As Qin Tian was stir-frying the second dish, the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it!"
Xia Nuannuan, who was standing by and trying to learn, quickly said, then jogged over to open the door.
Xia Tian, who had been circling around her feet, also happily followed her.
After confirming it was Old Xia from the peephole, Xia Nuannuan opened the door and greeted him with a sweet smile.
"Dad, you're here!"
"Mmm, it smells so good. Are the dishes ready? I'm starving!"
Xia Zhengping walked in, rubbing his stomach and complaining of hunger.
"Almost done. Just a few more dishes. You can sit and rest for a while."
Xia Nuannuan got him a pair of slippers from the shoe cabinet and placed them on the floor, replying with a smile.
"Woof!"
Xia Tian looked up at the unfamiliar胖子 (fat man) and let out a wary bark.
"Is this the stray dog you two adopted? You've raised it well. It's gotten much fatter than in the photos you showed me."
Xia Zhengping looked at the dog and said with a chuckle.
He was a complete carnivore, and having been hungry all day, his gaze, which was like looking at reserves of food, made the dog instinctively step back, its eyes becoming even more wary of this胖子.
"Dad, don't scare him."
Xia Nuannuan picked up the dog from the floor and shot her dad an exasperated look.
"Hahaha... You can't blame me for that. This dog is too timid."
Xia Zhengping laughed happily.
Walking over to the kitchen, he saw two dishes already on the dining table and couldn't help but swallow.
The two dishes looked good, so naturally, he didn't know his precious daughter had made them. He thought they were prepared by Chef Qin. httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
"Uncle, you're here!"
Qin Tian greeted Old Xia enthusiastically as soon as he saw him.
"What else are you cooking? It's enough, three people don't need that many dishes. Don't make too much and waste it."
Xia Zhengping said with a smile as he approached.
"Okay, there's braised carrot and lamb in the pot, and I'm stir-frying some pig's head meat. I just made scrambled eggs with chives, and the pork rib soup in the pressure cooker is almost done. Just pan-fry a fish, and we're good to go."
Qin Tian skillfully tossed the wok, stir-frying the pig's head meat over high heat, as he spoke.
"Good, good, good! These dishes are substantial!"
Old Xia nodded happily and asked, "Do you have any wine? Let's have a small drink later."
"Yes, I'll get it later!"
"Alright!"
"You go sit in the living room and watch some TV. I'll call you when the dishes are ready."
"Okay, you be busy. I'll go sit and rest."
Old Xia nodded, patted his round belly, and went to the living room to watch TV with anticipation.
Xia Nuannuan helped carry the finished scrambled eggs with chives to the dining table, then came back to stand by and continue learning.
Before long, five dishes and a soup, all looking and smelling delicious and served in generous portions, were laid out on the dining table.
The bowls and chopsticks were also ready. After inviting his future father-in-law to sit down, Qin Tian went to the wine cabinet, took out a bottle of good wine, opened it, and poured a glass for Old Xia without a word, then poured himself a glass.
"Uncle, cheers!"
Qin Tian sat down, raised his glass, and toasted Old Xia with a smile.
"Okay, cheers!"
Old Xia also clinked glasses with him readily.
They both took only a small sip before setting down their glasses and picking up their chopsticks.
"I can't take it anymore. I'm so dizzy from hunger. I'll have a piece of this pig's head meat first."
Old Xia's eyes were bright, and his chopsticks moved directly towards the plate of pig's head meat stir-fried with garlic sprouts.
"Wait a moment!"
Xia Nuannuan suddenly called out.
Old Xia's chopsticks stopped above the plate of pig's head meat, and he looked at his daughter with a puzzled expression.
"What is it?"
"Dad, try this tomato and egg, and this stir-fried pork with chili first."
Xia Nuannuan pointed to the two dishes she had made on the table.
"What's the difference? We're going to eat it all anyway. Can't I eat some meat first?"
Old Xia looked at his daughter with great confusion.
"Oh, just try these two dishes. Don't worry about it."
Xia Nuannuan insisted with a serious expression.
Old Xia cast a suspicious glance at Qin Tian. However, Qin Tian just smiled without speaking, showing an expression of amused interest.
"Dad, hurry, hurry, try them and see how they are."
Xia Nuannuan urged.
"I've already eaten these two dishes he made!"
Old Xia was completely baffled and picked up a chopstick of stir-fried pork with chili with great helplessness.
Compared to the stir-fried tomatoes and eggs, he clearly preferred this one.
After putting the chili and pork into his mouth, Old Xia's face immediately showed surprise. He looked up at the expressions of the two children and guessed something.
"This dish... wasn't made by you, Little Qin, was it?"
"Yes, these two dishes were made by Nuannuan."
Qin Tian nodded with a smile.
"I knew it. How... the taste is so different!"
Old Xia had originally wanted to say it was a bit salty, but seeing his daughter's expectant gaze, he suddenly reacted and made a sharp turn.
"Dad, how do you think it's different? Give me some suggestions for improvement?"
Xia Nuannuan asked with a smile.
"What I mean is, the dishes you and Little Qin made taste different, but they're both delicious. What needs improvement? Nothing needs to be changed. I love eating this."
Old Xia picked up another piece of egg and put it in his mouth, nodding in praise. "Not bad, this stir-fried tomato and egg is also done very well. It's very similar to the taste your mother makes. You really are my daughter; you learn quickly at anything!"
Xia Nuannuan blushed a little from the praise and moved the plates on the table, pushing the two dishes towards Old Xia.
"My brother and I thought it was a bit too salty. Dad, I'm glad you like it. Eat more, don't waste it."
"Ah?"
Old Xia was dumbfounded. He glanced at the pig's head meat and braised lamb that were now further away from him and suddenly felt like he had hoisted himself by his own petard.
Qin Tian quietly ate his food and watched the show, secretly amused.
The dining table was long and narrow, and the three of them sat facing each other. Even though the dishes were a bit far, they were still within reach.
However, seeing his beloved daughter's happy expression, Old Xia couldn't bear to refuse. He could only repeatedly pick at the two less-than-satisfactory trial products in front of him, occasionally taking a large bite of the pig's head meat and braised lamb.
"Uncle, you've traveled all this way, it must be tiring. Eat more meat."
Qin Tian stretched out his arm and put two large pieces of lamb into Old Xia's bowl.
"Okay, okay, don't worry about me. I can do it myself."
Old Xia nodded repeatedly with a brilliant smile, feeling so touched that he almost cried.
At this moment, he felt that this "pig's head boy" he used to dislike now seemed like his own son.
"Brother, give him less meat. I feel like Dad has gained more weight. This won't do. He should eat more of my stir-fried tomato and egg. This doesn't make you fat!"
Xia Nuannuan suddenly spoke up.
Old Xia's smile froze on his face. Feeling wronged, he didn't want to speak anymore and buried his head in eating the lamb.