Chef Hua-Chapter 692: Extra one: Picky Child
Hua Xiaomai had to admit that ever since she embarked on the path of "becoming a chef," whether it was in this era or any other, she had never felt surrounded by such a deep sense of defeat.
Who was she, Hua Xiaomai? She was the youngest and most celebrated female head chef in the entire Tong’an Prefecture, after all. She had attended the Eight Treasures Conference twice and effortlessly secured the title of champion. Her Daoxiang Garden was highly acclaimed; every time she introduced a new dish, it would spark a flood of discussion. Even the Sauce Garden, which she didn’t pay much attention to on a regular basis, was praised by everyone with a thumbs up. How could it be that with all her skills, she was utterly unable to deal with a child?
Sitting by the dining table, she let out a long sigh.
Ever since Little Walnut turned two, he had started eating at the table with the adults. That was also when Hua Xiaomai and Meng Yuhuai discovered that the child was incredibly picky about his food.
He wouldn’t eat fish because it had too many bones that could get stuck in his throat; he found green vegetables and tofu tasteless and wouldn’t even glance at them; the household was well-off, with exotic delicacies often gracing the dining table, which to others seemed like a luxury. However, to Little Walnut, these seemed like poison. If placed in front of him, the little guy would, at best, turn his head and leave or, at worst, start retching, crying, and creating a fuss. Old Lady Meng doted on her eldest grandson and would always emerge to defend him, insisting, "If he doesn’t want to eat, then let him be." But Little Walnut was growing, and how could he keep up with his nutritional needs like this?
Setting aside everything else, the ordeal of preparing breakfast every day was enough to exhaust Hua Xiaomai.
The egg custard was soft, tender, and silky, mixed with minced shrimp and pork. It was specially steamed with chicken broth that had been simmered for two hours. Just before coming out of the steamer, she would drop a couple of sesame oil drops and sprinkle a bunch of chopped green onions, making the yellow and green contrast quite eye-catching.
This egg custard was Youzi’s favorite. He didn’t need to be urged at all. Clasping the bowl in his chubby hands, he would grab the spoon and shove large bites into his mouth, gobbling it up cleanly and even proudly showing Hua Xiaomai the bottom of the bowl afterward. He would stick out his little tongue, licking his lips, and sweetly wheedle, "Mom, can I have another bowl?"
Chengzi had always been quiet and composed, but she too had politely finished her portion. She turned her head so that Sister Qin could wipe her mouth, shyly curling her lips into a smile and nodding, "Delicious."
Only Little Walnut, from the moment he sat at the table, had his arms crossed and refused to budge, unmoved by Old Lady Meng’s persistent cajoling, sticking to three words — "I don’t want."
Actually, when it came to it, all three children were quite trouble-free.
Youzi was lively and lovable; Chengzi was quiet and gentle; and as a boy, Little Walnut was somewhat more mischievous, occasionally causing small troubles, yet he would also listen to reason and wasn’t the type to act wilfully and recklessly.
But how could he overcome this "picky eating" habit?
Hua Xiaomai didn’t want to push Little Walnut too hard for fear of provoking a rebellious response, which would make him even less willing to eat properly. However, in front of Meng Yuhuai, she couldn’t help but express her worries and complaints.
"Leader Meng, you need to think of a solution. What should we do?"
Late into the night, the children had all gone off to sleep, and Old Lady Meng had also retired early. In the vast backyard, only their bedroom still had a light on.
The charcoal in the ground brazier was ample, radiating waves of heat. Hua Xiaomai, wearing only her inner garment and with her hair down, leaned into Meng Yuhuai’s embrace. She absent-mindedly picked at the front placket of his clothing, murmuring her troubles in a low voice.
Meng Yuhuai, with one arm holding her close, had a hint of satisfied smile on his face as he looked down at her.
In the last two years, she had indeed put on some weight; she was no longer the skin-and-bones figure of before but looked proportioned and felt much more substantial to the touch.
Though she was the mother of three children, she was barely twenty-three or twenty-four, with her features gaining a touch of serene charm over time—his wife had appeared quite ordinary at first sight, but now she had truly become more beautiful with each passing day.
Hua Xiaomai waited for a while without hearing a reply from him; when she looked up, she caught his gaze lingering at her open neckline and immediately slapped him.
"I’m discussing serious matters with you, where has your mind wandered off to?!"
She was so annoyed she felt like facepalming.
Who had told her that Meng Yuhuai was the most serious man in the world? If it weren’t so inconvenient, she really would have liked to invite everyone to their home to witness for themselves what Leader Meng looked like once he was in their room!
Meng Yuhuai didn’t dodge, taking her hit squarely. It only felt like a kitten scratching an itch to him, and he chuckled softly, "Little Walnut is most afraid of you. Even you have no solution, what can I do?"
