"I just put a few slices of meat on the rice and poured some braising liquid over it."
And just like that, it became braised pork rice? Lin Xu hadn’t expected the task to be completed so simply. But on second thought, isn’t that what braised pork rice is all about?
Although the noodle dishes in the shop were selling well, Lin Xu didn’t want the Lin Ji’s Food brand to be limited to noodles. Now that he had the opportunity to serve rice, he didn’t hesitate at all.
A flash of golden light crossed his mind, followed by the system’s notification sound:
"Host has successfully used the Perfect Level Dish Upgrade Card, upgrading Qualified Level braised pork rice to Perfect Level braised pork rice. Congratulations, Host."
Soon, a flood of braised pork rice experience poured into Lin Xu’s mind.
Braised pork rice is a popular fast-food style in many southern regions. Spread the braised meat over rice, place some blanched vegetables on the side, add a Braised Egg, and you’ll have a meal that includes veggies, meat, and a staple. Similar to braised pork rice are dishes like chicken leg rice, duck leg rice, and pig trotter rice, which all pair braised meats with rice.
Lin Xu sighed softly. It looks like I’ll have to prepare two pots of braising liquid from now on. The workload is really piling up. But hey, if you want to earn money, you’ve got to put in the effort.
He blanched some vegetables in boiling water and arranged them in a bowl, then neatly placed the meat slices. After that, he took a photo and posted it under the Lin Ji’s Food discussion topic:
"We’ll be launching a braised pork rice soon. Everyone, please look forward to it!"
As soon as he posted it, a torrent of replies immediately followed.
Lin Ji Fanboy Yue Liyue: The rice genes in my body are instantly revived! Boss, is this bowl for sale? Can I get it now if I go to the store? I’m craving rice so badly!
Panda Brother: This bowl of rice does look tempting. Is it available this afternoon?
Striving to Save for a Hair Transplant: Boss, after you introduce the braised pork rice, can you start offering delivery? I just can’t stand the boxed lunches at noon. I hate the takeout in Xi’erqi!!!!!!
Lin Ji’s Food·Chezai: Welcome everyone to come and dine at Lin Ji’s Food!
Lin Ji’s Food·Tiantian: Welcome everyone to come and dine at Lin Ji’s Food!
Everyone’s responses were enthusiastic.
Lin Xu read them as he began to eat the rice in his bowl. The pork belly, having been braised and soaked in the braising liquid, was thoroughly infused with flavor. With the gentle braising, the meat was juicy throughout. Even the lean parts were tender and succulent, lacking the dry and tough texture of typical lean meat.
As for the rice in the bowl, it was even more incredible. The rice, already perfectly steamed, was now enveloped in the savory braising liquid. The unctuous texture and rich, savory flavor instantly elevated the entire bowl of rice.
"This braised pork rice tastes good. You guys can try it if you want. Chezai, cut up all that braised meat in the pot and blanch some vegetables too. We won’t sell this pot of rice today; we’ll eat it ourselves."
After speaking, he called his mom, "Mom, come to the shop for a meal. I made some braised pork rice for you to try."
Chen Meijuan didn’t come to the shop to help. Instead, she was at her rented apartment making dumplings. She was returning home tomorrow, so she wanted to make some dumplings to freeze in the fridge. That way, if Lin Xu got hungry in the middle of the night, he wouldn’t be without food.
The dumplings had numerous fillings: beef with green onion, pork with shepherd’s purse, dill with egg, Spanish mackerel, three-delicacy, and zucchini with egg, among more than a dozen other flavors. She made a large platter of each flavor. After wrapping them, she would flash-freeze them, then pack them into sealable bags, label the filling type with a marker, and store them in the freezer.
After the call, Lin Xu was just about to continue eating his rice when Yue Liyue suddenly pushed the door open and walked in.
"Boss, is there any rice left? Could you sell me a bowl?"
There was still plenty of rice in the pot. Besides, his mom wouldn’t be able to eat that much either.
Lin Xu said, "Today is just a trial. The taste isn’t quite perfect yet, and there’s very little, so I’m not selling it. I’ll give you a bowl to try, on the house."
When Yue Liyue heard this, he immediately waved his hand. "You work so hard to cook; I can’t just eat it for free! I’ll pay the proper price."
After speaking, he scanned the payment QR code by the door and transferred thirty yuan.
Not long after, Chezai brought him a large bowl of rice, layered with sliced meat on top, and blanched vegetables underneath.
"Wow! This meat tastes super authentic! So delicious! And the boss is still being modest, saying it’s not perfect. Your standards are too high!" Yue Liyue took a bite and immediately couldn’t stop praising Lin Xu’s cooking skills. He eagerly shoveled the rice into his mouth, eating nonstop.
「At the entrance of the store」
A sweet-looking girl, about twenty-four or twenty-five, was on the phone. "Sister Weiwei, I’m at the entrance of Lin Ji’s Food. It just looks like a small diner. Are we sure about taking this promotion?"
If anyone who enjoyed watching live streams happened to pass by, they would instantly recognize the girl on the phone. She was the popular female streamer Wu Kexin, whose fame had recently plummeted due to switching agencies.
Wu Kexin was originally a food streamer. Later, she transitioned to reviewing restaurants. After gaining popularity, she also found success in gaming, unboxing, and sing-and-dance live streams, establishing herself as a rare multi-talented figure among streamers.
Last month, Wu Kexin was poached by the newly established MCN agency Joyful Media. Right after the transfer was complete, her former agency leaked footage of her faking eating during her food streams, causing Wu Kexin’s popularity to nosedive.
After taking a break for a while, the company arranged for Wu Kexin to make a comeback through sponsored live streams. She had thought it would be an upscale jewelry store or a car-related promotion. But when she arrived, it turned out to be an inconspicuous little diner. So, she immediately called her agent, Sister Weiwei.
"If you want to climb back to the top, just follow the company’s arrangement. Rumor has it, President Chen personally arranged this deal. You need to make it count. She’s very likely to drop by the live stream to check in."
After hearing Sister Weiwei’s response, Wu Kexin sighed. My transfer was a huge mistake. In the past, even five-star hotels would approach her for promotions, and she’d still consider it. Yet today, she had to do a promotion for a small diner.
But it was too late for regrets. She couldn’t afford the exorbitant breach-of-contract fee. She had no choice but to follow the company’s orders.
With her assistant’s help, Wu Kexin set up her phone on a selfie stick. Then, she started her live stream.
"Hello everyone, I’m your old friend Wu Kexin. Today, I received a tip from an informant that there’s a restaurant on Beijing’s Yingchun Street whose food is exceptionally aromatic and delicious. Let’s check it out before their peak hours!"
With that, she adjusted the camera to show her fans the Lin Ji’s Food sign.
The live chat immediately exploded with comments:
"Holy—her comeback live stream is at this tiny diner?"
"Exactly! Does this even match Xinxin’s status?"
"Seriously, assigning Xinxin to stream at such a small place? What a foolish company, so unprofessional!"
"This is outright bullying!"
"My heart aches for my Xinxin!"
However, there were also sharp-eyed fans who recognized Lin Ji’s Food:
"Hold up, hold up, hold up! This is actually Boss Lin’s restaurant! This comeback is solid!"
"Indeed. With Boss Lin’s skills, Xinxin’s popularity is definitely going to a new level."
"The company must have someone influential; otherwise, they’d never have been able to book Boss Lin’s restaurant."
Seeing these comments, Wu Kexin cocked her head. What’s the situation? This restaurant... is it really popular?