If it were Little Yueyue from the Shen family, the owner’s daughter, sending those Carnivals, that would be one thing—after all, I am indeed helping promote Lin Ji’s Food this time. But for a regular customer to pay out of their own pocket to promote the shop? This was what Wu Kexin couldn’t understand.
Not only her, but even the fans in the livestream were baffled.
"Whoa, is this staged?"
"Doesn’t look like it. The shock on Xinxin’s face can’t be faked."
"Yeah, it must be real."
"Just how good does this food have to be for a customer to pay out of their own pocket to help promote it?"
"Bookmarked this place! I’ll try it next time I’m in Beijing."
"Bookmarked +1! Definitely going to try it if I get the chance."
Four Carnivals drifted across the screen.
Quite a few casual viewers were drawn into the livestream.
Wu Kexin’s spirits were also lifted.
"Thanks to Yue Liyue, the Lin Ji enthusiast, for the Carnival donation! Let’s continue the stream."
After expressing her gratitude, she picked up a chicken foot from the table.
"Wow, these Chicken Feet are so plump! They’re much bigger than usual, probably thicker than my fingers. They smell incredible too. Let me try one."
The expression on her face was even more exaggerated than when she had eaten the lotus root slices.
"Oh my god! This is so delicious it’s making my scalp tingle! Words can’t even describe it. It’s just too good! This is the first time I’ve ever eaten Chicken Feet this tasty."
Wu Kexin felt like her brain had short-circuited.
Previously, food-related vocabulary would flow from her endlessly, enough to talk for half an hour without repeating herself.
But now, the sheer deliciousness had shocked her mind into a complete blank.
All those words were utterly forgotten.
After a couple more bites, Wu Kexin felt that chopsticks just weren’t doing it justice. She put them down, grabbed a chicken foot with her hands, and started gnawing.
"Meat , you’ve got to eat it with your hands to really savor the flavor!"
She meticulously nibbled all the meat off the chicken foot, then licked the lingering grease from her fingers before picking up another one.
This sight moved her long-time fans to tears.
"This feels like the first time I watched Xinxin’s livestream."
"Exactly! This is how she was back in the day, exploring restaurants on the street."
"My youth is back! Sending a donation to cheer her on."
"A Carnival for Xinxin! Hope she keeps up the great work."
These messages of encouragement nearly brought Wu Kexin to tears.
She had risen to fame thanks to these loyal fans.
But after becoming famous, she felt them drifting away.
Back then, she had even felt that these old fans didn’t support her. Thinking back now, they had been supporting me all along. It was I who had gradually gotten lost in fame and fortune.
In the livestream, donations kept pouring in one after another. Wu Kexin’s heart swelled with excitement. She was gradually understanding the significance of Mr. Chen arranging this livestream for her. Thank you, Mr. Chen. I’ll continue to stay true to my roots!
Shen Jiayue couldn’t be bothered to keep up the pretense any longer.
Using the excuse of not feeling well, she had returned to her room and was now lying on her bed, continuing to watch the livestream.
On the livestream’s donation leaderboard, familiar names began to appear one after another.
Yue Liyue, Brother Panda, Li Qiang the programmer, and that mysterious white-haired young man, among others, caused the livestream’s popularity to skyrocket.
You better get famous quickly, so no one can stop me from marrying you! Shen Jiayue gazed at the photo she had taken with Lin Xu that morning, a sweet smile gracing her fair, captivating face.
After Lin Xu prepared the Tomato Egg Noodles, he had a waiter take them away.
Then he returned to his seat and continued eating his braised pork rice.
Seeing Yue Liyue watching the livestream, Lin Xu glanced at it casually. He noticed the setting was his own shop and then realized the customer who had just come in was a female streamer.
Curious, he asked, "How much is one of those Carnivals?"
Yue Liyue sent another wave of small gifts. "Three thousand!"
That expensive? "You’re spending too much," Lin Xu said. "She’s just livestreaming; you all don’t need to throw money at it ."
Looking at the donor list, he saw they were all regulars at the shop. The top donor was the all-too-familiar Shen Jiayue. This girl is finding it harder and harder to hide her rich-girl tendencies lately.
"Mr. Lin, no need to be so formal. I just landed a huge coaching gig last night. As long as I play games with a tycoon for two hours every day, I’ll get fifty thousand at the end of the month. A Carnival donation is nothing to me!"
Nearby, Wu Kexin had just finished her Chicken Feet when the waiter brought over the Tomato Egg Noodles she had ordered.
"Wow! Such a rich, fresh aroma!"
She held up the bowl, her face a picture of bliss.
"I’m now a million percent sure that this is a hidden gem супер-worthy of a visit! If I had to list the top ten must-visit restaurants in my life, Lin Ji’s Food would definitely be near the top. Friends visiting Beijing, you have to remember to come here! Remember Yingchun Street, remember Lin Ji’s Food!"
She was, after all, a top-tier streamer. Despite suffering a sharp decline in popularity and a fake-eating scandal, her fundamental skills were still very solid. Once she found her groove, Wu Kexin once again showcased the prowess of a top streamer. The livestream’s popularity soared, and various donations kept flooding in. Before long, she had successfully topped the category rankings and broken into the top twenty on the overall leaderboard.
"Wow, these noodles are just... incredible! I’m not usually a fan of noodles, but these are so smooth and chewy, and the topping is amazing. I just can’t stop eating..."
As she ate the hand-pulled noodles, Wu Kexin not only rediscovered her passion for livestreaming but also recalled childhood memories of her grandmother making hand-pulled noodles for her.
Just as she was getting into her meal, Panda, dressed in a panda costume, pushed open the door.
"Huh, the cashier’s at the entrance now? Six Chicken Feet, two bottles of beer, a large bowl of three-in-one hand-pulled noodles, and a bowl of braised pork rice."
Lin Xu called out from inside, "The braised pork rice is on the house today, no charge."
After Panda paid his bill, he transferred another thirty yuan. "That won’t do! You’re running a business; how can I eat for free?"
He walked in, holding his receipt. Seeing Wu Kexin livestreaming, he smiled and greeted her, "Hey sis, thanks for helping us promote the place! I’m Brother Panda, the second top donor. Swing by whenever you’re free; everything here is delicious."
With that, he went to the table where Lin Xu and Yue Liyue were sitting.
Lin Xu called out to the kitchen assistant, "Is there any braised pork left? Get Brother Panda a bowl of braised pork rice."
When Wu Kexin, who wasn’t far off, heard that the second top donor was having off-menu braised pork rice, she brazenly asked, "Boss, how much is this braised pork rice? Can I try some?"
Lin Xu got up, checked the rice in the pot, and said to the staffer dishing it out, "Give a serving to that streamer too."
Hearing this, Wu Kexin’s face lit up with joy. She looked at the camera and said to her viewers, "Everyone, I’m so incredibly lucky! I actually managed to get a hidden menu item... Just two more bites of noodles, I’ll finish these and then tell you all about it."
She quickly slurped down the remaining noodles in her bowl. Then, she took out another phone, went to the entrance, and paid thirty yuan.
The second top donor already paid. As a minor streamer, how could I possibly have the audacity to ask the owner for a free meal?
After she paid, the braised pork rice was brought over.
Wu Kexin took a bite and, overcome with excitement, slammed her hand on the table. "I admit I faked eating under the arrangements of my previous agency! But today, even if it kills me, I’m going to finish every last grain of this braised pork rice! This flavor is too incredible! How did I only just discover this place? I can’t even forgive myself!"