Chapter 312: The Grass Is Greener on the Other Side
"Two Mo Wu Tuan, please!"
Finally, it was Zhou Long's turn in the long queue for Mo Wu Tuan. His eyes lit up, feeling an urgent need to make up for missing out yesterday.
At last, he could finally taste what this Mo Wu Tuan really tasted like.
I, Zhou Long, am looking forward to this!
"I'll just have one for now."
Although Tang Zi had been smelling this oddly pungent aroma for a while and had built up some resistance, he still didn't dare to eat too much at once. After some consideration, he decided to start with one to try it out.
"Please wait a moment, both of you."
After collecting their payment, Ye Lingqing got busy once again.
…
"Is this the place?"
Standing at the entrance of a narrow alleyway, Fu Ya glanced inside at the flickering silhouettes within and turned to look at Ying Shuang beside her.
"Relax! I've been to the food street way more times than you. Trust me!" Ying Shuang grinned before glancing around. "But why are the others so slow?"
"You're just too impatient and insisted on coming early," Fu Ya said, pinching Ying Shuang's soft cheek with a hint of exasperation.
"I'm just curious, okay~"
Ying Shuang clung to Fu Ya's arm, rubbing against it while using a sweet, coquettish tone to act cute. The gesture sent a shiver down Fu Ya's spine, giving her goosebumps.
"Speak properly!"
"Oh~"
Fu Ya gently patted Ying Shuang on the head. Suddenly, her eyes lit up. "Look! They're here!"
Huh?
Following Fu Ya's pointing finger, Ying Shuang quickly spotted a few familiar figures approaching.
Trying out Mo Wu Tuan this afternoon was something all seven employees of their restaurant had planned in advance.
Since Qi Han personally recommended this dish, the other customers had already been curious. As for the employees who worked with Qi Han every day? Even more so.
Because they knew Qi Han's personality well, they found it even more unbelievable.
The boss actually recommended a dish to customers?
When the sign was put up yesterday afternoon, they had wanted to come right away.
But with the restaurant about to open for business, they had to wait until after closing time. Unfortunately, by then, Ye Lingqing had already sold out of Mo Wu Tuan.
And since he hadn't set up his stall in the morning, they had no choice but to plan for an afternoon visit.
Coincidentally, none of the seven disliked Exploding Honey Badger Intestines. Even though Fu Ya initially resisted the idea, she eventually caved and admitted it was delicious.
So, since Mo Wu Tuan was supposedly similar, they figured they would probably like it too.
"There are quite a lot of people."
Now that everyone had arrived, they entered the alley together. Seeing the long queue inside, all seven of them looked a little surprised.
Most of the people in line were regular customers of Han Shi, their restaurant.
For example, at the very end of the queue stood Darn.
After yesterday's unexpected but delightful experience, he couldn't resist sneaking over again today, driven by his foodie instincts.
Noticing movement behind him, Darn turned around, his face showing surprise. "Fu Ya? You're all here?"
Led by Fu Ya, the seven employees of Han Shi lined up behind Darn.
"Mr. Darn."
Fu Ya nodded at him before curiously peering deeper into the alley.
They were still near the entrance, so the distinct aroma of Mo Wu Tuan had yet to reach them.
However, seeing such a long line only made them more eager to try it.
Fortunately, the queue moved at a steady pace. Although there weren't many seats at Ye Lingqing's stall, many people chose to take their food to go, so the line kept advancing at a reasonable speed.
As the group finally stepped deeper into the alley, the distinctive scent of Mo Wu Tuan reached them.
Fu Ya's expression suddenly changed—she looked stunned.
This smell…
It seemed even stranger than Exploding Honey Badger Intestines.
Ying Shuang, on the other hand, looked completely unfazed. In fact, as she took in the distinct aroma lingering in the air, she became even more eager to try it.
This smell is so unique—it must be delicious!
Ji Yunruo and Ping Xinyan exchanged a glance, both wearing slightly helpless expressions.
Even though they had already gotten used to the peculiar scent of Exploding Honey Badger Intestines, this smell was still a bit hard to accept.
"Sis... what do you think?"
At the back of the line, Qin Yue sniffed the air and turned to her sister, Qin Yao, with a complicated expression.
"It's... okay, I guess?"
Qin Yao tried to keep her face composed, but the slight tremble in her hands betrayed her inner turmoil.
Behind them, Keke's face was filled with a hint of fear as he inhaled the strange aroma.
Due to his martial spirit, his olfactory perception was exceptionally sharp.
This stench was horrifying.
For a brief moment, Keke had the urge to turn around and leave. But when he looked at Qin Yue standing in front of him, his feet remained firmly planted on the ground.
I'll just take this as accompanying Sister Qin Yue for a taste.
He silently reassured himself.
<+>
"Little brother, another serving of Mo Wu Tuan!"
Sitting at one of the stall's few seats, Tang Zi raised his hand to signal Ye Lingqing for another portion. Staring at his now-empty bowl, he looked clearly unsatisfied.
This Mo Wu Tuan was even more delicious than he had imagined.
The dark, brined exterior had puffed up slightly in the hot oil, becoming crispy and firm. Meanwhile, the soybean-based interior, shielded from direct heat, remained soft and tender.
Since Mo Wu Tuan was naturally porous like tofu, as soon as the crispy shell cracked open, the soup seeped in instantly, merging with the soft interior.
Using his chopsticks, he picked up a piece, combining the crispy outer shell with the delicate inside, and popped it into his mouth. The overwhelming, pungent aroma became even more pronounced, yet as he chewed, the strong scent transformed into an addictive, rich umami flavor. It made him want to take another bite immediately.
As he continued chewing, the deep, pure taste of soybeans unfolded, making Tang Zi's expression turn blissful.
This was truly a rare delicacy—no wonder Boss Qi had recommended it.
"Haha, I knew one serving wouldn't be enough. Good thing I was smart enough to order two," Zhou Long boasted with a smug grin, leisurely savoring his second portion.
Mmm~~ so good.
As he slowly indulged in the dish, appreciating the intensifying richness of the soy flavor, even the initially overpowering aroma of Mo Wu Tuan seemed to turn into something pleasant.
This dish was truly fascinating.
Completely absorbed in his meal, Zhou Long failed to notice a pair of chopsticks subtly reaching toward his portion.
Crunch
A crisp sound snapped Zhou Long out of his daze. He looked up, stunned, only to see Tang Zi slowly retracting his chopsticks—with a sizable piece of crispy shell and tender filling attached.
"Mmm~"
Tang Zi savored the bite, a look of deep satisfaction appearing on his face.
Delicious. Mo Wu Tuan was indeed a masterpiece.
For some reason, it tasted even better knowing it belonged to Zhou Long.
At that moment, Tang Zi suddenly understood why his martial uncle always enjoyed stealing food from other people's plates.
The grass is greener on the other side.
Food from someone else's plate always tastes better.
It made perfect sense.
Zhou Long stared at his Mo Wu Tuan, now missing a chunk, and fell into deep thought.
Didn't Tang Zi forget something?
The Hall Master of the Power Hall could steal his food because he was far stronger—Zhou Long couldn't fight back.
But Tang Zi…
Tang Zi's spirit power level was two ranks lower than his.
Zhou Long's expression slowly twisted as he turned to glare at Tang Zi, his eyes carrying a murderous glint.
How dare you?!
He made up his mind—once they got back, he was going to beat Tang Zi up.
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