257: "queue."

“Current mission progress: 45/50.”

The system’s notification sound joyfully bounced in Lu Chuan’s mind; with just five more “financial elites losing composure on the spot” indicators, this week’s mission would be complete.

The arrival of the Regular Customers from Yinhua City was like pouring another ladle of hot water into a boiling oil pot, completely igniting the atmosphere at the plaza’s entrance and exit.

The aroma, the clamor, the exclamations of praise, and the sight of customers holding their fried rice, either lost in ecstatic joy or moved to tears, formed a highly impactful scene.

More and more employees from the financial buildings were drawn by this unprecedented spectacle, unable to resist stopping to watch.

When they saw the executives, who usually held their noses high, now patiently waiting in line with the Regular Customers; when they saw the 888-yuan seafood fried rice being bought without hesitation; when they witnessed Zhuang Ran, Yu Zhenzhong, and others eating with an almost “heavenly” lack of composure… their last vestiges of self-restraint and doubt began to melt away like ice and snow.

“How about… we try it too?”

A well-dressed man in a custom suit, passing by and witnessing this scene, couldn’t help but whisper to his female companion.

“But… there are so many people, it’ll take a long time to queue, won’t it? You have a meeting this afternoon…”

His female companion hesitated, but her gaze frequently drifted towards the fried rice stall.

“It’s fine; if we can’t make it, we’ll just ask General Manager Li to preside over the meeting. Let’s try that 888 seafood fried rice. The ingredients look very substantial, and those people are eating it with such relish!”

The man continued.

“Alright… alright then!”

Similar conversations continuously unfolded among the onlookers.

Finally, several more financial elites or executives from other industries, dressed in suits and skirts, silently joined the end of the queue.

Their addition made the composition of the queue even more diverse, yet it also further proved the unparalleled charm of Lu Chuan’s culinary skills.

Lu Chuan’s movements became faster; the mystic crystal kitchen knife transformed into a dazzling blue light curtain, and as the spatulas flew, flames occasionally shot up, drawing gasps from the onlookers.

The moment each portion of fried rice left the wok, the concentrated burst of aroma was like a small olfactory bomb, making those in line even more ravenously hungry.

“Current mission progress: 46/50.”

“Current mission progress: 47/50.”

The progress was slowly but steadily increasing.

Just then, a slightly sharp and piercing voice suddenly came from outside the crowd.

“Move aside! Everyone, move aside! What are you doing? Illegally gathering here?!”

It was Zhang Jun and You Yueyi.

Zhang Jun’s face was ashen, and You Yueyi followed behind him, her face still bearing a blustering look of disgust.

Clearly, they had lost face yesterday, so they were back to cause trouble today.

Zhang Jun pushed through the crowd and saw the long queue and the bustling scene, especially noticing that many employees from his company were also in line. Immediately, he was furious.

“Where’s Manager Liu?! Manager Liu, you scoundrel! Get out here!”

Zhang Jun shouted loudly.

“Is this how your property management works? Allowing an unlicensed vendor to gather so many people here? Blocking the passage, affecting the city’s appearance! Is there any order left?!”

Manager Liu was originally looking eagerly at the queue, regretting that he had arrived late. Hearing Zhang Jun’s shouts, he frowned deeply but still forced a smile and went to meet him.

“Oh, General Manager Zhang, why are you back again? Calm down, calm down. Everyone just really likes Boss Lu’s cooking, you see, the order is actually quite well maintained…”

“What’s good about it?!” Zhang Jun rudely interrupted him, “With so many people, who will be responsible if a safety incident occurs? Will you be responsible? I’m telling you, I’m calling to complain right now! I’ll make sure you can’t get away with this!”

You Yueyi also chimed in from the side.

“Exactly! It looks unsanitary! Who knows if these seafood ingredients are fresh? What if someone gets sick? Brother Zhang, call them quickly!”

Their shouting attracted everyone’s attention, and a small commotion arose in the queue.

The Regular Customers from Yinhua City were not having any of it.

Li An was the first to jump out, his increasingly round belly protruding, pointing at Zhang Jun with an angry glare.

“Halt! What demon dares to act so presumptuously in front of the master’s stall! If you want to cause trouble, you’ll have to get past me first!”

Old Chen also followed closely, saying with a serious expression:

“The appreciation of art requires a pure heart. Your clamor is a desecration of gourmet food.”

Seeing someone stand up, a young man also shook his phone, saying with a grin:

“Buddies, you two were the ones eating the most heartily yesterday. The video is still on my phone; want to play it back live?”

Zhang Jun and You Yueyi’s faces instantly turned liver-red.

“You… what nonsense are you talking about?!”

Zhang Jun’s fingers trembled with anger.

Just then, Lu Chuan had finished a portion of Supreme Seafood Fried Rice and handed it to a Regular Customer.

That intensely fresh and fragrant aroma once again spread violently, like a precision strike, drilling into Zhang Jun and You Yueyi’s nostrils.

Their half-finished curses instantly got stuck. All their feigned anger and disdain deflated like a punctured balloon, leaving only the most genuine physiological reactions—madly secreting saliva and eyes fixed longingly on that portion of fried rice.

The Regular Customer deliberately, in front of them, scooped up a large spoonful of fried rice full of crab roe and abalone pieces, exaggeratedly slurped it into his mouth, and then let out an incredibly satisfied, almost moaning sigh.

“Mmm~~~ Heaven!”

Zhang Jun: “!!!”

You Yueyi: “!!!”

Their psychological defenses were completely breached by the aroma and their cravings at this moment.

What face, what trouble-making, all were thrown to the winds.

Zhang Jun’s Adam’s apple bobbed violently, as if he was undergoing a huge internal struggle, finally squeezing out a sentence through gritted teeth, his voice incredibly dry.

“…G-give… give me a portion too… that seafood one…”

You Yueyi also instantly changed her expression, forcing out an extremely strained smile, her voice even taking on a tearful quality.

“A-and… and me… I want some too…”

This incredible display of changing faces stunned everyone.

After a brief silence, an even louder burst of laughter erupted than before.

“Hahaha! I told you no one can escape the ‘truth-scent’ law!”

“General Manager Zhang, why put yourselves through this?”

“Wouldn’t it have been better to just do this earlier? Had to be so stubborn!”

Manager Liu’s shoulders shook as he tried to suppress his laughter.

Lu Chuan, however, showed no reaction, merely nodding faintly:

“Queue up.”

Zhang Jun and You Yueyi no longer cared about shame at this point. Sheepishly, under everyone’s teasing gazes, they silently joined the very end of the queue, their dejected appearance a stark contrast to their earlier aggressive demeanor.