Chapter 403: Ye Haoran, Huh?
"You two are the real heretics for eating sweet tofu pudding!" Darn's face darkened as he cursed under his breath.
As expected—he'd been betrayed by his old friend again.
So even Paide was one of those people who ate sweet tofu pudding.
There's a traitor among us!
"That's right! All you sweet-tofu-pudding people are heretics! Savory tofu pudding is the best!" Darn declared indignantly.
Just then, a voice of support rang out beside him.
He turned his head and saw none other than Ye Haoran—the same socially doomed boy who once mistook Qi Han for an evil spirit master because of the Tin Foil Roasted Brain Flower.
Ye Haoran looked deadly serious as he stared at Paide and Yun Qing. "How can anyone possibly add sugar to that silky, salty, and savory tofu pudding? Your kind of thinking is terrifying!"
"Tch!" someone in the line couldn't hold back and joined in. "What's so good about savory tofu pudding anyway? It's even hot! At breakfast time, isn't it far better to enjoy a cool, refreshing sweet tofu pudding?"
"Yeah! I like the sweet kind too!"
"Bullshit! Savory is the only way! A steaming hot bowl of savory tofu pudding in the morning—it's like you're ascending to heaven with every bite!"
"Pah! What kind of normal person eats savory tofu pudding?!"
"…"
Because there was some distance between Paide and Darn, and they weren't talking through any private sound transmission, their entire exchange was overheard by the nearby crowd.
Once Yun Qing and Ye Haoran chimed in, the discussion about whether sweet or savory tofu pudding was better spread like wildfire.
Breakfast service had been running for five days now, and tofu pudding—being a light dish that didn't fill you up—was something almost every customer had tried. Everyone already had their own strong opinions about which version they preferred.
So when the topic came up, no one could resist voicing their stance.
The volume of the debate kept rising, and soon half the queue was involved in a full-blown argument.
"Let me say something!" boomed a burly man with eyes like bronze bells, glaring straight at Darn. "You say sweet tofu pudding tastes bad—but have you even tried it?"
"No," Darn admitted bluntly, shaking his head hard. "Just the thought of it makes me shudder. Why would I ever eat that?"
"Hmph!" The burly man smirked proudly. "See, that's where I'm different. I've tried both. So my opinion is far more objective than yours!"
The surrounding diners nodded in agreement, fueling the man's confidence even more.
"I've had both sweet and savory tofu pudding," he declared. "And honestly, the savory one made me feel awful! If Han Shi didn't have a strict no-wasting-food policy, I'd have dumped it out on the spot! So yeah—I stand with sweet tofu pudding! That cool, refreshing sweetness is the true peak of flavor!"
As he waved his arm and spoke with growing fervor, the sweet-tofu faction erupted in cheers.
For a brief moment, the savory side seemed to falter—until a sharp hmph cut through the noise.
A middle-aged woman stepped forward, adjusting the glasses on her nose. "You're not the only one who's tried both kinds. I've tasted them too!"
"Savory tofu pudding is the real delicacy. That hot, fragrant blend of soy and savory sauce—how can you sweet-lovers even compare? The taste is divine, beyond anything you heretics could ever understand."
She pushed her glasses up again with a dignified air. "As for sweet tofu pudding? Honestly, I could barely swallow it. I almost threw up after one bite and ended up giving it away to another diner just to avoid wasting it."
Her words immediately reignited the morale of the savory-tofu camp.
That's right—those who'd tried both flavors weren't limited to the sweet side!
Turns out, even after trying both versions, sweet tofu pudding still couldn't compare to savory tofu pudding!
Indeed—sweet tofu pudding was heretical!
The two sides resumed their heated quarrel, and for a while, neither could overpower the other.
. . .
"Boss! There's a fight outside!"
Fu Ya, who was keeping an eye on both the line outside and the diners inside, quickly noticed the commotion among those waiting and rushed into the kitchen to report to Qi Han.
"Outside?" Qi Han turned his head toward the dining area. Everything inside was harmonious—lively chatter, laughter, and satisfied faces. He frowned in confusion. "No one's fighting here."
"Not here," Fu Ya said quickly, shaking her head. "It's the customers outside—those waiting in line! They're arguing!"
"Huh?" Qi Han blinked. "What, someone cut in line?"
"No…" Fu Ya's expression turned awkward. "They're arguing about the two flavors of tofu pudding—sweet and savory. The crowd's divided, and the argument's getting louder and louder."
Well, damn. A sweet-versus-savory war?
Qi Han immediately perked up, interest flashing in his eyes.
"Wait for me. I'll finish this dish first, then I'll go take a look."
He spoke calmly as he continued stirring the wok, but inwardly, he was amused.
In his previous life, the great "sweet vs. savory tofu pudding" debate had been massive—tens of thousands of netizens arguing passionately online, each defending their chosen side like it was a matter of life and death.
But here, in the Douluo Continent, there was no internet, no social media. If people wanted to argue, they had to do it face to face.
Now that was something worth seeing.
Hopefully… it wouldn't come to blows?
Qi Han quickly plated the dish, washed his hands, removed his apron, and followed Fu Ya toward the door.
As he approached the entrance, the sound of loud, heated debate filled his ears.
When he finally stepped outside, he was stunned.
Good lord. Hundreds of people had stopped lining up entirely and were now huddled into two massive clusters, shouting at each other, faces red and veins bulging.
He'd seen brawls before. But this? This was a mass shouting match!
The moment someone noticed Qi Han had come out, a voice rang through the chaos:
"Boss Qi is here! Let's ask Boss Qi!"
Qi Han: "???"
Seriously? Even when I'm just watching the drama, I still get dragged into it?!
A wave of people surged toward him, led by Darn, who raised his voice like an orator in a public square.
"Boss Qi," he called out, "since tofu pudding is your creation, you tell us—which one is better, savory or sweet?"
Ah, this…
Qi Han hesitated.
He didn't actually mind either version—in fact, if he had to choose, he personally leaned a bit toward the savory side.
But when hundreds of expectant eyes locked onto him at once, his scalp tingled, and his survival instincts kicked in.
"Ahem." He coughed lightly and put on his best professional smile. "As a chef, I treat every dish equally. Whether sweet or savory, tofu pudding has its own unique charm. In my heart, there is no higher or lower—both are delicious in their own way."
For a second, the crowd fell silent.
Then the two factions glared at each other again.
"Fight, heretics!"
And just like that, the debate reignited—voices clashing louder than before.
Qi Han observed for a bit, relieved to see that no one seemed ready to actually start throwing punches. Satisfied that things were under control, he turned back toward the shop.
He still had dishes waiting to be cooked, after all.
But just as he stepped one foot back inside—
"Everyone here's a Spirit Master!" a youthful voice suddenly shouted from the crowd. "So let's handle this like Spirit Masters should! I propose that the sweet-tofu-pudding faction and the savory-tofu-pudding faction settle this with a Spirit Fight! Let's fight it out!"
Qi Han froze mid-step, nearly stumbling.
He turned slowly, eyes narrowing as he spotted the overeager youth who had just yelled—
Ye Haoran.
Ye Haoran, huh?
Qi Han took a deep breath and gave him a long, meaningful look.
<+>
if you want to see more chapters of this story and don't mind playing $5 per month to see my latest update, please go to my Patreon[1]
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/collection/67255?view=condensed[2]
Latest Chapter in Patreon: Chapter 446: Pheasant Soup[3]
Link to the latest chapter: https://www.patreon.com/posts/becoming-food-in-148427641[4]
[1] https://www.patreon.com/collection/67255?view=condensed
[2] https://www.patreon.com/collection/67255?view=condensed
[3] https://www.patreon.com/posts/becoming-food-in-148427641
[4] https://www.patreon.com/posts/becoming-food-in-148427641