Chapter 185 Underestimated Her
Guo Huaqin felt a little embarrassed when she heard this. She quickly stepped forward and replied in a gentle but slightly aggrieved voice, "Dad, actually, this dish is... I recommended it because I think it's a little special."
As she spoke, she touched her nose, looking like she had no choice but to accept the result and silently took the blame.
In fact, this menu was indeed arranged according to the old father's wishes, saying that it was to test Ruan Chuxia's table manners.
At that time, Guo Huaqin thought that if she was asked to use a knife and fork to eat such exquisite food, she would definitely be in a mess, and it would make the atmosphere more interesting if she made a fool of herself.
Of course, I did have a selfish motive in this, wanting to see the other party reveal their flaws in an unfamiliar environment.
However, no one expected that the plot would develop much faster than expected. Ruan Chuxia was not embarrassed at all, but seemed to be enjoying the meal very much.
It was completely different from the embarrassing scene that Guo Huaqin had initially imagined. The contrast made her wonder: Did she underestimate this "future sister-in-law"?
Seeing this, Guo Huaqin hurriedly tried to smooth things over with Xiao Jianjun, saying with an awkward smile, "Dad...it was my oversight. Then I'll take Xiao Ruan out to a different restaurant. How about trying some of Jing City's famous local specialties?"
After hearing what his daughter said, Xiao Jianjun's expression obviously eased a little, his originally frowned brows relaxed slightly, and he was about to nod in agreement.
However, before he could open his mouth, Ruan Chuxia stepped forward and said firmly, "Grandpa, there's no need to go through so much trouble. Just eat at home, otherwise all the dishes we just made will be wasted."
After these words were spoken, the atmosphere seemed to become even more solemn.
Xiao Jianjun's face darkened again, his brows furrowed slightly, and a bit of displeasure rose in his heart.
Although being frugal is a good thing, he was worried that he would be impolite and embarrassed at the dinner table and become a laughing stock.
He tried hard to suppress his emotions and not show his dissatisfaction too much. He just sighed softly, then raised his hand and pointed at the food already on the table, and asked a little stiffly: "Xiao Ruan, are you used to eating these?"
What he actually meant to ask was, "Have you seen this before?"
But this sentence contained some doubts, and might sound aggressive and disrespectful, so I finally held back and didn't dare say it out loud.
Ruan Chuxia, who was sitting opposite, still had a smile on her face. She nodded gently and said naturally, "I'm not used to it and I've never eaten it before, but I know what these dishes are."
As she spoke, she began to introduce them one by one: "This is sirloin steak, the bowl next to it is borscht, over there is goulash, and then there are fried pork chops and salad... I recognize every one of them."
Her voice was steady and confident, without any hesitation in her tone, as if she really was someone who frequented high-end Western restaurants.
The room suddenly fell silent, and everyone was so shocked that they were speechless.
Even Xiao Jianjun, who wanted to test him at first, was speechless for a moment, with a look of surprise and confusion on his face.
Questions arose in everyone's mind.
Even girls from wealthy families in Beijing may not be able to name all the dishes, but how come she, a girl from another place, is so familiar with these Russian-style dishes?
Before they could open their mouths to question, Ruan Chuxia had already taken the lead and slowly revealed the mystery in everyone's eyes.
She smiled slightly, turned around, and said to the old man calmly, "Grandpa, are you curious about how I, who have never had any experience with Western food, can know so much about these cuisines?"
Although Xiao Jianjun didn't say anything, his weathered eyes revealed an unconcealable curiosity.
"Actually, this matter is not really a secret."
She continued, her tone steady and natural. "One time, I stumbled across a very old book. It contained a lot of food stories, both illustrated and captioned. Although it wasn't a professional recipe book, it was incredibly interesting and I was completely absorbed in it. At the time, I just thought of it as a pastime to pass the time, and I didn't take it seriously at all, having long forgotten the content. I never expected to see these dishes here in person today, and the images I had seen before suddenly came flooding back to my mind."
Since she dared to say it, she must have thought of this seemingly reasonable explanation a long time ago.
Of course, this was also her retreat after careful consideration.
She was not afraid at all that the Xiao family would investigate in the future.
Because the book was something she found by chance, and even if others searched everywhere, they would not be able to find any evidence and would not be able to refute anything.
As expected, after hearing these words, Xiao Jianjun was stunned for a moment, and then seemed to be relieved suddenly. He was silent for a moment, nodded slowly, then pulled a chair next to him and sat down gently.
When they saw the old man sit down, the others around him reacted and sat back in their seats.
Old Master Xiao was the first to pick up the silver knife and fork on the table, and began to carefully cut the steak in front of him.
Xiaojun has someone nearby to help take care of him, so Ruan Chuxia doesn't need to worry too much for the time being.
She could finally focus on the meal in front of her.
She was seen sitting at the table, her movements calm and natural, her right hand tightly gripping the silver knife, her left hand holding the fork, carefully cutting the still hot steak in front of her into small pieces.
Finally, she gently picked up a piece of perfectly cut beef and slowly put it into her mouth.
The whole process was orderly and well-mannered. Her expression was calm as usual, and her elegance was mixed with a hint of aloofness and nobility, just like a young lady from a famous family.
However, this kind of scene could no longer cause any waves for the Xiao family members present.
Ever since what happened last time, no matter what amazing or incredible performance Ruan Chuxia performs, they will not find it strange.
Even if she suddenly stood up at this moment and uttered a series of authentic English words, they would just take it for granted and nod in amazement.
After dinner, Xiao Zhiyu, Ye Zhiyao and Peng Chengxuan took the initiative to help Mrs. Min tidy up the table.
The three of them divided the work tacitly. One person cleaned up the dishes, one wiped the table, and another was already holding a garbage bag to deal with the leftovers.
There was not a single unnecessary word during the entire process, yet the coordination was just right.
Ruan Chuxia didn't put on any pretense and just rolled up her sleeves and joined them.
She took the rag from Ye Zhiyao's hand and said with a smile, "Let me do it. You're stronger, so go move some stools or something."
Her movements were quick and decisive, and her speech was not at all delicate, with a relaxed and natural tone.
Before long, the slightly messy living room became neat and tidy, and a warm sense of satisfaction filled the air.
Guo Huaqin, who was watching from the side, became more and more satisfied: this young man not only has a good appearance, but also has regular facial features and a gentle expression.
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