bookmarkrole Chapter 132 This matter... is a bit difficult to handle.
Chapter 132 This matter... is a bit difficult to handle.
Seeing Su Chen trembling with self-blame and anger, Lin Muyuan sighed softly.
He and Su Chen have been close friends for a long time.
Although this young master of the Su family may seem carefree and unserious on the surface, he is actually very loyal and responsible at heart.
Today's incident clearly shows that Su Ang is using "human affairs" as a tool to reprimand Su Chen.
If I don't help Su Chen vent his anger today, Su Chen will definitely be driven crazy by it.
"Alright. Since you've put it this way, it wouldn't be right for a brother to just stand by and watch."
Lin Muyuan took out his phone from his pocket and swiped his finger across the screen a few times.
He had been in this circle for a long time. Although he usually disdained to make a fuss, the media channels, marketing accounts, and local forum moderators he controlled were countless.
"I'll send messages to a few financial bloggers I know and top influencers in the local community right away."
I've even thought of a title for you—[The Flavors of State Banquets Residing in Hidden Alleys, Affordable Prices Hit the Market: Local Street Vendors Offering Dishes at a Discount—Whose Cake Are They Taking Away?]
Lin Muyuan sneered and slammed his finger hard on the send button.
"With at least 10,000 reposts, I'm going to give all the major self-media groups in the city a 'saturation bombardment'."
"So Su Ang wants to suppress us, huh? I'd like to see how much PR he'll have to spend this afternoon to shut up all those hundreds of influencers with millions in followers!"
Posts personally edited by Lin Muyuan, imbued with strong emotional appeal and revealing inside stories, transformed into millions of hidden electronic streams at the delicate juncture of 2:30 PM, flowing along the city's network and converging madly towards the deepest eye of the storm of public opinion.
......
Just as public opinion was spreading rapidly.
Around 3 p.m., sighs of regret echoed through the sweltering old street.
"Everyone, all 100 servings of today's [Clear Broth Chicken with Shaoxing Wine] have been sold out."
To those who didn't get a spot, I'm so sorry to have made you all come all this way in this sweltering heat. Let's go early tomorrow! Let's go early tomorrow!!
With a hoarse voice, Su Chen clasped his hands together and bowed repeatedly to the long, dark, and still refusing-to-disperse queue outside the door.
"Oh dear, how could it be gone? I just drove over an hour from the East District!"
"Boss Chen, could you make this chicken dish again tomorrow? I'll be there at 11 o'clock tomorrow!"
The diners, rubbing their rumbling stomachs, sipped the lingering aroma of Shaoxing wine and left in twos and threes, sighing and looking resentful.
"Splash—"
Song Ming closed the wooden door most of the way, leaving only a small gap for ventilation.
He casually draped the rag over the bench, then slumped down at the square table without any regard for his image, rubbing his slightly sore wrists while glancing sideways at Chen Feng, who was carrying a basin of warm water out of the kitchen.
"As expected of my senior brother, he set such unique rules that even if the Heavenly King himself came, he would only sell one hundred portions."
Song Ming clicked his tongue, but his face showed a lazy, habitual expression.
"Back when I was in Beijing, those CEOs worth billions wanted me to add an extra dessert, and they would call me non-stop."
"But you're so lucky, hiding in this old street, everyone has to come at the perfect time to grab a seat."
Chen Feng placed the basin of water steadily on the work surface and untied his apron.
The once bustling and noisy little shop became completely quiet.
"Mingzi, stop joking around and come here first."
Chen Feng waved to Song Ming, then called over Xing Ruo, who was standing somewhat awkwardly by the stove, and Su Chen, who looked preoccupied.
"Let me introduce you." Chen Feng pointed at Xing Ruo, a hint of seriousness appearing in his dark eyes.
"This is my newly accepted disciple, Xingruo."
This girl is extremely talented in knife skills and controlling the heat; she's a hard-working child.
"So he's my senior brother's disciple?!"
Song Ming, who was slumped on the stool, sat up straight the moment he heard this.
His eyes swept over Xingruo's fair hands, which were covered with thin calluses, and then his face instantly filled with a warm smile.
"Oh my, my niece! No wonder when I entered the kitchen I saw that the dried shiitake mushrooms were cut so thinly and evenly, with each slice still attached to the bone, without a single burr."
So it turns out that Senior Brother has found a successor! Tsk tsk, with this talent and physique, in the eyes of those old masters in the capital, he would be an unparalleled talent that they would fight tooth and nail to find!
"Niece, if your senior brother bullies you in the future, just call your uncle in the capital anytime, and he'll stand up for you!!"
Xingruo had never seen anything like this before. Her delicate face flushed red instantly. She waved her hands repeatedly and stammered, taking a half-step back: "Uncle Song... Uncle Song, you flatter me. I... I've only just started learning from my master, and I'm still far from good enough..."
"Hey! Not far off, not far off! If I say you can do it, you absolutely can!!" Song Ming slapped his thigh, his tail practically wagging in the air again.
Chen Feng shook his head helplessly and pulled Su Chen, who was hanging his head, over with his right hand.
"This is Su Chen. He works as a waiter and does odd jobs in the store, and he's also the youngest son of the Su family."
As Song Ming listened to Chen Feng's introduction, his eyes swept over Su Chen. Before Su Chen could even speak, Song Ming slapped him hard on the shoulder.
"Oh! So this is the second young master of the Su family!"
I've been listening to everyone talking about this outside for ages.
Not bad, not bad. He's handsome, and what's most admirable is his strong character and passion!
Young man, loyal and righteous, a real man who can get along well with my senior brother!
Su Chen was stunned by Song Ming's effusive praise.
He scratched the back of his head somewhat embarrassedly, the self-reproach he had been holding in all morning turning into a deep sense of guilt.
"Chef Song... please don't flatter me." Su Chen gave a wry smile and bowed deeply to Song Ming somewhat awkwardly.
"The whole thing is my fault."
"If it weren't for my brother Su Ang cutting off my supplies behind my back to target me, Brother Chen and Uncle Liu next door wouldn't have risked ruining their reputations, forcing you to make a special trip all the way from Beijing... This trouble is what I brought to Brother Chen."
"Oh! You're being too polite!"
Song Ming stretched out an arm and pulled Su Chen close, while winking at him and chuckling in a low voice.
"If it weren't for the trouble you caused with Su Ang, my rigid old man and I would have been searching for my senior brother for a long time, even as the world turned upside down!"
This isn't trouble, this is fate! I really have to thank your old-fashioned brother today for helping me find my senior brother's hiding place!
Su Chen was both amused and exasperated by Song Ming's completely unconventional way of comforting her, but the huge weight that had been pressing on her heart for most of the day finally lifted completely.
"Alright, Su Chen, you and Xing Ruo wash those big pots in the kitchen first. Mengmeng, stay here for a while, okay? Daddy and your Uncle Song are going out for a bit. Xing Ruo, keep an eye on things." Chen Feng gave a casual instruction.
"Okay, Brother Chen." Su Chen replied and pulled Xing Ruo into the kitchen.
As the two young men disappeared behind the curtain, Song Ming's carefree smile vanished completely.
He turned his head and tugged at Chen Feng's sleeve with a somewhat serious expression.
"Senior brother, come with me to the entrance. While we're at it... give Grandpa a call. He's been waiting in Beijing for ages, his beard's practically standing on end."
Chen Feng raised an eyebrow slightly, glanced at his junior brother, said nothing, and silently stepped out of the wooden door.
A breeze began to blow through the old street in the afternoon, making the bluestone pavement rustle.
Song Ming slammed the door shut behind him, his hands tucked into the pockets of his white chef's uniform. His handsome face was now filled with an unusual seriousness and a hint of inner turmoil.
"Senior brother, this matter... is a bit difficult to handle."