Chapter 195: Chapter 195: The Sterilizer Cabinet Arrives, The Handsomest Dad Ever

"Exactly. If he gets a free meal, that’s one less meal for us."

"And he’s wasting Boss Jiang’s time. What if he makes one less steamer of buns because of it?"

"Old Liu, next time you see that damn bastard on the parallel bars in the park, go over and slap him hard in the face. If you do, I’ll go square dancing with you!"

Aunt Wu was annoyed seeing Xia Changzhi looking so smug, so she decided to just go for it.

"Haha, don’t worry. I only need one hand to teach him a lesson!" Old Liu cackled, wind whistling through the gaps in his teeth.

Xia Changzhi basked in the attention, his smugness growing.

"Boss Jiang prepared Di San Xian and congee for my whole family. Ah, it feels so good to be cared for. Not like some people, who just stand in the sun and end up with no buns to buy."

The neighbors in line gritted their teeth.

’Twisting the knife, are we?’

"Get lost! What’s there to show off about? When I get on Xiao Jiang’s good side, I’ll have him refuse to sell you anything."

"Look at your crooked teeth. Aren’t you afraid the delicious smell of Boss Jiang’s food will make them fall out?"

The customers sniped at him, but Xia Changzhi was thick-skinned and didn’t care at all.

He paraded the food around for a few more laps, milking it for all it was worth and thoroughly aggravating the old folks before finally leaving.

’It’s their own fault for targeting me these past few days.’

When he went to the park to play chess, a crowd of people helped his opponent.

When he went to work out on his favorite tree, someone had smeared shit on it.

’Absolutely unhinged!’

6:58.

Jiang Liu helped Tongtong put on her cartoon backpack, then placed two large, steamed ears of corn inside for her to eat during break time.

"Be a good girl at school and listen to Teacher Qingmeng, okay?"

Tongtong’s eyes welled up with tears. She hated the moment she had to part with her dad; it felt so unfair.

"Daddy, WAAAH... can you kiss me again?"

"My big baby, give me a kiss too."

Jiang Liu picked up Tongtong and pulled Jun Qingmeng close, planting a kiss on both of the "catfish spirits’" faces.

They both smelled nice.

"We’re leaving, Jiang Liu."

"Daddy, WAAAH... I’ll miss you."

Tongtong and Jun Qingmeng crouched down and made a heart shape with their hands for Jiang Liu.

Love you forever!

Jiang Liu waved. "Go on now. The three of us will have ice cream tonight."

Ice cream?

Tongtong took a few steps, then pretended to feel unwell.

"Daddy, I feel dizzy and don’t want to go. Can I help out at the shop today? I’m a really fast worker."

Jiang Liu raised his hands, blew on them, and rubbed them together. "Sure you can. But you’ll have to accept your daddy’s treatment first."

He waved at Jun Qingmeng. "Qingmeng, you go on ahead. I’ll ’treat’ Tongtong for an hour and then bring her over."

Tongtong instantly caved. "Daddy, I think my head isn’t dizzy anymore. Teacher Qingmeng, let’s hurry to kindergarten!"

Jun Qingmeng was so amused she covered her mouth with her hand and giggled delicately.

’She loved it when Jiang Liu joked around.’

Tongtong: *Sob sob...*

The little cutie cried silently.

7:30.

The waiting customers were staring holes through the door.

If Jiang Liu’s food wasn’t so delicious, they would have stormed in, pointed at his nose, and demanded he hurry up and cook!

Jiang Liu finally announced he was open for business.

"The shop is now open! Everyone, please maintain order. Anyone intentionally causing trouble will be blacklisted as usual. Also, this morning we are selling sixty sets of the Di San Xian and Seafood Congee combo. Fifty yuan per set."

"Alright, get to it, Boss Jiang!"

"Hurry, hurry! Fuck! Don’t pull me, I’ve been waiting all night! I’m starving!"

"Boss Jiang, I heard you’re selling corn. Is that for lunch?"

Jiang Liu replied, "Yes, but it’s free. It’s a little bonus for everyone."

"That’s great! I’ll get back in line after I finish eating."

"Boss Jiang, just sell it! We’re all willing to pay. We’d rather you charge a bit more than not sell it at all."

Jiang Liu shook his head and didn’t explain further, just smiled without saying a word.

The customers swarmed into the shop.

Like refugees fleeing a famine.

An auntie at the door said:

"One order of yak meat to go, one Di San Xian combo, and a bottle of juice."

"I’ll get one Di San Xian combo to go, fifteen buns, and two bottles of juice!"

"One order of tuna! Boss Jiang, the texture of this fish is incredible. I can’t get enough of it. Now I dream about tuna every night. How’s that for frustrating?"

Jiao Shenghua shouted as he scribbled his order crookedly at the counter.

Jiang Liu chuckled. "You eat three more servings of tuna than anyone else every day. What’s there to be frustrated about?"

"Hahaha!"

"That’s hilarious! I wonder how confused that big oaf is right now."

The whole room burst into laughter.

Jiao Shenghua felt proud and scratched his head.

There were so many customers, but Boss Jiang only replied to a few of them.

’He was honored to be one of the customers favored by Boss Jiang.’

Hmph!

Jiang Liu’s restaurant was as bustling as ever that morning. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

The Di San Xian combo was the first to sell out.

The sound of slurping congee filled the shop. A bite of savory, soft, and tender eggplant, paired with the seafood congee, was pure bliss.

The genuine, sizable chunks of shrimp in the seafood congee, in particular, had customers exclaiming that Boss Jiang was incredibly generous.

Business hours ended.

The customers in the shop all had wet wipes, and before leaving, they even helped Jiang Liu wipe down the tables.

One of the aunties had brought a plastic bag and even replaced the liner in the trash can on her way out.

"Boss Jiang, where are you? You’re giving out corn at noon, right? I’ll come early then. I missed out last time."

"Brother Jiang, when are you going to sell shrimp noodles and golden coin eggs?"

Jiang Liu was in the back kitchen scrubbing the steamers, pretending he hadn’t heard.

’He heard these questions constantly. His ears are getting calluses!’

An auntie poked her head in. "Xiao Jiang, have you thought about opening a branch in our neighborhood? We’re planning to donate money to you. Just say the word, and we’ll raise whatever you need!"

Jiang Liu shook his head and said, "Thank you all for the kind offer, but I don’t have any plans for that right now. I want to focus on running this shop well first."

’He had some ideas, but he definitely couldn’t use the neighbors’ money to open a shop.’

’Life wasn’t easy for them, either.’

"Alright, but if you ever need anything, just let us know. We’ll all help you."

The auntie left, disappointed.

’If only Boss Jiang would open another branch on Yangzhai Street.’

A little after nine.

Jiang Liu was breaking corn cobs, snapping the thirty-centimeter-long cobs in half and arranging them in the steamer. He had prepared sixty ears of corn today, enough to give out to one hundred and twenty customers.

Just then, a delivery guy in a red uniform got out of a van parked outside.

"Hello, is the ’Most, Most, Most Handsome Dad’ here? You have a delivery."

"Coming!"

Jiang Liu walked out from the back kitchen, delighted. His new sterilizer cabinet must have arrived.

"Most, Most, Most Handsome Dad" was the recipient name Tongtong had chosen for him.

The delivery guy gave Jiang Liu a strange look, but after confirming his identity, he opened the back of the van.

Jiang Liu went to help, and the delivery guy thanked him gratefully.

Together, they lifted a sterilizer cabinet as tall as a man and carried it into the shop.

"Thanks for your hard work. Have some juice."

"No, no, it’s all part of the job."

The delivery guy had a bright smile.

They really appreciated considerate recipients like him.

"Just take it. It’s hot out, and it’s chilled."

"Alright then."

The delivery guy took the juice and had a sip.

An unbeatable taste.

His face instantly registered his shock.

The chilled, sweet-and-sour juice rolled over his tongue, making his taste buds tremble with pleasure.

’This is amazing!’

"How is your juice so delicious?!"

The delivery guy exclaimed, staring blankly at the juice in his hand.

"Good, right?"