Chapter 14: Steamed Buns or Sisters?

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“Boss Lu, we’ve all been waiting for you.”

Lou Xiaotian was dressed in fine brocade robes. He had been lazily waving his fan with an aloof expression, as though no one was worthy of his attention.

But the moment he saw Lu Wu, he immediately put on a beaming smile and hurried over.

There was a faint trace of pride hidden in that smile.

After the Grand Elder, he, Lou Xiaotian, was the highest-ranking member of the Steamed Bun Sect. The honor of receiving Boss Lu today had taken considerable effort to win.

He was determined to make Boss Lu regard him in a new light.

“Please come this way, Boss Lu.”

Seeing his obsequious manner, the corner of Lu Wu’s mouth twitched.

She seriously wondered whether these people had all been bewitched.

Surrounded by a welcoming formation of cultivators, Lu Wu forced herself to walk to the designated spot, then took out her steamed-bun stall.

Living creatures could not be placed inside a storage pouch, but cooked food could. Once stored inside, it would still be warm when taken out.

Knowing that customers had lined up in advance, she had steamed several baskets of buns at home and brought them along to save time.

Judging from the scene before her, she had still underestimated how popular her little stall had become.

Unfortunately, Lu Wu was no social butterfly. With so many people surrounding her, the smile on her face was nearly frozen stiff.

The crowd chattered noisily. Some showered her with praise, some broke down in despair at failing to buy anything, and others tried to coax their relatives and friends into giving up their places.

These cultivators were certainly full of energy.

Under Lu Wu’s hands, the soft dough gradually took shape. The new flavors had the customers itching to try them.

Sighing, Lu Wu resigned herself to her fate and continued making buns.

It was only the fourth day.

Yet she was already close to being drowned by these enthusiastic customers.

The pile of spirit stones offered her a little comfort.

She hoped the system’s next mission would send her somewhere less crowded, where she could quietly develop for a while.

The familiar fragrance conquered the customers’ palates, and many of those visiting for the first time began to look forward to tasting the buns.

Even Xu Gu, after smelling the enticing aromas and seeing the expressions of bliss on the customers’ faces, gradually came to believe that the buns really were delicious.

Surely so many people could not all be conspiring to deceive him.

Willow Mist Street was known for its pleasure houses. There were a few small stalls and peddlers, but very few.

Because of Lu Wu’s steamed-bun stall, however, many opportunistic merchants had appeared on the street.

They sold all sorts of goods, and some had even imitated Lu Wu by opening snack stalls of their own.

There were pancakes, pastries, grilled wings, skewers, and more.

The aromas of all kinds of food dispersed the street’s original scent of rouge and cosmetics. The courtesans leaned against the railings, smiling as they watched the cultivators below fight over every last morsel.

Some people thought that since all the stalls were on the same street, their food probably tasted much the same. Curious, they tried the other vendors’ offerings, only to turn away with disdain and hurry back to Lu Wu’s stall to join the line.

Rubbish!

They could not compare at all.

As a result, although those stalls had attracted quite a few customers at first, the number of visitors soon dropped sharply.

Watching Lu Wu work herself into a frenzy, the other stall owners wept tears of envy from the corners of their mouths.

After waiting and waiting, the young woman from yesterday finally reached the front of the line. She studied the menu.

But there were no meat buns.

Only after asking did she learn that the little meat buns had been sold during the previous few days, while today’s menu had changed. She had arrived too late.

She was a little sad, but not disappointed.

Once she had tasted them, she understood that no matter what filling they contained, any bun made by Boss Lu was an absolute delicacy.

Thinking of yesterday’s warm, sweet red-bean buns, she felt a small pang of resentment.

She had learned her lesson and arrived early to queue.

Who could have known there would be so many people competing with her? She had barely managed to secure a place near the front.

Behind her stood a fair, delicate girl with a charmingly round face.

“Mumu, are these buns really as delicious as you said?”

For the sake of these buns, Tiantian had given up the chance to eat Flying Fish prepared personally by a renowned chef.

That restaurant’s reservations were already filled for several months ahead.

Giving up such a dish for a few buns made her feel that she might have gotten the short end of the bargain.

Mumu was not offended by her doubts.

“Tiantian, trust me. I can’t speak for every kind of food, but when it comes to steamed buns, there’s no one in the Azure Origin Realm whose skills can compare with Boss Lu’s.”

“I’ll stake my future happiness at the table on that.”

Mumu’s earnest attitude as a devoted foodie left Tiantian with no choice but to believe her.

“What fillings would you two like?”

Lu Wu had also heard their conversation and asked with a smile.

Her buns were now drawing customers from thousands of miles away. That was the greatest affirmation she could have received.

“I want one crab-roe bun and one egg-and-chive bun.”

The names alone were irresistible. She had to find out what they tasted like.

Standing so close to the stall, Mumu felt that the snow-white buns, rising amid curling steam, were blatantly tempting her.

So pale and tender, so plump and full.

She desperately wanted to reach out and feel them for herself.

Cultivators generally possessed excellent self-control, but in the face of these buns, Mumu felt as though she had fallen under a high-level charm spell.

She simply could not look away.

“By the way, Tiantian, remember to buy fillings different from mine. Boss Lu only allows each person to purchase two buns.”

Mumu gave her instructions in a low voice.

If she could, she would have bought every bun Lu Wu had.

But she also knew that even if Boss Lu agreed, the other fellow cultivators watching them like hungry tigers certainly would not.

“All right.”

Tiantian agreed and bought two buns with different fillings.

“Thank you, Boss Lu.”

Mumu thanked her sweetly, then pulled Tiantian to a spot nearby to share the food.

They split each bun in half so that both of them could taste every flavor.

When the crab-roe bun was torn open, a little juice seeped out, and the fragrance sealed within the outer dough began to escape.

The melted crab roe had soaked into the white flour, and its brilliant golden color was enough to make anyone drool.

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In her excitement, Mumu pressed too hard with her fingers.

The bun’s skin dented inward, and the crab roe inside nearly spilled onto her hand.

Mumu did not dare delay. She opened her mouth and stuffed half the bun inside.

“Mmm…”

Mumu’s eyes widened at once.

The moment the tip of her tongue touched it, that fresh, savory flavor seized all her senses. Her taste buds were overwhelmed by its richness, and she could hardly bear to swallow.

The crab roe had a slightly grainy texture, while the meat filling added even more fragrance.

As the flavors collided, Mumu was rendered speechless.

She looked at her friend, communicating the news with her eyes.

Seeing Mumu’s blissful expression—as if she had nearly ascended to immortality—Tiantian smiled and bit into her red-bean bun.

Tiantian preferred sweeter flavors.

She had eaten plenty of red-bean buns before. Although she trusted Mumu’s judgment, her expectations were not especially high.

But the instant she felt the red-bean paste slowly melt in her mouth, she was stunned by its exquisite taste.

Tiantian stared blankly at the red-bean bun in her hand.

Her tiny teeth marks were still visible on the white dough.

The glossy red-bean paste was scalding hot, but its sweet, sticky softness made Tiantian completely forget the heat as she continued eating.

She chewed slowly and carefully until the sweetness gradually flowed down her throat.

Tiantian’s nose grew a little sore.

It was so delicious she wanted to cry.

She declared that this would take first place on her list of favorite desserts. Compared with these red-bean buns, every other sweet treat was utterly outclassed.

It was only half a bun. Even savoring it as carefully as she could, it was gone in just a few bites.

Tiantian regretted eating it so quickly.

She had always loved sweets, and now her heart was left hanging—restless and unbearably itchy.

Her gaze fell upon the remaining half of the bun. Then she slowly turned to look at her good friend, Mumu.

She felt that the friendship between them was being subjected to a severe trial.

Mumu instantly understood what her little sister-in-spirit was thinking. She puffed out her cheeks guiltily and looked away.

To be honest, she had been thinking the same thing.

Fortunately, sisterly affection ultimately triumphed over appetite.

“You should try the other flavors too. They’re all delicious.” Mumu hurriedly stuffed the remaining half of the red-bean bun into her mouth.

If she waited any longer, she feared she and her dear friend might actually have a falling-out.

There was no longer any need for Mumu to recommend the buns. Having completely accepted the truth of Lu Wu’s culinary skill, Tiantian launched into the remaining flavors.

“Delicious.”

Traveling thousands of miles for a few buns had turned out to be an incredible bargain.

The two sisters exchanged a smile, radiant with happiness.

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