“Mom, I’m off to work!” Xu Ying called out, wiping the corners of her mouth before bolting out the door.
Yesterday had been a good day—the goodwill value had increased again, unlocking three new recipes along with a small patch of usable space. Inside were cooked dishes and daily necessities, now hers to use.
This morning, she’d treated herself to the spicy braised duck neck from the newly unlocked recipes. The flavor was rich and addicting—spicy enough to sting the tongue, but so delicious she couldn’t put it down. She chased it with a cup of milk tea, sweet and refreshing, though she did silently sigh at the thought of the calorie count.
By the time Xu Ying arrived at the state-owned restaurant on her bicycle, the other staff had just finished changing into their uniforms.
Among them, Chen Chunfeng stood out, her arms clad in pristine white sleeves. Xu Ying gave her a curious glance. “Sister Chen, why are you wearing sleeves today?”
Chen Chunfeng responded with a bright, guileless smile. “We’re making steamed buns again today. Usually, it’s buns and porridge before noon and stir-fried dishes after twelve. But yesterday, we only did stir-fry all day—didn’t have enough ingredients for anything else.”
She paused, then gave herself a light slap on the forehead. “Oh, listen to me rambling! I forgot you’re different from me. Xu Ying, can you prepare the filling for the steamed buns?”
Xu Ying nodded calmly. The fillings for dumplings and buns were essentially the same—it was just the shape and method that changed. And as luck would have it, she’d just unlocked a few flavorful fillings yesterday. They’d come in handy now.
“Hey! We’ve got fish today—get the kitchen ready!” someone from the purchasing office called out before hurrying away.
Xu Ying’s eyes lit up as she saw the large basin of fish that had arrived. There was quite a lot.
“Xu Ying, what bun fillings do you know how to make?” asked Chef Ge, strolling over, his tone casual but curious.
He had eaten Xu Ying’s cooking yesterday—impressive, refined, and unexpectedly on par with his own skills. But stuffing for buns was another matter entirely. If her skills lagged here, he might offer a few tips—and use that as an excuse to bring up accepting her as his disciple.
The calculations flickered clearly in his eyes.
Xu Ying, oblivious to his thoughts, was already thinking about the unlocked dumpling fillings from her space. Her eyes sparkled. “I can do leek and egg, fish, and pork with cabbage.”
She smiled. “Today’s perfect—we’ve got fish. Let’s make fish-stuffed buns.”
Chef Ge was momentarily taken aback. Fish-stuffed buns?
He had never heard of such a thing. Fish as bun filling? How would that even taste?
“Of course you can make it,” Xu Ying said confidently as she began washing carrots. It was a shame there was no shepherd’s purse—according to the recipe, it would’ve added a wonderful freshness.
But she’d make do. She looked through the fish carefully, choosing the black fish—it had fewer bones and was perfect for this purpose.
There wasn’t much pork, so she decided not to use it.
She set to work, expertly deboning the fish, then mincing it into fine flakes. She added the grated carrots, chopped mushrooms, scallions, shredded cabbage, and one seasoning after another until the aroma began to rise, subtle and enticing. The fish filling was done.
The leek and egg filling was simpler, and some of the other workers helped make it. Someone even suggested osmanthus fillings.
Everyone gathered around the worktable, curious about the fish filling.
“I’ve had leek, pork, cabbage… but never fish!” someone exclaimed.
“Xu Ying, are fish-filled buns really tasty?” another asked skeptically.
Xu Ying grinned and nodded. “They’re delicious.”
Chen Chunfeng, with eyes wide, leaned closer. “Xu Ying, you’re incredible! How do you know so many kinds of fillings? Have you tried others too?”
At that, memories of the apocalypse surfaced in Xu Ying’s mind—the strange assortment of foods people made just to survive. Her tone turned casual. “Sure. There are buns with beef, pickled vegetables, vermicelli, carrot and ham… even ones with a whole chicken drumstick inside.”
The moment she said that, the others’ imaginations ran wild. They gathered around her, chatting and wrapping buns together like old friends at a family gathering.
On the side, Chef Ge stirred the millet porridge while eavesdropping on their conversation. With every new bun recipe Xu Ying casually mentioned, his heart grew heavier. How could a girl her age know so much more than him, a man who had spent decades in the kitchen and even held the title of royal chef?
By nine o’clock, the team was hard at work—kneading dough, making fillings, wrapping buns, and boiling porridge. The steam filled the kitchen with a warm, comforting scent.
At half-past ten, customers began pouring in.
The restaurant was instantly buzzing.
“Today we have steamed buns with various fillings and soups,” called out Sun Lifang from behind the counter, not even lifting her head.
“Fish, leek and egg, green vegetable and mushroom. Soups include millet porridge, multigrain porridge, and sweet potato porridge.”
The regulars blinked in surprise. Meat buns? And fish of all things?
It sounded odd, but curiosity won over skepticism.
“Give me one of those fish buns!”
“Make that two!”
The steamed buns were huge, plump, and packed with stuffing.
As soon as the first batch came out of the steamer, Chef Ge couldn’t resist. He grabbed one while it was still piping hot, tore into it with a satisfying hiss of steam escaping.
The outer dough was fluffy and soft. The filling inside was fragrant beyond expectation. The fish blended harmoniously with the umami of mushrooms and the sweetness of carrots. The seasoning was spot on—each bite warm, hearty, and unexpectedly comforting.
A long sigh escaped his lips. His eyes closed in bliss.
He’d never imagined a fish-filled bun could taste so divine.
And yet, here he was, thoroughly convinced.
The thought of wanting to take Xu Ying as a disciple resurfaced, but this time it came with guilt. She clearly didn’t need him. Still, he steeled his resolve.
She must be my disciple!
Not wasting another moment, Chef Ge charged over to Xu Ying, his usual stern expression gone. His face lit up with admiration, practically glowing.
“Xu Ying, I truly underestimated you! With skills like yours, why are you still working in a restaurant like this?”
Not far away, Gao Guihua noticed his beaming smile—so unlike him—and felt a wave of jealousy rise in her chest. Chef Ge had always been serious, stingy with praise.
She elbowed her companion, Zhang Quanquan, and muttered provocatively, “You’ve been working under Chef Ge for years, and yet you’ve learned nothing. Now look, Xu Ying’s already making a name for herself!”
Zhang Quanquan glanced at the two, a fire igniting inside him. If things kept going this way, Xu Ying might surpass him and take the top position once Chef Ge retired.
He couldn’t let that happen.
With forced cheer, he sauntered toward them, trying to join their conversation. But Xu Ying was focused on her tasks, only exchanging a few words with Chef Ge before looking toward the front hall again.
She loved this—the steaming trays of buns, the clatter of bowls, the laughter of satisfied customers. And above all, the golden numbers floating above people’s heads: +1, +1, +1…
Suddenly, a system notification echoed in her mind:
Favorable Opinion Value +15.
Xu Ying straightened, eyes scanning the hall. And then—there! A familiar silhouette emerged from the crowd.
Her heart skipped a beat.
“Huo Chen!”
She called out instinctively, unable to contain her surprise.
At a nearby table, Huo Chen had just arrived with his friend Wu Qingsong, who was happily placing six fat buns on the table, his hands holding a bowl of steaming millet porridge.
“Brother Chen, come eat!”
But before Huo Chen could sit, a clear, bright voice rang out above the chatter.
His head snapped up.
Xu Ying’s eyes locked onto his.
And in that moment, the world seemed to stop .