Daddy's Gourmet Shop-Chapter 243 - 235: Parents Must Pay Attention

Very soon.

Huang Tao and his capable team prepared all the ingredients for tonight’s sale and opened for business.

The evening business was as good as ever.

It was even much better than the previous days.

Many of the customers had traveled from afar.

Most of these customers had become acquainted with Delicious Restaurant through the food festival.

But since the food festival ended, they hadn’t been able to taste the dishes from Delicious Restaurant for quite a few days.

They were all craving the food!

So!

Taking advantage of this Saturday holiday, they all drove their private cars with their families, leaving early, and spent over 40 minutes traveling to get here to eat!

There was no other way!

Their homes were too far from West City Old Street.

Plus, they had to work, so they simply couldn’t run to the front of Delicious Restaurant to queue for purchase like the residents and employees around West City Old Street!

Nor could they, like the city customers, rush over in ten minutes after work with just a press of the accelerator.

By the time they rushed over after work, the food at Delicious Restaurant would likely have been sold out, or they might even have closed for the night.

Don’t ask why they thought that way.

Because they had personally experienced it during the food festival.

Of course.

Apart from those who came from afar, some customers who had never appeared at Delicious Restaurant before but were won over by the food due to various reasons also came by.

For instance, Hu Jinlin.

He even brought his wife Lin Xinjie and son Doudou along.

In the past few years, the couple worked hard for their careers and left their son in their hometown, having Hu Jinlin’s mother help care for him.

The couple would only return to their hometown during the New Year, taking the opportunity to visit their son.

At first, the couple didn’t notice anything.

After all, their minds were focused on their respective careers, striving hard for their ideal positions.

They were so busy they were dizzying.

So busy that they didn’t have time to call Doudou.

Sometimes!

They might not even make a call in a whole week.

Later, when each achieved their ideal positions, busier work followed.

If it weren’t for their son starting first grade in primary school in the second half of the year, and the education resources in their hometown being poor compared to those here.

To give their son a better education, the couple decided to bring him back to attend primary school here.

After bringing their son back, Lin Xinjie realized there was a problem.

At home, he rarely spoke, preferring to hide in a corner alone reading comic books.

Besides, he was picky about food. If there wasn’t a dish he liked at the table, he would only eat plain rice.

At most, he would mix it with some soy sauce.

For this, Lin Xinjie and Hu Jinlin were deeply distressed, spending a lot of time and effort worrying about their son’s eating problem.

Initially, whenever Lin Xinjie had time, she would personally cook, making diverse dishes for her son.

But after trying a bite, the result was still soy sauce mixed with rice in the end. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Thinking he didn’t like her cooking, they took him out to eat instead.

They tried one restaurant or hotel after another.

But he wouldn’t even touch the food.

Helplessly, the couple pinned their hopes on the teacher.

Thinking that going to school, under the teacher’s guidance and the influence of classmates, their son might change.

But ultimately, it was still disappointing.

The teacher’s feedback was that Doudou was somewhat withdrawn! He didn’t like communicating with classmates. After class, he would always quietly sit in his seat reading comic books. When called to answer questions in class, he would speak very softly! Also, he would only eat rice for lunch, not the dishes. He had been told many times but wouldn’t listen. You, as parents, really need to pay attention!

They had long taken notice and tried many methods, but to no avail!

Today, on a day off at home, after finishing his homework, Doudou, as usual, stayed in a corner reading comic books without responding to Lin Xinjie’s words for quite a while.

In a fit of anger, she went over and took away his comic book, trying to make him look up and respond to her.

But who knew the child actually got angry.

He immediately ran back to his room and closed the door with a "bang."

If it weren’t for Hu Jinlin holding her back, she would have burst in to give him a "bamboo-stick stir-fried meat" lesson.

To ease the stalemate, Hu Jinlin played the peacemaker, advising both mother and son.

Finally, they made peace.

But Lin Xinjie was no longer in the mood to cook dinner.

So, Hu Jinlin suggested taking the mother and son out for a good meal.

And let Doudou go out more.

After all, the child was too reserved or rather introverted; letting him interact more with the outside world would be good.

Upon hearing they were going to Delicious Restaurant, Lin Xinjie was willing.

She had heard of the reputation of So Delicious.

Though she hadn’t tasted it, over the past few days, people around her and her husband often mentioned this restaurant, even praising it to the skies.

It made her also want to try the food her husband had praised for so long, to see exactly how tasty it was.

When Doudou first heard that his father was taking him out to eat, he unconsciously shrank his leg, instinctively wanting to avoid it, not wanting to go.

But unable to resist his father’s persistent requests, he reluctantly nodded and followed his parents with a stiff head.

"Come on, Doudou, here is roast duck, this is Dongpo Pork, these are the braised dishes, the main course includes crab fried cake and glutinous rice steamed ribs, and Yellow Croaker Noodles. See which one you like? There is also nourishing fish soup and Fish Ball Soup, you can have a sip before eating."

As the dishes were gradually served, Hu Jinlin introduced them while asking his son.

Originally, he wanted to order Honeyed Ham.

But he was a bit late, and it had just sold out.

He had no choice but to give up.

When buying food, thinking that his son probably wouldn’t eat anything, he only ordered one of each dish, just in case they couldn’t finish it.

After all, his wife didn’t eat much.

To maintain her figure, she only ate half-full in the evenings.

He didn’t expect his son to respond, but the child blinked and glanced at him, then stretched his neck to look at the three main dishes, comparing them.

Suddenly, he whispered, "This one smells good."

Perhaps afraid his dad wouldn’t understand him, he specifically pointed his little finger at the steamed lotus leaf sticky rice ribs.

Hu Jinlin and Lin Xinjie didn’t expect their son to speak up on his own,

and even mention that the steamed lotus leaf sticky rice ribs smelled good.

Hu Jinlin quickly pushed the steamed lotus leaf sticky rice ribs that his son had pointed to in front of him.

Lin Xinjie lovingly handed her son a spoon: "Okay, it smells good, let’s eat this first tonight. Come on, Doudou, take the spoon."

"You guys... don’t stare at me."

Doudou pursed his lips, looked up at his mom and dad, and said softly.

"Okay, daddy and mommy won’t look at you, we’ll all eat well together."

Lin Xinjie almost burst into tears of joy; it was so rare for her son to show such interest in eating, she quickly nodded in agreement.

This was also one of Doudou’s quirks; he didn’t like being watched while eating. The more you watched him, the less he would use his spoon or chopsticks.

Even if he was so hungry that his stomach was growling, he wouldn’t pick up his spoon or chopsticks.

Stubborn!

Lin Xinjie and Hu Jinlin stopped looking at him.

Hu Jinlin smiled and asked, "Xinjie, do you want Yellow Croaker Noodles or Crab Fried Cake?"

"I like noodles, so Yellow Croaker Noodles!"

She smiled and reached out to move the bowl of Yellow Croaker Noodles to her in front of her.

The next second, she smelled a burst of fresh fragrance.

On the soup of the Yellow Croaker Noodles were floating pieces of fish, preserved vegetables, and scallions.

The whole piece of yellow croaker was immersed in the slightly yellow milky soup, exuding a delicate shine.

Recalling the steamed lotus leaf sticky rice ribs she saw just now, the caramel-colored sauce wrapped around the meat and sticky rice was soft and fragrant. It’s no wonder her son, usually not interested in eating, was tempted.

She dared not glance sideways at her son for fear he would notice her watching him and refuse to eat well again.

She first picked up a piece of fish and put it in her mouth; the next second, her eyes lit up.

Over the years, she had eaten Yellow Croaker Noodles countless times.

In other cities, in this city, just based on the taste she just experienced and the fresh and tender flavor as she swallowed, this place’s taste ranked first.

It’s so fresh and tender!

And there’s a hint of sweetness!

No wonder so many people lined up at this restaurant!

No wonder her husband always praised the deliciousness whenever he mentioned this place.

At this moment, she was entirely captivated by the food.

She took another sip of the soup made from fish bones, mixed with preserved vegetables and lard, so fresh that it felt like drinking cream with every mouthful.

The special noodles, slippery in texture, felt like little "fish" swimming into her mouth, and even if eaten slowly, they wouldn’t turn mushy.

Perfect in every way!

Meanwhile, Hu Jinlin had eaten several bites of Crab Fried Cake, felt a bit dry, and reached for a spoon to get some Fish Ball Soup, only to bump into another spoon.

He looked up to see his son across from him, his eyes widened, holding a big spoon of broth, his mouth shiny from just drinking the Fish Ball Soup.

Oh my gosh!

The son actually drank the soup on his own?

In the past, this was unimaginable!

Every time Lin Xinjie made soup, no matter what kind, their son wouldn’t drink it.

Even coaxing didn’t work!

Realizing, he hurriedly said, "Doudou, daddy didn’t mean to watch you, just felt a bit thirsty and wanted some soup. Oh right, there’s another bowl of nourishing fish soup here, daddy will drink this one; this Fish Ball Soup is delicious, right?"

Hearing his words, Lin Xinjie quickly lifted her head from her food, saw her son still vigilantly watching Hu Jinlin, then noticed the son holding a spoon still in the Fish Ball Soup, connecting Hu Jinlin’s earlier words, she suddenly understood and, simultaneously, showed a look of shock.

Of course, with just a bit of worry.

Luckily, the son had already scooped up more soup and fish balls, putting them in his mouth.

While picking other dishes to hide her actions, she glanced at her son’s portion of lotus leaf sticky rice ribs.

Seeing some sticky rice was missing, and there were rib bones on the table, she felt a surge of joy and, just like Hu Jinlin, continued enjoying the food with her head down.

The couple, while enjoying the meal, occasionally took advantage of picking up dishes to sneak small glances at their son. Seeing Doudou eating the lotus leaf sticky rice ribs in small bites, they felt relieved.

A rare, relaxing, and peaceful meal!

As Hu Jinlin and Lin Xinjie were finishing their main dishes, they heard a very soft voice from their son: "I’m full."

Then he swung his little legs and, holding his cheeks, dazedly stared at the corner of the wall.

"Okay, Doudou, sit for a while. When mommy and daddy finish eating, we’ll go back."

The couple replied with smiles.

Quickly glanced at the bowl in front of their son.

There were only two pieces of ribs left, and half the sticky rice remained.

What surprised them the most was that the bowl of Fish Ball Soup was empty.

This meant Doudou had finished both the soup and the fish balls.

The couple clearly knew the quantity in that bowl of Fish Ball Soup; it was quite a lot.

Doudou’s appetite tonight was so much that they were both thrilled yet worried he might overeat.

Thinking of taking their child out for a stroll afterwards to help him digest, if he was unwilling, they would gently rub his tummy to aid digestion.

The couple watched Doudou face the wall, quietly reading a comic book, and felt calm rather than anxious for the first time.

They both felt this was a good beginning!

They believed Doudou would only get better and better!