Abnormal Gourmet Chronicle-Chapter 736 - 371: True Warrior

When Qin Huai and the others formally began making the Double Crab Bun, Qin Huai found it actually went smoother than he had imagined.

How to describe this feeling?

Even though he knew very well that there were still problems with what everyone was doing, and the issues were in various aspects. For instance, not adapting well, not being well-coordinated, a certain part wasn’t done perfectly or was purely due to lacking skill, but he knew where the problems lay.

Knowing where the problems are means there are no problems.

Qin Huai had never felt his team cooperating so harmoniously before, perhaps because previously there was no team cooperation. When making the Four Happiness dumplings, it was mostly him and Zheng Siyuan discussing, and then everyone doing their own part.

As for tacit understanding, it had actually been honed through previous failures.

Zang Liang is someone very good at cooperating with others, perhaps because he is not yet a Master in his own right, and his daily work involves cooperating with a Master. As for Tan Wei’an, maybe his skills aren’t that good, nor is his cooperation, but it’s not important because he really isn’t that important.

Regarding Zheng Siyuan, he and Qin Huai are actually very familiar with each other.

He knows Qin Huai’s habits in making snacks, knows Qin Huai’s strengths and advantages, and even understands himself better. Therefore, in cooperating with Qin Huai, Zheng Siyuan actually does the best.

After the first 6 batches, each with their problems, starting from the 7th batch, the 4-person team crafting the Double Crab Bun finally had some form.

"Try it." Qin Huai handed the buns just off the steamer, cooled for two minutes, still a bit hot but edible, to Tan Wei’an for him to taste.

Now Tan Wei’an is the best taster.

Ouyang, who could only handle quantity without maintaining quality, was no longer useful at this current moment. It had to be a professional like Tan Wei’an, even though Tan Wei’an had already eaten 6 buns earlier and gnawed on two at noon.

Poor him had to eat a bit more.

Tan Wei’an worked hard.

He knew the organization was letting him help handle sea cucumbers just to give him something to do, but the organization arranging for him to taste buns was a true sign of their trust in him. This was where he should truly shine.

Tan Wei’an took a strong bite, his eyes lit up though he felt slightly nauseous, he chewed hard, covering his mouth to prevent himself from vomiting, but eventually couldn’t hold it, spat out while chewing, even letting out a bit of the buns that were blocking his throat.

The scene was quite chaotic, those unaware might think Tan Wei’an was also feeling motion sickness.

"I think this batch is better than the previous ones." Tan Wei’an insisted on working between vomiting, "Urgh... the dough is the same as before, feels like there’s no room for improvement, crab yellow sauce is also no different, but I sensed a slight abnormal taste from the sea cucumber, yet I feel this taste pairs well with the crab yellow sauce."

"It’s... it’s... this one finally feels like the Crab Yellow Pork Bun to me, the previous ones fell a bit short. I can clearly taste that it’s a dish, made from sea cucumber and crab yellow into a bun; it wraps a good dish into the bun. The taste is unique and quite delicious."

"It has a strong crab yellow freshness and a unique sea cucumber texture, along with a sea cucumber’s unusual taste not typically tasted in normal dishes. But it’s not a dish; it’s a bun, and this unusual taste placed in a bun feels quite special."

"It’s... it’s... urgh... I think that’s exactly it! This time it’s correct, no problem!"

All three were touched by Tan Wei’an’s dedication.

Actually, by the 5th bun, everyone could see that Tan Wei’an couldn’t eat anymore. Zang Liang even advised him to stop tasting; they had three others who could taste, no need for Tan Wei’an to eat all by himself. Previously, he never ate so many buns while tasting.

Yet, Tan Wei’an insisted on tasting until witnessing the dawn of success because a sharp tongue must be used where it counts. Tan Wei’an, while not the most skillful or useful in the team, was the most suited to identify issues in tasting.

At such times, identifying problems means it’s his turn to eat, and only when the buns need perfecting do Qin Huai and the other three step in.

Qin Huai poured a cup of tea for Tan Wei’an, Zang Liang brought a chair, and Zheng Siyuan found him a new trash bin, telling him he could rest and recuperate after work.

This was real work injury through eating.

"I don’t want to sit right now; sitting makes me want to vomit even more, let me stand." Tan Wei’an weakly said after vomiting, raising his eyes to Qin Huai, "Is our bun considered done?"

It was evident that Tan Wei’an really wanted to make the Double Crab Bun, even though he wasn’t the person making the buns, he genuinely wanted to see a successful Double Crab Bun.

Qin Huai didn’t speak, instead picked up a bun, took a bite, tasted it quietly, then nodded and shook his head.

"Better than before, but still seems a bit off."

Tan Wei’an: QAQ

"Urgh..."

"You probably overate and stuffed your stomach; I’ll find someone to accompany you to the hospital. Hold on; I’ll call Ouyang. You shouldn’t have eaten all the previous buns—given your appetite, you couldn’t possibly eat so many buns, should have stopped earlier."

"Urgh... I just thought it was a bit short; if I ate two more, maybe it would be better, urgh..."

Upon learning that Tan Wei’an was going to the hospital from overeating due to tasting, Ouyang, who frequently overate during this period, was very touched, feeling that despite Tan Wei’an’s lack of ability, his spirit was a model in the tasting world, and immediately offered his car to send Tan Wei’an to the hospital.

After putting Tan Wei’an in the car, Zang Liang sighed, "It’s my first time seeing Tan Wei’an so desperate, even though it’s not in cooking."

"When he couldn’t make snacks when young and was scolded by his grandpa, he never exerted so much effort and determination. Does he really want to make the Double Crab Bun?"

Qin Huai somewhat understood Tan Wei’an: "It might be because he participated, and this is his closest encounter with success."

"Last time with Four Happiness dumplings, even though he was helping in research, there was essentially no work for him; he was just watching from the side."

"Actually participating and watching from the sidelines are two different experiences."

"Tan Wei’an is very lazy, but that doesn’t mean he’s not ambitious. Plus, the Double Crab Bun is actually his great grandfather’s recipe, and he loves crab yellow snacks so much, maybe more than any of us he wants to make the Double Crab Bun, only he doesn’t have the ability and has never mentioned it."

"Is that so." Zang Liang pondered, "Turns out his grandfather’s carrot and stick teaching method wasn’t suitable for him. Just beating Tan Wei’an is useless, giving him rewards is useless too, you have to force him to practice."

"Forcefully."

"I have to tell Master Zhou the good news, now the person Tan Wei’an fears the most in Zhiwei Restaurant is Master Zhou."

Qin Huai: ...

Although Zang Liang indeed seems to be a good brother to Tan Wei’an, as they both get a buff when eating Crab Yellow Pork Bun, and the first thought they have is of each other, this brotherly relationship seems a bit...

Feels like they want each other’s lives.

"Let’s continue." Zheng Siyuan said, "Tan Wei’an already said this batch of buns is better than before, let’s continue with the momentum."

Qin Huai and the others continued making Double Crab Bun.

Worked all the way until 7 PM.

After work in the afternoon, the office workers who rushed to Yunzhong Restaurant were ecstatic, especially those who took leave in the morning to get the Crab Yellow Pork Bun.

Taking leave in the morning was specifically to snatch them, determined to succeed, even if the boss calls endlessly threatening to dock their bonuses, they insist on queuing at Yunzhong Restaurant until they get the Crab Yellow Pork Bun.

Once they have already eaten them in the morning, their mindset when queuing in the afternoon is different.

Just casually queue, what if they manage to get some?

The outcome was fortuitous, Qin Huai and Zheng Siyuan and the others rarely made snacks until 7 PM, since they essentially start working at the restaurant by around 7 in the morning, with very little break time in between.

Subtract half an hour for meals and half an hour for rest, starting from 7 AM to 7 PM means Qin Huai has to work 11 hours a day. As a pastry chef not from Zhiwei Restaurant, this work duration is unmistakably overloading.

Even Master Chefs at Zhiwei Restaurant can’t work at such high intensity, after all, they’ve already passed the phase of crazily learning crafts.

Under normal circumstances, even if Qin Huai works overtime, his snacks should be sold out by five or six.

But today was abnormal; Qin Huai and the others worked till 7 PM before finishing.

And they finished in a collaborative mass production mode, finishing work at 7 PM.

The Double Crab Bun sold out at 7:40 PM, basically, as long as they didn’t arrive too late, office workers rushing over to queue immediately after work could get the Double Crab Bun.

As for those unfortunate ones, who had to attend meetings after work and missed out, they could only wish bad upon the boss’s entire family.

Eating Crab Yellow Pork Bun in the morning and Double Crab Bun in the evening, all at special pricing. For a moment, new and old diners in Yunzhong Restaurant were all immersed in the ocean of Crab Yellow Bun, abandoning Fermented Rice with Steamed Buns and Four Happiness Glutinous Rice at the moment, everyone became a temporary crab yellow fan.

Crab Yellow Bun is the best!

And true crab yellow snack enthusiast Tan Wei’an, currently getting an infusion in the emergency room.

"What, it wasn’t because he overate and threw up like this? It’s because he rode the roller coaster five times yesterday, felt queasy and secretly threw up all night without telling us, and today ate three bowls of Mianmian Ice at the amusement park, then binge ate these buns resulting in digestive spasm and threw up."

"Since the situation is severe, he needs admission for observation, at least for a day."

"How did he get himself into this mess? Did he really eat three bowls of Mianmian Ice this morning? Is he crazy?"

Initially planning to call to show concern for Tan Wei’an’s situation and report the latest progress on the Double Crab Bun, Qin Huai was astonished upon hearing Tan Wei’an’s diagnosis.

"That’s what it is, anyway, that’s what the doctor said." Ouyang’s voice came from the phone, "He’s definitely staying in the hospital today, but I think he’s in a better situation than my uncle during the New Year, there’s no big problem."

"Hold on, Tan Wei’an has something to say to you."

As Ouyang finished speaking, a weak Tan Wei’an’s voice came through the phone.

"Qin Huai, how are your Double Crab Bun coming along? Better than the last one I had?"

Qin Huai: ...

This is just a normal foodie tale, no deaths involved, there’s no need to speak in a tone like you’re entrusting us with your legacy.

"Not much better, but improved a little." Qin Huai honestly said, "Should be soon, you get well in the hospital, you might get to taste the successful version of the Double Crab Bun upon your discharge."

"Do not go to the amusement park any more and ride the roller coaster five times in a row."

"If you truly enjoy roller coasters so much, don’t eat three bowls of Mianmian Ice the next day."

"You wouldn’t want to be the last one to eat the successful Double Crab Bun, would you?"