The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 923 - 921 Tofu Skin Buns

Chapter 923: Chapter 921 Tofu Skin Buns

Song Chongjin and Gu Zikai left the restaurant, and after walking quite a distance, Gu Zikai finally spoke in a low voice: "Brother Song, have you met Lord Zhu before? Why do I sense from what he said that he seems to have a prejudice against you?"

Song Chongjin smiled wryly: "We met once before—" He left the rest unsaid.

Gu Zikai did not ask further but patted his shoulder: "But with the words from Imperial Physician Du, I believe Lord Zhu will respect that and won’t trouble you."

Song Chongjin did not argue, saying, "Hopefully so!"

Yet he thought to himself that Zhu Haoran would probably find an opportunity to ask him questions or investigate his background.

But he couldn’t mention these to Gu Zikai, so he changed the topic: "I think the people from Baiyun Academy are strange this time; have you noticed?"

Gu Zikai paused: "What’s strange about them?"

"Logically, a century-old academy, even if it’s now second-tier, still has its heritage. Especially since last autumn they outperformed our Changqing Academy. How come the students this time act so aggressively? So aggressive it seems intentional."

Gu Zikai was taken aback, and after a while said, "Brother Song, you’re right. A century-old academy, no matter how decadent, wouldn’t fall to such a degree. Their behavior from the beginning to the previous provocations seems to constantly convey a message that after last autumn’s success, they’ve become complacent and overconfident."

"Indeed, they’re overly complacent! These actions do not align with Baiyun Academy’s reputation at all! Could it be that Baiyun Academy is deliberately feigning weakness to catch us off guard in this Dragon Boat race? Or do they have other plans?" Song Chongjin said this to Gu Zikai to remind Changqing Academy.

He knew that Gu Zikai had an extraordinary relationship with Changqing Academy, and this reminder coming from Gu Zikai would command more attention from the head of Changqing Academy.

In any case, as a student of Changqing Academy now, he had to uphold the academy’s reputation and status.

The two exchanged a few more words and reached the door.

Gu Zikai, with matters on his mind, did not say much and took his leave.

Instead of going home, he turned around and headed towards the academy. fre ewebnove l.com

Song Chongjin felt relieved and entered the door.

Wang Yongzhu and Old Granny Zhang had already had dinner and were chatting in the courtyard, waiting for Song Chongjin to return.

Seeing him return, Old Granny Zhang hurriedly asked if he’d had enough to eat.

Song Chongjin touched his stomach, honestly not having eaten his fill. Though he wanted to learn from Imperial Physician Du, as a student of Changqing Academy, he had to consider the academy’s reputation, so he only casually ate two bites, and thus his stomach was still empty.

Therefore, he nodded honestly, "I haven’t eaten enough."

In concern, Old Granny Zhang asked Old Madam Ding to cook a bowl of noodle soup with egg and noticed the food box in Song Chongjin’s hand: "What’s this?"

Song Chongjin excitedly placed the food box on the table, taking out a dish of tofu skin buns still steaming: "Today at the restaurant I had these tofu skin buns, filled with vegetables, quite tasty. I specifically asked the kitchen to prepare a portion to bring home for mother and Yongzhu to try."

Old Granny Zhang beamed with a smile, yet still scolded: "You child, really! Haven’t even filled your own stomach, and you’re worrying about us? If it’s truly good, then when there’s time tomorrow, we can all go to eat together, why bring it back now, isn’t it ridiculous for people to see?"

Old Granny Wu, perceptive, had already brought clean bowls and chopsticks from the kitchen.

Song Chongjin personally picked one for Old Granny Zhang: "Mother, have a taste! If it’s good, I’ll bring you and Yongzhu to the restaurant to eat next time."

Old Granny Zhang, smiling, picked up a bun while reminding: "Give one to Zhuzhu as well, such good stuff, us old folks eating it is wasting it, let my daughter have more, you too eat."

Song Chongjin picked one for Wang Yongzhu: "Yongzhu, try it quickly, see if it suits your taste."

Wang Yongzhu took a bite, the filling inside the tofu skin buns was chopped mushrooms, black fungus, greens, and several fresh mountain fungi with an indescribable flavor. Upon biting, the juice oozed out, so fresh and aromatic one might swallow their tongue.

Somehow, not knowing how the chef prepared it, only the delicious taste of the fungi and the crispness of the greens remained, the broth neither oily nor greasy, indeed tasty.

Even though Wang Yongzhu had just eaten dinner not long ago, he couldn’t resist having two more.

Old Granny Zhang, eating while exclaiming: "Me, this old lady, blessed by my daughter and son-in-law, slowly enjoying what I’ve never had in half a lifetime. I had never even heard of tofu skin buns before. Speaking of food, city folks do know how to ponder over it; who thought tofu skin could be used to make buns? The filling is well-mixed, exceptionally fresh!"

One dish of buns was not a lot, with Wang Yongzhu and Old Granny Zhang each eating two, and Song Chongjin having one; there were only a few left. View the correct content at f|ree(w)ebn\o.vel.co(m)

Old Granny Zhang, seeing Wang Yongzhu love them, was tempted.

Right then, Old Madam Ding prepared a large bowl of noodle soup with egg, adorned with golden fried eggs on top, bright green vegetables underneath, sprinkled with chopped cilantro, accompanied by a side dish of mountain fungi sauce, emitting an irresistible aroma.

Song Chongjin, a big man, had little interest in these tofu skin buns that didn’t fill the stomach.

Seeing the noodles up, he mixed all the sauce into the noodle bowl and happily ate away.

Old Granny Zhang came up with an idea, pointing at the three remaining tofu skin buns on the table: "You three try them, Sister-in-law Ding, taste one and see if we can make this ourselves?"

Old Madam Ding noticed, "Aren’t these Chunxi Tower’s tofu skin buns? Their chef is famous for them; I heard in my previous employer’s household that an out-of-town restaurant offered over a hundred taels of silver for the recipe, but the chef didn’t sell."

"Old lady, I can only say I’ll try my best—" Old Madam Ding displayed a troubled expression.

Old Granny Zhang smacked her lips: "I tasted mushrooms, black fungus, greens, and chicken fungi inside, along with two others I’m not sure about. We’ll try tomorrow; with fresh mountain fungi abundant now, it surely won’t taste inferior to these buns."

Old Madam Ding agreed and took the buns down, sharing them with Old Granny Wu and Gu Yu.

Except for Gu Yu, they had all heard of tofu skin buns but unfortunately, the buns were not only expensive, but also difficult for common folks to purchase.

Now holding them, they were reluctant to eat.

Gu Yu hadn’t heard of it, but the fragrant aroma tempted her, unable to resist; she bit one whole and devoured it, unwilling to even lick clean the oil on her fingers, still eyeing the buns in Old Madam Ding and Old Granny Wu’s hands.

Old Madam Ding and Old Granny Wu glanced at Gu Yu’s eager eyes and quickly stuffed the buns into their mouths, unable to speak for a while.