Chapter 223

"Xiao Song, come and help Auntie peel the garlic."

Mother Zhong was sitting at the doorstep, smiling, holding a large pile of garlic in her hand.

Xiao Song was stunned for a moment, then slowly moved over.

"Auntie Zhong." He took the garlic in his hand and couldn't help but frowned slightly. "There's no need to do these chores. If the food is not to your taste, I can ask the restaurant to make it again. Mr. Ji specifically instructed that you should rest at home after being frightened."

Mother Zhong smiled and said, "You always go to the restaurant to order food for us. It's not good to eat there every day. The food at home is cleaner, and Auntie's cooking skills are not bad either."

"I heard you're from Shanghai. The tastes of Shanghai and Suzhou are quite similar. Both of us love sweets. You've definitely never tried the sweet and sour spare ribs and lotus leaf chicken I make. The weather is nice today, and I want to exercise. You can stay and have dinner with us later."

Song Hansheng was a little flattered: "No, Aunt Zhong, there is no such rule. You are Mr. Ji's mother-in-law."

"You kid," Zhong's mother interrupted him. "Whether she's your mother-in-law or not has nothing to do with you staying for dinner. I know you're working, and I've gotten to know your personality pretty well these past few days. You're just too serious. You always have a stern face and are so tense in everything you do."

"Auntie, I'm telling you, this job requires a balance between work and rest. How can you have the energy to go to work if you don't eat and drink well? Besides, here, I treat you as a young person, no different from Siqi. Don't act like I'm your boss."

"I, I..." It was the first time that Song Hansheng saw such a scene, and his whole fair face turned red.

"Auntie, I'm sorry, I...I was too fierce."

Zhong's mother was amused by his appearance and joked, "You are really fierce. Sometimes when I want to talk to you, your attitude scares me away."

Song Hansheng felt even more ashamed: "Aunt Zhong, I..."

Seeing that he was almost embarrassed and didn't know what to do, Zhong's mother gave up the idea of ​​teasing him any further.

"Okay, Auntie just wants you to eat with everyone. You can treat yourself like home here and relax. Now just help Auntie peel the garlic and wait for us to eat later."

Song Hansheng watched her leave, then looked at the garlic in his hand.

He doesn't seem to be good at this kind of thing.

He has had servants at home since he was a child. Even when he was at his lowest point, his mother still pampered him and didn't let him do anything. He can handle anything at work, including a series of complex interpersonal relationships, but he can't peel garlic. In other words, isn't it a bit of a waste of his talent?

Mother Zhong stuck her head out and said, "Hurry up and peel the garlic. It will go into the pot soon. There are some vegetables waiting for you to wash over there."

Song Hansheng: "..."

He glanced at the wooden barrel next to him. It was filled with fruits and vegetables. The roots and stems were all covered with dirt, while the leaves were still covered with dew, looking very fresh.

Also – very dirty.

Just think of it as work.

Song Hansheng sighed deeply, dragged a bench over, and began to peel garlic, imitating the way he had seen others peel garlic.

At first, it was quite ugly and bumpy, but after working on it for a while, at least the last few pieces were smooth.

Next came this large bucket of fruits and vegetables. Song Hansheng searched for them in his mind, but he really couldn't remember what varieties they were.

After a long time, he sighed and picked up a handful of green vegetables.

Most of the vegetables they grow are eaten with leaves, not roots, so they probably pick off the roots.

Just do it.

Song Hansheng began to pick the roots with a bit of disgust. When he had picked half of them, there was already a pile of them at his feet. He couldn't help but curl his lips, as if it was not difficult at all.

Just as he was lost in pride, a clear female voice sounded behind him.

"Hey, why did you pull out all the roots?"

A slender white hand passed from behind him and grabbed a handful of green leaves covered with dirt.

Song Hansheng was stunned for a moment.

It was the first time a girl was so close to him. The scent was not that of cheap or sweet perfume, but just ordinary soapberry scent, but it was very clean and did not make people feel repelled.

It looks a bit like the most common daisy on the roadside.

Song Shuling squatted sideways in front of him and smiled: "Mr. Song, I will teach you!"

Song Hansheng glanced at the jade Buddha pendant hanging on her chest, which was rising and falling as she spoke. The red rope was bright and tempting.

Realizing his own impoliteness, he quickly looked away.

"Miss Song."

His tone was steady.

"These are too dirty, don't use your hands, I'll do it."

Song Shuling curled her lips: "What's the big deal? I've been with my parents since I was a child, so this is no problem for me, and it's not dirty."

She picked up the dishes and repeated it again.

"Mr. Song, let me teach you."

Song Hansheng looked at her: "Why?"

Song Shuling smiled, her face showing no malice at all, but rather innocence: "Because, my last name is Song too. Mr. Song, do you believe in fate? I think our last names are a kind of fate."

This sentence was really explicit. At least Song Hansheng had never seen a woman in Hong Kong dare to talk to him like this.

He was stunned for a moment, not knowing how to deal with such innocent kindness.

However, Song Shuling had already grabbed those green vegetables, and her wheat-colored face with a warm smile was dazzling and brilliant among the bright green.

"Mr. Song, these are sweet potato leaves. Not only are the leaves edible, but the rhizomes are edible too. You just need to pick off the end where the soil is."

As she spoke, in order to prevent him from not understanding, Song Shuling demonstrated it herself.

Reach out and pick the vegetables neatly and quickly.

He performed several actions in succession and waved to the dazed Song Hansheng.

"Mr. Song, have you learned it?"

Song Hansheng retracted his gaze: "Thank you, I have learned it."

So she started picking vegetables according to what she had just done.

Song Shuling chuckled: "You are too slow, Mr. Song, I will come with you, I am still waiting to eat."

She dragged a bench by herself, and the two of them squeezed together, one moving fast and the other slow.

Just as Zhong's mother was about to urge him, she saw this scene.

The older man was taken by the little girl to pick vegetables. He was clumsy but sincere. The backs of the two people were so harmonious that they looked like a painting.

After a while, she couldn't help but sighed: "It's good to be young."

Turned and went into the kitchen.

With the help of two people, by the evening, Zhong's mother had already cooked the meal.

Zhong Qiao read for a while and felt that it was too hot in the house. So he took advantage of the good weather and moved the dining table outside, placed it under the grape vines, dragged some benches over, and everyone ate together.

"Mom, did you make braised pork ribs?" Zhong Siqi's eyes lit up.

"What's this braised spareribs?" Zhong's mother slapped his eager hand away. "I've been keeping you up all night, but your dog's nose isn't working anymore. This is sweet and sour."