pjbooks Chapter 103 Awesome [2-in-1]
Chapter 103 Awesome [2-in-1]
Chapter 103 Awesome [Two-in-One]
"Wow, it looks pretty good. Want to eat crab? I'll have your dad go to the seafood market tonight and pick out a few big ones for you."
Mother Su immediately smiled.
Su Weiwei pouted: "Dad made it? Dad's braised dishes are alright, but Typhoon Shelter style—it's definitely not as good as Boss Wang's! He's got real skills!"
""
His tone carried an unconscious air of protectiveness and certainty.
Hearing this, Su Mingyuan across from him put down his wine glass and deliberately put on a stern face: "Hey, you little brat, you're looking down on your dad's cooking? Back when your dad was in charge of cooking—"
Before she could finish speaking, Su's mother interrupted her: "Alright, alright, why argue with your daughter? Weiwei wants that cafeteria food, can you conjure it up out of the blue?"
Su Weiwei became increasingly unwilling to accept it, and her fingers flew across the keyboard on her phone.
[Su Weiwei]: Boss Wang! The Typhoon Shelter Crab on the forum has completely whetted my appetite! [Crying][Crying] I'm so bored with all the food on the table at home! Will I still be able to eat it when I go back after the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday? Please! Is it a limited-time Mid-Autumn Festival special? [Pitiful.jpg]
My phone vibrated shortly after I sent the message.
[Wang Sheng]: Happy Mid-Autumn Festival! Typhoon Shelter Crab is a Mid-Autumn Festival special, but if you want some, I'll make it! Plenty available anytime!
[ok]Nutritious.jpg
Simple and straightforward.
"If you want to eat it, then I'll make it!"
Seeing the reply on the screen, Su Weiwei's eyes lit up instantly, the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up, her eyebrows curved, and the gloom she felt in front of the table full of delicacies was swept away, and even a faint blush appeared on her cheeks.
She held her phone like it was a precious treasure, muttering softly, "Boss Wang is such a good guy!"
Su Mingyuan and his mother, sitting across the table, took in all of their daughter's changing expressions.
Mrs. Su shook her head helplessly and nudged her husband gently with her elbow.
Su Mingyuan picked up his wine glass and took a sip. His gaze swept over his daughter's suddenly bright and shy face with a complex expression, before finally turning into a barely audible sigh.
Well, my daughter's soul is almost bewitched by that cafeteria window.
Meanwhile, in the arrival hall of Terminal 2 at Nanjing International Airport.
Zhang Wei, a third-year business English major, wore a clean shirt and held up a sign that read "Emily&Lily" as he eagerly waited in the crowd.
He came to pick up a friend he met online.
I originally thought I'd just practice my English communication skills, but I ended up making two good friends and we even made plans to visit China.
The phone screen was lit up, displaying the popular "Typhoon Shelter Crab" post on the Jinling University forum.
Looking at the tempting golden garlic and glistening red crab shells in the picture, he couldn't help but swallow hard, muttering to himself, "Damn, I should have chosen a different time. I'm losing a fortune!"
He swiped the screen and saw a new post on the forum from the account 【07 Little Canteen】:
[Mid-Autumn Festival Special Offer! Thank you for your support!]
This afternoon, I made mooncakes of various flavors by hand!
[Limited quantity, approximately 200 pieces]
[Starting at 17:00 PM, you can collect your free gift at window number 07! (One per person, while supplies last)]
Wishing everyone a happy Mid-Autumn Festival and a joyous family reunion!
Zhang Wei's eyes lit up!
I missed out on the limited-edition stir-fried crab, but I might get the mooncakes!
He saw yesterday that the boss was soliciting mooncake flavors on the forum, with lotus seed paste with salted egg yolk, fresh meat, and molten custard filling being the most popular choices.
An idea immediately popped into his head: once he picked them up, he'd take them to the cafeteria! Eating mooncakes and experiencing the Mid-Autumn Festival atmosphere—perfect!
Soon, two tall figures pushing suitcases appeared at the exit.
A blonde with blue eyes, fair skin, a bright smile, wearing denim shorts and a tank top, full of energy, is none other than Emily.
The other one, with a darker complexion, fine braids, a slightly shy look in her eyes, and wearing loose sportswear, is Lily.
"Zhang!!!"
Emily spotted Zhang Wei from afar, waved excitedly, and ran over, dragging her suitcase. She opened her arms wide for a hearty American hug, exclaiming, "Hello! Zhang! We finally meet!"
you! ) [Said in English]
Zhang Wei smiled and hugged her back: "Welcome to China! Emily, did you have a long journey?"
China! Emily, was the flight OK? )
Emily let go of him, patted her chest dramatically, and said in heavily accented but clearly spoken Chinese, "The flight was very, very long! But I'm fine! Awesome!"
Zhang Wei almost burst out laughing, but he tried his best to hold it in.
These two girls are the best at talking nonsense, even if they don't speak properly.
That's why they say "awesome" all the time.
At this moment, Lily, looking slightly shy, also came over and whispered in English, "Hi, Zhang. Nice to meet you."
"Hi, Zhang. It's nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too, Lily." Zhang Wei gave her a light hug. Lily whispered in Chinese, "Hello, awesome."
This appears to be the "advanced vocabulary" she has mastered most proficiently so far.
The three people pushed their luggage out.
Emily was like a curious child, constantly looking around and wanting to describe everything she saw in Chinese, but her vocabulary was really limited.
Wow! The airport is huge! Awesome!
"Lots of people! Awesome!"
"That light's on! Awesome!"
Zhang Wei was left speechless, only able to nod repeatedly: "Yes, awesome."
On the way to the city center, Zhang Wei briefly introduced today's itinerary: "We'll first drop off your luggage at the hotel, then take you to Xuanwu Lake Park; the scenery is beautiful. Afterwards, we'll take you to our school cafeteria to try our Mid-Autumn Festival specialty, mooncakes!"
"Mooncakes?" Emily's eyes lit up. "I know! They're round! They symbolize reunion! Lily and I saw them on YouTube! Awesome!"
Lily nodded vigorously beside her, adding earnestly in Chinese, "Mooncakes, delicious! Awesome!"
The car arrived at Xuanwu Lake Park.
The afternoon sun of autumn shines on the lake, making it sparkle. Willows sway along the shore, and pavilions and towers dot the landscape.
Emily and Lily were amazed by the typical oriental garden scenery and kept taking pictures with their phones.
"This place is so beautiful! Awesome!" Emily exclaimed to the open lake.
"Pavilion, pretty! Awesome!" Lily pointed to an antique-style pavilion.
"Boat! On water! Awesome!" Emily spotted another boat on the lake.
Zhang Wei acted as a temporary tour guide and narrator, listening to their slightly stiff but enthusiastic, vocabulary-poor but hard-working praise of "awesome," feeling both amused and a little helpless.
These two girls desperately need to expand their Chinese "praise vocabulary".
After strolling in the park for nearly two hours, Zhang Wei checked the time as the sun began to set; it was almost 5 p.m.
"That's about it. It's time to go to our school. The mooncakes will be available for pickup starting at 5:30. If you're late, you might not get any," he reminded them.
"Mooncakes! Let's go! Eat! Awesome!" Emily immediately responded, pulling Lily back. Their anticipation of the food clearly outweighed their interest in the scenery.
The car drove into the campus of Jinling University.
During the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, the campus was much quieter than usual, with only a few students leaving with their suitcases. Zhang Wei drove the rented car directly to the vicinity of the first canteen and parked it.
"This is our school cafeteria. You can pick up your mooncakes at window number 07 on the second floor," Zhang Wei explained, pointing to the cafeteria building.
"The cafeteria? It's huge! Awesome!" Emily exclaimed.
The three of them walked into the first floor of the cafeteria.
Sure enough, most of the windows were dark and deserted, with only a few open, selling simple meals that didn't look very appealing.
Zhang Wei led them directly up to the second floor.
As soon as you step onto the second-floor staircase, a mixture of the sweet aroma of roasted pastries, the unique rich scent of durian, and the warmth of the crowd hits you.
The noisy voices of the crowd were instantly amplified.
The sight before them stunned Emily, Lily, and even Zhang Wei, who was mentally prepared!
The second-floor cafeteria hall was brightly lit. While the rest of the area remained empty and quiet, the area around window number 07 was packed with people!
A winding queue stretched out from the window, around the pillars, and blocked the aisle, all the way to the vicinity of the stairwell!
At first glance, there were at least sixty or seventy people! The sounds of noisy conversations, excited discussions, and the clicking of mobile phones taking pictures were all mixed together.
This doesn't look like a deserted cafeteria during the holidays at all! It's definitely busier than the lunch rush on a regular school day!
"Oh my God!" Emily covered her mouth, her bright blue eyes wide with disbelief. "So many people? Boss Wang—amazing!"
She didn't use the wrong word this time; it was perfectly appropriate for the situation.
Lily was also slightly agape, staring at the throng of people before her, and whispered, "So many people—lining up—amazing!"
Zhang Wei secretly rejoiced that he had been prescient enough to avoid much delay on the way.
"Quick! Follow me into line! Luckily we're not too late!"
He quickly pulled the two still-shocked foreign girls to the back of the line and stood there.
The queue was still slowly growing, and those who arrived later, seeing the long line, could only complain but also helplessly join it.
The students quickly noticed the three conspicuous figures in the group.
Especially the two foreign girls with very different styles: one with blonde hair and fair skin, lively and outgoing, and the other with dark skin and dreadlocks, quiet and curious.
"Look! Foreign friends!"
Wow, there are actually foreigners coming to the cafeteria to get mooncakes?
"You must have come here after reading the forum posts, right?"
"Is that guy Zhang Wei? The one from the Foreign Languages Department, the social butterfly!"
"Boss Wang's mooncakes have become a hit overseas? Amazing!"
"The girl is quite pretty—"
Curious glances came from all directions, mixed with well-meaning comments and chuckles.
Emily felt the attention she was receiving, but instead of being intimidated, she excitedly waved to everyone around her and shouted in her signature loud but not-so-standard Chinese, "Hello everyone!"
Lily shrank shyly behind Zhang Wei, but still imitated Emily, whispering towards the crowd, "Mid-Autumn-Happy!"
This simple greeting immediately sparked a wave of positive responses.
Hello, hello!
Hello! Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!
Welcome!
The students in the group greeted them warmly, and the atmosphere immediately became relaxed and harmonious.
Zhang Wei also breathed a sigh of relief and smiled as he nodded to the classmates he knew.
The line moved forward slowly but steadily. The once empty space on the second floor of the cafeteria was now filled with a festive, bustling atmosphere because of the crowd gathered in front of window number 07.
Zhang Wei noticed that in addition to students like himself who stayed on campus, there were several people who looked like young faculty members in the queue, and even two older men in security guard uniforms were in line behind him. It seems that the charm of Boss Wang's mooncakes is irresistible.
The aroma in the air grew stronger and stronger. The unique, slightly cool, sweet rice fragrance of mooncakes continuously stimulated the taste buds and patience of those in line. Emily kept whispering to Zhang Wei, "Are we almost there? What does it smell like? It smells so good! Awesome!"
Finally, after waiting for nearly forty minutes, Zhang Wei and his two companions reached the window.
Inside the window, Wang Sheng and his mother, Wang Xiulan, were distributing mooncakes in an orderly manner.
Wang Sheng was wearing a clean chef's uniform, with a little sweat on his forehead, but his movements remained steady and efficient.
As he packed the small, delicate snow skin mooncakes into a food bag, he said to Wang Xiulan, "Mom, there are about twenty lotus seed paste and salted egg yolk mooncakes left, the fresh meat mooncakes are almost gone, and the durian snow skin mooncakes are about half gone."
Wang Xiulan responded and deftly handed over the mooncakes: "Here you go, classmate, Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!"
It was Zhang Wei's turn. "Boss! Boss Wang! Happy Mid-Autumn Festival! I brought my friends to collect mooncakes."
Zhang Wei quickly stepped forward to greet them.
Wang Sheng looked up and saw Zhang Wei and the two foreign girls behind him. He nodded and said, "Happy Mid-Autumn Festival! One for each of you, flavors are random, no pick and choose."
"No problem, no problem! Thank you so much!"
Wang Sheng handed over three small food bags. Zhang Wei received the lotus seed paste and salted egg yolk flavored bag.
Emily took a bag and asked Zhang Wei curiously in English, "What flavor is it?"
Before Zhang Wei could answer, Lily received her share, brought it close to her nose to smell, her eyes lit up, and she whispered in Chinese, "Sweet? It smells good."
The three of them, carrying mooncakes, managed to find an empty four-person table in the crowded throng and sat down. The surrounding area was almost full of people, all eagerly unwrapping their mooncakes.
Zhang Wei opened his bag, and inside lay a round Cantonese-style mooncake. The glossy crust was imprinted with delicate patterns, and it exuded the classic sweet and salty aroma of lotus seed paste and salted egg yolk.
Emily opened her bag, inside was a small Suzhou-style fresh meat mooncake.
The layers of flaky pastry, with a slight sheen of oil, exude an enticing aroma of meat and dough after baking.
Lily received a durian mooncake with a snow skin texture.
The snow-white, soft, and chewy snow skin subtly reveals the golden hue of the filling, and the rich aroma of durian fills the air.
"Wow! Mine is different!" Emily exclaimed in surprise as she looked at the mooncakes in her hands, which were completely different from those in her companions' hands.
"Try it!" Zhang Wei gestured.
Emily picked up the still-warm meat mooncake and carefully took a bite.
"Crack!" The flaky pastry shattered, and thin slices fell off. The hot, fragrant meat juices mixed with the flaky pastry instantly filled my mouth.
"Oh—!!!" Emily's eyes widened suddenly, and she uttered a muffled exclamation, "Hot!"
Juicy! Savory! Crunchy outside! — Delicious! Amazing! She excitedly waved her hands and feet, finally managing to swallow it. Looking at the remaining half-mooncake in her hand, her face flushed, she finally uttered what she considered the most powerful Chinese phrase, shouting at the window with all her might: "Boss Wang!!! Awesome!!!"
The two foreigners are already thinking about coming to the cafeteria again tomorrow!