She’s a Passerby, But Can See the Protagonist’s Halo

This was Yan's first time witnessing "food authenticity checks" in real life.

Not just her, but the other diners in the shop were also drawn to the commotion at the entrance.

"Who's that? A live streamer? If this gets popular, the queues are going to get even longer!"

"That guy seems a bit off, doesn't he?"

The early arrivals, who were regulars, sat at a table for four, whispering among themselves.

"Could he be here to cause trouble?"

Yan overheard someone say this, and her body tensed up.

This kind of "food authenticity check" was different from the typical food vlogger visits. These streamers were known for nitpicking and finding faults. They might not have much knowledge, but they were skilled at stirring up drama and often had a loyal, mindless following.

And... Yan silently glanced toward the kitchen. Chu Shen was a celebrity in their world!

She had always thought that someone like Chu Shen, with his glamorous life, wouldn't be caught up in such dramatic situations. But here it was, happening right in front of her!

The live-streaming man seemed well-prepared, arriving early and securing the last available seat. He held up his equipment as he walked in.

"Alright, folks, we're in! This place is pretty small, let me show you around," he said, panning his phone around and waving at the diners inside.

"All the tables are for four, no single seats. Everyone's sharing tables."

The man pulled out a set of keys from his pocket and placed them on an empty seat. "Just marking my spot. Let's see what's inside."

When his phone camera landed on the chalkboard menu on the wall, the streamer gasped. "Egg fried rice for 288 yuan? That's daylight robbery!"

"Not even a side dish? Just plain water?"

His voice nearly cracked, and Yan frowned.

It would be best if he left. If he stayed, there was bound to be trouble.

The man seemed to want to rally the other diners to his side, but no one paid him any attention.

"I think 288 yuan for egg fried rice is actually too low. What do you think, Zhang?" said an old man fiddling with his prayer beads.

"Absolutely. With Chef Chu's skills, if he were at a hotel, especially one specializing in modern Chinese fusion cuisine, this dish would easily go for 888 yuan," added a middle-aged man with his own tea cup.

"Cherish the fact that we can enjoy a top-tier chef's cooking for just 288 yuan," chimed in an auntie at the table.

"Exactly! We could eat here forever for 288 yuan," echoed another table.

The group's praise left the streamer's comments hanging in the air, and he looked somewhat embarrassed.

"Haha, well, if everyone's so enthusiastic, I guess I'll have to try this egg fried rice. Hope it's not all hype," the streamer said, awkwardly returning to his seat. He continued his live stream while scanning the QR code on the table to order.

"Let's see, we're in the app now. Chu's Little Eatery. Oh, wow, there's only one option: egg fried rice with plain water. No membership options either. Alright, I've placed my order."

His order number was 24.

"Number 24. There are only six tables here. Am I the last one?"

He noticed a small plate of untouched fruit on the table. The other three people at his table had empty plates in front of them.

"Oh, they even serve fruit before the meal. At least I'm getting some value back for my 288 yuan," the streamer said, grabbing the fruit without a second thought, completely ignoring the strangers at his table.

"The presentation isn't bad. Let's try it. No fork, but I guess this isn't the kind of place where you'd use one," he said, holding a strawberry and a cherry tomato up to the camera.

"Honestly, if they're charging 288 yuan for egg fried rice, the owner must be raking it in. They could at least spruce up the place a bit."

He started criticizing the decor. "No one even greets you when you sit down. Those two girls are just standing there, not doing anything. No one's even offered me water. The service here is nonexistent."

Shaking his head, he looked exasperated. "This is one of those places where the owner thinks they're above the customers. It's the customers who let them get away with it. Nowadays, every industry knows the customer is king."

He then shouted, waving at Yan and Chu Bingbing, "Hey, waitress! Get me some water!"

The live chat exploded with agreement, siding with him.

[The waitress is pretty, but she's not doing her job. I'd fire her on the spot.]

[If this were a cheap 20-yuan place, fine. But for a 300-yuan-per-head restaurant, this service and environment? They'll go out of business soon!]

[Brother Xiong, teach them a lesson. Expose these shady businesses!]

The shop was a small two-story building. Yan and Chu Bingbing had been standing at the corner near the stairs, quietly observing and whispering to each other. The streamer's shout startled them.

Zhu Jue walked over with a water pitcher and a cup. The regulars at other tables either brought their own water or had already helped themselves to the plain water available.

He poured water and left without a word, which immediately drew complaints from the streamer, known as Brother Xiong.

"Hey, what kind of attitude is that? Not even a word. If I hadn't called out, no one would've brought me water."

"There are no waiters here," the young man sitting next to him couldn't hold back anymore.

"Huh?" Brother Xiong was stunned.

If there were no waiters, his earlier complaints would fall flat.

"The owner is the only one running the place. He's the chef too. Those people standing around are just customers," the young man explained.

"Plain water is self-serve. It's written on the wall. Didn't you see it?" the girl across the table added.

Brother Xiong scratched his nose and glanced outside. The customers still waiting in line seemed to have heard the commotion and were peeking in.

"Uh, I didn't notice. No harm done, right? How was I supposed to know they weren't waiters? Everyone else is waiting outside," he quickly defended himself, brushing off his earlier entitled behavior.

He grabbed a strawberry and popped it into his mouth, hoping to move past the awkward moment, but then froze.

The live stream captured his expression, prompting a flurry of comments.

[What's wrong, Brother Xiong? Is it that bad?]

[Is it disgusting or delicious?]

Brother Xiong was already frustrated with the place, but the strawberry was undeniably good. Even if he wanted to trash it, he couldn't.

"It's... actually pretty good," he said, trying to sound nonchalant, and picked up a cherry tomato.

"Tastes decent. At least I'm getting a few yuan's worth back," he said, forcing a smile. He noticed that several plates of egg fried rice had already been served, and the other diners were eagerly digging in.

He turned the camera toward them. Most were silently devouring their food, while those still waiting watched with longing eyes.

"Finally, I get to eat this! I've been craving it for six whole days."

"Ugh, I dreamt about this egg fried rice last night. Woke up drooling all over my pillow."

"I didn't even dare eat breakfast this morning. Just had a few sips of water so I wouldn't spoil my appetite for this."

Some savored each bite as if it were their last, while others wolfed it down like there was no tomorrow.

"This can't be real, right? It's too over-the-top," Brother Xiong said skeptically.

"If they hired actors, they went way too far with it."

Chu Shen worked quickly, and soon all the diners inside had their food. Brother Xiong reluctantly got up to fetch his own plate.

With all the seats filled and no new orders coming in, Chu Shen stopped cooking.

At that moment, Yan, Chu Bingbing, Yi Zhi, and Zhu Jue gathered around him.

Yan whispered, "We found out who that guy is."

Earlier, they had muted their phones and searched through a few video platforms, quickly locating the streamer.

To their surprise, he was a blogger with millions of followers, going by the name "Justice Brother Xiong." The moment they saw his profile, they were overwhelmed by how pretentious he seemed.

Yan and Chu Bingbing looked utterly speechless. "He specifically targets supermarkets, food stores, and small restaurants. He recently went viral with a video where he found a box of instant coffee powder on a supermarket shelf and pointed out that the ingredient list included silicon dioxide. He then searched online and found out that silicon dioxide is a construction material. He even went to a construction site to ask workers if sand could be eaten, and of course, they said no."

"Then, in his video, he claimed that silicon dioxide is sand, and since sand can't be eaten, the coffee powder must be inedible too. He called for a boycott of the coffee powder," Chu Bingbing said, her lips twitching.

"Silicon dioxide in food is obviously a food-grade additive, but in his mouth, it became sand."

"The most ridiculous part is that the people in the comments actually believed him," Yan said helplessly.

"I looked into it, and this guy has been using this method to spread all sorts of rumors. He’s been threatening small brands and manufacturers, demanding money in exchange for not exposing them," Chu Bingbing added.

Yi Zhi rubbed his hands together. "So, this guy is also coming to blackmail Chu Shen?"

"I saw that he went to a famous chain restaurant before, picking on every little thing and posting videos. In the end, the restaurant had to apologize," Yan said.

"Mindless public opinion is his weapon. He points at someone, and the crowd follows. He probably saw the news about the 288-yuan fried rice and came to stir up some drama," Zhu Jue chimed in.

Chu Shen’s eyebrows twitched slightly. He had already guessed that this trouble was caused by the fried rice incident at the convention.

But with people like this, there’s no hiding from them.

"It’s fine, let’s see what he’s planning," Chu Shen said calmly. When he first opened the shop, there were others who came to cause trouble.

He hadn’t experienced major storms, but these little squalls were unavoidable when running a business.

Especially since he was a young adult, just turned 18, with no family to back him up. Naturally, he became an easy target for bullies looking to exploit and intimidate.

"He wouldn’t try to sneak flies or cockroaches into the fried rice, would he?" Chu Shen joked.

Yan thought seriously for a moment. "Probably not. That’s too low-level. The customers are all watching, and there’s even a live stream."

Earlier, the blogger known as Brother Xiong had deliberately caused trouble—pouring water, calling for the waiter, complaining about the price. But the customers around him had already shut him down before the owner even had to step in.

One customer even pointed out that the shop only had one person running the show—the owner who also doubled as the chef—effectively dismantling Brother Xiong’s complaints.

"With only one person doing everything, what are you even complaining about? The owner still has to cook the rice!"

Yi Zhi clenched her fists eagerly. "If he tries to blackmail us, would it count as self-defense if I beat him up?"

Everyone turned to look at her, and Chu Shen was instantly touched.

"Big sis, you’re too kind."

"That probably wouldn’t fly. We’re living in a society ruled by law. It’s not that serious yet," Yan said.

Yan rubbed his chin and quietly stood up to take a peek.

Brother Xiong was holding a plate of fried rice, showing it off to his live stream audience.

"Alright, folks, after waiting for so long, I’ve finally got it. Let’s see if this fried rice is really as amazing as they say."

"The plate is pretty ordinary, just the standard white plate you’d find in any small restaurant. The spoon too. For 288 yuan, you’d think they’d use fancier tableware, right?"

"It does smell a bit fragrant. The egg has turned the rice yellow. I’ve done this at home before, but it usually ends up with a bit of an eggy smell."

"There’s no ham or shredded meat either. Look, just egg, white rice, and scallions. It’s literally just fried rice. I’m thinking, for 288 yuan, it should be gold-plated or something," he rambled on without even taking a bite.

The young man sitting next to him suddenly looked up and snapped, "If you’re not going to eat it, can you stop talking?"

"If you don’t want it, someone else will gladly pay 288 yuan for it."

"Don’t talk while eating. If you’re not eating, could you at least let others enjoy their meal in peace?"

After a long week of work, he had come here to treat himself, and now this idiot was ruining it with his live stream.

The young man moved his chair closer to the wall, as if trying to put as much distance between himself and Brother Xiong as possible.

"This is my first time here. I’m just trying to share my experience with everyone," Brother Xiong said, his face stiffening.

"288 yuan isn’t cheap. You regulars might not care, but don’t look down on us common folk," he muttered.

"Whoa, hold on! Don’t drag the wealth gap into this. I’m a 996 office worker. I come here once a week for a decent meal. Is that too much to ask? I work until 3 a.m. every day, getting less than six hours of sleep. Can’t you just let me eat in peace? Show some compassion for us young people?" the young man fired back, pulling the 996 card.

Chu Bingbing, eavesdropping from the kitchen, chuckled softly. "Nice one, buddy!"

Yan silently gave a thumbs-up.

You pull the wealth gap card, I pull the 996 card. This young man clearly knew how to play the game.

Brother Xiong felt like he was having a bad day. He had ended up at a table full of young people, and none of them were in the mood to put up with his nonsense.

"Fine, fine, I’ll eat," he said, finally picking up his spoon.

He scooped up a spoonful of fried rice, showed it off to the camera, and finally put it in his mouth.

Then, Brother Xiong’s expression froze.

"What the…?" he blurted out involuntarily.

"This is fried rice?"

The comments in his live stream were going crazy, but Brother Xiong seemed completely oblivious.

He kept shoveling spoonfuls of fried rice into his mouth, faster and faster, one after another. He was chewing and swallowing so quickly that he didn’t have time to speak.

The table finally fell silent, with only the sound of eating filling the air.

Some of the first batch of customers had already finished their meals, cleared their plates, and left to make room for the next group waiting outside.

But Brother Xiong didn’t even notice the comings and goings around him. His entire focus was on the plate of fried rice in front of him.

How could fried rice be this good?

Eat, eat, eat. His brain, hands, and stomach were all completely consumed by the act of eating.

The large plate of fried rice was disappearing at an alarming rate, until only a small portion remained. Brother Xiong stared at the plate in confusion.

"What? It’s almost gone?"

"I feel like I didn’t even eat that much."

Finally, he showed a bit of respect for the chef and waved toward the kitchen. "Another plate of fried rice, please."

The young man next to him burst out laughing. "One serving per person. Finish up and leave."

The young man hadn’t finished his meal yet. He was savoring every bite, and there was still half a plate of fried rice left, which made Brother Xiong’s eyes light up.

"What? Only one serving? That’s not enough for a grown man! This is ridiculous!"

"Hey, buddy, we’re both men here. I don’t mind sharing. How about you give me half of your rice, and I’ll pay you half the price?"

He stared hungrily at the young man’s plate, his eyes gleaming like a wolf spotting prey.

The young man immediately raised his left arm to block him, turned his body to face the wall, and continued eating, making it clear with his body language that he wasn’t interested in sharing.

The two girls sitting across from him also protectively covered their plates and started eating faster.

"Finish up and leave. Put your plate at the front. There are people waiting," a departing customer said, glancing at him.

"But I’m not full yet," Brother Xiong said, fidgeting like an ant on a hot pan. He scanned the QR code on the table to order more.

But the system displayed a message: "User has already ordered today. Order closed. No further orders allowed."

Two words: ridiculous! Absolutely ridiculous!

"Is the owner not interested in making money?" Brother Xiong muttered in disbelief, his anxiety growing as he half-heartedly glanced at the live stream comments.

"Where is this place? You’re coming here? Oh, you won’t get a seat. The line outside is crazy long, and this place only opens for two hours," he said, tapping his fingers on the table. He looked around and, noticing a new customer coming in, quickly tried to strike up a conversation.

"Hey, can you order a plate of fried rice for me? I’ll pay you an extra 100 yuan as a service fee."

The new customer, a trendy-looking young man, immediately bolted forward. "What kind of troublemaker is this?"

Brother Xiong was stunned. He was just trying to pay someone to order for him. How was that causing trouble?

"Scalpers who resell tickets at inflated prices will be blacklisted by our shop. Both the scalpers and those who buy from them will be permanently blacklisted," the guy eating against the wall said quietly as he finished his meal, picked up his tray, and walked away.

"Huh?" The streamer, Xiong Ge, was left speechless. He had never seen anything so absurd!

Outside, some of the waiting customers had already gathered around Xiong Ge. "When are you planning to leave?" someone asked.

With people now standing beside him, watching him, and the other customers all voluntarily giving up their seats after finishing their meals, the chat in his livestream was also filled with comments saying he should leave and not prevent others from eating. Although there were some who supported him staying, Xiong Ge, for the sake of his image, reluctantly got up.

"Alright, I guess I have to leave after finishing. Gotta make room for others. I'll go out and show everyone the queue situation so they can prepare," he said, following the example of others by placing his fried rice and fruit plate on the counter before heading out with his phone to continue streaming the queue.

Seeing that the man had finally left without causing any more trouble after eating, Yan breathed a sigh of relief.

However, Yan noticed that Yi Zhi seemed somewhat disappointed, as if she had been gearing up for something.

"This doesn't follow the script. Shouldn't he have found something to complain about?"

Chu Bingbing chimed in, "Well, he did eat the fried rice."

It ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‍was Chu Shen's fried rice, after all. The guy had even tried to buy a spot to get another plate, so it was clear he wasn't going to pick a fight.

From 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., the operating hours of Chu's Little Eatery came to an end. The hungry group had snacked on some fried rice, but since Chu Shen mentioned testing a new dish, the five of them shared one plate of fried rice, not daring to eat too much.

After helping Chu Shen load the dishes into the dishwasher and cleaning up, Chu Bingbing sighed sincerely.

"Running a restaurant is really exhausting. Fried rice isn't easy to make."

Today, with the four of them helping out, the cleaning was taken care of, but usually, Chu Shen had to do everything himself—cooking, cleaning, prepping ingredients, and shopping. At the same age, being a restaurant owner was no easy feat.

On the kitchen stove, the beef that had been simmering on low heat for a long time was finally ready. At 2 p.m., after the five of them finished cleaning up, Chu Shen brought out his newly learned dish.

"New dish: braised beef and potatoes, and braised chicken and potatoes. I also made a fresh pot of rice. Do you want plain rice or fried rice with it?" he asked.

"Plain rice!" Yan raised her hand. Braised meat and potatoes were best paired with plain rice to bring out the flavors of the dish.

"We've already had fried rice. You've been busy all morning, plain rice is fine," Chu Bingbing said.

After pushing two tables together and locking the front door, the five of them gathered around to eat.

"I don't have many dishes to offer. I feel a bit embarrassed having you all come over and help out today," Chu Shen said, looking at the table with only three dishes: braised beef and potatoes, braised chicken and potatoes, and a small side of pickled celery. It seemed a bit meager.

"This is great. We have cold dishes, hot dishes, and rice—two meat dishes and one vegetable. Isn't this how we eat at home? If you think it's too little, I can go wash some cucumbers," Yi Zhi said.

The aroma, the setup, and the ingredients of this meal were something many people in a post-apocalyptic world could only dream of.

"Alright, let's eat," Chu Bingbing said impatiently.

"I'll try the beef first," Yan said.

The rice was served in a large plate, and Zhu Jue scooped a spoonful onto her plate.

The sauce of the braised beef and potatoes was a deep color, not a clear broth but slightly thickened. The potatoes had been stewed to the point of melting, and the dish looked incredibly fragrant, perfect for mixing with rice!

When Chu Shen had lifted the lid in the kitchen earlier, the aroma had nearly knocked everyone over!

It was unbelievably delicious!

The golden potatoes, cut into chunks, were so tender that they seemed to crumble at the touch of chopsticks. The beef, not too big or small, had some connective tissue and was stewed to perfection—soft and tender.

Yan instinctively swallowed her saliva. She scooped up a piece of beef with her spoon and put it in her mouth.

The moment the beef touched her tongue, it seemed to melt into strands with the slightest pressure. It wasn't dry or tough, and there was no hint of gaminess—just a burst of rich, savory juices. It was delicious!

Eating beef like this, you didn't even have to worry about it getting stuck in your teeth. It was tender but not mushy, and you could tell it was high-quality beef.

Yan closed her eyes as she savored the beef, then immediately scooped up a piece of potato.

The golden potato was equally soft. With just a gentle press of her teeth, the creamy, dense texture spread across her palate. The potato chunks, soaked in the meaty juices, carried both the rich aroma of the beef and the natural sweetness of the potato, making her want to keep eating bite after bite.

Especially the potato—it was so fragrant, even after absorbing the meat juices, it still retained its own distinct flavor.

Braised beef and potatoes was a dish almost every household made, so why did this taste so incredibly good?

The beef was delicious, the potatoes were delicious, and together they created a synergy that was greater than the sum of their parts!

Yan wasn't usually a big fan of potatoes, but right now, she felt like she could eat an entire plate of them!

Wait, weren't these ingredients brought by Yi Zhi?

The group barely spoke as they devoured the braised beef and potatoes, the braised chicken and potatoes, and the rice mixed with the savory sauces. Yan watched as Yi Zhi finished a plate in record time and immediately started on a second heaping plate.

This was the ultimate comfort food.

Just as the group was enthusiastically eating, the door suddenly started banging loudly.

Chu Shen went to open the door, and the five of them stared in confusion as a team of police officers appeared outside.

"Nobody move!"

"Put down your weapons! Hand over the goods!"

Chu Shen, still holding his chopsticks, silently raised his hands. "Excuse me, have I been reported again? You're not from the local precinct, are you?"

The officer was momentarily taken aback by the question. "No, I'm not. Cut the nonsense. We received a report that you're hiding drugs here."