I AFK Too Much: Are you ranked 21st on the list upstairs?

My Keyboard Warrior Ethics Won't Allow Me to Stand By: No, I'm not. Just imagining myself in that position makes me feel terrible. Do you guys think the person who's now ranked 21st is already crying their eyes out in the bathroom?

Grave Burying Zhishen: However, that's not the case. The person who ranked 21st wrote another skit that's now 7th, and they're busy counting their money.

My Keyboard Warrior Ethics Won't Allow Me to Stand By: ?????

I AFK Too Much: ?????

Liang Mountain Drought: ?????

While netizens were animatedly discussing this, Panda, who had just spent over fifty thousand yuan, suddenly posted another status update:

"To those who missed the big prize, don't be discouraged. Come to my livestream and buy products at low prices. Customers who place an order at ranks like 6, 66, 166, 266, and any other 'double six' ranks, will receive a full cash rebate gift package. Link: https..."

Taking advantage of the cash giveaway and the fact that Lin Ji's Food was a hot topic, Panda cunningly posted an ad to funnel traffic to his livestream.

Soon, many netizens flooded into the livestream he and Wu Kexin were hosting.

「It was just past four in the morning.」

Lin Xu, who had planned to sleep in, woke up out of habit.

He glanced at the time and dozed for a little longer, but after confirming he couldn't get back to sleep, he reluctantly got up. After washing up, he went downstairs, meandering toward Cao Ji's mutton soup shop at the entrance of Yingchun Street for breakfast.

From afar, he could see a large soup pot outside Cao Ji's mutton soup shop. It was filled with ingredients like sheep bones and mutton, its rich aroma wafting down the entire street.

Next to the large pot were two basins.

One basin contained sliced mutton, while the other was filled with ingredients like sheep's lung, liver, head meat, and blood—collectively known as "sheep offal."

The shop's owner, Mr. Cao, was making mutton soup with a large colander.

He would grab a handful of cooked meat and place it on an electronic scale to check the weight. Then, he'd put it into the colander, dipping it into the bubbling pot for a while. He jostled it up and down, allowing the boiling mutton soup to heat the meat and draw out its fragrance.

Then, he served it in a bowl, poured in a large spoonful of thick, white mutton soup, and sprinkled it with chopped scallions and cilantro. A bowl of mutton soup was ready.

While he was busy, shouts for more soup rang out now and then from inside and outside the shop.

Soup refills were free at the mutton soup shop, and nearly everyone who ate there would drink two or three bowls.

This was especially true for those who spent their days in air-conditioned rooms. They found that having a couple of bowls of hot mutton soup not only made them feel revitalized but also effectively prevented air-conditioning sickness.

On the other side of the shop's entrance stood a griddle for shaobing.

Mr. Cao's wife was busy making crispy pancakes.

After kneading the well-risen dough slightly, she spread some shortening on it. Then, she divided it into individual pieces, rolled them out, sprinkled them with sesame seeds, and baked them on the griddle until done.

The freshly made crispy pancakes had a flaky exterior that crumbled at the touch, while the inside was soft and tender.

Seeing Lin Xu arrive, Mr. Cao greeted him with a smile, "Morning, Boss Lin. What will you have?"

"A large bowl of sheep offal soup and two crispy pancakes."

After ordering, Lin Xu realized there were no seats left outside. He chuckled and said, "Mr. Cao, your business is getting better and better."

"That's all thanks to the customers you brought. Our Yingchun Street is practically becoming Beijing's food street. People come to 'check in' online every day."

Just as he was looking for a seat, Uncle Yu's voice called out from inside, "Boss Lin, over here! I saved a seat just for you."

Lin Xu walked in and saw Uncle Yu in a tank top, a full bowl of mutton soup before him. Judging by the sweat on his brow, he'd likely finished the meat and was now savoring another bowl of broth, making sure he was completely full.

"Come, come, have a seat. It's cooler inside with the air conditioning," Uncle Yu invited enthusiastically.

Lin Xu had just sat down when a waiter brought over a large bowl of sheep offal soup and a small bamboo basket containing freshly baked crispy pancakes.

The rich aroma of the crispy pancakes immediately made his mouth water.

"So, are you completely shut down now?" Uncle Yu asked with a smile.

"Yes, completely shut down. But even though the shop's closed, I can't stay idle. I have to go to Fishing Platform to help my senior. For the next month, I'll be part of the workforce too."

He had thought that once he opened his shop, he would never have to work for anyone else in his life. Who knew that just a month later, he'd find himself transformed into a wage earner? Fate really was unpredictable.

Lin Xu tasted the sheep offal soup. He then picked up the salt cellar on the table, added a pinch of salt to his bowl, stirred it, and tasted it again. The soup's flavor had indeed become much brighter.

This type of mutton soup is typically served unsalted, allowing customers to add salt to their liking.

Besides salt, one could also add pepper powder and mutton fat chili.

Ah, Mr. Cao's mutton fat chili here was truly exceptional.

Every table had a large bowl of congealed mutton fat chili. It looked unremarkable, and one could barely smell anything even when holding the bowl close.

But once a piece was scooped into one's bowl, the congealed chili instantly melted. It transformed into a lustrous red Chili Oil, releasing a rich, spicy aroma intertwined with the unique umami of mutton.

Indeed, the aroma alone was enough to make one crave it, let alone the taste.

Uncle Yu lifted his bowl of mutton soup, blew on it gently, and took a small sip. "Wow, working at Fishing Platform is quite prestigious! But don't forget about us regular customers. Hurry up with the renovation and reopen—we're all waiting to eat!"

"Absolutely," Lin Xu assured him. "Our company's Jing will oversee the renovation progress, so I won't have to worry about that. As soon as it's done, I'll bring in the staff."

Lin Xu stirred his bowl with a soup spoon, dispersing the Chili Oil.

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