Confident Qinh Huai is enthusiastically promoting the Fermented Rice with Steamed Buns to the old gentlemen.
Today’s buns are not for sale, just for gifting, a big surprise thank-you to regular customers.
The main reason they’re not sold is that the menu isn’t ready yet. Qin Huai temporarily set the price at 8 yuan. Randomly mixed and matched Buckwheat Buns can sell for 5 yuan each, so B-grade Fermented Rice with Steamed Buns selling for 8 yuan is definitely good value!
Zhao Rong, who was involved in the pricing, believes so.
"Master Qin, it’s not that I have any issues, or that I don’t love buns. My wife even comes over to grab those Buckwheat Buns you sell every afternoon. I’m just offering a fair suggestion, a genuine expectation from a diner, it’s..."
"Enough, Wang Laogen, why are you yakking at the window? Take them if you want, speak if you must, hurry up!" Mr. Cao impatiently urged.
Uncle Wang could only speak slowly: "Can’t you make more Crab Shell Cakes? Preferably with fresh shrimp filling."
As soon as he said this, the other gentlemen instantly had opinions.
"Wang Laogen, what’s your problem? If there’s food, eat, if there’s none, wait. Why are you even voicing your opinion?"
"Exactly, how many Crab Shell Cakes can you eat?"
"What happened to your integrity of not falsifying accounts or making errors in 40 years as an accountant?"
The group of gentlemen and ladies on the morning run were all familiar with each other, and once Uncle Wang spoke, everyone started with personal attacks.
The 40-year veteran accountant Uncle Wang blushed, grabbed his tray and ran, nearly spilling the Fermented Rice with Steamed Buns from the small dish on the edge.
Qin Huai helplessly grabbed buns for the next lady.
These wealthy elders have established a strange rule, which Qin Huai had heard a bit about.
The details are that since everyone has different tastes, and Yunzhong Restaurant’s snacks, except for the Five Fillings Bun and Three Meat Buns, are all irregular, not everyone can get what they want.
For fairness and to prevent anyone from unbalancing the dining experience with money, they agreed that no one could privately approach Qin Huai to specify snacks through emotional appeals, getting too familiar, familial connections, or spending money.
Yesterday, Grandma Ding’s actions were already skirting the line and met with everyone’s disdain. Today, Uncle Wang’s actions were a violation and strictly forbidden.
"Master Qin, don’t mind Wang Laogen, he’s been an accountant for so long he’s gotten senile. His wife even suspects he has dementia. The usual, two steamers of Five Fillings Bun, one of Three Meat Buns. Can I get a couple more buns? My wife loves buns but can’t get up in the mornings, I’ve told her many times to come with me for breakfast, but she just can’t get up." Xu Tuqiang criticizes Uncle Wang but doesn’t forget to ask for more buns.
As Yunzhong Restaurant’s first customer, Qin Huai felt he must give Xu a face and decisively gave him a couple more buns, much to the envy of Mr. Cao who was a few spaces behind him.
Qin Huai also had some understanding of these gentlemen.
As for how he came to know...
Qin Huai could only say that Ouyang’s neighborhood committee years hadn’t been in vain. He might not remember work content well, but gossip was unforgettable.
Take Wang Laogen, who loves reminiscing and is often suspected of showing signs of dementia, as an example. His real name is Wang Gen Sheng, nicknamed Wang Laogen, a local and a genuine university graduate.
When he was young, he was an accountant at a state-owned factory in Gusu. A 40-year professional accountant, his pride was never falsifying accounts or making errors. Uncle Wang recited this every breakfast for 19 times, and Qin Huai could even recite the words.
Wang Laogen lived an honest life without ever earning extra income, which somewhat resembles Qin Huai’s good fortune—they both got rich through demolition compensation.
Unlike most wealthy breakfast patrons who amassed wealth through hard work when young and enjoy prosperity in old age, Uncle Wang was truly overnight rich. This is why others often say he’s stingy. According to him, if he was frugal all his life, why can’t he continue being frugal now that he’s wealthy?
The frugal Uncle Wang silently cursed Mr. Cao.
He just, from a diner’s perspective, voiced his heartfelt wish, vying for a place for Crab Shell Cakes, and he has nothing...
Okay, he indeed seemed to have violated the rules.
Having adhered to rules all his life, Uncle Wang felt a bit ashamed and lowered his head to munch on a bun.
Even though Master Qin doesn’t like making Crab Shell Cakes, his bun-making skills are impeccable. These buns, fluffy yet chewy, with a hint of rice fragrance that adds the perfect touch...
Wait, is this the Fermented Rice with Steamed Buns?!
Uncle Wang glanced at the bun and widened his eyes.
As if unbelieving, he pressed the bun forcefully and then waited for it to bounce back.
Mr. Cao sitting across from Uncle Wang: ?
Oh no, could it be true that he does have dementia as we joked? Poor Wang Laogen, don’t worry, we’ll definitely find the best doctor for you!
Behind the window, Qin Huai also noticed Uncle Wang’s possibly not-so-smart behavior and asked, "Uncle Wang, is there something wrong with the bun?"
"This bun, this bun! This is Fermented Rice with Steamed Buns!" Uncle Wang exclaimed excitedly.
Mr. Cao hopelessly smacked his forehead, well, this really is dementia, then.
"This tastes exactly like the Fermented Rice with Steamed Buns I had when I was young in Gusu! I never thought I could taste it again after all these years! It’s definitely the same taste, I haven’t had a bun in half my life!"
"Back when I was an accountant at the cotton spinning factory..."
Mr. Cao, already searching for doctors’ contacts in his head, only wanted to put the whole steamer on Uncle Wang’s head.
Damn, you Wang, reminisce all you want, but why change the words, you scared me to death.
Qin Huai caught unfamiliar words amidst familiar lines.
"Uncle Wang, you’ve had similar Fermented Rice with Steamed Buns before?"
"Yes, yes!" Uncle Wang was still excitedly reminiscing, "Master Qin, I’m not trying to dampen your spirits, but the Fermented Rice with Steamed Buns I had back then were better than these."
Mr. Cao thought it was indeed time to contact a doctor.
Qin Huai’s eyes shone as he stepped out from the kitchen, eagerly saying: "Uncle Wang, no need to get up, just sit. Can you tell me in detail, how were the Fermented Rice with Steamed Buns you had back then better?"
There it is, dementia is contagious.
Master Qin actually naively believed Wang Laogen’s reminiscing nonsense.
Mr. Cao, with a bun in his mouth, took out his phone and decided it was time to seriously look through the doctors’ contacts.