CHAPTER 55: CHAPTER 55: DELICIOUS YUXIANG SHREDDED PORK BUNS

Wang Fan’s hands moved like a butterfly weaving through a garden as he wrapped the Steamed Bun, while his nose twitched occasionally.

The mist above the steamer carried the aroma of wheat flour and a hint of the spicy and fragrant smell of Mapo Tofu mixed in.

Officer Zhong watched the focused Wang Fan and thought that with such concentration, he would surely succeed in any job he undertook.

If Wang Fan knew his thoughts at that moment, he would definitely retort, "I can’t reach this level of focus in any other job."

The surrounding aroma gradually changed, with the spicy and fragrant smell of Mapo Tofu becoming more intense.

Now’s the time.

At the peak of the aroma, Wang Fan quickly stood up, pulled out the top-tier steamer, and immediately put all the Steamed Buns into the food preservation box.

Then, he neatly arranged more Steamed Buns from the chopping board into the steamer and placed it back at the bottom tier.

After finishing, he smiled and said to Officer Zhong, "Officer Zhong, how many would you like?"

Officer Zhong, still amazed at Wang Fan’s speed, hadn’t even gotten a good look at the buns before they were whisked into the box.

Startled by Wang Fan’s question, he finally responded, "Huh? Oh, let me try 5 first. I’m hungry anyway."

Wang Fan took 5 buns from the food preservation box, placed them in a bag, and handed it to Officer Zhong, while also placing a disposable plate with some vinegar and chili peppers on the table.

Officer Zhong accepted the bag and curiously inspected the Steamed Buns.

The steaming buns glistened with oil, their plump skins appearing whiter than the snow on the trees.

Yet they weren’t purely white, as more than a third of the bun’s skin was tinged red from the Mapo Tofu’s spicy oil inside.

But rather than detracting from their appearance, it made the buns even more appetizing.

The spicy and aromatic scent of the Mapo Tofu couldn’t be completely sealed, not even by the bun’s skin.

Sourness can naturally whet one’s appetite, especially for someone who’s digested their dinner overnight.

Anyway, Officer Zhong couldn’t help but swallow his saliva, and his stomach started growling.

Taking the chopsticks Wang Fan handed over, Officer Zhong picked up a bun and stuffed it into his mouth.

"Ow..."

Freshly steamed buns educate every impatient person, and a police officer is no exception.

The scorching hot oil burned Officer Zhong, causing him to open his mouth wide and exhale repeatedly, a streak of red oil slipping from the corner of his mouth.

But despite this, Officer Zhong couldn’t bear to spit the bun out.

Delicious, incredibly delicious!

The bun’s filling was savory, sour, and spicy with a smooth and refreshing texture.

Even with a gentle chew, one could feel the tender, soft meat strips, along with the rich aroma of scallions, ginger, and garlic.

Combined with the soft and fluffy bun skin, the sensation was simply heavenly.

In his mind, Officer Zhong raised three giant exclamation marks, thinking no wonder that guy suspected something was added — with flavors like these, it was indeed addictive.

Unable to contain himself, he gave Wang Fan a thumbs up and praised, "I’m convinced, boss. This is the best bun with Mapo Tofu I’ve ever eaten in my life."

Wang Fan smiled and continued his work, while Old Liu, who had been strolling around, finally came over.

Seeing Officer Zhong, he greeted with a grin, "Xiao Zhong, you’re early, huh? You beat me to it this time. How does it taste?"

Officer Zhong replied, "Uncle Liu, you’re early too. It’s delicious, absolutely delicious. I haven’t had such tasty buns in years."

Old Liu ordered 5 Mapo Tofu buns: "It’s lucky you came early. This young boss’s business is booming. My old buddies were just saying they’re about to head over for some buns — they’re not even this eager for morning exercises."

When Wang Fan handed over the buns, Old Liu was surprised, "Wow! The appearance of this bun is extraordinary, and the oil edge is simply unbeatable!"

"What unbeatable oil edge? What are you guys talking about?"

Professor Jiang Jianjun arrived, slow jogging over while questioning.

Old Liu raised the bun in his hand, "Take a look at this bun, with its red oil-edged appearance. Just looking at it makes me hungry."

Professor Jiang glanced at it, instantly taken aback, "Oh wow, really impressive."

Old Liu brought the bun closer to his mouth and teased Officer Zhong, "You can’t just shove freshly steamed buns into your mouth. You need to bite a small opening and blow on it first."

He had witnessed Officer Zhong’s little mishap earlier.

Officer Zhong felt a bit sheepish, as he usually wasn’t this way. His self-control indeed slipped a bit today.

Old Liu bit a small opening in the bun, blew on it a few times, and took a big bite.

The sour, spicy flavor with a slight sweetness made Old Liu thoroughly enjoy the experience.

The rare surprise inside the bun was the presence of green peppers and bamboo shoots.

It’s hard to find the crisp texture maintained even in many large restaurants’ Mapo Tofu dishes.

Yet here, the bun did exactly that!

With one bite, you could clearly taste the refreshing crunch, a crucial element for the soul of the Mapo Tofu dish.

Old Liu gave a thumbs up, "Amazing, boss, your skill is something Old Liu here truly admires. Forget about the other dishes, but this Mapo Tofu is on par with that of five-star chefs."

Professor Jiang, half convinced, said, "Is it really as good as you say?"

Old Liu was displeased, "You can question my words, but you can’t question the young boss’s skills. Buy some and taste for yourself."

Old Liu wasn’t a stingy man; if it weren’t for the limit of 10 buns per filling, he’d happily treat Professor Jiang.

But if he gave him some, he’d only get 9 while Professor Jiang would have 11, losing out on two buns in the process — an unfair exchange he wouldn’t agree to.

Seeing that Old Liu wasn’t falling for it, Professor Jiang sighed and then asked Wang Fan for 5 buns.

The times have changed, everyone is so astute now.

Meanwhile, Officer Zhong was already reaching for his second bun.

He had eaten the first one plain, but the second he dipped into chili oil.

This chili oil was unlike any he’d had before — many street vendors’ chili oil appeared black, while this one was a vibrant red.

It was fragrant even from a distance, unlike those others where you had to get close to detect any aroma; just by being there, this chili oil exuded a subtle chili scent.

After dipping it and taking a bite, the already sour, spicy, and crisp Mapo Tofu was three times spicier than before, with a more intense fragrance.

Dipping it in vinegar added an even more unique flavor to the steamed bun, changing its texture spectacularly.

Officer Zhong felt an overwhelming excitement inside!

This is the best weapon to bring people closer together.

If he brought such delicious buns to her today, she’d surely be delighted beyond measure.

And this is just one filling — imagine how delicious the Mapo Tofu and mushroom vegetable buns would be?