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

Five minutes have passed, right?

When he looked out the window, he saw groups of freshmen at the entrance of the cafeteria, looking down at their phones while searching around. Then, they all walked quickly toward window number 07 in the far corner.

The boy who was leading the group hadn't even arrived yet, but his voice had already reached them:

"Boss! Do you still have any xiaolongbao? Two baskets, please!"

"I want a whole cage!"

"Here! Three baskets to go!"

In an instant, more than a dozen people gathered in front of the small window, and more people kept joining the queue, peering out curiously.

Scent is the best advertisement, while genuine recommendations from classmates (especially pretty female classmates) are the fuse that ignites the spread.

Looking at the suddenly appearing, eagerly expectant face before him, Wang Sheng took a deep breath, suppressing his elation and a hint of panic. A smile returned to his face, and his voice was clear and bright:

"Yes! We have everything! Freshly made and steamed, just a few minutes!"

He immediately turned around and went back to the control panel.

While his hands moved non-stop—rolling out dough, filling, and sealing—at a speed so fast it was almost a blur, he roared deep within his mind, "Start the lottery!"

The glittering golden turntable reappeared, spinning rapidly.

The pointer swept over [Fuzhou Guobianhu], [Ningbo Tangyuan], [Quanzhou Mianxianhu]...

Finally, it came to a slow stop.

[Congratulations, host, you have obtained: Four-star Breakfast Skill - Osmanthus Sweet Taro (Limited Time Offer in Autumn in Jiangnan)]

Another stream of warm and mellow information flowed in.

Unlike the elaborate and intricate xiaolongbao, this tradition leans more towards a simple sweetness and warmth.

We select "red-stemmed taro," a specialty of the Taihu Lake region, which is small, thin-skinned, and has a delicate, powdery texture. After washing, steam it with the skin on, and while it's still hot, peel off the thin, purplish-brown outer skin to reveal the snow-white, powdery taro flesh inside.

Traditional brown sugar and rock sugar are boiled together in a secret ratio to make an amber-colored syrup that is thick enough to coat a spoon.

The steamed taro is then added to the syrup and simmered over low heat, allowing the sweetness to gradually permeate the very core of the taro. Finally, a small handful of dried osmanthus flowers is sprinkled on top, using the residual heat to release their lingering and profound sweet fragrance.

The finished taro has a bright red and glossy color, and an extremely soft and creamy texture that melts in your mouth. It is sweet but not cloying, and the subtle fragrance of osmanthus perfectly balances the heaviness that brown sugar might bring.

After finishing a bowl, warmth rises from the stomach and reaches every part of the body, making it an excellent way to dispel the chill on an autumn morning in Jiangnan.

Sweet taro...and xiaolongbao?

Wang Sheng was sitting on a steamed bun.

A brilliant idea flashed into my mind!

One is savory, sweet, and fragrant; the other is pure and delicious; one is light and juicy; the other is warm, sticky, and firm. A steaming basket of piping hot xiaolongbao paired with a bowl of warm taro soup is simply a match made in heaven! It greatly enriches the choices and satisfaction of breakfast!

"Let's serve this tomorrow!" Wang Sheng immediately decided on the new product, his hands moving even faster as he kneaded the buns.

"Boss, are my three baskets ready?"

"Hey student, pack two baskets, hurry up, we're going to be late for class!"

"Wow, this smells amazing... I can't resist, I want to join the queue too!"

The queue in front of the window didn't shorten with waiting; instead, it grew longer as more students, drawn by the aroma and the crowd, joined in. Those who arrived later, seeing the expectant looks on the faces of those who came earlier, became even more curious.

Finally, Wang Sheng quickly divided the freshly steamed buns into smaller portions.

"Your two cages!"

"Three baskets are packed up, be careful, they're hot!"

"Eat it all in one basket here, add vinegar and ginger yourself!"

The students who received the xiaolongbao couldn't wait to dig in.

"Hot! Hot! Hot! Ugh...!"

"Holy crap! This broth!"

"This taste...it's amazing! So fresh and sweet!"

"The crust is so thin, and the filling is so generous! Is this really something a cafeteria could make?"

"Twelve yuan? That's a steal! Even a basket of these outside costs eighteen yuan and doesn't taste this good!"

"Quick, take a picture and post it on WeChat Moments! I've discovered an amazing window!"

"@All members, come to cafeteria number 07! You'll regret it for four years if you don't eat here!"

Exclamations of surprise, exclamations of admiration, slurping sounds of soup, and shouts of eager sharing filled the air in front of window number 07, creating a lively cacophony.

Every student who tasted the xiaolongbao had their eyes light up.

The impact and sense of happiness brought by that flavor cannot be faked.

[Ding! Received 1 positive review!]

[Ding! Received 1 positive review!]

[Ding! Received 1 positive review!] ...

The system notification sounds began to ring in Wang Sheng's mind like dense raindrops.

The number of positive reviews has skyrocketed.

[50 positive reviews! Unlock achievement 'Slightly Famous'!]

[80 positive reviews! Popularity continues to rise!]

[Ding! Congratulations, host! You have achieved the advanced goal of the beginner mission! You have received ≥100 positive reviews!]

[Reward: Special Skill - Eye of Ingredients (Beginner)]

A cool breeze suddenly rushed into Wang Sheng's eyes.

He blinked subconsciously, glancing at the filling of the next bun he was holding in his hand.

The moment his gaze focused, several lines of faint, silver characters, visible only to him, appeared above the minced meat:

Pork foreleg (30% fat, 70% lean)

Freshness: Good (approximately 8 hours after slaughter)

Meat quality rating: Average (rearing conditions are average, muscle fibers are slightly coarse, fat distribution is acceptable)

[Suggestion: This recipe is suitable for making regular minced meat; the texture will be passable. To elevate it to a 'delicious' level, you'll need to find ingredients rated 'premium' or higher.]

He then looked at the jar of traditional soy sauce next to him.

【Three-Year Aged Traditional Soy Sauce (Basic Formula from a Established Brand)】

Quality: Good

Color: Bright red

[Flavor: Fresh and mellow, but the soy sauce flavor is slightly weak]

[Recommendation: This is sufficient to support the current flavor of the dishes. For the ultimate experience, look for first-pressed soy sauce aged for over five years.]

The eye of ingredients!

Wang Sheng was overjoyed.

This skill is so useful!

It allows you to see through the essence of ingredients directly, making it easy to tell the quality and grade of ingredients!

This means that in future procurement, he will never be cheated by inferior products, and will be able to accurately find the key to improve the quality of dishes!

He could even "see" the label on that tiny bit of crab roe powder that read "Flavored Concentrated Crab Roe Sauce (Artificial Flavoring)," and its rating was only "Ordinary."

It seems that there's still a lot of room for improvement in the ingredients if we want to make truly top-quality xiaolongbao that might even get a five-star rating from the system.

But that's for later. Right now...

"Boss! Is it all gone?" A boy who had just reached the window cried out as he looked at the empty steamer.

Wang Sheng snapped out of his daze, glanced at the nearly empty bowls of dough and fillings, then looked at the long line of at least twenty or thirty people outside, wiped the sweat from his brow helplessly, and raised his voice:

"Dear students, I'm sorry! We've used up all the ingredients we prepared for today! The xiaolongbao are sold out!"

"ah--!"

"No way! I just got to the front of the queue!"

"Boss, please make more!"

"Is there another one tomorrow? What time does it start?"

"We strongly demand an increase in supply!"

A wave of disappointed sighs and anxious inquiries ensued.

Wang Sheng quickly assured him:

"It'll be available again tomorrow! Starting at 6:30 AM and running until 9:00 AM, or until it sells out. Also, we'll be adding a new item tomorrow—Osmanthus Sugar Taro, which is even better with xiaolongbao!"

"Sweet taro? Great! I'll definitely come tomorrow!"

"Boss, remember to stock up on plenty of ingredients!"

"Save a seat for my roommate..."

The students reluctantly dispersed, many still reminiscing as they walked away, discussing how they must come even earlier the next day.

8:40 a.m.

The bustling breakfast rush has finally passed.

Window 07 fell silent again, leaving only the lingering, mouthwatering aroma in the air.

Wang Sheng leaned against the brand-new workbench and exhaled a long, long breath.

I'm exhausted, truly exhausted. I've been working since 5 a.m., and my arms and shoulders are sore and numb.

But the warmth in my heart, the overflowing sense of satisfaction and excitement, overcame all the fatigue.

He walked to the window, picked up the slightly worn QR code sign used for collecting money (issued by the school), and found some loose cash next to it. He took out his phone and logged into the linked payment account.

When he saw that number in the backstage, his breath hitched.

Total revenue for breakfast today: 1488 yuan!

The vast majority of these were 12-yuan steamed buns, with a small portion being extra bought to go. After deducting the cost of ingredients (pork, flour, pork skin, seasonings, crab roe sauce, pine needle mats, etc.), and further deducting gas and water costs (estimated based on school standards), the net profit…

Wang Sheng's rapid mental arithmetic.

At least eight hundred yuan!

This is only the first day! Just over two hours in the morning! And because of inexperience, there was a serious shortage of ingredients, resulting in at least half of the sales being lost!

If we prepare enough ingredients tomorrow, and add the new sweet taro...

Wang Sheng felt his heart start racing again.

Earning thousands a day adds up to 30,000 a month! For a recent (or soon-to-be) college graduate, this is an absolute dream start!

more importantly--

He brought up the system panel.

[Host: Wang Sheng]

[Currently linked store: Window 07, First Canteen, Jinling University]

[Mastering the skills: Four-star Wuxi-style steamed buns (authentic sweet and savory style), Four-star Osmanthus-flavored taro (Jiangnan autumn limited edition)]

Special Skill: Eye of Ingredients (Beginner)

Popularity: 1127 (Continuously increasing)

Positive reviews: 189/1000 (hidden target)

[Wealth Points: Today's Operating Profit (To be precisely calculated)]

[System Shop: Not yet unlocked (Unlock conditions: Accumulated operating profit reaches 1,000,000 yuan, or 100,000 popularity points are consumed)]

It's surpassed 1,000 views! And it's almost got 200 positive reviews!

That system store, although the unlocking conditions seem unattainable (a million in profits!), at least there's hope. And it can be unlocked with 100,000 popularity points? Popularity points seem to be gained by the number of people who know and approve of the store; if its reputation continues to grow…

Wang Sheng closed the panel and looked around at the brand-new, clean little window that held the memory of his first day's miracle.

Outside the window, the autumn sun shines brightly, streaming through the tall glass windows of the cafeteria and casting bright spots of light on the clean floor.

In the distance, the lively sounds of students heading to class could be heard.

His future, like the morning sunlight, suddenly became clear and bright.

"First, clean this place up, and then..." Wang Sheng stretched his aching wrists, his eyes gleaming with determination, "Let's go to the market early tomorrow morning! Using our 'Ingredient Eyes,' we'll find better meat, better soy sauce, and better taro!"

"Tomorrow, we'll give Principal Gu, and many more students, an even bigger surprise!"

[PS: Please vote with recommendation tickets and monthly tickets to follow the story; this is very important to the author.]