"Boss, you've finally arrived!"
"We were waiting at the park entrance before dawn!"
"Give me 30 meat buns first, my son wants to take them to work and give them to his colleagues!"
"Alright!" Han Fei took the money, and Old Xu filled the meat buns, working together seamlessly.
"30 buns, but I'll charge you for 27 buns, the same as yesterday, a 10% discount."
"Boss, you still recognize me!"
"Of course, you're a regular customer!"
"Can I get a discount on meat buns? Boss, can I get a discount?"
"Yes, you can get a 10% discount if you buy ten or more."
"Boss, I want 20 meat buns!"
"Boss, I want 10 meat buns!"
"Boss, I want 15 meat buns!"...
Those who didn't get any steamed buns yesterday are already craving them after hearing those who did rave about how amazing they were.
Those who bought steamed buns yesterday, needless to say, have been craving them all night, and even dreamed about eating them.
After a flurry of activity, Han Fei waved his hand apologetically: "Everyone, we're out of meat buns for today. Would you like to try today's new product?"
"New product?"
"Boss, what new items do you have? Are they steamed buns too?"
"Today's new product: steamed buns."
Han Fei showed off his specially made flower rolls.
"Huh? This steamed bun has meat in it?"
"I've never seen this kind of steamed bun before."
"Boss, is that minced meat sandwiched in the middle?"
"It's diced pork in soy sauce and chopped green onions, a specialty steamed bun from our breakfast shop. Would you like to try some?"
"Won't the ones with meat be very expensive? If they're the same price as the big meat buns, I might as well just eat the big meat buns."
"It doesn't look like there's much meat. If it's expensive, I wouldn't really want to eat it."
"Yes, it looks dry and not as oily as a big meat bun."
Old Xu snorted twice: "What do you know! The diced meat is made from dried braised pork, it's incredibly fragrant, and the portion is just as generous as the meat buns you eat! The price is the same as the meat buns, you can eat it if you want, or not if you don't, anyway, we've already sold out of meat buns for today!"
"What kind of attitude is this, old man!"
"Don't assume that just because your meat buns are delicious, everything else will be just as delicious. We're not buying it!"
Han Fei pulled Old Man Xu back from the window, pushed him inside, and said with a smile, "Everyone, I'll cut some steamed buns for you to try for free. If you like them, you can buy more. If you don't like them, you can buy buns from another store. My meat buns are sold out. I'll make more tomorrow to sell."
Old Xu said irritably, "Steamed buns are expensive to make. Don't be a pushover. Even if they like them, they won't buy them. They're all stingy guys."
"Hey! We don't like hearing that!"
"Don't worry, boss, we'll definitely buy it if we find it delicious!"
"Yes, as long as the steamed buns at this shop are really delicious, we'll definitely buy them from them. It'll be a good opportunity to give our family a change of pace!"
"Boss, is that loud, hot-tempered old man inside your relative?"
"He's my old brother, everyone, please don't get angry. He's just a straightforward person, and he can't stand hearing people say that our food isn't good."
"Haha, as long as the steamed buns are really delicious, then we're in the wrong."
"If the steamed buns aren't tasty, you'd better teach him to change his arrogant temper!"
"That's right, if the steamed buns aren't tasty, we'll have to teach him a lesson!"
Han Fei glanced back at Old Man Xu and raised an eyebrow: "Red-faced sang quite well!"
Old Xu smiled knowingly, muttering, "If you don't like it, I apologize! But if you like the steamed buns, you can buy more, and I'll give you a discount as compensation for my bad attitude earlier!"
"Alright! You're a pretty righteous old man!"
"If it tastes good, we'll definitely buy it!"
Old Xu started cutting the steamed buns. He was originally going to cut one into eight pieces, but Han Fei thought he was being stingy, so he shook his head, snatched the buns, and cut them himself.
Han Fei cut a steamed bun in half and started handing them out to the old men and women.
The old man took the half-eaten steamed bun, paused for a moment, then gave a thumbs up: "Boss, you're generous!"
The old lady took half a meat roll, beaming with joy: "Boss, as long as it's delicious, I'll definitely buy more. I won't let you suffer a loss!"
People passing by the park entrance noticed the free breakfast available and lined up one by one.
The elderly people who had already received half a steamed bun hadn't even had a chance to take a bite before they started spreading the word in the crowd how delicious the meat buns from this breakfast cart were!
"Grandpa, you only say the meat buns are delicious, why don't you tell me if these steamed buns are good or not?"
"This is the first time I've ever seen scallion and pork flower rolls. Why don't you try some and tell us if it's good?"
The old man chuckled and nodded: "I'll try it now. You wait here, and I'll tell you my thoughts after eating it!"
The old man first leaned closer to smell the aroma of the diced meat on the steamed bun, his face full of delight: "This is smoked with pine needles and fruit peels, I can smell it! When I was a child, I always helped my mother smoke cured meat, I know this smell very well!"
"Yes, it smells amazing!"
"Grandpa, please eat quickly, we're all getting impatient!"
"Okay, I'll eat it now!" The old man took a bite, and his originally dull and aged pupils instantly lit up with light. Tears welled up in his eyes: "How many years has it been? Since my mother died, I haven't tasted this flavor for so many, many years!"
The dough is chewy yet soft, fermented just right, and kneaded with strength, resulting in a perfect balance—neither too soft nor too hard.
The scallions are very fragrant; they are authentic scallions, organically grown on our own farm. They are not the kind of scallions that you can hardly find in the market nowadays, and those that have blue, unknown pesticide residue after being soaked.
The diced meat is even more amazing. It's the homemade cured meat made by his mother when he was a child. She selects the best local pork with a good balance of fat and lean meat. It's smoked with pine needles and fruit peels to bring out its aroma. It's not dried too much, but rather slightly firm. He can't wait to take it home and cook it for his family.
"Wow! No way, it's so delicious it makes you cry?" A passerby was shocked when they saw it.
"Could this be a plant?"
"Isn't this a bit too extravagant?"
"No, no, it's really not that delicious that you'll cry!"
"It's free anyway, so who cares if they're shills or not? Let's just line up and get our breakfast first!"
"I can save money on breakfast today, what a great deal!"
"It smells delicious. Who cares if it's acting or not, it shouldn't be too bad!"
"Hey, hey, hey, don't cut in line!"
"Old man, you're a shill. You've already gotten one, there's no need for you to cut in line!"
"Young man, I'm not here to get something for free, I'm here to buy it! Can you people who are getting things for free please find another place to queue? You're making me feel like I'm cutting in line!"
"Sir, you're just a shill, there's no need for you to actually spend money to buy it, is there?"
"Maybe the boss already gave him money to buy it for us to see, and we'll pay for it too."
"I won't fall for that. I'll just claim the free ones; I'll never buy anything with my own money!"
The old man rushed to the front of the line and squeezed in, shouting at Han Fei, "Boss, give me 30! No, 50!"
He originally intended to buy 30 to share, but then he thought, "The shopkeeper's business is so good, what if tomorrow he can't buy the scallion and pork steamed buns either, just like today?" He decided to buy more, so that if he couldn't buy any tomorrow, he could eat what he had at home!
"Alright, Lao Xu, pack the steamed buns! 50 steamed buns, I'll give you a 10% discount!"
Old Xu packed 50 steamed buns and handed them over with a smile: "Old friend, I didn't lie to you, did I? And you still say I'm arrogant!"
"Hahaha, it was my fault. You have every right to be arrogant! In my heart, your steamed buns are hundreds or thousands of times tastier than meat buns!"
What could possibly compare to the taste of one's mother?
Forget meat buns, even the most exquisite delicacies couldn't buy him those 50 scallion and pork flower rolls!
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