Cooking System: Street Food Rules

Bucks Gym, Wild Friday nights.

In the evening, members flocked to the gym's dynamic cycling room. There were over thirty dynamic bicycles set up here. Dynamic cycling is an exercise where you pedal in place on the ground, and it's very effective for fat burning and sweating. The cycling class was also one of the favorite courses among the gym members.

Instructors like Ma Jun, Qin Wen, who was trying to lose weight, and Li Chao, who had almost despaired from stock trading just the day before, were all present in the class. Three instructors were at the very front. The other students eagerly mounted their bikes.

Ma Jun, holding a microphone, shouted loudly, "Everyone, get ready, 3, 2, 1, music!"

Then, the tune of "Luxurious Wife DJ Version" blared from the speakers. Everyone listened to the explosive music and immediately began to pedal their bikes rhythmically.

"The Wumeng Mountains connect with mountains beyond!"

"Moonlight spills over Xiangshui Beach!"

"Is there anyone who can tell me!"

"But the heavens are calling out to you!"

As the music played, everyone moved in rhythm, sweating profusely. The gym was truly a place where youth burned with reckless abandon. Jumping around in fitness dance, sipping weight loss tea, the young always had their own ideas.

Just like that, after about twenty minutes or so, today's cycling class came to an end. In a little while, there was another class. Those who wanted to continue could do so, or they could go outside to practice with other equipment.

A few people chatted idly.

"Let's go for barbecue!"

"What a coincidence, I was just thinking of going!"

"Let's sit at one table then. It's not too crowded at this time, and we should be able to get in line early enough."

"We've had barbecue for two days already, are we eating it again?"

"Yes, we are. If we don't, Boss Jiang is going to move locations, and who knows when we'll be able to eat it again."

"Ah? He's leaving? Then let's go!"

In the past, everyone's idle chatter was about how many pounds they had lost, how big their muscles were getting, which diet meals were effective, and which protein powder was on sale. Now, the topic of conversation was barbecue.

So, after showering, the members headed for Jiang Feng's barbecue stand. They craved both fitness and barbecue.

Jiang Feng was in a great mood today. It was his last day setting up the stand, so he had prepared a lot of ingredients. Moreover, today was different because Hao Fei was also by his side, joining in the grilling action. Jiang Feng kept a close eye on his barbecue grill, reminding him now and then. Hao Fei perfected every detail following Jiang Feng's methods. It was a rare opportunity to learn from a master, and Hao Fei found himself with a stroke of good fortune.

The queue of customers moved quickly. There were now three barbecue grills at work simultaneously. Jiang Feng managed two of them and also kept an eye on the other.

"Don't flip the beef skewers yet, the sound of the dripping oil isn't quite frequent enough, wait a bit longer."

"Okay, now you can flip them."

"Your charcoal fire's temperature is different from mine, so the cooking time will differ too. Don't imitate me; make your own judgments."

Jiang Feng kept giving tips from time to time. Hao Fei was extremely earnest. Whatever Jiang Feng asked him to do, be it fanning the flames or sprinkling salt, he did diligently. This worked well for Jiang Feng, too, as it was as if he was still grilling himself, with Hao Fei assisting. Reader support at M*VLEM*PYR made this translation possible.

The line of customers moved fast. Everyone was enthusiastic. The delicious barbecue left a wonderful impression in many people's hearts. The day's stall ended amidst the lively atmosphere.

In the evening, Jiang Feng and Hao Fei settled the accounts for the day. Hao Fei didn't bother with a detailed count and transferred today's earnings along with 10,000 yuan for the shop rent directly to Jiang Feng.

"What's this for?" Jiang Feng was puzzled.

"Boss Jiang, I've learned a lot following you these days, and you really didn't need to pay this month's rent. Consider it our treat for having you," Hao Fei spoke frankly.

Hearing this, Jiang Feng responded easily, "No, let's stick to what we agreed. I'll take every cent I've earned, and I'll give you everything I promised. You're running a small business, so keep at it. Weren't you operating at a loss last month? It's good for you to recoup some of that. So, let's not have any more talk like that."

Hao Fei didn't know what to say for a moment, his gratitude for Jiang Feng growing even more.

Jiang Feng's daily revenue was indeed high. His business was so good that even with a schedule of working seven days and resting two, his monthly income would be upwards of seventy to eighty thousand yuan. Plus, he earned money from the system, which was the real moneymaker. The rental agreement with Hao Fei was something Jiang Feng had agreed to, and he didn't want to fuss over it too much.

After settling the accounts, Jiang Feng packed up the kitchenware he had brought and prepared to leave.

"Boss Jiang, are you leaving already?"

"Yes, I'm leaving. I'll rest for a couple of days."

"Hope to see you again," Hao Fei and his wife waved goodbye.

"Smooth sailing, goodbye." Jiang Feng waved back at them and then left the barbecue stand.

Watching Jiang Feng's receding figure, Hao Fei was full of respect. Although he was several years older than Jiang Feng, Jiang Feng's skill had completely won him over.

"He is truly remarkable. I feel that in the future, he will go far beyond just running a small stall," Hao Fei remarked thoughtfully.

Hao Fei's wife nodded in deep agreement.

「...」

Jiang Feng returned home and took out the object awarded by the system. The reward this time was a Jade Seal. When the sizable square seal appeared, Jiang Feng held it in his hand and felt truly shocked. The Jade Seal was made entirely of jade, exquisitely crafted, with the words "Granted by Heaven, May You Enjoy Everlasting Prosperity" carved in eight large characters on the bottom, exuding an air of ancient simplicity and dignity. However, after fiddling with it for a while, Jiang Feng placed it on the coffee table.

Little Black, seeing the Jade Seal, thought it was some fun object and hopped onto the coffee table wanting to take a bite. Jiang Feng immediately held him down and then stroked his head.

"You know that's a capital offense? It could cost you your dog life," he joked.

Little Black, realizing the object wasn't for playing, turned his attention back to his toys. Jiang Feng then locked the Jade Seal away in his safe.

Collectible +1.

But Jiang Feng was not satisfied with just collectibles. He slowly started to form a new idea.

Subsequently, Jiang Feng rested for another two days. After two days, the system issued a new task. The reward for this task made Jiang Feng unusually excited.

[Task Initiated: Vend at Moon River for 7 consecutive days, selling 100 boxed meals each day]

[Task Reward: Gourmet Suite Restaurant (Shandong Cuisine)]

[Accept?]

This task was very simple and did not involve any recipes. However, the overall reward was a pleasant surprise for Jiang Feng. This time, the reward wasn't a luxury or collectible item, but an entire gourmet restaurant.

Jiang Feng immediately searched Baidu for information about Gourmet Suite. The restaurant was large, mainly serving Shandong Cuisine, but due to some internal issues, it had been losing money, with fewer and fewer customers visiting. The restaurant spanned two floors, located on a busy commercial street, surrounded by Wanda Plaza and a major local shopping mall, making it one of the most popular spots in the city. The location was prime real estate; if it weren't profitable, selling or leasing the space would be the logical step. Jiang Feng, however, began to consider other possibilities. If he could be rewarded with it, it would be the start of his business venture. Outwardly a street vendor, but secretly the owner of a Shandong Cuisine Restaurant. This identity was indeed enviable.

Full of enthusiasm, Jiang Feng looked forward to this task. Seeing that it was still early, he drove specifically to visit Gourmet Suite.

It was 6:30 PM, a time when the restaurant should have been bustling with business. But when he walked in, he saw only a few tables with customers and several empty ones. Jiang Feng chose a small table and sat down to order, all the while observing the restaurant's atmosphere. He ordered some signature dishes, and they were served promptly. Sampling the food, Jiang Feng found the taste to be quite good—not top-tier, but certainly above average.

Jiang Feng quickly understood the restaurant's problem. Traditional Chinese restaurants were experiencing a "mid-life crisis," unappealing to the younger generation. They were suitable for hosting banquets, but solely relying on banquets couldn't sustain daily business. To run such establishments, one must step out of traditional thinking, upgrade the products, and design high-quality environments and spaces.

Like Gourmet Suite now, its style was traditional, but the space felt heavy. All the dining tables were put together, resembling a banquet setup. If two young people came to eat and saw this scene, they would absolutely turn around and leave. They might think such a place was for hosting banquets, assuming the prices were very high. In fact, traditional restaurants like this might be cheaper than brand-name eateries in shopping malls.

Jiang Feng had his own idea. He wanted to create a bright, open, and artistic space with an elegant yet casual feel. He planned to divide the dining area into smaller, more intimate sections. This would make dining more relaxed and less formal.

This restaurant needs to shift its focus from large banquets to attracting more individual diners if it's to overcome its difficulties. Only by increasing the proportion of walk-in customers can the business thrive in the long run. He had pinpointed the problem precisely.

However, the restaurant wasn't his yet. He was just there for a meal to understand the restaurant's situation. Now, he had a week of vending ahead of him. He was supposed to sell boxed lunches at Moon River. He remembered that Moon River was known in the city as a "fishing paradise." There were particularly many fishing enthusiasts there. Selling 100 boxed lunches daily shouldn't be too difficult.

While Jiang Feng was dining at the restaurant, some people greeted him and asked for photos with him. Jiang Feng responded with a smile. The lobby manager noticed this scene but didn't think much of it. The manager had no idea that Jiang Feng might become the owner of the place in a week.

After the meal, Jiang Feng got up and left. Stepping outside, he looked back at Gourmet Suite.

He would certainly come up with a new name for it in the future. He was determined to make this restaurant his. This place is really nice, and the surrounding environment is quite charming, with an antique, traditional feel. Creating a brand presence won't be easy. But as long as it's in my hands, I have confidence.