The Gourmet Customizer

With the buns steaming, Su Chen stretched lazily. "Aunt Fang, could I trouble you to make some congee for everyone?"

Gnawing on a large bone Su Chen had set aside earlier, Aunt Fang replied, "Sure, no problem. Go on and rest for a bit."

Millet congee and large buns. While not a lavish breakfast, it was still a pretty decent spread.

A side of pickled vegetables would have made it perfect.

’Hmm... I should add pickled vegetables to the menu plan.’

Su Chen sat down at a cafeteria table, closing his eyes to rest while pondering a new problem.

He was using the cafeteria to repay the subsidies he owed his employees, but at the end of the day, the food still had a cost.

The company’s previous breakfast had been simple fare like boiled eggs, pickled vegetables, steamed buns, and millet congee, so the per-person budget was set at five yuan.

But things were different now.

But with Su Chen’s cooking, a single braised pork knuckle bun—as big as a grown man’s fist and stuffed with meat—would cost at least five yuan in any restaurant.

If what happened last night were to repeat itself, it would definitely be unfair.

Take Bai Xiaobo, for instance. That guy could wolf down at least three buns per meal, while someone like He Shuting, with her small appetite, would eat one at most.

What would happen if they started fighting over it?

’Or, I could switch the cafeteria to a paid model. After all, the old meal subsidies have been fully disbursed. That would be fair to everyone. Plus, for employees with bigger appetites, I could pay back what I owe them faster.’

Su Chen began to consider the feasibility of this idea.

The more he thought about it, the more he liked the idea. He was so eager he wanted to call a meeting immediately.

Right away, Su Chen pulled out his phone, ready to send a notification to the company group chat.

"Boss? Up so early?"

Su Chen glanced sideways. "If I didn’t get up early, who would make breakfast? You’re the one who’s in surprisingly early."

Li Mingtao walked into the cafeteria, briefcase in hand. "Hehe, I just had a little unfinished work I wanted to wrap up early. I need to step out to run some errands today."

"Oh," Su Chen said. "When will you be back? Tell everyone we’re having a meeting today."

"A meeting?" Li Mingtao froze.

’What kind of meeting?’

’Is there anything left in this company that requires a group discussion?’

"Yes, a meeting. I have an announcement to make."

Li Mingtao nodded and said tentatively, "Okay. How about you just announce it in the cafeteria at lunchtime?"

’Are you kidding me? I’m supposed to be starting at another company!’

’How would I have time to come back for a meeting?’

"Let’s use the conference room," Su Chen said, turning his head. He felt something was off with Li Mingtao today; normally, the guy was the first to get excited about a meeting. "You can take care of your business first. We can hold it after you get back."

Seeing Su Chen insist, Li Mingtao just said, "Oh. I’ll send the notice out in a bit, then."

He hesitated, then asked somewhat sheepishly, "Boss, about my wife and son... this morning..."

Su Chen waved a hand. "Have them come over and eat. We already talked about this." 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Li Mingtao nodded, pleasantly surprised. "Thanks, Boss!"

As they were speaking, Aunt Fang pushed open the kitchen door. "Boss, time’s up for the buns!"

Su Chen shot up from his chair. "Hold on! Let them rest for another two minutes!"

If you took them out right away, the sudden temperature change would cause the buns to collapse.

Su Chen strode toward the kitchen as he spoke.

He Shuting, who had just arrived, followed him into the kitchen. "Buns for breakfast? You’re so hardworking, Boss. You must have gotten up very early."

Su Chen kept his eyes on the buns in the steamer. "It was alright. I went to bed early last night."

The buns in the steamer began to swell, looking even slightly larger than Su Chen’s own fists.

In the south, a single bun this size could probably stuff the average girl.

In the north, however, it was just considered on the larger side.

Even so, He Shuting gasped when she saw the expanded buns. "They’re huge! Boss, how did you make them so big!"

"Well, of course. They’re filled with pork knuckle. If they were any smaller, you wouldn’t be able to fit much meat inside," Aunt Fang explained.

"I can eat half of one at most!" He Shuting said, quite sure of her appetite’s limits.

The bowl and a half of rice from yesterday had already pushed her to her limit. When she got home that night, she’d lain in bed with an uncomfortably full stomach, and even this morning, she felt like she still hadn’t completely digested it.

Su Chen figured enough time had passed. "They should be ready now. Time to take them out and eat!"

There were three steamer baskets, each holding 24 buns. Su Chen used a cloth to slide the trays out.

He Shuting leaned over curiously to get a better look.

’They’re so big. I probably can’t even finish half of one!’

After covering the three steamer trays with cloths, Su Chen was the first to place a large meat bun in his own bowl, and then he sat down in the dining area with a bowl of millet congee.

The big, white, plump bun looked incredibly fluffy. Right out of the steamer, meat juices had bubbled—GURGLE GURGLE—from the small opening at the top. Now that it had cooled slightly, you could still glimpse juices flowing within that little vent.

Su Chen tried using his chopsticks, but the bun was too big to lift. He gave up and simply picked it up, taking a huge bite from the edge.

The bun was large, but its skin was thin.

He hit the generous filling with his very first bite.

Large chunks of pork knuckle interspersed with skin tumbled freely in his mouth. The lean meat, cooked until perfectly tender, had then been briefly stir-fried to sear the surface, making the texture incredibly smooth and succulent!

As Su Chen savored it, a piece of pork skin slid slickly across his tongue. The seared surface felt springy at first bite!

But when he truly bit down, the rich-but-not-greasy piece of skin instantly melted on his tongue.

"Holy shit, is this what S Level Delicious tastes like?"

Su Chen swallowed his first mouthful. He knew it was delicious, but he couldn’t pinpoint exactly why, so he quickly took another bite.

"Mmm..."

This time, Su Chen focused, savoring it carefully.

A mouthful of pork knuckle, enveloped by the bun’s skin, wasn’t greasy at all—just tender, savory, and fragrant.

The minced chili peppers in particular, having only been steamed inside for ten minutes, had a crisp-tender texture. It was this very quality that completely cut through the last hint of grease from the pork.

"I don’t think I can stop..."

Every bite Su Chen took was a big one. In just two bites, he’d finished nearly half the bun.

His third bite went right for the center—the spot with the thinnest skin and the most filling.

He bit down!

"HSSS!!!"

Unlike the first two bites, this one released the juices sealed deep within the filling. Before Su Chen could react, a trickle escaped the corner of his mouth...

He furtively turned his head and wiped it away.

’How embarrassing!’

’But what can you do when it’s this delicious...’

Five bites, one bun gone.

Su Chen licked his lips. Satiety: 50%

’So, having another one wouldn’t be excessive, right?’