Chapter 9: Eat Xiaolongbao

Sairi lifted her head to look at the sky. The sunlight bathed everything warmly; the blue sky was dotted with white clouds.

Around her, the intense summer heat and cicada songs had faded, replaced by merchants calling out their wares and birds chirping.

“Alright! I get it! Today, I’ll follow Sister Hilvia to have a proper shopping day! It’s my first time ever!”

“Good, that’s the spirit! Don’t always be frowning and worrying about this and that. Your smile is the most beautiful thing in the world. Make sure you keep smiling every day.”

“Okay!”

“Then… let’s go!”

“Yes!”

With that, the two truly began their shopping excursion.

They first stepped into the dining area. Since it was morning, most of the shops were selling breakfast.

“Come! Look and see the freshly steamed Wolf Meat Soup Dumplings!”

“Try our Beef Soup Dumplings!”

“Our meat wraps are pretty good too.”

“Stewed dishes with braised noodles! Economical and hearty!”

“All kinds of soup dumplings and xiaolongbao, fresh and delicious!”

The calls from both sides of the street never ceased, and many people were indeed eating. Hearing the sounds and seeing the delicious food, Sairi’s mouth watered.

“Um, Sister Hilvia, can we go eat some soup dumplings? I really want to eat them… hehe.” Sairi tugged at Hilvia’s sleeve, smiling dreamily.

“Of course, little sister Sairi. You can eat whatever you want.” Hilvia smiled gently and agreed to Sairi’s request.

So, the two entered a shop selling soup dumplings and xiaolongbao. Picking up the menu, they began to order.

Looking at the menu, Sairi’s expression grew increasingly excited. There were so many kinds of soup dumplings.

Beef Soup Dumplings

Vermicelli Chicken Soup Dumplings

Wolf Meat Soup Dumplings

Fresh Fish Soup Dumplings

Egg and Shredded Meat Soup Dumplings

“Wow, I didn’t expect there to be so many kinds here, and the skins are thin too. I like it! Oh yeah (*/∇*)”

“Hahaha, making the most of what’s available. Although resources are limited in these border areas, people’s needs are real. So they always use everything to the fullest, making good use of local resources.”

“Then, let’s start with a portion each of beef and fish soup dumplings!”

“Alright, what would you like to drink?”

“For drinks… hmm…” Sairi looked at the drink menu. It felt not much different from her past life.

Fresh milk, soy milk, egg soup, bone broth, fish soup, porridge, rice gruel, and mixed vegetable soup.

“The mixed vegetable soup here is really good. Don’t be fooled by the name—it’s thick and flavorful.”

Hilvia reminded Sairi.

“Okay, then let’s have a bowl of mixed vegetable soup too.”

“Got it, I’ll tell the owner and order some for myself as well.”

“Yay!” Sairi beamed with happiness, her face as cute as a little sun, warming the hearts of those around her.

Of course, many people noticed this scene and began whispering about the adorable little sister in private, including three people wearing hats and cloaks sitting in the corner of the shop.

The three started whispering among themselves.

“Do you two feel like this little sun sister seems both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time?”

“Probably just a coincidence. There are many inexperienced people in this world. This little sister seems pretty normal to me.”

A burly man countered Bilu’er’s opinion.

“I think Bilu’er is right. Sike Na, you tend to be careless. Our mission requires caution.”

“Salanto, you agree with Bilu’er’s point? Alright then, I’ll take the same stance.”

“Then… should I try something later?”

“Don’t act rashly. If she’s not who we think she is, we risk exposing ourselves. If she is, we must find a chance to take her alone, because the person beside her must not be simple.”

Salanto, sitting in the middle, reminded his companions.

They had one identity—they were a registered Adventurer Squad in this small town’s Adventurers’ Guild and got along well with everyone. But did they have another identity? Who knew.

So, the three continued to observe everything about Sairi and Hilvia from their corner.

“All right (*≧U≤), dear customers, your breakfast is here!”

As the owner brought the food, Sairi immediately perked up; the stars in her eyes seemed even brighter.

Hilvia also began enjoying her simple breakfast—fried eggs, grilled meat, and milk.

But now was the blissful time of breakfast!

Sairi decisively picked up a soup dumpling and popped it into her mouth, swallowing the delicious thin-skinned xiaolongbao in one bite.

The scalding soup inside burst out and touched the inside of her mouth, causing her to tear up and instinctively tilt her head back, opening her mouth wide to blow and ease the pain.

“Too hot, too hot.”

“Hey, don’t rush. No one’s going to snatch it from you. The buns here are steamed piping hot, so be careful not to burn your tongue.” Hilvia reminded Sairi.

This scene drew laughter from the surrounding customers.

The shop owner watched all this with a smile. After all, such adorable customers made anyone feel good.

“Little sister, no need to rush. I’ve got plenty of buns here, they won’t get cold. If you want more, just come find me. I’m open all day.”

“Ahahaha, thank you, boss (·w·)/! I’ll be more careful.” Sairi gave an embarrassed smile, scratching her head in response.

“But Sister Hilvia, why are you eating so little? That seems too little. And grilled meat so early in the morning? Why not eat some soup dumplings together?”

Sairi said as she popped another whole soup dumpling into her mouth, but this time she was careful not to burn herself.

“It’s nothing really. I used to love soup dumplings too, ate them every day. I got into them because of a friend. But after she left, I kept eating for a long time and eventually got a bit tired of them.”

“Oh, I see. So, Sister Hilvia, do you want to eat together with me now?” Sairi said while offering a piece of xiaolongbao to Hilvia.

Sairi smiled quietly to herself. Little one, I know what’s really going on.

It’s not about getting tired of the food. I’ve eaten instant noodles and xiaolongbao for years without getting tired. And Hilvia said she hadn’t eaten them for a long time. She’s definitely willing to eat now.

So why would she say that? Because the core isn’t what you eat, but who you eat with.

Sairi understood this truth.

“Mm-hmm, alright then, I’ll go along with little sister Sairi’s wishes.” Hilvia brushed her bangs aside, leaned toward the dumplings, opened her mouth, and with a quick flick of her pink tongue, ate one.

Just as I thought, Hilvia’s friend must have been someone special, Sairi thought.

“How is it? Tasty?”

“Very tasty. Although I’ve had these many times before, and not even at this shop, it still tastes incredibly delicious today.”

“Hehe, of course, this is Sairi’s handpicked delicacy!”

“Little sister Sairi really likes these?”

“Yes, yes! I love thin-skinned soup dumplings. One bite is just so satisfying!”

“Indeed. That’s rare. Then I’ll order another portion to eat together.”

“Yay!”

***

Hilvia went to order another portion of soup dumplings, while Sairi ate and sipped on the mixed vegetable soup.

Though called “mixed,” the soup wasn’t unpleasant at all. It contained slices of meat, carrots, tofu, mushrooms, and so on.

The broth was thick and rich in flavor, somewhat like the spicy pepper soup from her previous life. The more she drank, the more fragrant it became.

Paired with bite-sized soup dumplings, it was truly a delight.

Thinking about it, it made sense. In border regions where resources were scarce, people made full use of everything.

Spicy pepper soup probably developed in this way too—when resources were tight, people combined pepper, wood ear mushrooms, tofu, daylilies, mutton, and so on to keep warm.

She had loved eating it in her previous life.

Before long, their meal was finished, but Sairi didn’t seem satisfied.

“Um… Sister Hilvia, I still feel pretty hungry. Can I eat some more… hehe…” Sairi asked, giggling and pleading.

“Of course.” Hilvia ordered two more portions of soup dumplings for Sairi.

At first, Hilvia thought Sairi was just hungry since she hadn’t eaten much from yesterday until now. But when Sairi finished her tenth basket of soup dumplings, Hilvia realized she was wrong.

“Ah… soup dumplings really are delicious no matter what… hic…” Sairi looked content, patting her belly, making a crisp “pat pat” sound. Yet she still asked Hilvia for two more baskets.

“Uh, little sister Sairi, at first I thought you were just hungry, but now I’m feeling something unusual…?” Hilvia said.

Only then did Sairi realize too. On the table beside her were ten steaming baskets arranged in two rows. The shop owner and other customers occasionally shot surprised glances and whispered quietly.

“I… don’t know… but I really feel like my stomach isn’t full, like it’s empty. But I do feel much more energetic, full of motivation.”

“Ah, maybe we should stop eating for now. We’ve been here a while, and the customers have changed several times. Let’s just stop here. Don’t eat so much breakfast. We’ll keep shopping and try other snacks along the way, okay? Plus, we still need to eat lunch.”

“Okay, I’ll listen to Sister Hilvia!”

The End

“Alright, let’s settle the bill.”

After paying, the two left the shop to continue their stroll.

“That girl sure can eat. Seems a bit abnormal. Salanto, should we follow them?”

“Of course. A girl who eats that much must be followed, but discreetly. We can’t be noticed. Sike Na, Bilu’er, let’s go.”

On the street, the two girls strolled slowly, Sairi’s head bobbing like a rattle drum, taking in the various shops and street food stalls around them.

Indeed, there were many snacks—grilled meat, pancakes, roast chicken, roujiamo, fried tofu, grilled fish…

The dazzling array of street food made Sairi’s mouth water. Although it was a border town, the main street had plenty of delicious food, much like what she’d heard about in her past life.

If such a border town had a street like this, how prosperous must the capitals and economically developed places of various countries be?

Sairi couldn’t even imagine. This only made her more curious about those unknown places.