Chapter 162: This Egg Tart… Tastes Awful
Translator: OnGoingWhy Editor: Vermillion
Bu Fang looked at the two of them in puzzlement. He was already used to Luo Sanniang’s raucous behavior but why was this Juan’Er coming into his store with a lunch box?
Bu Fang gave the two a suspicious glance and then said with a smirk, “I am busy.”
Luo Sanniang’s expression suddenly stiffened for a moment and her eyebrows immediately knitted together. “What did you say?”
“It’s opening hours right now… so I am busy. You’re welcomed if you’re here to eat. However, if you’re seeking me for other reasons, please wait until opening hours is over,” Bu Fang directly ignored Luo Sanniang’s dissatisfied gaze and headed back into the kitchen.
“You… You rascal!” Luo Sanniang was furious. She was naturally well aware of Bu Fang’s rules. However, she was unable to stand Bu Fang’s attitude. Within the imperial city, who would dare speak to her, Luo Sanniang, in such a manner?!
“Sanniang, there’s no hurry. Owner Bu is right, it’s opening hours right now. We can’t disturb other people’s business,” Juan’Er hurriedly said while grabbing onto Luo Sanniang who seemed as if she was about to fly into a rage. Her face was flushed with a trace of anxiousness.
In the end, Luo Sanniang gave in under Juan’Er’s pleading gaze. She was actually not that angry. She was simply peeved by Bu Fang’s attitude.
“I’ll listen to you. In that case, let’s eat something here while we wait. Even though that rascal is stuck-up and has a bad temper, his dishes are really delicious!” Luo Sanniang said while her eyes scanned her surroundings in search of a seat.
“Come here and sit down with us,” Xiao Yanyu called out while beckoning to them with her fair and slender hand.
“My goodness, Yanyu, you’re here as well.” Luo Sanniang’s eyes immediately brightened when she saw the Xiao siblings. She walked over toward them while pulling along Juan’Er and sat down next to Xiao Yanyu. “Oh my, Xiao Xiaolong. You little sissy, you’re here too? What a coincidence.”
After hearing her words, Xiao Xiaolong almost vomited out a mouthful of blood in anger. Every time he met her, Luo Sanniang would call him a sissy. This was simply… maddening!
“Coincidence… My ass!” Xiao Xiaolong thought while letting out a snort and ignored Luo Sanniang by turning his head away from her.
“Xiaoyi, serve the dish,” Bu Fang’s voice came from the kitchen as a rich fragrance filled the entire place and caused everyone present to become slightly mesmerized.
Hearing that, Xiaoyi skipped over to the serving window and took away the dish placed there.
The atmosphere within the store was caught up in an excitement toward food once more. Everyone was heartily enjoying their meals.
When most of the customers finished their food and left after paying their bill, the store gradually regained its quietness once more.
“Owner Bu, are you finally free now?” Luo Sanniang asked in annoyance while rubbing her slightly bulging stomach.
Bu Fang wiped off the water droplets on his hands before he pulled a chair over and sat down. He looked at Luo Sanniang and nodded.
“Well, what do you want? I can’t promise I’ll be able to help even for ordinary matters,” Bu Fang said.
Luo Sanniang raised her eyebrows in response. However, she could not be bothered to get angry with Bu Fang anymore. She pulled Juan’Er over and said, “Juan’Er is the one looking for you.”
Bu Fang was surprised for a moment. He gave the bashful woman before his eyes a glance, noticing her face was flushed in embarrassment. He could not figure out her intention for finding him.
Juan’Er seemed to have plucked up a lot of her courage as she placed the lunch box in front of Bu Fang and solemnly said, “Owner Bu… I… Yesterday, I went back home and tried making your… egg tarts. So, I want you to taste them.”
“Hmm? This woman made egg tarts after returning home yesterday?”
Bu Fang was startled as he gave her a surprised glance. The steps of making egg tarts were rather complicated. Did she really make them after only eating them once?
Bu Fang was immediately filled with curiosity. He really wanted to see just what sort of egg tart this woman managed to make.
“You made egg tarts? Hmm… Show them to me,” Bu Fang said.
Juan’Er originally thought Bu Fang would refuse. Contrary to her expectation, Bu Fang actually agreed to her request. Her eyes immediately brightened. She hurriedly opened the lunch box and carefully took out a porcelain plate. In the middle of the plate, there was an… umm, egg tart.
The corners of Bu Fang’s mouth involuntarily twitched as he expressionlessly looked at the egg tart placed in front of him. He felt like laughing but found himself unable to do so.
Even though the thing before his eyes resembled an egg tart, its color and smell was… Even from a distance, Bu Fang could smell a strange aroma.
“Is this burnt?” Bu Fang asked with a frown as he picked up Juan’Er’s egg tart and looked at the burnt marks on its surface.
“I… I couldn’t control the heat properly. This is already the best one,” Juan’Er said.
Bu Fang nodded without thinking her answer was strange. Afterall, there were no ovens in the Light Wind Empire. It would be weird if she could actually make egg tarts without burning them. The fact that Juan’Er could actually produce an egg tart like this was already pretty good.
Thus, Bu Fang did not say anything else. He found a spot that was not burnt and chomped down.
The egg tart made by Juan’Er was not soft enough and was actually rather hard. Furthermore, it was baked for too long and became uncomfortable to chew.
While Bu Fang was tasting the egg tart, a frown was on his face the entire time. His expression was very solemn.
Everyone within the store was holding their breaths as they watched Bu Fang. He was awe-inspiring whenever he was appraising dishes.
Xiao Yanyu and Xiao Xiaolong had both witnessed Bu Fang’s venomous tongue before. They could more or less predict what was going to happen next… The dish was definitely going to get roasted by Bu Fang.
After swallowing the morsel in his mouth, the frown disappeared from Bu Fang’s face. He glanced at the bashful woman standing next to him, whose hands were nervously clasped together. For a moment, he was at a loss for words.
Honestly speaking… the egg tart could be considered a dark cuisine[1]. It was simply hard for anyone to sing praises about its taste. However, it was still much better than actual dark cuisine. At the very least, it was still edible.
However, when strictly evaluated through every aspect, this egg tart was completely worthless.
Nonetheless, this was her first time making egg tarts. After only tasting them a day before, she came to find him with the egg tart for his evaluation. Just this courage and willpower alone was enough to impress Bu Fang.
“Owner Bu, why don’t you say something? Just tell us whether it’s good or not,” Luo Sanniang said. She was an impatient person. When she saw Bu Fang’s hesitation, she could not help but urge him to speak.
Juan’Er was staring at Bu Fang with a face filled with expectation. She was truly fond of making egg tarts.
Bu Fang pondered for a moment while lightly drumming the table with his slender fingers. Then, he looked up at Juan’Er and asked, “Why did you make egg tarts after going back home?”
Juan’Er was stunned for a moment and then anxiously replied, “Because I like egg tarts!”
Bu Fang was slightly shocked by her blushing appearance. She did not seem to be faking her expression. She was truly captivated by egg tarts and had completely fallen in love with the dish.
Sometimes, food possessed such a charm that could completely mesmerize a person. Even though it could be their first time tasting a dish, they would still be fascinated by this peculiar charm.
Just like how Juan’Er was captivated by egg tarts.
Bu Fang lightly breathed out and placed the egg tart back on the porcelain plate.
He raised his head and looked at Juan’Er.
“My assessment of your egg tart is very simple.”
Luo Sanniang and the others immediately perked their ears in curiosity.
Bu Fang gave them an indifferent glance and said, “It tastes awful.”
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[1] Dark Cuisine(黑暗料理) – It is used to describe food that looks bad. It originated from the Japanese manga, “Chūka Ichiban!”, but the original meaning had nothing to do with food that tastes bad.
