To be honest.

He could have just told the head chefs of those hotels.

There's really no problem with him going to So Delicious' booth to buy something to eat, right!

After all, quite a few of his peers queued up to buy yesterday.

This morning, the head chefs of Taste Memory, Su Mansion, and New Kaiyuan Restaurant also visited the So Delicious booth again.

The problem is...

He couldn't bring himself to do it at first.

Like them, he claimed that he wasn't interested in the Fish Ball Soup at the So Delicious booth.

He even pounded his chest and vowed that he, Old Chu, would rather starve than buy anything from the So Delicious booth.

If he were to tell them now that he wanted to go buy something.

Those old guys would definitely laugh at him.

They might even make him a topic of conversation over their meals.

Doesn't he care about his image~

So.

He ultimately decided to quietly go by himself.

To avoid attracting attention, he took off his chef's coat and hat, draping them over his arm.

As soon as he reached the So Delicious booth, he quickly walked to the back of the queue.

Preparing to line up!

But as soon as he took a step in…

He was met head-on by a fast-running, panting, chubby body.

The crucial part is, the person even stepped on his foot.

"Tsk~"

The collision and the step on his foot made Old Chu grimace in pain, but he had to endure it.

To avoid crying out and attracting a crowd, which might lead other booth chefs to recognize him and expose his identity.

Of course.

He was not one to be taken advantage of.

You respect me a foot, I respect you a yard.

Instinctively, he swung a punch at the person.

The other person let out a muffled groan of pain too, but didn't dare to shout, only instinctively apologizing: "I'm sorry."

"Sorry~" Almost at the same time, Old Chu apologized too.

Both of them said in unison:

"It's fine~"

Uh...

Why does this voice sound so familiar?

Old Chu paused for a moment and suddenly looked up.

In an instant, their eyes met, and familiar faces came into view for both of them.

Whoa... Damn!

Isn't this the head chef from Dongling Stone Hotel, whom he just parted with a while ago?!

The expression on his face instantly changed.

He used all his strength to suppress his urge to immediately turn and run away.

Guessing that the other might have the same thought...

He clearly felt the other's shoulder subconsciously shift slightly to the other side, then awkwardly shift back.

The two of them looked at each other, eyes full of embarrassment.

Having just declared together how they wouldn't go, and now here they were lining up at the So Delicious booth.

Well then!

Saying they wouldn't go, yet their bodies honestly led them to the So Delicious booth.

They even deliberately took off their conspicuous chef's coats and hats!

The head chef of Dongling Stone Hotel flashed an awkward yet polite smile and greeted, "Old Chu, what a coincidence! We meet again."

"Hehe, yes, it really is a coincidence!" Old Chu chuckled and replied.

"Hehehe."

"Hehehehe..."

"..."

The head chef of Dongling Stone Hotel coughed awkwardly, making small talk: "Ahem, ahem, Old Chu, what brings you here?"

"Well, I didn't have breakfast this morning, and my stomach was grumbling, so I happened to pass by and thought I'd grab something to placate my stomach. What about you?" Old Chu shifted the blame to his stomach.

Even Old Chu himself didn't believe this excuse, let alone the head chef of Dongling Stone Hotel!

If he wanted something to eat, there's food at his own booth, no need to go far…

The head chef smiled knowingly: "Me! Same as you."

"Hehehe..."

The two of them laughed awkwardly, feeling that this situation was incredibly awkward.

It was so over-the-top!

Old Chu quickly lined up behind him.

To avoid more awkward eye contact.

They waited quite a while.

Until it was their turn.

"What can I get for you?" Lin Yuhan asked sweetly with a polite smile.

"Hmm, a bowl of Fish Ball Soup, and one of each marinated dish."

"I'll have the same," Old Chu chimed in.

"Alright, that'll be 116 yuan each. You can scan here to pay." Lin Yuhan pointed to the QR code with a smile, then started packing the marinated dishes for them.

"Okay!"

Both Old Chu and the other chef took out their phones to scan and pay.

"Payment of 116 yuan received via Alipay."

"Payment of 116 yuan received via Alipay."

After they paid, Lin Yuhan had neatly packed the marinated dishes.

Huang Tao's Fish Ball Soup had also been prepared and was now being packed.

A moment later.

Ding Suqin placed both items into food bags, each with a pair of chopsticks and a spoon, and handed them over: "Here are the Fish Ball Soups and marinated dishes you ordered, please take them. We look forward to your next visit."

Old Chu and his companion took their bags and squeezed through the crowd.

Just in time to meet familiar eyes.

Well then!

It was the head chef from Yunding Hotel, five positions back in line from them.

This time around,

Old Chu and his companion seemed to be over their earlier embarrassment.

As long as they themselves weren't embarrassed,

then it was the other chefs who'd be embarrassed.

Old Chu chuckled and teased him: "Yo, isn't this the head chef of Yunding Hotel! Weren't you going back to your booth to prepare? How did you end up at the So Delicious booth?"

The face of the Yunding Hotel head chef turned red in an instant.

Embarrassed enough to leave a mark on the ground that's as deep as Tangchen Yipin could be.

The Yunding Hotel head chef reciprocated, "Weren't you going back to check on how your team of little rascals were doing? How did you end up preparing here instead?"

"Hehehe, who can blame my bunch of little rascals for not getting things ready yet. I got bored and came for a stroll, and to grab some breakfast."

Old Chu randomly made up an excuse and then went with the Dongling Stone Hotel head chef to the resting area to find seats to eat.

They saw one table with only one person sitting, so they headed over.

Old Chu asked the fellow who was slurping Fish Ball Soup with his head down: "Hey buddy, is this seat taken?"

The other person mumbled, "It's free," and looked up.

Their eyes met!

The Maideng Hotel head chef was full of embarrassment.

Fortunately, he was someone who had seen it all.

This kind of mildly embarrassing scene was nothing to him.

He calmly wiped his mouth.

Chuckled heartily and greeted them openly: "You guys here for a bite too? Come sit, let's eat together!"

"Alrighty!"

Old Chu and his buddy sat down together.

The Maideng Hotel head chef explained: "You know, my stomach's always been sensitive, if I don't eat something, I'll feel awful. Just happened to pass by and grabbed something to sip."

Hearing his explanation, Old Chu and his buddy didn't feel moved, they even felt like laughing a little.

Damn.

Just twenty minutes ago, all of them were swearing up and down that they wouldn't go to So Delicious for Fish Ball Soup.

Who would've thought, in the blink of an eye, they'd all end up queuing at the So Delicious booth.

All without exception!

Luckily, the three of them had a mutual understanding and didn't bring up the topic again, each quietly lowering their heads to drink their soup.

The tender fish balls absorbed the rich chicken broth, offering a soft, crisp bite. The flavor of the fish was fresh but without any fishy taste.

Another sip of the savory chicken broth.

Mm~

Double the deliciousness as the flavors collided on the palate.

At the moment of swallowing, a sense of joy rose from the heart, the fresh taste was almost overwhelmingly delightful!

The three of them ate with expressions of pure satisfaction.

They realized for the first time that a good dish has a soul, capable of evoking a special kind of happiness from within.

Honestly, even they couldn't reach this level.

So ashamed~

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