Chapter 9: Minced Pork with Eggplant, Stir-Fried Pork Intestines, and Egg Fried Rice

Lin Chengjie, seeing there was no reaction from him, quickly explained and proudly pointed to his own nose:
“Hey, don’t doubt me! My nose is really sharp! That rich, overpowering smell from earlier—others couldn’t trace it, but the moment you walked past me, it came wafting out right through the seam of your lunchbox! Can’t fool me!”

He smacked his lips, a slightly childish look of distaste on his face.
“I’m so sick of eating the food the restaurant sends over every day. Fancy delicacies and mountain treasures—I’m fed up with all of it. But just now, when I caught a whiff of the aroma from your lunchbox, my cravings kicked in instantly! I just wanted a taste of something different!”

Lin Chengjie wasn’t just sharp-nosed—he was notoriously picky, too.

In order to please this young master, the Songxiang Restaurant always delivered freshly cooked dishes right before school ended, timed down to the minute. The meals had to be hot, freshly made, and always prepared by the best chef available.

Yet even with all that effort, when Jing Hongyi still didn’t say a word, Lin Chengjie grew anxious. Without another word, he flipped open his own luxurious food container with a dramatic “pa!” and pushed it forward like he was presenting a treasure.

Inside were three exquisitely arranged dishes:
Crab Roe Lion’s Head Meatball, Squirrel-Shaped Mandarin Fish, and Jade Shrimp—each a signature dish of the restaurant, beautifully presented, bursting with color, aroma, and flavor, the kind of fare rarely seen in ordinary households.

“How about this,” Lin Chengjie’s eyes sparkled as he looked at Jing Hongyi. “Let’s not switch lunches—let’s just lay everything out and share it all. What do you say? I promise you, my dishes won’t disappoint!”

Now that things had been said so sincerely, Jing Hongyi couldn’t bring himself to refuse anymore.

He wasn’t the type who excelled at turning people down in the first place, and facing Lin Chengjie’s enthusiasm, staying aloof would just make him seem petty.

Fine, he thought. We’ll eat together, then.

Letting out a soft sigh, he finally reached out and lifted the lid of his own seemingly humble lunchbox.

In that instant, a wave of aroma far richer and more intense than the earlier drifting scent surged into the air.

The first thing that caught the eye was a serving of egg fried rice.

Each grain of rice was separate, plump and glossy, evenly coated in golden egg, shimmering with a warm sheen under the sunlight.
Bright green scallions were scattered throughout, and just by looking, one could almost smell that unique charred fragrance produced when rice and eggs are stir-fried over high heat.

Next to it was minced pork with eggplant. The eggplant had been cooked to a glossy, tender perfection—soft and inviting. Beneath the deep purple skin lay the flesh, soaked with rich savory sauce, clinging to bits of finely minced pork, giving off a salty and hearty aroma that made one’s appetite surge.

But the most eye-catching of all was the stir-fried pork intestines in the corner. The intestines had been braised and cut into bite-sized pieces, the edges crisped from being stir-fried over high heat, glistening red with oil, obviously crunchy on the outside yet chewy within.
The fragrance of chili peppers, garlic slices, and other ingredients intertwined with the distinct aroma of the intestines, forming a bold and irresistible blend that rushed straight into one’s nose.

Although the dishes had been steamed once—making some of them look a bit wilted—it didn’t take away from the overall appeal.

Lin Chengjie’s eyes went wide in an instant, and his throat let out a very clear “gulp.”

“Brother Lin, please,” Jing Hongyi made a polite gesture of invitation. He, too, could hardly hold back—these dishes were just too aromatic. His stomach rumbled audibly.

Still, he kept his face calm and composed, pretending to be mature.

He picked up the container of egg fried rice, planning to scoop a bite for himself. But noticing Lin Chengjie staring hungrily, he paused and asked hesitantly,
“You want to try the egg fried rice?”

“Mm-hmm! Mm-hmm!” Lin Chengjie nodded vigorously, smiling at him flatteringly.
“I’ll trade you half of my Jade Pearl Rice!”

The staple he brought was also rice—only it was the top-grade Jade Pearl Rice, known for its soft, sweet texture and steep price.

But no matter how expensive the rice was, Lin Chengjie didn’t care anymore. His attention was completely captured by the egg fried rice in Jing Hongyi’s hand.

The two exchanged half of their staple foods—half egg fried rice, half jade pearl rice.

Lin Chengjie leaned forward instinctively, his bright eyes as wide as saucers, and another loud “gulp” echoed from his throat.

Without much hesitation, Lin Chengjie picked up his bamboo chopsticks with a clear target in mind—he went straight for the stir-fried pork intestines, glistening red with a crispy edge.

As he picked up a piece, he could feel the slight crunch from the deep-fried surface.

Once in his mouth, his teeth first bit into the crispy exterior with a satisfying crunch, followed by the chewy, springy texture within.

The spicy kick of chili and garlic, the savory richness of the sauce, and the uniquely handled flavor of the intestines themselves all exploded in his mouth at once.

The taste was bold and complex, with a fiery intensity that felt almost wild, scalding the tongue until it tingled—but still, he couldn’t resist going back for another bite.

Lin Chengjie let out a satisfied sigh, his cheeks puffed out as he chewed, nodding repeatedly, barely able to speak:
“Mm… this! This hits hard!”

Watching him indulge like that, Jing Hongyi finally moved his own chopsticks—but he went for the minced pork with eggplant instead.

The eggplant had absorbed all the flavors, glistening with oil, so tender it fell apart at the lightest pressure from his chopsticks.

As expected, it melted in the mouth without needing much chewing.

The thick sauce enveloped the sweetness of the eggplant’s flesh, while the finely minced pork added a layer of savory richness. The overall flavor was deep, smooth, and left a long, satisfying aftertaste.

Jing Hongyi ate quietly, and the usual hint of detachment between his brows seemed to soften in the face of these comforting home-cooked flavors.

He didn’t need to say a word—Lin Chengjie had already polished off his portion of intestines and was now eagerly reaching for the eggplant.

The moment he tasted it, his face lit up again with that telltale look of being completely won over by the flavor. He mumbled through a mouthful,
“This eggplant’s amazing too! So soft and full of flavor!”

After just a few bites of the dishes, both boys, almost simultaneously, turned their attention to the seemingly ordinary egg fried rice.

Lin Chengjie took the first spoonful.

The grains were exactly as they had looked—distinct, plump, and springy, evenly coated in golden egg without being greasy in the slightest.

The moment it hit his tongue, he was greeted with that unmistakable “wok hei”—the intense flavor from high-heat stir-frying—blended with the toasty aroma of egg, the clean fragrance of rice, and the fresh zing of scallions.
Simple, yet a direct hit to the deepest corners of the taste buds.

“Wow!” Lin Chengjie scooped up a big bite, his eyes shining. “How is this fried rice so good?!”

Jing Hongyi also took a spoonful and slowly chewed.

The grains danced between his teeth. The richness of the egg, the freshness of the scallions, and the perfect balance of seasoning made it the most comforting, dependable flavor—and one that carried a warmth and sincerity the best restaurant kitchens couldn’t replicate.

He said nothing. He simply looked down and quietly took a second bite.

His feelings at the moment were rather complicated. He hadn’t expected Pu Jiaojiao to have prepared so many delicious dishes for him.

Each one tasted just like the food he used to eat at home, back when life had been simpler.

It was as if… these were the best dishes he’d ever eaten.

Lin Chengjie looked at his own food box, still full of rare and exotic delicacies, then glanced at Jing Hongyi’s quickly emptying lunchbox of simple homemade fare. He let out a sheepish chuckle and unceremoniously reached his chopsticks toward the soul-grabbing intestines again.
“Brother Jing, if it’s not enough, I’ve still got more over here! But seriously… your food is incredible!”

But Jing Hongyi didn’t respond. He just quietly cleaned his lunchbox, eating every last bite.

In the end, Lin Chengjie still had plenty of food left, and it was only because Jing Hongyi hated seeing waste that he helped eat a bit more.

Otherwise, with his usual appetite—even after Lin Chengjie had joined him and eaten quite a lot—he would’ve been perfectly full.