Chapter 83 Macarons are a Must-Try

Reminded by Ning Jiayi, the little people all woke up as if from a dream, and tearfully met their relatives who rushed over.

The children each went back to their parents, and the family huddled together, wiping away tears of emotion.

"Waaaaah, Mommy, it really is my mommy..."

"My children, my children, I've finally seen you!"

"Thank God, our family is reunited!"

"We've been waiting for you like the stars and the moon, and you've finally arrived..."

The little people confided in each other affectionately.

Perhaps because they had cried so much during the video call that morning, and because only a few members of their tribe had come, the little ones were much calmer when they actually met.

They huddled together and cried for a little while, then cheered up, their faces beaming with smiles, chattering away, with endless things to say.

Zhou Chi chuckled from the side, "Why don't we all sit down and chat?"

"Um."

So the little ones, holding hands and linking arms, jumped onto the classic European-style leather sofa and sat down comfortably.

Xuecao glanced at Baizhi's delicate floral dress and carefully touched the lace trim:

"Mom, I saw a giant wear this dress. Did you make it yourself?"

Bai Zhi shook her head and pointed to the clothes she and the other clansmen were wearing:

“These were all brought back by Zhou Chi. He said they were specially made for us, and we couldn’t refuse his kindness, so we wore them.”

He then pointed to the different patterned skirts on the other little figures:

"Actually, there were tops and pants, but most people weren't used to wearing pants, so they all chose skirts."

Not far away, Dongkui lay beside Yunzhu. The straight-cut dress her father wore, printed with green bamboo, made him smile.

"Although it's a bit strange, the paintings on it actually suit you quite well."

Xuecao tilted her head, looked at Baizhi's skirt again and again, and finally concluded:

"This dress does look quite nice, but I just feel that the fabric is a bit too light and flimsy, not as sturdy as our grass skirts."

"If you climb a tree or something, you might accidentally get it dirty or damaged."

Bai Zhi looked down at her cotton dress:

"It's alright. Since we're here, there's not much that requires us to run or climb, so it's not inconvenient."

Licorice couldn't help but ask:

"...But this house is so big, how can we make it in time if we don't run or climb?"

Bai Zhi smiled slightly, "Don't worry, we have a car at home, you don't need to walk."

As he spoke, he took out a small remote control from under the coffee table and pressed a button on it.

With a soft sound, a remote-controlled car, slightly taller than the little people, appeared in front of them in a flash.

Huh?

Both snow grass and licorice opened their mouths in astonishment:

My goodness!

This looks exactly like a big car, except it doesn't have a roof; it's an open-air "small" car.

Even though it's many times smaller than Zhou Chi's big car, it's still a genuine "car".

Xuecao and the others suddenly and truly felt the gap in living conditions between the two sides:

They're still thinking about how to make money so they can buy big cars in the future, while Bai Zhi already drives a real car!

"Unfortunately, this car is electric, so it can only be driven around the neighborhood."

Bai Zhi said with a hint of regret, "Otherwise, I would have driven it to find you."

Gancao's eyes widened. "That's dangerous! Mom, have you forgotten how terrifying the giants outside are!"

Bai Zhi smiled gently, "Don't worry, I was just joking."

"Actually, since we started living with Zhou Chi, we've hardly ever left the house. Sometimes we feel like we're cut off from the world and don't even know what year it is."

"So what do you usually do at home?" Gan Cao asked curiously.

“Watching TV? Having a snack? Or taking a walk in the garden?” Bai Zhi recalled.

"Sometimes I browse the internet on my phone, but I don't really understand it. Zhou Chi said a lot of it is junk information and doesn't mean anything."

"The younger ones in the clan were once obsessed with that... Fruit Crush game, but I always felt that it was a bit eerie, like it could absorb a person's life force, so I forbade them to play it anymore."

“Those kids even made a fuss with me about this for a while.”

Canglan was talking to her younger sister Muxi when she overheard Baizhi, Xuecao, and Gancao's conversation, and her brows furrowed slightly.

She nodded approvingly to Bai Zhi and said seriously:

"It's best to use your phone less before you've acquired enough knowledge."

Now it was Bai Zhi's turn to be surprised:

"Zhou Chi said that in the world of giants, cell phones are a necessary tool for everyone. So... don't you guys use cell phones normally?"

Xuecao shook her head. "No need. Before today, we didn't even know what video chatting was."

She started laughing as she spoke:

"Mom, you have no idea, Su Mu even asked Zhou Chi if the video was of a kind of fruit. It was so funny, hahaha."

As they were talking, Xuecao glanced at the huge flat-screen TV that was playing a continuous video and asked curiously:

"Hey, why is this big TV always on?"

"We can only watch TV for an hour at home normally."

Bai Zhi couldn't help but ask, "So what do you usually do at home?"

"That's of course learning and earning..."

Before Xuecao could finish speaking, Ning Jia, who had disappeared, returned carrying a large bag.

"I was in such a rush when I got out of the car that I forgot the gift in the car."

He then asked Canglan, "Clan leader, shall we just take it out directly?"

Canglan nodded. "Thank you for your help."

...

Ning Jia carried the heavy bag and placed the boxes inside onto the coffee table one by one:

"This is popcorn, this is fruit, this is sunflower seeds..."

"...You even brought gifts?"

Bai Zhi listened to what Xue Cao whispered in her ear, praised the siblings with a pleased expression, and then quickly thanked Ning Jia:

"Lord Ningjia, thank you so much for the snow grass and licorice."

"No need to be so formal. Just call me Ning Jia."

Ning Jia waved her hand and looked at Bai Zhi curiously. She found that the family of three, apart from having different hair, all had big eyes, round faces, and rosy cheeks... they were practically sharing the same face.

Normally, you wouldn't notice the difference between Xuecao and Gancao, but when these three identical little faces are put together, it's really hilarious!

Zhou Chi also said to Bai Zhi from the side:

“When I woke up this morning and saw Xuecao, I was really shocked. I immediately guessed that she might be your daughter.”

Upon hearing this, Bai Zhi hugged her two children even tighter with pride, and then suddenly said:

"I didn't realize it in the video, Licorice, have you gained weight? And Snow Grass, you've gained some weight too..."

Xuecao paused for a moment, about to say that Baizhi had also gained weight, but looking at her still tall and thin mother, she couldn't bring herself to say the word "fat".

The source of their weight gain, Ning Jia, is enthusiastically promoting the snacks they brought:

"This popcorn was just made yesterday, it's really crunchy, would you like to try some?"

"And this sweet potato chips are also homemade, all-natural, sugar-free, and oil-free, crispy and fragrant!"

Xuecao glanced at the thin-faced tribespeople, then looked down and touched her own round face. With a quick thought, she decided that being fat alone was not as good as being fat in a group, and began loudly promoting the snacks she had brought.

...

When Xuecao said that what Ningjia had placed on the coffee table was several days' worth of snacks and rations for the tribespeople, which she had specially saved to bring to them, Baizhi and the others showed expressions of gratitude.

"Thank you all for your kindness, let's eat now."

The little ones, who were initially a bit reserved, all stretched out their little hands. Some took a golden popcorn, some cracked sunflower seeds, and others ate fruit.

Xuecao also unceremoniously picked up a popcorn, chewed it noisily, and didn't forget to continue recommending it:

"This is Ningjia's homemade popcorn! It's fragrant, sweet, and crunchy—it's so delicious and the most popular snack in our family!"

The other little creatures: Oh? We'll have to try it then.

Dongkui also said shyly in a low voice:

"Actually, I also helped make the popcorn this time."

Ning Jia testified on his behalf:

"Really, Dongkui is so thoughtful. She not only peeled a lot of corn kernels for me, but there wasn't a single bad one."

Upon hearing this, Dongkui's father, Yunzhu, immediately reached out and grabbed a piece of popcorn:

"Really? Then I definitely have to try it!"

"I'll have one too!" "I'll try one too!"

Before long, the sound of people chewing popcorn filled the living room.

As Zhou Chi watched the little children happily munching on popcorn, a sudden pang of sadness welled up inside him.

It's just ordinary caramel popcorn, so why are they all eating it so deliciously?

Then what about the macadamia nut caramel popcorn he made with imported organic corn?

...

After they had almost finished eating the popcorn on the coffee table, the little ones lay on the sofa with satisfied burps.

Cang Lan glanced at the innocent-looking tribespeople, cleared her throat, and was about to speak when she saw Zhou Chi pushing a small food cart, weaving effortlessly through various European-style furniture.

"Wow--"

Ning Jia, sitting in a European-style lounge chair, was slowly sipping warm black tea from a small porcelain cup with a wild strawberry pattern and gold rim, when she suddenly heard a soft gasp and looked up.

The tall, thin young man, dressed in a simple white T-shirt, had a macaron tart that looked about 2.5 times the height of a miniature person on the food cart beside him.

It's truly a feast for the eyes, like a beautiful landscape.

After Zhou Chi placed the small macaron tower on the coffee table, Xuecao and the others gathered around in surprise.

"What is this? It looks so pretty!" "It looks like food, and it smells sweet!"

Seeing this, Zhou Chi introduced, "This is a dessert that originated in Italy, called a macaron... I also brewed some Ceylon black tea, please feel free to try it."

Upon hearing this, Canglan and the others did not move, but instead turned their gazes to Ning Jia, who was drinking tea.

Ning Jia put down the small cup with the golden rim of wild strawberries and thought for a moment:

"The ingredients for macarons aren't complicated, but the fillings inside are something none of you have ever tried. You can try one or two. As for Ceylon tea, although it contains caffeine, drinking a little during the day should be fine."

"Oh~" "Yay, yay~"

Under Bai Zhi and the others' questioning gazes, Xue Cao and the others breathed a sigh of relief.

Since Ning Jia said it's okay to eat, then eating it should stop constipation!

They happily held the delicate mini plates, carefully examining the colorful and tempting flat round cookies. Each of them chose their favorite color, said "thank you" to Zhou Chi, and then slowly began to enjoy them.

Perhaps because they had eaten too much popcorn, apart from Dongkui, who was still growing and excitedly shouting "Delicious, delicious!", everyone else ate at a leisurely pace, unlike the lively atmosphere just now.

A hint of disappointment flashed across Zhou Chi's face as he turned his gaze to Ning Jia, who was standing to the side.

Ning Jia was admiring the perfectly crafted macaron tower in her mind, clicking her tongue in praise:

Making such a finished product must take a lot of effort, and every step has to be perfect; no wonder it's so expensive...

This is also why she doesn't bake much; the electricity consumption is secondary, the real problem is the manpower required.

She looked up and met Zhou Chi's gaze, and her heart skipped a beat:

I felt there was something strange about this person's expression, like they were waiting for something...

As a psychology expert among the Lilliputians, Ning Jia suddenly had a flash of inspiration and asked:

"Did you make all of these yourself?"

As if he had been waiting for her to speak, Zhou Chi nodded quickly, "Hmm, would you like to try some?"

Ning Jia casually picked up a matcha green macaron, took a small bite, and thought, "Hmm? It really does taste like matcha?"

She slowly savored the taste of the pastry, then suddenly said:

"The almond powder you're using has a very fine texture; it must be expensive, right?"

"And the matcha powder tastes authentic. Is it made with Uji matcha? Or is it from Banchado in China?"

Zhou Chi was taken aback, not expecting Ning Jia to be knowledgeable about desserts as well, and nodded:

"Yes, the almond powder is imported from the US. I used to use Uji matcha powder, but now I've discovered several new domestic brands that are also quite good..."

Zhou Chi spoke eloquently, while Ning Jia, while eating macarons, reminisced about some sweet-smelling memories of the past:

When she was in elementary school, the Western-style pastry industry in China was just starting out, and there were hardly any decent cake shops in her hometown.

Ms. Ning had a sudden inspiration. She went abroad to study baking skills for a while, thinking that in addition to Chinese catering, she could also open up the Western pastry market.

At that time, Ms. Ning was a very energetic person. When she was in the mood, she would make all kinds of desserts every day, and Ning Jia became the perfect taste tester.

Every day when I open my eyes, there's a chocolate cake on the dining table; every day before I close my eyes, there's a fruit cake for supper.

Afternoon tea was even more abundant, with a variety of well-known classic Western pastries served in rotation, including madeleine cake, crème brûlée, lemon tart, éclairs, and more.

There are also macarons with fillings.

However, back then, ingredients weren't as readily available as they are now, so Ningfang often improvised with the macaron fillings she made, sometimes even adding Chinese fillings. But whether Chinese or Western, they were all undeniably cloyingly sweet.

Nourished by macarons and other high-calorie desserts, Ning Jia's weight skyrocketed in just one summer vacation, starting to expand horizontally...

After a period of struggling, Ning Fang finally realized that she wasn't good at making desserts.

But it was too late; Ning Jia had already become a sturdy little fat boy.

...

Ning Jia swallowed the last bite of macaron, put the memory back into the "treasure box" of her mind, and gave Zhou Chi a thumbs up:

"Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, not too sweet or greasy. Zhou Chi, your skills are absolutely amazing, it would be a waste not to open a shop."

Zhou Chi's eyes lit up, and he said modestly, "It's just a hobby, I can't open a shop with it."

"No, I'm not just being polite, the taste is really good."

Ning Jia silently added in her mind, "It tastes much better than what Ms. Ning made back then."

"……Thanks."

Zhou Chi's lips curled up uncontrollably.

Since the little people came, he has made macarons several times, but they have not had any special reaction other than politely saying "delicious".

This is the first time someone has praised his cooking skills so specifically and directly.

He was overjoyed and immediately said:

"It's almost noon, how about we have lunch here today?"

Ning Jia turned to look at the little people who were still chatting enthusiastically, "As long as Cang Lan and the others have no objections, it's fine."

Zhou Chi immediately went over to ask, and after Cang Lan and the others discussed it, they all nodded in agreement.

After all, there are still some key issues that the Dwarf race hasn't resolved.

Given the current slow pace of discussing current events, these issues will definitely have to wait until after dinner to be discussed.

"Okay, you guys rest here for a while, I'll go cook!"

Zhou Chi, like a balloon filled with air, went to the kitchen full of energy.

Ning Jia looked at the young man, whose very back exuded excitement, with suspicion. He had no idea what was about to happen...