Chapter 419: Hot Sale

Chapter 419: Chapter 419: Hot Sale

In fact, quite a few people had already noticed what was going on over here even before the firecrackers went off.

After all, with two large, conspicuous pots placed at the shop’s entrance, it was hard not to notice.

No one knew what was BUBBLING away inside, but plumes of white smoke drifted about on the wind. Mixed in with that smoke was an irresistible, exotic aroma.

Passersby who hadn’t eaten yet were instantly made hungry by the smell, while those who had already eaten felt they could go for a few more bowls.

Newcomers were still watching from a distance, but the regulars had already swarmed around Xu Laifu.

"Manager Xu, who are you competing against in a cook-off today? Are we going to get some more good food? Is it free?"

"Ma’am, please, stop teasing me. We can’t have competitions every day. We’d love to treat everyone to free food, but we’re a small shop with thin margins. We’d love to, but we can’t afford it, you know?"

Xu Laifu’s woeful expression made the women burst out laughing.

"We’re just messing with you! You and your Mr. Ji are both honest and kindhearted. Even if it’s not free, we’re happy to buy things from your shop. But what on earth is cooking in that pot? Why does it smell so good? Has your Mr. Ji come up with something new again?"

Xu Laifu quickly said, "You guessed it! While there’s no competition and nothing’s free today, we definitely have something good to eat. Ladies, come take a look. This is a new braised delicacy developed by our Mr. Ji..."

Ji Huan had already tied on an apron and was standing by the pot with a spatula, stirring its contents.

Up close, the aroma seemed to bore straight into your mind.

It wasn’t a cloying fragrance, but an intoxicating one.

The women formed a semicircle in front of the pot. Their eyes were glued to the contents, and they all swallowed in unison as their stomachs began to growl.

"Mr... Mr. Ji... what is all that in your pot?"

It was a question they already knew the answer to. Most of them had already recognized the ingredients, they just couldn’t quite believe it.

While things like pig ears, eggs, and dried tofu were acceptable enough, the duck feet, duck necks, and duck heads... were completely unbelievable.

This pot of fragrant food wasn’t some rare delicacy, but a pot of offal—or at least, mostly offal.

’Can they really sell this stuff?’ The doubt surfaced in many people’s minds.

But their bodies’ reactions couldn’t be faked.

’How did this offal, which I usually don’t care for at all, suddenly become so tempting?’

"Offal isn’t necessarily bad, it’s just that some people don’t know how to prepare it," Ji Huan said. "I’ve used a great many spices and spent a lot of time braising everything in this pot. It might be an exaggeration, but I’m afraid it tastes even more fragrant than the chicken, fish, meat, and eggs in your baskets."

By now, more people had gathered around. The moment Ji Huan finished speaking, a wave of doubt arose from the crowd.

"How is that possible?"

"Exactly! If I’m not mistaken, are those intestines? When my family butchers ducks or geese, we just throw that stuff away..."

"Whoa! Your family must be rich. We can’t bear to throw them away, so we stir-fry them with meat, but they just don’t taste good... How could they possibly be more fragrant than meat?"

Ji Huan called out to Laifu, "Bring out the samples for everyone to try."

"Right away!"

Xu Laifu briskly went inside and brought out a large platter piled high with samples from a long table.

It was all the cheapest of the cheap ingredients: mostly duck intestines and duck liver, with some braised tofu, and the occasional bit of duck neck and chicken wing tips, though they were all chopped into very small pieces.

A bunch of small skewers were stuck messily into the pile.

"Come, come, everyone can have a taste first! If you like it, you can buy it. If you don’t, it’s on the house!"

When the crowd saw they could try it before buying, their interest was instantly piqued.

’So what if it’s offal? The samples are free, anyway. If it tastes bad, we just won’t buy any.’

"Come on, form a line, don’t push! Hey, ma’am, can’t you tell the flavor from just one piece? Please leave some for the people behind you... And don’t you worry, folks in the back, there’s plenty more! Everyone, please be careful..."

As Xu Laifu kept shouting, his voice was drowned out.

People who had been patiently lining up saw others blatantly cutting in line and weren’t willing to wait anymore, so they all rushed forward at once.

And so, everyone on East Street discovered that Ji’s Flavor Industry, which had only been quiet for a couple of days, was bustling again. A huge crowd was packed at the entrance, all clamoring and fighting for something.

Those who didn’t know what was going on were afraid of missing out on a good deal and ran over to join in.

Xu Laifu was jostled back and forth, and the samples were quickly snatched up and eaten.

Those who arrived late and didn’t get any started shouting for Xu Laifu not to be so stingy and to bring out another platter for everyone to taste.

’How could I possibly bring out more?’ With more and more people showing up, if everyone got a free sample, there wouldn’t be enough of the braised food to go around.

Xu Laifu had no choice but to play the pity card again.

"It’s really not that we’re being stingy, it’s that we’re a small shop with thin margins... I suggest that customers who didn’t get a taste ask someone around them who did. Ask them if it was good! Our Mr. Ji often says the public has a discerning eye, so their tongues surely won’t lie either!"

Seeing that the sampling was truly over, they had no choice but to listen to him and ask the people around them.

"Hey? So, was it any good?"

Most of the people who had gotten a taste were still savoring the flavor. Hearing the question, one of them slapped their thigh.

"Oh, wow! So much flavor! How on earth did they make this? It’s really more fragrant than meat!"

"I managed to grab a piece of duck neck just now. I’ve never eaten such a delicious duck neck in my life. Even the cracks in the bones were full of flavor!"

"I liked the braised egg and braised tofu the best..."

"There were braised eggs, too? How come I didn’t see any?"

"That’s because you stepped on my foot..."

Some people even started arguing over which item tasted better.

The ones asking the questions were now confused. ’Is it really that good?’

The ones who came to their senses first quickly asked how much these things cost.

"No rush. Everyone, please come inside and take a look."

A crowd of people rushed into the shop.

Fortunately, Hongfu Restaurant wasn’t busy at the moment, so Manager Hong had lent them two of his workers. Ping’an also brought an attendant to help, so the scene didn’t become too chaotic.

On the long counter, several rows of plates were neatly arranged. Each plate held a different kind of braised food, displayed in an exceptionally beautiful pattern.

"Is... is this what we just ate?"

"Of course. It’s all the same stuff. But these are called braised food platters, and they can be sold whole."

"How are you selling them?"

"There’s one price for buying items individually, and another for the platters."

When Ji Huan announced the prices, a woman with an unfamiliar face couldn’t help but click her tongue in disapproval.

"I can buy three eggs for one cent, but you’re selling a single braised egg for three cents. And the braised tofu—a pound of fresh tofu is only six cents... Not to mention the worthless offal... Aren’t your prices a little too expensive?"

"Yeah, one platter is eighteen cents! It looks nice, but there isn’t much food. That’s a bit of a rip-off..."

Ji Huan wasn’t flustered. She smiled and said, "Whether it’s expensive or a rip-off, those who’ve tried it should know in their hearts. While the ingredients themselves aren’t that costly, preparing them takes a lot of effort and a lot of spices... Our regular customers all know the price of the seasonings in our shop. Whether it’s worth it or not is for everyone to judge for themselves. Our little shop will never force a sale."

The first to act were indeed those regular customers she mentioned.

For offal, the price was indeed a bit steep. But firstly, they trusted the character of Ji Huan and Xu Laifu. And secondly... they had only had that tiny taste earlier, and the flavor was still lingering in their mouths now. It was so tantalizing!

"Give me a platter!"

"I’ll have a platter too..."

"I have a lot of kids at home... give me two platters."

"You got it! Here you are, take care!"

Ji Huan collected the money while Xu Laifu served the customers. Zhou kept an eye on the braising pots outside, while Ping’an, the attendant, and the two workers from Hongfu Restaurant helped with packing.

As for Guan Shan, he had disappeared as soon as the helpers arrived and the customers poured in.

Those who were still hesitating saw that in the blink of an eye, nearly half the platters on the table were gone.

They immediately stopped worrying about whether it was worth the price.

"Me too, me too! Save a platter for me!"

"Oh, no! Don’t let them run out by the time it’s my turn..."

As expected, most people chose the platters.

Because selling individual items by weight was more troublesome, Ji Huan had set a rule—a single type of braised food had to meet a specific minimum weight to be sold that way.

For the customers, it was better to just buy a platter for twenty cents, which let them taste a bit of almost everything.

At first, some customers were picky, feeling that the food on the platters was cold and wanting some from the pot instead.

Xu Laifu patiently explained that the braised food could be eaten either hot or cold, and that it had a unique flavor of its own when served cool.

The samples they brought out earlier had been served cold. Of course, it wasn’t impossible to get some from the pot, but they would have to wait.

Wait until the shop wasn’t as busy, wait for it to be ladled out of the pot, and then wait for it to cool down...

Hearing this, the crowd stopped being picky, afraid that if they waited any longer, everything would be sold out.

It turned out their worries were well-founded.

In less than two hours, Xu Laifu hung up the "Sold Out" sign.