Cooking System: Street Food Rules

Many people arrived at Jiang Feng's barbecue stand as early as 3 PM, just to secure their seats. Knowing they had a long wait, they pulled out their mobile phones and teamed up to play games. Some played Honor of Kings; others played Eggy Party, a perfect way to kill time. The group was fervently tapping away at their phones.

"Your Li Bai is in the jungle picking herbs; hurry up and gank!"

"How can I gank if I don't farm jungle items?"

"Just give up on Li Bai and play Sluban instead."

「Twenty minutes later…」

"How can you feed so badly even when you play Sluban?"

"Their Monkey is brutally skillful."

The atmosphere around the dining tables was lively.

Jiang Feng brought over the barbecue grill and prepared his tools. In a little while, he would be able to start grilling.

This scene was quite peculiar: the tables were all full even before the stand opened for business. At first glance, one might think some mobile gaming event was taking place, as everyone was immersed in their games.

After four o'clock, when the charcoal fire was hot enough, Jiang Feng began to process orders, busily grilling meat.

The server from the neighboring diet meal shop had come early to queue, buying twenty assorted grilled meat skewers. She returned to her shop contentedly with a full bag. The server took the barbecue into a back room, where she and the proprietress tasted it together.

The beef skewers were meaty and firm, crispy with a rich, savory aroma—an explosive taste. After a couple of bites, the proprietress's face was full of amazement.

"How are these skewers grilled? Why do they taste so different from other barbecues?"

"Barbecue never tasted this good before."

The server kept eating voraciously, only managing to nod in agreement. This grilled meat was indeed different from any other barbecue. Taking big bites, her mouth filled with the savory taste; the warm, grilled meat was incredibly comforting.

At last, the proprietress understood why Jiang Feng's little stand was always so popular. This flavor was truly unforgettable.

Soon, a line had formed in front of Jiang Feng's stall. Some people had deliberately come early but still found no seats and had to wait. The surroundings were as bustling as ever.

But today seemed somewhat different.

Within the queue, two people were discussing the stock market.

"The market has plummeted so much. This year is scarier than a stock market crash; there's no hope in sight."

"My stock investments have shrunk by thirty percent. I've lost all confidence."

"Thirty percent isn't bad. Some people who used leverage have lost all their capital."

"Sigh, I've heard many people are in the same boat. This year, they're not just trimming leeks—they're pulling them out by the roots!" they sighed.

「Meanwhile, inside an office building.」

A middle-aged man stared blankly at the information on his phone. The market had crashed, stock prices had plummeted, and all the money he had invested was wiped out.

Thinking about the mortgage and his child's expenses, the pressure became so great that he felt he couldn't breathe. He felt utterly hopeless, already entertaining extreme thoughts.

His name was Li Chao, and at this moment, he had lost the courage to live on. When pressure reaches a certain point, staying alive truly requires more courage than dying.

I've failed my wife and child; maybe it's time for release, Li Chao thought over and over.

In such moments, he was trapped, his body's functions at their lowest, making it hard to entertain any positive thoughts. True departure isn't loud and dramatic, but silent and unnoticed. The most up-to-date version is on M(VLEMPY)R.

Just then, a soft "UGH" escaped him as he dry-heaved. He realized he hadn't eaten all day, and the extreme hunger made him nauseous.

One last meal, Li Chao thought. Might as well die on a full stomach.

He went downstairs to eat something, feeling like he was in a daze, wandering between sleep and wakefulness. As if guided by an unseen force, Li Chao found himself joining the back of the queue. It was only 4:30 PM, so the line wasn't too long.

As he followed the queue, his mind was blank and numb, merely pondering a comfortable way to die. Soon, he reached the front.

"Hello, what would you like to order?" Jiang Feng asked with a smile, noticing the man seemed distracted.

Li Chao snapped back to his senses. His demeanor was still polite, showing no sign of any extreme thoughts. He looked at the menu board and said, "I'll have five beef skewers, five lamb skewers, and two grilled buns, please."

"Alright, just a moment." Jiang Feng then asked the people behind him, "Are you taking away or waiting for a seat? If taking away, what would you like?"

The people behind him said they would take their food to go and also ordered some skewers. Jiang Feng calculated everyone's orders, then took the skewers from the iron tray and placed them on the fire to grill.

Li Chao's mind was still foggy. The stock market this year was terrifying. The economy was collapsing like an avalanche, and he was just a snowflake, utterly unable to withstand such a shock.

While Jiang Feng grilled the meat, he noticed that Li Chao seemed a bit out of it. Once the meat was ready, Jiang Feng packed it in a paper bag and handed it to Li Chao.

"Here's your beef and lamb."

"Barbecue is best when it's hot."

"Come again soon," Jiang Feng said to him gently.

"Th... Thank you," Li Chao managed to say. He then took the paper bag and headed back upstairs.

His mood was still heavy. He had lost nearly two hundred thousand. This sum might not be much for others, but for him, it was unbearable.

Li Chao returned to his office. There was no one else there. He planned to finish the barbecue, then go to Moon River in the suburbs and drown himself. He took out his phone, opened his wife's WeChat, and typed a long message. As he poured out his deepest feelings, he couldn't help but clutch his phone and burst into tears. Li Chao didn't have the courage to press send, planning to do it once he reached Moon River.

He wiped away his tears. Seeing the barbecue on the desk, he pulled out a beef skewer from the paper bag, intending to eat his fill before setting off. He couldn't die on an empty stomach.

He bit off a large chunk of beef, pulling it all off the skewer and into his mouth, then chewed voraciously.

His heart had been filled with extreme sorrow, and he had fallen into an "emo" state. After a couple of bites, Li Chao's expression changed slightly. Though his eyes were still tearful, he stopped crying with that mouthful. He chewed the beef, swallowed, and even licked his lips, wanting more, his gaze fixed on the skewer in his hand.

He took another large bite, stripping off all the remaining beef. As he chewed, his mood began to lift. The sadness slowly faded, and positive feelings began to emerge in his mind.

He continued eating while wiping away tears, having planned this as his last feast. But as he ate, the thought of suicide completely vanished.

"This damn stock market, fuck!" Li Chao swore, then began to eat the barbecue even faster. The meat was sprinkled with chili. It wasn't extremely spicy, but the slight burn made Li Chao gasp and take several gulps of water.

The barbecue was surprisingly delicious. Li Chao had planned to slip away quietly, ending his life without a trace. But after eating the barbecue, he hesitated.

What is the meaning of life? he had been wondering.

Now I get it, he thought. The meaning of life is just two words: Pleasure. To enjoy the world's joys. There's so much delicious food, so many fun things to do. Ending my life over a stock market crash? Not worth it. Especially when this barbecue is so damn good.

Li Chao ate faster and faster, eventually finishing off the two grilled buns as well. He leaned back comfortably in his chair, a warm glow spreading through his stomach.

This barbecue stall is really good, he thought to himself. I think I heard people mention it before, but I didn't pay much attention. I'll queue up again later and buy some for my wife. I'll go back, kneel on the washboard, write a letter of guarantee, and swear to never touch the stock market again.

He opened WeChat and deleted the dense paragraphs he had typed into the chat box, leaving only one sentence: "Honey, I'll be back soon. Let's have barbecue tonight. A really good barbecue stall just opened downstairs. I'll bring you some."

Shortly after, his wife replied: "Why are you so enthusiastic all of a sudden today? Okay, I'll wait for you at home."

Seeing his wife's message, Li Chao's nose tingled, and he felt like crying again. That was close! My wife is so good, and I actually thought about escaping through suicide. I'm truly worthless.

Li Chao wiped his tears, tidied up his office, then went back to Jiang Feng's stall to line up again. Jiang Feng was still busy grilling for the crowd of customers. There were many customers, but before long, Li Chao was at the front of the queue again.

"Boss, give me five skewers of lamb, five of beef, five of pineapple beef, and five of grilled chicken gizzards," Li Chao ordered.

Jiang Feng looked at him and said with a smile, "Welcome back! So soon? Wasn't the meat enough earlier?"

Li Chao replied, "It was enough, and really delicious. I'm getting some for my wife to take home."

"Alright, it'll be just a moment."

"Sure."

Jiang Feng didn't know what had happened to Li Chao, but he sensed the man seemed different from before. At least he looked more spirited now.

Everyone has their own story. Perhaps an encounter is a small twist of fate, but it can also have a major impact.