Chapter 176
Jian Yunlan lifted the lid of the stew pot, and an intense aroma of braised meat burst forth with the rising steam.
Using chopsticks, he carefully fished out the tender pork belly, placing it on the cutting board. The soy-infused meat wobbled enticingly, juices dripping decadently—so fragrant and piping hot it could hypnotize anyone who laid eyes on it!
…Hu Qianye had never been particular about food.
His living conditions spoke for themselves—going days without lighting his stove, eating merely to survive. If he got desperate enough, he could even chew on tree bark outside.
To him, delicacies were no different from plain fare—just fuel to fill his stomach.
With more pressing matters on his mind, he’d never wasted time on meals.
He’d always scoffed at the gourmands in the city who’d go to absurd lengths for a bite of good food.
What’s the difference between tasty and bland? It’s all just food.
Yet now, standing before Jian Yunlan’s stove, for the first time in his life—
“Grrrroooowl!”
Hu Qianye’s stomach roared loudly. He couldn’t help but swallow hard.
But the more he swallowed, the more acutely he felt the gnawing emptiness in his belly.
“…”
Over at the cutting board, Jian Yunlan gently pressed the pork belly with the back of his knife. The fully braised meat was incredibly tender—even the fatty parts, glistening like jelly, rich but not greasy—yielding effortlessly under the pressure, releasing a mouthwatering sheen of juices.
Jian Yunlan then finely chopped the meat with some green peppers, drizzled a small ladle of sauce over it, and stuffed the mixture generously into the sliced flatbread.
A freshly made roujiamo was born!
Suddenly, a suspicious sound reached his ears.
“Drip… drip… drip…”
Jian Yunlan: “?”
Following the sound, he saw Hu Qianye standing by the stove, eyes gleaming with undisguised hunger, staring fixedly at the roujiamo.
The drip-drip sound was actually drool trickling from the corner of Hu Qianye’s mouth!
Jian Yunlan couldn’t help but laugh. “Mr. Hu, this roujiamo is for you. Go ahead and eat!”
At this, Hu Qianye wiped his drool and hesitated. “I… I can really eat it? I didn’t do anything to deserve this…”
“Go ahead, there’s plenty of ingredients.”
The God of Cookery System had provided enough supplies to make at least twenty roujiamo. Hu Qianye eating one wouldn’t make a dent. Besides, he’d saved Jian Yunlan’s life—without his help, Jian Yunlan would probably be sitting in jail right now.
Seeing Jian Yunlan’s insistence, Hu Qianye stopped refusing. He was already drooling uncontrollably anyway.
“Then… then I won’t stand on ceremony!”
With trembling hands, he took the roujiamo from Jian Yunlan.
The key steps to making roujiamo were stewing the meat and kneading the dough for the flatbread. With both components ready, and Jian Yunlan himself starving, he quickly assembled another one for himself and started eating.
Meanwhile, Hu Qianye didn’t hesitate for a second—the moment he got his hands on the roujiamo, he shoved it into his mouth and took a big bite—
“Mmph…!”
The first bite sent his eyes widening in shock.
…This was… unbelievably delicious!
The golden-brown flatbread was even crispier than he’d imagined, piping hot and fragrant with the oil it had been fried in. Despite its crispy exterior, the inside was chewy and pleasantly doughy, soaked through with the rich juices of the pork belly—every bite was pure satisfaction.
With just a slight press of his teeth, he broke through the crispy shell and reached the generous filling.
The marbled pork belly had been braised to perfection—savory, juicy, and infused with the deep flavors of the master stock. It practically melted in his mouth, the rich sauce and meaty juices flooding his taste buds so gloriously he could’ve swallowed his own tongue!
One bite was all it took to completely conquer Hu Qianye.
“Jian—” Hu Qianye racked his brain but couldn’t think of an appropriate title, so he blurted out, “Master Jian, your skills are absolutely divine. After tasting this, no heavenly delicacy could ever compare!”
Jian Yunlan, having traveled far and wide with his culinary prowess, was used to such praise and accepted it without false modesty.
Besides, he also thought this batch of roujiamo was particularly good.
As a chef, Jian Yunlan never lacked for delicious food, so he ate with some restraint.
Hu Qianye, however, was a different story.
Clutching the roujiamo, he devoured it in huge, ravenous bites, his face flushed red with sheer bliss—as if he’d never experienced such happiness in his entire life.
—The chewy flatbread and juicy meat filling, a perfect balance of carbs and protein, the crumbly yet soft shell tightly hugging the fragrant braised meat… Though rich, the addition of chopped green peppers cut through the heaviness with a refreshing, spicy kick, making it irresistibly addictive.
Hu Qianye took bite after bite, polishing off the entire roujiamo in no time!
While the two were lost in culinary euphoria…
No one noticed the rich aroma of the roujiamo escaping through the broken windows of Hu Qianye’s hut, flooding the entire street…
“……”
It was midday.
Every household had their stoves fired up for lunch, and the street was bustling with food stalls. Hawkers shouted their wares, and long lines formed in front of popular vendors. The air was thick with the mingled scents of various dishes—until the overpowering aroma of roujiamo suddenly swept through on the breeze.
—Even on Dongyun Street, where food smells were everywhere, the roujiamo’s fragrance stood out boldly, dominantly. The meaty richness of the braised pork and the oily warmth of the freshly fried flatbread blended into a scent so distinctive it drowned out all other aromas in an instant!
The entire street froze.
Many eateries on the street skimped on ingredients—often stuffing a large flatbread with only a meager amount of meat. Few dishes carried such an intense, luxurious meatiness. The roujiamo’s aroma was uniquely tantalizing, making mouths water just from the smell.
People exchanged glances, murmuring among themselves:
“Whose stall is this from? It smells incredible…”
“The braised meat smells so rich—how much meat did they even use? They must’ve spared no expense!”
“I want to try it so badly!”
One little girl plopped onto the ground, clutching her mother’s skirt and wailing: “Mama! Mama! I want roujiamo!!!”
Her cries resonated with half the children on the street.
Adults could still restrain themselves—even if they were drooling, they’d at most ask around discreetly. But children? Whether they’d eaten or not, the scent of roujiamo made their stomachs growl in unison, loud enough to shake the heavens.
In no time, the street was filled with children’s loud pleas:
“I want roujiamo too!”
“Dad! Mom! I’m so hungry! Please, I wanna eat it!”
“Waaahhh! So hungry! So hungry!”
Parents were at a loss.
It wasn’t just the kids—they were starving too!
Even in the most famous restaurant on Dongyun Street, Bright Moon Pavilion, the young masters enjoying their banquet frowned at the noise. “Why are these children suddenly crying?”
The manager rushed to close the windows—but it was already too late.
Along with the cries, the rich aroma of the roujiamo wafted in through the windows of the restaurant.
Inside the restaurant, the plump young master Li Fugui, surrounded by servants, had been happily gnawing on a glistening chicken leg.
But the moment the scent of the roujiamo hit him, Li Fugui froze mid-bite.
Compared to that aroma, the lavish spread of meat and fish before him suddenly seemed utterly bland!
“Tomorrow is the Ten Thousand Spirits Sect’s grand selection—I must eat my fill to prepare,” Li Fugui muttered, wiping his drool.
“No matter which eatery this is from—” He tossed a few taels of silver into his servant’s hands. “Go out and find it immediately! Whoever locates it will be handsomely rewarded!”
The same scene played out in countless corners of Dongyun Street.
Even the officers who had been chasing Jian Yunlan earlier, now sitting atop their horses, grew restless. The intoxicating aroma nearly made them forget their mission entirely.
Two mounted officers, distracted, collided head-on.
“Ow! You blind or something?!”
“You’re one to talk! You’re drooling like a damn fool—”
The argument quickly escalated into a shoving match!
Thus, Dongyun Street descended into chaos—wailing children, exasperated parents, brawling officers, and people frantically searching for the source of the smell.
…Meanwhile, the culprit behind all this commotion, Jian Yunlan himself, remained blissfully unaware, sitting in Hu Qianye’s hut, munching on his roujiamo.
He needed to eat quickly, regain his energy, and continue his search for Lord Taotie.
Hu Qianye’s hut was located on the outskirts of Dongyun Street, far from the bustling center. The sparse houses had tightly shut doors, their occupants wary of intruders, so no one nearby had yet noticed the anomaly.
But Hu Qianye caught on swiftly.
…By now, he had already devoured five whole roujiamo. Though he longed for more, his stomach was stretched to its limit.
When the distant cries of children reached his ears, Hu Qianye’s expression sharpened. He immediately understood the situation.
If a crowd followed the scent to his hut, things could get messy.
Without hesitation, he focused his energy, forming a series of hand seals.
An invisible barrier swiftly unfurled, enveloping the entire hut like a curtain. Instantly, all sound, light, and scent were sealed within, unable to escape.
Jian Yunlan watched curiously but hesitated to ask.
Hu Qianye saw the unspoken question and smiled faintly—but instead of explaining, he asked, “Brother Jian, you’re not from this world, are you?”
Jian Yunlan saw no reason to hide it. “I came here to find someone.”
“Earlier on the street, I heard you mention… Lord Taotie?”
At the name, Jian Yunlan’s eyes lit up.
“You know him? Do you have any leads?”
