Chef Hua-Chapter 694: Extra One: Picky Child

Hua Xiaomai had to admit, ever since she embarked on the path of being a "chef," she had never felt as deeply surrounded by a sense of defeat as she did now, in this era.

Who was Hua Xiaomai? She was the youngest and most famous female head chef throughout Tong’an Prefecture, having attended the Eight Treasures Conference twice and easily earned the top title. Her Daoxiang Garden was highly praised; every new dish she created sparked a wave of discussion, and even the Sauce Garden, which she usually paid less attention to, received thumbs up from everyone. With all her skills, how could it be that she was unable to handle a child?

Sitting at the dining table, she sighed deeply.

Ever since Little Walnut turned two, he had started joining the adults at the table for meals; it was also since then that Hua Xiaomai and Meng Yuhuai had discovered the child was incredibly picky.

He wouldn’t eat fish because its bones could get stuck in his throat; he found green vegetables and tofu tasteless and wouldn’t even glance at them; although the family was well-off and the dining table often boasted exotic delicacies seldom seen locally, to Little Walnut, those delicacies seemed like poison. If placed in front of him, the little guy would at best turn his head and walk away, or at worst, start loudly crying and making a fuss. Grandma Meng, feeling sorry for her eldest grandson, would often jump to his defense, insisting, "If he doesn’t want to eat, then let him be." But as Little Walnut was growing, how could he possibly keep up nutritionally in the long run?

Not to mention any other meal, just the daily breakfast was enough to exhaust Hua Xiaomai.

The soft and smooth egg custard, mixed with minced shrimp and pork, was specially steamed with chicken broth that had been stewed for two hours. Before serving, a couple of drops of sesame oil were added, and a bunch of green onions sprinkled on top made it look appealing with its yellow and green contrast.

This custard was Youzi’s favorite. He didn’t need urging—clutching the bowl with his chubby hands, he enthusiastically shoveled it into his mouth, eating it all up with noisy delight and didn’t forget to show Hua Xiaomai the empty bowl afterward. With his tongue out licking his lips, he sweetly wheedled, "Mom, may I have another bowl?"

Chengzi had always been quieter and more delicate. She finished her portion gracefully, then turned her head to let Sister Qin wipe her mouth and shyly smiled, nodding, "Delicious."

But Little Walnut, ever since he’d been old enough to join them at the table, just sat with his arms folded, refusing to budge despite Grandma Meng exhausting herself trying to persuade him. He clung stubbornly to three words—"I don’t want it."

Actually, all three children were relatively easy to raise.

Youzi was lively and adorable, Chengzi gentle and tender. Little Walnut, being a boy, was naturally a bit more mischievous, occasionally getting into minor trouble but still mostly heedful of advice. He wasn’t the kind of reckless and willful child often seen.

But how to cure this "pickiness"?

Hua Xiaomai didn’t want to push Little Walnut too hard, for fear of triggering a rebellious streak that might make him even more reluctant to eat properly. However, in front of Meng Yuhuai, she couldn’t help but express her worries and complaints.

"Leader Meng, you must think of a solution. What should we do?"

Late at night, when all the children were asleep and Grandma Meng had also turned in early, only their room in the spacious backyard was still lit.

The fire pit on the ground was full of burning charcoal, emitting a roaring heat. Wearing only her inner clothes and with her hair down, Hua Xiaomai leaned against Meng Yuhuai’s chest, her fingers occasionally fiddling with his garment’s front, murmuring her frustrations in a low voice.

Meng Yuhuai wrapped his arm around her more tightly, a satisfied smile on his face as he looked down at her.

Over the past two years, she had indeed put on some weight, no longer as skinny as before and only bones—her body looked more balanced and felt much better to the touch.

She was already the mother of three children, yet she was barely around twenty-three or twenty-four years old, her face having gained a touch of mature charm—his wife, who had seemed so ordinary at their first meeting, had truly become more and more beautiful.

After a long wait without a response from him, Hua Xiaomai looked up only to find his gaze on her exposed neckline, making her instantly slap him.

"I’m discussing a serious matter with you. Where are your thoughts wandering off to?!"

She felt like holding her head in frustration.

Who had told her that Meng Yuhuai was the most serious man under heaven? If it weren’t inconvenient, she really wanted to invite everyone home to see what Meng Yuhuai really looked like when he was back in their room!

Meng Yuhuai did not dodge her slap, taking it solidly—he felt like a kitten was scratching to relieve his itch, and he chuckled softly, "Little Walnut is most afraid of you; even you have no idea what to do. What can I do?"