Chapter 7: My Sweet Red Bean Bun Refuses to Give Up

Ever since a strange illness left her face disfigured, Xiaohua had despised mirrors above all else.

Resisting the urge to smash the mirror, she looked at the woman’s joyful expression, filled with skepticism. Her mother knew how much this face meant to her; she wouldn't joke about such a thing. Could it really be true?

Hesitantly, Xiaohua raised the mirror. To help her see more clearly, the woman brought over a candlestick. The flames flickered, providing ample light. Summoning her courage, Xiaohua looked, and the ugly face in the mirror came into view. Self-loathing and agony nearly overwhelmed her. Her fingers tightened around the mirror until her knuckles turned white, and with a sore nose, she examined herself carefully. Having not looked at her own face for a long time, she couldn’t tell if it was just her imagination, but she truly felt that those black spots had faded significantly.

Comforted, Xiaohua remembered what the woman had said earlier. "Mother, you said earlier that these buns were miraculous. In what way are they miraculous?"

She didn't know why, but she had a sudden feeling that the change in her cheeks was caused by that bun. Driven by a surging inner longing, she grabbed the woman’s hand.

"I... I didn't hear..."

The woman was not foolish. Realizing what was happening, she quickly stood up and ran outside. "Xiaohua, don't worry. Mother will go ask around and buy you more buns."

The buns were expensive, but if they could heal Xiaohua's face, everything would be worth it. The woman left so quickly that she bumped her knee against a chair with a dull thud, yet she ignored the pain and kept rushing out. Xiaohua couldn't catch her. Biting her lip, she looked at herself in the mirror one last time, finally got out of bed, and put on her shoes. After hesitating at the doorway, she gathered her courage and chased after her. Her mother was her only family left. It was dark, and it wasn't safe for her mother to be outside alone.

However, when the woman rushed back to Yanyuliu Street, she discovered that the bun stall was gone. In fact, two quarters of an hour ago, Lu Wu’s buns had been completely sold out, and she had packed up to head home. The gathered diners had also dispersed. Panting heavily, the woman was filled with despair.

"How could this happen..."

If the hope she had finally found vanished just like that, what would become of her Xiaohua? The woman, who had never been broken by hardship before, burst into tears.

"Mother."

When Xiaohua arrived, she saw her mother crouching on the ground, weeping. In her memory, the mother who had raised her since she was a child had never been this fragile. Worried, Xiaohua stopped caring about whether her face was fit to be seen; she hurried over and helped her mother up.

"Mother, it’s okay. Let’s go home."

Even if her face was ruined, her mother was still there. She would be like her mother—she would live on with resilience.

It was just being mocked, just being looked down upon. She wasn't afraid!

"Young lady, do you need help?"

Amidst the mother and daughter weeping in each other's arms, a kind voice sounded. It was none other than the elusive and gossip-loving Old Man Li.

...

Time flowed by, and in the blink of an eye, the third day of the mission arrived. Lu Wu was well-versed in the procurement and preparation of ingredients. As she was about to head out, she intentionally observed the area outside her door; this time, Old Man Li was not there to ambush her. She let out a sigh of relief.

On Yanyuliu Street, before Lu Wu even arrived, the street, several meters wide, was already bustling with people. Many had come. In addition to the locals of Xiaohe Town, there were some outsiders attracted by the previous posts.

No one started any trouble today. Gathered in small groups, everyone’s eyes were fixed on the entrance of the Baihua Pavilion. There, a group of people wearing masks stood, trying to remain inconspicuous. Judging by their stature, they were not very old. Dressed in strange attire, it made one wonder.

"I heard this group started lining up before it even got dark?"

"Young Master Lou, do you know the background of these people?" someone asked Lou Xiaotian.

Boss Lu had become completely famous. They had specifically come early to line up, but they still hadn't made it to the front.

"No idea."

Lou Xiaotian was also curious. He was familiar with many of the flower girls here, and some had told him that this group of secretive people had been arriving one after another throughout the day. It seemed they were specifically waiting for Boss Lu.

"These people don't even dare to show their faces; could they be here to cause trouble?" someone speculated. Hearing this, Lou Xiaotian perked up. He scrutinized the group carefully; many had very low cultivation levels, and some hadn't even reached the age for cultivation. It didn't look like they were here to pick a fight.

"Boss Lu is here."

While Lou Xiaotian was deep in thought, shouts came from the perimeter. Those who had eaten Lu Wu’s buns self-consciously guided the crowd to part ways, making room for Boss Lu. When Lu Wu arrived, she saw the glowing eyes of the diners and the masked people in the middle.

Lu Wu’s steps faltered. If she hadn't seen quite a few familiar faces, she would have thought she had stumbled into some evil cult gathering.

"Good evening, everyone."

Lu Wu greeted the diners and parked her stall in the designated spot.

Without further ado, Lu Wu got straight to work.

"It will only take a quarter of an hour," she called out.

Having earned money over the past two days, she had upgraded her stall. It was no longer powered by firewood, but by fire-attribute spirit stones. With a sufficient supply of heat, the buns were easier to steam through. As everyone drooled in anticipation, the plump white buns were placed into the steamer, and the line formed in an orderly fashion.

Standing at the very front was one of the masked people. Lu Wu took a moment to observe. Judging by the stature, it didn't look like an adult, and looking at the delicacy of the bones, it had to be a young girl. At a glance, there were dozens of people dressed like this, all roughly the same age. Was this some sort of underage evil organization?

But she was just a business owner; she shouldn't be getting involved with these kinds of people.

Lost in thought, Lu Wu shook the bell she had hung up today. The bell rang.

"The buns are ready!"

"The limit is still two per person today."

"Ah! Still limited?"

A chorus of groans erupted at the scene, and Lu Wu’s eyes crinkled with a smile.

[Mission Progress: 631/1000]

Thanks to these enthusiastic diners, Lu Wu estimated she would complete the mission today.

"Boss Lu, I want two red bean paste buns."

The masked person at the very front spoke, and it was easy to tell from the voice that she was a young girl. It was Xiaohua. Outside the crowd, the woman watched Xiaohua with concern.

After discovering yesterday that Lu Wu’s red bean paste buns could treat those black spots, the mother and daughter had rushed over in a hurry, only to find that Lu Wu had already closed up shop. When they were at their wits' end, it was the kind Old Man Li who told them about Lu Wu’s stall schedule. Upon learning that Boss Lu’s buns were in high demand, they decided to wait on this street to avoid missing the opportunity. To avoid the strange looks from strangers, Xiaohua had put on a mask. As for the other masked people, they had come on their own, wearing masks upon arrival.

This unspoken understanding made Xiaohua feel a bit uneasy.

Last night, a post titled "Sweet Red Bean Paste Buns, Give Me Back My Baby-Soft Face" had rapidly gained popularity on the Xiaohe Town "World-Link." After the "Kidney Buns" and "Small Meat Buns" became explosive hits, the sweet red bean paste buns also had their moment in the spotlight. The post prominently described how Lu Wu’s red bean paste buns possessed the power to remove black spots, and the photo used was provided by Xiaohua as a favor. The person pulling the strings behind it all was Old Man Li.

As for the reason...

Old Man Li, who was also waiting in line, looked at a post on the "World-Link" that was gradually being buried, his eyes cold.