Gourmet Kindergarten

Faced with the request, Pei Qian turned his head and looked at Zhuangzhuang.

The chubby boy's eyes were practically glued to the sweet and sour pork, and his mouth was slightly open, leaving a glistening trail of drool.

Tsk, it looks just like a little stray dog ​​squatting by the stove waiting for food.

"Alright, I'll let you try a piece since you worked so hard peeling the garlic."

Pei Qian picked up a piece of freshly cooked sweet and sour pork.

Golden and shimmering, coated in amber-colored, glistening sweet and sour sauce, garnished with shredded scallions, ginger, and carrots.

The steam carrying a sweet and sour aroma wafts straight into your nose; just looking at it makes your mouth water.

He blew on it and handed it over.

"ah--"

Zhuangzhuang suddenly tilted his head back, opened his mouth to its physiological limit, and like a baby bird waiting to be fed, snatched it in one bite.

His cheeks instantly puffed up like two little balloons.

"Click."

The outer crust was so crispy it crumbled, while the inside was so tender it was juicy. The sweet and sour flavor exploded in your mouth, and the little chubby boy's eyes lit up instantly.

"Is it tasty?"

Aunt Zhao, who was being repeatedly bombarded by the cooking skills, couldn't help but ask a question subconsciously.

"I regretted it as soon as I said it"—that's utter nonsense.

Look at how the chubby boy is eating, no wonder it tastes so good!

"Ugh! Ugh!"

Zhuangzhuang mumbled incoherently, nodding his head vigorously.

Aunt Zhao glanced at the chubby boy, then at the golden slices of meat in the pot, and her stomach, quite disobeying her, let out a loud rumble—

"Gurgle!"

Aunt Zhao's face flushed red, feeling as if her lifelong reputation had been shattered.

Shame!

What a shame!

Having lived most of my life, I was actually made to embarrass myself on the spot by a plate of sweet and sour pork!

It's all the principal's fault!

Why make something so fragrant?

Who is she trying to seduce?!

After confidently shifting the blame, his eyes were glued to Pei Qian's chopsticks, a fawning smile plastered on his face, his expression exactly the same as the chubby boy from before:

"Little principal, um... Zhuangzhuang's taste test was pretty good, how about I help check the saltiness too? After all, it's all cooked in large batches, so we need to control the quality, right?"

Pei Qian's lips twitched.

What the hell is this salt and gravy test? I didn't see you being this diligent with the cabbage and tofu stew earlier.

Before he could speak, Zhuangzhuang suddenly stopped chewing and tugged at Aunt Zhao's apron with a serious expression.

A childlike voice, with clear and distinct pronunciation:

"Grandma Zhao, the teacher said that children who lie are not good children."

"What do you know!" Aunt Zhao's face turned even redder. "This is called meticulousness in work!"

"oh."

Zhuangzhuang seemed to understand but not quite, then turned to Pei Qian and blinked his big eyes: "Brother Director, Grandma Zhao seems to really want to eat it. Why don't we give her a piece? Look, she's drooling so much."

puff.

Pei Qian almost burst out laughing.

Aunt Zhao: "..."

That brat!

Don't you know that you shouldn't expose someone's shortcomings?

Just as she was about to reach out and rub her chubby cheeks, Pei Qian had already picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork and handed it to her.

"Alright, Aunt Zhao, I'll give you a piece of my mind since you helped prepare the vegetables."

Aunt Zhao's eyes lit up, and she took a big bite.

The rich, sour vinegar flavor, combined with the sweetness, stimulates the taste buds, creating a perfect balance of sweet and sour.

Although it was scalding hot, the crispy outside and tender inside completely won her over.

"Wow! Authentic! Absolutely authentic! The sauce preparation is even better than an old chef's! And the crispness of the crust is amazing..."

An old man and a child squatted side by side by the stove, each with a piece of sweet and sour pork, their eyebrows practically flying with happiness.

Zhuangzhuang chewed and swallowed the food in a few bites, then stuck out his tongue and licked the remaining sweet and sour juice clean along the corner of his mouth, still wanting more.

Sweet and sour.

Unfortunately, we've already finished eating.

I still want to eat it.

So he turned his head, tilted his round little face up, and tried his best to make what he thought was his most obedient and sweetest expression. He clasped his little hands together and spoke in a soft, sweet voice:

"Um... Director, could I have one more piece of sweet and sour pork? Just one! The last one!"

"cannot."

Pei Qian refused decisively, and casually moved the plate further away, giving no chance for him to take advantage.

"It has to be left for the other children. Okay, come with me to the office."

"Where are you going?"

"I'll refund your tuition." Pei Qian took off his apron. "After the tuition is refunded, have your mom pick you up for dinner."

Aunt Zhao, who knew exactly what Pei Qian was up to, tried her best to suppress her laughter.

Zhuangzhuang's face fell instantly.

On one hand, there's the option of getting a refund for his tuition, attending Hanlin Bilingual School, and going to school with his childhood sweetheart, Yan Yan—that's what he wants.

On one hand, he wanted to stay here and enjoy the delicious sweet and sour pork.

Two things were arguing wildly in my mind.

It's so hard to choose.

Why can't we go to Hanlin Bilingual School and eat sweet and sour pork at the same time?

Adults are such a hassle.

Zhuangzhuang bit his finger, his eyes darted around, and suddenly an idea came to him:

"Director, can I finish my lunch first?"

"Didn't you say you were in a hurry to transfer schools?"

"It's urgent... but one more meal won't make a difference..."

"But the meals are all prepared for the children in the kindergarten." Pei Qian spread his hands with an expression that said, "I'm in a difficult position, but you have to understand." "If you get a refund, you won't be a child in the kindergarten anymore. If you're not a child in the kindergarten, you can't eat lunch here. That's the rule."

Zhuangzhuang: o(′益`)o

These rules are so annoying.

He glanced back at the cabbage and tofu stew in the stainless steel bucket, then at the golden-brown sweet and sour pork on the plate.

I want to eat them all.

Especially the sweet and sour pork, I can never get enough of it.

After much deliberation, Zhuangzhuang made the first major decision of his life.

As for Yan Yan... well, we live nearby, so we can meet up on weekends, and she won't run away.

But once the headmaster leaves, I really won't be able to eat the food he makes anymore.

and so…

We can't leave.

The chubby boy took a deep breath, decided to go all out, and clenched his fist:

"Can I not get a refund for the tuition?"

"If you don't get a refund, you'll have to continue attending school."

"If I continue studying here, will I be able to eat such delicious meat every day?"

"certainly!"

"Then I won't return it!"

Zhuangzhuang responded immediately, afraid that if he hesitated even a second, the headmaster would change his mind.

Pei Qian's lips curled into a barely perceptible smile.

The little thing, whose feathers haven't even fully grown in, is already fighting with itself.

Effortless control.

But adhering to the principle of "after slapping someone, you should give them a sweet treat," he turned his chopsticks and picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork, offering it to Zhuangzhuang's mouth.

Aunt Zhao finally breathed a sigh of relief and silently gave a thumbs up.

Of course, I'm even more craving it now.

I ate that piece too quickly and didn't get to savor it enough.

She rubbed her hands together, put on a smile, and took half a step forward: "Young director, um... my old arms and legs have been busy all day, shouldn't I get some treats too...?"

Pei Qian was helpless.

He's like a child, always acting like one.

Okay, here you go.

……

On the kindergarten playground.

"Clatter".

The ball slipped from DouDou's hand and rolled far away on the ground.

The short boy was completely oblivious, his hands still raised in mid-air, while his nostrils suddenly flared, looking like a greedy dog ​​that had suddenly smelled a bone.

Tangtang, who was next to her, also stopped moving.

The little girl clung tightly to the ball, her little nose twitching vigorously.

Tiger was the most exaggerated. He looked like he was being pulled by an invisible rope, stretching his neck out and standing on tiptoe to reach for the smell.

Duoduo stopped taking pictures, and Xiaoyu stopped running away.

Five little heads tilted back in unison, their nostrils flaring wildly.

Five chubby squirrels, clearly smelling pine cones, were momentarily stunned...