Chapter 6 - 5: Return

Then, he started to feel embarrassed.

"Xiao Jiang, these buns of yours... I bet they aren’t cheap, right?"

"I told you, Uncle Xue. For a guy who sells buns, the one thing I’ll never be short of is buns, haha," Jiang Liu joked.

"Sigh, after eating your buns, I can die with no regrets! No regrets at all!"

Xue Guang sighed wistfully. He never thought an ordinary guy like him would ever get to eat something so incredible.

A fusion of the world’s finest ingredients—how could it not be incredible?

He wanted to take a couple back for his wife and kid to try,

but after a moment’s hesitation, he was too embarrassed to ask.

He couldn’t very well offer to buy them, either. Jiang Liu had just treated him; trying to pay now would be like a slap in the face.

"Alright, Xiao Jiang, I should be heading back. If you ever need help with anything, just let me know."

Xue Guang felt too awkward to stay any longer, as if he were sitting on pins and needles.

"Wait a second."

Jiang Liu grabbed a paper bag and packed up the ten remaining buns.

He handed the bulging bag to Xue Guang.

"Uncle Xue, take these back and help me finish them. I really can’t eat any more, and there’s no one else at home. They won’t taste as good once they get cold."

"Ah... I couldn’t possibly."

"Hey, no way. I’ve already eaten so much."

"Just take them, take them."

Xue Guang tried to refuse a few times, but Jiang Liu insisted, pressing the bag into his hands.

He was amused by Jiang Liu and finally relented. He stuck his neck out and said with a chiding laugh:

"Alright, fine. I can see you’re not short on these things, you little rascal. I guess Uncle Xue will just have to take you up on the free meal then, eh?"

"I’d be honored. Now hurry home and let your wife try them."

Jiang Liu nudged Xue Guang out the door.

They were quickly warming up to each other.

"Haha, alright! I’ll take them home right now. When my wife tries these, she’s going to flip!"

Xue Guang chuckled as he turned, clutching the buns to his chest like a precious treasure as he scurried home.

Jiang Liu sat back down in the deserted dining hall to think.

’Hmm, I still need a price list. A business needs a price list...’

He looked at the time: 5:01.

’There’s still time. I’ll go to the market next door and buy a blackboard first.’

Without even closing the door, Jiang Liu hurried out.

...

The Fresh Produce Store.

Xue Guang shoved up the rolling metal door and burst in, excitedly yelling, "Hey, old woman! Old woman!"

A formidable-looking woman of about fifty with thick eyebrows emerged from the storeroom.

"What did you call me?!"

She roared:

"I told you!! You call me an old woman one more time, and I’ll squeeze the life out of you!!"

"I’m serious!!"

Xue Guang seemed completely oblivious to her rage.

He just carried on excitedly, "Look what goodies I brought you!"

He said, placing the paper bag on the table.

"Hm? Goodies? What kind of goodies are they?"

The formidable woman’s name was Hua Manman.

Hearing the word "goodies," Hua Manman’s voice softened.

"Behold!" Xue Guang slowly opened the bag as if unveiling a treasure, revealing a pile of plump, round buns.

"Surprise! Haha."

"Oh, I’m surprised alright."

Hua Manman’s expression was flat, her melon-sized fists cracking audibly.

The buns had cooled, so their aroma was sealed inside.

So, Hua Manman assumed they were just ordinary buns.

"See? See? Go on, try one! It’ll blow your mind. When I had one earlier, I almost cried. It was that delicious, you know?"

Xue Guang waved his arms and legs, trying to convey his astonishment at how delicious the buns were.

The next moment, a large hand grabbed him by his few remaining hairs.

He was like a chick being held by the scruff of its neck.

"You think it’s funny to mess with me? Huh?"

"Honey, just take one bite! Hit me after you take a bite, alright?"

Xue Guang pleaded helplessly.

’He’d had it with this woman. She was always hitting him or pulling his hair for no reason.’

’The humiliation is excruciating!’

"Heh, fine. One bite. But if I’m not satisfied, you’ll see how I deal with you!"

Hua Manman sneered. ’I’ll deal with my husband properly later,’ she thought. ’How dare he call me an ’old woman’? He used to call me his ’little flower.’ Hmph!’

She snatched up a bun and carelessly took a bite.

’Hm? This flavor is...’

She chewed a few times.

The next moment, her eyes widened.

This flavor...?!

...

’Hm? Who left a bag at my door?’

Jiang Liu was humming a little tune, carrying a whiteboard, when he returned to his shop and saw a large bag sitting on a table.

As he got closer, Jiang Liu broke into a knowing smile.

The bag was labeled "Fresh Produce."

’It had to be from Uncle Xue, no doubt about it.’

’Uncle Xue was a great guy, warm-hearted and all, but he was just too polite for his own good.’

He opened it and glanced inside. There was a perfectly round green watermelon, some mangoes, lychees, a container of durian, crisp green grapes, and a bunch of bananas.

The fruit was all very fresh.

’Nice. I’ll bring this to Tongtong later. I don’t think Tongtong has had any fruit for a week. That won’t do.’

Seeing the fruit, Jiang Liu’s first thought was of his precious daughter.

His mood immediately improved.

He walked to the entrance and nailed the whiteboard to the wall.

He wrote on it with a black permanent marker:

Pork & Scallion Bun: 6 Yuan

Chive & Egg Bun: 5 Yuan

Three-Delicacy Bun: 6 Yuan

Shrimp & Corn Bun: 15 Yuan

’This isn’t too expensive, is it? Seems about right.’

Jiang Liu put down the pen and rubbed his chin in thought.

Compared to other buns in South City, these prices were definitely high.

Typically, a meat bun cost between 1.5 and 2 yuan.

But Jiang Liu believed his buns, made with top-tier ingredients and expert technique, were a steal. You probably couldn’t find anything like them even for a hundred yuan.

Jiang Liu casually pulled out his phone to check the time.

When he saw the time, his heart dropped.

He panicked.

"Holy shit, it’s 5:30!"

"Shit, I’m definitely not gonna make it! Tongtong’s going to be mad at me again. I’m so dead, so dead! Hurry, hurry, hurry!"

He scrambled to flip the circuit breaker, lock the shop door, and rushed out in a frenzy.

"Xiao Jiang, what’s the rush?"

Xue Guang was standing at the entrance enjoying the breeze, looking smug. Beside him, Hua Manman was massaging his shoulders.

Her eyes seemed to sparkle as she sized up Jiang Liu.

’This young man isn’t just handsome,’ she thought, ’his cooking skills are out of this world.’

Seeing Xue Guang, Jiang Liu suddenly remembered about the shop sign.

He hurried over to them.

"Uncle Xue, I’m in a rush to pick up my daughter. Can we add each other on WeChat? Your friend is coming to install the sign soon, could you keep an eye out for me?"

"No problem." Hearing this, Xue Guang grew anxious too.

He quickly pulled out his car keys and insisted:

"Picking up your kid is the most important thing, Xiao Jiang. Here, take my car. Go on, hurry!"

"It’s okay, Uncle Xue. It’s not far, just a short walk. I don’t need it."

After declining the couple’s offer, Jiang Liu hurried off with the bag of fruit to get his daughter.

...

「At the entrance of South City Kindergarten.」

By now, all the children had been picked up, and the entrance was empty.

Only Jun Qingmeng and Jiang Tongtong were left, hand in hand.

"Who’s this little cutie? Seems like nobody wants her, tsk tsk..." a few security guards muttered, glancing at each other.

Jiang Tongtong, with her backpack on, stood on her tiptoes,

craning her neck to look down the road.

Her little face was filled with urgency, and her eyes began to well up with tears.

"Why isn’t my daddy here to get me yet!"

"Teacher, my daddy still isn’t here! He must’ve forgotten me! Please, call him!"

Jun Qingmeng frowned and shook her head. "There’s no answer on your dad’s phone."

’She was getting angry, furious at Jiang Liu’s irresponsible attitude!’

"What time is it, Teacher?"

"It’s 5:50."

"Fifty! It’s already five-fifty! Why hasn’t my daddy thought of me yet!"

"Tongtong, don’t be anxious. Maybe something came up for your dad."

Jun Qingmeng offered a weak reassurance, smoothing back her hair.

Anxious, Jiang Tongtong’s lip trembled, and she began to whimper and cry.

"Teacher, please tell my daddy... I... I’ll never eat ice cream again! And no more fried chicken! I won’t watch TV and be noisy, and I’ll even wash his feet... Daddy, please come get me!"

Just as she finished speaking,

a familiar voice came from behind her.

"Tongtong, you’d better be ready to take responsibility for those words!"

’It’s Daddy’s voice!’

’Is it really him?!’

Jiang Tongtong turned in anticipation and saw the handsome, smiling Jiang Liu.

In that moment, all the helplessness and hurt she had been holding back burst forth.

A little girl’s heart is fragile and sensitive.

Jiang Tongtong threw herself into his arms, and the tears she’d been holding back finally streamed down her face.

"Daddy! You’re finally here! I missed you! I missed you so, so much! WAAAH!"

"Daddy, if you hadn’t come any sooner, Tongtong would’ve gotten lost... *sob*..."

"There, there, it’s all Daddy’s fault. I was busy trying to earn money for you, and that’s why I’m late. I’m so sorry, Tongtong."