Chapter 383: Forcing It Down
The moment the tofu pudding entered his mouth, Darn's eyes widened.
The entire curd slid in effortlessly, its silky-smooth texture bursting between his teeth, sending waves through his mind.
It was incredibly soft—just a light press of the tongue and it broke apart instantly. On its own, it didn't have much flavor, only a lingering richness that coated his mouth. But with the sauce and toppings seeping into that richness, the experience became something else entirely.
He wasn't sure what ingredients had gone into the sauce, but when he savored it carefully, he could faintly taste a strange umami, almost like it came from seafood. That unique savoriness perfectly compensated for the tofu pudding's natural blandness. The crunchy radish bits and fresh green onions didn't just add flavor, but also brought contrast to its otherwise uniform smoothness.
After swallowing a mouthful, Darn's face was full of wonder.
This was his first time eating such an interesting dish, and now he finally understood why it was called tofu pudding.
Though it carried the strong aroma of soybeans and was clearly made from the same base as tofu, the strange, slippery richness made it feel almost identical to pig brain in texture.
Shaking his head in amazement, Darn couldn't help but scoop up another spoonful.
Savory tofu pudding truly was delicious.
No, in fact—it had to be savory.
He couldn't even imagine what kind of heresy it would be if tofu pudding were made sweet instead.
Wait a second… wasn't that fellow across from him eating the sweet version?
At the thought, Darn glanced at Yun Qing.
He saw Yun Qing happily enjoying his soy milk & cahkwe set, the sweet tofu pudding left untouched. Darn blinked, then realization struck.
Ah, he understood. Yun Qing must have realized the sweet version was inedible, and so abandoned it, sticking to just the cahkwe and soy milk.
With that thought, Darn gave Yun Qing a pitying look.
Poor guy… a whole gold coin wasted.
No—worse!
Because of Han Shi's rule that food couldn't be wasted, even if Yun Qing knew it tasted bad, he'd still have to force himself to finish it.
Imagining this fellow diner, whom he had only just met, struggling later to choke down a bowl of sweet, blasphemous tofu pudding, Darn felt a pang of sympathy.
Too tragic.
Better not to rub salt in the wound.
So, though he had originally planned to share how delicious his savory tofu pudding was, Darn quietly shut his mouth and kept eating, savoring his own dish instead.
Yun Qing, meanwhile, was blissfully unaware. His entire attention was fixed on the cahkwe and soy milk before him. He had no idea that the gentleman across the table—whom he'd only just met—was already running through an elaborate inner drama and had developed an inexplicable sense of pity toward him.
Only after quite a while did Yun Qing finally finish all three cahkwe. He wiped the tiny traces of oil from his fingers with a napkin.
The small bowl of soy milk now had only a single mouthful left.
Looking at the tiny golden flecks of oil shimmering on the surface under the light, Yun Qing's eyes brimmed with desire, not disgust.
After all, those glossy droplets came from the cahkwe's deliciousness itself. How could he feel repulsed by them, when he was still reluctant to part with that flavor?
He lifted the bowl and drank the remaining soy milk in one gulp.
The rich fragrance of soybeans, tinged with the aroma of fried dough, spread slowly through his mouth, and a subtle sweetness lingered on his lips. A satisfied smile crept onto Yun Qing's face.
This soy milk & cahkwe set had completely blown him away.
Wait a minute— didn't he order something else as well?
Only after finishing the cahkwe and soy milk did Yun Qing suddenly remember the other dish he had neglected all this time—something called tofu pudding.
The words tofu pudding and soy milk both shared the same character "bean." Even if the preparation differed, the ingredients must be similar.
The sweetness of the sugar-soy milk he had just finished still lingered on his tongue, that rich flavor tinged with a delicate sweetness. Now he was about to try sweet tofu pudding. The thought alone made Yun Qing's happiness feel doubled.
Impatient with anticipation, he pulled the bowl of sweet tofu pudding in front of him.
The portion wasn't large. Like the savory version, it came in the same delicate little porcelain bowl, but the toppings and seasoning were entirely different.
The tofu pudding inside formed soft blocks stacked together. Across its surface spread a glossy reddish-brown layer. Under the light, the slightly thick sauce shimmered with a warm luster, almost crystalline, making it look especially enticing.
At the very center of the reddish-brown topping lay a small mound of red beans. They were darker in color than any Yun Qing had ever seen, but beyond their plump, intact appearance, there was nothing more he could discern.
So this is sweet tofu pudding?
Picking up the spoon, Yun Qing stirred gently, mixing the glossy sauce and the plump beans evenly into the tofu pudding, then scooped up a spoonful.
Though the tofu pudding was soft and delicate, it didn't dissolve into liquid like soy milk. It kept its shape, quivering slightly with a pale brown sheen, a few beans clinging to its surface—an appearance so tempting that Yun Qing's appetite surged.
Time to taste it!
Without hesitation, he sent the spoonful into his mouth—then his eyes widened.
So smooth!
This was the first time he had eaten something so silky. It was soft enough to rival the thick sauce in texture, yet still managed to hold its form. The marvel of it left him stunned.
As his teeth pressed together, the tofu pudding broke apart easily. A pure, concentrated bean fragrance surged forth, giving his taste buds an overwhelming richness.
At the same time, the sweetness unique to sweet tofu pudding spread across his palate.
It was completely different from the sweetness of the refined sugar he had stirred into his soy milk earlier. If white sugar's sweetness was light and fleeting, this was weighty and lingering.
It was the taste of brown sugar.
White sugar was cleaner, but brown sugar carried depth, warmth, and a unique aroma.
This flavor, paired with the silky tofu pudding and its rich soybean fragrance, was nothing short of perfection.
And the brown sugar here wasn't system-supplied—it had been slow-cooked by Qi Han himself. During the process, he had even added osmanthus blossoms, lending the syrup a faint floral sweetness that made it all the more enchanting.
Yun Qing knew nothing of these subtleties, but it didn't matter. The balance of flavors was enough to leave him utterly spellbound.
Then, as he chewed, another player made its entrance—the red beans.
Cooked with white sugar until just right, the beans still retained their plump form but had lost all hardness. A light press of the tongue was enough to make them dissolve, releasing their gentle sweetness and distinct fragrance, which then mingled into the pudding, giving the dessert even more life and character.
Yun Qing's face lit up with bliss. After swallowing that mouthful, the lingering richness and delicate sweetness still danced in his mouth. He opened his eyes and immediately glanced at Darn.
The sweet tofu pudding was so perfect that Yun Qing couldn't even imagine how such a thing could possibly exist in a savory version.
Didn't Mr. Darn order the savory one?
Has he tried it yet?
At that moment, Darn was already eating his steamed dragon dumplings. The little bowl that had once held the savory tofu pudding was long since empty.
He finished it already?
Yun Qing's eyes widened, then realization dawned.
Of course—because Han Shi's rules forbade wasting food, Darn must have forced himself to finish that strange, oddly flavored pudding.
Poor Mr. Darn…
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