Gourmet Kindergarten

"The kindergarten director has been arrested by the police!"

"Wow! Why?"

"Because the vegetables are bad!" Yuanyuan wrinkled her little nose, her face full of disgust. "There are worms in them, and rotten meat too!"

"They deserved to be arrested!"

Tangtang, hands on her hips, huffed and puffed, standing up for her. "Your kindergarten principal is so mean! What if the kids get sick from eating spoiled meat?"

After saying that, she patted Yuanyuan's hand like a little adult and solemnly assured her, "Don't worry, Yuanyuan, our kindergarten only has delicious, juicy meat, absolutely no bugs!"

"Really?"

The "disastrous food" at her previous kindergarten left a significant shadow on Yuan Yuan's young mind.

Although her grandmother had assured her that the food here was delicious, she still couldn't believe it.

but……

Now that Sister Tangtang is saying the same thing, it must be true, right?

Just then—

A powerful yet alluring aroma wafted in through the open window, carried by the wind.

Her round little nose couldn't help but twitch.

"Um?"

"It smells so good..."

Tangtang, who was standing nearby, also smelled it. She had been saving her appetite for the big meal, but her mouth was instantly watering.

"Gurgle—"

She covered her tummy shyly, her eyes shining like light bulbs, and took a deep breath of the aroma: "It smells so good! But it's different from yesterday's! What delicious food did the headmaster make this time? Could it be... garlic vermicelli shrimp?"

She leaned close to Yuanyuan's ear and whispered mysteriously, "Yuanyuan, let me tell you, our kindergarten director's cooking is the best in the world!"

"Wow? This smells like our kindergarten's food?" Yuanyuan's eyes widened. "Does our kindergarten's food smell this good?"

"Yes!"

"oh--"

Yuanyuan suddenly realized, nodding her head like a rattle-drum. "No wonder Grandma wanted to change my kindergarten overnight! The food here really smells so good! Even better than my mom's! Sister Tangtang, Yuanyuan is getting hungry just smelling it, I want to eat it..."

"Just eat it if you want!"

Tangtang instinctively wanted to share her "secret weapon"—to pull Yuanyuan along and cry out, "My tummy is so hungry!" to urge the teacher to start the meal.

But when I think about how I'm now the older sister mentoring the newcomers, I realize I have to act like one and not lead my younger sisters astray.

And so—

She swallowed her words back, put on airs, and said calmly, "Wait...wait a little while and we'll be able to eat."

Seeing this, the other senior students also became reserved.

Nobody wants to ruin their image in front of new students, lest they lose credibility in the future.

Each of them stood up straight, pretending to be nonchalant as they admired the scenery.

But the sounds of them swallowing their saliva were getting louder and louder.

The new students paired up followed suit, puffing out their little chests and holding on.

But how could a child's belly understand human relationships and social customs?

It didn't even last three seconds—

"Gurgle—"

"Gurgle—"

The rumbling of stomachs, rising and falling like a grand chorus, instantly gave everything away.

A few couldn't hold back and, pouting, snuggled into their older siblings' arms.

"Brother, I'm hungry..."

"Sister, my tummy is growling..."

The older students softened and were about to offer some comfort when their own stomachs growled.

Goodness, they've infected each other.

However, this "craving explosion" did not immediately sweep through every corner of the classroom.

At the far end of the classroom, the atmosphere is completely different.

Having grown tired of playing with his toy cars, Hao Hao grabbed Jian Jian's arm, his little face scrunched up, his eyes red-rimmed: "Uncle... I want to find my mom... Uncle, I want to find my mom..."

Jianjian: "..."

I know you miss your mom, so please stop nagging about her, okay? You're making me miss her too!

Jianjian took a deep breath, feeling utterly helpless inside, but his face remained as calm as a rock.

He calmly patted Hao Hao on the back: "Looking for your mom?"

"Um!"

"Go find your mom after school."

"……real?"

Seriously, I'm not kidding.

Hao Hao sniffed and released his grip with some doubt, but his little hand still clung tightly to Jian Jian's clothes.

Jianjian felt the damp pull on the hem of his clothes and sighed silently.

School has only just started...

Teacher Yu watched the "emotionally stable uncle and the devastated nephew" and silently felt sorry for Jianjian for three seconds.

Who understands? At an age when you can barely hold your pee, you still have to act mature and coax your nephew!

This is really putting Jianjian in a difficult position!

Fortunately, the aroma of the food grew stronger and stronger, finally cutting off Hao Hao's "sad channel".

He sniffed, then his sob abruptly stopped: "Uncle...smells so good..."

Jianjian originally wanted to continue pretending to be aloof, but his nose was more honest than his mouth, and he unconsciously took two deep sniffs.

Immediately afterwards—

"Glug."

It's not my stomach growling.

He swallowed his saliva and made a sound.

"..."

Jianjian froze, his ears turning bright red. He quickly straightened his back, trying to salvage his uncle's lost authority.

Unfortunately, it was too late.

"Uncle, it smells so good! Hao Hao wants some!"

"...We'll be able to eat soon, wipe your tears first."

Hao Hao rubbed his eyes, sobbed, and sniffled, his little belly making a loud thud in perfect unison.

"Gurgle—"

Amidst the rich aroma of the food, Jianjian couldn't help but swallow again.

Oh no, I miss my mom too... no, I miss rice too.

……

On the playground.

With his hands behind his back, Grandpa Li endured the wafting aroma and forced himself to remain calm as he carried out his daily patrol.

"Tsk!"

He smacked his lips loudly, sniffed the air hard, and shook his head like a rattle drum.

"This smells amazing!"

"This garlic aroma...it's amazing! It must be steamed shrimp with garlic and vermicelli! The shrimp meat is chopped up, the vermicelli soaks up all the broth, and then there's a layer of chopped green onions on top—tsk, I really want to take a bite right now..."

Grandpa Li looked longingly at the kitchen not far away, silently envying Grandma Zhang to the core.

Being in the kitchen, one naturally gets to steal... no, one might just want to taste it first.

He wanted to go too.

I'm sorry.

"Ugh!"

Grandpa Li sighed heavily, shook his head helplessly, and turned away—

Just then, Aunt Zhao rushed over from the other side of the intersection like a gust of wind, her steps incredibly hurried.

"Zhao Cuihua, where are you going?"

"I'll go help the kindergarten director!"

Before the words had even finished, the person had already darted two meters away.

"whispering sound!"

Grandpa Li chuckled and rolled his eyes at the retreating figure.

"Help? Zhao Cuihua, do you even believe that yourself? What help? I think you're just craving those shrimp!"

Aunt Zhao stopped abruptly, turned around sharply, and showed no mercy to him:

"Hey, Old Li, that's an interesting thing to say—as if you're not after that meal. Don't you even look in the mirror and see how you ate last night? Wasn't that like a starving ghost reincarnated?"

"Zhao Cuihua!"

Grandpa Li's eyes widened, his hands behind his back faltered, and his fingers trembled as he poked at him.

"What do you mean?! Explain yourself clearly!"

"What else could it mean?"

Aunt Zhao put her hands on her hips, tilted her head, and retorted, her voice rising eight octaves:

"Don't you have any self-awareness? Didn't you have enough of the crispy pork tenderloin and cumin pork tenderloin yesterday? You didn't stop eating them once they were served, not even a crumb was left! And now you're here pretending to be something you're not?"

"Zhao Cuihua! You—"

"What do you mean, 'you'?!"

The two were separated by a stretch of road, and it looked like they were about to really start arguing.

"Oh my goodness!"

The kitchen window was flung open with a "whoosh," and Pei Qian poked half his head out, his face full of helplessness:

"You two are really my ancestors! Can't you just shut up for a bit? Are you even going to eat lunch?"

In short, both of them shut up at the same time.

"Little principal, let me help you!"

Aunt Zhao scurried over, her fierce temper from arguing with Grandpa Li vanishing instantly, replaced by a smile as bright as a flower.

"Sycophant..."

Grandpa Li muttered to himself.

Without stopping, they followed along.