Li Ziqing offered the old Mu couple a modest smile, her hands folded neatly in front of her as she allowed them a moment to take her in. She neither flaunted nor shrank from their gaze—her quiet confidence, wrapped in warmth and respect, only deepened the couple's growing admiration for her.
"Good… very good," Grandpa Mu was the first to break the silence, his voice tinged with sincere praise as he gave a subtle nod of approval. "So, Xiao Qing," he asked, smiling with anticipation, "what's on the menu today?"
Ziqing's eyes twinkled, and instead of answering right away, she turned slightly and made a subtle hand gesture to her mother. Li Jianfang immediately understood and moved toward the preparation area with practiced grace, taking her place at the grill and fryer stations, where gentle sizzling sounds and aromatic steam already began to rise.
Turning back to the couple, Li Ziqing clasped her hands gently before her waist and said with a light smile, "Grandpa Mu, Grandma Mu, allow me to introduce today's special menu—each dish has been prepared with a balance of comfort, nutrition, and a touch of refined flavor. I hope they'll bring back fond memories while giving you something new to savor."
She paused just long enough to build anticipation, her voice calm and melodic and little louder enough for the people on the street who were drawn by the aroma of food stall but we're still contemplating after seeing the prices.
"The first dish is Silken Egg and Scallion Soy Porridge. A velvety rice congee, slow-simmered until smooth and creamy, then folded with ribbons of steamed egg and sprinkled generously with fragrant scallions."
Grandma Mu's eyes lit up instantly, already imagining the aroma.
"Next," Ziqing continued, "are Pan-Fried Chive and Shrimp Dumplings. Each dumpling is filled with fresh-cut Chinese chives and marinated shrimp, wrapped by hand this morning. The third," she said with a smile, "is Red-Braised Tofu with Mushrooms. A classic Northern dish—soft tofu braised in a slow-reduced broth with shiitake mushrooms, star anise, and a touch of rock sugar."
The smell of it was already beginning to drift toward them from the open kitchen.
"And lastly," she added, her tone softening just slightly with a note of pride, "our Garlic-Soy Chicken Wings. These are double-marinated—first in ginger and rice wine, then coated in our house-made garlic-soy glaze."
By the time Li Ziqing finished introducing the day's menu, a palpable silence settled around the stall.
Even those who had initially dismissed the stall now found themselves turning their heads, noses twitching, eyes curious.
The Mu couple sat entranced, but it wasn't just them anymore. More crowd had begun to gather—some out of curiosity, others pulled purely by scent—and they now lingered near the stall's edge, pretending to glance at nearby shops, but clearly listening.
A plump woman in a green apron, from few stalls away leaned toward her companion and whispered, though not quietly enough, "Why are they selling this kind of stuff for breakfast? Since when did porridge come with soy sauce and scallions like that?"
Another voice piped in from behind, younger, curious, "I don't know… it smells amazing. That tofu dish looks like something from a proper restaurant. Not your usual street food."
"But who would pay so much?" a thin man in a knit vest added, clicking his tongue. "They used to sell breakfast sets for five or six yuan—now it's what, ten? Fifteen? They think they're in downtown?"
A woman holding a toddler on her hip sniffed the air again and said, "Still… doesn't smell like anything I've had before. Makes my mouth water just standing here."
"She said her daughter trained under a master chef, right?" another bystander murmured, adjusting the strap of her shopping basket. "Maybe it's worth trying… at least one dish. It's different, that's for sure."
Someone toward the back added skeptically, "Different's not always good. They might just be showing off. Let just wait a little longer"
Old Couple Mu exchanged a curious glance before Grandpa Mu leaned forward and asked with a chuckle, "Xiao Qing, the dishes certainly look delicious and smell divine, but isn't this a bit too elaborate for breakfast?"
Li Ziqing smiled, her posture calm and confident as she met their gaze. "Grandma Mu, Grandpa Mu, I understand your concern. Around here, most people don't pay much attention to breakfast. As long as their stomach is full, they're satisfied. But did you know that a wholesome, balanced breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day?"
She paused slightly, her voice soft yet persuasive, drawing the attention of not just the old couple but also the bystanders lingering nearby.
"After a night's sleep, our bodies are low on glucose—the primary fuel for the brain and muscles. A good breakfast replenishes that energy, improves concentration, sharpens memory, supports heart health, and even lifts the mood while reducing stress. So really, it's not just about eating—it's about how we start our day."
A brief silence followed before the corners of Grandma Mu's lips curled into a warm, knowing smile. Grandpa Mu chuckled in admiration. "Well said, well said," he muttered, nodding. "Such wisdom in one so young."
Even the crowd around them had grown noticeably quiet. Some looked thoughtful. Others, visibly moved.
At that moment, Li Jianfang emerged from the stall carrying a large wooden tray. The aroma intensified. Heads turned. Conversations paused.
"I've brought all four dishes for you to try," she said with a gentle smile, setting the tray before the old couple.
The arrangement was simple yet elegant.
Gasps and murmurs echoed through the crowd. One child tugged at his mother's sleeve, pointing eagerly.
"Ma, I want that chicken wing," he whined.
Li Ziqing caught the scene from the corner of her eye, her lips curving into a faint smile. Everything is moving in the right direction.
Grandpa Mu was the first to reach out. He picked up a dumpling with the provided chopsticks and took a bite. The thin outer layer gave way to a juicy, fragrant filling. "Mmm… This has bite," he praised.
Grandma Mu tried the porridge next, letting the smooth texture settle on her tongue, so gentle. Next came the tofu, Grandpa Mu's eyebrows rose in delight. This tasted like something out of a fine restaurant.
Finally, they tasted the wings. Sticky, savory, crisp at the edges, and utterly irresistible. Grandma Mu licked her lips, glancing over at Li Ziqing with wonder. "If we had this kind of breakfast every day, we'd live another twenty years."
By now, One by one, people who had merely been watching—or worse, scoffing—could no longer resist. After witnessing the Old Mu couple savor each bite with such pleasure, the hesitation melted away.
Even those who had previously jeered at the pricing were now weaving themselves into the growing crowd, trying to blend in as if they had been interested from the beginning.
"Hey, give me two plates of the Pan-Fried Chive & Shrimp Dumplings!"
"I'll have the Red-Braised Tofu with Mushrooms and the Garlic-Soy Chicken Wings, please!"
"Excuse me! My son wants the Garlic-Soy Chicken Wings. And I'll take the Silken Egg & Scallion Soy Porridge for myself!"
Li Jianping stood frozen for a second, overwhelmed by the sudden surge of customers. It felt as though a dam had burst.
"Everyone, please queue properly!" he called out, regaining his composure. "Don't worry, there's enough for all—just line up and wait your turn."
Though initially reluctant, the crowd quickly complied, drawn more by the scent of sizzling oil and umami-rich steam than by the request. A serpentine line began to form, snaking its way past the neighboring stalls and eventually stretching to the other end of the street.
Behind the counter, the stall turned into a whirlwind of activity.
Li Ziqing and her mother, Li Jianfang, took command of the kitchen like seasoned professionals. Their hands moved with practiced grace—stirring, flipping, plating—each motion precise and seamless. Li Jianping handled the front, managing service with surprising efficiency, while Li Zian took over the cash counter, keeping pace with the ever-increasing flow of payments.
As the first ten or twelve customers received their meals and found space to sit or stand nearby, the street filled with the sound of first bites—and the stunned gasps that followed.
Gasps echoed from different directions.
"Oh my god…" murmured a middle-aged man, eyes wide as he tasted the dumpling. "This... this isn't street food. This is restaurant quality."
A young woman holding the tofu dish closed her eyes, savoring the first mouthful. "It's soft and rich… the sauce is incredible. I've never tasted tofu like this."
Someone else bit into a chicken wing and let out an involuntary moan. "Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and that sauce—what is that sauce?"
The boy who had earlier begged for chicken wings took a bite and then immediately hugged his portion protectively, fearing someone might steal it. "Mine," he muttered, eyes gleaming.
A low ripple of awe ran through the crowd still in line.
"Did you hear that?" whispered a woman to her husband, craning her neck. "They're saying it tastes like five-star hotel food!"
"I can't take it anymore," said a teenage boy in line, bouncing on his toes. "If this queue doesn't move, I'm jumping it."
"Back in line!" snapped an older man playfully, pushing him with a grin. "Don't ruin it for the rest of us."
As the queue continued to grow, winding past several stalls and showing no signs of slowing down, a deep scowl formed on the face of Xiulan—the plump vendor beside Li Jianfang's stall who earlier threw jab at her.
She had been waiting to witness Li Jianfang embarrass herself by selling overpriced, unfamiliar dishes for breakfast. But instead, what she saw was a surging crowd, delighted customers, and a queue so long it nearly doubled back on itself.
Her grip tightened on the ladle in her hand, knuckles turning white as she clenched it with suppressed fury.
"Xiulan, what's going on?" another woman from a nearby stall asked as she walked over, wiping her hands on her apron. "Why are people still lining up for her food? It's so absurdly priced for breakfast!"
Xiulan's glare didn't waver from the sight of Li Jianfang's bustling stall. Her voice, thick with bitterness, came out in a low growl. "What else could it be? That vixen brought her daughter today and is playing her usual tricks—flashing smiles, using her face to reel in customers. And men, being the fools they are, can't seem to resist."
She gritted her teeth so hard that her jaw visibly tensed.
Just then, a petite, middle-aged man—another food vendor—shuffled toward them, glancing cautiously between the two women. "Well... to be fair, the food does look really good," he said under his breath. "One of my regulars left his pancake half-eaten and rushed to their stall the moment he caught a whiff of that aroma."
Xiulan spun toward him with a glare so sharp he nearly flinched.
The man immediately went silent, lowering his gaze and pretending to busy himself with something on his hands.
The other woman chuckled under her breath, then leaned a little closer to Xiulan, her voice laced with subtle malice. "Does Shulan know her daughter is doing so well now?" she asked, watching Xiulan's face carefully for a reaction. Her tone was casual, but her eyes gleamed with implication.
The mention of that name made Xiulan's expression shift.
Her frown slowly faded, replaced by a sly, calculating smile that crept across her face like a shadow. A dangerous glint lit up her eyes.
"Li Jianfang," she muttered under her breath, lips curling, "you dare steal my customers? Don't blame me for ruining you."
And just like that, the bitterness in her chest twisted into something darker.