Chapter 19: Steamed Bun

"Are you deaf? I told you to get lost!" Madam Shen was on the verge of a breakdown.

After her outburst, she realized they were at the entrance of the villa.

The residents in this upscale neighborhood were either wealthy or influential. It wasn't uncommon to bump into acquaintances, let alone business partners of the Shen family. If anyone saw her like this, how could she show her face again?

Lu Ran lay on a cushion, engrossed in a game.

"You wanted me here, so you brought me. Now you want me to leave? Where do all these privileges come from?"

Madam Shen's anger flared up, and noticing someone passing by, she quickly retreated.

Lu Ran sneered.

When he first retrieved his suitcase, Lu Ran had walked away with Big Yellow, almost feeling elated.

Did anyone truly wish to linger in this absurd place?

He would have preferred having no connection whatsoever with the Shen family.

But Lu Ran still remembered his experiences from his previous life.

Even after he had left the Shen family, they had still managed to track him down.

He had always suspected that his car accident wasn't an accident at all; it was merely a means for the Shen family to bring him back.

There must be a reason why they insisted on forcing him to return.

That reason was likely tied to some form of benefit, and there was probably something about him that the Shen family desired.

Until he figured out what that was, Lu Ran knew that leaving wouldn't make a difference.

Madam Shen paced nervously around the living room.

After a while, she asked, "Is he still lingering outside?"

The servant shook their head.

Madam Shen grumbled under her breath and barely touched her dinner.

As night fell, the glow from the mobile phone screen outside finally dimmed.

A glimmer of hope stirred in Madam Shen's heart. She seized the servant and asked, "Quick, go and see if he's left?"

In no time, the servant returned, dashing her hopes.

"Madam, not only has he not left... He's already sound asleep."

Madam Shen covered her chest and sat down.

"You! You go..." She pointed at the servant. "Find two people to carry him and throw him far away!"

Seeing the servant leaving, she hastily called them back. "Come back, come back, come back!"

She couldn't do that.

Given Lu Ran's tendency to cause a commotion in the dead of night, if he were truly awakened, who knew how much noise he'd make outside.

By tomorrow, the entire neighborhood would know about the embarrassment that unfolded in her home.

Joining in to console his mother, Shen Xingran said, "Mom, he was just trying to scare you. He can't possibly spend the whole night out there. He'll surely find a place to stay for the night."

As he spoke, he tactfully observed his mother's expression and suggested, "Or... why don't you compromise and let him come back?"

Predictably, Mrs. Shen's face turned stern at his words. "Absolutely not!"

"I refuse to believe he'd actually sleep outside all night!"

With that, she ignored Lu Ran and headed upstairs.

Shen Xingran chuckled behind her.

Despite her words, Mrs. Shen found it impossible to have a peaceful night's sleep.

In her mind, she alternated between visions of Lu Ran blasting music in the middle of the night and him bursting in with a sleeping bag, shouting "surprise!"

Upon waking up in the morning, her mind was a jumbled mess.

This sleep was worse than no sleep at all.

Madam Shen, without washing her face or changing out of her pajamas, hastily descended the stairs the moment she opened her eyes.

She grabbed a servant and asked, "Did he leave last night? When did he go?"

Seeing the servant's awkward expression, Madam Shen had a foreboding feeling.

Soon, she heard the servant say, "Young Master Lu didn't leave. He even ordered takeout for himself..."

Madam Shen's vision blurred.

Ordered takeout?

He even ordered takeout?

He intended to stay until the end of time!

"What did he eat?" Madam Shen grabbed the servant and asked.

The servant glanced at her. "Umm... steamed buns with pickles?"

"What?!" Madam Shen shrieked. "He's eating this kind of food in front of the Shen family's gate?"

Madam Shen had a nagging feeling that she might have made a mistake.

But now, she couldn't bring herself to invite Lu Ran back in.

Lu Ran had already freshened up at a nearby public restroom.

He had climbed out of his sleeping bag and was lying half on it, eating with his back against his suitcase – a perfect display of laziness.

Skillfully, he tore open the steamed bun.

Then, he bit into the corner of the pickle packet, ripped it open, and stuffed the pickles inside the bun.

He then opened his mouth wide and took a generous bite, chewing with his eyes half-closed in delight.

It was just an ordinary plain steamed bun.

Yet, under his consumption, it seemed like a delicacy from the heavens, making the bun's soft, white texture incredibly alluring.

Chen Sheng had taken his dog out for a walk from his home.

Not long after they started, he witnessed this scene.

Without any reason, both he and his Husky stopped, watching Lu Ran's steamed bun with watering mouths.

They observed as Lu Ran devoured the entire bun in large bites.

In between, he would occasionally slurp on some soy milk.

Chen Sheng felt his stomach rumble uncontrollably.

Despite having already had breakfast before heading out.

However, no matter how one looked at it, the delicate soup dumplings and shrimp congee prepared by their household chef couldn't compare to the scent of the steamed bun in Lu Ran's hand.

The Husky beside him seemed to share the same sentiment, abruptly pulling Chen Sheng into a sprint without any prior indication.

They then slammed on the brakes in front of the Shen family's grand entrance, wagging its tail obediently towards Lu Ran.

Lu Ran glanced up and recognized the familiar face. He reached out to tear off a piece of the steamed bun, feeding it to the Husky.

The dog's tail wagged even more energetically.

Chen Sheng: "..."

Could he mention that their dog had been refusing to touch its dog food bowl before leaving the house?

"Good morning," Lu Ran lounged lazily at the entrance of the Shen family home, greeting them leisurely with his head raised.

"Good morning, good morning," Chen Sheng responded with an awkward smile.

His smile held a hint of respect.

On that day, Lu Ran gained fame by competing against Lin Yi in a match.

Now, within their circle, he had become a god of war, on par with the legendary Lu Bu.

However, Chen Sheng was utterly perplexed.

He had witnessed Lu Ran using a toilet brush to poke someone's mouth and then forcing Lin Yi against the toilet wall.

Yet now, seeing Lu Ran eat somehow made him find the food incredibly appetizing and crave it?

Lu Ran paid no heed to Chen Sheng's thoughts.

Recently, he seemed to be experiencing a growth spurt and found one steamed bun insufficient.

Thus, he broke another one in half and added the remaining half pack of pickled mustard greens into it.

When the pickled vegetables were nestled within the warm steamed bun, an alluring aroma instantly filled the air.

The nearby Husky whined anxiously, "Awooo."

Lu Ran pushed away the dog's face with his hand. "You can't eat this, go eat that."

As he spoke, he reached out to pour some dog food from Big Yellow's bowl.

The Husky happily chomped on its meal.

Lu Ran took a big bite of steamed bun, chewing with his cheeks puffed out.

Chen Sheng watched, and without warning, his stomach let out a loud "gurgle."

He quickly changed the subject, looking at Lu Ran's peculiar setup and asking, "Wh-what are you doing here?"

Lu Ran pointed to the sleeping bag beneath him. "I'm roughing it right outside my own front door."

Chen Sheng: "..."

He glanced at Lu Ran, then at the entrance to the Shen family's home.

He gave Lu Ran a thumbs up with a gesture.

He truly admired Lu Ran now.

Before, when Lu Ran had caused trouble for the Shen family, they all speculated that the Zhang family might retaliate against Lu Ran.

But after waiting for so many days, there was not even a whisper of news.

One simply had to admit defeat.

The Husky had finished every last bit of kibble on the ground and still shamelessly begged for more.

Lu Ran glanced at the dog, then lifted his gaze to its owner.

The dog owner also looked at his pet before fixating on the steamed bun in Lu Ran's hand.

He couldn't resist any longer.

Chen Sheng stammered, "I-is this tasty?"

Considering himself the prestigious young master of the Chen family,

Though it was a notch below the Shen family, it was still on par with the Lin family's status.

What delicacies hadn't he tasted before that he was now salivating over a plain steamed bun?

But...

Chen Sheng had never had a steamed bun stuffed with pickles in his entire life.

He stared longingly at the bun in Lu Ran's hand.

"Want some?" Lu Ran asked him.

Chen Sheng eagerly nodded.

Lu Ran turned around, took out a large white steamed bun from the bag, along with a pack of pickles, and handed them to Chen Sheng.

He then instructed Chen Sheng on how to stuff the pickles into the bun.

Chen Sheng was overwhelmed by the unexpected kindness.

It was surprising to see someone as fierce as Lu Ran being so generous.

Chen Sheng mimicked Lu Ran and took a large bite of the steamed bun.

The softness of the bun filled his mouth with a warm sensation, accompanied by the crispness of the pickled mustard greens in the middle.

The briny flavor of the pickles burst on his tongue, infusing the bun with a distinct taste.

It might not have been as refined as the food Chen Sheng was accustomed to.

Yet, it carried an inexplicable sense of happy satisfaction.

Lu Ran looked at Young Master Chen as if he were an idiot.

Had this young master never tasted high-carb food mixed with monosodium glutamate before?

"Is it good?" Lu Ran asked.

Chen Sheng nodded and gave him a thumbs up.

"Oh, one steamed bun costs a hundred yuan. I'll waive the fee for your dog's food and pickles. Transfer the money to my Alipay."

Lu Ran displayed his Alipay QR code for payment.

Chen Sheng, who had just praised Lu Ran's generosity, was now speechless.

A hundred yuan for one steamed bun?

Why didn't you just rob someone!

Even if he wasn't familiar with current prices, he could tell that he was being ripped off, right?

But considering he'd eaten Lu Ran's food and felt intimidated by Lu Ran's authority...

Chen Sheng reluctantly transferred the hundred yuan.

After finishing the steamed buns, Chen Sheng looked up and spotted someone he knew.

He frantically waved, "Da Chuan!"

The one called Dachuang approached and was startled to see Lu Ran lying on the ground.

He had also been present when Lu Ran attacked with the toilet brush.

Thus, upon seeing Lu Ran, he instinctively turned around but forcefully stopped himself in the end.

Chen Sheng remained silent.

He waited until Dachuang took a large bite of the steamed bun, his cheeks bulging like a squirrel's.

Sure enough, nobody could resist Lu Ran's food broadcasts.

Chen Sheng watched as Dachuang involuntarily swallowed his saliva.

Pointing at the steamed bun in Lu Ran's hand, he endorsed it, "Brother Lu's buns are exceptionally fragrant and delicious."

He couldn't be the only one falling for this trap.

If he could dupe one person, that would do.

Da Chong sneered.

He lifted his foot to leave but then saw Lu Ran take another bite.

Against the white steamed bun, the red pickled mustard seemed exceptionally tempting.

A few minutes later, another hundred yuan entered Lu Ran's Alipay account.

Lu Ran sat on the sleeping bag in deep thought.

Why should he go for a part-time job? Wasn't selling buns here just as good?

At the Shen residence.

Madam Shen found it hard to swallow her breakfast.

As she ate, she pondered the idea of tidying up the external warehouse and letting Lu Ran move in.

But after some thought, she felt that this would be too much of a favor to Lu Ran.

Let him deal with it himself.

With her decision made, Madam Shen regained her composure and proceeded leisurely.

She intended to leave Lu Ran outside for a while longer.

Madam Shen brought a spoonful of seafood soup to her lips.

Just as the spoon touched her mouth, the gardener rushed in from outside.

"Madam, it's terrible! Lu Ran is chatting with Young Master Chen outside!"

Soup splattered out of Madam Shen's mouth.

Rushing to wipe her mouth, she asked, "Who are you talking about?"

"The Chens who live next door!"

Madam Shen was flabbergasted.

"He's lying outside and still has the audacity to chat with someone?"

The gardener nodded.

Madam Shen grew restless once more.

Let alone Master Chen, his wife was known for her loose lips.

If Madam Chen were to find out, the entire capital city might end up knowing about it.

Before Madam Shen could devise a plan, the gardener turned back and announced, "Young Master Zhao is here too!"

Peering over, Madam Shen caught sight of Lu Ran extending a steamed bun to Zhao Chuang.

For some reason, despite Zhao Chuang's tall and sturdy build, which made him seem capable of taking on two Lu Rans, he appeared extremely respectful.

Not only did he receive the bun with both hands, but he also politely thanked Lu Ran.

Madam Shen felt as if she was in a surreal world.

This couldn't go on any longer.

She composed herself and regained her composure, adopting an air of tranquility as she approached the entrance of the Shen family residence.

To her surprise, there were already three or four people gathered around Lu Ran.

Aside from Chen Sheng and Zhao Chuang, two other wealthy young masters were crouched down, their heads almost touching as they examined the steamed bun in Lu Ran's hand with great interest.

Lu Ran yawned nonchalantly and said,

"There's only one left, and it costs two hundred. You two can have a showdown to see who wants it. Splitting it in half is also an option."