Ma Lu's ex-girlfriend was the deputy head of the photography club, and from her, Ma Lu picked up a few tricks on composition, color, and the use of light and shadow.
Added to the built-in filter pack in his phone, he could almost perfectly recreate the tempting appearance of the freshly cooked sand bream burgers.
Now, some people who had still been hesitating couldn't withstand anymore, they gave in one after another, complaining that it was too sneaky, while joining the queue.
By the time he stepped outside, Ma Lu glanced at the two group chats again, the order volume had already risen to 70+.
He and Old Wang loaded the meatballs, side dishes, and baked bread onto the tricycle.
They arrived at West Gate about 20 minutes before the last morning class ended.
The Universe's Number One Snack Stall had now truly become a star on this street, drawing attention every time it showed up.
Some of those who were originally wandering in front of other snack stalls, and even those who were halfway through placing orders, couldn't help but "defect" upon seeing Ma Lu and Old Wang arrive.
Squid Brother and the others had gotten used to this, as these kinds of things had been happening almost every day for the past two weeks.
Luckily, The Universe's Number One Snack Stall sold food fast and packed up early; they could finish sales and head home before it got dark, not coming back in the evening to compete for business with them.
As soon as Ma Lu stopped the tricycle, before he even had a chance to set up, he heard someone shouting.
"Found, found you guys!"
The speaker was a female college student wearing a printed short-sleeve T-shirt and capri jeans, in her hand she carried a cup of freshly bought sugarcane juice, sprinting over from the opposite side of the road.
"Boss, boss, do you remember me?" the female student asked excitedly.
"Don't remember you, but don't worry, there are no discounts for acquaintances here either."
"Ah, I'm not looking for a discount, though it would be better if there was one... no, this isn't about discounts, what I wanted to say is that I had tried your fried meat pies before in Guo's Village, and the taste was really superb. I've been longing for it ever since, but when I went back the next day, I didn't find you guys.
"Not just the next day, but the third day, and every time I had free time last week I ran there, but the uncle selling bracelets said that you guys hadn't been there again, and I thought you had quit.
"Until I overheard a friend saying that there's a senior from their school and a man who doesn't talk much... a bald...Old man, who partnered up to run a stall outside their school, selling really delicious snacks. That's when I thought of you guys."
"Oh, it's you." Ma Lu then remembered, "I can't believe you managed to find us here, but we've stopped selling the fried meat pies."
But Little Monkey couldn't care less about the others at the moment. She took a deep breath and then delved into the long-sought-after delicacy.
Just from one bite, she knew she had struck gold. Her heart sped up while she took the second bite, feeling as if she had encountered the lover of her dreams...
And by the time she had finished the last bite, she felt that the 35 yuan was the most worthwhile money she had ever spent in her life.
Opening up Meituan and Xiaohongshu, even the burgers from some popular places were more expensive, but the taste was nowhere near that of The Universe's Number One Snack Stall.
Little Monkey even started to think that Ma Lu and Old Wang were angels, sent from heaven specifically to rescue cash-strapped, gluttonous college students like her.
She couldn't hold back any longer, such a delicious bite had to be shared right away.
But since she was enjoying her meal too much earlier, she hadn't taken any pictures.
Luckily, Ma Lu and Old Wang had just finished making another batch of burgers. Little Monkey hurried over to take a couple of quick pictures.
She was about to send them to her dorm group and stir up a group purchase, but hesitated a second before clicking 'send'.
She had previously brought some Fried Jackal Meat Cakes back to her roommates, which received unanimous praise.
However, Little Monkey, who had eaten another one herself, knew all too well that there was a significant difference from just-cooked ones. She guessed that would likely be even more pronounced with burgers.
No, even the slightest drop in quality would be an insult to this deliciousness.
Hence, Little Monkey decided to stop carrying out food delivery herself and instead started rallying her dorm mates for a group meal, as it was just about dinner time.
But before that, there was something even more important.
"Boss, let's add each other on WeChat. Next time you set up your stall, especially if there are new items, remember to notify me," Little Monkey approached Ma Lu, looking forward with anticipation.
Ma Lu, hands busy, casually called out a name.
"Mao Ka Ka, who's Mao Ka Ka? Your burger is ready. Wait, do me another favor, add... what's your name?"
"Hou Yihan."
"Yeah, add Hou Yihan to Group 2."