Don’t be fooled by the fact that An’an had only transferred a week ago; she had already become familiar with most of her classmates and even made a few good friends.
This was all thanks to the delicious buns her aunt made and her only “connection” in Class 1-3—Li Shuo.
However, there were always those who looked for trouble, like Yang Zihan, who was currently standing by her desk.
Her deskmate, Liu Yuanyuan, leaned in and whispered to An’an, “Qiao Yanning, why is Yang Zihan always picking on you?”
An’an pursed her lips and whispered back, “Maybe she’s just too hungry. I heard Sister Chenchen say yesterday that her math teacher has been grumpy all day and no one dares provoke her. It’s because she’s on a diet and can’t eat staples—you know, like rice or steamed buns.”
Solidly built like a little calf, Liu Yuanyuan couldn’t miss a single meal of “staples.” She could eat a large bowl of rice and two steamed buns. If her mother weren’t deliberately controlling her weight right now, she could eat four buns in the morning!
Yang Zihan let out a sneer and said haughtily to Qiao An’an, “You’re the one who’s hungry!”
An’an nodded. “That’s right! My aunt said I used to look like I had a big head and a tiny body because of malnutrition, so I have to eat more. I’m half a head shorter than you, my skin is sallow, and my hair is dry—all because I didn’t eat well when I was little. So now she wants to make it up to me and cooks delicious food every day to help me grow tall!”
“You!” Yang Zihan hadn’t expected her to be so blunt. It left her speechless, wanting to jump up and accuse An’an of stealing her lines!
At this moment, Liu Yuanyuan suddenly thought of something. “But, didn’t she say she ate a sandwich?”
An’an had a look of disdain: “Can a convenience store sandwich actually taste good? Ever since Li Shuo started eating the buns my aunt makes, he curses how bad they are every time he passes a convenience store.”
Liu Yuanyuan gave Yang Zihan a sympathetic look and said to An’an, “Then I understand. It really is painful to not have enough to eat.”
“It’s also painful to eat something gross,” An’an added.
Yang Zihan was already angry, and seeing them discuss her sandwich as if she weren’t there made her even more furious. Plus, Qiao Yanning was actually eating breakfast with Li Shuo!
Trying to regain some ground, Yang Zihan snorted. “The ones my mom buys for me aren’t the cheap kind you guys get. Mine has tuna salad. Have you ever even eaten tuna? That’s what foreigners eat!”
As she finished, she saw those two “annoying pests” finally stop whispering. Instead, they both looked up at her together. Yang Zihan lifted her chin even higher.
There were a few seconds of silence before the rustling sound of their whispering started again, making Yang Zihan want to scream.
Liu Yuanyuan still had a bun in her mouth, the corners of her lips shiny with oil. She closed her eyes in bliss: “Oh my god! Qiao An’an, this eggplant and green pepper bun your aunt made is seriously too delicious! I think it’s even better than meat!”
“Then do you want to try this lotus root and fresh meat one?”
“Yes, yes!” Liu Yuanyuan didn’t stand on ceremony with An’an and took a big bite. “I’ve only ever had cold sliced lotus root, and last year I went to Jiangnan with my parents and had osmanthus honey lotus root. I never imagined lotus root could be used as bun filling! I’m telling you, it’s so fragrant. And it’s crunchy when you bite into it… I’m crying, An’an. Can your aunt make this again tomorrow? I want more!”
Yang Zihan could no longer endure it: “Why aren’t you answering me! Have you ever eaten tuna!”
An’an and Liu Yuanyuan stared blankly at the suddenly screaming Yang Zihan. Even the nearby students stopped their chattering and asked Liu Yuanyuan and An’an, “What’s wrong with her?”
An’an kindly explained to the classmate: “Yang Zihan asked if we’ve ever eaten fish… Let me think. On the day my aunt first picked me up, Grandma Xiong gave us a very big fish. My aunt made fish balls for me—they were so delicious! Really springy.”
Li Shuo had just returned from the restroom. Hearing the words “fish balls,” his eyes lit up. He pushed Yang Zihan aside and stood by An’an’s desk. “What fish balls? How come I haven’t heard of this! Are you making them tonight?”
An’an shook her head: “Auntie said we’re celebrating the last day of the street stall tonight. She bought ribs and is making sweet and sour ribs for us. She’s also making tomato fish fillets, crispy chicken wings…”
Liu Yuanyuan, listening from the side, was filled with envy. Why didn’t she have an aunt who could cook like that?
Wiping her drool, she asked, “An’an, is your aunt not selling buns anymore?”
There was a hint of regret in her tone. She had eaten such delicious buns, but her mother hadn’t even tried them yet!
“It’s not that. Auntie said she’s taken on several large orders lately, and Grandma Xiong can’t handle it alone, so she’s helping out for a while. Then she’ll set up the stall again. This time it won’t be like the old insulated boxes; my aunt is amazing now. She said she’s going to wrap them on-site. There won’t just be buns, but also shaomai. Have you ever had Southern ‘paper-skin’ shaomai? Also…”
An’an spared no effort in promoting Qiao Man. Not just Liu Yuanyuan, but even the surrounding classmates stopped talking about anything else. They listened intently to An’an reciting the menu and began asking questions all at once.
Yang Zihan was also drawn in by the delicious food An’an described. She couldn’t help but listen seriously, forgetting to stay angry.
It wasn’t until the school bell rang and everyone scrambled back to their seats that she reluctantly threw out one last line: “It’s just buns! I have them too!”
She heard her mother say that her paternal aunt’s company had also ordered buns, and they were apparently very popular.
Her aunt’s company surely ordered from a big restaurant—it wouldn’t be something an individual vendor like Qiao Yanning’s aunt could compare to!
When the time came, she would bring the buns from her aunt’s company and make her classmates envious!
Especially Li Shuo. She would definitely make Li Shuo taste what a truly delicious bun was!
After school, Yang Zihan couldn’t wait to run to her mother. She pulled her mother’s hand, walked quickly for a few steps, and hurriedly got into their car.
Yang Zihan’s mother asked, “Why did you want me to drive and pick you up today? Is there somewhere you want to go to eat?”
Yang Zihan said directly, “Mom, let’s go find Auntie. Didn’t you say her company ordered breakfast? I want some too. I want it now!”
Yang Zihan’s mother was stunned. “Don’t you usually dislike buns?”
Yang Zihan’s eyes darted around. She didn’t want to tell the truth, so she threw a tantrum: “Don’t worry about it, just call Auntie quickly!”
Afraid she would get angry, Mrs. Yang quickly dialed the number: “Hello, Xiaolin? Zihan said… she wants to eat your company’s buns.”
…
Supervisor Feng hung up the phone and looked at her screen in disbelief.
“Is this bun vendor really my nemesis? How can I not escape it even at work? It’s haunting me!”
Supervisor Feng nearly smashed her phone in anger. She got furious just thinking about these buns. “Last time, because of them, I offended President Qin of Qiwei Technology and got scolded by the manager! President Qin’s son with the intellectual disability has never eaten anything good, but he just happened to like that crappy tea egg. Why does Zihan want these lousy buns today too!”
But if she didn’t satisfy Zihan, Zihan would complain to her grandmother—Supervisor Feng’s mother. Then her mother and brother would call to scold her again.
Supervisor Feng suppressed her anger and sent a WeChat message to Huang Ling: [Order four buns for me tomorrow.]
On the other end, Huang Ling thought she had seen it wrong. She rubbed her eyes to make sure: Supervisor Feng actually ordered buns!
She replied quickly: [Supervisor Feng, tomorrow we only have pork with cabbage and lotus root with fresh meat. Pork and cabbage is 4 yuan each, and lotus root with fresh meat is 6 yuan.]
Supervisor Feng frowned. What kind of crappy bun costs 6 yuan!
She didn’t cook and was always dieting on light meals, so she didn’t know how expensive lotus root was in Jiang City during winter. Besides, Boss Qiao’s buns had thin skins and lots of filling; they were substantial and used good meat. Most importantly, they were truly delicious. Even if the pork and cabbage ones weren’t made by her personally, they were much better than buns from anywhere else!
Supervisor Feng didn’t have the patience to read Huang Ling’s explanation. She figured since she was buying them, she had to buy the most expensive and best ones for her niece.
Didn’t Zihan say she wanted to compare with her classmates? Then she couldn’t lose.
[Just give me four lotus root and fresh meat ones.]
Seeing that Huang Ling had accepted the money, Supervisor Feng curled her lip: Truly no tact—taking money for just a few buns. No wonder she’s still an ordinary employee after all these years!
…
Early the next morning, Qiao Man got up quietly. She took a look in An’an’s room, tucked her in, left a note on the nightstand, and then went to Xiong Mei’s house.
Xiong Mei was waiting with the ingredients ready.
Qiao Man rolled up her sleeves. “Auntie Xiong, today I’ll watch you season the lotus root and fresh meat ones. I’ll do the pork and cabbage. In the future, if you’re too busy, just prepare two kinds of fillings for them to choose from every day. It’s best to pair them based on flavor and texture, while also considering the cost.”
Qiao Man worked until morning and finally finished.
She didn’t have to set up the stall today, so when An’an woke up, the dining table was steaming with food—a sight that hadn’t been seen in a while.
Qiao Man was busy at the stove. “An’an, go brush your teeth. Today we’re having wonton in chicken soup.”
“Auntie! Yay!”
An’an knew her aunt had to earn money to support the family. She couldn’t be willfully clingy; she had to make sure her aunt had no worries.
But today, getting to eat breakfast with her aunt made her insanely happy!
It felt just like when they first moved into this home!
Children wear their emotions on their faces. Seeing her look, Qiao Man couldn’t help but be amused. She asked with a smile, “Today I made the pork and cabbage buns, and your Grandma Xiong made the lotus root and fresh meat ones. Which ones do you want to bring for your classmates?”
An’an knew Yuanyuan well. Without thinking, she shouted from the bathroom, “I want to take the pork and cabbage ones for Liu Yuanyuan!”
Her talking didn’t stop while she ate breakfast with her aunt. Consequently, she arrived at school ten minutes later than usual.
She hurriedly brought the buns to Liu Yuanyuan. “Yuanyuan, I’m sorry. I’m late today.”
But as she walked over, she saw there was already a bun on Liu Yuanyuan’s desk.
Yang Zihan, sitting in her seat, said triumphantly, “Qiao Yanning, I brought buns today too! They’re lotus root and fresh meat! They’re definitely better than yours! If you don’t believe me, let’s have Liu Yuanyuan judge.”
An’an was startled. “I only brought pork and cabbage today…”
Hearing this, Yang Zihan felt even more triumphant.