Chapter 589: Chapter 564: Ciqikou Spicy Duck Blood and Offal Stew

Spicy, numbing, fresh, fragrant, and hot!

The five-character mantra of "Mao Xuewang" is vividly embodied in this duck blood.

Moreover, Grandpa Jiang can clearly taste the base flavor of this duck blood. No matter how rich the spices are, if the ingredient itself lacks flavor, the deliciousness is halved. The key factor is definitely salt.

The working people can’t do without salt; without it, everything tastes bland and unappetizing.

Just this small piece of duck blood has completely won over Grandpa Jiang’s taste buds.

The rough-cut tripe is very springy, the texture of the luncheon meat is delicate, combined with the crisp and refreshing vegetables like bean sprouts, shiitake mushrooms, and wood ear mushrooms, and a few peppers that burst with juice in one bite.

Smack!

Smack, smack, smack!

"So good, this taste is really so good!"

"Hahaha, Brother Jiang, did you enjoy it too? This taste makes me feel like I’m instantly transported back decades, eating a bowl of this after a day’s farm work. That feeling was truly satisfying, like eating Ginseng Fruit."

"Isn’t it? We used to eat offal and scraps, yet it was delicious and flavorful. Nowadays, restaurants make food that lacks taste; things like sea cucumber and duck gizzard are just for show, with no flavor at all."

"Such delicious food and it’s free, with no limit. It’s almost sinful to enjoy this blessing."

"Hahaha, but it’s only a few days of this. This young one heard that he won’t stay in one city for long, usually only stays about a week before moving on. Soon, we won’t have this good fortune anymore."

"Ah?"

Upon hearing this for the first time, the elderly immediately froze. These few days of companionship made them think of Wang Fan as a younger family member, and hearing he might leave, they all showed signs of reluctance.

"In life, there are no banquets that last forever. Just because you’re happy for a few days doesn’t mean you can’t return to harder times."

"Exactly, and New Year’s isn’t celebrated every day, either. Thanks to this youngster, our underground market can be used early, and we can earn even more than before. We mustn’t trouble the young one."

Grandpa Jiang also said, "Let’s not say anything about asking him to stay. If he wants to stay, we welcome it, but if he wants to leave, we shouldn’t shamelessly try to keep him. This is what you call... oh right, it’s called ’moral coercion’!"

"Yes, people have their own lives, and we shouldn’t just keep someone here for our own enjoyment."

Grandpa Jiang glanced at Wang Fan, who was still busy, and sighed inwardly, feeling that the food in the thermos suddenly lost some of its flavor.

Younger people are not as sentimental as the elderly; Shen Bowen, in any case, still found today’s meal equally delightful.

The saying goes that something you like is always tastier, but this saying doesn’t quite apply to Boss Wang. He used to absolutely despise celery, yet today found it incredibly delicious, just as the Northeastern saying goes.

He used to ignore celery altogether, but Boss Wang’s was clearly different.

The bright green celery was particularly fresh, while the vermicelli was a rich, dark red. The combination of fresh and heavy was striking, resembling a refreshing pastoral painting.

The celery was fine, but the vermicelli was irresistibly enticing. Just one look told you it had absorbed a rich amount of sauce.

His guess was right; Wang Fan used lard for this dish, and plenty of it, so each strand of vermicelli was full of richness, making it immensely tastier than meat.

Picking up a bite with chopsticks and placing it in his mouth, every bite brought the crisp burst of celery between the teeth, and the refreshing, slightly bitter juices flowed freely.

The vermicelli was smooth, chewy, and soft, with a rich meaty aroma that was even more tempting than meat itself.

The contrasting textures of vermicelli and celery merged perfectly, even the slight bitterness of the celery turning somewhat sweet.

Adding Boss Wang’s unmatched seasoning skills, the flavors of the ingredients were highlighted while adding a rich layer to the dish.

"Slurp..."

The highest respect for vermicelli is swallowing large mouthfuls into the mouth, slurping vigorously at the edge of the lunchbox before continuing nonstop until every inch of the mouth is filled, then chewing heartily. That satisfaction cannot be described in words.

No one tries to snatch his meal now, because everyone is eating what Boss Wang cooked.

Several colleagues expressed their bliss while eating, the breakroom filled with the sound of hearty eating.

"The best thing about Boss Wang being here is that my mom doesn’t have to worry about what I’ll eat for lunch anymore. I used to have to draw lots to decide what to eat; now, I don’t even have to think about it."

"Absolutely, whatever Boss Wang cooks, we eat. There’s absolutely nothing that wouldn’t taste good."

"I love these lotus root sandwiches the most; the control of cooking time is impeccable. A thin crispy layer outside, then soft batter, then a crunchy bite into the lotus root, and beneath it all, a soft, fragrant meat filling. This texture and flavor, oh my, simply unbeatable."

"I still like this Mao Xuewang; even though it’s made with the simplest ingredients, the flavor is incredibly satisfying. Every ingredient is full of taste, making it perfect with rice."

"Have you heard? The city council seems to have asked Boss Wang to represent for the underground market special line this weekend. I’ll definitely go support this."

"I’m going too, I’m going too. Our city council is truly supportive, inviting Boss Wang. I haven’t heard of him endorsing anywhere else before."

"Even his hometown, Great Border, he hasn’t endorsed—only drew a few crowds."

...

Jing Chuan naturally acted swiftly, not wanting to give Wang Fan time to regret, though he doubted Wang Fan would.

He didn’t publicize excessively; if he had the leisure budget, he wouldn’t have sought out Wang Fan in the first place.

Just placing a few pop-up displays at the more visible parts of the market was the limit of what they could do, possibly adding a sign for the underground market.

Money needs to be spent wisely, not squandering the community’s funds recklessly.

But the big poster with Brother Wang’s cooking picture was impressive; who didn’t know might think he was a celebrity.

Jing Chuan was very pleased to see the sign hung on the underground market. With that, all preparations were in place, just waiting for the farmers and local shoppers fill it up.

Taking out his phone, he dialed Wang Fan, and with a cheerful tone, he said, "Brother Wang, our underground market preparations are complete. Farmers from the nearby towns have been informed. I estimate over 100 farmers will be selling on Saturday."

Hearing this, Wang Fan was delighted too: "Great, I’ll post a message shortly. With so many people, you’ll need to manage the site well."

Jing Chuan laughed heartily, "Don’t worry, Wudu is a large city. We’ve plenty of experience in this regard."

After the call, Wang Fan posted the news on Weibo. With preexisting reports, this confirmation turned rumors into fact.

"As expected of Boss Wang, his tasks are all related to local welfare."

"This is the kind of idol worth following. Just like that video of Brother Gang helping sell kiwis in Guizhou, it was at Boss Wang’s request."

"Zibo too, the two apprentices taught by Boss Wang have become the backbone of Zibo barbecue, and they’ve shared their skills with the local BBQ vendors, making it more popular."

"Also, during his visit to the Great Border, he taught stay-at-home kids and elderly without income how to make spiced beef balls. Now, their business is thriving, and their quality of life has improved significantly."

"When unsuccessful, one should focus on self-reliance; when successful, one should aim to aid the world. I just hope for more influencers like Boss Wang."

"You hope too much. Boss Wang is Boss Wang; an influencer is an influencer. Boss Wang can be called an influencer, but not all influencers are Boss Wang."

"The quickest to falter are influencers, yet only Boss Wang remains so resilient."

Wang Fan felt quite embarrassed reading the rapid influx of comments. He was just doing what he felt he ought to, yet so many remembered him for it.

Regardless of online feedback, he would continue doing what he believed to be right.

Having lived another life, he held one wish—to live as he truly wanted.