5:15 p.m.
Changlin RUniversity District.
A brand-new food cart turned into the alley next to the Spicy Girl Hotpot Restaurant.
By the time Lu Qin arrived with his daughter, all the prime spots at the alley entrance were already taken. He hadn't really had a choice. The best stalls had long been claimed.
As luck would have it, the vendor right at the alley's mouth was also selling Stir-Fried Rice Noodles.
That greasy middle-aged uncle took a glance at Lu Qin's shiny new signboard and didn't take it seriously.
Street vending was easy to get into—and fiercely competitive.
But his stall had been here for five years. He'd built up a solid reputation and a steady stream of customers.
His Stir-Fried Rice Noodles were spicy, chewy, and aromatic—popular with the young men and women of the university district.
Lu Qin parked his cart about fifty meters down the alley. There were only a handful of stalls here—vendors who, like him, had arrived late and missed out on prime real estate. They were setting up slowly and without much urgency.
Apparently, failing to grab a good spot could really hurt your business.
But Lu Qin wasn't concerned. Even if the location was bad, he believed "Good wine needs no bush."
He parked the cart properly, then gently patted the little one's head.
"Yaoyao, we'll set up here and sell Stir-Fried Rice Noodles."
The little one's eyes lit up with curiosity. On the way here, everything she saw had fascinated her.
She'd never been to a university night market. Lu Qin usually took her to big shopping malls—she was long tired of those. This was a whole new world for her.
"Waooo~! Waooo~!" she exclaimed all the way down the alley.
"Daddy, Yaoyao wants to help!"
She was very thoughtful, helping to arrange the takeout boxes.
The nearby uncles and aunties couldn't help but glance over at the handsome young man with his adorably obedient daughter.
But they weren't surprised to see someone young like Lu Qin getting into street vending.
In recent years, it had become trendy among the younger generation. News headlines often read:
"Young Man Earns Thousands a Day from Street Vending—Better Than Office Work!"
or
"Couple Buys Two Downtown Apartments Through Food Stall Hustle!"
In truth, very few could actually afford a house this way—those stories were the rare exceptions. Most vendors merely scraped by.
By the time Lu Qin finished setting up, it was 5:35 p.m.
Dusk was settling in, and more people began arriving in the university district for dinner or a stroll.
Stalls at the alley entrance had already opened, drawing small clusters of customers.
"Boss, one stir-fried noodle, extra spicy!"
"Boss, one whole grain pancake with crispy chicken and hotdog—no lettuce."
"Skewers please! Give me a basket—chicken wings, prawns, chives, grasshoppers…"
More and more people filled the alley—young couples, students, even grandparents with grandchildren.
But few made it all the way to the alley's end, where Lu Qin was.
The problem? Most stalls were selling the same things—grilled skewers, cold noodles, Stir-Fried Rice Noodles. With little variety in flavor, location became everything.
Half an hour passed. Lu Qin didn't have a single customer.
The oden vendor next to him was faring slightly better—he'd had two waves of customers earlier. Now things had quieted down again.
With business slow, the uncle struck up a conversation.
"New gear, eh? First time setting up?"
"Yeah, I'm new," Lu Qin replied politely with a nod.
"No worries. Everyone starts this way. You just need to come earlier next time to snag a good spot. Get a prime spot, and the customers will come."
"That your daughter? She's such a sweet, pretty little thing. My daughter's in fifth grade—just helped her with homework before heading out. Some ridiculous problem about chickens and rabbits in the same cage. Gave me and her mom a headache. That's why I got here late—sigh…"
Lu Qin smiled and exchanged a few words.
"Daddy, Yaoyao's hungry…"
Lu Xiyao rubbed her empty tummy. She hadn't eaten dinner yet.
"Oh, the little one's hungry? Here, try some of Uncle's oden!" The vendor fished out a skewer of fish balls and tempura and handed it over. He couldn't resist sharing with such a cute kid.
"Thank you, Uncle, but I want to eat Daddy's cooking."
Lu Qin smiled and politely declined. "Thanks, big bro, appreciate the kindness, but I think she's really craving my Stir-Fried Rice Noodles."
The uncle didn't mind. He took back the skewer and chuckled, "Kiddo, you've got no taste—oden's way better than Stir-Fried Rice Noodles!"
Kids usually preferred food on sticks—like candied hawthorn, oden, or spicy skewers. Stir-Fried Rice Noodles weren't typically their first choice.
"But Daddy's cooking is super yummy!"
Lu Xiyao clung to Lu Qin's arm, firmly taking her father's side.
The uncle chuckled again. He didn't think Stir-Fried Rice Noodles could really taste that good. Old Liu's noodles at the front of the alley had been around five or six years, and even those weren't all that. Greasy, bland, and more or less the same every time.
Lu Qin tied on his apron and fired up the stove.
The moment he picked up the wok, it was like something in him switched. His whole demeanor subtly changed.
He poured cold oil into the hot wok—sizzle! The fragrance of minced garlic and diced chili peppers burst out instantly.
Next came the egg, cracked and broken up with the back of the spatula.
Then the rice noodles.
Despite the size of his 16-inch iron wok, he never cooked more than three portions at once—too much would ruin the texture.
As the flame roared, he added bean sprouts, garlic chives, and ham.
Stir-Fried Rice Noodles seemed simple enough—just two minutes on high heat and they were ready.
But mastery was in the details: heat control, stir-fry timing, seasoning proportions—all had to be precise.
What looked easy actually took real skill.
The aroma quickly spread through the air. One plate of glistening, tender, and richly flavored noodles was finished.
The oden vendor next to him gulped. He was starting to regret what he'd said earlier. These noodles didn't just look good—they smelled amazing.
This kid's actually got skills.
That thick, savory aroma alone beat the pants off Old Liu's Stir-Fried Rice Noodles up front.
Lu Xiyao couldn't wait any longer. The scent had her little hands reaching high up.
"Daddy, smells so good! Yaoyao's starving~!"
Lu Qin split the noodles into two plates. Father and daughter sat down and dug in.
"Waaah~! So yummy~!"
Lu Xiyao's eyes sparkled as she chewed happily, mumbling through a mouthful of noodles.
"Eat slowly, don't choke."
Even as he said this, Lu Qin knew—his noodles never made anyone choke. Smooth and springy, they slid right down.
That smooth texture was all about technique. If your stir-fry rhythm was off, the noodles would clump, burn, or come out sticky and unappetizing.
The Oden uncle watched the two of them eat with relish. The rich aroma had his mouth watering.
"Dang… why does your fried rice noodle smell so good?"
He'd just eaten dinner an hour ago, but now his stomach was growling again.
"Ahem… hey kiddo, your noodles look really good. Can I get a plate too?"
Lu Qin set down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and smiled.
"Of course."
The little one wanted to say something smug like "Uncle, now you know!"
But her mouth was stuffed full, so she let it go—for now.
And kept munching away.
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]