Chapter 250: Made a Mistake, Let's Try Again!
Seeing Feng Yi's firm stance and noticing that the dish Qi Han prepared for him wasn't quite what he'd expected, Pan Kong didn't press further. Still, curiosity lingered in his heart.
What could this slightly yellowish white flour bun taste like?
Pan Kong wasn't the only one curious. Many diners who had yet to receive their own dishes couldn't help but glance toward Feng Yi's table, their curiosity piqued.
Feng Yi, however, was oblivious to the attention. From the moment the roasted meat buns were placed before him, his mind was wholly consumed by the sight.
His body began to tremble, and he slowly closed his eyes.
So similar.
It was just too similar.
The roasted meat buns Qi Han had made for him were almost identical to the ones his mother used to make.
The plate held four roasted meat buns of equal size. Their plain, unadorned appearance carried a rustic charm, their round and full shapes evoking a certain cuteness. They looked exactly like the buns his mother had served him every time he returned home.
Though he couldn't fathom how Qi Han had achieved this level of resemblance, Feng Yi couldn't deny the strong feeling of nostalgia.
While he doubted that the taste would perfectly match his memories, the care Qi Han had put into recreating this dish was enough to deeply move him.
Feng Yi cast a grateful glance toward the kitchen. Then, with trembling hands, he picked up one of the roasted meat buns.
The familiar texture beneath his fingertips made him momentarily dazed.
This feeling…
Without saying a word, Feng Yi brought the bun closer to his nose and took a hearty bite.
He bit so deeply that nearly a quarter of the bun disappeared, allowing him to taste the roasted meat filling at the center in one bite.
As the slightly firm roasted meat, imbued with the aroma of spices, blended with the soft bun and the unique flavor of fishwort, Feng Yi felt a twinge of sourness in his eyes.
This flavor… was just so familiar.
Swallowing the first bite, Feng Yi reached for the water cup on the table and took a sip.
Since Qi Han's return from Star Luo City, Shrek City Branch Small Shop has started offering this new amenity.
Though the roasted meat buns were soft, their softness came at the cost of absorbing the moisture in one's mouth. Eating even one bun would inevitably make anyone thirsty.
The slightly sweet spring water flowed through Feng Yi's mouth, washing away the lingering taste of the roasted meat and soothing the dryness. He exhaled softly, suppressing the tears welling in his eyes.
Hold it together—no more public breakdowns.
What kind of grown man cries like this?
He glanced at the bun in his hand, now split open to reveal its roasted meat filling. The familiar aroma wafting from it stirred his emotions again. Without hesitation, Feng Yi paused briefly before taking another large bite.
As the deeply familiar flavor touched his soul, the corners of his eyes grew moist once more.
Waves of longing surged through his heart, each one more overwhelming than the last. Before he could stop himself, a single tear fell onto the roasted meat bun in his hand.
Damn it.
I tried my best…
But I still couldn't hold it in.
Completely overcome, Feng Yi abandoned all pretense, eating the roasted meat buns in big bites while tears streamed down his face like a child. He didn't even care about the tears dripping onto the food.
"Um… how does it taste?" Pan Kong swallowed hard, hesitated for a moment, then asked softly.
Sitting across from Feng Yi, Pan Kong caught the enticing aroma wafting from the exposed filling of the roasted meat bun.
To be honest, while the smell was appealing, it wasn't as striking as some of the other dishes served at Hanshi.
But… watching this unassuming middle-aged man eat so voraciously, swallowing one large bite after another, stirred Pan Kong's appetite.
Still, the sight of the man crying while eating was odd, leaving Pan Kong unable to discern whether the food was delicious or not.
Unaware of Feng Yi's story from the previous night, Pan Kong wrestled with his curiosity for a while before finally voicing his question.
The moment the words left Pan Kong's mouth, Feng Yi's chewing came to an abrupt halt.
Those words… sounded all too familiar.
He vividly remembered how, every time he came home and tasted his mother's roasted meat buns, he'd lose all his composure and devour them like a man starved for days. His mother would sit across from him, watching with a smile, asking him how it tasted.
Tears blurred his vision as Feng Yi looked up, and for a fleeting moment, he thought he saw his mother sitting across from him, smiling gently.
"M-mom…"
Mouth full of food, Feng Yi subconsciously muttered a word he hadn't uttered in years.
His vision cleared, and his mother's kind face faded into the curious, ordinary features of Pan Kong sitting opposite him.
Feng Yi shook his head forcefully.
No, that didn't happen. Try again!
"M-mom? What mom?" Pan Kong, catching only the vague sound of Feng Yi's muffled word, became even more curious. The mystery gnawed at him, making him want to grab the collar of this unassuming man and demand to know how the food tasted.
But after glancing at Feng Yi's tall, solid frame, then comparing it to his own, Pan Kong sighed quietly and dismissed the idea.
Feng Yi, meanwhile, felt a pang of embarrassment. Thankfully, his mouth had been too full of food for his words to be clear. "Mom" had sounded more like "bun," sparing him further humiliation.
"Nothing," Feng Yi said with a forced smile. "I just meant the bun is really delicious."
…
The four roasted meat buns disappeared quickly. Feng Yi finished the remaining water in his cup, savoring the rare sense of fullness in his stomach. His face was filled with contentment and nostalgia.
After a brief rest, he stood up.
He had something important to do.
"Fu Ya, could I speak with Boss Qi?"
Walking to the partition separating the kitchen from the dining area, Feng Yi looked at the busy figure inside and spoke softly.
"Sure, I'll let him know," Fu Ya replied, nodding before stepping into the kitchen.
A moment later, the bustling figure paused and emerged from the kitchen with Fu Ya.
"Thank you, Boss Qi."
The moment Feng Yi saw Qi Han, his tall frame bent deeply into a bow, taking the chef by surprise.
"Please, you don't need to do this," Qi Han stammered, startled, as he quickly stepped forward to help Feng Yi up.
"Though I don't know how you managed it," Feng Yi said, straightening up, his face lighting up with a smile of relief and gratitude, "this is the most delicious dish I've ever tasted in my life."
Qi Han was silent for a moment before replying softly, "It's what I should do."
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