"This…"
Li Tian's eyes widened as he held the steamed bun in his hands. The flavors burst in his mouth like a small explosion, filling his senses with warmth and comfort he hadn't felt in ages.
"You like it, dear?" the old lady asked with a smile that crinkled the corners of her eyes. Her face, weathered by time, radiated a grandmotherly affection. She was watching him eagerly as her hands clasped together in anticipation.
"This tastes amazing!" Li Tian yelled, louder than he intended. His voice echoed through the narrow street, drawing the curious stares of a few passersby. Realizing how he must have looked — a young man in ragged clothes, gobbling down a humble steamed bun like it was a gourmet meal — he blushed slightly. But he couldn't hold back his praise. "Did you make this yourself, grandmama?"
The old lady's eyes sparkled with delight as she chuckled softly. "I sure did," she said with pride. "I'm glad that you like it. Youngsters like you enjoying my cooking put a smile on my face." She paused, eyeing him with a hint of playful mischief. "Not to mention, you're so handsome."
Li Tian tilted his head sideways. Handsome? Him? He looked down at his poorly fitted clothes, the oversized glasses, the hardened gelled hair that hugged his face. He looked more like a beggar than a heartthrob right now. He wasn't in his own head this time, so surely Grandmama was jesting.
"But I'm anything but handsome, Grandmama. I mean, look at me! I look like a loser!" He gestured toward his outfit in disgust. The shirt hung awkwardly on his frame, and his shoes were so worn out they barely held together. It was necessary for his new temporary life in disguise, but every time he saw his reflection, it was a painful reminder of his punishment.
The old lady raised a wrinkled eyebrow, her expression amused. "Ohoh, that's not what you said earlier," she teased. "I recall you agreeing with me the first time."
Li Tian's face flushed crimson as he realized his earlier slip. The first time she'd complimented him, he'd been caught off guard, and without thinking, his ego had let him agree. Now, standing before her in his undercover identity, he felt utterly foolish. When was he going to get better at this? His hand instinctively shot up to smack his own forehead, mentally chastising himself for the continuous blunders he'd been making since coming here.
The old lady laughed merrily, her laughter warm and contagious. It felt like the melody of someone who had seen much of life but still found joy in the little things. "What I see," she began, "is a stunningly handsome young man who's still trying to find himself." She motioned toward him, gesturing to his clothes and general appearance. "Whatever you think of your appearance, it's all just an exterior. You made this old lady's day by enjoying my bao. And if I were one to judge by looks, I wouldn't be very convincing when selling my craft, now would I?" She winked, lightening the mood.
Li Tian was startled by her gentle wisdom. Her words hit deeper than he expected, and he couldn't help but nod slowly in agreement. "No... you wouldn't." His voice came out more thoughtful than before.
Her grin widened at his response. She could see right through him. He wasn't just any arrogant youth. There was something lost behind that bravado. She leaned closer, her wrinkled hand reaching out to gently touch his. "You are a sweet young man, dear. But your troubles are clear to see."
Li Tian stiffened. For a moment, it felt as though the world stopped. She couldn't possibly know him… right? How did she see through him so easily? His first instinct was to pull his hand away and retreat back into his shell of arrogance and distance. But something about the old woman's touch was comforting. Warm, familiar in a way that stirred something deep inside of him.
"People need other people," she continued, her eyes softening with a maternal kindness that felt foreign to him. "Even if things turned out difficult for you before, you don't need to become a lone wolf."
He blinked, staring at her in confusion. She couldn't possibly know his background, the self-imposed isolation that came with his fame, and the walls he'd built around himself over the years. But here she was, reading him like an open book, as if his very soul were laid bare before her.
"How did you…" His voice faltered. He wanted to ask her if she knew who he really was, if somehow she had seen through his disguise. But even as he spoke, he didn't pull away. Instead, he let her hold his hand, feeling the warmth of her frail fingers against his smooth skin.
"You remind me of my son," she said softly, her eyes glazing over with distant memories. "Or how he used to be." Her voice wavered just slightly as she spoke, her hand caressing his in a motherly gesture. "I hope you don't follow the path he did and that you find the people that love and care about you."
Li Tian felt an uncomfortable lump forming in his throat. He wasn't sure how to respond. People that love him? She meant his family right? His mind quickly darted to his family — his parents, his siblings and some other clan members. They love him... and obviously, they care... kind of. They had to. They provided for him, they protected him… even though, when it came to the clan members, their love sometimes felt conditional, there was no denying the support he'd had all these years.
To avoid the awkwardness, he stuffed the entire steamed bun into his mouth, savoring the flavor as it melted on his tongue. If he couldn't find the words to respond, at least eating the bun made them both feel good. "I could eat this every day," he spouted through a mouthful, trying to steer the conversation away from his personal demons. Then, in an attempt to keep the mood light, he added, "Your son and grandson must be so lucky."
Contrary to his expectations, the old lady's face fell, and a long, regretful sigh escaped her lips. Her hand slipped away from his, leaving an odd, cold emptiness in its absence.
"My son... my grandson won't even put it in his mouth," she said, her voice tinged with sorrow.
Li Tian nearly choked on the piece of meat he was chewing. He stared at her, shocked. "What?! But why?"
The old lady's shoulders slumped, the weight of her years and regrets visible in her every movement. She took another hot bun straight from the steamer and placed it on a paper plate in front of her, her hands trembling slightly. "It seems I haven't been a good mother or grandmother…" she whispered, her eyes downcast. "My bao appear too bland and tasteless for them. Even when I try to decorate it, it wouldn't change their minds. After all, it is still just a steamed bun."
Li Tian felt a strange pang in his chest at her words. Didn't he just feel somewhat the same way moments before? But after tasting it, how could anyone think this food was bland? How could her family reject something that tasted like pure comfort?
She pulled out a bottle of edible ink from the box by her feet and dipped a clean chopstick into it. With slow, deliberate strokes, she drew a simple smiley face on the steamed bun in front of her. When she was done, she held it up for Li Tian to see.
"See? Still a steamed bun." Her voice was cheerful, but the sparkle in her eyes was gone.
Li Tian felt something twist painfully in his heart. The sight of the cheerful smiley face, paired with her painful smile, hit him like a punch to the gut. This was the first time he understood what people meant by a "painful smile." It was as if all the happiness she projected was just a mask for the hurt underneath.
He stared at the bun in her hands, his chest tightening. It wasn't just a steamed bun. It was a piece of her, a labor of love that her own family had rejected. And now, seeing her smile fade, the rejection felt personal to him too. The adorable smiley face was something any child would love to see on their food. If her grandson refused to eat something like this, even from a young age, then who had taught him to reject simple joys? Could it be that son of hers?
"No matter how good my bao actually is," she sighed and slowly lowered her hands, "it will always be... cheap food. Steamed buns are food for the poor."
Li Tian winced at the words. Cheap? Food for the poor?
Without thinking, he grabbed the smiley steamed bun from her hands and shoved it into his mouth. "Your bao is NOT cheap! It's the best thing I've ever tasted in my life!" he shouted through mouthfuls of bun, his voice filled with a strange mix of anger and desperation.
"C-careful, dear, it's still hot! Chew slower," Grandmama shot to her feet, worry etched across her face.
But Li Tian, with his usual recklessness, had already swallowed the entire bun in a matter of seconds. "It's fine, Grandmama. The heat never bothered me," he said, flashing her a confident grin. "See? It tasted even better than the first one! Your little decoration really made a difference!"
He then casually wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "I could finish all the bao you have here in a heartbeat!" he declared, pointing at the giant steamer beside her.
Grandmama blinked, momentarily speechless. Then, to his surprise, her eyes filled with tears. Her frail frame shook slightly as she chuckled, her tears spilling over.
"G-grandmama!?" Li Tian panicked. Had he made her cry? "It's true! I've had the most expensive food you could imagine and spat them out like trash before! But I could eat your bao every day!" He gestured wildly toward the steaming buns, his face flushed with the intensity of his outburst. "Steamed buns are food for the soul! Don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise!"
The old lady wiped away her tears with the corner of her apron, still laughing. He must have misunderstood her tears. It was a blessing to meet him in her final years...
"Oh, you sweet boy," she said softly, her voice trembling with emotion. "Thank you."
In that moment, Li Tian felt something he hadn't experienced in a long time — a connection. Not through fame, not through power, but through simple, shared humanity. As he watched the old lady wipe her tears, a strange sense of warmth spread through his chest. It was unlike the adoration of his fans, the approval of his family, or even the thrill of performing. It was… pure.
For the first time since disguising himself, Li Tian felt a little less like a stranger and a little more like himself. Unfortunately, he was unsure of how to handle this new connection, So instead, he could only release his indignation on her behalf unnecessarily.
"This much is nothing!" Completely unaware of her feelings, he continued to try and appease her. "I had to wait seventeen years and come all the way to this god-awful market to taste something this heavenly! And yet your grandson—your grandson—had the privilege of eating this the first day of his life and had the gall to call it bad without even a single bite!"
His anger was real and he could not accept the injustice her family had pulled on her. Indirectly, he unconsciously felt that he was also receiving injustice from his own family. Lost in his rant and emotions, he forgot his mission and in the heat of things, shifted from the initial subject of her grandson to the unfairness of his own life.
"You're here putting all your love and effort into making these, and he just dismisses it? He doesn't know the value of what he's got! Can you believe it? I'm out here in this ridiculous getup trying to make sense of things, and made to go through hell just to teach me a lesson, and meanwhile, people like him don't appreciate what they have. I've had to deal with endless nonsense, jumping through hoops, going to places I never imagined just to meet ridiculous expectations, and for what? For some ungrateful brat to turn his nose up at a steamed bun??"
Without realizing it, the burden of his disguise, the pressure from his family, the constant need to maintain his image—everything was bubbling to the surface. "He doesn't know what's good for him! He has you for a grandmother while I have to endure death glares at every turn!"
"Tian!" a sudden voice hissed in his ear, startling him. He shook his head slightly, as if trying to swat away a bug.
"Not to mention, I can't even go out without every piece of trash trying to—"
"TIAN!" The voice in his ear was sharp now, more urgent.
"What!?" Li Tian snapped, irritated, only to hear Meilin's voice again.
"You're speaking too much!" she warned him, her tone tense. Not only was he on the verge of revealing himself, her sixth sense was also telling her something was wrong.
For a brief second, he felt like he was splashed with cold water. Feeling his frustration and exhaustion breaking through, he cursed under his breath. But then, his eyes widened as he also realized something was off. That was when he noticed a crowd had begun to gather around him, their gazes curious, some intrigued, others suspicious. They were inching closer, trying to peer under his oversized glasses.
"Shit..." Li Tian muttered, feeling the pressure of their stares. He pushed his glasses up instinctively, trying to shield his face.
Grandmama, sitting quietly in front of him, was still patiently listening to his rambling. She would have continued to tirelessly lend him her ear if she also didn't notice the crowd. Her frail, tired eyes blinked in confusion at the sudden increase of people around her small stall. What was going on? Her buns weren't usually this popular, were they?
Amongst them, a small group of schoolgirls approached Li Tian with faces bright with curiosity.
"Excuse me, mister," one of them said boldly, tilting her head as she studied him. "Your voice sounds awfully familiar..."
Another girl chimed in, "Yeah, I definitely feel like I've heard it before."
Before Li Tian could respond, more people joined the group, drawn in by the commotion.
"You guys feel it too? I thought I was imagining things," a young man said, his eyes scanning Li Tian with growing suspicion.
"Maybe you should take off your glasses, mister," one of the girls suggested, her voice dripping with curiosity.
Li Tian's heart rate spiked. Panic began to set in, though he fought hard to keep his expression calm. How did it escalate so quickly? Was it because he yelled? Vented? These people couldn't possibly recognize him just from his voice, right? After all, there were tons of people with similar voices! Shit. I should have held back.
"Tian," Meilin's voice sounded again through his earpiece, her tone more urgent this time. It seems she had gotten an update from one of their men. "The crowd is getting too big. If you don't get out of there soon, I'm sending our people in."
"You're not doing jackshit!" Li Tian hissed reflexively, but as he cursed, he noticed a couple of the girls eyeing him closely.
"What did you say, mister?" one of the schoolgirls asked, stepping even closer. The crowd around them was growing by the second and their excitement palpable.
"Say it louder so we can hear it!" another girl added, her voice rising above the murmur of the crowd. By now, all eyes were on him, waiting expectantly.
Li Tian's mind raced. His usual confidence when facing crowds was nowhere to be found. In his concerts, he had distance—security guards, stages, barriers between him and his fans. Now, they were right here, breathing the same air, closing in with each passing second. His nerves buzzed with a mix of annoyance and dread. The idea of being exposed here, in such a mundane place, was unthinkable.
He scanned the area, searching for an escape. That's when he noticed a group of men in plain clothes, casually positioned at the edges of the crowd. All of them wore matching red scarves—Meilin's people.
He clicked his tongue in frustration. She had sent in her backup, prepared to whisk him away if things got out of hand. Always had to be his savior.
But Li Tian wasn't about to let that happen. He was Li Tian, after all. He could handle himself.
Clearing his throat, he deepened his voice to try and change it and spoke with as much nonchalance as he could muster. "I think everyone's mistaken. I'm just a normal guy."
His words sounded more confident than he felt but after all, he knew himself the most. The REAL Li Tian would definitely admit his identity, and since he's denying it, then he's not Li Tian. He inwardly smirked at his genius.
Unfortunately, contrary to his expectations, the fact that his voice deepened seemed to have the opposite effect. The girls in front of him gasped, their eyes widening in recognition.
"See?! I knew it!" one of them squealed, her excitement contagious. Others began murmuring, pushing forward even more.
Li Tian felt the pressure mounting, his heart racing as the originally small crowd swelled towards him unimpeded. He instinctively stepped back and his heel bumped against the stall behind him. The sharp wooden edge bit into his lower back, reminding him of how trapped he was becoming.
The rickety old stall that had once been an unremarkable part of the street was now caught in the growing chaos. The weak hinges groaned under the pressure of the crowd, and Grandmama's once-peaceful corner rattled violently as people shoved and jostled each other to get closer.
"Oh dear..." Grandmama's voice wavered as she tried to steady the stall with her frail hands. "It would be much more honorable if everyone could calm down and settle things temperately," she said, her voice kind but strained.
"Old lady, how can we be calm if that's really him?" one of the girls shrieked, not even sparing a glance in Grandmama's direction.
"Whoever you think it is, he is just a normal young man seeking peace," Grandmama gently advised, though her face was pale from the strain. The stall wobbled precariously, its contents shifting dangerously. "Men don't think kindly of using force…"
"Tsk. What do you know?" the first girl spat, clearly annoyed by the elderly woman's intervention.
"Yeah, old hag. You just sell buns for cheap in this dirty place," her friend added, sneering.
Li Tian's eyes flicked from Grandmama to the encroaching crowd, feeling a surge of guilt. He hadn't meant for things to escalate this way. Her voice, so calm despite the chaos, stirred something in him. He clenched his jaw, wishing he could diffuse the situation without drawing more attention.
"Hey!" he called out, trying to match her calming tone but still tinged with frustration. "Step back. You're all crowding an old lady's stall—show some respect." His words didn't seem to have the effect he hoped for. Instead, more people pressed in, eager to get closer, convinced they had discovered something worth pushing forward for.
Grandmama's grip tightened on the stall, her knuckles turning white as it continued to creak under the weight of the jostling crowd. "Please..." she whispered, her strength beginning to falter.
Li Tian's eyes widened in shock as the scene unfolded before him. Everything happened so quickly it felt like a blur. One of the girls, her face twisted in annoyance, casually kicked the remaining sturdy leg of the stall. The entire structure wobbled violently, and before he could react, it collapsed with a loud, splintering crash. Steam rose from the scattered buns now rolling across the filthy street, lost in the chaos.
Grandmama, who had been desperately holding everything together, lost her grip and balance. She fell alongside the wreckage, her frail body hitting the ground hard.
"GRANDMAMA!" Li Tian's voice cracked with raw emotion as he surged forward, his heart pounding in his chest.