Chapter 95: Ah! Smells So Good

Chapter 95: Chapter 95: Ah! Smells So Good

Xiao Ye thought she had perfectly hidden her identity as a fan.

In reality, sharp-eyed viewers had recognized her the moment she walked in:

[She has to be a fan of Fu Chao. You can tell at a glance!]

[Yep, confirmed. I sense one of our own.]

[Don’t tell me that’s the girl from the group chat who said she was taking her family to eat there? AHHHH, I’m so jealous!]

[She’s trying so hard to act casual when she’s obviously super excited. It must be tough, haha!]

[Fu Chao recognized her too and even sent a dish over to their table!]

[Too bad the poor girl has no idea. She actually believed Fu Chao’s line about a grand opening discount! I wonder if she’ll be kicking herself when she sees the footage later!]

...

Xiao Ye, completely oblivious, smugly told her parents,

"A mature fan doesn’t cause trouble for their idol! So you absolutely must not say anything! Just act like we’re ordinary customers!"

Xiao Ye’s parents were torn between amusement and exasperation.

At the same time, a sliver of curiosity arose.

"So, are they really filming a variety show? Is it some kind of food program?"

"No, it’s a parenting show."

Xiao Ye’s parents: ???

Soon, the food was served.

Xiao Ye’s parents had already braced themselves.

’Celebrities can’t cook. It’ll be a miracle if the food is even cooked through!’

They figured they would just consider it a small contribution to support their daughter’s favorite idol. Afterward, they’d take Grandma and Grandpa to a different restaurant for a proper meal to make up for it.

But the dishes that arrived were presented far better than they could have ever imagined!

Xiao Ye’s father couldn’t help but ask,

"Sweetheart, are you sure they didn’t hire a professional chef?"

Xiao Ye was busy messaging the girls in her fan group and replied without looking up.

"Nope. The cast members are doing all the cooking themselves."

She didn’t even bother to mention Nan Zhi’s name.

These days, Fu Chao’s fanbase was severely divided.

Some felt that since Fu Chao and Nan Zhi were on good terms, they should extend their affection to her as well and change their opinion.

Others, however, believed in keeping things separate. To them, the fact was that Nan Zhi was leeching off Brother Fu to clean up her own image. They couldn’t just ignore all her past scandals because of how their relationship appeared on the show.

Clearly, Xiao Ye belonged to the latter group.

She had just gotten into an argument with some of the more clueless fans in her group a couple of days ago.

Right now, she was also in the group chat, vowing with conviction:

[Hmph! I don’t care how delicious her food is, I will stand firm in my dislike for Nan Zhi! I will never surrender!]

The like-minded girls in the fan group cheered her on.

Xiao Ye snorted smugly, but then she suddenly felt that something was off.

’Hmm? Mom and Dad are awfully quiet. Could it be...’

She looked up and saw her parents completely engrossed in a battle with the dishes before them. Their chopsticks moved with such speed and precision that Xiao Ye almost thought she was seeing afterimages.

"Dad! Mom! You guys..."

’Do you have to be so dramatic?’

Before Xiao Ye’s parents could answer, her grandparents chimed in, smiling and praising their granddaughter.

"That’s our darling girl! You really know how to pick a restaurant. The food here is amazing!"

"That’s right! Your father was talking about going to Juxian Building yesterday? Hah, that place can’t hold a candle to this!"

The two elders were full of praise for the food.

Xiao Ye’s parents nodded in agreement.

"Xiao Ye, are you sure you didn’t get it wrong? This has to be the work of a top-tier chef! A normal person couldn’t possibly have this level of skill."

"How about we come back here for lunch tomorrow?"

The last suggestion met with unanimous agreement from the rest of the family.

The corner of Xiao Ye’s mouth twitched.

"Do you have to be so dramatic? It looks fine, I guess. And it smells... okay, it smells amazing, but that doesn’t prove anything!"

Unconvinced, Xiao Ye reached out with her chopsticks and picked up a piece of the most unassuming dish: braised spring bamboo shoots.

The dish was made with seasonal spring bamboo shoots, which were first flattened with the side of a knife, then cut into segments and braised in oil. They had a lustrous, reddish-brown color. The moment she put a piece in her mouth, it was fresh, tender, and crisp, with a faint hint of sweetness that served as the perfect finishing touch.

Xiao Ye took a small bite of the bamboo shoot, her eyes slowly widening.

She desperately wanted to wolf it down for more of that satisfying taste, yet she was afraid that if she ate too quickly, she wouldn’t have time to properly savor it.

Caught in this dilemma, that single bite of bamboo shoot seemed to last an eternity.

Seeing her daughter’s silence, Xiao Ye’s mother teased,

"So? Is it as amazing as we said?"

"I-It’s just okay!"

Xiao Ye was confident that even if the sky were falling, her stubbornness would be there to hold it up.

But that was fine! ’For Brother Fu, I can do this!’

Then, she reached out with her chopsticks again and tried the other dishes, one by one...

’Sorry, Brother Fu. This time, I really can’t.’

’Nan Zhi’s cooking is just too, too, *too* good!’

With tears welling in her eyes, Xiao Ye gave up the struggle and defected to the other side.

She had no time to pay attention to the PING! PING! PING! of notifications from her fan group. She just lowered her head and dug in with the rest of her family.

Every dish on the table was so delectable it left her at a loss for words. Her mind was filled with a single refrain: ’Delicious, delicious, so delicious!’

In the blink of an eye, every dish had been wiped clean.

Xiao Ye’s father even mixed the sauce from the braised pork into his rice.

Xiao Ye’s mother frowned and said,

"Did you forget the doctor told you to watch your cholesterol? How can you drench your rice in sauce like that? ...Now hurry up and give me half!"

Xiao Ye’s father reluctantly spooned half of his rice into his wife’s bowl.

Just then, Xiao Ye also silently pushed her bowl forward, a sycophantic smile on her face.

"Daddy."

Her father thought for a moment, then partitioned out half of what was left in his bowl for her.

Xiao Ye’s grandfather: "Son, I’d also like..."

"Dad! No! You don’t!"

Xiao Ye’s grandfather’s face fell in a frustrated pout.

...Such a harmonious family atmosphere!

As they were leaving, Xiao Ye’s family, extremely satisfied with their meal, heaped praise upon praise on Fu Chao, who was handling their bill.

Xiao Ye, standing before Fu Chao, looked as if she wanted to say something but was holding herself back.

Fu Chao glanced up, feeling a bit conflicted. He wasn’t sure if he should accept the request for a photo and an autograph that he assumed was coming next.

He’d always been a polite and considerate idol who tried his best to fulfill most of his fans’ reasonable requests.

But they were in the middle of filming a show, surrounded by other customers. A photo would be too conspicuous.

"I can only do an autograph..."

"Brother Fu, please stay on good terms with Nan Zhi!"

After two or three seconds of silence.

Fu Chao: ?

Xiao Ye: ?

Xiao Ye was the first to snap out of it, scratching her cheek in embarrassment.

"Oh, so you already knew, Brother Fu. Well, I won’t hide it then! To be honest, I’d read a lot of negative stuff about Nan Zhi, so I really didn’t like her... But now! I deeply repent! I was too narrow-minded. I completely misunderstood such a kind girl. Please, Brother Fu, you have to help me pass on my apologies to her! Also, the meal today was absolutely delicious!"

Fu Chao: ...

"Brother Fu, you have to stay on good terms with Nan Zhi so you can tell us wherever she opens a restaurant in the future! I’ll go support her even if I have to eat dirt to afford it!"

Fu Chao: ...

’What a fake fan!’

Having done a complete one-eighty, Xiao Ye left Nan Family’s Small Restaurant with a smile on her face.

As she stepped out the door, she didn’t forget to send a message to the girls in her fan group—

[Any Nan Zhi who can cook food this divine is a goddess herself! As of today, I’m officially converting from an anti-fan to a fan!]

[Forgive me, my heart can’t belong to just one person anymore!]