Chapter 24: Chapter 23: Who Needs Women When You Have Buns

Old Zhang and his group walked up to the counter to ask.

As they spoke, they noticed a red box next to the counter.

"Sixty two-yuan baozi, plus twenty shrimp baozi. Water is free. Okay, that’ll be 220 yuan total."

Jiang Liu said, holding a calculator.

After costs, he made over 140 yuan from this single order. Compared to a full day’s work for a corporate drone, this was just too easy.

"Alright, I’ve sent the payment!"

Old Zhang paid without hesitation.

"Okay, take care."

"We will. You’re busy. We’ll help spread the word when we get back."

"Okay, thank you. Take care, everyone."

After the customers left, Jiang Liu took a moment to glance at the charity box. There wasn’t a single thing inside.

It wasn’t that he was keen on fleecing ordinary people,

but he was still a little disappointed.

Then, Jiang Liu went to clean the tables. They weren’t even dirty.

Aside from a bit of oil on the plates, the rest of the area was spotless.

Meanwhile, outside, under the grape trellis by the wall of the fresh fruit and vegetable store,

the six men conferred and unanimously decided to support and protect Jiang Liu.

Someone who made such delicious baozi and was so considerate—

they couldn’t bear to let his shop go out of business.

Otherwise, where else would they buy baozi that were so delicious and affordable?

After a moment of hesitation, Old Zhang clutched a wad of small bills, glanced into the shop, and saw that Jiang Liu had gone to the back kitchen. He then snuck inside and quickly stuffed the red, green, and blue notes into the charity box.

’What’s this stupid old coot doing?’

Zheng Qiang, who had been loitering idly by the entrance, was initially bewildered.

The next moment, he was shocked to see the old man stuffing money into the box.

’You can do that?’

’What’s the meaning of this? Why are you secretly giving this guy money? Got too much cash on your hands?’

He couldn’t for the life of him figure it out.

’Could it be that these people aren’t actors?’

The thought made him extremely uncomfortable.

Zheng Qiang recalled the way those workers had wolfed down their baozi.

He began to doubt himself.

’Maybe I should buy one and try it?’

’Forget it. It’s not like I care.’

After a moment’s hesitation, he decided it would be a loss of face and returned to his own shop with a sullen expression.

...

「Xinxiang City.」

This was a large shopping complex located one kilometer from Yangzhai Street.

In the plaza below Xinxiang City’s large LED screen, in the shade of a tall building, a meter-high outdoor speaker vibrated elegantly.

"You ask me how deep... my love for you is~ How much... I... love you~"

"My feelings are true, my love is real, the moon rep~re~sents... my heart~"

Gaudily dressed aunties in their sixties, some in cheongsams, others in one-shoulder dresses, danced with alluring movements. The uncles were no less impressive, dressed in white shirts, suspenders, and slacks, their graying, slicked-back hair meticulously styled. Dozens of them, all around sixty, swayed together.

Uncle Niu parked his three-wheeled cart in the distance and walked over, carrying a large bag of baozi.

He passed Uncle Gao, who was sitting in a wheelchair next to the shared bikes.

Uncle Niu greeted him smugly:

"Well, if it isn’t Dance King Gao! Out enjoying the sun today? Where’s your old lady? How come she’s not looking after you?"

"Hmph. What’s it to you?"

Uncle Gao angrily turned his head away.

"Haha!"

Uncle Niu let out a hearty laugh and paid him no more mind.

He carried his baozi toward the dancing crowd.

"Old Niu is here?"

"Well, if it isn’t Old Niu. You here for some romance today, too?"

"Uncle Niu, you got a date lined up?"

Uncle Niu said happily, "I do, I do! I’ve got a date with Chunxue."

"Chunxue? She’s dancing with Old Qian right now. Are you sure you’re not mistaken?"

"What? She’s dancing with Old Qian? That guy’s dancing is crap! What right does he have to compete with me!"

Uncle Niu, absolutely furious, ran over to snatch his dance partner back.

Ten minutes later, a rejected Uncle Niu was squatting off to the side, drawing circles on the ground with a bitter expression.

The reason for her rejection was that he was tacky and not the least bit gentlemanly.

Chunxue’s exact words were:

"Not only is Old Qiantou dressed fashionably,

he also brought me 99 roses today. And you? You bring a bag of baozi? Don’t they stink??"

Uncle Niu couldn’t stop sighing.

’Forget it, forget it. This is humiliating. Utterly humiliating!’

He sorrowfully opened the baozi box, and a rich, fresh aroma wafted out.

The baozi had been sitting in the takeout box for half an hour, but they weren’t soggy or mushy, nor were they sticky to the touch.

’The appearance of the baozi from this shop is really nice. They smell great, too. The taste should be decent.’

Uncle Niu’s mood improved considerably. He picked up a "three-delicacy" baozi and took a bite.

The dough was soft and delicious. With one bite, he tasted savory, springy bits of mushroom that burst with scalding hot juice, tender and fragrant chunks of pork, and melt-in-your-mouth eggplant.

A baozi made with such top-tier ingredients and exquisite skill—could the old man handle it? He absolutely could not!

Uncle Niu was dumbfounded. Completely and utterly dumbfounded.

He smacked his lips, savoring the umami flavor, his eyes staring blankly at the baozi in his hand.

"How can it be this delicious...? How can a baozi taste like this??!"

When he came to his senses, Uncle Niu realized his face was wet.

"I’m crying. I haven’t cried in so long..."

He was reminded of the days when he and his mother had to eat tree bark and grass roots.

If his mother could have had just one bite of such a delicious baozi, he would have been willing to die.

He then began to eat them one after another: chive and egg, pork and scallion, shrimp and corn. Each one was a unique experience, a top-tier explosion of flavor on the tip of his tongue.

"This is to die for! It’s unbelievably good! I never expected the baozi from that shop to be so delicious, and not even expensive! I’m going to buy them every day from now on!"

Just then, everyone grew tired of dancing and took a break.

A fashionably dressed aunty came over to get her water bottle and unexpectedly caught a whiff of a peculiar, rich aroma.

It was a scent the likes of which she had never experienced before, and it was incredibly enticing!

"Where is that fragrance coming from? It smells amazing!"

The fashionable aunty finally locked her gaze on Uncle Niu.

At that moment, he was lost in his own world, gnawing on a baozi.

"Ol—Brother Niu, what are you eating?"

The fashionable aunty humbled herself and asked in a gentle voice.

Without looking up, Uncle Niu turned his back to her and continued eating his baozi.

’When you’ve got a motorcycle, only an idiot would ride a bicycle.’

’Besides, he was never going to believe in love again!’

"Brother Niu, can you... let me have a taste?"

The fashionable aunty swallowed, her eyes glued to the plump, white baozi.

"No!"

"Where did you buy these baozi? Can you tell me?"

"No! Stop bothering me!" Uncle Niu refused heartlessly and went on eating.

The fashionable aunty walked up to him and used her ultimate move.

She took Uncle Niu’s greasy, rough hand and said shyly,

"If you let me have one, how about we be dance partners for today?"

Uncle Niu’s heart traitorously began to beat faster. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

His hand instinctively pulled away.

He hesitated for a moment, then handed her a baozi. "Here, eat up! I’ve got plenty! Enough to fill you up!"

"Oh! Thank you, Brother Niu!"

"Haha, don’t mention it."

The fashionable aunty held the baozi and sniffed it. The rich, clean scent of wheat flour rushed straight to her brain.

She was astounded. Even her own cooking, in which she was absolutely confident, was instantly pulverized in the face of this baozi.

One bite, and the full, firm, and savory shrimp conquered her palate.

Then, the sweet fragrance of waxy corn kernels brought another wave of climax for her taste buds.

"Ah! This is incredible! How can this baozi be so delicious?!!"

Her cry of surprise drew everyone’s attention.

"What’s going on? What’s delicious?"

"Whoa! What a fragrant smell."

"Why does that smell so darn good!"

"I think it’s the baozi in Mengmeng’s hand."

"No way. I’ve eaten plenty of baozi, there’s no way one could smell this fragrant."

"Sister Meng, do you have any more of that baozi?" Chunxue came closer as well.

The fashionable aunty shoved the rest of the baozi into her mouth in two bites, filling the air with a fragrance that made everyone’s mouth water.

"It’s gone, it’s gone! It wasn’t my baozi, it was Brother Niu’s."

The fashionable aunty pointed at Uncle Niu, who was standing to the side with his head held high and a calm expression.

"His?"

"Old Niu’s?"

"Where did he buy them?"

"Brother Niu, where did you buy those? I want to buy some for my grandson. Can I have a taste?"

"Brother Niu, I want to try one."

"Are there any more, Brother Niu?" ...

All the aunties surrounded Uncle Niu, calling him "Brother Niu" one after another.

Their smiles couldn’t have been brighter. Before, they couldn’t be bothered with him, but now it was "Brother Niu" this and "Brother Niu" that.

The other uncles, who had had their thunder stolen, snorted in disdain.

"It’s just a baozi. What’s the big deal?"

"Exactly."

Uncle Niu basked in the spotlight, glancing smugly at the jealous men on the periphery.

He announced magnanimously, "Come on, come on! There’s one for every lady here! Line up and get your baozi!"

"But let’s be clear before you eat! If you eat my baozi, you have to be my dance partner for a day."

"No problem, Brother Niu! You’re so nice!"

"Brother Niu is my dance partner! Don’t you dare try to steal him from me!"

"On what grounds? Brother Niu and I are the closest!"