Gourmet: Twins' Father and Chef of the Kindergarten-Chapter 90 - 87: If You Didn’t Buy Anything, Why Did You Come Back?
When clusters, strings, and clumps of colorful streetlights interweave with each other, the entire city is draped in a kaleidoscope of colors, exuding a charming evening atmosphere.
"Director Wan, off work!"
"Hey, off work!"
Wan Zhenhong greeted a neighbor who was also in the elevator, and they entered the elevator together.
They lived in the same building and often ran into each other in the elevator, so they were quite familiar with each other.
"Ding!"
Wan Zhenhong walked out of the elevator and looked to the left...
He immediately spotted his familiar home door, and through the stainless steel door crack, he could faintly see the warm yellow light emanating from inside. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖
He understood instantly.
His wife and daughter were already home waiting for him!
Huh?
Why wasn’t there any mention of a son?
That’s because his son is now in high school, living on campus, and doesn’t come home in the evenings during school days, so he was directly overlooked.
"Clatter, clatter!"
Wan Zhenhong took out a bunch of keys and opened his front door.
As soon as he opened the door, he shouted directly into the house: "Honey, I’m home!"
"Oh, you’re back..."
Liu Jinyan came over when she heard the noise, greeted him with a smile, and asked with concern, "You came back quite early today, was the road not congested? No overtime tonight?"
"The road was smooth, and there’s no need for overtime tonight either."
Wan Zhenhong responded with a smile.
He walked into the house, placed his briefcase on the shoe cabinet, then bent down to change his shoes and didn’t forget to ask about his precious daughter: "Where’s Niuniu?"
"In the living room watching TV!" Liu Jinyan replied casually.
The originally engrossed Niuniu, who was watching cartoons on the living room sofa, turned her head reflexively toward the door at the mention of her name...
Ah~
It’s daddy back!
What delicious food and fun things might daddy have brought back?
Just thinking about tasty treats and fun toys made a flash of excitement appear in her eyes, she even ignored the cartoon, immediately slipping down from the sofa, and with short little legs quickly ran towards her father.
"Daddy~"
"Hey!"
Seeing his beloved daughter running over, Wan Zhenhong immediately spread his arms, tightly enveloping her in a hug, and gave her a loving peck on her soft little cheek.
However, Niuniu suddenly pouted and complained: "Daddy, your beard is so prickly..."
Upon hearing this, Wan Zhenhong instinctively touched his face.
The beard he’d just shaved in the morning had grown out again.
Sure is a bit prickly!
Seeing Niuniu’s little cheek turning red from his beard, he asked with full apology: "Sorry, sweetheart, did it hurt you?"
"Nope~"
Niuniu shook her little head, her eyes sparkling with anticipation, smiling as she asked: "Daddy, did you buy me any toys?"
"No..."
Wan Zhenhong shook his head gently, pointing to the toy area at home saying: "There are already a lot of toys at home."
Niuniu’s lips puckered slightly, unwillingly continuing to ask: "Then did you bring any delicious food?"
Once again, Wan Zhenhong shook his head, honestly answering: "Nope!"
Fearing his daughter would be disappointed, he quickly explained: "You know, daddy’s workplace doesn’t sell particularly good things to eat!"
None of the anticipated things were received!
Niuniu’s lips puckered further, almost enough to hang a soy sauce bottle, dissatisfied as she shook her little face and let out a soul-questioning: "Hmph, if you didn’t buy anything, why did you come back?"
The topic changed so fast, Wan Zhenhong couldn’t react in time: (•ิ_•ิ)?
Only realizing later, he was momentarily speechless: "..."
Heartbreaking indeed, mate!
He didn’t answer directly, instead he retorted: "Hey, weren’t you the one who texted saying you miss daddy and miss daddy?"
"I was thinking of fun toys, tasty food!" Niuniu turned her face, casting a somewhat disappointed glance at Wan Zhenhong, that glance seemed to say: ah, exhausting, not knowing this, this year’s dad truly doesn’t understand his daughter’s mind at all!
Ah—ah—ah—
Realizing the truth, Wan Zhenhong felt a group of crows flying over the top of his head.
Sure, here is the translation:
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Immediately, with a face full of disbelief, he asked, "You want toys and tasty food, you don’t want Daddy?"
"Uh-huh!"
Niuniu nodded decisively, then blinked her clear big eyes and slyly asked, "Daddy, tell me, did you bring me anything fun and yummy?"
"Good stuff, good stuff, so Daddy is less important than these things in your heart?" Wan Zhenhong asked, doubting his life.
Niuniu looked at him with an innocent face and asked confusedly, "How do you even compare?"
She tried to understand her father’s thoughts, but clearly, it was too complicated for her.
Furrowing her brows slightly, she muttered softly, "The thing is, Daddy, you’re not a thing either!"
You’re not a thing either...
Those words echoed in Wan Zhenhong’s mind, like an invisible arrow piercing his heart.
Pain!
Real pain!
What sins did he commit in his past life to end up with such a leaky little cotton-padded jacket this lifetime...
What hurt him even more was that his wife, Liu Jinyan, was covering her mouth and giggling to the side.
The pain intensified.
For a moment, he felt he should be at the office and not at home, hearing his daughter’s remarks so his heart wouldn’t ache.
"Alright, alright, hurry up and wash your hands for dinner, or the food will get cold..."
Liu Jinyan, catching Wan Zhenhong’s gaze, quickly stopped smiling and helped out.
Then she took Niuniu’s little hand and led her to the restroom to wash her hands.
Afterward, Liu Jinyan brought the prepared dishes to the dining table.
Once Wan Zhenhong finished washing his hands, he also came over to help bring the dishes to the table.
The dishes tonight were just as sumptuous as always.
A plate of braised beef with potatoes, a plate of boiled shrimp, a plate of small greens, and a bowl of tomato egg soup.
The family sat around the dining table and began their dinner time.
Normally, Wan Zhenhong found his wife’s cooking delicious, both tasty and nutritious. Yet now, eating the braised beef with potatoes and pairing it with a bite of rice, he found it a bit bland.
No appetite!
Sigh!
He started missing Huang Jun’s cooking again!
Not knowing why, Liu Jinyan thought Wan Zhenhong’s mood was affected by Niuniu’s words, leading to his lack of appetite.
She placed a piece of boiled shrimp into Wan Zhenhong’s bowl and gently comforted, "Don’t take it to heart with the child, it’s not worth harming your health. Try the shrimp, it’s very fresh."
Wan Zhenhong smiled and replied, "Do I seem that petty? I just have a bit of an upset stomach."
"Then have some soup, it’ll help your appetite," Liu Jinyan suggested.
Wan Zhenhong nodded, scooped a spoonful of tomato egg soup, and took a sip, smiling as he praised, "Really delicious!"
This meal was prepared by his wife with much effort and care, so from any perspective, he shouldn’t be picky.
Alright, to be honest, he didn’t dare be picky.
If he were picky, his wife might get upset and refuse to cook, leaving all the housework to him.
So, he had to keep smiling and enjoy the meal.
After all, in the days to come, only his wife’s cooking would always be with him.
As for Huang Jun’s cooking...
That’s like the wildflowers outside, vibrant and tempting, but only for occasional admiration, not for a long-term solution. The home-cooked meals are like his wife’s love, plain and simple but offering continuous nourishment and warmth. Both have their pros and cons, but only the meals at home can truly make him feel at peace and comfortable...
Is it really like that?
Probably not entirely!
He just used this way to comfort and numb himself, making himself feel that not eating Huang Jun’s meals was okay!
The atmosphere at the dining table became warm and harmonious due to his efforts to enjoy his meal.
Having forgotten the pain after the scar healed, he once again showed his daughter-loving nature, concernedly asking Niuniu about her situation in kindergarten: "Niuniu, are you doing well at school? Are you behaving?"
"Behaving, obedient!" Niuniu nodded her little head vigorously.
"Obedient my foot, when I picked her up today, her teacher complained again, saying she still doesn’t eat well at school, just picks at her food and stops, doesn’t even eat snacks and fruits properly," Liu Jinyan helplessly shook her head.
"Isn’t that because the food at the kindergarten isn’t tasty! Snacks are either fruit or little bread, I’m tired of it..." Niuniu retorted without thinking.
Liu Jinyan: "..."
Well-said, hard to argue against...
And Wan Zhenhong’s eyes couldn’t help but light up, his thoughts beginning to stir.
