Chapter 15: Turning 2 People with a Steamed Bun
Chapter 15: Chapter 15: Turning 2 People with a Steamed Bun
Seeing the two of them in action, many people had a sudden look of realization.
Why hadn’t they thought of that?
"Bro, wanna team up?"
The customers in line began forming alliances. In order to try all the different flavors, even strangers became sworn brothers in an instant.
"Of course."
In no time at all, two-person alliances were forming left and right.
One pair of brothers, who had been squabbling just moments before, instantly reconciled. They slung their arms around each other’s shoulders, looking as close as could be.
"Brother, you’re the best brother a guy could ask for. If we team up, we’ll be unstoppable."
"Brother, you’re the one I trust most. I swear I’ll never betray you."
They looked into each other’s eyes, tears welling at the corners.
After all, what feud could truly come between brothers?
Lu Wu was used to this sort of thing.
The current customer was a young boy who asked for two red bean paste buns.
The boy had faint spots on his face, which looked a little unsightly.
But on closer inspection, he had excellent features. If the spots were gone, he would be quite handsome.
"Ms. Lu, thank you."
The boy said, his eyes filled with gratitude as he looked at Lu Wu.
Even though he was a boy, he was still very conscious of his appearance.
It was Ms. Lu’s buns that had given him hope for recovery.
"I should be the one thanking you for liking my buns."
A faint smile played in Lu Wu’s eyes.
In fact, she had noticed quite a few other customers in line with dark spots on their faces, just like the boy.
Judging by his age and the way he occasionally communicated with his companions, Lu Wu knew this group of youths were the masked figures from yesterday.
Glancing at the spots on his face, Lu Wu thought for a moment before speaking.
"Do you want to swap one for a crab roe bun? The effect is the same."
’Even with a different recipe, there were only two possible effects.’
’One was an aphrodisiac, and the other faded spots. The crab roe bun was the latter.’
"Yes!"
The boy gulped and nodded emphatically.
He’d been eyeing the other fillings for a while now. He’d be thrilled just to try a different one.
Seeing the boy’s ecstatic expression, Lu Wu packed the buns for him.
After getting his buns, the young boy quickly shared the news with his companions.
One pair of sparkling, grateful eyes after another turned her way, making Lu Wu smile.
’Ah, young people... so easy to please.’
A chair was placed at the entrance of the Baihua Building.
Uncle Li sat on it, holding two buns, eating while eyeing the Flower Ladies inside.
"Uncle Li, joining us?"
A customer walked up to the entrance and called out to Uncle Li. He was holding buns, but he hadn’t eaten them himself.
These days, buns were better currency than Spirit Stones in the Baihua Building.
If you were willing to part with two buns, the Flower Ladies would give you half off their price for the night.
"Piss off."
In response to the customer’s teasing, Uncle Li put on a stern expression.
"I’m not like you. Don’t you dare insult me like that."
’Though he spoke tough words, Uncle Li was whimpering on the inside.’
’With a little effort, he could prove he was still a vigorous old man, but he was terrified his late wife—that she-tiger—would crawl out of her grave and beat him senseless.’
"Go on and have your fun."
Uncle Li rolled his eyes irritably.
"Heh heh."
After the customer went inside with a grin, Uncle Li’s gaze shifted to the entrance of the street.
A brother and sister had arrived.
Uncle Li’s face bore a smile, but his eyes were cold.
’Haven’t those people from the Hidden Spirit Sect given up yet? Do they really want their sect to be wiped out?’
"Brother, it’s all up to you now."
The pair didn’t notice Uncle Li’s death glare. The sister gave her brother a push, urging him to hurry inside.
As the saying goes, know your enemy and know yourself.
They hadn’t come to cause trouble; they had come to join... ah, no, to gather intelligence.
No matter how their sect investigated, they found this Boss Lu to be completely ordinary.
Aside from her culinary skills, there was nothing remarkable about her.
And yet, she was being protected by an immensely powerful expert.
To uncover her secrets, they had no choice but to take the risk themselves.
"Let’s get in line first."
The brother looked at the slowly shuffling line ahead of them. Unwilling to reveal their identities, they could only follow the crowd.
The siblings pricked up their ears, hoping to overhear some information.
But all the customers were talking about were the buns.
"Brother, I’m starting to crave them."
The sister rubbed her stomach. The Hidden Spirit Sect’s finances hadn’t been great lately—negative growth, even. She hadn’t been eating her fill.
"We’re out in public. Remember who you are and don’t do anything to embarrass us."
The brother admonished his sister, though he secretly pressed a hand to his own stomach.
He was craving them too.
A Cultivator’s five senses are sharp. They had smelled the aroma of the buns from the moment they entered the street.
The hook of craving had been set, and all they could do was endure.
The siblings waited and waited. After nearly half an hour, it was finally their turn.
Just then, Uncle Li straightened his back and stared intently at the pair.
’The Great Elder of the Bun Sect is here! Who dares make a scene!’
"Boss, we’re together. We’ll have one of each kind."
The brother forced a pleasant smile.
"I’m sorry, you two. All I have left are the chive and egg, and the red bean paste fillings."
’It couldn’t be helped. Business was just too good.’
There weren’t many buns left.
Compared to the vegetarian options, the customers here preferred the meat-filled ones.
"Then we’ll have two of each."
As Lu Wu packed their order, he observed her carefully.
Lu Wu had a kind of delicate beauty, but in the Green Origin Realm, a world teeming with stunning women, she didn’t particularly stand out.
There were no Spiritual Power fluctuations coming from her, either.
Her clothes and bearing were all quite common.
’An ordinary bun stall owner like this had ruined their plan. It was something they could never have predicted.’
The brother, unable to find any flaw, felt a headache coming on.
"Your order is ready, sir."
Looking up, she saw him staring at her in a daze. Lu Wu didn’t think much of it.
’She had already figured it out. The looks these customers gave her were anything but pure.’
’They were all after her buns.’
"Ah, right."
The brother replied, giving his sister a look. The two took their food but didn’t go far, stopping to eat just a few steps away.
Many customers did the same, so they weren’t worried about standing out.
"Bro, I want the red bean bun."
It was this very red bean paste bun that had caused their mission to fail. The sister ground her teeth, treating the bun like a mortal enemy as she took a huge bite.
"YEOOOW~"
She cried out, mouth agape, and started hopping frantically.
She was both burned and stunned.
"The buns are fresh from the steamer, so they’re a little hot. Eat slowly, miss," Lu Wu kindly reminded her.
"Uh-huh."
The sister nodded vaguely, her attention no longer on Lu Wu in the slightest.
’So what if it’s hot? A mere burn is nothing to a Cultivator.’
With her mouth stuffed, the sister grabbed her brother’s arm. She didn’t hold back, and the force of her grip made her brother gasp.
"If it’s hot, spit it out."
The brother grumbled. ’Why are you torturing yourself?’
As he spoke, he leisurely broke open his own bun to let the steam escape before preparing to take a bite.
WHOOSH!
A hand flashed past. The brother, who had just taken a bite of empty air, found that his sister had snatched his bun and was now eagerly eyeing the half still left in his hand.
"Brother, I’m starting to think... maybe this mission isn’t something we *have* to complete," the sister said via voice projection, much to her brother’s confusion.
"Just take a bite, Brother. You’ll understand."
He did.
And then he understood what his sister meant.
Boss Lu’s skill was truly worthy of all the hype.
Even he had been conquered by the bun in his hands.
When food reached a certain realm of deliciousness, those who ate it could feel true happiness.
And this feeling of happiness was what the two siblings had always been searching for.
So he wavered.