253: Laughter

Manager Liu's words, in a subtle way, put Zhang Jun on the spot.

Everyone was looking at them.

Zhang Jun was in a difficult position.

He actually knew that the fried rice should be of a certain standard, but deep down, he just looked down on street stalls.

For someone of his status, wouldn't eating at a street stall be beneath him?

But if he didn't try it, it would make him seem guilty.

You Yueyi tugged at his sleeve and whispered:

"Brother Zhang, ignore them..."

Zhang Jun shook off her hand, his head clouded by vanity and arrogance.

"I'll try it if you insist!"

He snorted coldly, strode to the stall, glanced disdainfully at the price list, and pulled out his phone to scan the QR code.

"I'd like to see what kind of fried rice can sell for 128! If it doesn't live up to its name, hmph!"

He deliberately didn't order the cheapest one, choosing the same Golden Egg Fried Rice as Song Dagang, trying to emphasize his "taste" with the price, and was ready to criticize it heavily if it tasted bad.

"I want one too!"

Seeing this, You Yueyi could only follow suit and order a portion, but she cursed Zhang Jun and this shabby stall countless times in her heart.

Lu Chuan nodded expressionlessly, took the money, and got to work.

Flames rose, and the chef's knife glinted.

This time, Lu Chuan's movements seemed even more fluid, with an indescribable sense of rhythm.

That captivating aroma erupted again.

Zhang Jun and You Yueyi stood the closest, the aroma almost forcefully drilling into their nostrils.

Zhang Jun's Adam's apple bobbed uncontrollably, and You Yueyi instinctively sniffed.

Soon, two portions of fried rice were ready.

Ding Xinyang placed the fried rice on the table under the parasol.

Zhang Jun and You Yueyi exchanged glances, both seeing a hint of hesitation in the other's eyes, but more of disdain.

The two picked up disposable spoons, as if facing some suspicious object, and carefully dug out a tiny spoonful, reluctantly putting it into their mouths.

The next moment—

Time seemed to stand still.

The arrogance and disgust on Zhang Jun's face instantly froze, then shattered like ice.

His eyes widened abruptly, his pupils dilating in shock.

This... what is this?!

The ultimate umami, the explosive wok hei, the chewy rice, the tender, fragrant crispiness of the eggs, and that touch of sweet bamboo aroma that was like the finishing stroke of a painting... all the flavors perfectly blended, forming an irresistible torrent that instantly overwhelmed all his taste perceptions and psychological defenses.

His so-called top-tier Japanese and French cuisine suddenly seemed pale, weak, and pretentious in front of this fried rice.

This was not food; this was a miracle of taste.

"Mmm...!"

A suppressed, almost whimpering groan escaped his throat.

He wanted to maintain his image, to criticize, to spit it out, but his hand uncontrollably scooped up another large spoonful, eagerly stuffing it into his mouth.

Then another spoonful.

His speed grew faster and faster, his head almost buried in the meal box, completely forgetting where he was, who was beside him, or what he had just said.

His cheeks were puffed out, his mouth even stained with oil and rice grains, as he uttered muffled exclamations of praise.

"Good... delicious! It's so f*cking delicious!"

You Yueyi next to him was even more exaggerated.

After her first bite, she froze for two seconds as if struck by a pressure point.

Then, her eyes suddenly gleamed with a terrifying light, and her face showed an expression of extreme ecstasy and disbelief, completely forgetting about elegance and manners.

"Heavens! Oh my God!!!"

She shrieked, her voice sharp and piercing, filled with the wild joy of discovering a new continent, startling the people nearby.

She no longer cared about Zhang Jun, using both hands to guard her meal box, her spoon flying furiously, eating even more ferociously than Zhang Jun, shouting incoherently between bites:

"How can this be so delicious! Oh my goodness! It's too delicious! Brother Zhang! This is truly! Truly amazing!!!"

She even stomped her feet in excitement, tears almost welling up, her previous disdain and pretense completely forgotten.

At this moment, all she saw was this fried rice.

The entire scene was silent.

Everyone stared dumbfounded at this dramatic scene.

The two who had just been arrogant and full of disdain were now the most frantic, undignified, and exaggerated in their praise.

This face-slapping came so fast and hard, it was practically a textbook example.

"Pfft—"

Someone couldn't hold back a laugh first.

Immediately after, laughter spread like a tide.

The queuing office workers, looking at Zhang Jun and You Yueyi's utterly engrossed and ravenous appearance, could no longer hold back and burst into laughter, bending over.

"Hahahaha! Who just called this junk food?"

"Oh my, that face-slapping, it's so loud!"

"The law of 'it smells good' is late but it's here!"

"Secretary You's reaction is even more exaggerated than Manager Liu's! Hahahahaha!"

Luo Li and Xu Ying also clutched their stomachs, laughing, feeling that their embarrassment yesterday was nothing compared to this.

Song Dagang and Manager Liu exchanged glances, both with subtle smiles on their faces.

Zhang Jun and You Yueyi were finally startled awake by the laughter and the clicking sounds of cameras.

The two suddenly looked up, saw the playful, mocking, and spectating gazes of the people around them, then saw each other's disheveled appearance with rice grains on their mouths, spoons still in hand, and meal boxes almost empty... Instantly, a huge wave of shame poured over them like ice water, making their faces flush crimson, all the way to their earlobes, wishing they could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

Zhang Jun's hand trembled, and the spoon fell onto the table with a crisp sound.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something to save face, but found any words pale and powerless in the face of his recent "eating broadcast" performance.

You Yueyi shrieked, abruptly put down her meal box, frantically wiped her mouth, her face alternating between red and white, wishing she could hide herself.

"Hmph!... It's just so-so!"

Zhang Jun finally squeezed out this baseless remark, stood up abruptly, and practically fled in disarray.

You Yueyi also quickly grabbed her bag, lowered her head, and stumbled on her high heels to chase after him, leaving behind a louder wave of laughter.

This farce ended with the complete social demise of the two.

Lu Chuan never even glanced at them the whole time, only focusing on frying the next portion of rice.

It wasn't until their backs disappeared into the crowd that he smiled faintly, and the system's prompt sounded in his mind.

[Current mission progress: 16 / 50]

Hmm, good effect.

This pair of clowns contributed two progress points.

After this incident, the queue grew even longer, almost wrapping around half the plaza.

The office workers and the financial elites recognized by the system finally completely succumbed in the face of absolute deliciousness and immense entertainment value.

Lu Chuan chuckled, weighed the wok in his hand, and the flames rose again.