GBP Chapter 227 At the dinner table
Chapter 227 At the dinner table
After Wei Yu and Li Xiaonuan officially established their relationship, they headed towards the city gate. Previously, Wei Yu had arranged for Li Xiaonuan's parents to stay at a restaurant there.
After the two of them walked into the restaurant together, Su Shi and Li's father, who had been sitting anxiously in the lobby, stood up with red eyes and started to complain to Li Xiaonuan.
"You silly girl, you've only been in the capital for a short time and you've already gotten so thin? I told you your mother wanted to stay with you, otherwise you would never eat on time." As soon as Madam Su spoke, she eased Li's father's unease.
“That’s right. Xiao Nuan, your father is all better now. It’s only right that your father should take care of things at home. As the head of the family, I’ll handle anything that comes up. You just need to stay home with your mother and your brother.” Father Li’s still slightly hunched back and his still very thin body suddenly seemed much taller.
“Me too, me too. Sister, I brought you a lot more medicine. I guarantee you can run rampant in the capital for three to five years.” Xiao Gang stood up and took Li Xiaonuan’s hand after his parents had finished speaking.
At this moment, Li Xiaonuan's feelings were indescribable. She sniffed and said in a muffled voice, "Dad, Mom, Xiaogang, I'm so happy to see you all."
Wei Yu, standing behind her, reached out and patted her back in a comforting gesture. This action was seen by Madam Su, who gave Wei Yu a suspicious look. Wei Yu smiled at Madam Su, startling her so much that she quickly grabbed Li's father's arm.
"What's wrong? What's going on?" Father Li asked, puzzled.
"It's nothing, it's nothing," Su replied, feeling aggrieved.
What could she say? Was she supposed to tell Father Li that he was frightened by Wei Yu's smile? That would be so embarrassing. Besides, Wei Yu was there. Judging from his expression, he still had feelings for Xiao Nuan.
Seeing that Su was still acting strangely, Li's father was about to ask again when Wei Yu, who was behind Li Xiaonuan, spoke up in time: "Uncle, Aunt, you must be exhausted after traveling for so long. Why don't we sit down, have a good meal, and then go back to rest? We can talk about anything else after we've rested enough."
“That’s right. Father, Mother, please sit down quickly. I’ll have the restaurant serve you food right away. After you’ve eaten, I’ll take you back to rest. You’ve already arrived in the capital and met me, so we can talk about it later. Anyway, I can’t run away anywhere.” Li Xiaonuan quickly asked Su Shi and her father to sit down.
Wei Yu obediently instructed the waiter waiting to the side to bring up several of his signature dishes and main courses as soon as possible. He even gave detailed instructions on the desserts and tea for the meal.
Having received Wei Yu's instructions, the waiter quickly made the arrangements. Before long, the food was on the table. Wei Yu gave a few instructions to his waiting subordinates and returned just in time to find the food all served.
He plopped down next to Li Xiaonuan and started helping Li's father and Su Shi serve the food.
"Uncle, Aunt, please try this. This Imperial Concubine Chicken soup is mellow and refreshing, and the chicken is very tender and delicious. It's very appetizing. Have a few sips of the soup first. Also, this mushroom and meat patty is quite good and goes very well with rice."
After hearing Wei Yu's introduction, Xiao Gang scooped up half a bowl of chicken soup without hesitation, squinted his eyes, took a sip, and couldn't help but exclaim, "Dad, Mom, this soup is so delicious, you should try it!"
Wei Yu personally served food to Li's father and son, which surprised them. They were somewhat reserved, unsure of Wei Yu's intentions. They looked to Li Xiaonuan for help, hoping to get an answer from her.
Li Xiaonuan was also frightened by Wei Yu's actions. She didn't want her parents to know about her relationship with Wei Yu. After all, in their eyes, there was absolutely no possibility between them. They weren't like other parents who fantasized about their children marrying for wealth and status.
But by doing this, Wei Yu was essentially forcing her to legitimize his relationship with her parents. This would prevent her from having to explain herself to Zhou Liufeng in an ambiguous way when they arrived.
With a soft sigh, Li Xiaonuan said with a wry smile, "Father, Mother, Young Master Wei promised to take us to eat our way through the entire capital. As a native of the capital, he knows the food here very well, so you can just eat to your heart's content."
In the end, Li Xiaonuan couldn't bring herself to say those words. She thought she should wait until her parents had eaten and slept well, and find a place where no one else was around. She didn't want Su Shi to lash out at her in front of others, which would embarrass her.
Wei Yu's smile remained, but he didn't agree with Li Xiaonuan's words. He continued to serve food to the Su family. Seeing that Wei Yu didn't object, Su was a little relieved. She picked up her chopsticks and urged Li's father to eat quickly.
For a moment, only the sounds of chopsticks clattering against bowls and plates, and people chewing and drinking soup filled the dining table. Wei Yu's left hand, which was hanging by his side, quietly reached out and grabbed Li Xiaonuan's left hand, which was resting on her knee.
Li Xiaonuan winced and glared at him, but he gave her a seductive smile. Li Xiaonuan was furious, puffed out her cheeks, and turned back to continue drinking her soup.
Xiao Gang observed their interaction. He tilted his head, thought for a moment, and then smiled slyly. He pointed to a plate of untouched, yellowish, limp food on the table and asked Wei Yu.
"Young Master Wei, what is this? Is it delicious? It looks like a big egg yolk to me. Is this a big egg yolk? What kind of thing can lay such a big egg?"
Wei Yu gave Xiao Gang a "you're so naughty" smile and replied, "This is just a big egg yolk, but it's made from many egg yolks. It tastes amazing. People here call it 'Sanbuzhan' (meaning 'three-no-sticky')."
After Wei Yu finished speaking, he scooped a large piece for Xiao Gang, as well as for Li's father and Su's mother. Then, he scooped a piece for Li Xiaonuan as well and placed it on the small plate in front of her.
Su and Li's father both looked over again. Li Xiaonuan dejectedly picked up the piece of Sanbuzhan (a type of salted egg yolk), and said with an embarrassed smile, "I've never eaten an egg yolk like this before. Dad, Mom, you should try some too."
Seeing Li Xiaonuan put the sticky, non-sticky dish into her mouth, Wei Yu smiled mischievously. He had previously discovered that Li Xiaonuan didn't like this dish at all when he ate at the other courtyard. It was because the dish was somewhat sweet and oily. Those who didn't like it couldn't appreciate its refreshing taste.
Xiao Gang first took a big bite of the Sanbuzhan (a type of sticky rice noodle), chewed it a few times, and then swallowed it. He turned to Li Xiaonuan, who had only taken a small bite of the Sanbuzhan, and said, "Sister, this is the flavor you dislike the most. Here, give it to me, and I'll eat it for you." After saying that, Xiao Gang held out his bowl to Li Xiaonuan.
Li Xiaonuan glanced gratefully at Xiaogang, then reached into his bowl with her chopsticks, intending to put down the piece of Sanbuzhan (a type of sticky rice cake). But soon another pair of chopsticks appeared above the bowl, quickly snatching the Sanbuzhan from Li Xiaonuan's chopsticks.
Li Xiaonuan turned around in surprise and watched Wei Yu put the piece of Sanbuzhan that she had bitten into into his mouth and chew it resentfully.
P.S.: Please allow me to borrow a dish that only appeared in the Qing Dynasty—Sanbuzhan (Three Non-sticky Dishes).