Going with the Flow

This newly opened lamb skewer stall is obviously more high-end than Ye Chui's. The charcoal grills used are advanced equipment commonly found in restaurants. Two chefs, dressed in pristine white coats, are busy behind the grill. A new banner stands above them: 'Premium Grilled Lamb Skewers.' 

The stall on the other side was so exquisite, strategically positioned directly across from Ye Chui's spot, making their intentions of snatching customers blatantly obvious. 

As Ye Chui approached on his tricycle, the two individuals on the opposite side looked at him with a hint of provocation. Ye Chui, slightly stunned, responded with a faint smile and a nod, as if acknowledging a greeting. This indifferent attitude surprised the two on the other side. 

Anticipating that Ye Chui might angrily confront them, the duo had already prepared themselves for a verbal exchange. However, Ye Chui's reaction was somewhat unexpected; he seemed to be completely unbothered, giving off an impression that he didn't take them seriously at all. 

In reality, Ye Chui truly didn't regard them highly. Making lamb skewers might seem simple, but it was a classic delicacy developed over countless years. The technique, the mastery of fire, all had their intricacies, and Ye Chui's method involved some secret ingredients. When it came to the level of deliciousness, it was something these imitating, inferior products couldn't compare with. 

The night had completely fallen, and the crowd in the night market was gradually increasing. 

As some of Ye Chui's regular customers came to patronize his stall, they were surprised to find that another lamb skewer stall had opened up. 

"Someone has actually opened another lamb skewer stall? Are they here to snatch business?" 

"But their lamb skewers seem to taste good." 

"Instead of waiting in this long queue, why not go over there and try a few skewers first?" 

With too many people waiting in line at Ye Chui's stall, some impatient customers couldn't resist and went over to the new stall to buy a few skewers for a taste. In the first half-hour or so, the customers at the new stall were not any fewer than those at Ye Chui's. The flavor of the lamb skewers, even with different seasonings, didn't show much difference. For non-professional food enthusiasts, it was challenging to discern any distinctions in taste. 

In the initial period, the new stall seemed to be successful in grabbing customers. However, Ye Chui remained calm and focused on grilling his own skewers. After an hour passed, the disparity between the two stalls became increasingly apparent. 

On Ye Chui's side, the queue remained long and crowded as usual, while on the other side, the number of customers had significantly decreased. There were even moments when the new stall had no customers at all. 

"The lamb skewers from this place are still the best. Although there's not much difference in the smell, the taste is completely different." 

"I can't describe what it is, but there's something unique about the flavor." 

"The stall looks nice, but the craftsmanship is far from good. If you want to enjoy authentic grilled lamb skewers, we better stay in line here." 

At first glance, the two types of lamb skewers seemed similar, but when eaten, even an average person could distinguish which one was superior. Some regular customers, who had been patronizing Ye Chui's stall since its opening, were already familiar with the taste of his lamb skewers. Faced with the new 'premium' lamb skewers, they even felt a sense of indigestibility. 

On the other lamb skewer stall, the two chefs had their faces darken with displeasure. 

At this moment, a car quietly parked not far away. The window rolled down, revealing the somewhat cold and ruthless face of Cao Kang. 

He had just left a party but remembered the situation with the lamb skewer stall, so he came to take a look. 

In his anticipation, the money he spent on arranging this stall should have easily snatched away Ye Chui's business. After all, his lamb skewer stall was crafted by the advanced chefs from Wan Lai Fu Restaurant. How could the culinary skills of a street vendor compare to that? He wasn't particularly concerned about the situation; he just wanted to witness Ye Chui's failure and frustration. 

As he looked over, Cao Kang still maintained an air of nonchalance and ease in his thoughts. 

Seated in the passenger seat was none other than Fang Jun. Because of the lamb skewer stall situation, Fang Jun had a rare opportunity to go out with this young master. 

At this moment, he confidently spoke, "Although the grilling method for these lamb skewers has long been lost, my master specifically researched it. Using high-quality spices for seasoning, I've made some slight modifications to my master's recipe. The taste is top-notch. It's no difficulty at all to suppress this small lamb skewer stall... Oh, Cao Kang, what happened to you?" 

While saying this, Fang Jun suddenly noticed Cao Kang's dumbfounded expression, as if he had witnessed something unbelievable. 

Surprised, Fang Jun followed Cao Kang's gaze toward the night market. 

Ye Chui's stall, in contrast to the one Fang Jun personally managed, had a long line of customers on one side and very few on the other. The disparity in the situation was evident. At this rate, it seemed unlikely that Cao Kang could even slightly diminish Ye Chui's income, let alone snatch away his business. 

"What's going on? Didn't you say that the lamb skewers you made would easily snatch away his business?" Cao Kang's face was full of surprise and anger, and he turned to glare at Fang Jun. 

Fang Jun also appeared nervous, "This...I don't know what's going on? Maybe he has too many regular customers over there...Cao, don't worry, I have a way to snatch the customers away!" 

"What method? Tell me!" Cao Kang asked with a stern face. 

"We can lower the price of the lamb skewers. This way, we can definitely snatch away all the customers!" Fang Jun, who had some business acumen, hastily suggested, "After all, we just need to crush the other side; making money is secondary, and there's no problem with making it a bit cheaper!" 

"What are you waiting for? Hurry up and get them to lower the prices for me!" Cao Kang almost shouted through gritted teeth. 

Fang Jun quickly took out his phone. 

It was already 8 o'clock in the evening, and the business on Ye Chui's side was as bustling as ever. However, at this moment, the owner of the lamb skewer stall across suddenly shouted loudly. 

"Premium lamb skewers, only one yuan per skewer, affordable!" 

"One skewer for one yuan, don't miss it when passing by!" 

Ye Chui's lamb skewers were priced at two yuan each, and initially, the other stall also had the same pricing. However, they suddenly reduced the price by half, with no reduction in portion size. Faced with this situation, some customers began to show signs of restlessness...