NOVEL WEB Chapter 67
Chapter 67 Lu Qin Trends Online: The Internet Is Not Beyond the Law!
When Lu Qin was called to the police station for questioning, his customers were initially outraged.
A hardworking street vendor, a culinary artist devoted to his craft, being reported simply because his food was too delicious? Where was justice? Where was the law?
But once the truth came out, and Lu Qin walked out of the station unharmed, having only spent two hours there, the mood shifted.
The precinct chief personally apologized with a handshake, and the officers eagerly lined up to buy Lu Qin’s stir-fried noodles. The customers, no longer angry, were now laughing. Lu Qin’s cooking skills were unquestionable. Even the station cafeteria’s chef couldn’t resist.
Among Lu Qin’s loyal fanbase, there were a few talented video editors. They quickly clipped together multi-angled footage of the incident and uploaded it to Douyin (the Chinese TikTok).
The catchy title, humorous content, and surprising twist made the video go viral in no time. Soon, it hit the trending list.
Online, netizens eagerly joined the conversation.
[I remember reading a similar story a year ago—some restaurant’s food was so addictive it got reported, and it turned out they used poppy powder. I thought this was the same, but nope—this time, it’s pure skill!].
[That old man got seriously slapped in the face. Can we get an interview? Does it hurt?].
[The simpler the dish, the harder it is to make it taste amazing. Stir-fried noodles that are addictive? This guy’s a genius!].
[This boss is kinda handsome. Even the best version of me wouldn’t stand a chance.].
[I’ve seen this Lu Qin before—there was a video of kindergarten kids crying because his food smelled so good. I thought it was staged, but wow, he’s the real deal!].
[Jiangcheng is supposed to be a food desert, but I guess there are hidden gems!].
[I’m booking my ticket to Jiangcheng. Gotta try these noodles!].
[Lu Qin, I’m coming. Let’s get married!].
Lu Qin’s QQ group number also leaked online. In an instant, countless netizens flooded the group with requests to join. Lu Qin wasn’t checking his phone—his group admin, Chubby Zhou Weiwei, was responsible for adding people.
After a flurry of invites, the group size doubled from 600 to over 1,200 members. However, the quality of the new members varied widely.
Some immediately caused chaos.
[Advertisers spammed random links.].
[Others tried to promote unrelated groups.].
[A few shared inappropriate content, including explicit images and sketchy URLs like ‘xxx.com’.].
The group quickly descended into chaos. Weiwei tried his best to kick out the troublemakers, but it was overwhelming.
[Jiangcheng’s Peng Yuyan: New members, stop spamming! Behave yourselves!].
[I’ll Die Without Ice Jelly: Where did all these trolls come from? The group’s going to collapse!].
[Switching to Mung Bean Soup: Wow, that picture… so white, so big. drools.].
[Too Handsome to Handle: This is a foodie group, not a place for spam! If you’re not here for noodles, please leave. And remember, we’ve got police officers in the group—watch yourselves!].
[A-San Baby Formula: Baby formula 25% off! First come, first served—link: https://xxx… We’re not causing trouble, just sharing deals.].
[Foreign Live Stream: Sexy croupiers, island models, top-tier pics—download our app now! … Police? Oh, really? Come fight me one-on-one!].
[I’m Crazy: This group is full of idiots. LOL!].
[Lu Qin’s Wife: Admins! HELP! What is going on?].
[Yao Yao’s Stepmom: No manners! Spammers, get out of here!].
[Chengnan Police Station Zhang Hui: The internet is not beyond the law. Cease all illegal activity immediately!].
[XXOO: Oh wow, a police officer? Nice nickname! I can do that too. I’m the Chief of Police!].
Suddenly, a video was shared.
[Xiao Zhang Falls for Stir-Fried Noodles: Video.mp4].
The clip, 45 seconds long, showed the interior of a police office. Six uniformed officers stood with their arms crossed in front of a dark blue wall, prominently displaying a large national emblem and the words ‘Jiangcheng Public Security Bureau, Chengnan Subdivision, Jindu Police Station’.
Every frame screamed authenticity. It was a real police station. The group fell silent.
The spammers panicked, leaving in droves.
[A-San Baby Formula has left the group.].
[XXOO has left the group.].
[Foreign Live Stream has left the group.].
And just like that, order was restored.
A wave of unruly internet users left the group as quickly as they had joined, retreating in a panic. The group’s numbers dropped by several hundred, returning to a manageable 700+.
The remaining members cheered—the chaos was finally over.
“The police are awesome!”
Even Zhou Weiwei, the chubby admin, let out a sigh of relief. He muttered to himself, realizing his mistake—he shouldn’t have blindly accepted everyone’s join requests. He had almost ruined the group.
_____
Meanwhile, Lu Qin rode his three-wheeled food cart back to the old neighborhood. Waiting by his door were Grandpa Ge and a few other neighbors.
“Lu, we heard about you being called to the police station. Even though it was just a misunderstanding, it’s still bad luck. Stand right there—we’ll help you chase away the bad energy!”
Grandpa Ge pulled out a bundle of pomelo leaves and started lightly swatting at Lu Qin.
Aunt Wang brought over a fire basin and said, “Step over this to get rid of the bad vibes.”
Lu Qin chuckled awkwardly.
“Aunt Wang, it’s not like I was in jail. This really isn’t necessary.”
Aunt Wang responded earnestly, “The police station is the same! Step over the fire basin—it burns away bad luck and brings good fortune. Hurry up!”
Another neighbor, Aunt Liu, chimed in, “You should also drink some water mixed with coal ash to cleanse yourself!”
Lu Qin quickly waved his hands.
“Aunt Liu, no need for that, really!”
Despite their superstitions, the neighbors were incredibly kind.
Noticing that some of them had brought their grandchildren along, Lu Qin said, “Aunt Wang, wait here. I’ve got some mung bean smoothies in the fridge. Let me grab a few cups for the kids.”
“Oh no, no! Those are for selling—we can’t take them,” Aunt Wang protested.
Lu Qin smiled.
“You’re always giving fruit to the kids. I need to return the favor somehow.”
With that, he headed inside. Aunt Wang and the others made a token protest but ultimately didn’t refuse.
Lu Qin’s mung bean smoothies were simply irresistible. They’d tried making their own at home but could never replicate his silky, smooth, and perfectly refreshing texture.
Making a top-tier mung bean smoothie was deceptively difficult. No matter how much mung beans one soaked and blended, the results never matched Lu Qin’s.
After handing out the smoothies, Lu Qin returned home for a short rest before preparing lunch. He whipped up some stir-fried bean sprouts with beef and spicy tofu, eating two bowls of rice until he was completely satisfied.
In the morning, he had spent 925 yuan at the market, buying 50 pounds of chicken wings. That afternoon, Lu Qin planned to sell Imperial Chicken Wings.
The quality of ingredients was key. Lu Qin was meticulous when selecting chicken wings, choosing only those with a natural color and clear, healthy texture. This ensured the wings came out tender, juicy, and flavorful.
Later, Mr. Zhao, a supplier, was scheduled to deliver a batch of utensils along with some fresh ingredients. Lu Qin’s suppliers were all familiar faces. They knew his strict standards, so they always saved the best products for him.
As Lu Qin was washing mung beans, his phone buzzed with a video call. It was from Lu Xiyao, his little daughter.
Answering the call, Lu Qin was greeted by her worried little face.
“Daddy~! Did the police take you away?” She asked, her big eyes filled with concern.