Chapter 623 - 308: Stir-Fried Mooncakes with Chili? Did the Cafeteria Chef Get a Weird Craving Today? (Part 2)

"Right!"

Looking at Li Xuan nodding as if his head were pounding rice, the history teacher’s face looked somewhat displeased.

Although his wife sells marinated eggs near the cafeteria, he doesn’t wish for his students to give special attention because of that relationship.

What he hopes for more is that his students, at the age of growing bodies, can eat well.

Since he was young, his teachers treated him this way, and influenced by their example, he treats his own students likewise.

Thus, the history teacher was silent for a moment, then said to Li Xuan, "Class monitor, it’s almost mealtime. You come with me to the cafeteria; I want to see what you eat regularly."

Li Xuan scratched his head with some embarrassment: "Teacher Wang, if you go directly to the cafeteria, I’m afraid they’ll recognize you immediately, and that..."

Hearing the undertone, Teacher Wang quickly made a decision: "You get me a school uniform, then call out my class representative, and I’ll go with you guys."

Soon, Teacher Wang, dressed in school uniform, and two students arrived outside the cafeteria.

Opening the cafeteria’s curtain, a beam of light instantly illuminated the somewhat dark cafeteria.

Once the curtain fell, the cafeteria returned to its previous darkness.

Seeing the three who arrived at the cafeteria before mealtime, the cafeteria aunt was somewhat surprised but still greeted them:

"Hey, little brother, come over here."

"What will you eat, pick anything, there’s plenty of rice just out of the pot."

Seeing this attitude, Teacher Wang inwardly nodded first.

As of now, the cafeteria seemed to be running normally.

Coming to the front of the dish area, looking at the dish names before him, Teacher Wang felt a flash of brightness:

"Wow, these dish names sound good."

Then, he pointed at the first dish name on the menu, somewhat puzzled:

"What’s ’Sweet in the Bitter’ supposed to be?"

Without waiting for the cafeteria aunt to speak, Li Xuan whispered in his ear:

"Teacher, ’Sweet in the Bitter’ is stir-fried bitter gourd with cantaloupe, cantaloupe is sweet and bitter gourd is bitter, that’s why it’s called ’Sweet in the Bitter’."

Walt?

Teacher Wang was mentally prepared, but upon hearing this, he couldn’t help but freeze for a moment.

Stir-fried bitter gourd with cantaloupe?

Is this meant for human consumption?

Then he pointed at the second dish name on the menu, curiously asking:

"And what’s this ’East-West Span’ thing?"

The history class representative quickly answered: "It’s winter melon with watermelon rind; one is pronounced ’Dong’ and the other ’Xi,’ so it’s called ’East-West Span’."

Instantly, Teacher Wang’s face turned even darker.

Teacher Wang’s gaze moved to the third line of the menu, looking at the dish name, somewhat confused:

"What’s this ’Two Dragons Playing with Pearls’?"

Li Xuan spoke with a faint sense of resignation: "Whole scallions and whole cucumbers with quail eggs."

Hearing this explanation, Teacher Wang’s tone also had a faint sense of resignation:

"Then, uh, is there anything that’s not a melon?"

The cafeteria aunt inside the dish area grinned wickedly:

"Yes, chicken drumsticks."

Upon hearing this, Teacher Wang’s eyes instantly brightened:

"Oh my, really? Then give me a portion."

The cafeteria aunt lifted the pot lid with a bright smile: "Limited quantity, sold out."

"I... you..."

With the restraint of a teacher’s dignity, Teacher Wang swallowed back the curse that almost escaped his lips.

This is the era of progress; had it been during his student days, he surely would have torn apart the cafeteria!

Calming himself down, Teacher Wang patiently asked:

"What stir-fried dishes do you have?"

The cafeteria aunt lifted a pot lid to show the dish inside:

"Look, chili stir-fried mooncakes, they’re seasonal dishes."

Teacher Wang’s eyes were almost bulging out, full of disbelief:

"Seasonal dishes? Isn’t it about to be New Year now."

"Mooncakes? Are you nuts? It’s been months since Mid-Autumn Festival, how can this be a seasonal dish?"

The cafeteria aunt was indifferent, snorting coldly:

"Last year’s mooncakes are still left, can’t waste them; after Mid-Autumn, I’ll make extra Dragon Boat rice dumplings for you, braised or spicy, your choice."

Walt?

Before Teacher Wang could be shocked again, the cafeteria aunt started serving him rice.

"Oh dear, is this ladle leaking? Where did the serving go?"

Teacher Wang watched as the only piece of meat in the ladle fell down.

The cafeteria aunt’s voice expressed regret, but her face showed a mischievous expression:

"Student, want more? I’ll get you some, guaranteed to make you eat well."

Teacher Wang was at a loss for words, only managing to say in resignation:

"I’m not hungry, no need."

The cafeteria aunt lifted another pot lid and started serving stew:

"You don’t seem hungry; how about some potato stewed with beef?"

Looking at the stew, Teacher Wang almost laughed in anger:

"Potato stewed with what?"

"Potato stewed with beef!"

"Potato stewed with what?"

"It’s chicken, potato stewed with chicken."

"I’m asking, what’s potato stewed with?"

"Potato stewed with potato!"

Teacher Wang was completely amused.

He had considered the differences between student and teacher cafeterias on his way here, but never imagined the student cafeteria meals would be so outrageous.

Suddenly, he glanced aside, witnessing yet another concerning scene:

"Hey, what are you doing?"

The cafeteria aunt replied indifferently:

"I’m washing hands, you know."

Teacher Wang pointed at the sign nearby, his voice trembling slightly:

"That’s free soup, why are you washing your hands in it."

"No way!"

Teacher Wang leaned forward and had his worldview refreshed again.

The so-called free soup before him was essentially clear water with a layer of oil on top!

"What kind of soup is this?"

"There’s vegetable in it, so it’s soup, you know, it’s careless waste."

The cafeteria aunt said this while grabbing a bowl: "Look, let me serve you a bowl."

Teacher Wang quickly refused, changing the topic: "What’s the staple food for the pigs?"

"Oh, isn’t this all pigs’ food?"

Teacher Wang completely gave up: "I’m asking, what’s the main dish?"

Li Xuan stepped in to help out: "Auntie, are the buns still warm?"

The cafeteria aunt was straightforward, shaking her head: "Not warm."

"Just skip the buns, I’ll get you a bowl of rice instead."

After some chaos, the three placed their food on the dining table.

Soon, the history class representative folded his hands, looking pious, while muttering something.

Teacher Wang asked in confusion: "Oh dear, are you praying before meals?"

The history class representative shook his head, self-deprecatingly: "No, I’m praying to King Yama not to collect me after this meal."

Teacher Wang threw his chopsticks: "It’s different from what teachers eat indeed. I’m done, let’s go!"

Just then, the cafeteria aunt suddenly approached them, holding a big serving spoon, half-smiling: "School cafeteria has a ’clean plate’ plan, food must be finished entirely, or you get penalized with points and fines."

"You guys better finish it, you’re all skinny with little arms and legs."

"If you don’t eat, it’s fine, but your class and grade won’t escape blind reports, there’s surveillance with facial recognition, false reports are severely punished!"

Seeing the two students beside him silently resume eating, the history teacher felt deeply for them and directly tossed their plates aside: "Alright, stop eating, don’t get sick."

The cafeteria aunt was displeased: "Hey, what do you mean by that?"

The history teacher slammed the table, shouting angrily: "Students need nutrition too."

"Eating such little and tasteless food, how can students grow and develop!"

The cafeteria aunt sneered coldly: "You’re a student, what rights do you have to debate with me!"

"Sit down and eat immediately!"

Just as the history teacher was about to speak again, the cafeteria aunt’s phone rang.

Glancing at the phone screen and then at Teacher Wang, the cafeteria aunt grinned sinisterly:

"Ah, it turns out you’re the school’s history teacher, that’s why you talk so smartly."

Then she shook the phone’s screen toward the history teacher, sighing:

"The school sympathizes with your family for having a child with leukemia, that’s why your wife was allowed to sell eggs at the cafeteria door in the first place."

"Now it’s all good, the surveillance already recognized your face and sent it to the school leaders."

"Look, here’s the message from the leader. If you rush out now, maybe you can make it before your wife’s egg stall gets seized."