180: Pineapple Fried Rice

Ding Xinyang looked at He Jingrui, who was busy shoveling crayfish into his mouth, and smiled evilly.

“You can’t move anymore, can you? Then I’ll… hehehe… go for it?”

His strongest rival was currently in a death match with the crayfish, so how could he let down the time the shrimp had bought him?

Thinking this, Ding Xinyang’s fingers danced, and he excitedly turned to look at the dining table, about to… about to… Eh?

Where were all the dishes on the table?

Why was there only one plate of fried rice left?!

Ding Xinyang rubbed his eyes hard, realizing he hadn’t seen wrong.

There really was only one plate of fried rice left!

He incredulously shifted his gaze upwards and saw Lu Chuan, his cheeks puffed out, wolfing down food.

Well, well!

You two-faced fellow!

Is your crude eating style worthy of your handsome appearance?

Never mind, fried rice it is!

Ding Xinyang reached out to grab the pineapple fried rice, only to find that two hands, one large and one small, had already simultaneously gripped the edge of the plate with dizzying speed.

“…”

Ding Xinyang was silent for a moment, then stood up, turned, and left.

His movements were fluid, without hesitation.

He was afraid that if he delayed another step, tears would well up.

“Hey, wait.”

Lu Chuan’s voice sounded from behind him.

“Sorry, we both can’t stop eating once we start. We won’t fight you for this fried rice!”

Hearing this, Ding Xinyang slowly turned around and asked, half-skeptically:

“Really?”

“That’s right, come back and eat!”

Lu Chuan nodded vigorously, but then turned to see He Jingrui still staring longingly at the fried rice. He quickly pressed a hand to his face, forcing him to look away.

Ding Xinyang was already starving. Seeing Lu Chuan’s assurance, he eagerly sat back down, pulled the pineapple fried rice towards him, picked up a spoon, and dug in.

As he scooped, the trapped heat within the fried rice instantly burst out, carrying its aroma directly towards his face.

The aroma was complex and refined, not as direct as roasted chicken or grilled fish, but equally had the power to shock the soul.

“I only knew Master Ye’s fists were powerful before, but now I realize, Brother Fried Rice, your fists are equally impressive!”

Hit by the aroma, Ding Xinyang, momentarily lost in thought, inexplicably had this sentence appear in his mind.

But he quickly came to his senses.

Who was Master Ye? And who was Brother Fried Rice?

Ding Xinyang scratched his head in confusion, then quickly dismissed it.

Grrr… His stomach rumbled for the third time that evening.

Hungry, food!

Quickly fill his empty stomach with delicious food!

“Don’t make a fuss, food is coming right away!”

Ding Xinyang looked at the golden, distinct grains of rice in the pineapple container, adorned with crimson shrimp, vibrant green peas, golden scrambled egg bits, and glistening, juicy ham, along with the translucent orange pineapple chunks, and he could no longer resist.

He dug up a large, full spoonful of golden fried rice and stuffed it into his mouth.

As the steaming fried rice entered his mouth, a rich aroma instantly bloomed.

First, the unique sweet fruitiness of pineapple, mixed with the smoky, charred rice oil from the stir-frying, allowed Ding Xinyang to experience the wok hei of high-heat cooking.

Following that came the freshness of the shrimp, the savory flavor of the ham, and the richness of the egg. Various flavors intertwined, not only enticing but also remarkably layered.

From sweet to rich, then to fresh and savory, every subtle change in aroma had already deeply enchanted Ding Xinyang.

And as he began to chew, the sweet and sour pineapple chunks burst with juice on his tongue, mixing with the rice that had absorbed the essence of all the ingredients, creating a slight, satisfying crunch between his teeth.

It was like a piece of music, softly playing in his ears… He Jingrui pointed at Ding Xinyang, who was immersed in the deliciousness of the pineapple fried rice, eyes closed, licking the plate, then looked at Lu Chuan.

Although he didn’t speak, his meaning was clear:

A Chuan, look, I’m not the only one doing this!

“…”

Lu Chuan indicated he couldn’t bear to watch.

He stepped forward and collected the plate Ding Xinyang was holding, along with the other bowls and dishes on the table, placing them on another dining table.

At this moment, Ding Xinyang still seemed a bit dazed.

He licked his lips, seemingly still savoring the taste of the fried rice.

After a long while, he finally came back to his senses.

Then, he looked at Lu Chuan and He Jingrui with an incredulous expression.

But relying on his intuition, he bypassed the seemingly simple-minded He Jingrui and looked directly at Lu Chuan.

“This is the most delicious fried rice I’ve ever eaten!”

Hearing this, Lu Chuan smiled and nodded.

“Thank you for your compliment.”

Ding Xinyang saw Lu Chuan calmly accept the praise and didn’t feel anything was amiss.

After all, if he had such skill, his nose would probably be pointed to the sky by now.

“Hehe, it’s nothing, it’s nothing.”

Ding Xinyang scratched his head and chuckled, then curiously asked:

“By the way, boss, I can’t quite figure it out. Since you have such great skill, why did you choose to open a shop in this location?”

Hearing this question, Lu Chuan’s brow furrowed slightly.

Just as Ding Xinyang thought Lu Chuan had some unspoken difficulty, or that there was some captivating, moving, convoluted story behind it.

Lu Chuan spread his hands and said with a helpless expression:

“No choice, rent is too expensive elsewhere. Only here fits the budget.”

At this point, Lu Chuan felt a rare hint of shame.

Other people’s systems gave them mansions and sports cars.

But his own system, not only was the car rented, it was a Jinbei minivan that had changed who knows how many hands.

Even the shop for his tasks was rented, and it was a dangerous building, considered unlucky by locals, and actually had safety hazards.

It was infuriating!

Ding Xinyang looked at Lu Chuan’s helpless expression, clearly oppressed by life (and the system), and couldn’t help but think of his own pathetic situation, working like an ox for the company, being ordered around by his superiors. His empathy instantly surged.

He immediately clenched his fist and declared loudly:

“It’s okay, boss! With your amazing skill, even in such a remote place, you’ll definitely grow big and strong! After all, good wine needs no bush!”

After speaking, he gave Lu Chuan a thumbs-up, his expression incredibly earnest.