Chapter 288 - 286: The Best of Both Worlds

Chapter 288: Chapter 286: The Best of Both Worlds

Ye Laosan didn’t dare act presumptuously. Faced with this awkward situation, he had to carefully force a smile for Lin Qiao.

It was incredibly awkward. He could only try to cover it up with another chuckle. As he laughed, a sudden idea struck him. "Lin Qiao, how about this? You two can have a few dishes at your place first, and then come over to my house to continue. Wouldn’t that be the best of both worlds?"

"That’s a genuinely great idea. I’m for it." Gu Lihuang was actually quite embarrassed himself. He hadn’t thought much before speaking earlier, not expecting to be rejected by both Gu Nuan Nuan and Ye Laosan in quick succession. To top it off, Lin Qiao had treated him like an object to be passed back to Ye Laosan. He couldn’t even get angry and was feeling vexed. But now, hearing Ye Laosan’s suggestion, he thought it was brilliant and quickly nodded. "Nuannuan, just agree to it. This way, Uncle Ye and I can go to Lin Qiao’s house to eat first, and then you and Lin Qiao can come over to his place. Haha, that way neither family is left out, and we can even taste the food from both houses. Excellent, excellent, truly excellent."

"What do you think, Lin Qiao?" Gu Nuan Nuan asked, looking at her.

Lin Qiao looked up and saw Ye Laosan staring at her, a hint of nervousness on his face. The feeling was completely new to her. A small sense of triumph welled up inside her. ’Honestly, I really want to just shake my head and refuse,’ she thought. But she was, after all, a bit more mature than other girls her age and thought things through more. She knew they all lived in the same village, and the Ye Family was large and influential. Deeply offending them wouldn’t do her own family any good. Besides, it wasn’t just Ye Laosan’s pride on the line, but Second Uncle Gu’s as well. She figured it all out in an instant and nodded. "I think it’s a good idea, too."

"Good, good. In that case, Lin Qiao, Second Uncle Gu and I won’t stand on ceremony. We’ll come by to taste your family’s cooking." Seeing Lin Qiao nod, Ye Laosan was overjoyed.

"Mhm. My grandpa is the head chef tonight. I guarantee once Uncle Ye and Second Uncle Gu sit down, they won’t want to leave," Lin Qiao said with a sly smile.

"Heh heh, I know your grandpa’s cooking is good, but just wait until you try the food at my house... our skills aren’t bad either." Ye Laosan decided that as soon as he got back, he would discuss with his family about inviting their clan’s most skilled cook to make a special appearance, even if it was just to prepare a separate, private meal for Gu Nuan Nuan’s table.

After bidding farewell to Gu Nuan Nuan and Lin Qiao, Ye Laosan eagerly pulled Gu Lihuang aside to ask him in detail about Gu Nuan Nuan’s preferences.

To be honest, Gu Lihuang had never been that clear on Gu Nuan Nuan’s preferences. He was a bit flustered by Ye Laosan’s question. ’How embarrassing would it be to just say I don’t know?’ he thought. So, he managed to recall one or two things he wasn’t too sure about. When he couldn’t make up any more, he simply mentioned a couple of his own favorite things and then spouted some serious nonsense with a straight face, "My niece isn’t a picky eater. As long as it suits her palate, she’ll eat anything."

Ye Laosan nodded, patted Gu Lihuang’s shoulder, and then excused himself to the others. He used the pretext of needing to go back and inform his family about the plan to make a hasty departure. The crowd didn’t mind; in fact, they all found his behavior understandable and perfectly natural.

Of course, Ye Laosan didn’t rush straight home. He first went around and found a few of the younger men in his family, telling them to find his other brothers who were out with friends and colleagues watching the spectacle. He told them to pass on the message that there was urgent business and they needed to return home at once. Only then did he head home himself.

Meanwhile, as they walked, Lin Qiao kept looking up at Gu Nuan Nuan with a conflicted expression, as if she wanted to say something but was holding back. Finally, Gu Nuan Nuan couldn’t take it anymore. She pulled her to a secluded spot and stopped. "Just ask whatever you want to ask."

"Nuannuan, your second uncle... no, I mean, does the Zhang Group really belong to your maternal uncle?" Lin Qiao asked in a small, somewhat fidgety and awkward voice.

"That’s right. Actually, to be precise, my maternal uncle, my maternal grandparents, my mom, and I all jointly own shares. We all have a piece of it." Gu Nuan Nuan nodded. "I have a share because the recipe for those meat buns actually came from me."

"Huh???"

Lin Qiao was dumbfounded. She stared blankly at Gu Nuan Nuan. This news was even more shocking than finding out about Gu Nuan Nuan’s identity moments before. However, having already been shocked once, her reaction was much faster this time. She quickly recovered and looked at her with admiration, exclaiming, "Nuannuan, how are you so amazing? My whole family has tried those meat buns. For my mom’s birthday this year, my dad specially went and bought a few. The flavor was so delicious, it was... it was so good you could just about swallow your own tongue. After eating your family’s meat buns, all of us felt that any other kind was just bland and impossible to stomach. Now, I won’t eat meat buns from anywhere else. I’d rather just eat plain steamed buns... You have no idea, my mom has been complaining that my dad never should have bought your family’s meat buns for us to try."

"Your mom complained about your dad? Did she complain that he spoiled your palates?" Gu Nuan Nuan couldn’t help but laugh. Being praised always put one in a good mood.

"Exactly. Ever since we had your family’s meat buns, my two younger sisters will occasionally mention how much they want to eat them again. They’re younger and not as sensible as I am. I know things are difficult at home, so even if I want them, I wouldn’t just say it out loud."

With a hint of helplessness and a touch of unconsciously revealed jealousy and envy, Lin Qiao shook her head with a wry smile. "My dad... I don’t even know what to say about him. On one hand, I feel like he favors boys over girls, that deep down he’s disappointed we’re all daughters, which is why he was so insistent on having a son. But on the other hand, it doesn’t feel like that’s the whole story. Because he’s been nothing but good to us sisters. He’s often more soft-hearted toward us than my mom, and sometimes even treats us better. For example, even though your family’s meat buns are a little more expensive than others, if my two sisters mention wanting them a few times, they’ll always get their wish once or twice. To save money for the meat buns, my dad has almost completely quit smoking."

As she spoke, she let out a "pfft" of laughter. "My mom told me in private that it’s actually a good thing. My dad had been promising to quit smoking since they got married, but he just could never manage to do it."

"The way you describe him, your dad sounds like quite a character," Gu Nuan Nuan said, laughing along with her.

"Nuannuan, does your family live in that big villa complex not far from here?" Lin Qiao asked.

"We do," Gu Nuan Nuan confirmed with a nod.

"And here I was, thinking you lived in one of the farther villages. I thought we were the same, you and I. The ’poor kids’ in our class. But it turns out your family is so rich! I wonder how those stuck-up classmates with their noses in the air compare to your family?" Lin Qiao stuck out her tongue, then asked with great curiosity, "But Nuannuan, if your family is so wealthy, why did you always take the bus to and from school before?"