Chapter 25: Falcon Fist Gym
Chapter 25: Falcon Fist Gym
Some people, like the two men from before, had their hearts set on it after tasting it yesterday and made a special trip.
Others were merely passersby, lured by the aroma and wanting to give it a try.
Before long, the freshly roasted sweet potatoes were sold out.
"Sorry, sorry," Jiang Cheng said as he placed raw sweet potatoes and apologized to the customers who had just arrived. "The last batch was sold out. This batch will take a few more minutes to cook. You can come back later to buy, or if you're really craving roasted sweet potatoes, you can try other stalls."
Everyone was out to make a living, and he didn't bear any ill will towards the other vendors on the street.
Of course, the main reason was that roasting sweet potatoes took too long, unlike Lu Zicheng's starch sausages, which cooked quickly.
Hearing this, some people sighed and chose to leave.
Several minutes was too long to wait on an empty stomach.
But some were determined.
"It's fine, boss. We'll wait, and by the way, I want to see how you roast them," a young man said with a smile.
"Yeah, the sweet potatoes from those stalls taste way worse than yours, and they charge the same price. I must be crazy to buy theirs," he added.
"I was thinking the same. Boss, how do you roast these sweet potatoes? Why do they taste so much better than others? Is there some secret?"
Jiang Cheng glanced at the speaker and smiled faintly. "There's no secret. It's just a matter of practice."
The man smiled and said no more.
Jiang Cheng didn't bother to explain further.
If this person was here to learn his trade, it was no big deal. The timing of roasting was a skill not easily mastered, and even with hands-on teaching, it was hard to learn.
If this person could learn by observation, they would be a genius.
As time passed, the second batch of roasted sweet potatoes was almost ready, and the aroma filled the air, attracting a growing crowd.
Lu Zicheng's eyes widened as he witnessed this scene.
Jiang Cheng's business was booming!
When he had arrived earlier, he had seen Jiang Cheng sell one batch.
Now, as the second batch was about to finish cooking, it was almost sold out again.
Moreover, the crowd around him seemed insufficient!
"Roasted sausages! Three yuan each, three yuan each!" Lu Zicheng shouted, trying to attract customers.
But his efforts yielded little results; the vendor at the nearby stall merely glanced at him and then looked away.
Not far away, two people wearing white training uniforms with a soaring eagle emblem on their chests approached.
A man and a woman, they were easily recognized as members of the Falcon Fist Gym.
People on the street quickly moved aside.
"What do you want to eat for lunch, junior apprentice sister?" the man on the right asked with a smile. He appeared to be in his late twenties, tall and well-built.
"I don't know," the woman replied, shaking her head, her gaze wandering aimlessly.
She seemed younger, in her early twenties, tall and fair-skinned, with faint muscle definition visible on her exposed arms.
"Yeah, this street is so short, and even with all the food options, it gets boring. Why don't we go to some other streets? There might be something new there, or we could even go into the city?" The man's smile gave off a sycophantic vibe.
"No, thanks," the woman said, her eyebrows knitting slightly. "The city is too expensive. A meal there costs several hundred yuan."
"Junior apprentice sister, don't worry, I'll treat you," the man said, straightening his chest.
"Let's look around some more, maybe..."
Her voice trailed off, and her gaze shifted to a crowd gathered ahead.
A group of people had gathered there.
"Junior apprentice sister?" Xiao Yuanqing called out, but she didn't respond. He followed her gaze, and his curiosity was piqued.
"Apprentice Brother, why are there so many people gathered here?" Bai Wei asked curiously.
"This..."
Xiao Yuanqing gave an awkward smile, "I'm not sure, Apprentice Brother. We'll know once we get closer."
"Okay, let's go."
Bai Wei took the lead and walked towards the crowd.
As they drew nearer, she caught a whiff of the enticing aroma of roasted sweet potatoes.
The closer they got, the stronger the scent became.
"It smells amazing, just like roasted sweet potatoes."
Bai Wei muttered to herself.
As she fully approached, she saw Jiang Cheng at the front of the crowd and froze, her eyes widening in surprise.
It was indeed a small stall selling roasted sweet potatoes.
But why were there so many people gathered around it? Along the way, she had seen a few other stalls selling roasted sweet potatoes, some with a customer or two, and some with none at all.
"Roasted sweet potatoes?"
Xiao Yuanqing also approached and couldn't help but blurt out upon seeing the scene.
His voice immediately drew everyone's attention.
After noticing the two wearing martial arts gym uniforms, the crowd quickly retreated to the sides.
Jiang Cheng lifted his head and saw the two of them, his expression changing.
They were from the Falcon Fist Gym.
Their reputation wasn't any better than the other two martial arts gyms.
A scene from a few days ago flashed in his mind.
But despite his annoyance, he could only manage a faint smile and said, "Would you like to try some roasted sweet potatoes?"
Xiao Yuanqing's words made Bai Wei look at him questioningly.
Although the roasted sweet potatoes smelled amazing, in his opinion, how good could they really be? Could they compare to a hearty meal of meat and fish? Not to mention the delicacies he had in mind.
Bai Wei, on the other hand, curiously looked at the people on both sides and asked, "Are you all lining up here just to buy these roasted sweet potatoes?"
The crowd exchanged glances, but no one dared to speak.
"My apprentice sister is talking to you. Are you all deaf or mute?"
Xiao Yuanqing let out a low roar, his eyes flashing with menace as he swept his gaze across the crowd.
"Yes, yes, we are."
"Yeah, we're waiting to buy roasted sweet potatoes."
The crowd nodded vigorously in fear.
"Are these roasted sweet potatoes really that delicious?" Bai Wei's curiosity grew.
"They are indeed very tasty."
"Much better than the others."
Several voices chimed in.
"Really?"
Bai Wei's curiosity was piqued, and the aroma had her convinced. She turned to Jiang Cheng and said, "Then give me one, and Apprentice Brother, would you like to try one too?"
"Since my apprentice sister wants to try it, I'll join her," Xiao Yuanqing said with a slight smile.
As he looked at Jiang Cheng, his smile instantly vanished, as if looking down on a commoner.
"Sweet potato seller, give us two roasted sweet potatoes."
"Sure."
Jiang Cheng gave them a deep glance.
He carefully packed two roasted sweet potatoes and handed them over. With his previous experience, he didn't mention payment.
Of course, as a consequence, he memorized their appearances, intending to report them to the Dragon Walk Martial Arts Academy later.
"Yes, it smells amazing."
Bai Wei took the sweet potatoes and inhaled their aroma, feeling a little intoxicated.
"It does smell good, and it looks delicious. Let's go, Apprentice Sister. We'll find a quiet place to eat," Xiao Yuanqing said with a smile, turning away without any intention of paying.
The surrounding crowd was used to this, and some looked on with pity in their eyes.
Two roasted sweet potatoes, 12 yuan. A fair price, not too much, not too little.
"Wait a moment, Apprentice Brother."
Bai Wei had walked halfway when she suddenly stopped and turned to Xiao Yuanqing, "It seems you haven't paid yet?"
(End of Chapter)
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