Peng Kaiqun adalah manajer departemen pembelian di perusahaannya. Dia datang ke Pameran Peralatan Mesin Kota Hai untuk mencari peralatan baru guna menggantikan mesin-mesin lama mereka. Tugas utamanya adalah mencatat spesifikasi dan harga peralatan yang dibutuhkannya, lalu mengirimkan informasi tersebut kembali kepada manajemen senior perusahaannya agar mereka dapat memutuskan pemasok mana yang akan dipilih.
Sebelum datang, dia sudah tahu bahwa Pusat Konvensi dan Pameran Kota Hai tidak menyediakan layanan makanan, dan area sekitarnya tandus serta sama sekali tidak memiliki fasilitas apa pun. Jadi, sebelum berangkat pagi itu, dia membeli sarapan dari McDonald's di dekat hotelnya—sebuah hamburger dan Coca-Cola—lalu membawanya ke Pusat Konvensi dan Pameran Kota Hai.
Begitu turun dari mobil, dia melihat sebuah tanda di pintu masuk. Pengumuman itu menyatakan bahwa sebuah area makan telah dibuka di bagian timur lantai basement pertama pusat konvensi tersebut. Layanan katering akan disediakan oleh enam hotel paling terkenal di Kota Hai, dan semua pengunjung yang tertarik dipersilakan untuk makan di sana.
Peng Kaiqun melirik papan tanda itu dan langsung berlalu begitu saja, sama sekali tidak memedulikannya. Dia sudah pernah mendatangi delapan puluh, jika bukan seratus, pameran semacam ini. Dia tahu persis jenis warung makan apa yang bisa ditemukan di tempat-tempat seperti itu.
Sebotol air mineral yang harganya dua yuan di luar akan menjadi lima yuan di dalam. Makanan cepat saji seharga lima belas yuan akan menjadi tiga puluh atau bahkan empat puluh yuan. Dia menepuk hamburger dan Coca-Cola di dalam tasnya. ’Aku akan makan siang sebentar saja dan menyantap makanan yang layak nanti malam. Tidak mungkin aku mau diperas di pusat konvensi.’
Waktu selalu berlalu dengan cepat saat kamu sibuk bekerja. Dalam sekejap mata, hari sudah menunjukkan pukul 11.52 siang. Dia melihat para staf dari berbagai stan berdatangan kembali sambil membawa kantong berisi kotak makan siang. Peng Kaiqun mulai merasa kelaparan. Dia menemukan kursi kosong di area istirahat, duduk, dan mengeluarkan hamburger yang sudah dingin serta Coca-Cola yang sudah tidak bersoda dan suam-suam kuku. Dia mulai makan, menggigit burgernya bergantian dengan meneguk soda.
Tiba-tiba, sebuah aroma tercium dari kejauhan, menggelitik lubang hidungnya sejenak sebelum akhirnya menghilang. Aromanya begitu tipis hingga sepertinya tidak ada orang lain yang menyadarinya, tetapi indra penciumannya yang tajam berhasil menangkapnya. Hidungnya berkedut sedikit saat otaknya langsung menganalisis informasi yang terkandung di dalam wewangian tersebut.
Pertama-tama muncul aroma cincangan bawang putih yang mendesis dalam minyak panas hingga berwarna cokelat keemasan. Diikuti oleh aroma pedas yang kaya dan tajam dengan sedikit sentuhan aroma rerumputan, dan di dalam rasa pedas itu, dia samar-samar bisa mendeteksi sensasi kebas dari merica Sichuan. Aroma itu ditutup dengan bau nasi kukus yang bersih, manis, dan menenangkan...
’Itu adalah aroma makanan sungguhan!’
Peng Kaiqun mendongak dengan linglung dan mengamati sekelilingnya. Matanya tertuju pada stan di seberangnya, tempat dua pegawai duduk berhadap-hadapan dengan hamparan kotak makan siang yang tampak mewah tersaji di hadapan mereka. Dia melirik makanan mereka, lalu kembali menatap hamburger dingin di tangannya—rotinya sekarang basah kuyup, sayurannya layu, dan sausnya berantakan seperti bubur. Tiba-tiba, makanan itu terasa sulit ditelan.
’Hanya makan siang sebentar saja,’ batinnya meyakinkan diri. ’Aku akan menikmati makan malam yang enak di hotel nanti malam.’
Setelah merapal beberapa patah kata untuk menenangkan diri, dia mengangkat hamburger yang tampak tidak menggugah selera itu ke bibirnya sekali lagi. Peng Kaiqun membuka mulutnya lebar-lebar, berniat menghabiskan sisanya dalam dua gigitan besar, ketika aroma masakan yang sangat kaya tiba-tiba meledak di seluruh aula pusat konvensi.
Hidungnya yang terlalu peka memungkinkannya untuk langsung mengenali hidangan asal aroma tersebut: Daging Babi Bawang Putih, Tahu Mapo, Kubis dengan Bihun, Sup Tulang Babi dengan Jagung dan Wortel...
’Sialan! Aku benar-benar tidak tahan lagi!’
Peng Kaiqun langsung bangkit berdiri. Dia memasukkan sisa separuh hamburgernya dan secangkir Coca-Cola yang masih terisi dua pertiga langsung ke dalam tong sampah. Mengikuti petunjuk arah di lantai, dia berjalan cepat menuju bagian timur Basement Level 1. Setibanya di sana, seluruh area tersebut sudah dipadati oleh lautan manusia yang sibuk. Beberapa orang, sepertinya, sedang menuju ke area makan untuk makan; sementara yang lain, yang sudah membeli makanan mereka, sedang dalam perjalanan pulang.
Sambil bergerak mengikuti arus orang, Peng Kaiqun memperhatikan mereka yang berjalan pulang sambil membawa makanan. Sebagian besar dari mereka membawa kotak makan siang di dalam kantong plastik yang dicetak dengan karakter
Peng Kaiqun was the manager of his company’s purchasing department. He had come to the Hai City Machinery Equipment Exhibition to find new equipment to replace their old machinery. His main task was to record the specifications and prices of the equipment he needed, then send the information back to his company’s upper management so they could decide which supplier to choose.
He knew before he came that the Hai City Convention and Exhibition Center didn’t offer any food services, and the surrounding area was barren, completely devoid of amenities. So, before heading out that morning, he’d bought a breakfast meal from the McDonald’s near his hotel—a hamburger and a Coke—and brought it with him to the Hai City Convention and Exhibition Center.
As soon as he got out of his car, he spotted a sign at the entrance. It announced that a food court had been opened in the eastern section of the convention center’s first basement level. Catering services would be provided by six of Hai City’s most well-known hotels, and all interested attendees were welcome to dine there.
Peng Kaiqun glanced at the sign and walked right past, not paying it any mind. He’d been to eighty, if not a hundred, of these exhibitions. He knew exactly what kind of food stalls you found in them.
A bottle of mineral water that cost two bucks outside would be five inside. A fifteen-buck fast-food meal would be thirty or even forty. He patted the hamburger and Coke in his bag. ’I’ll just have a quick bite for lunch and get a proper meal tonight. No way I’m getting ripped off at the convention center.’
Time always flew when you were busy working. In the blink of an eye, it was 11:52 AM. He saw staff from various booths trickling back, carrying bags of lunch boxes. Peng Kaiqun was starting to feel famished himself. He found an empty seat in a rest area, sat down, and pulled out his long-cold hamburger and the flat, lukewarm Coke. He began to eat, alternating bites of his burger with sips of soda.
Suddenly, an aroma wafted over from a distance, tickling his nostrils for a moment before drifting away. The scent was so fleeting that no one else seemed to notice, but his sensitive nose had caught it. His nostrils twitched slightly as his brain instantly analyzed the information contained within the fragrance.
First came the fragrance of smashed garlic cloves sizzling in hot oil until golden brown. That was followed by a rich, pungent heat carrying a faint, grassy note, and within that spiciness, he could faintly detect the numbing tingle of Sichuan peppercorns. The scent finished with the clean, sweet, and comforting aroma of steamed rice...
’That was the smell of a real meal!’
Peng Kaiqun dazedly looked up and scanned his surroundings. His eyes landed on the booth across from him, where two employees sat facing each other, an array of lavish-looking lunch boxes spread out before them. He glanced at their meal, then back at the cold hamburger in his hand—its bun now soggy, its vegetables wilted, its sauce a goopy mess. Suddenly, it seemed hard to swallow.
’Just a quick bite for lunch,’ he told himself. ’I’ll have a nice dinner at the hotel tonight.’
After a few words of self-reassurance, he lifted the unappetizing-looking hamburger to his lips once more. Peng Kaiqun opened his mouth as wide as it would go, intending to finish the rest of it in two big bites, when an incredibly rich culinary aroma suddenly erupted throughout the convention center’s hall.
His overly sensitive nose allowed him to instantly identify the dishes from which the aromas emanated: Garlic Pork, Mapo Tofu, Cabbage with Vermicelli, Pork Bone Soup with Corn and Carrots...
’Damn it! I really can’t take this anymore!’
Peng Kaiqun shot to his feet. He shoved the remaining half of his hamburger and the two-thirds full cup of Coke straight into a trash can. Following the signs on the floor, he strode toward the eastern section of Basement Level 1. By the time he arrived, the entire area was a sea of bustling people. Some, like him, were heading toward the food court to eat; others, having already bought their food, were on their way back.
As he moved with the flow of people, Peng Kaiqun watched those who were walking back with their food. Most of them were carrying lunch boxes in plastic bags printed with a large character for "Xu." ’Looks like the shop with ’Xu’ in its name is the most popular one,’ he thought. ’I’ll give that one a try.’
The crowd moved quickly, and Peng Kaiqun could already see six stalls set up in the hall ahead. His gaze swept over them, finally landing on the only one with an actual facade built over it. Because the crowd blocked his view, Peng Kaiqun could only see the horizontal banner at the very top and the first few words of the vertical couplets.
’Corporate Catering,’ ’City-wide Delivery,’ ’Inquire for Details.’
Peng Kaiqun knew what "delivery" was, and "Inquire for Details" was self-explanatory. ’But what does "Corporate Catering" mean?’ he wondered.
Driven by curiosity, he squeezed his way to the front of the stall and could finally read the entire sign. ’So it means they can provide employee meals for companies,’ he realized. ’They’re even advertising it here at the convention center. The owner of this place really doesn’t miss a single chance for publicity!’
Having read the sign, he was about to turn away and look for the stall with "Xu" in its name. Just then, the two people at the front of the line took their lunch boxes and left, revealing the tablecloth covering a simple table. Printed on it was a large "Xu" character! ’Found it!’
Xu An figured that since all five hundred lunch boxes were packed, the only task left was to take money and give change. He decided to take on that job himself, telling Wang Datou to go find a place and rest. After all, Wang Datou was supposed to be their driver, yet he’d been busy in the kitchen all morning.
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