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

Chapter 33 is worth it! [4000 words] [Requesting recommendation votes and monthly tickets to follow the story]

The next day, at 5:50 a.m.

The sky was just beginning to lighten with the blue of crab shells, and the entire campus was still immersed in its final dream.

The backyard of window number 07 in the first canteen was already brightly lit.

The steamers were piled high, white steam billowing up and blurring the glass windows. The dough sizzled rhythmically on the cutting board, while the oil pan sizzled softly in the corner. The aromas of noodles, meat, and rich beans—countless fragrances intertwined and collided in the humid air, weaving an invisible yet incredibly enticing net.

Wang Sheng, wearing a clean apron with his sleeves rolled up, was precisely placing the last tray of xiaolongbao into the steamer.

Beside him, Zhao Gang kneaded the risen dough vigorously, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. Lin Xiaowen, on the other hand, deftly packed various side dishes, her fingers flying across the table.

Everything was busy, yet orderly.

Front yard, outside the window.

A long line had quietly formed. The queue snaked through the cafeteria hall and stretched all the way to the cool morning light outside.

The students, bundled up in coats of varying thicknesses, were sleepy-eyed and yawning constantly, but their eyes shone with an astonishing light when they looked toward window number 07. It was a light born from a mixture of hunger and anticipation.

The third person at the very front of the line.

A figure holding a mobile phone stabilizer and a mirrorless camera hanging around his neck stands out.

Suzhou and Hangzhou.

He not only came, but he acted as if facing a formidable enemy. He waited for nearly an hour in advance, and even—started a live stream.

The live stream title was full of tension:

A comprehensive review! Is Shengji University Cafeteria's breakfast truly exceptional?

It was before six in the morning, usually a desert of traffic. But after the wild spread of the "Jianbing Guozi disaster" incident last night, coupled with Su Hang's advance notice, the live stream room was now filled with thousands of people, and the number was still "soaring" upwards.

The live chat was already buzzing with excitement: "Hang Ge is really working hard! So early!"

"Selling sunflower seeds and cola in the front row, waiting for Hang Ge's second major mishap!"

"Steamed dumplings! Rice noodles! Tofu pudding! My electronic pickled vegetables are counting on you!"

"That jianbing guozi I ate last night made my mouth water even in my dreams —"

"Can you guys at Jin University sleep? I'm so hungry I can't sleep!"

"Brother Hang, where's my sister? Didn't she come to supervise the battle? [doge emoji for protection]"

Su Hang adjusted the camera, scanning the long queue that concealed a restless energy beneath the silence, finally fixing its view on the still-unopened queue.

Window number 7. He lowered his voice and said to the live stream, "Brothers, you can all see this. What time is it? The line is already stretched all the way to the door. Is it a scam, or is there some real magic? Let's test the waters with our tongues."

His gaze swept across the window, catching a glimpse of Wang Sheng's indistinct figure inside, and his feelings were complicated.

The taste of that Jianbing Guozi from last night is powerfully imprinted on my taste buds. But—breakfast is another battlefield! A wide variety of options are available, and only those who excel at everything truly master the art!

He, a man from Suzhou and Hangzhou, would never be bought off by a late-night snack!

It's exactly 6:30.

"Splash!"

The glass door of window number 07 opened precisely on time.

Warm light mixed with an even richer fragrance wafted towards us.

"Welcome!" Lin Xiaowen's energetic voice was like a pebble thrown into a still lake.

The column began to move forward.

Su Hang was third in line, and it was his turn in the blink of an eye. He steadily pointed his phone camera at the window—a handwritten menu on a small blackboard above, with various kinds of food steaming in the background.

"Good morning, boss," Su Hang greeted quickly. "One basket of xiaolongbao, one serving of mixed rice noodles with double the amount of minced meat, one bowl of savory tofu pudding, one youtiao (fried dough stick), and one youtiao wrapped in mochi—one with sesame candy and one with minced meat, please!"

Ordering is like reciting the names of dishes, and the portions are enough to feed two or three strong men. This is clearly an attempt to "cover all bases."

"it is good."

Wang Sheng, behind the window, simply nodded calmly, but his hands moved so fast they left afterimages.

"laugh"

The largest steamer basket was opened. The pent-up steam burst forth like white clouds, exploding with a roar! An intensely hot aroma, carrying the fresh scent of meat and the sweet fragrance of crab roe, instantly swept across an area of ​​several meters!

Inside the steamer, eight xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) are crystal clear, with soup sloshing beneath their thin skins, and the golden crowns on top gleaming in the steam.

The rice noodles spin rapidly in a specially made large bowl, with dark brown lard, deep red chili sauce, bright green scallions, golden crushed peanuts, and brown minced meat—as if directed by an invisible hand—evenly coating each strand of translucent white rice noodle.

The tofu pudding is white and tender like solidified cream, trembling slightly when you take a spoonful. It's topped with thick braised sauce, a few drops of oil, and a few sprigs of cilantro.

The fried dough sticks, freshly scooped from the boiling oil, are golden brown and plump, emitting the purest, most delightful aroma of caramelized fat.

Two fried dough sticks are quickly spread out, spread with special sauce, wrapped with plump mochi filled with sesame sugar powder or golden pork floss, folded in half, and pressed firmly.

All the food was quickly stacked onto heavy trays. The aromas were no longer singular, but mixed and rising, becoming a wild and generous whirlwind that pierced into people's nostrils and lured them into their stomachs.

"Plop—"

Su Hang clearly heard himself swallow. He even saw the live stream chat go blank for a moment.

Then-

"Holy crap! This visual impact is incredible!"

"The soup inside the xiaolongbao! Look! It's sloshing around! It's sloshing around!"

"The glossy sheen of the rice noodles is amazing!"

"The tofu pudding is so tender! The fried dough sticks are so crispy!"

"Mochi! It's stretchy mochi! I'm dead!"

"Hang-ge, don't just stand there! Eat up! I want to see your reaction!"

Su Hang forced himself to calm down, scanned the code to pay (close-up shot emphasizes again), and picked up the heavy, fragrant tray, feeling as if he were carrying a treasure.

He sat down by the window, adjusted the tripod, and made sure the camera could perfectly capture the food and his face.

"Brothers," he took a deep breath, the aroma almost making him lose his composure, "the tough battle begins. Let's tackle the hardest one first: the xiaolongbao!"

He carefully picked up one with his chopsticks. The thin skin drooped slightly at the tips of the chopsticks, revealing the juicy broth and meat filling inside, the golden crown on top tempting him. Remembering Wang Sheng's previous warning, he gently bit a small opening at the top.

Get closer, inhale—

boom!

The broth, piping hot, rich, and indescribably complex, bursts into your mouth like a delicious torrent!

The rich flavor of black pork, the savory aroma of aged soy sauce, the caramel sweetness of traditional brown sugar, the deep salty and umami of dried shrimp and scallops—and the finishing touch, the rich and succulent crab roe that appears and disappears!

All the flavors are perfectly blended by the collagen in the broth, exploding, flowing, and lingering on the tongue, so fresh that it makes your scalp tingle!

"hiss--!"

Su Hang suddenly looked up, her eyes widening. It wasn't hot, it was fresh!

He disregarded his image, took another deep breath, and then stuffed the remaining half of the xiaolongbao into his mouth.

The thin yet resilient skin, the chewy and juicy meat filling with distinct grains, and the remaining broth create a perfect symphony in your mouth.

One was finished.

Suzhou and Hangzhou fell silent.

He lowered his head, looking at the seven remaining buns in the steamer, as if savoring the memory, or perhaps questioning the meaning of life.

The chat was in an uproar: "??? It failed to fire again?"

"Brother Hang, say something! Don't scare me!"

"Looks like it's so delicious it's caused my brain to shut down —"

"These xiaolongbao—my mouth is watering just looking at them on the screen!"

A few seconds later, Su Hang slowly raised his head and looked at the camera. His eyes were a little glazed over, and his expression was more serious than ever before, even showing a hint of shock.

"Brothers—"

"I'm from Suzhou and Hangzhou, and I've been exploring restaurants for three years. I claim to have eaten countless soup dumplings from both sides of the Yangtze River."

"But this bite—"

He paused, as if struggling to find the right words: "The layers of umami in this broth, the texture and seasoning of the meat filling—let me put it this way, I think all I've ever eaten before are steamed buns."

"This xiaolongbao shop has suddenly jumped to the top of my personal list."

Live stream chat: "!!!"

"A sudden drop to the top of the rankings?! Hang, are you serious?!"

"The sharp-tongued judge gave it the highest rating?!"

"How delicious must this be?!"

"Screenshot taken! A historic moment!"

Su Hang offered no further explanation. Words seemed inadequate at that moment. He immediately turned to the bowl of glistening red rice noodles.

Stir vigorously until every strand of rice noodle is coated with the enticing dark brown sauce. Pick up a generous portion with your chopsticks and stuff it into your mouth—

Crunch, slurp, chewing —

The aroma of lard, the freshness of chili sauce, the crunch of dried radish, the peanut brittle, the rich flavor of minced meat, the smoothness of rice noodles—salty, savory, and fragrant.

Spicy, crispy, smooth – countless textures and flavors dance wildly in your mouth!

"That's awesome!" Su Hang didn't stay silent this time, exclaiming between chews, "The soul of this mixed rice noodle dish is the lard and chili! It's incredibly fragrant! Three yuan? Is the owner doing charity?!"

Next came tofu pudding with fried dough sticks. The smooth tofu pudding barely needed chewing, flowing down the throat effortlessly, the braising sauce perfectly seasoned. A piece of the crispy, crumbly fried dough stick was broken off and soaked in the sauce, absorbing its flavorful juices.

"The ultimate traditional breakfast," Su Hang exclaimed with satisfaction, "So comforting!"

Finally, there's the fried dough stick wrapped around a mochi. First, try the sesame and sugar powdered one—the crispy, oily outer layer encasing the soft, chewy, and stretchy filling.

The filling is sweet but not cloying, a classic combination that's warm and comforting. Then, the pork floss filling creates a wonderful contrast between the savory pork floss crumbs and the slightly sweet mochi, becoming more and more fragrant with each chew – you simply can't stop eating it.

"The creativity is off the charts! The pork floss flavor is even more addictive than the sweet one!" Su Hang exclaimed in admiration.

Breakfast was devoured in a flash. The initial air of "testing" him had long since vanished. He ate until sweat beaded on his forehead, sauce smeared on his lips, his eyes filled only with pure love and satisfaction for the food. His occasional glances at Wang Sheng through the window were now filled with admiration.

This isn't about exposing counterfeits.

This was clearly a one-sided crushing and submission on the taste buds!

The number of viewers in the live stream skyrocketed, surpassing 8,000! The chat was flooded with comments, and gift effects started appearing one after another: "This makes me hungry! I'm ordering takeout!"

"Hang Ge has completely fallen for him! His facial expressions have completely lost control!"

"Shengji! I've got it! Next time I go to Nanjing, it'll be my first stop!"

"I'm so envious of the food college students eat!"

"Brother Hang, what happened to your sharp tongue? [Funny]"

"A sharp tongue? Faced with absolute deliciousness, even the sharpest tongue has surrendered to Buddhism!"

Just as the atmosphere was at its most enthusiastic, and Su Hang was reluctantly taking her last bite of mochi, a [TikTok full-screen effect: Carnival x1!] appeared.

The dazzling gift effects instantly filled the entire live stream screen!

A "carnival" worth 3000 RMB!

Gift giver ID: [Old Su's Home-Style Dishes]

Su Hang was momentarily stunned by the special effects, and even more confused after seeing the ID. This name—it looked familiar? But he couldn't immediately recall which low-key, super-rich fan it belonged to. He quickly swallowed his food and composed himself: "Thank you so much to the owner of 'Old Su's Home-Style Cuisine' for the carnival! The owner is incredibly generous! Thank you for your support!"

Su Weiwei, who was sitting at the next table and eating her mixed rice noodles and sweet taro cakes, suddenly looked up when she heard her brother's thank-you message. Her eyes widened instantly!

Old Su's home-style cooking?!

Isn't this Dad's Douyin account that he never updates and only family members follow?! The profile picture is even the restaurant's sign!

Dad—is he watching my brother's live stream?

She even gifted her brother a Carnival gift?!

Three thousand yuan?!

Wow! Dad's being unfair!!!

Su Weiwei was instantly consumed by jealousy. Forgetting about being in the live stream, she pulled out her phone, opened WeChat, found the chat box with the contact named "Father Emperor," and her fingers flew across the keyboard.

[Su Weiwei: Dad!!!]

[Su Weiwei: You actually gifted me a Carnival gift! And it was while I was watching his mukbang!]

[Su Weiwei: Last time I begged you for a month to get a new lens, and you kept saying "I'll think about it some more!"]

[Su Weiwei: I don't care! I want it too! A red envelope! Now! Immediately! Right now!]

[Su Weiwei: Otherwise, I'll tell Mom you're hiding money! (Although I haven't found any evidence yet, I can frame you!)]

at home.

Su Mingyuan was engrossed in watching his son's live stream on his phone. His son was enjoying his meal, and the stream was attracting a large audience, which pleased him greatly. In his excitement, he ordered the most expensive gift. However, upon seeing his daughter's barrage of accusations, his face flushed, and he coughed twice guiltily.

[Father: Ahem—Weiwei, stop fooling around. Dad is just supporting your brother's career—and incidentally checking out that Master Wang's skills—]

[Father: (Transfer: ¥2000)]

[Father: Spend wisely! Buy a camera lens! Don't use it recklessly! And don't tell your mother!]

Su Weiwei received the payment instantly, sent a cartoon emoticon of "kneeling in gratitude to Father Emperor.gif", and her face instantly brightened.

She turned to look at her brother, who was oblivious and still thanking everyone for their gifts during the live stream, and secretly made a face at him.

Hmph, Dad's got guts!

After enjoying the delicious food, I unexpectedly received a red envelope.

Perfect morning!

The live stream of Su Hang's breakfast lasted for nearly an hour in an almost carnival-like atmosphere. He devoured all the food in front of him and gave it unreserved praise.

Finally, he faced the camera, wiped his mouth, and said with an unusual seriousness and sincerity, "Brothers, the full test is over. Final conclusion—"

"Shengji Restaurant, Window 07, First Canteen of Jinling University," run by Wang Sheng, whose culinary skills are unparalleled.

"Xiaolongbao (soup dumplings), mixed rice noodles, tofu pudding, fried dough sticks, fried dough sticks wrapped in mochi, including the jianbing guozi (Chinese crepe) last night—I, Su Hang, guarantee with my three years of experience in restaurant reviews, that every single one of them is top-notch!" He gave a thumbs up. "Top-notch! Many even surpass those so-called specialty shops outside!"

"The price is reasonable, the ingredients are high-quality, and the craftsmanship is superb. This isn't just a trendy product; it's a true powerhouse. It's the best breakfast I've ever encountered outside of the professional food industry, bar none."

"Those in Nanjing, hurry up and go! Those not in Nanjing—find a reason to come. It's worth it for this food!"