Chapter 33: For the Sake of Braised Pork Knuckle, I Can Forgive the Whole World

"Old Qin, I’ve tasted the most delicious food in the world today. Call me 'Senior Brother,' and I might just begrudgingly let you have a taste."

Thinking of his old friend, Jiang Yunhe couldn't wait to share the news.

"What a coincidence, I’ve also discovered something amazing. If you call me 'Senior Brother,' I might let you have a bite, too."

The reply came quickly, the tone defiant and competitive.

Jiang Yunhe elegantly wiped his fingers with a handkerchief. The taste of the delicacy still lingered on his palate, and as he savored the lingering flavor, he didn't believe his old friend for a second.

In this world, there was absolutely no way there could be a pork knuckle more delicious than this one. His brother was likely just bluffing to avoid feeling inferior.

He and Old Qin had known each other since childhood. Although they had joined different sects, they were disciples of the same generation. Their two sects had a good relationship, so the two of them remained in close contact. They had been arguing for decades over who should call whom "Senior Brother," and even now, there was no resolution. After all, both were proud talents, and neither was willing to yield.

But this time, Jiang Yunhe was certain he would come out on top.

"Old Qin, let the battle begin. If you're not convinced, come and argue."

He was determined to use Boss Lu's pork knuckle to make Old Qin willingly bow his head.

As it happened, Qin Zhan on the other end had the same idea. However, he didn't accept the challenge directly; instead, he poked into the "Baozi Cult" chat group.

"Has anyone found Boss Lu?"

Yesterday, some people still refused to give up and went to wait at Yanliu Street. But after an entire night passed without seeing a shadow of Boss Lu, they finally believed that Boss Lu really only set up her stall on Yanliu Street for seven days.

Last night, Yanliu Street was filled with wails of misery. The flower girls couldn't even muster the energy to seduce the men. It was said that many men were kicked out of the rooms at critical moments by the flower girls, nearly losing their dignity as men.

Ever since yesterday, he had searched all of Xiaohe Town, but he hadn't seen a trace of Boss Lu. He didn't dare to go to where Boss Lu lived, so he could only hope for news within the Baozi Cult.

"No luck."

Lou Xiaotian was just as disheartened.

Seeing that it had been nearly two days since he last saw Boss Lu, he was terrified that she might have just vanished.

"Grand Elder, do you have any news about Boss Lu?"

Qin Zhan had no choice but to switch to a private message with Old Man Li, but the other man's cold reply left Qin Zhan deeply disappointed.

"Old Qin, answer me! Are you chickening out?"

Seeing his insufferable friend's increasingly arrogant attitude, Qin Zhan ground his teeth.

"Whoever chickens out is a dog! Just you wait!"

***

When he found Boss Lu, he would definitely make that brat surnamed Jiang bow his head and call him "Senior Brother."

As a long-time friend, Jiang Yunhe could read the insecurity behind Qin Zhan’s words. He burst into mocking laughter, causing Lu Wu to cast another side-eye in his direction.

Lu Wu had already learned to calmly accept the fact that her customers were all a bit mentally unstable.

"Boss Lu, will you be back tomorrow?" Zhang Xiu asked as he approached while she was packing up.

"Yes, the usual rules. I’ll be setting up my stall here for seven days."

Lu Wu nodded, noticing Zhang Xiu's mischievous expression; he seemed to be plotting something.

"Hehe, see you tomorrow then, Boss Lu."

Zhang Xiu rubbed his chin, then grabbed his two younger brothers and headed toward the other customers. A group gathered together, and although it was unclear what Zhang Xiu said, the customers initially looked blank, then, as if jolted awake from a dream, they all nodded in unison.

This group must have reached some sort of sordid, dark deal.

Lu Wu rubbed her hands together and patted the head of the big yellow dog.

"Coming back with me?"

Since she had saved its life, she decided to bring the dog along. From now on, she was a person with a dog.

"Woof!"

The dog, Big Yellow, happily rubbed against Lu Wu’s calf, wagging its tail to express its delight. Then, it stepped back a few paces and began heading toward the Valley of Ten Thousand Poisons again.

He, Gou Aotian, was a dog with ambition. Since he had recognized Boss Lu as his master, he had to learn to provide for the household. For the sake of tomorrow's big pork knuckle, he had to go out and earn some capital.

"Woof! Woof!"

*Wait for me, pork knuckle, I will definitely return.*

Watching Big Yellow’s swift retreating figure, Lu Wu opened her mouth but couldn't call it back. She understood and mentally supported the dog's ambition. Seeing that Zhang Xiu was still busy brainwashing the other customers, Lu Wu dusted off her hands and slipped away.

After Lu Wu left, Zhang Xiu emphasized once more:

"Remember, all of you, you must not spread the news that Boss Lu is setting up her stall here. Otherwise, a pack of gluttons will come and fight us for food."

Thinking of the time he had to queue for ages on Yanliu Street just to buy two buns, Zhang Xiu felt like crying. He had just checked "Yijie Tong" and there was no new news about Boss Lu yet. Even the many believers in the Baozi Cult hadn't found a trace of her.

It was highly likely that he was the first among the old regulars to encounter Boss Lu, so he was determined to have her all to himself for these seven days. Just thinking about being able to eat to his heart's content for the next few days made him feel like he had reached the pinnacle of his life.

To prevent the war for food from Yanliu Street from repeating, he had reached this agreement with the newcomers outside the Valley of Ten Thousand Poisons.

"Boss Lu, don't blame me. If you have to blame someone, blame this big pork knuckle for being too delicious."

As a meat-lover, he had truly feasted to his heart's content today.

The business was better than expected, which gave Lu Wu plenty of confidence. After a tiring day, she didn't wander around upon returning home, but simply lay down and relaxed.

At the home of the little chubby boy, Wang Er, who had been delayed by some matters, finally returned home for lunch at this hour. As soon as Wang Er walked through the door, he smelled a scent of meat unlike anything he had known before.

"It smells so good! Wife, your cooking has really improved."

He called out and walked in carelessly, only to see his wife pressing down hard on their son, her eyes staring greedily at a bowl on the table. In that bowl was a large, steaming pork knuckle.

Wang Er couldn't tear his eyes away. The closer he got, the clearer it became; the scent of the knuckle was enough to make him dizzy with delight. His wife’s skills had truly taken a great leap forward.

When Auntie Wang saw her husband return, her expression was filled with resentment.

"You're finally back." Her raspy voice sounded as if she had just been through a great battle.

In truth, Auntie Wang had been restraining herself for a long time. Ever since her son brought this knuckle home, she had no room in her eyes for anything else. One could tell from the two slightly charred vegetable dishes that her heart had long been captured by the pork knuckle.

Originally, Auntie Wang had been furious about her son encouraging a young girl to climb over the wall, and she had nearly given the little chubby boy a beating. But the boy was clever and offered his "tribute." Auntie Wang, who prided herself on her cooking, had forgiven him easily after tasting the succulent, juicy meat of the knuckle.

Such a delicacy made the braised pork in her own pot seem tasteless. For this, she could forgive the whole world. If it weren't for the bond of decades of marriage, she would have long ago split the knuckle with her son; why endure the constant temptation waiting for him to come home?

By now, even Wang Er's reasonably decent face looked hateful in her eyes.