CFSMS -Chapter 34 Have You Forgotten the Innocent Little Meat Bun by Daming Lake?

“Alrighty!”

Wang Er didn’t think much of it. He assumed the pork knuckle was simply his wife’s handiwork and reached over with his chopsticks.

Gulp.

That was the sound of the chubby little boy swallowing his saliva.

His eyes were red-rimmed. After several failed attempts to sneak a bite, he was pouting so hard he looked ready to cry.

It was obviously his delicious food that he had brought home. So why wasn’t he allowed to eat it first?

Smack!

That was the sound of Aunt Wang instinctively knocking Wang Er’s chopsticks away.

“Wife?”

Wang Er was baffled.

“Ahem, let our son eat first.”

Aunt Wang quickly came up with an excuse. She picked up a large chunk of meat and placed it into her teary-eyed son’s bowl, then secretly helped herself to another generous piece.

“Alright.”

She gestured for Wang Er to continue.

At that point, only a piece of fatty skin and a little lean meat clinging to the bone remained.

To preserve the pork knuckle at its peak flavor, Aunt Wang had been keeping it warm with spirit stones the entire time. Not a bit of its deliciousness had been lost.

Wang Er didn’t think much of it. His family had hearty appetites, and he assumed there were plenty more pork knuckles in the pot.

With that in mind, he picked up the piece of skin and put it into his mouth.

The unfamiliar flavor instantly filled him with delight.

Before he could even chew properly, the tender skin had already melted down his throat.

Smacking his lips, Wang Er picked up the remaining lean meat, mixed it into his rice a few times, and then shoveled a huge mouthful into his mouth.

In an instant, his eyes brightened several degrees.

The meat juices were already rich and flavorful. Every distinct grain of rice became coated in the savory sauce, turning an appetizing color. Once eaten, the rice absorbed the meat’s aroma and became even softer and more delicious.

Wang Er felt that he could eat several bowls of rice with the sauce alone.

He poured the remaining juices into his bowl. Already starving, he had no patience to savor it slowly.

He wolfed it down.

In less than half a minute, the bowl was empty.

“Wife, go get some more pork knuckle.”

He called out, only to look up and see both his wife and son eating at a snail’s pace, their faces filled with reluctance to finish.

“There’s none left.”

Aunt Wang rolled her eyes and replied irritably.

“How can there be none left?”

Their family wasn’t poor enough that they could only afford a single pork knuckle for a meal.

When Wang Er finally learned what had happened, he regretted it immensely.

His stomach was still growling with hunger, but after tasting that pork knuckle, how could he possibly look at the unremarkable vegetable dishes with any interest?

A thin layer of sauce remained at the bottom of the bowl. Wang Er vigorously stirred rice into it, trying to absorb every last drop, while shooting mournful glances at the meat in his wife’s bowl.

“I know Boss Lu. She used to have a stall on Yanliu Street.”

“I’ll go take a look tomorrow.”

“Then I’ll buy several of them. Our family of three can eat to our hearts’ content.”

After forcing down another bowl of plain rice with the remaining sauce, Wang Er wiped his mouth and discussed it with Aunt Wang.

“Sounds good. We’re not short on money. Buy plenty.”

Under Wang Er’s envious gaze, Aunt Wang placed the final tiny morsel of meat into her mouth. A blissful smile bloomed across her face.

When it came to cooking, Aunt Wang only acknowledged one person:

Boss Lu.

Delicious. Absolutely delicious.

As usual, Lu Wu spent some time browsing gossip and drama on the One Realm Network before sleeping soundly through the night.

The next morning, she woke up refreshed and energized.

Same routine as always.

Light the fire. Start cooking.

With yesterday’s success as a foundation, Lu Wu believed the rest of her customers would soon catch wind of the news. Today, she had doubled her ingredient preparations.

Several huge pots of pork knuckles needed to simmer slowly.

Lu Wu was so busy she barely had time to breathe.

It was a massive undertaking.

When the first pot was finally finished, Grandpa Li once again appeared out of nowhere.

The broth in the pot was still bubbling. The rich aroma of meat filled the air.

Grandpa Li took a deep breath and immediately felt invigorated from head to toe.

Lu Wu was already used to it. She served him a large pork knuckle.

“Little Lu, where were you selling yesterday?”

Grandpa Li asked casually.

Yesterday, he had been too busy eating and forgot to ask where Lu Wu’s stall was located.

When members of the Bun Sect came asking, he hadn’t been able to provide any information.

As the Grand Elder of the Bun Sect, that was simply too irresponsible.

Though he was asking questions, his eyes never left the pork knuckle.

He blew on it a few times. Once it cooled to the right temperature, he eagerly took a huge bite.

This was the taste.

Last night, he had a wonderful dream.

In the dream, all the pork knuckles transformed into beautiful women and spent a tender, affectionate night with him.

He had literally awakened from hunger.

Ever since Lu Wu’s house lit up this morning, he had been waiting, occasionally climbing onto the wall to check on her progress.

Once a major figure of great importance, Grandpa Li had now fallen so far that he was sneaking around rooftops just to get first access to pork knuckles.

“I’m setting up at the entrance of Ten Thousand Poisons Valley.”

Lu Wu didn’t hide it.

“Seven days again this time?”

“Yep.”

Grandpa Li nodded.

He had originally intended to share the news with his followers, but after a moment’s thought, he opened a private chat window instead.

The Bun Sect now had many outer disciples. The membership was a mixed bag, and there were even spies lurking among them.

If he released the information publicly, everyone would compete with him for food.

But as Grand Elder, he couldn’t simply do nothing.

So Grandpa Li sold the information directly to Lou Xiaotian and Qin Zhan, his two inner disciples.

He had personally vetted both of them.

One was the son of a town lord, the other a disciple of a sect. Their character was reliable.

Surely they would understand the deeper meaning behind his private message.

Lou Xiaotian understood.

He understood very well.

As one of the first people to taste Lu Wu’s buns, he knew exactly how insane the food lovers of River Town would become if Boss Lu’s location became public knowledge.

Not wanting to face purchase limits again, Lou Xiaotian and Qin Zhan silently agreed to keep the information secret.

There were still six days left, after all.

They could enjoy themselves first and tell everyone else during the final two days.

“Offering a huge reward for Boss Lu’s location!”

“Does anyone know if Boss Lu has made any new dishes?”

“Where is Boss Lu selling now? Has anyone seen her?”

Messages scrolled endlessly through the sect chat.

Lou Xiaotian revealed a mysterious smile.

Brothers, I’m sorry.

For the sake of my own happiness, sacrifices must be made.

“Old Jiang, today we settle this!”

Having obtained Lu Wu’s stall location, Qin Zhan confidently issued a challenge.

Today, he, Qin Zhan, would suppress Jiang Yunhe and claim the title of Senior Brother of their generation.

“Bring it on!”

Jiang Yunhe, who had been waiting outside Ten Thousand Poisons Valley since early morning, showed no fear whatsoever.

After all the pork knuckles were finished, Lu Wu stretched her stiff body and rested for a while before heading out.

Along the way, she encountered several former customers.

They seemed to be searching all over town for something.

Lu Wu had wanted to greet them, but when she realized none of them paid her any attention, she quietly passed by.

The truth was that they hadn’t noticed her at all.

To them, she was merely a stranger.

Following behind Lu Wu, hiding his achievements and glory, Grandpa Li let out a sinister chuckle.

“Heh heh heh…”

As long as he was around, nobody would ever be able to track Boss Lu’s whereabouts.

Thin strands of poisonous mist drifted above Ten Thousand Poisons Valley.

The weather was excellent today.

Sunlight pierced through the clouds and fog, bathing the valley in golden rays that made people feel warm and comfortable inside.

As soon as Lu Wu arrived, she looked at the waiting crowd of customers with a strange expression.

Why were there so few people?

Could it be…

Had all those customers already forgotten the innocent little meat buns by Daming Lake?

Completely unaware that someone had been secretly sabotaging things behind the scenes, Lu Wu set up her stall while Zhang Xiu stood nearby with a simple, honest grin on his face.