CHAPTER 49: CHAPTER 49: GOLDEN SMILE STEAMED BUNS?!

The fourth day of selling at the stall concluded amidst a lively atmosphere.

"We’ve run out of buns, and the egg fried rice is gone too! Please come back tomorrow, everyone!" Jiang Feng announced to the customers lined up.

Disappointment flickered across their faces upon hearing the buns were sold out.

"Boss, can you limit purchases in the future? I saw people at the front buying loads of buns, so those at the back couldn’t get any!"

"Make more tomorrow!"

"What a shame, I missed out!"

The crowd clamored with suggestions.

Jiang Feng nodded as he listened. It really is time to limit purchases, he thought. Otherwise, some people buy ten at a time, which isn’t fair to those waiting, nor is it good for completing my system tasks. Delicious food should be enjoyed by more people.

"Alright, starting tomorrow, there will be a purchase limit: five buns per person," Jiang Feng announced. "If you’d like some, please come back tomorrow."

Jiang Feng packed up the food truck, secured the tables and benches, and then descended the mountain with the auntie he’d hired.

The auntie had certainly found a good job. Not only did the boss provide transport to and from work daily, but her hourly wage was also high. No wonder she was always smiling so cheerfully.

After seeing the auntie off, Jiang Feng drove the food truck back.

He then checked his system tasks.

[Today’s task completed.]

[Bonus reward acquired: Golden Laughing Buns recipe.]

What?

Jiang Feng was a bit stunned by the reward.

Golden Laughing Buns? Aren’t those from an anime? Do they take me for Chuka Ichiban or something?

Golden Laughing Buns originated from an animated series. They had a beef and vermicelli filling, with a smiley face cut into the side, and would supposedly laugh when picked up. The anime’s explanation for this phenomenon was: "The vermicelli and meat are thoroughly fried in oil. This causes air to enter and bounce around inside, making the buns ’laugh.’"

Netizens joked, "It’s a speaker; he must have put a speaker inside the bun."

In reality, Golden Laughing Buns were just regular buns brushed with egg wash and deep-fried until golden brown. Many food bloggers had attempted to replicate them, with a few even managing to achieve a "laughing" effect, though it was far different from the anime’s version.

Jiang Feng was intrigued and decided to try making them when he got back.

He bought an Australian steak and some vermicelli on his way home. These buns are expensive to make, not suitable for the stall, but trying them out for my own amusement is perfectly fine, he mused.

Fortunately, he had some dough left over from the previous day, just enough for a batch of buns.

Back home, Jiang Feng took out a mixing bowl. He poured in oyster sauce, soy sauce, pork chop sauce, honey, and pepper, mixing up a black pepper sauce. Then, he heated a frying pan, sprinkled the steak with pepper and salt, and placed it in the pan to sear, adding butter and herbs.

The steak sizzled, developing a rosy, glossy crust, its aroma instantly filling the air.

A single steak can probably only make five or six buns; the cost is high, Jiang Feng thought. After all, these are top-grade ingredients. It’s definitely not going to be easy.

Little Black, smelling the steak, hurried over and sat down obediently, waiting nearby.

The steak was ready after three to four minutes. Jiang Feng poured some of the pan sauce over it, plated it, and then stir-fried the vermicelli in the remaining juices, adding the rest of the black pepper sauce. This allowed the vermicelli to absorb all the sauce, turning it the same rich color as the steak.

Next, Jiang Feng diced the steak into small cubes. Thanks to the quality of the meat, the cubes were very springy, almost seeming to bounce as he cut them.

He mixed the steak cubes with the vermicelli, and the bun filling was ready.

Using the dough left over from the morning, Jiang Feng rolled it into a long log, cut it into portions, flattened them into wrappers, and began to assemble the buns.

Could these actually laugh? Jiang Feng mumbled to himself.

He carefully wrapped the steak and vermicelli filling into the dough, pinching each bun into a round shape. Once all the filling was encased, he used a knife to slice a thin, smile-like opening on the side of each bun.

Then, Jiang Feng prepared a bowl of golden egg wash. Using a brush, he coated the surface of the buns until they gleamed.

And now for the final step: deep-frying in hot oil.

He heated a pot of oil to about 160 degrees Celsius, then carefully placed two buns into the hot oil. The golden buns changed rapidly in the high heat, their surface instantly turning crisp and an even deeper gold.

Jiang Feng paid close attention, listening for any sound. Due to the temperature difference between the inside and outside, tiny bubbles emerged from the slits he had cut, making a distinct SIZZLING sound. The buns were indeed making a noise.

It could arguably be considered laughter, he thought. After all, if some people have a strange cackle, then a bun’s SIZZLE SIZZLE SIZZLE could pass for laughter too. This is as much as can be achieved.

The Golden Laughing Buns in the anime still laughed even after being taken out of the fryer—something impossible in reality. Otherwise, it would be a paranormal event.

Jiang Feng scooped out the fried buns. They were a luxurious golden color. He fried a total of five buns this way.

Then, Jiang Feng cut one in half and took a bite. The flavor of the steak was already excellent, and the vermicelli added an enjoyable texture, making it especially satisfying to chew.

Not bad, Jiang Feng thought, chewing on the golden bun and nodding with satisfaction.

These buns are too costly to make for the stall, and I have no intention of selling them there anyway. But the taste is truly good.

Jiang Feng devoured two in succession.

At that moment, Little Black sat on the floor, WHIMPERING softly and wagging its little tail rapidly. There’s a saying that if you coat ingredients in egg wash and fry them until golden, even the neighbor’s kids will be drooling with envy. Little Black was indeed drooling with anticipation.

Seeing this, Jiang Feng cut open a golden bun, placed both halves in its bowl, and the little guy happily began to devour it.

I’m gradually falling in love with making delicious food, Jiang Feng realized. Especially creating various tasty dishes; it’s quite fulfilling. Life is still leisurely.

After eating the golden buns, he stir-fried a small dish of pork and had it with his homemade pickled vegetables. Lunch was particularly satisfying. Then he played some video games before retreating to his bedroom to rest. Life was quite leisurely indeed.

「At the same time,」

Liu Bao posted his video review of the buns online. It wasn’t just him; many other outdoor vloggers also uploaded their videos. They all unanimously praised the buns.

No one suspected it was a paid promotion. The videos clearly showed the buns: thin-skinned, generously filled, meaty, and substantial. Viewers could almost taste how satisfying they would be. And the astonished expressions on the creators’ faces as they tasted the buns were undeniable proof.

Netizens flocked to the comment sections.

"I’m getting a group together to eat buns tomorrow!"

"I plan to try them too."

"Looking at his signboard, he’s only at Fengqi Mountain for a week, and there are only 3 days left."

"If you miss it, it’s gone for good!"

Excitement was running high.

At this very moment, Jiang Feng was leisurely enjoying his rest. The ingredients had been delivered, and all he needed to do was marinate them in the evening. His off-duty time was free from customer interruptions and always enjoyable.

The next morning at dawn, Jiang Feng was busy in the kitchen, as usual. Running a breakfast business is just like this, he thought.

Then, he drove the food truck, filled with buns, toward Fengqi Mountain Park.

Because some customers had mentioned there weren’t enough buns the previous day, Jiang Feng had steamed extra. He hoped more people would get to enjoy them.

The food truck didn’t move quickly. There were already some vehicles and pedestrians hurrying along the road. Even at just past five in the morning, people were beginning their busy day. Everyone is working hard to make a living, Jiang Feng reflected.

Around six o’clock, Jiang Feng arrived at the small plaza halfway up the mountain. It was reachable by about a ten-minute drive up the mountain road from the base.

Jiang Feng prepared to welcome another day of business. His sign now included the notice: "Limit of 5 buns per person." The orders from the Taoist Temple and the Buddhist temple were exceptions, as he had already promised them.

Jiang Feng thought it would be an ordinary day.

However, as time passed, he saw an increasing number of people converging on the small plaza, almost blocking its entrance. The crowd was beyond the scale of a morning market; it was approaching the level of a temple fair. People flocked as if visiting a popular tourist attraction.

Upon spotting Jiang Feng’s food truck, everyone’s faces lit up with delighted smiles.

"Look, there it is!"

"Hurry, let’s get in line!"

"So many people!"

"If we don’t eat now, we really won’t get another chance!"

"I’m here to taste them for myself; I hope these vloggers weren’t just hyping it up!"

Chattering excitedly, the crowd formed a long line in front of the bun stall.

Jiang Feng hadn’t expected this. How did the crowd suddenly get so big?