Chapter 233 Pan-fried Buns on the Mountain Top

As dawn approached, the wind on the mountaintop still carried a biting chill. Su Yingxue pulled her thick coat tighter around her and, using a small coal stove borrowed from the shopkeeper, squatted down by the sheltered stone wall to get to work.

The group of them exerted a great deal of effort and finally reached the summit of Wushan Mountain before sunrise.

She took out the bag of flour from her backpack, added the yeast that had been dissolved in spring water beforehand, and kneaded the dough with her fingertips, applying even pressure. In no time, the dough became smooth and soft, like a piece of warm white jade.

In the porcelain bowl beside her was the minced meat she carried with her, mixed with chopped scallions and ginger, drizzled with a few drops of sesame oil and mixed well. Just the smell alone was enough to make early risers turn their heads to look at her.

While the dough was rising, Su Yingxue started making hot and sour soup.

The restaurant provided an iron pot, which was placed on a coal stove. Spring water was poured in and brought to a boil. Then, diced tofu and soaked vermicelli were added, along with pepper and a little chili powder. The reddish-brown broth began to simmer.

The spicy aroma instantly filled the air, dispelling the chill from the mountaintop.

"This smell is so tempting!"

Someone shouted, and the tourists who were scattered around waiting for the sunrise gathered in twos and threes.

Su Yingxue looked up and smiled, pointing to the dough that had been resting beside her: "Wait a moment, the pan-fried buns will be ready soon."

She pinched off small dough balls, rolled them into round wrappers, filled them with plenty of meat filling, pinched them into shallow pleats, and neatly arranged them in an oiled frying pan.

The sizzling sound, accompanied by the savory aroma of minced meat, filled the pot. She poured half a bowl of water into the pot, covered it, and let it simmer. As the steam rose, the dough gradually puffed up, and a golden-brown, crispy crust formed on the bottom.

The sun broke through the clouds at that very moment.

The golden-red sunset rays spilled across the rolling mountains and onto Su Yingxue's stall.

She lifted the lid of the pot, and a sizzling aroma wafted into her nose. The tops of the pan-fried buns glistened enticingly, while the crispy crust at the bottom crackled and popped.

"Pan-fried buns with spicy soup, warm and comforting, just right!"

Su Yingxue picked up a small spatula and placed the golden-brown pan-fried buns into rough porcelain dishes, and then served each dish with a bowl of steaming hot and sour soup.

The first to gather around were a young couple. The boy took a bite of the pan-fried bun, and the scalding hot meat juice splashed onto his tongue. He exclaimed, "It smells so good! The crispy bottom is amazing!"

The girl took a sip of the spicy soup, and sweat broke out on her nose from the spiciness.

But she couldn't help but nod repeatedly: "Warm! My body, which was frozen solid from climbing the mountain, warmed up instantly!"

Su Yingxue watched as everyone gathered around the stall, eating with beaming smiles. Then she looked down and opened her notebook, adding a line below the previous one: "Sunrise on the mountaintop, pan-fried buns with spicy soup, the aroma permeates the sea of ​​clouds and shines with boundless light."

In the morning light, the flames of the coal stove flickered slightly, and the aroma of pan-fried buns mingled with the spiciness of hot and sour soup, drifting far and wide on the mountaintop wind.

"Boss, your pan-fried buns are so delicious!"

Wu Xiaobei ate a few bites. Still not satisfied. She noticed there were two more in her friend's bowl.

"Hehehe. Coco. Can I have one of yours?"

Coco smiled when she saw Wu Xiaobei's drooling expression.

"Boss, another serving, please. She's not full."

"Alright, almost done!" Su Yingxue readily agreed, her hands moving without stopping. She pinched off a dough ball, quickly rolled it into a wrapper, filled it with a generous amount of meat filling, and pinched a small pleat with her nimble fingers before placing it into the sizzling, oily pan.

In no time, a new batch of pan-fried buns was fried until golden brown and crispy, with the bottom crust having an enticing caramel color.

She gently scooped with the shovel, and with a crisp "crack," Wu Xiaobei's eyes widened in amazement.

The owner of the water shop next door came over with a bowl of instant noodles, slurping them down. Looking at the tourists gathered around his stall, he couldn't help but exclaim, "Young lady, your skills are absolutely amazing! I've been guarding this mountaintop for almost half a year, and I've never seen so many tourists."

He wiped his mouth, put the instant noodle bowl aside, and said earnestly, "Look, there's open space right next to my shop, and water and electricity are readily available. I'll have my fellow villagers from the foot of the mountain deliver the ingredients every other day, so they're guaranteed to be fresh. If you set up shop here permanently, I guarantee your business will be booming!"

Su Yingxue had just handed the pan-fried buns to Wu Xiaobei when she heard this, she raised an eyebrow and turned to look at the surging sea of ​​clouds in the distance.

The morning light bathed her profile in a warm golden glow. She glanced down at the jingling brass bell on her backpack, then touched the notebook in her pocket, and asked with a smile, "Boss, aren't you afraid I'll steal your business?"

The shop owner waved his hand and laughed heartily: "I sell water and snacks, you sell hot food, we complement each other! Besides, if you set up your stall here, tourists will stay a little longer, and I can sell a couple more bottles of water!"

Wu Xiaobei, who was munching on a pan-fried bun, mumbled in response, "Sister, please agree! Next time I bring my classmates hiking, we can come and eat your pan-fried buns and spicy soup!"

Ye Keke nodded, looking at Su Yingxue's stall: "The view here is so good, who could resist enjoying delicious food while watching the sea of ​​clouds?"

Su Yingxue looked at the steaming pan in front of her, smelled the delicious aroma of cooking in the air, and then looked up at the clouds rolling over the mountains. Suddenly, she smiled.

She picked up her pen and added another line to her notebook. The handwriting was exceptionally clear in the morning light: "Beside the sea of ​​clouds on the mountaintop, pan-fried buns are fragrant, and smoke falls into the sea of ​​clouds."

“Okay,” she said, closing her notebook and turning to the shop owner, her eyes crinkling with a smile. “Then I’ll have to bother you, boss.”

Upon hearing this, the shop owner immediately beamed and patted his chest, assuring him, "Don't worry! Tomorrow I'll have the villagers down the mountain send up a basket of fresh chives and free-range eggs, making it as convenient as you can!"

Su Yingxue smiled and agreed, then turned around and saw Wu Xiaobei holding an empty plate, staring longingly at the last two pan-fried buns left in the pot.

Ye Keke poked her forehead helplessly: "Eating so much, be careful your legs won't be strong when you go down the mountain."

"No way!" Wu Xiaobei retorted stubbornly, but swallowed hard. "I could eat ten of Sister Su's pan-fried buns and still not have enough!"

Su Yingxue served her the two pan-fried buns and poured half a spoonful of spicy soup into her bowl: "Eat slowly. If you're not full, I have some flour here and can make another batch."

"No need, no need!"

Wu Xiaobei quickly waved her hand, holding the bowl and nibbling away, her eyes full of satisfaction. "Save it for the other tourists, I'm already super full!"

As they were talking, several more tourists who had finished watching the sunrise came over, smelling the delicious aroma and asking, "Boss, is there any food left?"

Just as Su Yingxue was about to respond, she saw the shop owner quickly bring over a folding table and take out a few plastic stools from his shop: "Come on, come on, sit here and eat! It's windy on the mountaintop, everyone should stay warm!"

The owner was very welcoming, which attracted more tourists.