South City.
People streamed in and out of the Civil Affairs Bureau.
Jiang Liu's expression was grim. He suppressed his anger and asked in a low voice,
"Yang Yixue, I'm asking you one last time. Are you sure you want to go through with this divorce?"
"Yes, Jiang Liu. I've already answered this question five times. Oh, wait, this makes it the sixth. And while, um... I'm very grateful for your help over the years, well... we're just not a good match."
The voluptuous and elegant Yang Yixue held a round LV handbag.
She wore a blue floral dress, her face done up in glamorous makeup. A distant smile played on her thin, slightly upturned lips.
"Fine. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other."
"Mm, that's great. Couldn't ask for more. We'll stick to the plan: you can have Tongtong, and I get the property and the house."
Yang Yixue's smile vanished.
Her expression was complicated as she glanced at Tongtong in Jiang Liu's arms.
'Damn it, that house was originally mine!' Jiang Liu took a deep breath, suppressing the fury in his heart.
He wasn't sad to lose her, but their daughter, Tongtong, was only four years old!
Jiang Liu was afraid the divorce would cast a shadow over his daughter's childhood.
That's why he didn't want to divorce now.
At the very least, he wanted to wait until Tongtong was six.
As for their relationship, it had been a mistake from the start.
Five years ago, at a party, Jiang Liu was 22 and Yang Yixue was 21. They both drank too much and, through a strange twist of fate, ended up in bed together. Yang Yixue had never been in a relationship before, and she got pregnant from that first time.
Jiang Liu was handsome and stood six-foot-one. He was a graduate from a top architecture university and came from a family of civil servants.
Yang Yixue had been very satisfied with him, and because she was pregnant,
their two families pushed them into a flash marriage.
After getting married, they led a harmonious life for a while.
In the second year,
Yang Yixue insisted on throwing herself into her career. She worked in the beauty industry and borrowed five hundred thousand yuan from Jiang Liu's parents to open her own salon.
By the third year, she had opened two more branches. By the fourth, she had ten, with a monthly income of over nine hundred thousand yuan.
Yang Yixue was usually busy with work,
and she often left Tongtong at home to go hungry.
Jiang Liu brought it up many times, but she was just stubborn as a mule.
She'd say that if she didn't earn money, Tongtong wouldn't have a good future.
Helpless, Jiang Liu had no choice but to quit his job at the state-owned enterprise and become a stay-at-home dad.
As time went on,
seeing Jiang Liu at home taking care of their child every day, Yang Yixue started to grow resentful, feeling he was no longer good enough for her.
She was a powerful career woman earning millions a month, while her husband was nothing more than a nanny who only knew how to look after their child.
Aside from being handsome and good in bed, he was utterly useless.
'She could do so much better!'
So, Yang Yixue began a year-long campaign of giving him the cold shoulder.
Until last month, in July of 2020, their marriage finally entered its grave.
During the one-month cooling-off period, Jiang Liu tried to negotiate with Yang Yixue multiple times, hoping she would wait another two years until Tongtong was a little older. They could live separately during that time.
But she just saw it as an excuse to avoid the divorce.
Her words even became insulting.
That just pissed Jiang Liu off.
"Mmm, ice cweam!"
Just then, Tongtong stirred in his arms, murmuring in her sleep, "Daddy, why'd you buy me ice cweam, Daddy? I'll just have a wittle bite."
"Daddy's here, sweetie."
Jiang Liu dotingly stroked his daughter's head.
Watching them, Yang Yixue's permanently shaped brows furrowed in displeasure.
"Jiang Liu, if you ask me, you can't afford to raise Tongtong. You don't even have a job. Why don't you just give her to me? I can let you have the house. How about it?"
"No need. If you like the house so much, you can keep it,"
Jiang Liu refused coldly.
'Giving Tongtong to her would be like throwing her to the wolves.'
'This was his precious daughter. He wouldn't let anyone hurt her!'
There was nothing more to say.
The divorce went smoothly.
Thirty minutes later,
they had signed the papers and walked out with their divorce certificates.
Just as Jiang Liu stepped outside,
a flash of light suddenly went off in his mind, like the brilliant burst of a camera flash, leaving him with a sheet of white.
At that moment,
a cold voice rang out, whether in his ears or in his mind, he couldn't tell.
[Gourmet Album successfully unlocked.]
[Would you like to purchase world-class gourmet skills?]
[Upon unlocking skills, you can purchase corresponding top-tier rare ingredients.]
"Huh? A hallucination? What is this!"
Jiang Liu was astonished, his eyes wide.
He had read web novels, so he knew about things like "systems."
"Could this be my golden finger?!"
Excitement surged through him.
He closed his eyes, and in the darkness of his senses, a yellow booklet clearly appeared.
The booklet slowly opened to the first page.
On it was an image of a white steamed bun, still giving off steam.
There was a lock in the middle of the bun.
It looked like a game interface.
"Are you the system? I'm Jiang Liu. Nice to meet you."
Jiang Liu asked tentatively.
Faced with such a miraculous event, he didn't know what to do for a moment.
The voice sounded again, like a whisper in his ear.
[Spend 1000 Praise Points to unlock?]
[Current Points: 1200]
Jiang Liu hesitated for a moment, then thought, 'Yes.'
[Congratulations on unlocking Three-Delicacy Buns, Pork and Scallion Buns, Chive and Egg Buns, and Corn and Shrimp Buns.]
In an instant, a gentle stream of memories flowed into his mind.
In those memories,
Jiang Liu practiced and studied day and night.
He spent half a year just perfecting the single motion of kneading dough.
The selection of ingredients, the professional and meticulous preparation, the precise ratio of simple seasonings, adding sugar and baking soda to the flour... repeated kneading, proofing, and precise time control... all to make the dough fluffy, soft, and chewy...
The seasonings were made using the most primitive crafting methods.
For example, the soy sauce had to be brewed using ancient methods from the Yun region, giving it a naturally rich, fragrant soybean aroma...
The flour had to be made from fresh wheat grown in a region with large day-night temperature differences, clean water, and fertile soil, harvested no more than two months prior...
The fillings were similarly world-class.
The shrimp had to be Little Cyan Dragon, with its smooth, tender meat and intoxicating shrimp flavor. The pork had to be a specific cut from the back of a free-range suckling pig. The chives were five-colored chives, crisp and tender. The scallions were thousand-year scallions, sweet with a bit of spice, and wouldn't get mushy when steamed...
All ingredients were the best in the world.
After absorbing the memories, Jiang Liu was somewhat dumbfounded.
'Is this even meant for people to eat?'
'Or rather, how many people could even afford something like this? Top-tier ingredients combined with such meticulous craftsmanship... it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call these the number one buns in the world!'
Thinking back on the buns he used to eat, they hardly even qualified as food.
Flavored with all sorts of additives, made with crude techniques, the most common ingredients, and they weren't even fresh or sanitary...
Yang Yixue glanced at the motionless Jiang Liu.
She shook her head with a pitying laugh. "Jiang Liu, I'm leaving now. Take good care of Tongtong."
With that, she swayed her slim waist and walked toward her BMW.
It had to be said, Yang Yixue was quite a beauty. Even after having a child, she was still captivating.
Jiang Liu didn't respond, or rather, couldn't be bothered to.
He was busy holding Tongtong and wondering if he should hurry up and get a shop.
He still had over a hundred thousand yuan saved up, which should be enough to handle the current situation.
Inside the white BMW 7 Series,
sat a woman in her fifties. She was cross-eyed, her hair was tied up in a bun, and her eyeliner and eyebrows were drawn in jet black. Gold and jade jewelry adorned her hands and neck.
She looked like someone you didn't want to mess with.
This was Yang Yixue's mother, Li Xiaoyan.
"How'd it go? Smoothly? That punk didn't give you any trouble, did he?"
Seeing her daughter return, Li Xiaoyan leaned over and asked urgently.
"Don't worry. When your daughter takes charge, everything goes smoothly!"
Yang Yixue lifted her snow-white chin and said with a triumphant humph.
"Haha, that's good, that's good."
"By the way, that poor boy didn't ask you for the house, did he?"
"No. He has the child to worry about," Yang Yixue replied.
"Excellent!"
Li Xiaoyan patted her chest and let out a long sigh of relief.
"We really got the better end of the deal. His family's house is worth at least a million. If we had to buy it, it would have cost us an arm and a leg."
"Mom, why do you love taking advantage of people so much? It's just a house. I could buy several of them whenever I want. What's the big deal?"
Yang Yixue started the car, turning her head to scold her mother in dissatisfaction.
Earning millions a month, she truly looked down on a single house. There was very little in all of South City that she would even deign to notice.
Feeling like her daughter was a hopeless case, Li Xiaoyan slapped the seat. "You prodigal child! Only a fool wouldn't take a freebie when it's offered!"
"Mom! I'm getting angry!"
"Alright, alright, I won't say any more, I won't say any more!"
Li Xiaoyan gave an embarrassed laugh.
"My daughter is so outstanding, earning millions a month at just twenty-six. In the future, you have to find a man worth at least a hundred million, hmph!"
"A poor boy like that... if you were still with him, our family would be too embarrassed to even mention it. Splitting up is good for him, too. Imagine the pressure he'd be under being with you."
Li Xiaoyan chattered on endlessly in the BMW.
As they passed Jiang Liu, she shot him a disgusted look before turning her head away.
Yang Yixue nodded slightly, then gave a small shake of her head.
She neither agreed nor disagreed.
For some reason, she felt a sense of unease in her heart.
...
"Daddy, where's Mommy?"
On the way to kindergarten, Tongtong tugged on Jiang Liu's hand.
...
Jiang Tongtong's skin was fair, tender, and smooth, without a single blemish. Her eyes were large and bright, framed by long lashes. She had a small, slightly upturned nose and full, rosy lips that were currently pouting.
She was incredibly cute.
Right now, she was like a little pixie, hopping and skipping around Jiang Liu in her white dress.
"Your mommy's gone. She'll be visiting you much less from now on."
A pang of heartache hit Jiang Liu, and he squeezed his daughter's hand tighter.
"Gone?"
"Daddy, you two didn't get a divorce, did you?"
Tongtong tilted her head, looking up at Jiang Liu.
Her big eyes seemed to be telling him, 'I know everything.'
"Er..." Jiang Liu froze for a second. 'My daughter sure knows a lot,' he thought.
"Yes, we got divorced. From now on, you'll be living with just Daddy."
"Daddy."
"Hm?"
"Daddy!"
"What is it!"
Jiang Tongtong, her hair in a bun, shook her head.
"Tongtong just wants to be with you. Don't worry, I won't be sad!"
"Okay, I understand." Jiang Liu smiled, relieved.
"Quick, give me a kiss, Daddy."
Jiang Tongtong stopped in her tracks, her face practically screaming, 'Praise me, praise me!'
"Mwah! Tongtong, you're so sweet."
Jiang Liu didn't hesitate to plant a kiss on her.
"Hee hee hee. You're so mean! Daddy, your stubble poked me."
"Daddy, Daddy, see how good I'm being? Can I have some ice cream?"
"And will you be a good girl?"
Jiang Tongtong let go of Jiang Liu's hand, crossed her arms, tilted her head back, and rolled her eyes.
'Hmph, hmph. Daddy will definitely say, "If you're a good girl, we're not buying it!"'
'He tricks me like this every time!'
Tongtong's eyes darted. "Daddy, if you buy it for me, *then* I'll be good!"
"You sure about that?"
Jiang Liu grinned, a sinister smile spreading across his face.
Tongtong shivered for some reason, but under the allure of ice cream, she clenched her little fists.
"Daddy, I'm sure! I want it! Please, please buy it for me now!"
"If you don't buy it for me, Tongtong will misbehave! I'll lie on the ground and throw a tantrum!"
"Alright, great. So if I don't buy it, you'll throw a tantrum, is that it? I'll 'get' you something right now."
Jiang Liu sneered, blew on his palms, and picked Jiang Tongtong up like a little chick,
to her utter confusion.
He aimed for her bottom and gave her a sound spanking.
The sound of WHACKS echoed through the alley.
Her clear, loud sobs attracted the attention of passersby.
"WAAAH! WAH! Daddy, you're a stinky daddy! I hate you! I really, really hate you, WAAAH!"
Jiang Tongtong kicked her little legs, her mouth wide open as she wailed.
The other parents dropping off their kids were dumbfounded, on the verge of bursting into laughter.
'How can you bear to spank such a cute daughter?' they thought. 'Ahem, but as the saying goes, joy is better when shared…'
"You just wait! I'm going to tell Teacher Qing Ran, and she'll definitely make you write a hundred Pinyin sheets!"
Jiang Tongtong gnashed her little teeth, glaring furiously at Jiang Liu.
"Stinky Daddy! I'm... going to hate you forever—!"
Five minutes later, Tongtong was holding an ice cream pop, her little tongue licking it contentedly.
"Daddy, you're the best in the whole world! Tongtong loves you!"
...Jiang Liu didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Eating too much ice cream was unhealthy, but he was powerless against his daughter's tantrums and wheedling.
"This is the only time this week, you hear me? When you get to kindergarten, listen to your teacher. Don't cause any trouble, got it?"
Jiang Liu patiently instructed.
He ruffled his daughter's hair.
"I know, Daddy. I'll be very, very good."
Jiang Tongtong's eyes darted around, clearly plotting something mischievous.
Soon, Jiang Liu dropped Tongtong off at South City Kindergarten.
Inside, there were slides, trampolines, building blocks—everything a kid could want.
Teachers from each class were at the entrance to greet the students.
There were also four or five security guards on patrol.
Jiang Tongtong had sharp eyes.
She spotted a beautiful figure at the gate in a single glance and, holding her ice cream pop high, shouted excitedly:
"Teacher Qingmeng! I'm here! Tongtong's here! I missed you so much!"
Jun Qingmeng stood gracefully at the kindergarten gate. Her full lips were curved into a slight smile. She wore a long blue dress that accentuated her tall, curvaceous figure. Her skin was fair, and her eyes sparkled like a clear spring.
A barely visible beauty mark just under the corner of her eye added a hint of allure.
Jun Qingmeng was twenty-three this year. She was beautiful and had a mysterious air about her. Ever since she started teaching at the kindergarten a year ago, the number of fathers dropping off and picking up their children had steadily increased.
"Tongtong, why are you so late today?"
Jun Qingmeng looked at Jiang Tongtong and asked in a gentle voice. The moment she spoke—
the male parents all around couldn't help but glance over.
"Oh, Teacher Qingmeng, I have a secret to tell you!"
Tongtong ran over and hugged Jun Qingmeng's smooth, slender legs, rubbing her face against them affectionately.
"Oh? You have secrets now?"
Jun Qingmeng tapped her finger on Jiang Tongtong's forehead.
Her beautiful eyes, full of amusement, glanced at Jiang Liu.
He immediately had a bad feeling.
'This little rascal is definitely going to blab about the divorce.'
'It's not like it's something to be proud of!'
"Ahem, Tongtong, have you forgotten that Daddy bought you ice cream? You have to be a good girl at school, or Daddy won't buy you any more."
Jiang Liu frantically tried to signal her.
Jiang Tongtong pouted and turned her head away, refusing to look at him.
Jiang Liu awkwardly rubbed his nose.
"Teacher Qingmeng, I'll have to trouble you to look after Tongtong."
"Also... she watches a lot of soap operas, so she tends to spout nonsense. Don't take her seriously, haha."
'Bad Daddy!' Jiang Tongtong wouldn't stand for it. Her little face grew anxious as she tried to clarify:
"That's not true, that's not true! I'm a very good girl!"
"Oh, right! Teacher Qingmeng, Daddy just spanked my butt! Quick, give him homework as a punishment!"
She tugged on Jun Qingmeng's dress with one hand while vehemently pointing a finger at Jiang Liu with the other.
"I don't think a teacher has that much power. Your daddy might even spank me, too."
Jun Qingmeng beamed at Jiang Liu, her eyes full of playful teasing.
Gah!
'Damn it, damn it all! This is so embarrassing...' Jiang Liu's face burned. 'This little monster, I'm definitely going to have to teach her another lesson when we get home!'
Jiang Tongtong's eyes darted. "Teacher Qingmeng, why don't you marry my daddy and be his wife? Then you can punish him with homework! Can you? Please, please?"
Her lively, big eyes looked up at Jun Qingmeng expectantly.
'Whoa, this little girl is setting a trap.'
"Tongtong, stop talking nonsense!"
Jiang Liu, standing to the side, was mortified.
He could feel the jealous stares from the men around them.
Many parents looked at Jiang Tongtong, then at their own dopey kids, and sighed at the sky.
A blush immediately spread across Jun Qingmeng's face, but she calmly explained.
"Tongtong, Teacher can't marry your daddy. It's because he already has a wife, and you can only marry one person, you know?"
"I know! But my daddy is divorced now."
"Huh?"
Jun Qingmeng froze, looking up at Jiang Liu with a puzzled expression.
Jiang Liu spread his hands helplessly. "It was for certain reasons. We couldn't help it."
"I see..."
Jun Qingmeng nodded, her head lowered as she kicked at a small stone at her feet. An awkward silence fell between the two of them.
"Ahem, Teacher Qingmeng, I have to go. I'll leave Tongtong in your care."
The atmosphere felt uncomfortable, and Jiang Liu decided to make a quick escape.
"Okay." Jun Qingmeng watched Jiang Liu, blinking. "Be careful on your way."
"Bye-bye, Daddy! Remember to pick me up tonight!"
Jiang Tongtong waved her small arm reluctantly.
"Not picking you up. Go wherever you want."
Jiang Liu huffed and left with that one parting shot.
Leaving Tongtong with a look of utter disbelief on her face.
*Sniffle...*
"Tongtong, hahaha... Is your dad always like this with you?"
Jun Qingmeng couldn't hold it in anymore and giggled, covering her mouth.
Her laugh stunned the crowd of males.
She was breathtakingly beautiful, like a white rose retracting its thorns to reveal its soft, bright petals.
Jiang Tongtong, mimicking a soap opera heroine, put on a cold expression and bit her lip.
"Hmph! Heartless man! Teacher Qingmeng, you're just like my daddy. I'm very disappointed in both of you! I am formally notifying you that I am angry now!!"
...
As she spoke, she tugged hard on Jun Qingmeng's skirt.
"Alright, alright. I was wrong, okay?"
"Teacher Qingmeng, if you don't want to make me mad, there's only one way! You have to be my daddy's wife! We can get spanked together! And watch TV together!"
Jiang Tongtong looked up, staring at her seriously.
Her lips were pressed into a tight line.
"...Ah, well, can I think about it?"
Jun Qingmeng touched her own backside, feeling mortified. 'How could we get spanked together...?'
"No! Time is money! Hurry up, we're late!"
Jun Qingmeng: ...
——————
「Two in the afternoon.」
Yangzhao Street.
Jiang Liu used his family connections to quickly take over the lease on a breakfast shop.
The storefront belonged to one of his own relatives.
It was thirty-five hundred a month, which was very cheap.
The location was between his rental apartment and the kindergarten.
The short distance made it quite convenient.
The red sign overhead read "Bian Bian Breakfast."
The neighbor to the left was a "Fresh Fruits" store.
To the right was "Mountain City Blade-cut Noodles."
Across the street, there were pharmacies, barbershops, cake shops, and so on, all a riot of color.
Jiang Liu took a stroll around Yangzhai Street and was very satisfied.
'Not bad. There's a school, a hospital, and a few residential complexes nearby. I won't have to worry about foot traffic.'
'Next, I'll get a custom sign made and clean the place up. If all goes well, I can open tomorrow...'
'I need to start making money fast. Just the rent for the apartment and the shop is eighty thousand a year... and that's not even counting Tongtong...' he thought to himself.
"RATTLE RATTLE!"
Jiang Liu lifted the yellow rolling shutter door.
What greeted him was a space with yellow ceramic floor tiles and white walls.
It was very clean.
There were eight brown wooden tables.
Jiang Liu went to check the back kitchen: two refrigerators, one soy milk machine, several steamers and steaming baskets for buns, a meat grinder, a dough mixer, and so on.
'It's pretty well-equipped. Not much is missing, which saves me some trouble.'
'Hm, the business license and food service permit are both here. I can use my uncle's for now and apply for new ones in my name in a few days.'
Jiang Liu took two certificates out of a cabinet, wiped them off, and re-hung them on the wall.
They belonged to his uncle anyway, so he could use them for the time being. No one would ask about them, and even if they did, he could just say he was working for his uncle.
He happened to have a health certificate already.
He flipped the main circuit breaker, checked everything over, and then decided to make some buns.
He could buy the ingredients from the Gourmet Album.
A few hours earlier, Jiang Liu had specifically studied it at home.
The most expensive item was Little Cyan Dragon meat—shelled, cleaned, fresh, and tender—at one hundred and fifty yuan per jin. It was an absolute steal!
The rest of the ingredients were a bit cheaper.
Free-range suckling pig spine meat, twenty yuan per jin;
five-color chives for five yuan a jin, high-quality flour for three yuan a jin, Thousand-Life Scallions for five yuan a jin,
and semi-ripe, fresh Ten Thousand Glutinous Corn—with thin skin, no fibrous residue, and sticky, soft kernels—for three yuan a jin.
The eggs were free-range, with plump yolks, no off-smell, and even a sweet, milky fragrance, costing one yuan each.
The shiitake mushrooms were a rare wild variety from the deep mountains, thick and meaty, incredibly savory—a natural flavor enhancer—and cost eight yuan per jin.
The eggplant for the three-delicacy buns was a small, natural variety that, despite its size, would melt in your mouth, its flesh fragrant, smooth, and soft. It was two yuan per jin.
As for the prices he would charge, Jiang Liu hadn't decided yet.
However, he didn't plan to set them too high. After all, this was food for ordinary people. If the prices were too expensive, no matter how delicious the food was, how many people could afford it?
As long as he made a profit, that was enough. Contentment brings happiness.
Besides, the Gourmet Album sold him ingredients at a steep discount.
Stepping into the main dining area, Jiang Liu looked up and saw a bald, middle-aged man in an apron at the doorway, craning his neck to look inside.
'This guy looks like the owner of the fruit store...' he thought.
Upon seeing Jiang Liu, Xue Guang thought to himself that the young man was quite handsome, though his own son was no slouch either.
"Hello, sir. Can I help you with something?"
"Oh, it's nothing, it's nothing. I'm the owner of the fruit store next door. Are you opening a shop here, young man?"
"Yeah, I'm getting ready to open a breakfast shop. My name is Jiang Liu. I'm just starting out, so please look out for me, haha," Jiang Liu said with a lighthearted laugh.
"Don't be so formal, don't be so formal. Just call me Uncle Xue from now on," Xue Guang said, waving his hands modestly.
"Uncle Xue, there's actually something I'd like to ask you about."
"Go ahead and ask."
"Do you have the phone number for a sign maker? I want to get a custom sign made."
Jiang Liu said,
You can't do business without a sign, and he couldn't use the old one.
A sign is everything; it's the face of your business.
Xue Guang looked as if to say, 'Is that all?'
He slapped the table.
Then he gave Jiang Liu the number of a friend of his.
He even said to mention his name for a discount.
"Alright, I've got to get back to work. If you need anything, just come find me next door."
"Okay, Uncle Xue."
Xue Guang left with his hands behind his back.
'First, I need to get the sign sorted...' Jiang Liu took out his VO phone and made the call.
"Hello, who's this?"
"I'm next to the fruit store on Yangzhai Street, and I need to order a sign. Uncle Xue recommended you."
He was trying to leverage the connection—might as well, since it was available. He wasn't afraid of being scammed; with neighbors and local customs, it was unlikely someone would try to trick him over a few hundred yuan.
Most people wouldn't do something that would burn bridges like that.
The man on the other end of the line chuckled.
"Xue Guang is a friend of mine. So, young man, how many square meters do you need? I usually charge five hundred per square meter, but for you, four-fifty is fine. How's that?"
Jiang Liu thought for a moment, decided it was a fair price, and stated his requirements:
"Okay, I need it to be two and a half meters long and one meter wide."
"No problem. I'll round it down for you. Just give me eleven hundred, and I can have it installed for you tonight."
"Alright, thank you."
After hanging up, Jiang Liu checked the time: 3:15.
'Tongtong gets out of school at five-thirty. I'll make a few buns to try first.'
No sooner said than done.
'System, I want to purchase ingredients.'
As soon as the thought crossed his mind, the album in his head opened in response.
The first page listed various ingredients with pictures and prices.
Then, he bought one jin of top-grade flour,
one hundred grams of Little Cyan Dragon meat,
one jin of Ten Thousand Glutinous Corn,
two free-range eggs,
and a selection of natural, traditional seasonings: five-spice powder, white pepper, light and dark soy sauce, salt, a pot of mountain spring water, white sugar, baking soda, corn oil, and a packet of yeast.
These were the ingredients for making Corn and Lobster Buns.
The items appeared out of thin air in the back kitchen.
The total cost was 55 yuan.
Unbelievably cheap!
...
The issue wasn't the price, but the sheer difficulty of gathering these ingredients from all over the country while keeping them fresh.
The pure, natural corn oil he bought would further enhance the sweet fragrance of the waxy corn.
The free-range eggs were to be mixed with the shrimp meat to enhance its savory flavor and preserve its tenderness.
The salt was a refined sea salt from an island, with a delicate taste.
Jiang Liu first added mountain spring water to the flour and kneaded it. Once it formed a ball, he added the golden corn oil, baking soda, and white sugar, continuing to knead and work the dough quickly.
Ten minutes later, a bright, white, and glossy ball of dough was ready.
He poured in the yeast, placed the dough in a clean basin, and covered it to let it rise.
Next, Jiang Liu soaked the translucent lobster meat and the white, crisp corn kernels in saltwater to absorb the saltiness.
After this step, there would be no need to add any more salt.
The main ingredients would have their own natural, savory flavor.
He drained them after ten minutes, yielding a large bowlful. Jiang Liu cracked two eggs, precisely added various seasonings, and mixed everything with the lobster and corn.
Forty minutes had already passed.
The dough was more or less done proofing.
'It's a little short on time, but it doesn't matter since I'm the one eating it. The main thing is that I'm in a hurry.'
He precisely tore off a piece of dough, sprinkled it with dry flour, and rolled it into a perfectly round wrapper.
Jiang Liu filled each bun with exactly ten grams of filling.
His movements were incredibly skilled, fast, and precise,
like a technique that had been carved into his very bones, honed since childhood.
In total, he made thirty-two lobster and corn buns.
He tested the temperature of the steamer and felt it was ready.
Jiang Liu arranged the buns in neat rows and began to steam them.
"All done! From the moment they go in, it's twenty-five minutes and thirty seconds. I need to set an alarm."
Truly top-tier culinary arts demand strict precision. A little too much salt was unacceptable; being off by a minute was also a failure.
This was the result of countless people spending vast amounts of time to test and perfect things, bit by bit.
It was approaching perfection!
Soon, time was up.
A surging, fragrant steam filled the back kitchen.
The unique, clean aroma of high-quality wheat was released wildly by the heat.
Mixed within that clean scent was the sweet fragrance of corn, the fresh, savory taste of shrimp, and the milky aroma of the free-range eggs.
Jiang Liu took a deep breath, and his mouth almost started watering.
His very soul was intoxicated, and his stomach growled with longing.
"This aroma is just incredible. I've never smelled such a natural and rich fragrance in my entire life."
Rubbing his hands together, Jiang Liu moved the steamer to the front dining area.
He opened the basket. The perfectly arranged buns were white, tender, and tempting. Every single one had been folded identically in his hands.
A small flower shape was twisted on top, while the bottom was round, plump, and squat.
Each was about half the size of an adult's fist, nearly double the size of a small soup dumpling.
"Whoa! Hot, so hot! It's burning me to death!"
The bun trembled as he juggled it between his hands.
Grinning with his pearly whites, he couldn't help but let a curse slip out.
The aroma was intoxicating. It wasn't the kind of fragrance concocted from additives, but a primitive, simple, and rich scent.
This kind of aroma was mesmerizing.
Ignoring the heat, Jiang Liu took a bite of the tender white bun.
The moment he did,
He froze, then couldn't help but swallow a large mouthful.
The bun's wrapper was fluffy yet springy, carrying the unique fragrance of wheat and corn oil. Then, the tender lobster meat met his tongue, its rich, savory flavor instantly dominating his taste buds. With a firm bite, the thin-skinned, plump corn kernels burst, releasing a stream of sweet, piping-hot juice across his tongue that made his mouth water uncontrollably.
Finally, the milky fragrance of the free-range eggs and the inherent aroma of the seasonings
swirled endlessly across his palate. When he exhaled, a rich, savory aroma filled the air.
'This... is... way too good?!'
After one bite, Jiang Liu couldn't resist taking a second.
He couldn't stop. He simply couldn't stop!
He no longer cared that it was scalding hot. It tasted best when it was scalding hot!
He stuffed a bun into his mouth with his left hand while his right hand reached into the hot steamer for another.
"So delicious, so damn delicious! This flavor is simply indescribable!"
Top-tier ingredients, primitive seasonings, and the most meticulous, professional technique.
They had created an incomparably delicious bun.
Of the thirty-odd buns, Jiang Liu devoured ten in just ten minutes.
His stomach was stretched taut, but it wasn't an uncomfortable feeling. Instead, it was a warm, harmonious satisfaction.
"Hah... hah... I can't eat anymore."
Jiang Liu lay back in his chair, eyes rolling up, gasping for air.
His expression was like that of a chain-smoker who hadn't had a cigarette in a month and was suddenly taking a deep drag.
Just then.
Xue Guang from next door had followed the scent over.
As he walked into the shop, he sniffed hard and was immediately stunned.
"What is that smell? Why is it so fragrant??"
Multiple aromas blended together perfectly, without a hint of discord.
"Jiang Liu, did you steam some buns?"
Xue Guang looked at Jiang Liu, who was lying in the chair with his eyes half-closed, then glanced longingly at the steamer on the table.
The aroma was coming from there.
He couldn't stop swallowing.
Even though he had just eaten lunch, he felt hungry again.
He found the aroma too strange. Yes, strange. He had been eating for so many years and had never smelled anything so natural yet so intensely fragrant.
"Hm? Uncle Xue, you're here?"
Jiang Liu finally snapped out of it and sat up.
He had been so lost in a daze that he hadn't even noticed someone come in.
"Yeah. Jiang Liu, did you steam some buns?"
Xue Guang prompted.
"Oh, I steamed a few buns. Would you like some, Uncle Xue?"
"Ahem, yes, I'll try your handiwork. Give me one... give me a few, so I can give you some feedback."
Jiang Liu rolled his eyes.
He had a new understanding of his neighbor's personality. 'He clearly wants to eat but has to be so concerned about his pride.'
'Why is he so thin-skinned?'
"Here, Uncle Xue. This is a type of bun I plan to sell tomorrow, filled with shrimp and corn. Give it a try and tell me what you think."
Jiang Liu opened the lid, and a plume of steam billowed out, making the aroma even more enticing.
"Shrimp and corn filling? My goodness, that can't be cheap."
Xue Guang hesitated. He didn't like to take advantage of people.
Despite his words, his eyes were glued to the plump buns in the steam.
They seemed to be saying: 'Hurry up and tell me to eat them!'
"Oh, come on, Uncle Xue, it's not that much. I sell buns for a living, am I going to be stingy over a few buns? The cost of one isn't much. Eat as many as you want. If it's not enough, I'll steam more for you!"
Jiang Liu said with an amused smile.
"Come, come, have a seat."
With that, he pushed Xue Guang to a seat at the table.
He handed him a piping-hot bun.
"Try it?"
"Well then, I'll help you appraise it!"
Xue Guang took the bun and bit into it without hesitation.
The next moment.
He chewed with a stunned expression on his face.
An indescribable deliciousness! It completely exceeded his expectations.
The aroma went straight to his head. It was a rich fragrance without any MSG or additives—a natural, perfect, ultimate aroma!
His taste buds trembled amidst the tender shrimp meat and corn juices.
He felt like he couldn't even feel his own tongue anymore. His entire mouth was flooded by an explosion of flavor.
The first bite, second bite, and third bite were gone.
He reached for another, and in a few bites, it was gone too.
"Delicious! This is incredibly delicious!!"
"Mmph, wait a sec, let me try some more!"
Xue Guang turned into a ravenous beast, devouring one bun after another.
He ate a full twelve before he couldn't take another bite.
His face was a picture of wanting more, not much different from how Jiang Liu had looked.
Xue Guang leaned back in his chair and took a long while to recover before exclaiming in amazement,
"Jiang Liu! Honestly, these are the best buns I've ever eaten in my life. That is absolutely not an exaggeration!"
The taste reminded him of his childhood, of the time his mother made him a roasted chicken for the New Year after he hadn't eaten meat for a year. That was a flavor he had never forgotten.
Nowadays, eating felt like just filling his stomach; he no longer had that feeling of satisfying his body and soul.
Jiang Liu smiled without a word. Hearing someone else's praise and approval made him genuinely happy.
[Favorable Review Points +50.]
The text flashed in his mind, and Jiang Liu immediately dismissed it.
Xue Guang looked at the buns and asked curiously,
"How did you make such delicious buns?"
Realizing his question was too blunt, Xue Guang gave a dry laugh.
"Uh, I'm not trying to get your recipe. I'm just curious. These buns taste too good. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call them the most perfect buns in the world!"
"Heh. It's not that difficult."
Jiang Liu chuckled and held up a finger. "First, you must select the world's finest ingredients. Even the water has to be clean mountain spring water. Second, you need an intimate understanding of those ingredients, professional technique, precise ratios, and perfect timing."
"And that's what created this."
Jiang Liu pointed to the buns on the table.
"This...!!" Xue Guang's mouth hung open, his shock beyond words.
He suddenly understood why they were so delicious. With all top-tier ingredients combined with top-tier cooking skills, how could they not be delicious?
Even a state banquet would be at a similar level, right? Though he had never been to one.
'So, so I just ate a delicacy that even those high-ranking officials and nobles might not get to eat!?'
Xue Guang tried to process his shock.
...
Then, he started to feel embarrassed.
"Xiao Jiang, these buns of yours… I bet they aren't cheap, right?"
"I told you, Uncle Xue. For a guy who sells buns, the one thing I'll never be short of is buns, haha," Jiang Liu joked.
"Sigh, after eating your buns, I can die with no regrets! No regrets at all!"
Xue Guang sighed wistfully. He never thought an ordinary guy like him would ever get to eat something so incredible.
A fusion of the world's finest ingredients—how could it not be incredible?
He wanted to take a couple back for his wife and kid to try,
but after a moment's hesitation, he was too embarrassed to ask.
He couldn't very well offer to buy them, either. Jiang Liu had just treated him; trying to pay now would be like a slap in the face.
"Alright, Xiao Jiang, I should be heading back. If you ever need help with anything, just let me know."
Xue Guang felt too awkward to stay any longer, as if he were sitting on pins and needles.
"Wait a second."
Jiang Liu grabbed a paper bag and packed up the ten remaining buns.
He handed the bulging bag to Xue Guang.
"Uncle Xue, take these back and help me finish them. I really can't eat any more, and there's no one else at home. They won't taste as good once they get cold."
"Ah… I couldn't possibly."
"Hey, no way. I've already eaten so much."
"Just take them, take them."
Xue Guang tried to refuse a few times, but Jiang Liu insisted, pressing the bag into his hands.
He was amused by Jiang Liu and finally relented. He stuck his neck out and said with a chiding laugh:
"Alright, fine. I can see you're not short on these things, you little rascal. I guess Uncle Xue will just have to take you up on the free meal then, eh?"
"I'd be honored. Now hurry home and let your wife try them."
Jiang Liu nudged Xue Guang out the door.
They were quickly warming up to each other.
"Haha, alright! I'll take them home right now. When my wife tries these, she's going to flip!"
Xue Guang chuckled as he turned, clutching the buns to his chest like a precious treasure as he scurried home.
Jiang Liu sat back down in the deserted dining hall to think.
'Hmm, I still need a price list. A business needs a price list…'
He looked at the time: 5:01.
'There's still time. I'll go to the market next door and buy a blackboard first.'
Without even closing the door, Jiang Liu hurried out.
...
The Fresh Produce Store.
Xue Guang shoved up the rolling metal door and burst in, excitedly yelling, "Hey, old woman! Old woman!"
A formidable-looking woman of about fifty with thick eyebrows emerged from the storeroom.
"What did you call me?!"
She roared:
"I told you!! You call me an old woman one more time, and I'll squeeze the life out of you!!"
"I'm serious!!"
Xue Guang seemed completely oblivious to her rage.
He just carried on excitedly, "Look what goodies I brought you!"
He said, placing the paper bag on the table.
"Hm? Goodies? What kind of goodies are they?"
The formidable woman's name was Hua Manman.
Hearing the word "goodies," Hua Manman's voice softened.
"Behold!" Xue Guang slowly opened the bag as if unveiling a treasure, revealing a pile of plump, round buns.
"Surprise! Haha."
"Oh, I'm surprised alright."
Hua Manman's expression was flat, her melon-sized fists cracking audibly.
The buns had cooled, so their aroma was sealed inside.
So, Hua Manman assumed they were just ordinary buns.
"See? See? Go on, try one! It'll blow your mind. When I had one earlier, I almost cried. It was that delicious, you know?"
Xue Guang waved his arms and legs, trying to convey his astonishment at how delicious the buns were.
The next moment, a large hand grabbed him by his few remaining hairs.
He was like a chick being held by the scruff of its neck.
"You think it's funny to mess with me? Huh?"
"Honey, just take one bite! Hit me after you take a bite, alright?"
Xue Guang pleaded helplessly.
'He'd had it with this woman. She was always hitting him or pulling his hair for no reason.'
'The humiliation is excruciating!'
"Heh, fine. One bite. But if I'm not satisfied, you'll see how I deal with you!"
Hua Manman sneered. 'I'll deal with my husband properly later,' she thought. 'How dare he call me an 'old woman'? He used to call me his 'little flower.' Hmph!'
She snatched up a bun and carelessly took a bite.
'Hm? This flavor is…'
She chewed a few times.
The next moment, her eyes widened.
This flavor…?!
...
'Hm? Who left a bag at my door?'
Jiang Liu was humming a little tune, carrying a whiteboard, when he returned to his shop and saw a large bag sitting on a table.
As he got closer, Jiang Liu broke into a knowing smile.
The bag was labeled "Fresh Produce."
'It had to be from Uncle Xue, no doubt about it.'
'Uncle Xue was a great guy, warm-hearted and all, but he was just too polite for his own good.'
He opened it and glanced inside. There was a perfectly round green watermelon, some mangoes, lychees, a container of durian, crisp green grapes, and a bunch of bananas.
The fruit was all very fresh.
'Nice. I'll bring this to Tongtong later. I don't think Tongtong has had any fruit for a week. That won't do.'
Seeing the fruit, Jiang Liu's first thought was of his precious daughter.
His mood immediately improved.
He walked to the entrance and nailed the whiteboard to the wall.
He wrote on it with a black permanent marker:
Pork & Scallion Bun: 6 Yuan
Chive & Egg Bun: 5 Yuan
Three-Delicacy Bun: 6 Yuan
Shrimp & Corn Bun: 15 Yuan
'This isn't too expensive, is it? Seems about right.'
Jiang Liu put down the pen and rubbed his chin in thought.
Compared to other buns in South City, these prices were definitely high.
Typically, a meat bun cost between 1.5 and 2 yuan.
But Jiang Liu believed his buns, made with top-tier ingredients and expert technique, were a steal. You probably couldn't find anything like them even for a hundred yuan.
Jiang Liu casually pulled out his phone to check the time.
When he saw the time, his heart dropped.
He panicked.
"Holy shit, it's 5:30!"
"Shit, I'm definitely not gonna make it! Tongtong's going to be mad at me again. I'm so dead, so dead! Hurry, hurry, hurry!"
He scrambled to flip the circuit breaker, lock the shop door, and rushed out in a frenzy.
"Xiao Jiang, what's the rush?"
Xue Guang was standing at the entrance enjoying the breeze, looking smug. Beside him, Hua Manman was massaging his shoulders.
Her eyes seemed to sparkle as she sized up Jiang Liu.
'This young man isn't just handsome,' she thought, 'his cooking skills are out of this world.'
Seeing Xue Guang, Jiang Liu suddenly remembered about the shop sign.
He hurried over to them.
"Uncle Xue, I'm in a rush to pick up my daughter. Can we add each other on WeChat? Your friend is coming to install the sign soon, could you keep an eye out for me?"
"No problem." Hearing this, Xue Guang grew anxious too.
He quickly pulled out his car keys and insisted:
"Picking up your kid is the most important thing, Xiao Jiang. Here, take my car. Go on, hurry!"
"It's okay, Uncle Xue. It's not far, just a short walk. I don't need it."
After declining the couple's offer, Jiang Liu hurried off with the bag of fruit to get his daughter.
...
「At the entrance of South City Kindergarten.」
By now, all the children had been picked up, and the entrance was empty.
Only Jun Qingmeng and Jiang Tongtong were left, hand in hand.
"Who's this little cutie? Seems like nobody wants her, tsk tsk..." a few security guards muttered, glancing at each other.
Jiang Tongtong, with her backpack on, stood on her tiptoes,
craning her neck to look down the road.
Her little face was filled with urgency, and her eyes began to well up with tears.
"Why isn't my daddy here to get me yet!"
"Teacher, my daddy still isn't here! He must've forgotten me! Please, call him!"
Jun Qingmeng frowned and shook her head. "There's no answer on your dad's phone."
'She was getting angry, furious at Jiang Liu's irresponsible attitude!'
"What time is it, Teacher?"
"It's 5:50."
"Fifty! It's already five-fifty! Why hasn't my daddy thought of me yet!"
"Tongtong, don't be anxious. Maybe something came up for your dad."
Jun Qingmeng offered a weak reassurance, smoothing back her hair.
Anxious, Jiang Tongtong's lip trembled, and she began to whimper and cry.
"Teacher, please tell my daddy… I… I'll never eat ice cream again! And no more fried chicken! I won't watch TV and be noisy, and I'll even wash his feet… Daddy, please come get me!"
Just as she finished speaking,
a familiar voice came from behind her.
"Tongtong, you'd better be ready to take responsibility for those words!"
'It's Daddy's voice!'
'Is it really him?!'
Jiang Tongtong turned in anticipation and saw the handsome, smiling Jiang Liu.
In that moment, all the helplessness and hurt she had been holding back burst forth.
A little girl's heart is fragile and sensitive.
Jiang Tongtong threw herself into his arms, and the tears she'd been holding back finally streamed down her face.
"Daddy! You're finally here! I missed you! I missed you so, so much! WAAAH!"
"Daddy, if you hadn't come any sooner, Tongtong would've gotten lost… *sob*…"
"There, there, it's all Daddy's fault. I was busy trying to earn money for you, and that's why I'm late. I'm so sorry, Tongtong."
