TL: Moonlit
Xing Xing sat beside the coffee table.
On the coffee table, the aroma of two bowls of beef noodles wafted and entered his nostrils.
Xing Xing’s ink-black eyes widened instantly as he looked at the beef noodles, secretly swallowing a mouthful of saliva.
The beef noodles looked delicious and smelled fragrant!
Ji Rongyu, who noticed Xing Xing’s reaction, asked, “Do you want to eat?”
Xing Xing hesitated for a moment and replied firmly, “No… I don’t want to eat!”
Dad said Xing Xing’s illness was not completely cured, so Xing Xing couldn’t eat oily food like beef noodles. Xing Xing could only have porridge.
Xing Xing patted his right hand with his left hand, as if comforting himself.
When Xing Xing gets better, he will be able to eat Dad’s beef noodles!
Ji Rongyu raised an eyebrow.
After all, Xing Xing was still a child. Although he said he didn’t want to eat the beef noodles, Ji Rongyu could clearly see his longing for them on his face.
At this moment, Yu Bai walked to the coffee table carrying small dishes and porridge.
“Xing Xing, your porridge is too hot. It needs to cool down on the side,” Yu Bai said, “You can eat some side dishes first.”
The side dishes prepared by Yu Bai today included a plate of green stir-fried shepherd’s purse and a dish of salted and fragrant garlic eggplant, which Xing Xing had loved in the past two days.
Since Xing Xing was having lean meat porridge today, Yu Bai didn’t prepare any additional meat dishes for him.
After all, Xing Xing had a weak body, and eating too much greasy meat could affect his digestion.
Xing Xing picked up his small chopsticks and obediently took a little garlic eggplant from the plate.
The steamed eggplant had a soft and smooth texture, even more tender than mashed potatoes. The savory garlic flavor made it a perfect companion to rice.
However, eating the garlic eggplant alone was slightly salty.
Xing Xing asked, “Dad, how long does it take for the porridge to cool down?”
Yu Bai replied, “Wait for about three to four minutes, it will cool down quickly.”
Yu Bai noticed that Xing Xing kept eating the garlic eggplant but didn’t touch the stir-fried shepherd’s purse.
“Xing Xing, eat a little less eggplant, you still need to have porridge later,” Yu Bai said, “You should eat the shepherd’s purse I served you, don’t be picky.”
As soon as he heard the words “shepherd’s purse,” Xing Xing involuntarily pursed his lips, his little face showing reluctance.
All the dishes Dad made were delicious, but the shepherd’s purse with its “herbal taste” couldn’t be saved by Dad’s cooking skills no matter how good they were.
Xing Xing felt like he was feeding himself terrible medicine when he ate the shepherd’s purse!
Xing Xing reluctantly picked up a small piece of shepherd’s purse leaf with the tip of his chopsticks.
As Xing Xing stared at the shepherd’s purse with a conflicted look, he noticed Ji Rongyu sitting across from him, picking up a strand of beef noodles.
Xing Xing put down the shepherd’s purse, captivated by Ji Rongyu’s actions.
Xing Xing had never tasted Dad’s beef noodles before and didn’t know if they were delicious.
The beef noodles were just cooked, and steam and heat emanated from the soup and noodles.
Ji Rongyu was afraid of getting burned, so he let the noodles cool for a bit. During this time, he stirred the chili oil in the soup noodles and took a sip of the broth.
The soup was slightly hot, and Ji Rongyu could taste the fresh aroma of spring onions. Then, the rich and delicious beef broth circulated between his lips and teeth.
Finally, the slight spiciness from the chili oil in the beef broth stimulated Ji Rongyu’s taste buds.
Just a few spoonfuls of mildly spicy soup were enough to warm one’s body.
Ji Rongyu drank a few more mouthfuls, and his nose even started to sweat slightly.
Ji Rongyu then put the slightly cooled noodles into his mouth.
Yu Bai had kneaded the dough for the noodles just right. The noodles he made were elastic and smooth, not too hard to chew, and suitable for people of all ages.
Yu Bai added salt when cooking the noodles, giving them a slightly salty taste so they wouldn’t be bland.
But the most amazing part was when Ji Rongyu scooped the noodles out of the bowl. The noodles were coated with the beef broth, allowing him to taste both the aroma of the noodles and the delicious beef broth.
In addition, the pan-fried runny egg with its golden brown surface was also soaked in the beef broth.
The moment Ji Rongyu took a bite, the beef broth absorbed by the uneven surface of the egg exploded in his mouth, combined with the burst of the runny yolk…
How can this exquisite taste be described in just a few words?
This seemingly ordinary bowl of beef noodles was extraordinary to eat.
The number of beef slices in this bowl of beef noodles is not many, but the aroma of the beef is everywhere, accompanying every bite.
Ji Rongyu’s slender ink-black eyes were filled with amazement.
Compared to the beef noodles he had eaten at that century-old shop before, this bowl of beef noodles couldn’t be considered slightly inferior, but rather… each had its own unique qualities.
At that century-old shop, Ji Rongyu had tasted the unique skills passed down through generations in making beef noodles.
But now, in Yu Bai’s home, what he tasted was more like… an emotion called “warmth.”
Yu Bai’s technique in making beef noodles couldn’t compare to that century-old shop. However, every bite of the beef noodles made by Yu Bai surprised Ji Rongyu with its exquisite flavors and attention to detail.
This bowl of beef noodles was incredibly delicious.
In a short while, Ji Rongyu had eaten more than half of the noodles in the bowl.
On the other hand, Yu Bai had only managed to take a few bites of his own noodles.
Yu Bai tasted the noodles he made.
With the passage of time, his culinary skills and habits from his past life gradually merged with his present physical muscles.
Although Yu Bai hadn’t reached the level of mastery he had in his past life, as long as he persisted, it would only be a matter of a few years, at most, to reach the same level.
Although there were still some minor flaws in the noodles, they didn’t overshadow the overall taste, which was already very good.
Just as Yu Bai was about to pick up some shepherd’s purse to taste, he noticed that the shepherd’s purse on the table hadn’t been touched by anyone.
Yu Bai: ?
Yu Bai looked at the small plate of shepherd’s purse in Xing Xing’s dining tray and indeed found no traces of it being eaten.
Xing Xing, who was currently taking small bites of garlic eggplant, looked eagerly at Ji Rongyu eating the beef noodles.
Nanny uncle, who was eating the beef noodles so seriously, made the beef noodles look so delicious!
The beef noodles were still steaming, and Nanny uncle put them directly into his mouth. Isn’t he afraid of burning his mouth?
Xing Xing also wanted to taste the beef noodles…
Before Xing Xing could even swallow his saliva, Yu Bai’s gentle voice sounded in his ear.
“Xing Xing, eat the shepherd’s purse.”
Xing Xing’s soft little body trembled, and his small head drooped.
Looking at the vibrant green shepherd’s purse in the dish, Xing Xing’s face wrinkled like a bitter melon.
Shepherd’s purse was so unpleasant to eat, Xing Xing didn’t want to eat it…
But he had no choice.
Xing Xing once again extended his small chopsticks and cautiously picked up a piece of shepherd’s purse leaf, stuffing it into his mouth.
Yu Bai had only stir-fried the shepherd’s purse with some minced garlic, so the shepherd’s purse that was just cooked still retained its natural fragrance.
It was precisely this herbal taste! Yuck! It tasted awful!
A small piece of shepherd’s purse leaf made Xing Xing’s little face scrunch up like a bun.
At this moment, Ji Rongyu had already finished his bowl of beef noodles.
Sitting in front of him, Xing Xing was slowly eating the green leafy vegetable with a pouting face.
When Xing Xing heard Ji Rongyu put down his bowl, he raised his head and made eye contact with Ji Rongyu.
Ji Rongyu, with a bright red face from quickly finishing the bowl of noodles, and Xing Xing, whose face had turned into a green leafy vegetable, formed a stark contrast.
Star: Angry!
Why could he only eat the bitter vegetable leaves while this nanny uncle could enjoy the fragrant beef noodles!
Seeing the puffed-up cheeks of the child who had become angry, Ji Rongyu, who guessed his thoughts, slightly raised his lips.
This child, just like the children from his brothers’ and sisters’ families, didn’t like to eat vegetables.
The children had their parents watching over them during meals and didn’t have a choice.
But he was different. He was an adult and could eat whatever he wanted.
Ji Rongyu’s smile fell into Xing Xing’s eyes, undoubtedly a sign of provocation.
Xing Xing, who had become angry, had eyes that were almost turning into crescent-shaped eyes capable of shooting tiny knives!
Ji Rongyu didn’t look at Xing Xing anymore; his gaze returned to Yu Bai.
“Um…”
The words were at the tip of his tongue, but for some reason, Ji Rongyu found it somewhat difficult to say.
As a food investment businessman, he ate various delicacies every day, never having the same dish twice.
But today… it was just a simple bowl of beef noodles, yet he unexpectedly had the desire for another serving.
Yu Bai asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Um…”
Ji Rongyu didn’t dare to meet Yu Bai’s gaze; he turned his head slightly.
With a faint blush on his ears, Ji Rongyu’s tone revealed a bit of embarrassment. “Are there any more noodles? I… I didn’t eat enough.”
Yu Bai widened his eyes, “Ah? You’re not full?”
Yu Bai looked at Ji Rongyu’s empty bowl in astonishment.
Considering that the appetite of normal adult males is generally not small, Yu Bai specially added a little more noodles to Ji Rongyu’s bowl.
But Ji Rongyu ate everything, noodles and soup included, almost licking the bowl clean. And now he was saying he hadn’t eaten enough?!
If it were him, he would have been stuffed already!!
Yu Bai didn’t often dine with male friends, and he didn’t have any close friends who knew him well.
Therefore, unexpectedly encountering Ji Rongyu, who wanted “another serving,” Yu Bai couldn’t help but feel shocked.
Do normal adult males really have such big appetites?
Ji Rongyu alone almost matched the appetite of two of him!
Yu Bai frowned and said, “I just made the noodles at home, and the soup has been shared. Now there’s only a little saltwater beef tendon left…”
A few slices of saltwater beef tendon definitely wouldn’t be enough to satisfy…
Just then, Ji Rongyu’s peripheral vision unintentionally fell on Xing Xing.
Xing Xing had finally managed to stuff all the unappetizing shepherd’s purse leaves into his stomach, and his little green face hadn’t completely recovered.
Xing Xing had one hand resting on the edge of his small bowl and the other scooping the lean meat and preserved egg congee from the bowl.
In the pure white congee, there were dark brown preserved eggs and tender pink lean meat, looking incredibly fragrant.
Xing Xing couldn’t wait to stuff the congee into his mouth, wanting to suppress the unpleasant taste of the stir-fried shepherd’s purse.
Preserved egg and lean meat congee was the most common congee in Huaxia. It was simple to make and had the aroma of both meat and eggs.
But it was not easy to cook the preserved egg and lean meat congee perfectly.
Because the preserved eggs in the congee naturally brought a salty and savory taste, adding them to the pot enhanced the fragrance of the congee, but a slight mistake could make the whole pot of congee too salty.
Of course, Yu Bai, who could accurately control the taste of food, naturally cooked the preserved egg and lean meat congee to perfection.
The chewy and smooth rice congee filled the mouth with fragrance, the preserved egg whites were tender, and the yolks were soft and glutinous, accompanied by the chewy and increasingly fragrant lean meat…
Xing Xing’s ink-black eyes sparkled like bright stars. “Dad’s congee is really delicious!”
The delicious preserved egg and lean meat congee completely suppressed the unpleasant taste of the shepherd’s purse in Xing Xing’s mouth, and the fragrance of the congee filled his mouth.
Xing Xing’s round eyes curved into two crescent moons, looking blissful.
If Xing Xing was a little puppy, his tail would have wagged happily behind him long ago.
Xing Xing was so happy to have such delicious congee, he felt truly fortunate!
The delicious preserved egg and lean meat congee swept away the troubles brought by the “stir-fried shepherd’s purse” in Xing Xing’s mind.
Xing Xing kept scooping the preserved egg and lean meat congee into his mouth, his chubby cheeks filled to the brim.
Ji Rongyu, who happened to catch a glimpse of this scene, squinted his narrow ink-black eyes.
Was this preserved egg and lean meat congee really that delicious?
Ji Rongyu recalled the “ordinary” beef noodles, the “ordinary” saltwater beef tendon, the “ordinary” teppanyaki cooked by Yu Bai…
Maybe this seemingly “ordinary” preserved egg and lean meat congee wasn’t so ordinary…
Ji Rongyu’s stomach, which was still empty and waiting for food, let out a light growl.
Ji Rongyu remembered that Yu Bai had cooked a whole pot of preserved egg and lean meat congee.
This little child was so small, he definitely couldn’t finish a whole pot of congee…
Ji Rongyu’s eyes gleamed, and his slightly parted lips paused.
Ji Rongyu remembered the moments he spent with Yu Bai today.
He could roughly guess that Yu Bai was someone who could be easily persuaded.
So, if he were to act like that little child…
Ji Rongyu deliberately slowed down his voice and whispered, “Um… If there are no noodles, can I have porridge instead?”
Before Yu Bai could say anything, Ji Rongyu blinked his ink-black eyes and continued, “If not, it’s fine… Although I’m a bit hungry, I can cook instant noodles for myself when I get home…”
A handsome and tall figure, pitifully claiming to be hungry in front of himself, but willing to go home and cook unappetizing instant noodles just to avoid troubling him…
It was like a hungry and pitiful puppy carrying an empty food bowl!
Since the arrival of Xing Xing, Yu Bai, who was already overflowing with fatherly love, how could he resist!
Yu Bai got up abruptly. “There’s still a lot of lean meat and preserved egg porridge in the pot. Let me serve you a bowl…”
Ji Rongyu watched Yu Bai’s departing figure, his lips slightly curving upward, revealing a cunning smile of a schemer.
Xing Xing sat on the side, witnessing everything.
Xing Xing: !!!
If he hadn’t seen the mischievous smile on the wicked nanny’s face just now, he would have almost pitied the wicked nanny, just like his dad!
Xing Xing was angry. “Were you deliberately pretending to be pitiful and deceiving Dad just now?”
Ji Rongyu’s brows furrowed for a moment.
Oops.
It seemed like he was too happy too soon and forgot that there was a little child sitting here.
Ji Rongyu narrowed his eyes and looked at Xing Xing.
Xing Xing pouted with his mouth and face, looking quite angry.
When he looked at Ji Rongyu, his semi-circular eyes carried a hint of caution.
“Why did you lie to Dad just now?! I don’t believe that you lied to Dad just for the porridge!”
As he spoke, Xing Xing even used his little hands to encircle the small bowl containing the lean meat and preserved egg porridge, as if he was afraid that Ji Rongyu would snatch it away.
Author’s note:
Before:
Top: Huh, am I the kind of person who steals food from children?
Now:
Top: Yes, I am.
—
PS: One more chapter! Adding them together, it should round up to ten thousand chapters, or 2.
