When Wang Fan started steaming the Mapo Tofu Buns, people were already gathering in front of his stall.
There were mostly elderly folks, but also a few office workers with over two hours of commute time.
A two-hour commute in Beijing is not short, but it's definitely not the longest; there are plenty who endure three hours.
The life of waking up at five and getting home at nine is as blissful as it sounds.
Many of the elderly folks knew Officer Zhong and greeted him with cheerful smiles, to which he responded in kind.
Then, they all turned their attention to watching Wang Fan skillfully make the buns.
Auntie Wang was full of admiration: "This young boss has skills that surpass my decades of experience. Look at how he's making these buns, each one almost identical in size."
"Not just the size, look at the pleats on these buns. They're so neat and precise; it's like they're more perfectly made than by a machine, as if they were carved from a mold."
