Divorced Dad's Gourmet Shop

Chapter 275: Chapter 275: What Gift to Bring to Meet Jun Xinghe?

The spread included twice-cooked pork, sautéed potato with green pepper and eggplant, stir-fried celtuce, steamed corn, ham, and a nutritious congee.

Smelling the fragrant pork in the pot, Tongtong’s little tummy rumbled with hunger.

She blinked her pretty eyes and looked up expectantly at Jiang Liu.

"Daddy, when can we eat? Your little cutie can’t wait anymore."

"Soon, soon. Go keep your grandparents company for a bit."

"Okay~"

Jiang Tongtong obediently ran out of the kitchen and snuggled into Lin Qiu’s arms, acting cute.

This made Lin Qiu laugh heartily.

Beside them, Jiang Dahai looked like he wanted to say something but held back, sitting by himself forlornly and fiddling with his chopsticks.

Not long after, Jiang Liu brought out all the delicious food.

"Oh, Liu’er, why did you make so much?"

Lin Qiu looked at Jiang Liu reproachfully, her eyes full of concern.

What mother doesn’t dote on her son?

Jiang Dahai swallowed hard. "Make a little less next time. You can switch up the dishes, but don’t make so many. I’m afraid... Never mind."

He had wanted to say he was afraid he wouldn’t want to leave.

Thank goodness.

’I almost became one of my son’s foodie fans!’

"You should have this, it’s delicious." Jun Qingmeng picked up a glistening, perfectly marbled piece of twice-cooked pork and placed it in Jiang Liu’s congee.

"Okay." Jiang Liu ate it with a spoonful of congee.

The pork was very tender and bursting with savory flavor. It was slightly salty at first, but after a few chews, the rich aroma of rendered pork fat filled his mouth.

A sip of congee washed away the saltiness and richness. It was heavenly.

Only after watching Jiang Liu finish the piece of pork she had given him did Jun Qingmeng, satisfied, start getting food for herself.

"Daddy, you have to eat lots of meat so you can grow big and strong to protect Tongtong."

Tongtong also started putting meat into Jiang Liu’s bowl.

The little cutie was a pro at doting on her dad!

"Mmm! It’s so good."

Lin Qiu looked at the family of three and nodded in satisfaction before picking up her own chopsticks to eat.

"Delicious! This sautéed potato dish is amazing, Liu’er. How did you make the potatoes so fragrant and sweet?!"

Lin Qiu had a look of disbelief on her face as she ate.

Every time she ate her son’s cooking, she couldn’t help but be amazed.

’No wonder so many people line up for his food,’

"I get them through a special supplier."

Jiang Liu replied casually, then lowered his head to drink his congee.

His parents didn’t find it strange and didn’t ask any more questions.

The only sounds at the table were of chewing and the SLURP of people eating their congee.

Jiang Dahai’s mouth was slick with the savory oil from the food.

Jiang Tongtong kept putting celtuce on everyone’s plates.

She was trying to hide the "virtue" of her dislike for green vegetables.

Jiang Liu chuckled.

He saw right through his daughter’s little scheme.

’She’s just trying to give all the celtuce to everyone else so no one can call her out for not eating it, right?’

As a professional dad,

Jiang Liu, of course, wasn’t going to spoil her.

He picked up the serving dish and dumped the remaining handful of celtuce into Tongtong’s bowl.

GASP!

Tongtong looked utterly wronged.

"Daddy, my teeth are a little soft. I don’t want to eat green vegetables, they might make my teeth fall out."

"Oh? But they don’t fall out when you eat meat? Your choice: eat the vegetables or get a flick on the forehead!"

"Huh, Daddy has a point. I’ll eat more vegetables then!"

Soon, the food on the table was wiped clean. Jiang Dahai even poured the oil from the serving plates into his congee and drank it all down.

’His son’s food was healthy and nutritious, so there was no need to worry. He could just eat as much as he wanted.’

After dinner, Jun Qingmeng put the bowls and chopsticks into the dishwasher to be cleaned.

Jiang Tongtong took out the projector Jiang Liu had bought for her and started showing it off enthusiastically.

"Grandma, do you know what this is?"

"I don’t know." Lin Qiu shook her head with a smile.

She was just teasing the little one.

Hearing this, Jiang Tongtong grew even more proud. She carefully placed the projector on the table in front of her and boasted, "This is a projector! Daddy bought it for me. It can make Detective Conan really big, and we’re going to watch it tonight while lying in bed!"

Lin Qiu feigned surprise. "How magical! Did Tongtong pick it out?"

Tongtong shook her head. "No, no, Daddy chose it, but it was Tongtong’s suggestion! Hehe, isn’t my daddy the best?"

She liked hearing people praise her dad even more than being praised herself!

"Yes, he is. Your daddy is really amazing!"

"Hehe, right?"

Jiang Tongtong was on cloud nine.

’Our family is so happy.’

’This little cutie is so, so happy, la la la!’

Jun Qingmeng mustered her courage and said, "Mom, in a couple of days, I’m taking Jiang Liu to see my father."

"Ah...? You’re going to see your father?"

Lin Qiu was surprised. She hesitated for a moment but didn’t press further, changing the subject instead. "What about Tongtong? Is she going with you, or...?"

Tongtong, ever so sensible, said, "You and Daddy can go, Mommy. Tongtong will be fine playing at home by herself."

She was worried that her presence would make her maternal grandfather unhappy.

Jun Qingmeng’s heart ached for Tongtong. She pulled the little girl into her arms, stroking her head, and said gently, "Mommy would never leave you at home alone. Let’s go together, okay?"

"Okay! Sniffle... Mommy, you’re the best. You’re the second-best person in Tongtong’s world."

All of Tongtong’s bottled-up worries burst out at once.

She was terrified that because of her, this little nuisance, her mommy and daddy wouldn’t be able to be together.

Tongtong had often heard people say that it’s hard for a divorced man with a child to find a new wife.

The four adults at the table smiled.

’This child.’

’She really tugs at your heartstrings.’

’And this whole "first best" and "second best" thing...’

Jun Qingmeng said with a smile, "Well, you are Mommy’s most beloved daughter in the whole world, and no one will ever replace you!"

Wiping her eyes, Tongtong said happily, "Then Mommy is Tongtong’s most beloved mommy in the whole world, and no one will ever replace you."

"Um, and Grandpa and Grandma! They’re Tongtong’s favorite grandpa and grandma, too!"

After saying that, Jiang Tongtong looked expectantly at Jiang Liu.

"What about Daddy? Is Tongtong your bestest, most loved, most favorite daughter?"

?

"Of course you are!"

Jiang Liu said with a confident smile.

"Yay!"

Tongtong was so happy she blew a snot bubble.

’The person she cared about most was, of course, her daddy.’

’The whole world can dislike this little cutie, but Daddy isn’t allowed to!’

The whole family was together, sitting and laughing happily.

After chatting for a while, Lin Qiu glanced at the time—it was half past eight.

She quickly pulled Jiang Dahai to his feet. "Liu’er, you should take Qingmeng and Tongtong home. We’re going to go for a walk."

The two of them had arranged for time off and were planning to head back tomorrow afternoon.

"Okay, come back early, don’t stay out too late—wait, let me check... It’s not going to rain tonight, so you don’t need an umbrella."

Jiang Dahai suddenly said, "Son, when you go to meet your future father-in-law, you have to be polite. Make sure you bring an appropriate gift, you hear?"

"Okay, I know." Jiang Liu nodded.

Frowning, Jun Qingmeng chimed in from the side, "Uncle, my dad isn’t lacking for anything. You don’t have to bring anything, don’t worry about all that for him."

Jiang Liu said, "Your father may not need anything, but since this is our first meeting, we still need to observe the proper courtesies. It’s about etiquette. Don’t worry, I won’t buy anything too expensive, just something simple."

He could tell his girlfriend was clearly unhappy with her dad.

But he couldn’t just go along with her and be disrespectful.

Jiang Liu decided to buy some ordinary gifts. After all, his family’s financial situation had always been quite average; being genuine would be better.

Jun Qingmeng bit her lip, her beautiful eyes glancing at Lin Qiu as she said, "Okay, I’ll listen to you, Jiang Liu. Let’s just buy something inexpensive. Don’t waste money."

"Okay, I promise." Jiang Liu nodded, then followed up with a question: "Qingmeng, is there anything your father likes?"