savory flavor seemingly taking him straight to the seaside, experiencing the ocean's vastness and depth.

Chewing carefully, each bite was packed with fine texture and layers of rich taste, prompting Li Wei and Feng Haoyu to involuntarily squint their eyes.

The mild salinity, oyster meat's clear sweetness, the slight smoky aroma from grilling, and the integrated garlic chili sauce blended together—the garlic aroma, chili fragrance, and oyster's deliciousness became completely intertwined, leaving the two struggling to find words to describe this delightful taste.

"I believe this oyster is absolutely the best grilled oyster nationwide. It's just a shame my vocabulary is limited and can't express a tenth of its goodness!"

Li Wei couldn't help but express his admiration, with Feng Haoyu deeply agreeing.

Wang Fan, however, remained dissatisfied, saying: "Slightly overcooked—not the best."

He had been a bit slow earlier, allowing the oyster meat to overcook slightly and more of the juice inside the oyster shell to evaporate.

Each little issue combined turns into a significant problem.

Wang Fan felt very unsatisfied.

Li Wei and Feng Haoyu exchanged a glance, secretly clicking their tongues.

This grilled oyster was already so perfect, yet he was still dissatisfied?

Oh my, how high exactly are our master's standards?

"Try this one."

Li Wei and Feng Haoyu picked up the newly grilled ones to eat again.

The flavor was equally delicious, providing a softer mouthfeel compared to the previous one, although the crispy texture seemed a bit diminished.

Wang Fan felt somewhat annoyed as he picked this batch up earlier—it hadn't reached its peak state. Putting it back on the fire post-removal would change the taste again, rendering it meaningless.

Continue!

This time, it was slightly overcooked again, but still didn't achieve the most perfect state.

This time, it was a bit undercooked, thus getting closer to Wang Fan's standard of perfection.

"This is the one!"

"Sizzle..."

As the sound just reached this point, Wang Fan swiftly removed the oyster and eagerly placed it in his mouth.

Bypassing the garlic and chili, Wang Fan bit directly into the oyster.

With a crisp touch, soft texture, and richly savory juice—without a doubt, this was the taste and texture he aimed for!

Wang Fan closed his eyes, imprinting the recent aroma, color, and sound into his mind, marking what he considered the most perfect timing.

Li Wei and Feng Haoyu tasted it meticulously, finally discovering the differences.

The earlier oysters were a bit overcooked, delivering a stronger crispy sensation, and undercooked ones, offering a more tender feel. Now, this one could be said to combine the best of both worlds, retaining the crispiness while incorporating the tenderness, ensuring the oyster's full flavor stayed locked within the meat—without wasting a bit of essence, and definitively surpassing the previous two.

But...

The timing—both of us can't manage it!

Li Wei and Feng Haoyu were very self-aware, knowing they could at best call themselves talented individuals, but wouldn't dare to claim genius status.

Regarding master's grilling technique, they were confident it was beyond their grasp in this lifetime.

"I think the slightly more cooked one suits me better; I enjoy that crispy sensation."

"I think the slightly less cooked one suits me better; I prefer eating it tenderer."

Li Wei and Feng Haoyu chuckled, confirming the signature flavors they would promote at their respective stalls in the future.

Meanwhile, Zhuo Qianqian was almost moved to tears from craving.

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