Zhang Yuan, a seasoned entertainment reporter, always kept a close eye on online trends—it was part of her job.
Now, staring at the pair of strikingly good-looking siblings before her, she was certain she’d seen them somewhere before… but where exactly?
Suddenly, a lightbulb went off in her mind.
“The genius girl and that wildly popular food vlogger on Douyin?!” she gasped, spinning around to look at Sister Liang. “T-they’re siblings?”
“Mm-hmm,” Sister Liang confirmed casually.
“Incredible…” Zhang Yuan murmured. This was way more valuable than covering some celebrity’s commercial event.
After all, back when Jiang Fuyue made waves on Weibo, she trampled over top trending celebrity gossip and shot straight to the top—she went viral.
As for her Little Brother, the food vlogger, he’d recently become massively popular. While his Weibo presence didn’t match his Douyin clout, his fanbase and ability to drive sales had long since surpassed many veteran influencers.
Over the past six months, he even started posting videos of himself doing chores at home—cooking, washing dishes, laundry—you name it, he could do it.
He also streamed himself solving Olympiad-level math problems, drawing in a crowd of elementary students and winning over a whole lot of parents in the process.
Just a few days ago, she had been lamenting to her coworker, “If my kid were as obedient and self-motivated as him, I’d laugh in my sleep.”
To which her colleague replied with a sigh, “All the good kids belong to other people. Wake up.”
Sister Liang, seeing her surprised and delighted expression, smiled knowingly. “So? Took a moment to appreciate the view and realized it’s quite the sight, huh?”
Zhang Yuan nodded, full of admiration. “You’re truly a pro, Sister Liang. I’ve learned a lot today.”
“Look at that, it’s time. Let’s head out.”
“Huh?”
“The grand opening’s at nine. Time to go live. Grab your cameraman and your mic. It’s our time to shine.”
Sister Liang didn’t point out that Zhang Yuan hadn’t even reviewed the event rundown in advance.
Zhang Yuan, however, looked embarrassed, her guilt showing in her eyes.
She knew she hadn’t been professional this time, but better late than never. She was determined to write a great piece about this not only delicious but heartwarmingly charming new hotspot.
“Let’s go, Brother Wang. Get those shots steady. No shaky cam today.”
“Got it!”
At exactly nine o’clock, under the guidance of Cao Dou, and in the presence of Jiang Da and Han Yunru (the couple behind the business), their children Jiang Fuyue and Jiang Chenxing, a crowd of fans, media, and food influencers—the sign for “Jiang Ji’s Private Kitchen” was officially mounted at the center of the storefront.
The crowd erupted in thunderous applause and cheers—
“Uncle Jiang! We’re all waiting for you to feed us!”
“Auntie Han! Over here! We need to know—if we eat desserts made by a beauty, will we become beauties too?!”
“Moon Goddess! I’m your visual stan! Please, just one glance!”
Jiang Fuyue turned toward the voice, her lovely almond-shaped eyes crinkling into a soft, shallow smile.
“Ah! I’m dead!”
“Sister Yue! Over here! I’m not just here for your looks—I stan your brainpower! You looked so cool on the awards podium!”
“Keep crushing that Olympiad Math contest! Destroy it! Stomp it into the ground!”
Jiang Fuyue realized that quite a few of her fans had shown up for the opening.
Seeing the scene slowly spiraling out of control, she waved to the crowd, “Don’t push, stay safe!”
At the same time, she subtly gestured to Cao Dou, signaling him to go knock some sense into those useless, gawking security guards.
Soon enough, the guards jumped into action and managed to temporarily restore order.
But just as things were settling down—bam! A group of female college students, shielded by their boyfriends, pushed to the front. They raised a custom-made banner that read:
[Darling Chenxing, your big sisters stan you!]
The crowd was stunned. What was this chaos? Was this a fan meet for a celeb or something?
Chenxing: “?”
He stood there, tiny and confused, his bewildered expression instantly triggering the girls’ protective instincts.
“Ahhh! So cute! Did you grow up eating ‘Adorable Crunchies’ or what?”
“Eat well and grow tall, little guy!”
“Dress warm, sweetie!”
“Do less housework, play more!”
“It’s okay to be a bit naughty!”
Then, someone handed him a mic. He took it, blinking, and softly said, “Th-thank you all… I’ll remember everything…”
The girls collectively screamed.
“So sweet! I’m crying!”
“Going home to get married and make a baby immediately! I want a son just like him!”
Boyfriends, not to be outdone, perked up: “Let’s do it! No time to waste!”
They hoisted their girlfriends over their shoulders and sprinted off, shouting back at Jiang Chenxing, “Thanks, bro! When the baby’s born, we’ll visit your livestream with a matchmaking gift and a fertility blessing!”
Little Brother Jiang: “?”
Everyone: “……”
And so, amidst a live battle between fans of Jiang Ji, Jiang Da, Han Yunru, Jiang Fuyue, and now Jiang Chenxing—his supporters dominated the scene and secured the MVP title of the day.
They completely stole the show!
Every bit of this chaos was captured by the cameras on site. Countless fans also recorded videos on their phones.
With the sign-hanging ceremony complete, Jiang Ji’s Private Kitchen officially opened for business.
The first wave of guests was escorted into the dining area, where patient servers helped them order from the menu.
The rest? Well, they could only wait in line for their number to be called.
….
Meanwhile, Liu Shanhua arrived just as the sign went up. The entrance was completely jam-packed, and the cheers could be heard from a distance.
In contrast, his own store had red lanterns lit, firecrackers ready, flower baskets in place, the red carpet rolled out, and staff lined up with perfect posture.
But… only a few elderly ladies carrying shopping baskets were loitering outside.
He gritted his teeth and ordered the deputy manager to set off the firecrackers. A loud, crackling barrage echoed across the street.
That did draw in some onlookers, especially with the free fruit on offer, but it still couldn’t compare to the madness next door.
Plastering on a smile, he called out, “Dear guests, welcome to the grand opening of Cao Ji’s 216th franchise! Everything today is 50% off—come and enjoy!”
“Fifty percent off?!” The staff exchanged looks.
Cao Ji’s grand openings had always been 30% off, never 50%. What gives?
The deputy manager leaned in to whisper, “Sir, you misspoke. It should be 30%.”
“No mistake,” Liu Shanhua replied flatly. “It’s 50%.”
“But that’s against company policy…”
“Do you see what’s happening across the street? If we don’t slash prices, how are we supposed to compete?”
The deputy had no words.
He wanted to ask—why even compete? Cao Ji had never viewed other local shops as rivals. They’d always run their business with a calm, confident approach.
But now? This kind of self-sabotaging discount war was baffling.
Still, the 50% off deal drew in around ten customers.
The reporters on standby quickly nudged their cameramen to capture the moment. They’d been paid to cover this event, after all, and needed to show something for it.
But the second they were done, they were ready to bolt—to get in line next door.
“Ladies and gentlemen, please come in. We’ve prepared our highest-tier banquet: the Full River Feast. Please enjoy.”
The Full River Feast was the top-tier menu item at Cao Ji—priced at 18,888 yuan per table.
The reporters looked at one another. “Actually, we’ve got enough footage. Let’s move on to the interview segment.”
“So soon?” Liu Shanhua blinked.
Of course they were in a hurry! The real feast was next door, and they weren’t about to miss it!
Despite his attempts to keep them, the reporters politely declined.
Liu Shanhua’s brow furrowed. Then he noticed one of the cameramen sneaking a longing glance toward Jiang Ji’s next door.
His expression darkened.
I have to keep them here—no matter what.
“Oh, by the way,” he said, smiling. “We’ve invited Mr. Nie Guotao to dine with us today. You sure you don’t want an interview?”
“Wait, Nie Guotao? The famous travel and food critic?”
He nodded. “The very same.”
“Didn’t he retire years ago due to illness?”
“And didn’t he refuse even CCTV’s interview request just six months ago?”
“And you got him to agree to talk to us?”
Liu Shanhua gritted his teeth but smiled calmly: “Of course.”
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