282: Tempering the Heart

The news content wasn't long, and the accompanying photos were a bit blurry, clearly taken from a Secret photography angle.

But one of the photos clearly captured the side profile of a young man standing behind a food truck.

That tall figure, the outline of his side profile, and the iconic, sturdy, iron-tower-like figure beside him.

Who else could it be but Lu Chuan and He Jingrui?!

The background of the photo was a common antique street scene in Hengdian World Studios, and the words "Lu's Bento" could vaguely be seen on the food truck.

The report mentioned that passersby had photographed famous actors like Film Emperor Chen Mo and National Goddess Lin Ling seemingly buying bentos from the stall and praising their taste, which sparked heated discussion among netizens.

【Yue Yifei: Holy crap! It's really the Little Boss! The Little Boss ran off to Hengdian to sell bentos?!】

【Qi Yuan: Bentos?! And roadside stall bentos?! They made Chen Mo and Lin Ling say they were good?! This... this is very Little Boss!】

【Baba Le Big Streamer: I'm dizzy! We were busy looking for fried rice stalls and snack stalls! Who would have thought the Little Boss would be so down-to-earth this time, directly selling bentos?! And in a film studio like this!】

【Amusement Park Boss Xia Xingyu: It's over, it's completely over now! Today is Friday, the Little Boss must have already packed up! Even if we fly there now, it'll be too late!】

【Xu Ying: Ahhh! Why did we only find out on Friday night! Why! (Frantic expression)】

【Building Materials Tycoon Li Jingang: Alas, so close yet so far. It seems this week's feast is truly gone.】

The atmosphere in the group chat instantly changed from collapse to immense regret and annoyance.

That feeling of knowing the location but perfectly missing out due to a time difference was more agonizing than not knowing at all.

Just as everyone was sighing and preparing to tearfully accept the reality of this week's "empty-handed" fate, Yue Yifei, who had previously helped inquire about Lu Chuan's whereabouts in the Financial Building, stepped forward again.

【Yue Yifei: Everyone, don't rush! Wait for me! My university classmate's cousin works as a production assistant in a crew at Hengdian, I'll immediately ask him to inquire about the specific situation! Maybe there's still a chance!】

This sentence reignited a faint glimmer of hope.

Everyone held their breath, waiting for Yue Yifei's news.

About twenty minutes later, just as everyone's patience was about to run out, Yue Yifei sent more than a dozen exclamation marks, with an incredulous and ecstatic tone, dropping a true "bombshell" in the group chat!

【Yue Yifei: @All Members!!! Earth-shattering news! It's a reversal! Brothers!】

【Yue Yifei: My classmate just replied! His cousin confirmed it! The Little Boss's bentos have become popular in several crews at Hengdian! Not only big stars like Chen Mo and Lin Ling, but even the "The Flames of War Years" Production Crew, "Qingyun Zhi," "Desert Solitary Smoke," and other crews have signed catering contracts with the Little Boss! They are long-term supply contracts!】

【Yue Yifei: What does this mean?! This means the Little Boss will likely be stably supplying bentos in Hengdian from now on! We no longer have to search for him all over the world like headless flies!!!】

The impact of this news was even more intense than when Lu Chuan's whereabouts were first discovered.

The group chat fell into a vacuum-like silence for more than ten seconds, as if everyone had been stunned by this sudden immense surprise.

Immediately, an even more frantic stream of messages instantly flooded the screen!

【Qi Yuan: ! ! ! ! ! ! Is it real or fake?! Long-term supply?!】

【Young Master Liu: Oh my goodness! Doesn't this mean... we can go directly to Hengdian if we want to eat the Little Boss's delicious food in the future?! Or... can we even find a way to pre-order?!】

【Amusement Park Boss Xia Xingyu: Hahahahaha! A blessing in disguise! It's truly a blessing in disguise! The Little Boss is finally going to settle down! (Crying tears of joy)】

【Building Materials Tycoon Li Jingang: Good! Excellent! Is this the rhythm of starting a catering company? The Little Boss is finally going to embark on the path of scaled operations!】

【Worker Meng: Art needs stable soil, and so does cuisine. Congratulations to the Little Boss! (Clapping emoji)】

【Firefighter Leng Hui: Brothers, say no more, next time let's go to Hengdian as a group to visit the set... ah no, to eat!】

【Xu Ying: Wuwuwu, although I didn't get to eat this week, thinking that I might be able to eat it often in the future, I suddenly feel alive again!】

【Luo Li: +10086! I've already started checking high-speed rail tickets to Dongyang City!】

The atmosphere in the group chat instantly soared from hell to heaven, filled with cheers, celebrations, and beautiful aspirations for the future.

Although they regrettably missed out on the Little Boss's delicious food this week, the news of this "long-term supply contract" undoubtedly opened a door for all Regular Customers to consistently enjoy his cuisine.

Meanwhile, far away in Hengdian World Studios, Dongyang City, Lu Chuan, who had just finished a busy week and was preparing to enjoy the weekend, had no idea what kind of emotional roller coaster, from great sorrow to great joy, the Regular Customers in Yinhua City had experienced.

He tallied his gains for the week: the mission was successfully completed, the Heart Fire Tempering talent was waiting to be experienced, cooperation with several crews was initially established, and the blueprint for a future catering company was gradually becoming clear in his mind.

As night fell, the hustle and bustle of Hengdian World Studios gradually subsided, and the outlines of the antique buildings appeared quiet and mysterious in the night.

Returning to his residence in Modu by plane, Lu Chuan didn't feel much fatigue; instead, he felt a sense of fulfillment and anticipation after completing his task.

Stepping into the kitchen, he had a thought and called out to the system.

"System, claim the reward, 'Heart Fire Tempering' talent."

【Ding-dong! Reward being issued~ Congratulations to the Host for successfully obtaining the 'Heart Fire Tempering' talent!】

As the system's lively voice rang out, Lu Chuan felt an indescribable warm current, as if originating from deep within his heart, gently spreading throughout his body, and finally concentrating particularly on his arms and fingertips.

This warmth was not a physical heat, but a more subtle "perception."

He subconsciously looked at the nearby stove that hadn't completely cooled down, and an unprecedented clarity surged into his mind.

Without touching, he could "feel" the approximate range of the residual heat in the pot, and even vaguely "see" how that temperature, like dim embers, was slowly dissipating.

He picked up a clean wok and placed it on the unlit stove.

He concentrated and activated the "Heart Fire Tempering" talent.

In an instant, his perception seemed to connect with this iron pot.

The temperature of the pot itself, and the subtle influence of weak air currents on the pot wall, all became clearly discernible.

He turned on a small flame, and blue flames licked the bottom of the pot.

Under the talent's enhancement, his perception of the heat became extremely keen.

It was no longer broadly divided into "low heat," "medium heat," and "high heat," but he could precisely grasp every bit of heat transferred from the flame to the pot, and even predict the subtle differences in temperature rise in different parts of the pot.

"Is this 'Heart Fire Tempering'?"