AGN -Chapter 387 Xu Nuo (Part 7)

When Wang Gensheng followed Xu Nuo, panting all the way to the entrance of the state-run restaurant, his mind was completely blank.

Qin Huai could tell—he was about 30% exhausted, 40% stunned by the smell, and 40% utterly confused. The last portion came from the explosive news he had just heard. Wang Gensheng had been running the entire way without fully digesting it.

Right now, his expression, appearance, and overall state made him look like someone who had just been scammed by Xu Nuo.

Xu Nuo told Wang Gensheng to queue up properly at the entrance. Since they had come early, they would definitely manage to get steamed buns. There were only about thirty or forty people ahead in line. Then Xu Nuo slipped away on his own and entered the state-run restaurant.

Qin Huai tried to follow and realized he could keep up easily. This time his “range” was quite large—he could not only follow Xu Nuo into the restaurant, but even all the way to the kitchen entrance.

At the entrance, the slightly plump female server noticed someone coming in and instinctively frowned, ready to scold them. But when she saw it was Xu Nuo, her expression relaxed.

“Xiao Xu, why are you here so early today? Master Jing is still steaming buns,” she said.

Xu Nuo flashed a harmless smile. “We came early on purpose. Today a new college graduate joined our textile factory. My dad asked me to bring him here for a good meal.”

The server was surprised. “A new college graduate? That important? Then you came at just the right time—we just got two old hens from the countryside, and yesterday’s big carp might still be available…”

Xu Nuo quickly waved his hands. “No need, no need. Just some braised pork is fine. Is Master Jing in the kitchen? Sister Ye, would you mind if I stand at the kitchen door and say a few words to him?”

Sister Ye rolled her eyes at him. “What’s the point of me minding? Everyone already says you’re a part-time worker here. If you’re a part-time worker, isn’t it up to you where you go?”

Then she put her hands on her hips and turned to the customers lining up outside.

“Stop making noise! What are you all rushing for? Do you think the buns in the steamer can sprout wings and fly away?”

“It’s not time yet. Line up properly! And you—you in the back—no cutting in line! Yes, I’m talking about you! If you cut the line today, you don’t get anything!”

“If we let you in to eat, you’d probably start a fight in here!”

The noisy crowd instantly quieted down. Wang Gensheng, already silent in the line, shrank his neck even further and obediently kept waiting.

Qin Huai was slightly shocked by the status of a state-run restaurant server in this era, then followed Xu Nuo into the kitchen.

Inside, Master Jing was drinking tea. The sweet rice wine buns had not yet come out of the steamer. Huang Shengli and Zheng Da were both guarding the steamers, ready at any moment.

When Xu Nuo arrived, Master Jing smiled. The scarred, once-fierce-looking face suddenly seemed much gentler.

“Why are you here so early today?”

Xu Nuo repeated what he had told the server, then took out money and ration tickets from his pocket, counted them, and placed them on the table.

“I heard the finance department’s Li section chief booked a welcome banquet here,” Xu Nuo asked.

“What welcome banquet? He just used your textile factory’s name to reserve a table in the hall. When asked what dishes he wanted, he kept dodging the question. In the end, Sister Ye got angry and he only ordered one plate of stir-fried shredded vegetables,” Zheng Da complained.

Master Jing shot Zheng Da a glare, signaling him to stop talking nonsense.

Xu Nuo nodded but did not continue Zheng Da’s line of complaint. He would freely criticize Li Section Chief in front of Wang Gensheng, but he would never say more in front of Zheng Da.

“So he ordered stir-fried shredded vegetables, right? Then add braised pork and fried small fish. Do we have small fish today, Master Jing? Your fried fish is amazing. It’d be even better with a bit more oil.”

Master Jing smiled. “Of course we do. Fresh fish just arrived this morning. Don’t worry, I’ll use enough oil—fry it just how you like it, crispy on both sides.”

“We also have pork belly, and maybe some quail eggs. I’ll make braised pork with quail eggs, sweet-salty style—your favorite. The quail eggs will be deep-fried first for that tiger-skin texture.”

Xu Nuo chuckled. “Isn’t that a bit much? This is supposed to be a welcome banquet for a college graduate.”

Master Jing shook his head helplessly. “I know you too well. Your lunch box is still in the cabinet. Don’t worry—I’ll call you in when the fish is ready. I’ll pack the braised pork and quail eggs into your lunch box. The stuffed tofu you mentioned yesterday won’t be missed either. And four rice wine buns—two for you, one each for your parents.”

“Next time, don’t leave your lunch box there. Zheng Da almost used it today, thinking it was his.”

Zheng Da pretended to stare intensely at the steaming basket as if the buns were about to come out.

Xu Nuo didn’t mind. “He used it, just wash it clean.”

“Master Jing, last time you said crab roe is only in season for a short time, and making double-crab buns is too expensive for just a few months a year. You wanted to try using crab roe sauce instead. I actually have some ideas about that…”

“Try this.”

The kitchen was noisy, and Master Jing had already turned away to fetch something, not hearing Xu Nuo clearly.

He came back holding a bowl of lotus root starch dumplings.

Xu Nuo stared at them for a moment, then reacted. “These… are osmanthus lotus root starch dumplings?”

“White sugar filling. Zheng Da’s third uncle sent me a big bag of handmade lotus starch—it’s very good quality. I thought it would be perfect for dumplings, and I still had some dried osmanthus, so I made osmanthus ones.”

“Try them.”

Xu Nuo didn’t hesitate. He took the bowl and scooped one into his mouth.

The dumplings were translucent, uneven in size, and clearly very chewy. The filling was white sugar, and the soup likely had honey added, giving it a light golden color and a slightly thick, syrup-like texture.

Xu Nuo ate several in a row, his cheeks puffing up as he chewed.

“Master Jing, my friend is still waiting outside. I want him to try this too. Can I bring him in?” he asked.

“Of course. Just don’t mess up the line… I only saved four for you.”

“I understand. Rules can’t be broken.”

Xu Nuo immediately ran out, grabbed Wang Gensheng—who had been standing obediently in line without saying a word—and dragged him back into the restaurant under his stunned gaze.

Wang Gensheng was still completely confused.

As a new employee who hadn’t even officially started work, everything today contained too much information for him to process.

Xu Nuo handed him the bowl. “Forget about the buns for now. You can eat buns anytime. These dumplings are only available today. And there’s a big dinner tonight—you won’t have room if you eat too much.”

Wang Gensheng said nothing. He immediately started eating.

Qin Huai felt he looked like a hostage kidnapped by bandits—doing whatever he was told just to survive.

He took his first bite in a daze… and then became even more dazed.

At the same time, he became strangely clear-headed.

His eyes were full of confusion and shock, as if the world had suddenly revealed something unbelievable: How can something taste this good? What is this—imperial delicacy?

Xu Nuo smirked proudly.

Wang Gensheng looked at that smile and froze again.

He felt that in one day, he had been stunned, dazed, and frozen more times than in all his previous twenty-odd years combined.

“So this is what a sugar-coated cannonball feels like,” Wang Gensheng muttered.

Qin Huai exited the memory.