Chapter 49 Superb Tofu Pudding
Yan Guoxiang had only intended to try it casually, but the unique salty and savory flavor immediately captivated his taste buds. He chewed slowly, savoring the rich soy sauce, the crisp pickled vegetables, the fragrant scallions, and the slight spiciness of the chili oil—every bite was just right.
"Hmm..." He put down his spoon and nodded, a rare occurrence for him. "Xiao Su, your tofu pudding is really good. It's worth it to have a bowl like this late at night."
Niu Yue had already devoured her portion in a flash, and looked at Yan Guoxiang with pleading eyes: "Master, please eat slowly, I... I want another bowl! Sister Xiao Su, do you have any sweet tofu pudding? I want to try the sweet kind to see what it tastes like."
Su Yingxue smiled and said, "Yes, it contains white sugar and osmanthus honey. I'll make you a bowl right away."
Wang Fei quickly chimed in, "Sister Su, this set meal is such a great deal! Are you going to offer it again tomorrow? We'll come as a group!"
Su Yingxue smiled and nodded: "Sure, as long as you come, I'll save it for you."
Yan Guoxiang couldn't help but laugh as he watched his two apprentices wolf down their food. "Alright, stop rushing, eat slowly. But..." He looked at Su Yingxue, "with your skills, if you opened a shop, it would definitely be a huge success."
Su Yingxue blinked: "That depends on whether there's an opportunity."
As night deepened, the laughter and satisfied chewing sounds of a few people in the cafeteria seemed especially warm.
As they were talking, the cafeteria door was pushed open, and a night breeze carrying the fragrance of osmanthus blossoms drifted in. Hou Defa slowly walked in, leaning on his cane, followed by Qian Xiaochuan, who had changed dramatically—his white shirt was neatly ironed, and his hair was combed meticulously, making him look exactly like a professional assistant.
"Xiao Su!" Hou Defa shouted as soon as he entered the door, "You guys came up with some new tricks and didn't even tell me!" He sat down, leaning on the table, staring longingly at the steamer. "I'll be discharged from the hospital in a few days, and then I won't be able to eat this anymore."
"Oh, Uncle Hou!" Su Yingxue quickly packed up the buns. "I was just about to have Xiao Chuan bring them up to you." She turned and waved to Qian Xiao Chuan. "Here, give Uncle Hou a set meal!"
Qian Xiaochuan responded and expertly tied on his apron. He was a completely different person now, not only quick and efficient but also proactively helping to clean the stove. Watching him skillfully bag the buns, Su Yingxue couldn't help but recall the dejected young man from before.
"This kid's getting more and more perceptive," Hou Defa said with a chuckle. For once today, he wasn't pushing his wheelchair; instead, he sat properly at the table. "Little Su, you've really spoiled this old man lately. First it was savory pancakes with Fuding pork slices, then steamed buns and tofu pudding—a different kind of thing every day."
Just as Su Yingxue was about to push the tofu pudding over, Hou Defa waved his hand, "Wait, I can't stand this salty tofu pudding." He moved the bowl aside, "Xiao Chuan, you drink this bowl later."
Qian Xiaochuan nodded and quickly helped with the packing. Su Yingxue looked at his diligent manner and remembered how this young man used to be a patient who needed care, but now he could stand on his own.
"Is Auntie feeling better?" Su Yingxue asked while packing the food.
"Much better!" Qian Xiaochuan replied softly, carefully arranging the tofu pudding. "She keeps saying she wants to treat you to a meal to thank you."
"Don't mention it," Su Yingxue said with a smile, waving her hand. "She just needs to rest and recover."
Hou Defa took a bite of the steamed bun, spilling soup but not bothering to wipe it away, and mumbled, "This girl's cooking skills... she's really made this old man plump and healthy." He glanced at Qian Xiaochuan, who was busy at work, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.
Niu Yue took a sip of the sweet tofu pudding and exclaimed, "This tastes better, the savory kind!" Hou Defa snorted in response. Then the two of them, one old and one young, began arguing about whether sweet or savory tofu pudding was better. They discussed it for a long time.
Su Yingxue was washing the pot! She chuckled, thinking it looked delicious.
It was another ordinary night, the second night.
Su Yingxue was stirring the tofu pudding. With a gentle scrape of the spatula against the rim of the bowl, the milky white liquid slid down the back of the spatula. She had originally planned to close up shop early tonight.
"Hey, Sister Su, business is booming!"
The familiar voice made Su Yingxue pause in her actions. She slowly looked up and met Chen Wang's smug grin. Behind him, Xiao Xiao was furtively peeking at the tofu pudding stall.
Su Yingxue narrowed her eyes, and placed the spatula in the iron pot with a clang. The sound of metal clashing was particularly jarring in the quiet night.
"......"
Chen Wang's smile froze on his face.
"Again?" Su Yingxue slowly picked up a long-handled spatula, the tip still sticky with tofu pudding soup. "I caught you taking pictures of me last time, so this time you're using invisibility tricks?"
Xiao Xiao jumped in surprise and quickly waved her hand: "Sister Su! We really came here..."
"I want to eat a steamed bun." Chen Wang immediately replied, his smile as stiff as a frozen bun skin. "I... just want to eat a steamed bun."
"Yes, yes, yes!" Xiao Xiao nodded vigorously, "Brother Chen said your steamed buns..."
"You said the same thing last time." Su Yingxue's spatula slammed into the edge of the steamer with a "thud," making the steamer shake. "Then you turned around and posted videos online, saying things like 'Midnight Mysterious Food Exploration.'"
Chen Wang scratched his head and chuckled dryly, "Well... your savory pancakes were absolutely amazing! We kept craving them after we got back, and when we saw you were selling steamed buns again, we just couldn't resist coming to try some!..."
“Exactly!” Xiao Xiao interjected. “Actually, Brother Chen insisted on making videos with ‘millions of views,’ saying things like ‘heartwarming stories behind ordinary food,’ and that he wanted to film some more footage and release a few more viral videos…”
Su Yingxue's face visibly darkened.
“So,” she pointed at the two of them with her spatula, sending broth flying in an arc, “you’re here to steal ingredients and then try to learn their techniques?”
"Absolutely not!" Chen Wang waved his hand vehemently. "We just wanted to... take a few photos first..."
"Just eat your steamed bun properly," Su Yingxue said with a cold laugh.
Chen Wang nodded vigorously, "Yes, yes, yes! We'll eat steamed buns!"
Su Yingxue stared at them for two seconds, then threw the spatula back into the pot with a clang. She turned around, took two buns out of the steamer, and placed them heavily in front of them.
"Eat up." She grabbed a rag from the side, wiped her hands, and said in a harsh tone, "If I find out you're taking pictures of me next time..."
"Absolutely not filming!" Chen Wang raised his hands in surrender. "We swear!"
Xiao Xiao muttered quietly to himself, "Actually, I just came here to shoot some footage..."
"Um?"
"Nothing, nothing!" Xiao Xiao quickly shut up and obediently took out her phone to scan the code and pay.
Su Yingxue suddenly threw a rag in front of the two of them: "The price is doubled. Are you buying or not???"
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