Food Stall: Customers Chase Me across the Country

Chapter 438 - 436: Linhai Wheat Shrimp and Beggar Chicken

After the intense competition, the sudden relaxation makes people feel drowsy, and Qin Haiyang and Fang Zixin are no exception.

However, their slump only lasts until the arrival of food.

Fang Zixin is from Zhejiang Province, and beach shrimp is her hometown snack, while Qin Haiyang is from Donglai Village in Su Province, and beggar chicken is also a hometown delicacy for him.

Both dishes are delivered to them within five minutes of being prepared.

Fang Zixin happily lifts the lid, and the rich, fragrant aroma makes her close her eyes in delight, taking a deep breath.

The full-bodied fragrance fills her nostrils, the unique smell relaxing her nerves, as if she’s back in her hometown, back in her cozy room.

The soup of the shrimp is rich and thick; in the milky white soup base, various ingredients are hidden and visible, full of layers.

Fang Zixin can’t help but lean towards the edge of the bowl and sip the soup.

Delicious!

As soon as the soup enters her mouth, a big "fresh" character appears in her mind; the heavy taste could make anyone’s soul tremble with delight.

No doubt about it, this is authentic hometown food!

Fang Zixin has tasted many versions of beach shrimp, but in her opinion, the dish can lack anything except shredded white radish.

The soft and glutinous texture of stewed shredded radish is one thing, but more importantly, it provides a fresh flavor to the soup that no other ingredients can.

That unique refreshing, delicious yet rich flavor is the soul of this snack!

Boss Wang is indeed a professional.

One sip of the soup is like the invincible silver-armored Zhao Zilong, conquering her appetite, and though Fang Zixin initially isn’t very hungry, she suddenly feels ravenous.

She pops a plump dried shrimp into her mouth, its rich taste unexpectedly more delicious than fresh shrimp.

The dried shrimp, after cooking, has become plump again; compared to fresh shrimp, it absorbs a lot of soup and the essence of side dishes during cooking, making its taste more chewy and luscious.

Then she shovels the real star, the beach shrimp, into her mouth; made from flour and eggs, the beach shrimp has a smooth texture and a rich fragrance absent in real shrimp, perfectly complementing the remaining deliciousness of dried shrimp.

In a foreign land, it’s hard to avoid thoughts of home and family, but after devouring this fragrant beach shrimp soup, she feels warm all over.

Fang Zixin feels her eyelids drooping, and soon she has fallen into a deep sleep.

The baby fat on her face carries a faint smile, showing that she’s having a sweet dream.

As for Qin Haiyang, he’s quite excited, studying the dumpling in front of him with interest.

Coach Yao only knows that this troublesome disciple ordered something, but he doesn’t know what it is.

Seeing the slightly charred dumpling in front of him, he curiously asks, "What is it that you ordered?"

Qin Haiyang chuckles, "You’ll know when I break it open." He then scans the room.

But after looking around, he doesn’t find anything suitable as a tool to break it open; how to crack this shell?

Headbutt attack?

Glancing at Coach Yao’s graying hair, this tempting yet bold idea is quickly dismissed.

"Coach, can you hit it with your fist?"

Coach Yao grumbles, "You think my old arms and legs can break this dumpling?"

Qin Haiyang says, "I have another competition later; what if I get injured? I also dare not hit it."

"What exactly did you order?"

"Beggar chicken."

"You should eat less of this greasy stuff, especially as you age—it’s more likely to cause high blood pressure and cholesterol."

"Isn’t it not that greasy?"

"So how do we open it?"

"Coach, you could try a headbutt."

"Get lost."

The pair scratch their heads, it seems quite tricky to start?

"Oh, right!"

Coach Yao slaps his forehead, quickly rummaging through a black plastic bag and pulls out a rolling pin.

"I was wondering why little Wang put a rolling pin in here, turns out it’s meant for this."

He had been so curious about what was inside the dumpling, he forgot about the rolling pin.

Coach Yao picked up the rolling pin, just ready to strike the dumpling when a voice came from the doorway.

"Hey, Ocean, what are you guys doing here?"

Coach Yao and Qin Haiyang look up to see a black young man walking in.

This young man is Qin Haiyang’s roommate, a sprinter from the White-headed Eagle named Reeves.

The dormitory arrangements in the Paris Olympic Village are somewhat random, not only mixing sports and nationality but sometimes even gender.

Supposedly for enhancing exchange, whether for saving costs and time only heaven knows.

Qin Haiyang doesn’t have an English name, so when introducing himself, he uses the English translation of Haiyang, and Reeves simply calls him Ocean.

"Congratulations on winning the gold medal, you performed superbly."

Reeves congratulates in a shout, curiously craning his neck to look at the dumpling on the table, puzzledly touching his curly hair and asking, "Didn’t I hear that your country sent chefs? What is this thing that looks like a lump?"

Qin Haiyang explains in English, "This was made by the chefs from our country, it’s called beggar chicken."

Not knowing the best translation for beggar chicken, he directly introduces it in Chinese.

Reeves looks even more confused, repeating in clumsy English, "Beggar chicken?"

Qin Haiyang thinks for a moment and explains, "It’s a dish made from chicken, supposedly invented by beggars; oh beggars are similar to homeless people where you are."

Reeves looks utterly shocked: "You’ve just won the championship, and your country lets you eat food that only homeless people eat? If I won, I’d demand to eat the finest Tomahawk steak until I’m stuffed."

Qin Haiyang quickly explains: "Though invented by beggars, this chicken tastes delicious."

Reeves adamantly shakes his head: "Where we are, only the poor eat fried chicken; it would never be on an Olympic champion’s menu—it’s an insult! Even if you kill me, I won’t eat food for beggars."

Qin Haiyang, half-laughing, half-crying, explains: "It’s not an insult, it’s not beggars’ food; I asked the chef to make it for me—it’s a hometown dish, it’s truly delicious."

Reeves still wears a disbelieving expression.

Coach Yao doesn’t speak at this point; nothing compares to showing the real thing directly.

Picking up the rolling pin, he uses some force and smashes the dumpling.

"Bang!"

The dumpling cracks open with a sound, its thick crust like a coconut being split.

"Hmm..."