Chapter 138 Eggplant Rolls are Amazing!

The sharp-eyed little creatures spotted the afternoon tea on the coffee table from afar and couldn't wait to climb up and get a glimpse.

Then came the shock of two eyes, then four eyes, then eight eyes...

The little children crowded around the sumptuous pumpkin dessert, their bright eyes wide with surprise, before finally bursting into exclamations:

"My Tree God, is this edible?!" "How beautiful it is!" "It's so gorgeous!" "Chieftain, I want to live in this forest!" "Ahhh, I want to live there too!"

Canglan took a deep breath, finally managing to narrow her eyes a little, and waved her small hand amidst the fluctuating gasps of surprise:

"Everyone calm down~ This is a forest made of food, no one can live in it."

Before the words were finished, the little people all sighed and muttered:

"Okay, okay, can't I even think about it?"

Zhou Chi stared blankly at the little people's enthusiastic reaction, feeling a soft and comfortable emotion filling his heart, and he couldn't bear to look away.

Ning Jia brought over a pot of light red tea to cleanse the palate. Seeing Zhou Chi staring blankly at the little figures on the coffee table, looking completely silly, she couldn't help but smile and followed his gaze.

The "snowy forest scene" she personally arranged was naturally dreamlike, exquisite and charming, but what was even more attractive was the little people who were already in this "forest".

The little figures, dressed in colorful dresses, with big eyes and round faces, stand innocently and adorably in front of the pumpkin house, under the cookie tree, and beside the pumpkin cake. They hold small pumpkin snacks in their hands, happily laughing and eating, chattering away, as if they were from an otherworldly fairy kingdom.

Guoguo and Xingxing stood beside the "tree stump" covered in "snow," forgetting about their snacks, holding hands and excitedly admiring the beautiful snow scene, so moved that tears were about to fall:

"Sister Ningjia is so nice!" "Brother Zhou Chi is nice too!"

"You're welcome! I'm glad you two like it!"

Ning Jia patted Zhou Chi, who was staring in disbelief, signaling him to say something as well.

Ah… Zhou Chi was already dizzy with the immense sense of accomplishment, and only came back to his senses after Ning Jia reminded him. He quickly waved his hand and said:

"You're welcome, you're welcome. I'll cook something delicious for you tonight!"

What?

Guoguo and Xingxing tilted their heads in confusion and looked at Ning Jia, "Is Brother Zhou Chi going to make dinner again today?"

At this point, there's no need to hide anything. Ning Jia smiled and nodded, emphasizing:

"Strictly speaking, we cooked dinner together."

The other little people also heard this and were immediately awakened from their dream world, looking at Zhou Chi with some fear.

Although no one said anything, their startled expressions had already dealt a heavy blow to Zhou Chi, diminishing his sense of accomplishment.

These culinary disasters are more frightening than tigers! Look how scared everyone is!

"Tonight, I will cook dinner with Zhou Chi."

Ning Jia suppressed a laugh and emphasized, then quickly changed the subject:

"Actually, not only these snacks, but everything else is edible too, including these snowflakes."

What?! You can eat snow?!

The last sentence successfully captured the little people's attention. They all picked up a little "snow," took the small white snowflakes, and tasted them with some hesitation.

"Oh, it's sweet candy!"

A little person smacked their lips at the white "snowflakes" in their mouth, so happy they almost jumped up.

"Really!" "It's sweet snow, hehe~"

Quartz had just licked the snowflake in his pocket when he exclaimed in delight, "Oh my god, it's chocolate!"

Upon seeing this, He Meng immediately ran over like lightning, rushed forward, and exclaimed, "Let me try some too!"

"Oh dear, I don't have enough to eat, why don't you take another one?"

Quartz stretched out her little hand, pointed to the white snowflakes on the tree stump next to her, and then sat down to enjoy the white chocolate snowflakes she was holding.

Over here, the little people are overjoyed by the sweet snow and snowflakes, while over there, Ning Jia is about to comfort Zhou Chi, who has been upset, only to find that he has already recovered on his own.

"Anyway, I'll be able to get my revenge when we have dinner," Zhou Chi said.

Ning Jia looked at him suspiciously. When did this guy become so confident in his cooking skills? Could the special training class really turn lead into gold?

...

Let's see what it's really like, whether it's a donkey or a horse.

After putting the leftover pumpkin desserts in the refrigerator, Ning Jia had just finished uploading the afternoon's video when it was time to prepare dinner.

By this time, all the little people already knew that Zhou Chi was going to take charge of preparing dinner tonight, but after having eaten such exquisite and delicious desserts this afternoon, how could they complain about it?

So, all the little people enthusiastically cheered Zhou Chi on:

"Go Zhou Chi!" "Don't be nervous!" "Go for it!" "Go go go!"

Even the youngest, Luo Luo, raised her little fist in a childish voice to encourage Zhou Chi:

"Brother Zhou Chi~ Luo Luo will eat whatever you make."

A flicker of emotion crossed Zhou Chi's eyes. He raised his fist towards the little boy and solemnly said:

"Thank you, Lolo. I will try my best."

Moved, Zhou Chi returned to his battlefield. Just as he was about to say something to Ning Jia, he was startled by a row of little figures on the kitchen counter.

Wearing a floral apron, Dongkui, who was standing at the very edge, quickly stepped forward and explained:

"Don't be nervous, we're all here to help in the kitchen."

Kitchen helper? Zhou Chi was confused for half a second, then he remembered:

Oh right, the little ones usually come to help in the kitchen. Yunzhu's son, Dongkui, who also has green hair, can even cook for himself.

Ning Jia laughed and said, "I told them that there were two chefs in the kitchen today and we didn't need any more staff, but everyone wanted to help out, and we just couldn't refuse their kind offer."

Zhou Chi didn't mind the little people staying in the kitchen, but when he started cooking, he was so shocked to see them skillfully washing the vegetables and even chopping them neatly that he forgot he was cooking...

"Ahem, concentrate."

Ning Jia, who had been on tenterhooks the whole time, quickly tugged at Zhou Chi's arm and reminded him with her eyes not to forget that the pot on the gas stove was still burning.

Zhou Chi immediately looked away, quickly reviewed the recipe in his mind, and continued cooking while silently reciting it.

When Ning Jia saw Zhou Chi solemnly place a small spoonful of salt on the exquisite food scale he had brought, weighing it precisely before adding it to the pot, it was finally Ning Jia's turn to stare in shock.

Goodness, is Zhou Chi cooking using baking methods?

It seems... it's not entirely impossible?

But cooking, especially Chinese cuisine, is a very subtle cooking technique. Ingredients, seasonings, heat, pots, and so on, all have more or less an impact on the food being cooked. Often, it relies on the chef's subtle intuition to adjust the cooking method. Even if the amount of seasoning is right, it doesn't guarantee that the taste will be good.

Therefore, Ning Jia remained hesitant and secretly worried for Zhou Chi.

...

Zhou Chi cooked methodically, without making a single mistake, clearly having practiced beforehand. Soon, the kitchen was filled with the aroma of food.

Seeing that the food in the pot was almost ready, Ning Jia leaned over and asked:

"It smells pretty good, may I try some?"

"Hmm, give it a try."

Zhou Chi had already tasted the braised chicken with chestnuts, but when he saw Ning Jia pick up a piece of chicken and a chestnut and place them on the tasting plate, he couldn't help but tense up.

Ning Jia first observed the appearance of the chicken and chestnuts, then sniffed them closely. Only then, under the watchful eyes of Zhou Chi and the other little people, did she slowly pick up a piece of chicken and take a small bite.

"Hmm...hmm?...Hmm..."

She slowly chewed the chicken in her mouth, neither saying it was good nor bad, her expression unreadable. This not only made Zhou Chi's forehead sweat, but also scared Dong Kui and the others into silence.

After Ning Jia finished eating the chicken nuggets and then the chestnuts, he said:

"It tastes good. The chicken pieces are tender and the chestnuts are sweet. I think it's quite delicious."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Chi and the other little people present all breathed a sigh of relief.

"What? Ning Jia, you almost scared me to death!"

He Meng felt her short legs go weak for a moment. After steadying herself with the help of the cabbage next to her, she touched her still pounding chest and complained softly.

Zhou Chi, whose palms were sweating from the anticipation of the evaluation, muttered to himself, "I was terrified..."

"...Look at how pathetic you all are!"

Ning Jia laughed heartily:

"Since you've asked me to give my evaluation, I definitely have to be serious. Why did I scare you all like this?"

Guoguo blurted out, "I knew it! It smells so good, it must taste delicious!"

Xingxing, meanwhile, was teasing her friend, saying, "Guoguo, that's not what you just said."

Upon hearing this, everyone smiled kindly, and a burst of joyful laughter immediately filled the kitchen.

"You silly star, why are you saying this..."

Guoguo was instantly embarrassed. Her round little face turned as red as a tomato. Seeing that everyone was still laughing, she snorted and ran to the cabbage. She tried to lift a cabbage leaf and wrap herself in it, trying to avoid everyone's gaze.

Guoguo: I'm currently withdrawn, please do not disturb.

...

In the living room, Bai Su, who was sitting on the sofa engrossed in reading a "pocket-sized book" made by Ning Jia using a second-hand printer, suddenly looked up and said to Xue Cao, who was also reading "Introduction to Accounting":

"Looks like dinner tonight shouldn't be too bad."

Bai Su said with some regret, "I was originally hoping to experience what that kind of 'dark cuisine' you guys were talking about tastes like."

Xuecao looked at her in surprise, "Bai Su, you really are... well, ignorance is bliss."

Anyone who has tasted Zhou Chi's culinary disasters would never say such a thing.

Bai Su chuckled, "People always have a sense of curiosity, right? I still want to drink that soy milk that I heard tastes terrible."

Xuecao was also intrigued by her words, "I've seen online that people say this fermented mung bean juice tastes terrible!"

The two little ones were chatting enthusiastically about "douzhi" (fermented mung bean juice) when Ning Jia brought out the first dish of the evening, the braised chicken with chestnuts they had just tasted. She asked curiously:

"I think I heard someone want to drink douzhi (fermented mung bean juice)? Are they that desperate?"

Bai Su and Xue Cao both smiled sheepishly.

Ning Jia said in a serious tone, "It's not hard to get some. You can buy douzhi (fermented mung bean juice) online now. How about I buy a few bottles for you to try?"

"Then let's not!"

Bai Su and Xue Cao shook their little heads vigorously and said in unison.

...

A variety of dishes, such as braised chicken with chestnuts, matsutake mushroom and old duck soup, crispy eggplant rolls, and pumpkin and tofu, were quickly placed on the table. After the final dessert, almond tofu, was served, the children had all filled their bowls with rice and were waiting for dinner.

Seeing that most people hadn't gone to serve the food, Bai Su smiled inwardly, guessing what was going on. She quietly exchanged glances with Xuecao and Hemeng.

Soon, the little figures, each carrying a small bowl, walked towards the dishes they wanted to eat, under the tense gazes of the others.

Daoya went straight for the braised chicken with chestnuts, scooping up a lot of chicken in her bowl with one spoonful. Bai Su scooped up a delicately shaped crispy eggplant and pork roll that looked like a rose. He Meng scooped up matsutake and old duck soup. Shi Ying put a large spoonful of sweet and sour pork with pineapple into her small bowl...

Chief Canglan and Zelan also scooped up a lot of pumpkin tofu.

Once these "warriors" were seated and began eating their own food, everyone else turned their eager eyes to them.

"My goodness, He Meng is eating so deliciously!" a little person thought to himself.

"The roll that Bai Su is eating looks delicious. She's almost finished it." Another little person couldn't help but swallow.

"Since the clan leader and the others have started eating, it shouldn't taste bad, right?" Most of the little people thought so.

"Let's all start eating, or the food will get cold."

Ning Jia came over with a bowl of rice, smiling. She picked up a crispy eggplant and pork roll and ate it in a few bites.

“Zhou Chi,” she mumbled to the young man beside her, “this meat roll is amazing! I think it’s the best of the night.”

After receiving praise from everyone in the kitchen, Zhou Chi was quite calm now, but hearing Ning Jia's words still made him very happy:

"If you like it, I'll..."

"The recipe for this dish..."

The two voices rang out at the same time, and then stopped at the same time.

Zhou Chi glanced at Ning Jia and quickly changed his mind, saying, "I'll send you the recipe later."

Ning Jia's eyes flickered, and she scratched her head somewhat embarrassedly, "Then... thanks."

Each with their own thoughts, they picked up their rice bowls and began to eat.

Meanwhile, the little people on the coffee table had entered a frenzied eating mode. Perhaps because their anticipation for dinner had been greatly reduced, the little people were eating with exceptional relish tonight!

"Mmm, so delicious!" "So good!" "It's amazing!" "Zhou Ci is really awesome!"

The little ones ate while praising themselves incoherently, which made Zhou Chi's lips curl into a smile again.

After finishing their delicious dinner, the children stretched out their finally free little hands and enthusiastically applauded Zhou Chi:

"Zhou Chi is amazing!" "Zhou Chi is superb!" "Zhou Chi, thank you for your hard work!"

Zhou Chi was so flattered that he became embarrassed, and he even quietly asked Ning Jia:

"Are they usually this exaggerated?"

Ning Jia shook her head. "There are even more outrageous ones. You'll get used to it."

Anyway, she's quite used to it.

...

After the meal, the little people, whose bellies were round from eating, insisted on taking on all the work of cleaning up the kitchen and even kicked Ning Jia and Zhou Chi out.

Snow Grass put her hands on her hips and said loudly:

"You two have worked too hard today, you need to rest!"

Zhou Chi hesitated for a moment, but Ning Jia quickly pulled him out of the kitchen with a smile, "Come on, come on, they seem to enjoy washing dishes anyway."

It was already getting dark outside. Zhou Chi didn't want to leave so early and was wondering whether he should bake some more bread for the little ones later when he suddenly heard Ning Jia say:

"Bai Zhi and the others were very sad to hear that you're going on a long trip in a couple of days and won't be back for a long time."

"Since you've come all this way, why don't you stay a little longer? ...Or, how about we go buy some fireworks?"

A few minutes later.

After changing their clothes, the two walked side by side in the quiet alley, strolling slowly along the narrow path. It felt more like an after-dinner walk than going out to buy fireworks.

Though small, the sparrow has all the vital organs.

Although Xinglong Lane is old, there are many small shops nearby, with all kinds of stores.

As Ning Jia walked, she told Zhou Chi about the small shops along the street and the gossip and interesting stories she had heard while shopping.

Zhou Chi tilted his head towards Ning Jia, listening intently to the words brimming with a touch of joy. Looking at that radiant face under the streetlight, he wished the road to the fireworks shop could be as long as possible...

But within minutes, the inconspicuous little shop arrived, and surprisingly, it was still open.

Unfortunately, the only type of fireworks that could be legally set off in the city was the last one left in the store: the most ordinary sparklers.

Ning Jia wasn't disappointed. She excitedly bought a bunch of sparklers and kept urging Zhou Chi to hurry back. In the end, they got home in half the time it took to go there.

"Everyone, come look at the fireworks!"

Ning Jia shouted towards her home, then eagerly lit a few sparklers in the courtyard, handed two to Zhou Chi, took two for herself, and waved them around in the air.

The little creatures, who had come upon hearing the news, were all delighted to see the sparks flickering in the two people's hands, and jumped and danced excitedly in the yard:

"Wow, it's magic!" "What beautiful magic! It looks like flowers!" "I want to use magic too!"

Ning Jia chuckled, "This isn't magic, it's called fireworks, it's just a kind of... um, pretty fire."

He further reminded:

"Don't be fooled by how pretty this thing looks. It only burns for a short while, and it gets extremely hot. You can't get close to it; it's very dangerous."

Ah, it's a flower made of dangerous fire.

Upon hearing this, the little people looked at the fairy wand with a hint of awe!

Ning Jia and Zhou Chi lit many sparklers in succession, putting on a dazzling fireworks show for the little people, which captivated everyone.

"So beautiful!" "I love fireworks!" "Watching fireworks is so wonderful!" "So pretty!"

During this time, Guoguo even wanted to set off fireworks together, but Ningjia immediately reminded her, "These sparks are dangerous, little kids can't play with them."

However, bold and reckless people like He Meng and Shi Ying wouldn't be scared by Ning Jia's words. Besides, they have already gone through trials and tribulations and are mature adults.

Under the strong insistence of the two "adults," and with the tacit approval of the Canglan clan chief, Ning Jia finally gave each of them a fairy wand.

After Ning Jia repeated the precautions, the two stood together and started yelling at each other:

"Mine is definitely prettier than yours!" "My fireworks are the prettiest!"

He Meng and Shi Ying each hugged a fairy wand tightly, pretending to bicker as if nothing was wrong, but their little hands were actually trembling slightly.

When Ning Jia raised a burning sparkler and lit it, both of their small bodies began to tremble uncontrollably.

"Sizzle—"

Suddenly, the sparklers in the two little hands burst into thin streaks of fire, startling them so much that they almost dropped them. But because the other was watching, they both held back.

But soon, He Meng whispered to Shi Ying:

"Hey, don't you think this iron rod... is a little too hot to handle?"

Quartz: "...It seems a little bit?"

He Meng breathed a sigh of relief, "I thought I was the only one who got burned."

Quartz: "Since it's a flower made of fire, it's bound to get a little hot to the touch."

He Meng: "...Oh, right!"

The two chatted quietly as they gripped one end of the sparkler. Amidst the brilliant sparks, they gradually forgot their fear and even tentatively shook the sparkler, discovering that the fireworks would "dance" in response to their movements, which they found fascinating.

Unfortunately, the sparkler burned out quickly. The two were still eager to ask Ning Jia for another one, but were disappointed to find that there were no more sparklers left.

"Ning Jia, could you buy more of these matchboxes in the future?" He Meng pleaded eagerly.

Ning Jia, feeling a little guilty, patted her head and nodded, saying:

"Okay, I'll buy some more when I have time, so we can all play together."

He Meng was finally appeased, gave up her obsession with the fairy wand, and obediently went home with Shi Ying.

Ning Jia called out from behind them, "This sparkler has gunpowder, remember to wash your hands properly."

He Meng turned around and gave her a small "OK" sign:

"...Okay!"

...

After the little ones had all gone back to their rooms, Zhou Chi tidied up the trash in the yard and was about to go in when Ning Jia gently pulled him back and pointed to the roof.

Under the dim light, the two quietly stepped onto the open-air steps and carefully walked to the rooftop platform.

As soon as he went up, Ning Jia chuckled and, as if by magic, handed Zhou Chi a fairy wand:

"Don't you think this place is perfect for playing this?"

Once both sparklers were lit, golden flames shone, instantly illuminating their faces.

Through this small, dazzling display, the otherwise ordinary rooftop inexplicably gained a touch of romance.

Zhou Chi held up the glittering fairy wand, looking at the face that appeared exceptionally gentle in the firelight. Just as he was about to speak, Ning Jia suddenly sighed:

"Hey, let me ask you a question, do you like long-distance relationships?"

Zhou Chi's heart skipped a beat. What did those words mean?

"...I think it depends on the situation?"

Zhou Chi hesitated before giving a rather watertight answer.

"Really? I don't like it at all!"

Ning Jia shook her head and sighed again. Just as she sighed, the two sparklers suddenly went out one after the other.

Under the pale moonlight, the two held up their sparklers that had stopped flashing, making it impossible to see each other's faces.

Zhou Chi took a deep breath, about to say the words he had already decided to say, when he heard a sigh:

"Hey, if it were you, a long-distance relationship wouldn't be a bad thing!"

"……I like you!"

Their voices rose at the same time, and then fell silent at the same time.

After an unknown amount of time, Zhou Chi's voice suddenly rang out from the rooftop:

"...Are you sure? Should we verify it again?"

Ning Jia's cheerful laughter soon echoed from the rooftop again, followed by a very confident "Okay!", and then silence returned to the rooftop once more...

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Author's Note: [Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers]