Chapter 91: Human Meat Buns
Ms. Qian snapped, "Thirty Copper Coins for a single bun? You might as well just eat me instead."
Normally, a bun only cost three to five Copper Coins.
But Bao’er didn’t care. If he wanted something, he had to have it. He threw himself on the ground and started rolling around. "I want a meat bun! I want a meat bun—"
Annoyed by the racket, Gu Zhong took out thirty Copper Coins and gave them to Xing’er. "Go on, go buy your little brother a bun."
Xing’er clutched the Copper Coins and walked up to the man. He grinned as he lifted the lid of the steamer, revealing rows of plump, white meat buns.
They were made with white flour!
The sight tempted many onlookers. In a year of famine like this, thirty Copper Coins for a white-flour bun wasn’t actually that expensive.
As he picked up a bun for Xing’er, the man chuckled. "My family used to own a grain shop. This was the last bit of white flour we had left. I couldn’t bear to eat it myself, so I figured I’d make them into buns to sell for a little cash."
Xing’er took the bun and handed it to Bao’er.
Unafraid of the heat, Bao’er took a huge bite. After a few chews, a wide grin spread across his face. "Delicious! So delicious!"
Xing’er watched him with envy and licked her lips. ’Bao’er always gets the tasty treats. I never get a share.’
Just then, Boss Zhang’s son, Donglai, tugged on his pant leg and whispered, "Dad, I want a bun, too."
Boss Zhang hesitated. ’Thirty Copper Coins... In the past, that could have bought ten buns!’
While he was hesitating, Bao’er suddenly spat something out. He held it in his hand, tilting his head as he examined it. "What’s this?"
Gu Fei was standing right next to Bao’er. She stared at the object for a long moment, then suddenly took a step back and gripped her mother’s arm tightly.
Ms. Qian took the object from Bao’er’s hand. After staring at it for a moment, she began to tremble violently. She abruptly threw the object to the ground, then spun around and slapped the bun out of Bao’er’s hand.
Bao’er burst into tears, squatting down to pick up the bun from the ground. Ms. Qian shrieked, "Don’t eat it! You can’t eat that bun!"
A terrible suspicion began to dawn on the crowd, but no one dared to confirm it, and no one dared to say it aloud.
Mrs. Chen pulled Gu Fei into her arms, her entire body trembling.
Bao’er shoved his mother forcefully. Caught off guard, Ms. Qian stumbled and fell. Bao’er snatched the bun from the ground and began to stuff it into his mouth.
Gu Zhong suddenly strode over, a terrifying glint in his eyes. He snatched the bun from Bao’er’s hand and stomped on it viciously.
Bao’er began to wail.
Ms. Qian scrambled up from the ground, pried open Bao’er’s mouth, and stuck her finger down his throat. "Spit it out! You spit it out right now—"
Everyone recoiled in horror.
Lan Zhi, also realizing the truth, turned deathly pale and swayed on her feet.
Gu Erlang quickly steadied her. "Don’t think about it. Don’t look."
Gu Fei buried her head in her mother’s embrace, an indescribable feeling churning within her.
’I’ve killed people before, but that was over in an instant.’
’But human flesh...’
’Who but the most twisted sickos would dare to eat it!’
Suddenly, Ju Hua started to dry-heave.
The sound of her retching was like flipping a switch, and soon everyone else began to dry-heave as well.
For a moment, the small street was filled with the sound of retching, one person starting after another.
Uncle Ma suddenly asked, "Where’s that man?"
Everyone looked around, but the man with the wheelbarrow had vanished.
Gu Zhang’s voice trembled. "Uncle Ma, what do we do? Are we still staying here tonight?"
Uncle Ma’s voice was grave. "We’re going to the end of the street. It’s closer to the well. Find a larger house. We all stay together tonight. No one splits off."