Chapter 386

By the time Wang Gensheng followed Xu Nuo panting to the entrance of the state-run restaurant, he was completely bewildered.

Qin Huai could see it was 30% tired-bewildered + 40% fragrant-bewildered + 40% purely bewildered. The pure bewilderment came from the explosive news he had just heard; Wang Gensheng hadn't digested it even after running the whole way.

His current expression, appearance, and state looked really like he had just been scammed by Xu Nuo.

Xu Nuo told Wang Gensheng to queue up properly at the entrance; they were coming early now, so they would definitely be able to grab the steamed buns. There were only thirty or forty people in front, visually. He himself slipped away directly into the state-run restaurant.

Qin Huai tried to follow and found the distance was sufficient. His range of activity this time was quite wide; not only could he follow into the state-run restaurant, but he could also follow Xu Nuo all the way to the kitchen door of the state-run restaurant.

The slightly plump female server at the entrance of the state-run restaurant saw someone come in and subconsciously frowned, preparing to scold and drive them away. Only after seeing it was Xu Nuo did she relax her frown and ask: "Little Xu, why are you here so early today? Master Jing is still steaming the buns."

Xu Nuo grinned, revealing a well-behaved smile: "I came early on purpose. Today, a new university student joined our factory, and my dad asked me to bring him to the state-run restaurant to eat something good."

The female server was surprised: "This new university student is so precious this time! Then you've come at the right time today; we just received two old hens from the countryside, and that big grass carp from yesterday seems to still..."

Xu Nuo waved his hands repeatedly: "It's not that good, not that good; just eating some braised pork is fine. Master Jing is in the kitchen, right? Sister Ye, you don't mind if I stand at the kitchen door and say a few words to Master Jing, do you?"

Sister Ye rolled her eyes at Xu Nuo: "What's the use of me minding? Now everyone outside is saying you are a temporary worker at our state-run restaurant. Since you are already a temporary worker, you can go wherever you want."

Then Sister Ye stood at the entrance of the state-run restaurant with her hands on her hips, directing the customers queuing outside waiting to buy buns: "Stop making noise, what are you chattering about, what are you urging? Can these buns grow wings and fly away in the steamer?"

"It's not time yet, queue up properly. The one in the back, no cutting in line, I'm talking about you! If you cut in line today, don't buy. Buying buns and still cutting in line? If I let you in to eat, wouldn't there be a fight in our state-run restaurant?"

The originally noisy queuing crowd instantly quieted down. Wang Gensheng, who was already very quiet in the queue, was even more frightened, shrinking his neck and continuing to queue quietly.

Qin Huai was slightly shocked in his heart by the status of the state-run restaurant server in this era, following Xu Nuo into the kitchen.

In the kitchen, Master Jing was drinking tea. The fermented rice steamed buns hadn't come out of the pot yet. Huang Shengli and Zheng Da were both guarding the steamer, ready at any moment.

Seeing Xu Nuo come, Master Jing smiled. His originally hideous face with a scar looked a bit more amiable: "Why are you here so early today?"

Xu Nuo repeated what he had just said to the server, took out the money coupons given to him by Factory Director Xu in the afternoon from his pocket, counted them, and placed them all on the table.

"I heard that Section Chief Li from Finance ordered a welcome banquet here," Xu Nuo asked.

"What welcome banquet? It's just using the name of your textile factory to force Sister Ye to reserve a table for him in the lobby. When asked what dishes he wanted to order, he was hesitant and didn't say. Finally, it was only after Sister Ye got angry that he ordered a dish of stir-fried three shreds," Zheng Da complained.

Master Jing glared at Zheng Da, signaling Zheng Da not to talk nonsense.

Xu Nuo nodded, not following Zheng Da's words. He would complain wildly about Section Chief Li in front of Wang Gensheng, but he would absolutely not say an extra word in front of Zheng Da.

"Already ordered a dish of stir-fried three shreds, right? Then add a dish of braised pork and a dish of pan-fried small fish. There should be small fish today, right Master Jing? The small fish you pan-fry are just too delicious. If you could put a little more oil, it would be even better."

Master Jing smiled: "Of course there are, fresh small fish just delivered this morning. Rest assured, I will definitely put enough oil for you, pan-frying them to that golden brown on both sides that you like the most, making them crispy when eaten."

"There is also pork belly, and it seems there are still some quail eggs. When the time comes, I will make a dish of braised pork belly with quail eggs, making it the sweet and salty flavor you like the most. I'll make the quail eggs into tiger skin, frying them in the oil pan first."

Xu Nuo gave a hehe smile: "How can I be so embarrassed? This is a welcome banquet for a university student; how did it become the flavor I like?"

Master Jing shook his head helplessly: "I still don't know you? Your lunch box is already in the cabinet. Rest assured, when the fish is pan-fried, I'll call you in to eat directly. The braised pork with quail eggs will be put into the lunch box. Your fermented bean curd from yesterday won't be missing either, and there are 4 fermented rice steamed buns; two for you, and one for each of your parents."

"Next time, don't put your lunch box in the cabinet. Today at noon, Zheng Da thought your lunch box was his and almost used it by mistake."

Zheng Da pretended that the fermented rice steamed buns were about to come out of the pot, his eyes staring fixedly at the steamer. Xu Nuo didn't care: "If he used it, he used it; if he used it by mistake, just wash it clean."

"Master Jing, you said last time that the season for crab roe to hit the market is too short, and that spending so much money to buy the recipe for the double crab bun only to be able to make it for a few months a year is too much of a loss, and you wanted to use crab roe paste to make double crab buns. Regarding this, I also have some ideas, I..."

"Taste this." The kitchen was a bit too noisy. Just now Master Jing had turned around to get something and hadn't heard Xu Nuo's words clearly at all.

Master Jing was holding a bowl of lotus root starch balls.

Xu Nuo was stunned looking at the lotus root starch balls, reacting for a few seconds before reacting: "This is... osmanthus lotus root starch balls?"

"White sugar filling. Yesterday, Zheng Da's third uncle sent me a big bag of lotus root starch. The quality of the pure handmade one is very good. I feel it's just right to use it to make lotus root starch balls. It just so happens that there is still some dried osmanthus at home, so I made osmanthus lotus root starch balls."

"Taste it."

Xu Nuo didn't have any hesitation, taking the bowl and scooping up a lotus root starch ball and sending it into his mouth.

The lotus root starch balls in the bowl were translucent, but the size was not regular, and one look told you they were very chewy. The lotus root starch balls were filled with white sugar, and the water used to boil the lotus root starch balls probably also had honey added, looking a bit yellowish and a bit sticky, more like a soup.

Xu Nuo ate several in a row, chewing until his cheeks were bulging.

"Master Jing, my friend is still queuing outside. I want to let him taste the rest. Can I call him in to eat?" Xu Nuo asked.

"Of course you can, it's just that this queue has to... I only left 4 for you."

"I know, the rules cannot be messed up; I definitely understand this kind of truth." After speaking, Xu Nuo put down the bowl and ran out, dragging Wang Gensheng, who was queuing honestly in the queue and didn't dare to say a word, out of the queue, dragging him all the way into the state-run restaurant amidst his terrified eyes.

Wang Gensheng was still bewildered.

As a newcomer who had just joined and hadn't officially started working, the things that happened today were a bit too much information for him.

Xu Nuo handed the lotus root starch balls to Wang Gensheng: "Don't queue for the fermented rice steamed buns today first. You can eat fermented rice steamed buns anytime; you can only eat these lotus root starch balls today. After eating, there is a big meal in the evening; if you eat fermented rice steamed buns again, you won't be able to eat dinner."

Wang Gensheng didn't speak, picking up the bowl and eating.

Qin Huai felt that Wang Gensheng was a bit like a hostage kidnapped by a robber. In order to save his life, he had to do whatever the robber told him to do.

Wang Gensheng ate the first bite in a bewildered state, and then was even more bewildered.

While bewildered, he was also a bit sober.

His eyes were full of confusion and shock, his face full of "how can there be such delicious food in this world," "what exactly is this thing," "is it a rare delicacy?"

Xu Nuo gave a proud smile.

Wang Gensheng was stunned again seeing Xu Nuo's smile.

He felt that the number of times he was bewildered, sluggish, and blank today was more than the previous twenty-plus years combined.

"So this is the sugar-coated bullet," Wang Gensheng muttered.

Qin Huai left the memory.

(End of chapter)