The hunger was so intense and sudden. He had just eaten five or six fist-sized dumplings, yet his stomach was now completely empty.
Wu Liangchen even suspected that if a cow were to appear before him now, he could devour it in a single gulp.
However, this hunger was different from the hunger of his previous days of scarcity. That kind of hunger made him dizzy, his vision blurry, and sent sour bile rising up his throat.
Now, despite the hunger, his mind was remarkably clear. In fact, he felt better than he ever had before.
Wu Liangchen walked down the gentle slope from the city wall. He hesitated for a moment, but instead of heading home, he quickened his pace toward the mouth of the street.
He went around a large tenement compound and through a filthy alley, emerging onto a relatively bustling, long street.
Although it was still part of South City's poor district, its proximity to the main thoroughfare meant a constant flow of pedestrians and merchants, making the area quite lively. It even boasted a good number of taverns and teahouses.
Of course, Wu Liangchen hadn't come here to eat at a restaurant. He didn't have that kind of money.
After turning onto the long street, he walked east for about two hundred meters. On the north side of the road was an open lot, where a crowd had already gathered around a wonton stall set up in the center.
The wonton stall wasn't large, but it was impeccably clean. Even the small stove used for the fire was polished until it gleamed.
A lantern hung from the front of the wonton stall, casting a hazy yellow glow. Beneath it, an old man with salt-and-pepper hair was busy at work.
Beside him, a young girl, no older than fifteen or sixteen with her hair in braids, was wrapping wontons with incredible speed.
Whenever a customer placed an order, the girl would roll out a wrapper as if by magic. Then, with a touch as light as a dragonfly skimming water, she'd scoop a spoonful of filling from a white porcelain bowl. A gentle squeeze of her hands and a plump, ingot-shaped wonton was ready.
This was the renowned Old Man Bai's Wontons of South City.
Many of South City's residents were coolies at the docks. They often worked late into the night and were in dire need of something to fill their bellies before heading home.
But these were poor, hardworking men who couldn't afford "high-end" late-night snacks like braised chicken or mutton flatbreads.
Wontons thus became the most delicious and affordable option. Adding to the appeal, Old Man Bai's stall was clean, and the broth itself was a rich stock simmered from pork bones, making it exceptionally savory.
After a long day's work, there was nothing more comforting than spending three or four copper coins on a steaming bowl of wontons.
And so, Old Man Bai's Wontons had been a South City fixture for twenty or thirty years, open rain or shine. It had earned such a reputation that even wealthy patrons from East City would make special trips just for a taste.
And it was this bowl of wontons that Wu Liangchen had come for.
As he drew near, before he could even speak, the young girl wrapping wontons spotted him. Her eyes instantly curved into crescent moons as she exclaimed in pleasant surprise.
"Oh, Brother Xiaowu, you're here!"
The girl was Old Man Bai's daughter. Though she was young, she'd been helping her father at the stall since she was barely tall enough to see over the counter.
Now, she had become an indispensable helper to her father.
The sight of the young girl wrapping wontons under the lamplight had become one of South City's celebrated nighttime scenes. Many idle loiterers had even given her the elegant moniker "the Wonton Beauty."
In the past, when Wu Liangchen worked late pulling his cart, he would often come for a bowl of wontons. Over time, he had become familiar with the young girl.
The Wu Liangchen of today, however, only remembered that the girl's name was Erya. He'd forgotten nearly everything else.
Wu Liangchen gave a slight nod. "Yeah, a bowl of wontons!"
"Extra dried shrimp, hold the cilantro, right?" Bai Erya asked, her eyes crinkling into a smile.
"Uh... right!" Wu Liangchen had no memory of such details, but he played along.
"You got it!"
As Bai Erya replied, she was already moving, her hands a blur of activity.
Rolling the wrapper, folding the wonton, dropping it in the pot...
In just a moment, a steaming bowl of wontons was ready. After scooping them into the bowl, Bai Erya grabbed a generous handful of dried shrimp, tossed them on top, and handed it over with a radiant smile.
When Wu Liangchen took the bowl, he realized it was noticeably fuller than what the other customers received.
"Eat up, Brother Xiaowu!" she urged, winking at him repeatedly.
Wu Liangchen smiled. Without another word, he picked up the bowl and dug in.
He took a bite. The freshly wrapped pork wonton was savory and delicious. A sip of the rich bone broth, complemented by the final sprinkle of dried shrimp that served as the perfect finishing touch, made for a delightful combination. While not a taste that would linger in memory forever, it was deeply flavorful.
Wu Liangchen truly was starving. The large bowl of wontons disappeared down his throat in the blink of an eye.
"More soup?" Bai Erya asked, taking his bowl at just the right moment.
"Yes!"
A bowl of wontons cost three copper coins. The price wasn't high, but even so, few people in South City could afford to eat their fill.
Thus, finishing the wontons and then getting a free refill of bone broth was the most economical way to get a full meal.
Bai Erya took the bowl to the pot. Then, when her father wasn't looking, she quickly ladled another half-bowl of wontons for Wu Liangchen before nonchalantly bringing it back to him.
Wu Liangchen saw what she did, and a flicker of warmth went through him. He was just about to speak...
But Bai Erya gave him a subtle shake of her head and pushed the bowl into his hands.
At the same time, Old Man Bai called out, "Erya, get back over here and wrap wontons!"
"Coming!"
Bai Erya called back with a cheerful reply, gave Wu Liangchen a smiling wink, and then turned to leave.
Wu Liangchen was stunned for a moment, then shook his head with a soft chuckle. He picked up the bowl and began to eat.
Wu Liangchen ate this bowl much more slowly. He was still a bit hungry, but at least the ravenous, clawing feeling from before was gone.
Just as Wu Liangchen was slowly savoring the flavor of the wontons and broth, a large, boisterous crowd came swaggering down the street.
The group was made up of sturdy, able-bodied men in the prime of their life. They were all bare-chested with buzz cuts, their shirts tied around their waists and towels draped around their necks.
There was only one kind of person in South City who dressed this way year-round: the coolies from the docks.
Their work was considered the hardest and most exhausting in all of South City. The labor was so intense, constantly requiring them to haul heavy cargo, that to save their clothes from wear and tear, they went without shirts for three seasons of the year: spring, summer, and fall.
Even in the dead of winter, once they got warmed up, they would strip off their shirts and work bare-chested—a truly staggering sight.
Seeing them, Wu Liangchen glanced up at the sky.
'It's probably around ten o'clock,' he thought. 'Still an early night for them.'
If an urgent shipment came in, they'd have to work through the night.
At the sight of the men, Old Man Bai and his daughter, who were already busy, kicked into an even higher gear.
Bai Erya in particular was a whirlwind of motion, her hands moving so fast they were a blur. In an instant, rows of fresh wontons filled the wicker trays.
Sure enough, the men strode over and, in an instant, surrounded the small wonton stall, packing the area tight.
"Old Bai! The usual for me—two bowls, and make it extra spicy!"
"Two bowls for me too!"
"And me!"
Amid the chorus of shouts, Old Man Bai responded cheerfully.
"Alright, alright, find a seat everyone!"
The wonton stall had stools, but most customers didn't use them; they'd just stand around the pot, slurp down a bowl or two, and leave.
These men were different, though. After a grueling day at the docks, any chance to rest their legs was welcome. They soon sat down in small groups.
Wu Liangchen had finished his wontons by now. Seeing that Bai Erya was completely swamped, he decided not to bother her. He simply pulled out five copper coins, placed them on the counter, and pinned them down with his empty bowl before turning to leave.
Just as he turned to go, a voice called out from behind him.
"Is that Xiaowu?"