Chapter 299: Chapter 299: The Hollow Cannot Be Filled

"Flying Dragon Golden Toad Soup!"Hou Jianchang exclaimed excitedly, his body involuntarily drawing closer.

Ning Kai was also taken aback, "Old Hou, you really know your stuff, these ingredients were just brought back by Old Chen from Nanyun, and this dish has just been introduced, yet you can tell the name of the dish just by its smell."

Hou Jianchang didn't bother with pleasantries and hurried forward to take the bowl Ning Kai handed over.

"This is a famous dish from my hometown, how could I possibly not know the name?"

With that, he picked up a spoon and fiercely guzzled a mouthful.

The recipe for this dish was actually very simple, involving nothing more than stewing artificially bred red-headed centipedes with stone frogs, to which some herbs were added as condiments.

Stone frog itself is a special product of Nanyun, with a very unique texture of meat. As long as it was cooked in a pot for a long time, it would dissolve into the broth, and not even a bit of meat residue could be seen. If cooked for even longer, even the bones would meld into the soup.

And red-headed centipedes were even more a preferred choice for medicinal use. Just one alone, its effects could be compared to turtle and snake soup!

The essences of the red-headed centipede and stone frog combined could produce a unique substance that not only strengthened the body but also energized people.

Many elders in Nanyun were particularly fond of this dish; even drinking half a bowl could make them feel instantly rejuvenated.

There was even a town in Nanyun where, due to the regular consumption of this type of food, the average lifespan exceeded a hundred years.

Upon seeing this dish, Hou Jianchang had already excitedly forgotten his manners and quickly drank a bowl of soup.

By the time he came to his senses, he felt somewhat embarrassed.

"Ah, Old Chen, I couldn't help myself and drank it all..."

"No problem!" Chen Yu patted Hou Jianchang on the shoulder, "This bowl of soup was meant for you, and there's plenty more over there."

Ning Kai also laughed, then ladled out two more bowls and pushed them forward.

"Old Chen brought back a lot of ingredients, and he says more can be constantly sent over, so just drink up, there's plenty to go around!"

Hou Jianchang wasn't shy, he rolled up his sleeves, picked up a bowl, and guzzled down another one.

Just as they were enjoying themselves, two muscular men sitting nearby suddenly stood up and marched over with an aggressive air.

"I smelled the scent of stone frog earlier, and when I asked you to make a bowl of soup for me, you refused. Now that they are here, you say there's enough soup for everyone, what's the meaning of this? Are you looking down on us?"

Ning Kai frowned, "I've already said, the two of you are too weak, you simply can't handle such a nourishing food, don't be ungrateful."

The two strong men still looked unsatisfied and insistent.

"What do you mean, 'too weak'? Look at the muscles on us! My brother here has even won bodybuilding competitions, and you dare say we are weak! I think the medicinal dishes you make here are just a sham, believe it or not, I'll overturn your stand?"

Chen Yu slightly furrowed his brows and sized up the two men.

Indeed, as Ning Kai said, their bodies seemed deficient, likely due to long-term use of hormones.

If they were given stone frog soup to drink, it could easily injure their internal organs.

But an ordinary person couldn't tell at a glance, especially given the two men's extremely muscular physiques—no one would associate their health with weakness.

It was already evening, but there were still many people in the shopping mall. Although some were regular customers of the stores, the majority were new faces, even including a few internet influencers from afar who were currently filming with their smartphones.

If things really continued to develop from here, the store might face some disadvantages.

Chen Yu let out a heavy breath and went straight into the kitchen; he grabbed a handful of medicinal herbs and brought them out.

"You two, it's not that your bodies are weak, but rather that you're so robust you can't take any more nourishment! It means your bodies have already reached such a perfect state that any more strengthening would be overdoing it. Our chefs are thinking of your well-being." Searᴄh the novёlF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

As Chen Yu spoke, his tone and demeanor were very humble, which greatly pleased the two men.

They dropped the aggressive attitude they had shown earlier.

"You have a way with words, boy. But we're at an age brimming with vigor. What's the worst that could happen if we overdo it? We'd work it off in no time."

All of this was within Chen Yu's expectations; he distributed the medicinal herbs he held in his hand to the two men.

"Since that's the case, why don't you try drinking this medicine with the soup? I guarantee your energy levels will be even higher than now."

The two men immediately looked triumphant. They consumed the herbs Chen Yu passed to them, and Ning Kai promptly served up two bowls of soup and brought them out.

The surrounding internet influencers had moved in closer, even pointing their filming equipment right in the faces of the two robust men, curious to see their reaction after drinking the nutritious soup.

"Refreshing!"

One of the robust men exclaimed loudly, then set his empty bowl on the table. Soon after, his forehead started to bead with sweat, and his face turned exceedingly flushed.

The other even took off his shirt, appearing extremely exhilarated.

Earlier, Chen Yu had concocted a medicinal dose according to each of their physical traits to counteract the effects of the Flying Dragon Golden Toad Soup, also negating the damage their hormones could inflict, essentially offering them a free treatment for their condition.

This scene immediately stirred up excitement among the onlookers, who quickly formed a long queue in front of Ning Kai's stand, all eager to taste the nourishing soup for themselves.

Ning Kai let out a sigh of resignation. Although he had been following Chen Yu for quite some time, his understanding of medicinal cuisine was still lacking.

For specific conditions, he could tailor medicinal dishes accordingly, but facing a long line of people queuing for the same nutritious soup was troubling.

Not to mention the various physical constitutions of each person, if someone had some innate illness, the nutritious soup could potentially lead to their death.

As he worried over what to do, Chen Yu suddenly leaned in and whispered in his ear.

"Add more seasoning, dilute the soup by five times!"

Upon hearing this, Ning Kai breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly followed Chen Yu's instructions to dilute the soup.

That way, no serious issues would arise.

However, once tonight's events spread, they could expect an even larger influx of customers, which would stretch their manpower even thinner.

Chen Yu sighed helplessly. It looked like he would need to visit Chu Hong's hometown with her tomorrow.

"Business is booming, isn't it, Boss Chen!"

A familiar voice suddenly called out from nearby. A delicate figure was standing on a ladder, leaning against the wall, sketching something.

Turning his head, Chen Yu was surprised to see it was Tang Xiaowei, whom he hadn't seen in a long while.