Chapter Forty-Two: The Launch of New Breakfast Dishes and the Driving School

Heath had no idea he’d just nearly been mistaken for a legendary beast. If he knew Zoroark’s thoughts, he would have solemnly told her that he was certainly not a furry.

“Sigh, I suddenly don’t feel like going out today,” Heath murmured, looking at his food truck after getting dressed.

Although his vehicle now had an autopilot function, Maple insisted that Heath learn to drive himself. So, thanks to her help, he now spent every afternoon at driving school, learning the necessary skills.

Yes, driving school. It was perfectly normal to have such a thing in the world of Pokémon—after all, there were plenty of cars and taxis in Viridian City.

Heath didn’t object to learning at driving school; the problem was that every time he thought of Officer Junsha Aya, the veteran driver, he felt his scalp tingle. She was becoming more and more of a scoundrel, to the point where Heath could barely handle it.

Yet, no matter how miserable he felt about learning to drive under her supervision, business had to go on.

His little street stall was now officially retired. He simply loaded the ingredients onto his new truck; everything else was unnecessary, as the food truck had everything he needed.

After setting the destination for autopilot, Heath began preparing today’s breakfast in advance.

Previously, his morning offerings were limited—just pancakes—but now, with his dream chef’s kitchen, Heath could experiment with other breakfast foods.

Among the simplest were steamed buns and fried dough sticks, staples shared by generations of those from the East.

Especially during school days, when time was tight and other breakfasts weren’t an option, steamed buns were the best choice: convenient, filling, and easy to carry.

And steamed buns’ perfect companion was soybean milk. Milk was fine, but never quite captured the spirit.

After purchasing fresh ingredients at the market, Heath drove his truck to his usual spot and busied himself with preparations.

Mixing and rolling the dough, he made sure the bun skins were elastic yet resilient—the ideal texture. Heath’s buns were thin-skinned and generously filled: one bite and your mouth was full of savory stuffing, exactly the effect he sought.

For the filling, Heath chose a flavorful, widely popular option: minced mushroom and pork.

A good mushroom bun depended greatly on the selection of mushrooms and meat, as well as the cooking method. Seasonings and pre-cooking the filling were essential steps.

The mushrooms shouldn’t be pulverized; diced into small cubes was best, so their rich aroma would burst forth with every bite. The blend with seasoned meat elevated the flavor even further.

Heath quickly loaded the mushroom buns onto the steamer, then took the writing board hanging outside the truck and wrote out today’s breakfast specials: mushroom buns, soybean milk, and pancakes. Then he patiently waited for customers.

“Leek!” Ducklett stood beside Heath, chopping carrots with a chef’s knife—a task Heath assigned to help him refine his knife skills.

“Keep at it, Ducklett. If you ever want to try making something new, let me know and I’ll teach you,” Heath said, ruffling the duck’s head with a smile. Ducklett still hadn’t triggered his culinary quest; Heath suspected it was because he hadn’t found a dish he truly fancied.

“This truck is so much warmer,” Zoroark lazily curled up on the table, stretching contentedly. It was cold outside, but inside the truck, it was comfortably warm.

“Of course,” Heath replied, smiling. The mobile kitchen had a temperature control system, set to optimally store and display ingredients.

Soon, Heath’s food truck welcomed its first customer: Mr. Fuji.

“Heath, did you get a new kitchen?” Mr. Fuji exclaimed, staring at the food truck in astonishment.

“Mr. Fuji! Yes, I won a prize yesterday—a mobile kitchen from the Shiluf Company. What would you like to eat?” Heath asked with a friendly smile.

Seeing Mr. Fuji’s gear, Heath couldn’t help but marvel. This man was something else—he was jogging while holding a barbell. Heath had never seen anyone train like that, not even certain bald heroes.

“Hey, your buns and soybean milk… Are the portions generous?” Mr. Fuji set his barbell on the ground, which shuddered from the impact. Machamp stood nearby, curiously eyeing Heath’s food truck.

“Well… For your appetite, I’d recommend fifteen buns and five cups of soybean milk,” Heath calculated. His buns were fairly large; fifteen should suffice.

Mr. Fuji immediately pulled out his wallet and handed Heath the money. This time, Heath gave him change, since the items were different.

Soon, Heath handed Mr. Fuji a steaming bag of buns, warmth radiating from them, and provided the soybean milk in bowls.

Mr. Fuji took a bun, nearly as large as his palm, thin-skinned and wobbly in his hand. The heat chased away the morning chill.

Unable to wait, Mr. Fuji took a bite—and instantly recoiled: the mushroom bun had meat juices inside!

The rich flavors of mushroom and pork flooded his mouth, hot juices mingling with the aroma, while the delicate skin prevented the bun from being too greasy. Satisfied, Mr. Fuji licked his lips, drank some soybean milk, and nodded appreciatively.

Watching Mr. Fuji eat heartily, Heath smiled, then took two buns from the steamer and handed them to his Pokémon. It was time for Ducklett to try something new—pancakes, no matter how tasty, could get tiring after a while.

“How’s the taste, Mr. Fuji?” Heath asked, seeing him finish three buns and all his soybean milk.

“Very good! Feels high in energy, perfect for muscle building. Next time, I’ll stick to these buns,” Mr. Fuji replied enthusiastically. Heath breathed a sigh of relief; it was always gratifying when customers enjoyed his food.

Watching Mr. Fuji leave, barbell in hand, Heath stretched his neck. A new day had begun.