Chapter 48 The Taste of Mom
He looked at the two embracing, his gaze lingering for a moment, especially on Su Xiaonuan. A faint, almost imperceptible complex emotion flickered in the depths of his eyes, but it quickly returned to calm.
Qin Haoran finally couldn't hold back any longer. He moved closer to Qin Haochu, lowered his voice, and asked in a whisper, "Brother...you...you know Su Xiaonuan too?"
Upon hearing this, Qin Hao turned his head slightly, his gold-rimmed glasses reflecting a soft light.
He nodded indifferently, his voice steady and emotionless: "Yes. The three of us were alumni of the same school."
Fellow students? Qin Haoran suddenly realized!
So that's how it is! He was wondering why his older brother would suddenly return to China and insist on organizing this gathering, and why he was being so mysterious, saying that there was someone very important to Anran that he absolutely had to invite.
After all that, this "very important person" turned out to be Su Xiaonuan!
Seeing An Ran's reaction and the way she apologized... Qin Haoran immediately filled in a whole melodramatic scene in his mind: It seems that when his older brother and An Ran went abroad to get engaged, the person he felt most sorry for was this little classmate Su Xiaonuan! No wonder she didn't continue her studies or find a glamorous job, but instead went to set up a stall to make a living. She must have suffered a huge heartbreak and setback, and given up on herself!
His gaze toward Su Xiaonuan was instantly filled with deep sympathy and... a trace of pity that he himself didn't even realize.
On the other side, Su Xiaonuan and An Ran finally calmed down.
After they parted, they both wiped away their tears somewhat embarrassedly, smiled at each other, and it seemed that all the past misunderstandings and grudges had vanished in that hug and tears.
The unique intimacy and tacit understanding between best friends seems to have returned.
Su Xiaonuan noticed that there were two other men watching in the room, especially the one with a powerful aura, Qin Haochu, which made her feel a little uncomfortable.
To ease the tension, she suddenly remembered something and quickly took off a small insulated handbag that she had been carrying on her arm.
She unzipped the box, took out a still-warm, beautifully packaged cardboard box, and handed it to An Ran with a slightly embarrassed yet expectant smile: "Um... An Ran, this is a creamy mushroom soup with puff pastry that I made myself today. It's in an insulated bag, so it should still be warm. The taste... is quite good, so I wanted to bring it for you to try."
An Ran stared at the cardboard box that was handed to her, paused for a moment, and then her eyes welled up with even greater gratitude and warmth.
She took the box, feeling the perfect temperature on her fingertips, her voice still a little hoarse from crying: "Thank you, Xiaonuan... you still remember I like mushroom soup..."
"Of course I remember." Su Xiaonuan smiled. "This is your favorite drink."
Seeing this, Qin Haoran's eyes lit up, and he immediately stepped forward, fully utilizing his "sycophant king" qualities, and enthusiastically promoted the dish in an exaggerated yet sincere tone: "Wow! The little cook's skills! Anran, you absolutely have to try it! It's absolutely top-notch! I witnessed it with my own eyes and tasted it myself today! It's so delicious that you'll want to swallow your tongue!"
His unprecedentedly enthusiastic recommendation caught the attention of Qin Haochu, who had remained indifferent throughout, causing him to glance at him with a clear look of surprise in his eyes.
He knew his younger brother well; he seemed warm and outgoing, but in reality, he was very discerning. It was rare to find something that he praised so highly.
His gaze fell on the ordinary cardboard box again, then looked at Su Xiaonuan with a sincere smile. Behind his glasses, his eyes seemed to show a slight, almost imperceptible ripple.
An Ran accepted the box of cream of mushroom soup, still warm from Su Xiaonuan's body. She was actually a little curious and expectant, but more than that, she was moved by the sentiment behind it.
In her memory, Su Xiaonuan during her school days was a girl with excellent athletic ability but no knowledge of kitchen affairs, who could even burn instant noodles.
She found it hard to associate her graceful and seemingly quiet best friend with the words "superb cooking skills".
She took a small spoon, scooped up a spoonful of the thick, warm-smelling soup, and put it in her mouth with the mindset of "no matter how it tastes, I have to say it's delicious."
However, the moment that soup touched her taste buds, all of Anran's preconceived notions and stereotypes were completely overturned!
The rich, silky cream envelops the exquisitely fresh mushroom flavor, melting instantly in your mouth.
It was an incredibly rich, warm, and layered flavor that was simply amazing! Each mushroom seemed to be infused with a soul, releasing the purest wild aroma, perfectly blending with the smoothness of cream, the milky fragrance of butter, and the subtle hints of nutmeg and black pepper.
What made her heart tremble even more was the taste... the taste faintly carried a flavor that was deep in her memory, long blurred yet missed—the taste of her mother!
Anran's mother passed away from illness when Anran was in high school. Her mother's best dish was a homemade cream of mushroom soup, which was Anran's warmest comfort during her childhood and adolescence.
Later, she ate at countless Michelin-starred restaurants, with more elaborate techniques and more luxurious ingredients, but she could never find that unique taste that carried the warmth and memories of home.
She never expected that, years later, she would experience that soul-stirring, almost tearful familiar feeling again with Su Xiaonuan!
She suddenly raised her head and looked at Su Xiaonuan, her eyes welling up with tears again, but this time it was from extreme surprise and disbelief.
She was speechless for a long time, only looking at Su Xiaonuan with a complex mix of emotions, like a spilled palette, including shock, emotion, nostalgia, and an indescribable joy of regaining what she had lost.
She lowered her head and stopped talking, but ate the small portion of cream of mushroom soup spoonful by spoonful, almost devoutly, quickly and meticulously, scraping even the little bit of thick soup clinging to the sides of the container clean with her small spoon.
Finally, she put down the empty box, picked up a tissue and gently wiped her mouth. Then she looked up at Su Xiaonuan, who was staring at her nervously and expectantly, and said very solemnly, word by word, "Xiaonuan, thank you. It really is... very, very delicious. It's the best cream of mushroom soup I've ever had."
Seeing her reaction, Su Xiaonuan finally felt relieved, and a bright and satisfied smile appeared on her face. The last trace of melancholy caused by the past also completely disappeared.
She smiled and rested her chin on her hand, her eyes curving into crescents. Watching Anran's satisfied and touched expression after enjoying the food, she felt even happier than if she had eaten it herself.
Before long, the restaurant staff began serving the dishes.
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