Chapter 3: Welcome, Police Uncle

Liu Bating carefully carried the bowl to the table, set it down, adjusted the position of the small stool, and then sat down.

A gentle breeze blew by, and the aroma of the wonton once again wafted over. Picking up the spoon, Liu Bating eagerly scooped up one of the large wontons and took a bite.

The freshly cooked wonton was still a bit hot, and the warmth could be felt with each bite. As she bit into it, a small amount of broth from the filling oozed out, carrying the unique fragrance of seasoned and cooked fresh meat. In an instant, her mouth was filled with the savory flavor of the wonton.

With each chew, Liu Bating felt the meat filling bounce against her teeth. The wonton wrapper was thin and smooth, perfectly complementing the meat filling.

Unable to resist, she took a few more bites, occasionally encountering a small piece of seaweed. The occasional dried shrimp elevated the umami flavor to another level, seamlessly integrated without any sense of abruptness. It was like an adventure, with each bite bringing new surprises.

Although the freshly cooked wonton was still quite hot, Liu Bating couldn’t help but eat a few more, muttering “hot” under her breath while still eagerly putting them into her mouth.

In fact, the moment she took the first bite, she could tell that the pork in the filling was absolutely fresh. It had the perfect balance of lean and fatty meat, neither too greasy from excess fat nor too dry and bland from too much lean meat. Everything was just right.

Moreover, based on the springy texture, Liu Bating was certain that the owner had stirred the meat filling in the same direction. Otherwise, the filling would have fallen apart when cooked, and it wouldn’t have had this dreamy, unforgettable texture.

Holding the small spoon, after eating several wontons, Liu Bating picked up the bowl and took a small sip of the broth.

The broth was truly fragrant and savory. Although it wasn’t made from chicken stock, it also didn’t rely on any pre-made soup bases to fake the flavor. With just a few simple ingredients, the taste was unforgettable. She was certain that this level of skill wasn’t something that could be achieved overnight—it would take at least three or four years of practice.

Although there was still a chill in the air, after eating several large wontons, Liu Bating felt warm and cozy. Eating something hot in late autumn always brought a sense of immense happiness.

“Boss, your wonton is really delicious!”

Putting down the bowl, Liu Bating called out to Lou Yuanzhou, who was still in the food truck. After all, having eaten such delicious wonton, it was only right to give praise. It was a sign of respect for the food and for the person who made it.

“Thank you for the compliment!”

Hearing the praise, Lou Yuanzhou felt a surge of joy. For someone who cooks, being told that their food is “delicious” is the highest form of praise. He had occasionally cooked simple dishes at home before, and the feeling of being complimented was truly wonderful.

After calling out, Liu Bating was about to continue eating the wonton when the aroma of baked cake wafted over. Clearly, the baked cake was almost ready.

“The baked cake will be ready soon.”

Watching the satisfied expression on the face of his first customer, Lou Yuanzhou felt even more confident about completing his task. It was as if he could already see a beautifully decorated shop beckoning to him.

He found a pair of chopsticks, poured a small bowl of water from a mineral water bottle, and set it aside. Then, he took out the previously prepared wonton wrappers from a small cabinet nearby and placed the already mixed meat filling, which was covered with plastic wrap, on the table in the cart. He was ready to continue wrapping wontons while there were still few customers around.

At that moment, the electric oven timely emitted a “ding” sound, signaling that the hollow baked cakes were ready to be taken out.

Liu Bating, who had been fully engrossed in eating her wontons, naturally heard the sound. She looked up, sniffed the air, and was greeted by the aroma of freshly baked wheat from the baked cakes. It was a simple yet pure fragrance, unaccompanied by any unnecessary scents.

Lou Yuanzhou used stainless steel tongs to take out more than a dozen baked cakes from the oven and placed them in a prepared basket. He then picked up one that had turned golden and crispy, put it in a special bag, and walked over to Liu Bating, handing it to her.

“Be careful, it’s still hot.”

“Don’t worry, boss!”

After finishing her wontons, Liu Bating had been eagerly anticipating what surprise the baked cake would bring. Now that the freshly baked cake was right in front of her, she was naturally delighted.

Opening the plastic bag, she was greeted by a golden color, and the aroma that followed even overpowered the scent of the wontons. Waves of heat accompanied the fragrance.

The entire baked cake was puffed up, clearly hollow in the middle, just like its name suggested. Liu Bating had never eaten this kind of hollow baked cake before, only seen it in various videos. It was said that wrapping it required some skill, or else the cake might not puff up properly.

Liu Bating squeezed the cake through the bag, and the crispy surface crumbled into several large pieces, though the inside remained connected to the surrounding parts.

Without hesitation, Liu Bating reached for a piece of the golden, crispy crust. Although it was still a bit hot, what did it matter if it meant she could take a bite?

As she put the crispy crust into her mouth, the texture immediately won her over. She loved this kind of crispy baked cake the most. Besides the visual delight, the sound of biting into it seemed to soothe her soul, filling her with happiness with every bite.

“Boss, your baked cake is so delicious too! One yuan each is such a steal! The wontons are amazing as well!”

Not holding back her praise, Liu Bating raised the baked cake and took another bite. The collision of her teeth with the crispy crust seemed to play a hymn dedicated to the delicious food, with the lyrics simply repeating “delicious” in an endless loop.

Liu Bating’s voice was loud, and although the street wasn’t crowded yet, a few passersby turned their heads.

Most of them had just bought breakfast on the other side of the street. The bright red food cart was already eye-catching, especially parked in front of the blue-themed police station, and the sudden praise made it impossible not to notice.

“Boss, when you open your shop, you must let me know. I’ll definitely come to support you!”

Having finished all the wontons, Liu Bating stood up, still holding the half-eaten baked cake in her hand as she continued to take bites. Lou Yuanzhou noticed that she had even finished the soup, leaving the disposable bowl spotless, with not a trace of seaweed or scallions remaining. She was truly a model of food conservation.

“Great, great, thank you!”

Seeing that the first customer seemed likely to return, Lou Yuanzhou quickly responded. At the same time, he noticed that the system’s virtual panel had updated the progress of the current task.

[Current Task: In Progress]

[Customer Satisfaction Points: 1/150]

[Returning Customers: 0/80]

[Specific Returning Customers (Police): 0/8]

They say the hardest part is going from zero to one. Lou Yuanzhou pursed his lips, thinking that a good start is half the battle. He was now quite confident in his abilities. As long as people came to eat, he was sure he wouldn’t have to worry about a lack of returning customers.

“Boss, I’ll be back tomorrow!”

Liu Bating waved her hand while still munching on the baked cake, then patted her stomach. Normally, she couldn’t eat this much, but even though she hadn’t finished the baked cake, her rational mind told her she was full. However, the glutton in her stomach insisted it wasn’t enough.

“Looking forward to your continued patronage~”

Lou Yuanzhou waved back in response, but as he turned his head, he noticed someone standing by the food truck. Upon closer inspection, the person was wearing a police uniform. Could this be the opportunity for the extra task?

“Welcome, Police Uncle! How about a bowl of wontons?”

Overjoyed, Lou Yuanzhou blurted out the words without thinking, only to realize that the officer seemed somewhat listless.