Cooking System: Street Food Rules
Chapter 99: No Wonder the Trainees Couldn’t Help It

Chapter 99: Chapter 99: No Wonder the Trainees Couldn’t Help It

「Another day had passed.」

At Bucks Gym, Coach Ma Jun noticed something was slightly off today. Several students who had signed up for weight loss began their workouts as soon as they arrived, showing no intention of weighing themselves. In the past, they would obsessively check their weight hundreds of times a day.

"Qin Wen, why aren’t you stepping onto the scale to see how things are going?" he asked, approaching one of his students.

Qin Wen hesitated slightly. Yesterday, she had passed by a barbecue stand and couldn’t resist buying a lamb skewer, just to satisfy a craving. The lamb skewer turned out to be incredibly delicious—fragrant and tender. Eating the succulent barbecued meat invigorated her. So, she went back and bought five more lamb skewers, five beef skewers, and even a grilled steamed bun. She ate two skewers on the way and finished the rest when she got home. It was pure bliss. Afterward, feeling tired, she brushed her teeth, lay down, and fell asleep. The next day, she weighed herself and found she had gained 0.3 pounds. Although not a significant amount, it contradicted the weight loss progress she had made over the past few days.

"Get on and take a look," the coach urged.

"Okay." Qin Wen approached the scale and checked her weight. It was even heavier than yesterday.

"How did your weight increase? What did you eat yesterday?" the coach asked in surprise. After all, the gym had made guarantees, promising clients would lose a certain amount of weight according to the plan.

Feeling a bit embarrassed, Qin Wen explained, "Coach, do you know that very popular stall owner? Online, they call him Executive Chef Jiang. No matter where he sets up his stall, there’s always a long queue."

Ma Jun asked, "You’re not suggesting his stall is set up right under your apartment building, are you?"

"No, that’s not it," Qin Wen replied.

Ma Jun inquired further, "So you went out of your way to find his stall and buy something?"

"No, his barbecue stall is just below this building. Turn left out of the main entrance, and it’s just two steps away."

Ma Jun was speechless for a moment. "You mean to tell me that highly popular stall owner is now right under our building?" A look of surprise crossed his eyes. He had seen Jiang Feng’s videos and even watched Liu Bao’s food review shows. Ma Jun loved to research gourmet food and would occasionally indulge himself.

Hearing Ma Jun’s question, Qin Wen nodded. "Yes, right under our building. I couldn’t resist going down to buy some after my workout last night."

"That barbecue was so delicious!" she exclaimed. "I only planned on eating one skewer, but I couldn’t stop." The more Qin Wen spoke, the more excited she became, her face alight with enthusiasm. As she talked, her mouth started watering. Once you taste food that delicious, you can’t forget it. The meat was large and plump, its aroma exceptionally fragrant. The sensation of devouring meat in big bites was truly one of life’s great pleasures.

Seeing her happy demeanor, Coach Ma Jun could tell the barbecue must be genuinely tasty; otherwise, she wouldn’t be this delighted. However, the gym had a responsibility, especially considering the commitments made beforehand.

"No matter how tasty it is, you can’t eat too much. You’re in your fat-loss phase," he said sternly. "You need to exercise control! Besides, we agreed you’d stick to the gym’s meal plan. How else will you meet your goal?" Ma Jun added.

"Coach, it’s my fault. Besides, the program has already been very effective. I won’t blame the gym if I don’t lose more weight from now on," Qin Wen immediately promised.

Hearing this, Ma Jun sighed. "Eating something like that once in a while is fine, but you absolutely mustn’t overindulge. One meal won’t have a huge impact. The most important thing in weight loss is willpower. Think about it—we’ve persisted through so much discomfort. Surely we can resist the temptation of barbecue?"

Seeing the serious look on Ma Jun’s face, Qin Wen realized she needed to make a concerted effort to persevere. And so, she nodded earnestly and vowed, "Coach, I will strive to overcome it."

Jiang Feng’s barbecue stall was still bustling. All six outdoor tables were full, and many guests occupied the tables inside as well. Such tasty barbecue, paired with a bottle of beer, was truly satisfying; the experience of eating big chunks of meat and drinking heartily was exhilarating. No one knew quite how Jiang Feng did it, but his barbecue just tasted exceptionally good. Even though the seasonings seemed similar to what others used, the flavor was somehow different. It was as if there was a special "flavor enhancer" among the spices.

As more customers arrived, Jiang Feng kept busy at the grill. Later, to increase efficiency, he set up another grill next to the first one, allowing him to focus solely on barbecuing meat on two grills simultaneously. Business was booming. Many regulars also came, having heard the news.

Around eight in the evening, Coach Ma Jun finished work at the gym. As he left the office building, his body, for some reason, involuntarily moved in the direction Qin Wen had indicated, step by step drawing closer to Jiang Feng’s stall. Soon, he saw the lively barbecue stall and noticed customers waiting in line. Ma Jun even spotted several members from his gym. However, since they weren’t his direct trainees, he didn’t say anything.

So many people? Ma Jun thought, somewhat surprised. He had noticed this barbecue stall before when its business wasn’t doing too well, but now it had completely transformed.

Indeed, it’s that stall owner, Ma Jun mused as he recognized Jiang Feng.

So, he also walked over and ordered five beef skewers.

"Okay, just a moment," Jiang Feng replied, currently grilling a batch of beef skewers. Since beef has little moisture, he had to brush it with oil from time to time. The meat transformed under the high heat, its surface fats continuously bubbling. Ma Jun watched the meat on the grill, his attention captivated.

Several other people nearby were chatting with Jiang Feng.

"Boss Jiang, are you barbecuing here this week?" one man asked curiously.

"Yes, I’m here this week," Jiang Feng confirmed.

Another customer chimed in, "Some people say your ancestors were Imperial Chefs, cooking for the emperor. Is that true?"

"Of course not," Jiang Feng replied, amused by how outlandish the question was. Imperial Chef? he thought. Never heard of such a thing.

However, to the surrounding customers, his denial seemed like a deliberate attempt at modesty, and they believed the rumor even more.

Soon, the beef skewers on the grill were ready. The meat was thoroughly cooked and glistening with oil. Jiang Feng sprinkled on the final seasonings and handed them to the customers according to their orders. Ma Jun also received his five beef skewers.

The chunks of beef on the skewers were significantly larger than those offered at regular barbecue stalls. Ordinary stalls wouldn’t dare to grill meat chunks this big, as they risked uneven cooking. But Jiang Feng’s were grilled to perfection. He continuously fanned the charcoal, stoking the fire to maintain the perfect temperature, and brushed oil on the surface of the beef. The beef underwent a metamorphosis in the high heat.

Ma Jun looked at the appearance of the beef and swallowed. He generally didn’t eat barbecue, but today was an exception. On one hand, he wanted to taste Jiang Feng’s skill; on the other, he wanted to see just how delicious it had to be to make even his dieting students lose control.

Ma Jun took a big bite. With just that one bite, he was immersed in the wonderful texture of the beef. The outer skin of the beef was grilled to a crisp, slightly firm. But as his teeth bit down, he could feel the meat’s texture giving way, and delicious juices flowed into his mouth. This sensation was like a massage for his tongue. Each chew brought an increasing sense of comfort to his mouth.

"WOW!" Ma Jun exclaimed, looking at the beef on the skewer, his eyes filled with surprise. This beef... is truly delicious! He hadn’t expected it to taste so good.

People who are particularly obsessed with fitness often seem immune to most food, loving only chicken breasts and protein powder. Someone once joked that if fitness fanatics went to the underworld after death, countless breastless chickens would seek revenge. But most fitness enthusiasts still ate what they enjoyed.

Ma Jun took a couple more bites, enjoying it more and more.

It’s really good; no wonder the students couldn’t resist, he thought. His skill is indisputable.

Ma Jun continued walking, finishing all the skewers. After eating, he still felt unsatisfied.

He glanced back; the crowd at the barbecue stall had grown even larger.

I’ll buy some more when I go to work tomorrow, he resolved. This is enough for today.

He reminded himself, After all, I’m a professional. My willpower has to be stronger than this.

Ma Jun suppressed his craving and walked away decisively.

Back at Jiang Feng’s stall, business kept booming. Hao Fei had volunteered to help. Due to the large customer flow, the profits from drinks and cold dishes were also substantial, and he worked energetically. Just a short while ago, business had been bleak, and he had worried about revenue daily. Only two days had passed, and the small eatery’s business had improved so dramatically. He wasn’t sure if it was because of Jiang Feng’s culinary skills or his popularity. In truth, his popularity stemmed from his excellent skills.

Many of Jiang Feng’s regulars were here. These old customers had complete faith in his abilities and bought his food without hesitation. And Jiang Feng’s grilled meats indeed lived up to their expectations.

The bustling barbecue stall was filled with the vibrant, down-to-earth atmosphere of everyday life. People chatted excitedly. Some took out their phones to take photos and videos. Others reviewed the taste of Jiang Feng’s barbecue. After tasting it, they were all full of praise.

Business was thriving. Jiang Feng quickly completed his daily system tasks, but he still prepared a lot of ingredients. He had no choice; there were too many people. Many had to queue early to get a spot, with waiting numbers reaching into the twenties. The main issue was that Jiang Feng was working alone and couldn’t quite keep up, especially when customers inside wanted to add to their orders.

Jiang Feng entered the "busy" state once again. But it didn’t matter; he was used to it.