Gourmet: The Master Chef Just Wants to Leisurely Set Up a Stall - Chapter 27

“Boss, tomorrow is the weekend! The kids are on holiday. Where will you set up your stall tomorrow?”

“Ah, Mommy! No school tomorrow? Can I keep going to school?”

“Daddy, I want to go to school too! I want to study!”

As soon as the parents asked, the children got anxious.

“Oh, I totally forgot about that,” Zhao Xiaojing was momentarily stunned upon hearing it.

“Simple! Sis, come with me to the park entrance tomorrow. You can set up a stall there after 6 PM!” Li Zhi, who was nearby, suggested. Zhao Xiaojing thought for a moment and agreed. The parents began passing the word around, agreeing to go together the next day.

Wen Zhiyi, seeing the guests willing to follow to the park during their holiday just to buy, became more curious about Zhao Xiaojing’s culinary skills.

“Grandpa, you’re quite trendy! Look at how fluently you use your phone,” noted Zhao Xiaojing, recalling the old man skillfully scanning a QR code with his phone earlier, while she continued frying skewers.

“My granddaughter taught me. I can handle an iPad and computer a bit too. I watch ‘Country Love’ on my iPad at home every day!”

“That show isn’t over yet?!” A parent nearby was shocked.

“Nope! It’s already in its 15th season now, and I watch one episode every day.”

“Wow, Grandpa, you’re really trendy! I wish my dad had your mindset. He refuses to try new things. Even though we got him a senior-friendly phone, he won’t use it. He’s still using a landline and writes down phone numbers by hand,” another young parent complained.

“Haha… Old age doesn’t leave much to do,” the old man replied, unable to hide his smile from the compliments.

“The fried skewer is ready, Grandpa,” Zhao Xiaojing handed over the packed skewers. This time, she brushed the sauce herself, as the parents rarely let her do it.

“Hehe, alright, keep busy then!”

The old man took the skewers and strolled away happily. Although he had a youthful spirit, he was still old and couldn’t stand and eat like young people. He had to take them back home to sit and eat slowly.

“Hey, Xiao Wu, I’m here at Chunfeng Experimental Primary School. Come pick me up,” the old man called his driver, Xiao Wu.

Though it’s only a 20-30 minute walk, he worried that the steam might ruin the freshly fried skewers’ taste, so he couldn’t wait to try them.

Soon, Xiao Wu arrived right on time. Wen Zhiyi’s three children didn’t live in the small county, but they were very dutiful, ensuring he had a housekeeper and a driver at home.

Xiao Wu was specifically hired by Wen Zhiyi’s youngest son as his driver. However, Wen Zhiyi found it troublesome and usually walked short distances himself, rarely calling him.

“Where to, Uncle Wen?”

“Home, home, drive faster.”

Five minutes later, Wen Zhiyi sat at home eagerly unwrapping the skewers, taking a big bite of the duck leg.

“Dad, you’re eating junk food again!” A sudden voice came through. Wen Zhiyi was used to it, glancing at the camera above the air conditioner before continuing to munch.

His phone beeped with a video message shortly after.

Using his oil-free hand, Wen Zhiyi answered the call and leaned his phone against the fruit basket.

“What now, you brat? Always got nothing better than spying on your dad!”

“I told you many times, don’t eat this junk food! How many times have I told you? At your age, you shouldn’t be buying food from school gates!” Wen Jin, Wen Zhiyi’s third son, furrowed his brows, watching his father gnawing on a duck leg with frustration.

“I knew Xiao Wu was your informant! Can’t you learn something good for once? Don’t I have any privacy?” Wen Zhiyi retorted nonchalantly while enjoying his duck leg.

“If you’d listen to advice and not act on whims, why would we invade your privacy? You’re not young anymore. At your age, you can’t eat these greasy foods. You don’t even know what kind of oil they’re cooked in! We’ve told you countless times. If you want to eat, let Aunt Niu make you some at home.”

“Why are you still eating? Stop eating it! You can’t eat this!”

Wen Jin’s eyebrows almost twisted into a knot with frustration. On the other side of the video, Wen Zhiyi continued to eat with relish, ignoring his son’s red eyes, deliberately provoking him by enjoying the food even more.

“Dad! What are we working hard for outside? We just want you and Mom to be healthy. That’s why we hired a housekeeper and driver for you because we can’t be home all the time to take care of you. If you don’t listen to advice and something happens because of what you eat, how can we have peace of mind?”

“We can’t come home often throughout the year. We already feel bad enough. We just hope you two stay healthy and enjoy your golden years. Have you considered us or Mom? What if you end up in the hospital again?” Wen Jin’s eyes welled up with tears as he spoke.

Being the youngest son in the Wen family, it’s said the youngest is often spoiled. Wen Zhiyi felt this deeply. Since Wen Jin was born, his eldest sister, second brother, and mother adored him tremendously, taking turns doting on him, turning him into someone who worries about everything like Lin Daiyu.

Wen Zhiyi disliked Wen Jin’s nature of wanting to control everything and having everything done his way. Even at forty-something, he still gets emotional easily, with tears ready at the slightest disagreement. Yet his wife and other son and daughter fall for this.

Earlier in the year, Wen Zhiyi had a minor stomach issue. With no one home, his wife rushed him to the hospital when she returned and found him unable to move from pain on the sofa.

After that incident, Wen Jin insisted on installing surveillance cameras despite Wen Zhiyi’s strong opposition. Initially, his wife was also against it, feeling their privacy was invaded. But Wen Jin’s tears and pleas of concern convinced her. Eventually, four out of five family members persuaded Wen Zhiyi.

Now, just seeing his youngest son fills Wen Zhiyi with anger.

“Mmm~ So delicious! This chili is really something! Just love that oily taste!” Wen Zhiyi praised in front of the camera, paying no heed to Wen Jin’s reddening eyes.

In reality, Zhao Xiaojing hadn’t applied any spicy sauce on his skewers—they were non-spicy and had minimal oil. They weren’t greasy at all…

But he couldn’t help it; he just couldn’t indulge his dramatic son. The more Wen Jin wanted to control, the more Wen Zhiyi resisted.

Wen Zhiyi relished his meal with a duck leg in his left hand and a skewer in his right.

Initially meant to provoke Wen Jin, he genuinely found the food delightful as he ate.

The duck leg had a hint of sweetness blending into its crispy skin. Each bite produced a crunchy sound while the tender meat inside released juices.

But tenderness alone wasn’t enough—the scoring on the duck leg allowed the marinade to seep deep within, providing rich flavors without any gamey taste.

Additionally, the duck leg’s outer layer was glazed with honey and sprinkled with savory seasoning, elevating its taste complexity significantly. Each bite felt fresh and savory.

Lost in enjoyment, Wen Zhiyi forgot about the video altogether, licking the oil from his fingers.

Just then, his phone beeped with another video message.