Zhang Li yelped, "Just a sec!" and immediately jumped up and ran into the kitchen.

"We have a customer! We have a customer!"

Her sharp, excited cry traveled from the kitchen, through the dining hall, and into the live stream.

"Damn, this place is giving me shady-joint vibes. They look like they’re gonna fleece every single customer! They’re so excited about one person showing up. Have they literally had no customers until now?"

"Not necessarily. Maybe this is just their theme. Aren’t there restaurants now where you eat on a train?"

"Whatever their ’theme’ is, you can’t just ignore the customer, right? They walked right in and no one even showed them to a seat. I’m speechless!"

"Let’s wait and see. This place is definitely unique. It feels like going for an employee meal after work, haha!"

As Zhang Li burst into the kitchen, Su Chen had just finished the first pot of stir-fried chicken.

After he poured the excess sauce around the rim of the bowls, Aunt Fang carried the two bowls out on a tray.

"Go on, sit. Why aren’t you sitting?"

The vlogger and his companion stared dumbfoundedly at Aunt Fang. "Where are we supposed to sit?"

Aunt Fang placed the bowls from her hands onto the round table. "There’s all this space. Sit wherever you want."

The vlogger speechlessly sat down at the round table. After Aunt Fang had returned to the kitchen, he whispered into the hidden microphone on his collar, "Folks! Zero stars, zero stars! The staff at this place all seem so cocky! There are only two tables in total—a big round one and a small square one. I’m honestly speechless!"

After he said that, the vlogger’s companion finally aimed the camera at the two bowls of stir-fried chicken on the table.

"Let’s inspect it first!"

The vlogger separated the meat and potatoes in the bowl. "Each bowl only has one chicken wing and one drumstick. This portion is half a chicken! And they’re charging 88 yuan for it—a bit pricey! Next, your Uncle is going to see how it tastes!"

At that moment, Bai Xiaobo had also returned downstairs. "This is my company. We’ve transitioned to doing Delicious Bespoke now. My treat today, so eat as much as you want!"

The girl beside him, dressed in a white sweatshirt and jeans, exuded a youthful air. "Delicious Bespoke? That’s pretty creative."

Just as the two were about to step through the main entrance, a man stopped Bai Xiaobo.

"Buddy, did I just hear you say this is where you work?"

"Yeah." Bai Xiaobo sized up the man before him. He didn’t recognize him, but there was a camera mounted on his chubby head. Although Bai Xiaobo didn’t know what it was for, he still straightened his clothes.

"Is Delicious here?" the man asked.

"Yes, our company is the Meiweilai Catering Company. We specialize in Delicious Bespoke. All you need to do is tell us your..."

"Thanks!"

Before Xiaobai could finish, the man, with the camera on his head, walked into the building.

"What’s that guy doing?" his goddess, Zhang Qing, asked curiously.

Bai Xiaobo shook his head like a rattle-drum. "No idea!"

The two of them entered the company together and took a different elevator than the man up to the 19th floor.

「In the elevator.」

Liu Ahbao used his phone to adjust the angle and shooting parameters of the camera on his head.

"OK! Hehe! My first video ever has to be perfect! I have to get some results to show my master! It’ll make my long trip all the way from E Province worthwhile."

As a true-blue E Province chef, Liu Ahbao had always felt that traditional chefs were on the decline.

Where could you find any proper, old-school restaurants on the streets anymore? It was all hot pot and barbecue.

For a traditional chef like him, if he wanted to make a name for himself, short videos were definitely a fast and effective path!

Not only could he make a name for himself, but he could also promote the development of Hubei Cuisine. Killing two birds with one stone!

Last week, after Liu Ahbao’s incessant pleading, Lu Yongliang finally agreed to his request to enter the short-video industry.

He even specifically recommended a "hidden gem" of a restaurant. This is what Lu Yongliang had said at the time.

"This restaurant is in Jingzhou. The boss is an expert in making Hubei Cuisine, and his skill is no less than mine."

"If you can go and learn even a fraction of that boss’s skills—forget about just making short videos—when you come back to E Province, I can personally invite a few seniors and set up a dedicated cooking channel for you, something like ’Old Rice Bone’."

"I only have one condition. After you go to Jingzhou, no matter what happens, you must not offend this Boss Su, nor can you be disrespectful to him. You have to understand, Boss Su is someone I’m preparing to include in the new volume of the Hubei Cuisine cookbook. Got it?"

With Lu Yongliang’s approval, Liu Ahbao rushed to Jingzhou without a moment’s delay.

He had bought all this camera equipment long ago, and now it was finally time to put it to use!

The moment he walked into the building, Liu Ahbao started recording.

He didn’t know anything about post-production voiceovers yet, so he just muttered to himself as he walked, treating it as the narration.

"They say this boss’s restaurant specializes in Delicious Bespoke!"

"The number of customers they serve each day is very limited. Your boy Ah Bao traveled across half of Xia Country just to get here."

"Whoa! As expected of a boss with personality, the restaurant is located right inside a company. So mysterious!"

With the camera on his head, Liu Ahbao pushed open the door and entered the dining hall.

He happened to see two people sitting at the round table, not eating, looking furtive. They were holding up a piece of chicken and muttering something, but they immediately clammed up when they saw him arrive.

Ignoring the pair, Ah Bao continued walking inside. "As you can see, two people who have already been conquered by the boss’s food have taken their seats. Let’s hurry over and take a look!"

"Boss, Boss~~"

Liu Ahbao deliberately shouted loudly. He didn’t manage to summon the boss, but he did bring out He Shuting.

"What is it?"

When He Shuting saw the camera on Liu Ahbao’s head, her expression changed.

’Oh no!’

’Why is a food vlogger here?’

The news Li Mingtao had shared with her a few days ago immediately flashed into her mind. Without another word, He Shuting turned and ran back to the kitchen.

"Boss, we’re in trouble!"

Su Chen’s second serving of stir-fried chicken was ready. This one was for Bai Xiaobo and his guest.

"What’s wrong?"

"There’s someone outside with a camera growing out of his head!"

"So what?" Su Chen poured the sauce from the wok into the bowls. Two orders of stir-fried chicken, done.

"I suspect he was sent by the rival company to cause trouble for us. Didn’t Director Li mention it a few days ago?" He Shuting said, sounding utterly convinced.

The others thought about it and realized it might actually be true.

’What a vicious move!’

’Sending a vlogger over directly, trying to smear our Delicious on the internet?’

"I’ll go kick him out! We don’t serve people like that!" Liu Shengnan stepped forward, her dominant, "big sister" aura on full display.

Su Chen waved his hand. "No need."

Everyone’s gazes fell on him.

"Didn’t I say it before? We’ll deal with whatever comes our way. Bai Xiaobo should be back soon, right? Let him and the girl have one of these orders. See if the new customer wants the other one." Su Chen seemed completely unconcerned. He honestly couldn’t think of anything negative about Delicious to be exposed.

"Shuting, go tell the customer that if he wants to order now, stir-fried chicken is the only option. If he wants something else, he’ll have to make a reservation."

Su Chen’s thinking was simple. ’My place doesn’t get walk-in customers anyway. The people who eat here now are all regulars who genuinely appreciate the food at Delicious.’

’You want to use the internet to smear me?’

’Go ahead and try.’

’Could things possibly get any worse than they are now?’

’I used to play the internet game myself. I’m not scared!’

He Shuting hesitated for a moment. "Alright then..."

Then she turned and walked toward the dining hall.

The others in the kitchen immediately pressed themselves against the door, activating stealth-peeking mode!