Gourmet: The Master Chef Just Wants to Leisurely Set Up a Stall - Chapter 65

“Of course Jingjing’s food is delicious! Why be polite? Be honest, Grandma—you enjoyed it too!” Yunyun teased, winking at her grandmother. Grandma Fan playfully swatted at her, feigning annoyance.

“You cheeky little monkey!”

“Grandma, I made some new dishes this time—ones you haven’t tried yet. If you don’t want them, should I take them back with me?” Zhao Xiaojing, feeling lighthearted in the playful family atmosphere, joked with Grandma Fan.

“Oh no, you can take your grandma back, but leave the food here!” Grandpa Wen chimed in with mock urgency, making everyone burst into laughter.

As they chatted, Aunt Niu, ever attentive, brought over the two small pots of sweet soup that Zhao Xiaojing had made and placed them under the air conditioning to cool. She also set out spoons and bowls for everyone.

Seeing the steam rising gently from the chilled sweet soups, the group eagerly awaited the return of Wen Jin and Wen Yulan while continuing their conversation.

Ten minutes later, the sound of the front gate opening reached their ears, prompting Yunyun to leap to her feet. Zhao Xiaojing followed suit, standing up as well.

“Mom! Little Uncle!” Yunyun called as she opened the door.

Wen Yulan and Wen Jin stepped out of the car, with their driver, Xiao Wu, parking the car off to the side.

“Stinky Yunyun! Let me see if you’ve gained weight!” Wen Jin exclaimed happily, grabbing his niece and lifting her by the armpits like a child. “Oh boy, heavier! You’re even heavier than Wen Sihui now!”

“Little Uncle!” Yunyun protested, struggling to free herself from his grasp. “Can you please respect some boundaries? I’m in my twenties! Can we drop this routine?”

“What does being in your twenties have to do with anything? I’m still your uncle, aren’t I?” Wen Jin laughed, ruffling Yunyun’s hair as she made a face and ran off.

“Auntie, Uncle,” Zhao Xiaojing greeted them as they approached.

“Jingjing, this is Yunyun’s little uncle, Wen Jin. And Wen Jin, this is my goddaughter, Jingjing,” Wen Yulan introduced them, leaving Zhao Xiaojing momentarily stunned.

Auntie Wen might joke about calling her a goddaughter, but Zhao Xiaojing didn’t dare take it seriously. The Wen family’s status was far beyond hers—she couldn’t possibly presume to get that close!

“Hello,” Wen Jin nodded politely at Zhao before heading inside, where he immediately hugged his parents. “Dad! Mom! Oh my goodness, you look younger every day!”

“Oh, stop with this nonsense! You’re always so dramatic!” Though Grandma Fan pretended to be annoyed, her wide smile betrayed her delight as she hugged him back.

“And here comes Lin Daiyu,” Grandpa Wen muttered under his breath with a sarcastic glance at his youngest son, though a small smile tugged at his lips.

With everyone gathered, it was time to dig into the sweet soup before it warmed up. The family quickly seated themselves around the coffee table.

“Grandpa, Grandma, there’s red bean milk shaved ice and mung bean milk shaved ice. Which one would you like?”

Aunt Niu brought the pots over, and Zhao Xiaojing picked up a large spoon, ready to serve.

“I’ll have mung bean!”

“I’ll go with red bean.”

“Not too much, and no added sugar!” Wen Jin interjected, raising his hand to stop Zhao before she could dish out too much. “They need to watch their sugar intake—and no eating too much cold stuff at their age.”

The rest of the family chuckled at this familiar routine, while Grandpa Wen rolled his eyes dramatically.

Zhao Xiaojing nodded and served them each a small portion. After that, she took out the small containers of toppings she had prepared earlier—sprinkling dried osmanthus flowers on the mung bean ice and bits of dried tangerine peel on the red bean ice.

Both Wen Yulan and Yunyun’s eyes lit up in unison as they helped carry the bowls to the elders.

Once everyone had been served, the group settled down quietly on the sofas, each focused intently on their bowls of cooling sweetness.

Wen Jin, initially uninterested, absentmindedly scooped up a spoonful of red bean ice and popped it into his mouth. A split second later, his eyes widened in surprise. Without saying a word, he began devouring the rest of his bowl at an impressive speed.

The red beans had been simmered to perfection—smooth and creamy with a rich, natural sweetness that paired beautifully with the milk. The flavor wasn’t cloying like artificial creamers but carried a delicate balance of richness and subtlety. The addition of the dried tangerine peel gave the dessert a unique aftertaste—a hint of citrus that cut through the sweetness without overpowering it.

Wen Jin quickly finished his bowl and couldn’t resist eyeing the pot on the coffee table. Without hesitation, he grabbed the ladle and helped himself to a serving of the mung bean ice next.

“Only the government official gets to light fires, huh?” Yunyun muttered quietly under her breath, which earned her a playful smack from Wen Yulan.

“Where did you buy this? There’s no way Aunt Niu could make something this good,” Wen Jin asked between bites of the mung bean ice, looking both surprised and impressed.

“This is all Jingjing’s doing—no store-bought sweets could compare!” Grandma Fan said proudly. “Our Jingjing’s got quite the talent in the kitchen.”

Wen Jin looked genuinely taken aback and finally turned to give Zhao Xiaojing a proper once-over.

She’s so young… and yet she can cook like this?

“Don’t eat too much—we still have dinner later,” Wen Yulan warned as she saw Yunyun finishing her bowl and reaching for seconds.

“But Mom, I don’t want dinner anymore!”

Yunyun responded quickly as she grabbed the ladle again.

“Well, that’s great! More fried skewers for us then—nobody will be fighting us for them!” Grandpa Wen said loudly with exaggerated glee.

Yunyun froze mid-motion, her hand hovering in the air. After a moment of internal struggle, she reluctantly scooped only a small portion into her bowl.

She had only eaten the red bean ice so far—she couldn’t miss out on tasting the mung bean ice!

“Jingjing, did you bring more fried skewers again? That must’ve been such a hassle for you—every time you come over, you bring so much food!”

Wen Yulan sounded apologetic when she heard her father mention the skewers again.

This girl is too kind-hearted. Every time she visits, she brings an abundance of food.

Sure, they had helped introduce Zhao Xiaojing to her job at the construction site, but that was because of her own talent and hard work. Within days, her salary had already increased. Wen Yulan had been surprised by that at first, but after tasting Zhao’s cooking, she felt that even the raise wasn’t enough—this girl could succeed anywhere with her skills. They were just lucky to have crossed paths with her.

“It’s no trouble at all, Auntie. You all enjoy the food, and I’m happy to make it!”

Zhao Xiaojing waved off any concerns with a smile.

The warm familial atmosphere of the Wen household—three generations living harmoniously together—was something she had never experienced in either of her lifetimes.

Her father had passed away far too early. Her paternal grandfather had been distant and indifferent, cutting ties with Zhao and her mother long ago. Her maternal grandfather had always been cold and aloof as well, rarely speaking to her or showing any affection.

Having grown up without knowing what a truly close-knit family felt like, Zhao Xiaojing hadn’t understood the concept of “family joy.” It wasn’t until she started visiting the Wen household that she came to appreciate its beauty. She cherished this precious warmth and never found it burdensome to bring dishes for them.

“Fried skewers? You guys are still eating those?” Wen Jin’s radar immediately went off at the mention of skewers. He put down his spoon and eyed Zhao Xiaojing. “Did you make those too?”

“Yes, Uncle,” Zhao Xiaojing replied with a nod, unsure why he seemed so concerned.

“Eat your food and quit trying to boss everyone around! Today’s a holiday—Jingjing went out of her way to make these for us,” Grandpa Wen snapped, glaring at his son.

Wen Jin opened his mouth to retort but quickly closed it again, his expression turning sheepish. His eyes filled with mock hurt—but everyone knew exactly how things would play out next.