pjbooks Chapter 99 Sweet and Salty Mooncakes
Chapter 99 Sweet and Salty Mooncakes
Chapter 99 Sweet and Salty Mooncakes
Without a doubt!
The next day, Li Ming made a special trip to accompany his parents to the cafeteria.
This time, he didn't ask his father to make a takeout reservation; since the whole family was there, they would dine in.
Grandpa Li couldn't resist his son's insistence, and he was actually happy to show off, while Aunt Zhang was a little worried that too many people would ruin the good stuff.
The queue at window number 05 was still very long and energetic.
The three of them waited in line for about twenty minutes before it was finally their turn.
Dongpo pork, garlic shrimp, stir-fried seasonal vegetables, plus three bowls of rice.
These are all popular options on the reservation menu.
The plate was placed on the small square table by the window.
The Dongpo pork lay trembling in the dark sauce, the fatty parts glistening and translucent like fine amber;
The garlic shrimp are distinctly red and white, with plump and bouncy shrimp meat, and the garlic is stir-fried until golden and fragrant.
The seasonal vegetables were bright green and glossy, simply garnished with a few cloves of white garlic.
Steam rose, carrying the rich aroma of meat, the sweet scent of shrimp, and the refreshing fragrance of vegetables, drawing frequent glances from those at the next table. Li Ming first placed a piece of Dongpo pork on each of his parents' plates. Grandpa Li eagerly took a bite; the lean meat was tender and succulent, the fat melted in his mouth, the sauce was rich yet didn't overpower the natural flavor of the meat, and a warm, sweet taste spread in his mouth. He squinted his eyes in satisfaction: "Look! This is exactly the taste! It's even better than the one I reheated yesterday!"
Aunt Zhang ate more elegantly, savoring the garlic shrimp.
The shrimp meat was fresh and springy, the garlic aroma was rich but not overpowering, with a hint of char and just the right amount of oiliness. She couldn't help but nod: "Yes, it's good. The shrimp meat isn't mushy at all, and the garlic is cooked perfectly, fragrant but not bitter."
Li Ming tasted the stir-fried vegetables himself. The greens were crisp and refreshing, with a strong wok hei (wok aroma). They were seasoned with only simple salt and garlic, which brought out the natural sweetness of the vegetables.
He took a bite of rice; each grain was distinct, soft yet firm, a perfect complement to the meat juices.
His taste buds were completely won over by the simple yet exquisitely precise home-style flavor. He recalled his father's words from yesterday and was now filled with admiration: "Dad, you have a really good eye this time! This Boss Wang's cooking skills are truly hidden gems in the city!"
Grandpa Li snorted smugly, "Need you even ask? This old man has tasted the salt—"
Before he could finish speaking, his attention was drawn to a small commotion nearby.
At the next table sat a sophomore girl wearing a beige cardigan, munching on Dongpo pork rice. A small, orange ball of fluff silently drifted over to her feet.
It was a gold ingot.
Yuanbao was clearly very interested in the glistening and tempting piece of Dongpo pork on the girl's plate.
Instead of jumping directly onto the table as usual (which Wang Sheng had explicitly forbidden), it chose a roundabout tactic.
Yuanbao gently rubbed its round head against the girl's leg, letting out a long, heart-melting purr: "Meow~~~"
Its large, amber eyes gazed up at the girl with watery eyes, and the tip of its tail tugged at her trouser leg in a flattering manner.
The girl looked down and her heart melted instantly.
"Oh, Lord Yuanbao!"
She clearly recognized the cafeteria's star cat and was amused by its unusually affectionate behavior. "Hungry?"
She carefully used the tip of her chopsticks to pick off a tiny piece of lean meat without any sauce, then squatted down and offered it to Yuanbao's mouth.
Yuanbao swallowed it without hesitation, curling his tongue around in the air, and then—
Its fluffy orange tail was wagging happily and vigorously from side to side, just like a puppy!
The frequency was so fast it created a breeze, and its chubby body swayed slightly. The expression on its face clearly said, "Delicious! More!"
The contrast is striking!
A fat orange cat wags its tail, begging for meat.
The students at the next few tables couldn't help but chuckle, and some quickly took out their phones to take pictures.
Li Ming and his family of three could see it all clearly. Grandpa Li was taken aback at first, then burst out laughing, pointing at Yuanbao and saying to Li Ming, "Hey, look at this cat spirit! It's even better at begging for food than a dog!"
Aunt Zhang couldn't help but laugh, covering her mouth and saying, "Oh my, this cat wagging its tail is so funny! It seems it really wants Boss Wang's meat."
Li Ming chuckled and shook his head: "This cat's become a spirit. But no wonder, who wouldn't be tempted by the smell of this meat?"
Looking at Yuanbao, who was eating with a satisfied expression and whose tail was still wagging, he felt that the lively atmosphere of the canteen had been enhanced with a touch of freshness and charm.
The meal was enjoyed by everyone. While eating, Li Ming gently reminded his parents, "Dad, Mom, this food is delicious, but it's heavily seasoned, with plenty of oil, salt, and sugar. You're getting old, so it's fine to come over occasionally to satisfy your cravings, but you should eat lighter meals at home most of the time. Your health is the most important thing."
With his mouth full of shrimp, Grandpa Li mumbled, "I know, I know, stop nagging!"
But her eyes held a smile. Aunt Zhang nodded, "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. You can't eat good things every day, but this taste is just so memorable."
0000
And time passes.
The calendar flipped through the pages quickly, and before we knew it, it was the day before the Mid-Autumn Festival.
The festive atmosphere on campus gradually intensified, with red lanterns being hung up and holiday posters being displayed on bulletin boards.
But at the same time, a sense of desolation, as if the place were deserted, began to permeate the air.
School is going to be closed for the holidays.
About 30% of the students who didn't have afternoon classes had already left, their figures hurrying through the campus with their suitcases. Many of the dormitory lights had been turned off.
The usually bustling lunch rush in the cafeteria was much quieter, with many stalls even closing early.
Standing at window number 07, Wang Sheng looked at the noticeably shorter queue and the mostly empty cafeteria hall, and knew clearly:
The real empty nest period is coming.
The Mid-Autumn Festival is a time for family reunion. Students who stay behind either live too far away to go back, have too much academic work to attend to, or simply want some peace and quiet.
For canteen stalls, this is usually the slowest time of day, and many stalls simply close down.
But Wang Sheng wasn't under much pressure; if there were fewer people, he could just do less.
He leaned against the control panel, his consciousness sinking into the system's popular online store.
Festivals are also a good time to create something special.
"Mid-Autumn Festival specialties—" He browsed through the dazzling array of categories.
Mooncakes are naturally the absolute star, symbolizing "reunion," and their rich fillings signify a happy life. But when Wang Sheng's eyes swept over the wide variety of mooncake options, his fingers paused.
There are just too many kinds:
Cantonese-style mooncakes: thin crust, generous filling, oily and sweet. The store offers classic lotus seed paste with salted egg yolk, delicate red bean paste, and substantial mixed nuts.
Suzhou-style mooncakes are characterized by their flaky layers and a combination of sweet and savory flavors, such as fresh meat mooncakes and pepper-salt mooncakes.
Beijing-style mooncakes: characterized by a hard crust, rock sugar, and candied fruit peel, with a traditional and rich flavor.
Chaozhou-style mooncakes: They also have a flaky crust, but the fillings are mostly vegetarian fillings such as mung bean paste and taro paste, which are sweet and not greasy.
Yunnan-style mooncakes: Represented by Yunnan ham mooncakes, characterized by their sweet and savory ham filling.
The variety is even more diverse when categorized by fillings: sweet ones include lotus seed paste, red bean paste, jujube paste, and fruit; savory ones include fresh meat and ham; salty and sweet ones include egg yolk lotus seed paste; chewy ones include mixed nuts and nuts; and there are also new varieties that have become popular in recent years: molten custard, snow skin, ice cream, and even crayfish filling!
Which to choose? Sweet or savory? Traditional or innovative?
Wang Sheng was in a bit of a dilemma.