Food: Senior year internship, you take over the university cafeteria

"Didn't you say you were going to offer advice to college students on starting a business?"

"Contracting out a school cafeteria window stall? What the hell?"

Nanjing University, President's Office.

Principal Gu Lingyi crossed her black-stockinged legs, leaned forward, and asked with a puzzled expression.

She pushed up her wire-rimmed glasses and scrutinized the senior college student in front of her, who was dressed in an ordinary T-shirt and jeans.

Wang Sheng argued confidently, "Isn't opening a restaurant a form of entrepreneurship? The school cafeteria window is a restaurant that serves the vast number of students!"

"Besides, I got my chef's certificate during my freshman year of college! It's nationally certified!"

He pulled a red certificate out of his backpack and slammed it onto his desk.

"I also want to apply for a university student entrepreneurship fund!"

Gu Lingyi flipped through the certificate, then looked up at Wang Sheng's face, which seemed to say, "I'm very serious." She remembered this guy; he was from the School of Economics, had average grades, and was usually quiet. She never expected him to pull this stunt right before graduation.

"Okay." Gu Lingyi was silent for ten seconds, then suddenly smiled. "You have ideas and you dare to act on them. The school encourages diversified employment and entrepreneurship."

She picked up a pen and signed the contract for the school cafeteria window service directly.

"The startup fund can cover three months' rent. However—" She looked up, her eyes scrutinizing, "I'll be going to eat there myself in a couple of days after opening. If it's bad..."

"Deal!" Wang Sheng took the contract, his hands trembling slightly.

It wasn't fear, it was excitement.

......

Stepping out of the administration building, the September sun was scorching hot.

Wang Sheng looked at the contract stamped with the red seal in his hand and let out a long sigh.

"It's done..."

At this time yesterday, he was still lying in his dormitory bed, too anxious to sleep.

The four people in the dormitory: the eldest son's family owns a chain of supermarkets, and he will go back to be a regional manager after graduation; the second son is a rich second-generation, and his father arranged for him to intern at an investment bank long ago; the youngest son passed the civil service exam and got a job, and his life of ease has started ahead of time.

Wang Sheng submitted thirty resumes and went to eight interviews, all of which ended in failure.

Then at midnight, a sudden "ding" sounded in my head:

[The Happy Food System is being integrated...]

[New player task: Own your own restaurant business (0/1)]

[Time Limit: 24 hours]

[Failure Penalty: One month of continuous diarrhea]

Wang Sheng was stunned.

A system? Do these things really exist these days?

A month of diarrhea was too harsh a punishment. He got up and checked his bank account balance—three digits. Open a restaurant? He couldn't even afford to rent a stall.

Just as dawn was breaking, he suddenly remembered that his counselor had mentioned something last semester: the school encourages entrepreneurship, and several cafeteria windows are currently bidding for openings, and you can also apply for entrepreneurship funds.

Try anything, even if it seems hopeless.

As it turned out, he actually managed to revive her!

......

【Ding! 】

[Host has completed the beginner's quest]

[The Happy Food System is officially activated!]

The mechanical voice sounded precisely the moment Wang Sheng stepped into the canteen's kitchen area.

Suddenly, a semi-transparent blue light screen appeared in front of him, exuding a high-tech feel, but only he could see it.

[New player gift pack has been distributed]

[1. One-click interior design card x1 (valid only for locations linked to the account)]

[2. Random Breakfast Skills Lottery ×1]

Wang Sheng's heart was pounding as he looked around. It was three in the afternoon, the cafeteria staff were on their lunch break, and the kitchen area was deserted.

Following the system's instructions, he walked to the window numbered "07" in the far corner.

This is the smallest window in the cafeteria. It used to sell spicy hot pot and jianbing (Chinese crepes), but it closed down after less than three months. It's in a remote location, less than ten square meters in size, and filled with discarded kitchen utensils covered in a layer of dust.

"Use the renovation card!"

Wang Sheng silently recited it in his heart.

Please confirm that you are using the "One-Click Renovation Card" for "Window 07, First Canteen, Jinling University"

【confirm】

The moment he confirmed it—

There are no light pollution effects or deafening noises.

The dilapidated window in front of me looked like a scene from a movie that had been fast-forwarded.

Dust automatically swirls up and dissipates; mottled walls peel away layer by layer, revealing brand-new light beige tiles underneath; old countertops are reshaped into L-shaped open kitchen bars; dim overhead light bulbs are replaced by recessed warm spotlights; even the ventilation system has been quietly upgraded, and not a trace of cooking fumes can be smelled.

Thirty seconds.

In just thirty seconds.

A dilapidated little window has been transformed into a Japanese-style minimalist open kitchen studio.

Clean, bright, professional.

The kitchenware has been completely upgraded: a three-layer steamer, a smart dough mixer, a refrigerated worktable, a professional spice rack... Wang Sheng even saw a set of knives from a German brand that he had previously admired at the culinary school.

"this……"

He touched the smooth marble countertop; the icy touch was terrifyingly real.

Not a dream.

......

[Shall we conduct a random breakfast skill draw now?]

"smoke!"

Wang Sheng did not hesitate.

A huge golden disc appeared on the light screen, divided into dozens of small squares, each containing icons and text.

[Hangzhou Xiaolongbao] [Cantonese Shrimp Dumplings] [Tianjin Jianbing Guozi] [Wuhan Reganmian] [Xi'an Roujiamo] [Nanjing Duck Blood Vermicelli Soup]...

The turntable spun rapidly.

Wang Sheng held his breath.

The pointer slowly slowed down, passing over Shanghai pan-fried buns, Yangzhou morning tea, and Sichuan wontons in chili oil...

Finally, it stopped on an amber-colored grid.

Congratulations on winning: Four-Star Breakfast Skill - Wuxi Xiaolongbao (Authentic Sweet and Savory Style)

[The indoctrination of skills begins—]

hum!

A massive flow of information flooded into Wang Sheng's mind.

It wasn't a recipe he memorized by rote, but rather muscle memory, feel, experience, and tricks... as if he had already done it a thousand times.

Dough: The golden ratio of high-gluten flour to low-gluten flour, water temperature strictly controlled at 30 degrees Celsius, kneaded until "three smooth" – smooth dough, smooth hands, and smooth bowl. Proofing time, humidity, temperature... every detail is ingrained in instinct.

Filling: Pork shoulder meat, 30% fat and 70% lean, hand-chopped (finely chopped, coarsely minced) to retain its texture. The core flavor is sweet and savory, and its essence lies in—

Add exactly 15 grams of brown sugar per pound of meat.

Traditional soy sauce should be aged for three years to achieve a bright red color without turning black, and a fresh taste without being salty.

The jelly is made solely from pork skin, skimming off the surface oil until it becomes a clear, amber-colored jelly. After refrigeration, it is chopped and mixed into the filling. This is the key to making the soup filling.

The secret: When sealing each xiaolongbao, sprinkle with extremely fine crab roe powder. After steaming, the crab roe melts and seeps into the top of the dough, forming a light "golden crown".

Also, the steaming temperature: steam over high heat for four minutes, then turn off the heat and let it sit for one minute. If it's a second too short, the filling won't be cooked through; if it's a second too long, the skin will collapse.

"call……"

Wang Sheng opened his eyes and found himself standing in front of the workbench without realizing it, his hands naturally making the starting motion of kneading dough.

These hands.

Now it is incredibly skillful.

They can create the most exquisite pastries from Jiangnan.

That night, Wang Sheng barely slept.

My mind is filled with images of xiaolongbao (soup dumplings).

At five o'clock in the morning, he rushed into the vegetable market.

"Pork shoulder, 30% fat and 70% lean, and it has to be fresh!"

"Flour, all-purpose flour, yes, that brand."

"Pig skin? Give me more, I need it for making aspic."

"Brown sugar... Do you have traditional soy sauce? Not the dark kind, but a bright red and clear one."

"Crab roe powder? Tsk, there's no fresh crab roe this season? Crab roe sauce will do, the most expensive one."

After the shopping spree, my savings were noticeably reduced.

But Wang Sheng's eyes lit up.

Back in the work area, I put on an apron, washed my hands, and kneaded the dough.

Pour the flour into a bowl, slowly add warm water, and stir and knead with your fingers. The techniques passed down through generations flow from your fingertips—the pressure must be even, the time must be sufficient, and the proofing must be done properly.

The dough gradually becomes smooth; cover it with a damp cloth and let it rest.

Next, process the minced meat.

Mince the pork, but not too finely; leave some texture. Pour in traditional soy sauce, sprinkle in brown sugar, and gradually add small amounts of scallion and ginger water to the meat, stirring clockwise until it becomes sticky.

Finally, there's the pork skin jelly—the result of simmering for a full two hours, crystal clear like amber, cut into small cubes and mixed with the minced meat.

"The most crucial step..."

Wang Sheng took out a small jar of crab roe sauce, picked out some golden-red powder with the tip of his chopsticks, and sprinkled it evenly on the surface of the mixed filling.

By this time, the dough had risen.

Roll out the dough, fill it with filling, and seal it.

Gently pinch the edge of the dough with your thumb and forefinger, one fold, two folds, three folds... eighteen folds unfold evenly, and finally twist the top gently and sprinkle with very fine crab roe powder.

A small steamed bun was born.

It is shaped like a chrysanthemum, has a mouth like a carp, and a golden luster on its top.

Wang Sheng's movements became faster and faster. At first, he was a little clumsy, but after a dozen or so, his movements were fluid and effortless. He pinched, lifted, turned, and collected the movements in one smooth motion.

A damp pine needle mat is placed in the steamer—this is a traditional practice, as the pine resin can cut through the greasiness and enhance the flavor.

The wrapped xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) are neatly arranged in the steamer, eight dumplings per steamer.

Put the pot on high heat.

Steam rises, filling the air with the aromas of noodles, meat, and crab roe.

Turn off the heat after ten minutes.

Wang Sheng tried a basket of food himself first.

Gently pick it up with chopsticks; the skin is as thin as paper yet doesn't break, and the broth swirls inside. Carefully bite open a small hole, and the scalding hot and sweet broth floods your mouth—salty, sweet, and savory, with distinct layers. The pork skin jelly melts and becomes rich and sticky on your lips, while the aroma of crab roe powder rises subtly at the end.

"Ugh...!"

Wang Sheng's eyes widened.

This taste... is amazing!

It's even better than the "time-honored" restaurants he ate at during his trip to Wuxi!

He finished a basket in three bites, still wanting more, and ate two more baskets before forcing himself to stop.

"If I can't sell this, I'll eat myself."

Confidence is overflowing.

Wang Sheng wiped his mouth, went to the window, and wrote on the blackboard with chalk:

[Today's offering: Soup dumplings]

[Made fresh and steamed]

Price: 12 yuan/cage (8 birds)

[Limited Time Offer: 6:30 AM - 9:00 AM, while supplies last]

After he finished writing, he sat on a small stool and waited.

It was 6:30 in the morning, and the cafeteria had just opened.

A few early-rising students yawned as they walked in, bought a steamed bun, and left.

At seven o'clock, there was still no one paying attention.

Wang Sheng was a little flustered.

"System, do you guarantee the maturity of this inheritance?"

At 7:30, the cafeteria gradually became more crowded.

The stalls selling soy milk and fried dough sticks also became lively.

But window number 07, this brand-new corner, seems to have been under an invisible spell.

Occasionally, students would pass by, glance at the sign on the blackboard that read "Soup Dumplings 12 Yuan/Basket," and walk on without stopping.

"Twelve yuan? That's highway robbery! Those meat buns over there are one yuan and fifty cents each."

"Xiaolongbao? Can the cafeteria make them well? The last time they sold pan-fried buns, the skin was so thick it could kill someone."

"The location is way too out of the way..."

Whispers drifted into Wang Sheng's ears, and his heart sank.

Oh no, is the price too high? The location too bad? Is everyone prejudiced against cafeteria food stalls?

He was getting up to make another batch of xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) for his classmates to try when...

The first wave of guests finally arrived.