Food Stall: Customers Chase Me across the Country

Chapter 428 - 426: Breakfast Snacks—Jidan Guambing (Chinese Egg-Stuffed Pancake)

Chairman Liu listened to his pitiful words and almost burst into laughter. But thinking about the miserable state they were in after days of eating Olympic Village food, he understood their predicament.

Driving them away would also feel cruel; they are the budding flowers of the motherland. Even if they might not serve their country in the future, they are still our own children, right?

"It’s impossible to let you inside; this place is currently not open to outsiders. But I can bring some food out for you. Is there anything you want to eat?"

Gu Zhengchao and the others immediately lit up with excitement.

"Being able to eat hometown delicacies already makes us satisfied; what more could we ask for? Coach Liu, you just choose for us!"

"Exactly, exactly, we’ll eat whatever there is, definitely no picky eaters!"

"Thank you, Coach Liu, we’ll eat anything, don’t worry about us."

Coach Liu counted the numbers and checked their physiques: "Alright, wait here."

It’s certain that there would be extra food in the cafeteria as they can’t serve leftovers to the athletes. Giving some of it to these international students also avoids waste.

When Coach Liu returned, everyone was already slumped in their chairs, having eaten heartily. Luckily, there was no competition on the day of the opening ceremony tomorrow.

"This meal was truly enjoyable."

"Eating big bites of food and meat, that’s what life is about."

"Honestly, the favorite tonight has to be Boss Wang’s beef steamed bun; the juicy explosion in the mouth was incredibly satisfying."

"Indeed, I ate five whole buns, hahahaha. That’s the limit for the buns, not my limit."

"Shameless, I only ate three and was done."

"I only ate two!"

Chang Yixian looked at the bright crystal chandelier above with some disappointment, feeling extremely regretful inside.

Having received the hint from the team leader, he only took one for himself.

These bastards ate too quickly, and when he went to get more, there wasn’t a single one left!

That was a whole 500 large steamed buns, each as big as a fist!

The team leader laughed gleefully, saying: "Regretting now, eh? Told you to take more, but you didn’t listen. Didn’t get enough to eat, did you?"

Female team member Sasha patted her stomach and praised: "These buns made by Brother Wang are truly fantastic. The dry fried Beef River was also deliciously crisp. I’ve never had such tasty buns and Beef River."

The team leader said: "His fame online is probably higher than ours. Even without much pay this time, if we don’t win good results, it would be a disservice to his long trip here."

Liu Hang slapped his chest: "Team leader, rest assured, we are sure to win. Every gold medal must be ours!"

The team leader was very satisfied with his attitude, patted his shoulder: "Good, that’s the spirit. Later, you will carry the flag for national table tennis."

As a veteran after four Olympic Games, the team leader had basically decided to retire after this Olympics.

Over more than a decade, he had transformed from a youthful boy to a mature middle-aged man. His speed had slowed, his reactions were delayed, his stamina decreased, while injuries and age increased.

He really wanted to take a break.

Seeing the atmosphere suddenly turn somber, the team leader quickly consoled: "This is a very normal thing. The flag must be passed to you young people, but for you to match my achievements, there’s still a long way ahead."

This statement was very commanding, yet no one could refute it. They were all competitive, and these words indeed boosted their fighting spirit.

...

The next day.

Today was the day of the opening ceremony.

But the entrance ceremony wouldn’t take place until 7 PM, so during the day, they could continue training.

Wang Fan and the others were already preparing breakfast.

If lunch and dinner consisted mainly of stir-fried dishes, then breakfast was the realm of snacks.

Rice noodles, oil tea, soybean milk, millet porridge, wontons, fried dough sticks, small steamed buns, tea eggs, and various snacks, all offering a wide range of choices for the athletes.

Wang Fan was making egg pancakes.

This Henan snack had long been popular across the country, especially in the athlete circles, with many memorable moments involving egg pancakes.

For instance, there were photos of Chang Yixian holding egg pancakes, following behind the three table tennis musketeers of the national team, which had become an unforgettable memory for a generation.

And now, that small figure had accumulated 42 months as world number one, having long taken over the first singles flag for the national team.

Wang Fan’s egg pancakes were authentically made, with the eggs truly injected between the layers of the pancake, unlike those nowadays just spread on top.

His movements were swift, but he couldn’t keep up with the demand. Soon, a long line formed in front of his stall.

The dough balls were pre-made, and Zhuo Qianqian would push forward and then pull back with the rolling pin, changing direction and repeating to flatten each dough ball into a rectangular pancake.

The frying pan had seven or eight pancakes cooking simultaneously, and Wang Fan occasionally flipped them with a small spatula, quickly making golden bubbles appear on the pancakes.

The early-cooked pancakes started to inflate slowly, resembling balloons being blown up, which was very amusing.

The pancake seam was sealed tightly, and Wang Fan tapped the bulging pancake multiple times with chopsticks, causing it to bounce "duangduang" without showing any signs of breaking.

For simplicity and cost-saving, one might just crack an egg directly into it now, but Wang Fan wouldn’t do that. His eggs were freshly beaten and seasoned with spring onions.

Using chopsticks, he gently poked a small hole in the pancake, injected the seasoned egg mixture through the hole, then flipped the pancake to continue frying.

"What flavor would you like?"

At this point, he could add seasoning and toppings, and Wang Fan directly asked Chang Yixian, who was first in line.

Chang Yixian replied: "Regular sauce, please add ham, thank you."

Wang Fan nodded, dipped the sauce with a brush, spread it evenly on the pancake with egg filling, added lettuce and fried ham, rolled it up, placed it in an oil paper bag, and handed it to Chang Yixian.

After thanking again, Chang Yixian walked out of the line, eagerly bringing the pancake closer to his nose.

Chang Yixian was famously fond of eating.

Even the criticized Olympic Village food, he could enjoy with gusto, and his bond with egg pancakes was genuinely deep. Even during previous interviews, when others asked big-head Liu Hang how one could marry Chang Yixian, Liu Hang answered: "Being able to make egg pancakes."

Back in his seat, he brought the steaming egg pancake close to his mouth, the strong aroma of flour and egg already overwhelming before he even took a bite.

With a gentle bite, the pancake made a "crunch" sound, its crisp texture utterly intoxicating.

The crisp layer was thin, followed by soft flour, then tender egg, and springy ham, with fresh lettuce and rich sauce flavor blending in, every bite making Chang Yixian feel endlessly satisfied.

Chang Yixian’s face showed a profound sense of joy.

To a foodie, tasting delicious food is the happiest thing. Yet, the team leader couldn’t help but silently remark: "Fortunately, our accompanying chef is Brother Ma; if it were this Boss Wang, Yixian’s weight would likely skyrocket to terrifying levels."

Liu Hang nodded in agreement: "His food is so delicious, I can’t resist, let alone Chang Yixian."