Miao Chu

Chapter 305 Admit
In the front yard of the warehouse, Wang Sanlang looked behind everyone and asked, "Master Lin, didn't you come to pick out medicinal herbs? Have you finished buying them? Should we put them in the cart?"

Doctor Lin said, "It's all settled. They'll deliver it to Tianyuan Hall themselves tomorrow. No need to worry about it."

He added, "There's quite a lot of stuff. Let alone whether we can fit it all in, even if we could, the smell of herbs in your car would ruin the food!"

As she spoke, she glanced around the carriage—several food boxes were placed in a corner.

In an instant, the four apprentices, as if they had been hoisted up by a fishing rod, also turned their necks and looked into the carriage, imitating their master.

After everyone boarded the carriage, Wang Sanlang inspected the carriage before saying, "This road is all yellow sand, and it's very dusty outside. Doctors, please be careful when opening the windows to avoid getting choked by the dust."

He added, "Once we've passed this stretch of road, I'll knock a few times outside to let you know, and then you can open the window!"

Everyone agreed, thanked them, and quickly closed the window tightly.

Before, I didn't notice anything when the car windows were open for ventilation, but now that the doors and windows are closed, the smell from the food container is gradually wafting out.

First, the youngest disciple sniffed around, then leaned close to the person next to him and said, "Senior sister, can I switch seats with you?"

"What are you doing?" the senior sister asked.

"I...I feel uncomfortable stretching my legs out here, I want to sit against the wall!"

"What a child," she said, but her eyes were already fixed on the large food box under her senior sister's seat, and she even couldn't help but swallow—clearly it wasn't that her legs were uncomfortable, but that her stomach was really craving food.

How can this possibly fool anyone?

"Junior sister, I think you don't want to stand next to the wall, you want to stand next to that box of food!"

Her older classmates teased her.

The young apprentice's face flushed red instantly, and he stammered, "Wh...what food! Fourth Senior Sister, you're talking nonsense! You're talking nonsense!"

After rambling on for a while, she couldn't help but point to the corner and accuse, "It smells so good! Everything in this box smells so good! Don't you want to eat it?!"

Fourth Senior Sister's gaze followed, and she involuntarily swallowed.

It smells really good!

Normally, food loses its aroma when it cools down, but this is a double-layered food box with charcoal underneath to keep it warm. The aroma seeps through the gaps in the box and continuously fills your nose, making it impossible to ignore...

She took a deep breath, her mouth opening faster than her brain, and turned to Doctor Lin, saying, "Master, Shopkeeper Song said that these steamed buns should be eaten while they're hot—ideally right out of the steamer!"

Once someone starts it, the others immediately follow suit.

"Yes, Master! Sister Song said that these steamed buns are different from others and are best eaten while they are hot. Although they are placed on charcoal, it is not the right method. After being baked for a long time, they will not taste as good as they originally did!"

"Yes! Yes! Master, you said earlier that we had just eaten a lot of snacks and couldn't eat any more steamed buns, otherwise we would be stuffed—but we've been full for quite a while now, and my stomach is empty. It was just rumbling a little while ago. Can I have one? Just one!"

"Master said that eating in the carriage is bad for your stomach, but this Wang Sanlang is driving the carriage so steadily that even if you put a bucket of water in it, it won't spill. Are our stomachs not even as big as a bucket? Let us have a taste!"

Several apprentices tried to persuade him, but most importantly, Dr. Lin himself was also very tempted.

It smells so good!

And it gets even more fragrant!
For some reason, she felt she could smell the aroma of cured ham, and it was different from the soup she had drunk before; the aroma was stronger and more intense…

Facing four hungry mouths and eight eyes, feeling the calls from his own stomach and drooling involuntarily, Doctor Lin simply said, "Then bring it over, everyone can have a taste."

Master relented, and the junior sister, taking advantage of her short stature and small size, was the first to cheer and stand up, then hurriedly reached for the food box.

Dr. Lin then sent someone to knock on the car door and call for Wang Sanlang.

When Wang Sanlang heard that he was being invited to eat steamed buns, he chuckled and said, "You eat, you eat, the shop has saved some food for me—the owner will be cooking tonight, I need to make sure I have enough to eat!"

He added, "I'll drive the car a little slower. These steamed buns are a new flavor today. After you've tasted them, please tell me your opinions. Is it too salty or too bland? Is there anything that needs to be changed?"

After saying that, he indeed slowed the mule down much slower.

Wang Sanlang was already a very steady driver, and now that he had slowed down, the ride was even smoother and more gentle, without any bumps.

Inside the carriage, Dr. Lin took the food box himself without his apprentice having to serve him.

As soon as the lid was opened, she felt as if the fragrance had hit her face.

The aroma is so rich it's almost viscous.

It's a flavor that should be familiar, yet not quite.

You can tell it's a steamed bun just by smelling it. The aroma of grains is so strong and pleasant, but it's completely different from other steamed buns I've eaten before. It has a rich aroma of cooked pork fat, which, after being heated, mixes with the fermented aroma of cured ham. It finally manages to break out of the food box, struggling to squeeze and push its way out, and finally hits your nose.

Dr. Lin looked down and saw a bunch of wrinkled steamed buns lying inside.

The steamed buns were bigger and fuller than the ones she usually ate. The top of the buns had a slight crack and a noticeable fuzzy texture, but it wasn't real fuzz. Instead, it was the fuzz "made up" by the fine layers of the bun's dough. It looked a bit like a ripe white peach about to burst open, and a bit like a plum blossom bud that had been half-damaged by a sudden rainstorm, swollen to twenty times its original size, and about to open.

Its outer skin is a slightly yellower color than milky white, and it looks very oily. Even without looking through the crack, you can already see the dark color of the filling inside just through the skin.

The food box came with bamboo skewers, dried lotus leaves, and bamboo tubes filled with drinks.

Doctor Lin divided the bamboo skewers into two for each person, saying, "You are only allowed to eat one! No more!"

Everyone was polite, and they all crowded around, not in a hurry to take the steamed buns, but instead examining them from different angles. After a while, they took turns skewering the steamed buns with skewers.

Some people want the big ones, some want the tall ones, and some want the ones that look like they have more filling.

In the end, Dr. Lin made a "bud" shaped steamed bun without an opening.

—The taste was completely unexpected.

It is layered, with an extremely prominent sense of layering, yet each layer is incredibly thin, beyond description even of a cicada's wing. It is like some kind of bubble-like, fluffy gauze, or like a very thin layer of ice that hasn't fully frozen on a lake when it's cold. You can clearly feel it, but you won't taste it. It is even, fluffy, and incredibly soft.

The fluffiness wasn't just fluffy; it had a substantial feel, with a distinct aroma of rendered pork fat in the middle. The pork fat helped to separate each layer of dough, which was as thin as an uncured ice cube, yet they were still stuck together.

The face was so stunning that only the word "amazing" could describe it, and even Dr. Lin's mouth and tongue were captivated by it.

She soon tasted the filling inside.

God!

Good heavens!!

This is the most exquisite fragrance imaginable!
Freshly taken out of the hot food container, still steaming, the juices are thick, containing both the savory and oily juices of stir-fried minced meat and the sweet and fragrant syrup of deep red pickled ham cubes, along with a handful of salty and savory brown sugar and maltose.

It wasn't too sweet, but the aroma was incredibly strong. It had a very rich flavor, with the meat juices mixed with the slightly runny brown sugar and malt syrup, creating a smooth, delicate, warm, and slightly salty-sweet taste.

What kind of steamed bun is this?!
She'd lived most of her life, and she'd never tasted it before!
The marinated ham cubes are incredibly flavorful, mixed with the minced meat—it's absolutely delicious! The sweetness is just right, and the outer crust is unique. Ah! Ah!! Ah!!
I never knew that eating just one steamed bun could make someone so happy!
The fist-sized steamed buns were not devoured by Dr. Lin, but he finished them in just a few bites—the fluffy outer layer of dough was too thin to eat, and the diced pickled ham inside was too fragrant; he swallowed them all, and the salty and savory flavor still lingered on his lips and teeth.

One isn't enough!

Dr. Lin couldn't help but look at the food box.

There was plenty of food inside, steaming and fragrant. She looked up and saw that her disciples across from her had mostly finished eating, except for the youngest, who was still diligently gnawing away, beaming with joy.

Those who had already finished eating either stared at their food boxes or couldn't help but look around. One of them exclaimed, "Junior Sister, why does your steamed bun look different from mine?"

Soon, everyone started to agree.

"Mine is mushroom flavored!! It smells so good! It's so delicious!"

"Mine is filled with red bean paste. It's sandy, smooth, and so fragrant and sweet!"

"I'm made from preserved mustard greens!!! Ah, I'm the most delicious!"

In his mind, Dr. Lin marked his apprentices with big X's.

—No taste, no luck, the best thing she ate was clearly this pickled ham!
"Master, let's have another one!"

"Yes! There are four of us here—Junior Sister has a small stomach and can't eat that much, so how about we share one more, one bite each?"

Under normal circumstances, Dr. Lin would never have paid attention to such outrageous advice.

But at that moment, she was completely captivated! She reached out her hand without even realizing it!
How can you tell the flavor of this steamed bun?
There's probably no flavor that can compare to the marinated ham and sugar filling I just had. I really want to have another one! But they all said theirs was also delicious—if I accidentally get a different flavor, should I have another one until I get the marinated ham filling?
If you get another one with diced ham filling, shouldn't you eat a few more, try other flavors, and finish with a diced ham to go?

Her mind was filled with steamed buns, and she had one in her hand as well. She took a dried lotus leaf and was about to break it open—

"what!!!!!"

The mule cart suddenly stopped, and everyone in the cart stumbled. Doctor Lin leaned forward heavily, and the steamed bun in his hand rolled to the ground.

"Steamed bun!"

"Master!"

"Our steamed buns!"

"Is Master alright?"

"What's going on outside?"

While the carriage was in chaos, screams and cries of pain came from outside almost simultaneously. The sounds were so loud and clear that they seemed to reach the sky.

Before anyone could react, another person shouted, "Dad!! Dad!!! What happened to you! Where did you bump into something??"

Dr. Lin, no longer caring about the steamed bun, hurriedly opened the carriage door and leaned out.

Wang Sanlang's face turned pale. He had already reined in the mule, jumped off the mule cart, and hurriedly went to check on the person on the ground.

He had already left the alley by then, and there were many pedestrians on the road. As soon as he approached, two people rushed up behind him, a man and a woman, both in their thirties or forties. One of them went to stop Wang Sanlang, and the other went to check on the old man on the ground.

"You're bleeding!! So much blood!! Dad!!! How did you get hurt like this! It's so bad, can you even move your legs??"

The man called out.

The old man on the ground covered his face and hugged his legs, crying out in pain, almost rolling on the ground.

There was a small pool of blood on the ground.

Pedestrians passing by on both sides immediately surrounded them.

Wang Sanlang, though stopped, couldn't help but say to the old man on the ground, "Old man, I... I didn't hit you! My cart is already moving slowly, and the streets are all covered in yellow sand, so I had to be extra careful. As soon as I saw you... come out, I immediately reined in the mule. I shouldn't have bumped into you, right?"

"This is outrageous! They hit someone and won't admit it!"

"Dad, who hit you? Did you see clearly?"

The old man on the ground was covered in cold sweat, his lips were white, and his face was as white as paper. He looked really pitiful.

He clutched his leg, enduring the pain, raised his head, pointed to the mule cart, then to Wang Sanlang, his mouth trembling, and said, "It was this young man... this young man hit me..."

The old man's son suddenly stood up, grabbed Wang Sanlang by the front of his shirt with both hands, and shouted, "You beast, where did you come from! You hit someone and you won't admit it!"

The woman on the ground also said to the people around her, "Everyone, please judge this! There's some bastard here who hit someone and is trying to run away!!! My old man is injured like this, and we don't even know if he'll be able to get treatment. He's so shameless!!"

The people who gathered around looked at Wang Sanlang with disdain on their faces.

"Where did this person come from?"

"I didn't see any cloth hanging up there, so it doesn't look like someone driving a cart outside."

Wang Sanlang was both anxious and angry. He wanted to step forward, but the man stopped him. So he could only call out from between them, "Uncle! Uncle! Think again! I stopped the mule when you came out, and you fell down by yourself—did anyone see that? Did anyone see that?"

No one around spoke.

The man on the ground had already rolled up the old man's trouser legs, revealing the wounds and bloodstains underneath.

—A large area of ​​abrasions, all bloody, with high swelling and bruises all around.

A man jumped out from the crowd and shouted, "I just saw it! This is the car that hit the old man. It was going incredibly fast and sent him flying!"

Another person in the crowd shouted, "I saw it too! He's the one who hit me!"

The people surrounding them started pointing and whispering even more.

The man shoved Wang Sanlang and shouted, "What do you say? Do you admit it or not? Will you compensate me or not?"

In full view of everyone, Wang Sanlang was roasted over a fire.

Just then, someone suddenly said, "I don't think this injury looks quite right."

Everyone on the left and right looked over.

The speaker was naturally Dr. Lin.

The man was only focused on stopping Wang Sanlang, but didn't stop anyone else. He even wished more people would come forward to see the old man.

Dr. Lin stood at the front of the crowd and watched for a while. When he spoke, the people who were kneeling on the ground and frantically wiping the old man's bleeding also looked up.

Not knowing Dr. Lin's background or what he was planning to say, he asked with a suspicious look, "What's wrong?"

"I don't think these marks are from a collision."

"Who do you think you are! You're just an old woman, you can't just say it's not true and expect me to say it is?"

The man on the ground immediately stood up, and if it weren't for Dr. Lin's advanced age, he would have already tried to help.

Then one morning, a disciple came and said loudly, "My master is a doctor at Tianyuan Hall—go and ask around, she's Doctor Lin at Tianyuan Hall! Our master is the only female doctor in the hall, she's been to many military camps and has seen countless injuries. If she says it wasn't an accident, then it definitely wasn't!"

Upon hearing the name "Tianyuantang," not only did the people on the roadside discuss it, but everyone also looked at Doctor Lin with respect. Even the person who was initially very displeased withdrew his hand, but then hurriedly said, "That's right! It wasn't a collision. He was hit by a car, thrown into the air, fell to the ground, and was scraped and bruised like this. His leg is also broken. Of course, it wasn't a collision!"

(End of this chapter)