Chapter Eight: Consistent Praise, Culinary Intelligence System Upgraded

A day of selling steamed buns begins with buying pork.

Personally selecting ingredients is a fundamental skill for every street vendor.

Chen Zhou was no exception.

When choosing meat at Yongjia Fresh Market, he even applied the method that the owner, Zhang Jinsheng, shared on the spot: look once, touch twice, press thrice, and smell four times.

“Fresh pork looks bright red and glossy.”

“It feels moist and slightly sticky. When pressed, it bounces back.”

“The smell has a slight raw odor, which is normal.”

Seeing Chen Zhou skillfully using his own tricks, Zhang Jinsheng said confidently, “Brother, stop picking. These pigs were slaughtered just after midnight; the quality can’t be bad.”

Chen Zhou replied seriously, “I have to choose the best among the best.”

“Heh heh,” Zhang Jinsheng grinned widely, revealing two golden teeth, clearly pleased to have found a long-term customer.

“You bought four jin yesterday and came back today. Business must be good?”

“Yeah, sold out overnight.” Chen Zhou handed over a front leg. “Weigh five jin.”

“All right.”

Zhang Jinsheng kept working his hands but was somewhat surprised.

He couldn’t help but ask, “You said this is your first time vending? Selling this well? Four or five jin of meat could make one or two hundred buns.”

Chen Zhou remained humble and credited the other party: “It’s because I picked good meat.”

Those words pleased Zhang Jinsheng greatly.

“Brother, you clearly know how to do honest business. Before, some kid bought meat from me, complained about the price, and then came back after a few days with a chunk of frozen meat wanting a refund because he hadn’t used it all! Luckily, I stand firm on my principles...”

While chatting casually, Chen Zhou was diligently making up for his lack of culinary experience through various channels.

He asked, “Brother, I can smell the rawness in the pork, but how do you judge freshness by the scent?”

Old Zhang shook his flashy gold chain and whispered, “You won’t notice much difference smelling here; just go next door and compare.”

Smell is a form of memory.

Once you know what’s good or bad, it becomes easier to tell.

Before leaving, Chen Zhou remembered his wife’s words from yesterday.

He asked Zhang Jinsheng, “Do you have the ‘Pork Quality Inspection Certificate’ and the ‘Animal Quarantine Certificate’?”

Zhang Jinsheng was clearly taken aback.

“Hey, brother, are you a vendor or an undercover inspector?”

Chen Zhou reassured him and shared yesterday’s little episode, then added:

“Besides, I can help promote you. When people ask, I’ll say Yongjia Fresh Market at Happy Vegetable Market.”

“Oh, don’t worry. We have all the paperwork and certificates.” Zhang Jinsheng brought out a stack of documents from behind the stall and handed them to Chen Zhou.

“If you need a purchase receipt, I can even issue an invoice. Pork sales are exempt from VAT, though it’s a bit of a hassle.”

Chen Zhou didn’t mind the trouble and took several photos of the certificates.

The pork was fresh, and the dates on the paper were recent.

After Chen Zhou left, Zhang Jinsheng reflected inwardly:

“No wonder his business is doing well. Even as a small stall, he’s so serious. He’ll definitely open his own shop within three years. By the way, I forgot to ask where he sells the buns. I must go try them sometime.”

...

When people eat something delicious, some want more because they haven’t had enough.

But if everyone felt that way, there might be something added to the buns.

Chen Zhou, of course, did not resort to that.

So when he set up his stall again at the residential gate in the evening, returning customers were fewer than expected.

However, when people find something tasty, they tend to recommend it to others.

Quite a few customers came because they had been recommended.

Occasionally, one could hear:

“Hey, this must be the place. Yesterday, I was playing downstairs with my kid, and Sister Zhang said his buns are especially good.”

As for the quality inspection and quarantine certificates provided by Old Zhang, hardly anyone asked about them.

Perhaps people simply didn’t have high expectations for buns sold at street stalls.

Over these few days, Chen Zhou pondered a question: whether vending or opening a shop, what is the most important thing in the food business?

Appearance and quality must meet a certain standard.

Balancing cost and profit, making money while doing his best to make the buns presentable and tasty.

He didn’t aim to advertise with banquet-level buns, but he still held some standards for himself.

Moreover, as a father, he believed the food he sold should be something he could give to his own daughter without hesitation.

That was his principle.

Except when Tao Tao got tired of eating them.

...

After three consecutive nights selling buns, Chen Zhou’s old back was starting to ache.

After showering, he lay on the bed, receiving a massage from his wife.

Ms. Lin pulled Tao Tao away from stepping on her father’s back and reminded him:

“You used to sit for long hours drawing, and now you’re standing all day; it’s no wonder you’re not used to it. Tomorrow I’ll buy you some medicated patches.”

Chen Zhou was indifferent. “It’s fine, a good sleep will fix it.”

“You still think you’re a twenty-year-old guy.”

“Sigh...” Thinking back to ten years ago, that was truly his physical prime. He turned toward Lin Yifan:

“Good wife, make me a cup of goji berry tea.”

His body was struggling, but thinking about the gains these past few days, they were significant.

Excluding initial investments like buying the snack cart, he earned nearly nine hundred yuan in three nights.

With that in mind, making over ten thousand a month vending wasn’t a dream.

If he sold in the mornings too, he could earn even more.

Beyond monetary gains, after vending, Chen Zhou faced more diners.

The number of positive reviews he received accumulated to 203.

His intelligence system’s level rose from lv1 to lv2 (203/700).

Chen Zhou believed this was the more valuable reward.

“Tomorrow will be a new intelligence update. I wonder if I can get another rare piece.”

Within a minute or two,

Lin Yifan returned with water, placed the cup on the bedside table, and resumed massaging Chen Zhou’s lower back with just the right strength.

Perhaps because the pressure was just right, he started snoring.

Lin Yifan smiled softly and whispered:

“You’ve been working too hard these days. Take a day off tomorrow.”

...

At seven o’clock the next morning,

Chen Zhou promptly received a new set of intelligence.

[Rumor from the Market (Rare)]: The recipe for pickled cucumbers from Suiyuan Food List is inscribed on a blue-and-white lotus-patterned plate sold on Ancient Culture Street, at No. **, ** Road. Recommended purchase price not exceeding 2,000.

[Ingredient News]: Due to heavy rains in surrounding provinces over the next few days, vegetable prices will rise slightly.

[Customer Update]: Urban management inspectors will visit your stall within four days.

[Market News]: Haibin City’s regulations for street vendors require operators to apply for food vending registration. However, 42% of vendors have not complied.

Additionally:

[Congratulations on passing the novice stage. The points mall is now open.]

[You can redeem positive review points for skills.]