That was how the "Come-Again" pancake stall opened. The owner was Master Jian, still stern-faced, still scowli…
That was how the "Come-Again" pancake stall opened. The owner was Master Jian, still stern-faced, still scowling.
He remembered mocking Heng'er once, "Peddling snacks is child's play compared to the study of Flight!" Now, staring at lumpy batter and a crooked sign barely holding together, he found himself oddly nostalgic for those punishing days of study.
But people live on food. He remembered how a single hot, savory bite had been enough to steady his heart on countless sleepless nights. So he brought the same stubborn dedication he once poured into flight, and turned it toward a griddle.
Too much water? Add flour. Too thick? Add water... Then, one fresh egg.
At last, a pancake spread into a perfect, full circle, round as the moon. Master Jian wiped the sweat from his brow. The steam rising from the stall seemed to soften the hard lines of his face.
Yi'er liked shepherd's purse. Rong'er liked ham. Ah Du liked zucchini. Ah Yang liked fresh lamb... He memorized every preference, inventing dozens of savory fillings.
The people here needed something new to look forward to.
Before long, business at "Come-Again" picked up. Not just because the food was good, which was rarely good in Brighthale Cliff, but because people wanted to see it for themselves. To see how that once-lonely, aloof scholar now struggled earnestly to hawk his wares.
"Hot off the griddle! Savory and rich! One bite guarantees you'll be Coming Again!"
That's life, isn't it? Even if the past is dust... as long as you have something to look forward to, you can always start again.