Chapter Thirty: They Were All Astonished

Upon hearing this, Chen Jun couldn't help but ask, "Father, is that really alright?" Chu Yun sighed inwardly at Chen Jun's naivety and took over, saying, "Listen to your father. I know how you feel about Wang Shuangxi, but whether it's nurturing a relationship or running a hotel, both require step-by-step progress. Otherwise, without surprises to sustain things, neither love nor business will last."

Chen Ping nodded in agreement. "Yun is right. But I have something to add, Jun. You can help the Joyous Restaurant with making buns and steamed bread, but don't share the techniques Yun taught you with others so easily. Do you understand?"

Chen Jun replied, "I understand." Chen Ping snorted, "Louder." Chen Jun then spoke up, "I got it!"

As their conversation drew to a close, the tofu was nearly ready. Chu Yun used a wooden spatula to cut everyone a small piece for tasting. After sampling it, they broke out in praise once again.

Yang Liu'er asked curiously, "Husband, you said tofu can be eaten in many ways. How exactly does one prepare it?"

Li Sanniang and Chen Jun, upon hearing this, looked eagerly to Chu Yun. Chu Yun smiled and answered, "Tofu can be made into homestyle tofu, which is..." He went on to describe many ways to prepare tofu, from homestyle dishes to red tofu and stinky tofu, detailing every stage from fresh to aged and moldy.

Everyone listened in astonishment, as if they had entered a whole new world. Chu Yun's goal was precisely to lead those closest to him into this special world, starting now, letting them gradually accept it and broaden their horizons.

By the time he finished introducing all the different tofu recipes, it was already late. The pungent smell of the oil lamp made him wrinkle his nose, and he couldn't help but think again of lanterns.

Just then, Chen Jun suddenly spoke. "Brother, it's been almost two hours since we kneaded the flour. Is it time to make buns and steamed bread? You and Father both said I should start with buns and steamed bread to help the Joyous Restaurant's business."

Chu Yun pulled himself from his thoughts and said, "Go check if the dough has become as soft as freshly fallen snow."

"Alright!" Chen Jun replied and went to the kitchen.

Li Sanniang couldn't hold back any longer. "Oh, Yun, I meant to ask you something earlier but forgot. I make buns and steamed bread often myself and can get them quite soft, but when they're that soft, they turn out very sour. Will yours be sour?"

Yang Liu'er also looked at Chu Yun, eager for the answer.

Chu Yun laughed, "The dough I've prepared has only rested for two hours, and we're about to steam the buns and bread. How could it be sour?"

Li Sanniang blushed with embarrassment and smiled sheepishly.

Meanwhile, Chen Jun called out excitedly from the kitchen, "So soft! It's really so soft, just like freshly fallen snow. It's amazing!"

Everyone, hearing this, couldn't help but go to the kitchen.

Yang Liu'er looked at the foamy dough and took a bit with her chopsticks, tasting it. Then she turned to Li Sanniang. "Second Aunt, it's not sour at all—really not sour. In fact, it's a little sweet. How miraculous! The dough's so soft and foamy, yet not sour, but even a bit sweet."

Chen Jun, hearing this, remembered that they could indeed make soft buns and bread, but they usually turned out too sour, almost like they were spoiled, so almost nobody made them that way—and that's why he hadn't thought of it earlier. Now, realizing this, and tasting the dough himself, he found it was not sour, only slightly sweet, and grew more excited. "My goodness, it's truly miraculous!"

He turned to Chu Yun. "Brother, what do we do next?"

Chu Yun smiled. "Just make the buns and bread as usual. Try not to knead the dough too tightly, or they won't be as soft."

"Alright!"

Chen Jun responded and started the fire to steam the buns and bread.

But when the water boiled, Li Sanniang asked Chen Jun to step aside, saying she would handle the steaming. Chu Yun quickly intervened. "Second Aunt, let Jun do it himself. Trust that he'll manage. Besides, if he doesn't make the buns and bread himself, how can Miss Shuangxi believe it was his idea?"

Li Sanniang, hearing this, stopped insisting, smiling. "I just couldn't resist, seeing the dough so soft and foamy."

So everyone let Chen Jun work alone. Since they hadn't prepared filling in advance, they only steamed bread.

Chu Yun looked at the soft, bubbly dough, thinking to use some vegetable oil to fry a few dough sticks—after all, soy milk and fried dough sticks are a perfect match.

But considering Chen Jun's innocence and devotion, he decided to wait a few days. If Chen Jun and the others could come up with the idea themselves, so be it.

Soon, the steamed bread was ready.

Enough time had passed since dinner and their earlier tofu tasting. Seeing the soft, fluffy bread in the steamer, everyone wanted to try it, and hunger stirred again. Ignoring the heat, they used chopsticks to pick up pieces and eat.

They couldn't help but exclaim, "Delicious! This is the best steamed bread I've ever tasted. I can't stop eating!"

Chu Yun hadn't intended to eat any—this was ordinary steamed bread to him—but seeing their endless praise and Yang Liu'er constantly offering him bread, he couldn't help but sample some. The taste was indeed better than what he remembered from before his journey, perhaps because the flour was completely natural, or maybe the atmosphere made all the difference.

...

The next day, Chen Jun brought the soft steamed bread to the Joyous Restaurant.

The boy, perhaps becoming a bit more clever thanks to Chu Yun's words, didn't foolishly hand the bread directly to Wang Shuangxi. Instead, he told her he had thought of a way to revive the restaurant.

Wang Shuangxi grew excited and asked what the method was. Chen Jun then brought out the steamed bread. "This is what I came up with."

Wang Shuangxi, however, looked disappointed. "Isn't this just steamed bread? How is that any kind of clever idea?"