With such a strong hint, it was impossible for Shen Li not to know which one had been made by Fang Yunyi.
Facing Fang Yunyi’s eager gaze, she finally stretched out her chopsticks towards the plate of boiled vegetables.
Fang Yunyi was even more excited when she saw the first dish that she had chosen to make herself.
“Ah Li, what do you think? Is it delicious?”
The atmosphere at the dining table was silent. Everyone’s eyes were focused on her face.
Shen Li blinked slowly and nodded.
“It’s delicious. Thank you, Aunt Fang.”
Old Master Lu’s eyelids twitched.
Lu Zheng wanted to say something but he stopped himself.
Lu Huaiyu paused and helped her pick up some of the braised eggplant.
Fang Yunyi was very encouraged when she heard the praise. “Really? This was my first time cooking this dish!”
Shen Li’s eyes curved as she smiled.
After a moment, Lu Zheng said, “Let me try some.”
As he said that, his chopsticks came down on the plate of vegetables.
Old Master Lu almost immediately followed up with,”Yes, yes, it’s rare to be able to eat food cooked by Yunyi!”
Fang Yunyi was dissatisfied.
“Why are you competing with Ah Li!”
Old Master Lu coughed. “I think Ah Li seems to have lost some weight recently, so it’s better for her to eat more meat! Huaiyu, hurry up and give Ah Li some food!”
Shen Li said,”Grandpa Lu, there’s no need to go through so much trouble. I–”
“I think so as well.”
As Lu Huaiyu spoke, he picked up some Jiwei prawns, peeled them, and placed them on the plate beside her.
Fang Yunyi carefully looked at Shen Li’s small face.
“Oh, right. Ah Li has been taking her final exams recently, right? That means she needs to replenish her nutrition.”
She still needed to learn a few difficult meat dishes!
Shen Li thanked her and picked up a piece of the pan-fried lamb chop.
Yes, other than being burnt on the outside and raw on the inside, there were no other flaws.
Nervously and expectantly, Fang Yunyi looked over at her again.
Then, Shen Li nodded. “This dish of yours is quite delicious.”
Fang Yunyi was greatly encouraged.
“Really?”
But very quickly, she realized something.
“Huh? Wait a minute, Ah Li, how did you know that I made this?”
Other than the boiled green vegetables which she had admitted that she had prepared herself, she had not said anything else!
Shen Li paused and then said, “Second Brother told me just now.”
Only then did Fang Yunyi understand, and she looked at Lu Huaiyyu with some disdain.
“But I said that I wanted to give Ah Li a surprise.”
Lu Huaiyu did not say anything.
However, Fang Yunyi did not continue to struggle over this. When she heard Shen Li say that the dish was delicious, she also felt a little curious. She lifted her chopsticks and reached out.
“Speaking of which, I haven’t eaten this yet. I wonder what the taste–”
Lu Zheng snatched away the piece of pan-fried lamb chop before her and took it away.
Fang Yunyi turned her head to look at him in surprise.
“Lu Zheng?”
Why was this person snatching food away from her?
Lu Zheng’s expression did not change.
“Whether it’s delicious or not, the chef doesn’t have the final say. It’s up to the diners.”
Fang Yunyi was moved by his reasoning.
That was true.
“Then why don’t you try it?”
Lu Zheng ate the piece of meat without changing the expression on his face and looked at Old Master Lu.
“Dad, Yunyi’s skills have improved a lot. Would you like to try this?”
Old Master Lu’s hand trembled slightly.
He had faced a hard time swallowing the previous mouthful of vegetable earlier. Now, this lamb chop, this lamb chop…
He glanced at Shen Li beside him from the corner of his eyes and immediately said, “Okay, okay!”
Aside from the initial tasting that Shen Li initially had, she was unable to get a second bite of the meat and vegetable dishes that Fang Yunyi had gone to so much effort to cook before it was finished by the men from the Lu family.
Fang Yunyi herself did not eat those dishes. Seeing that Shen Li had only eaten a little, she felt rather regretful. However, since Shen Li had said that it was delicious, it could be considered a complete success!
…
After eating, Shen Li cut the cake.
She heard that Fang Yunyi had personally ordered the cake. After having interacted with her a few times, Shen Li could be considered to have some understanding of her now. Therefore, when she heard that Fang Yunyi asking Lu Zheng to help bring the cake over, she had already mentally prepared herself.
However, when she really saw the exquisite and gorgeous three-layered birthday cake, she was still shocked.
Figurines of a small castle and a little princess wearing a gown had been placed at the top. The gown was covered with layers of fragrant rose petals, and placed beside it was finely chopped white chocolate. The extreme colors matched each other very well and were very beautiful.
Fang Yunyi inserted a candle in the shape of the number “19” and Lu Zheng lit it.
Fang Yunyi gently patted Shen Li’s shoulder and said, “Ah Li, quickly make a wish!”
Shen Li looked at the burning flame, feeling momentarily stunned.
Hearing Fang Yunyi’s reminder, she nodded, put her palms together, and closed her eyes.
After a moment, she opened her eyes and blew out the candle.
“Ah Li, Happy Birthday!”
…
Fang Yunyi was very satisfied with her performance today.
She flipped through the group photos of everyone and Shen Li today and said to Lu Zheng, “Lu Zheng, I think I’m quite talented in cooking.”
Lu Zheng paused for a moment and said, “Didn’t you always say that cooking was troublesome in the past?”
“That was in the past!” Fang Yunyi said as she raised her phone to show him. “I just ordered a few cookbooks. I will study them carefully in the future!”
Lu Zheng looked at the books and raised his eyebrows.
“Do you really think you’ll understand them?”
“Of course! You don’t understand. Raising a daughter is different from raising a son! I–”
As Fang Yunyi said this, she caught a glimpse of a glass bottle on the counter next to her, and she suddenly stopped talking.
Lu Zheng followed her line of sight. “What’s wrong?”
Fang Yunyi raised her hand, as her fingertips trembled slightly. She could not believe it.
“I… That’s the rose sea salt that I bought specially to make the pan-fried lamb chops… I didn’t put salt in the dish?!”
The bottle was new and had not been opened yet!
Lu Zheng was speechless.
Fang Yunyi quickly recalled the situation at the lunch table, and she felt terrible.
She had really forgotten to put salt in the dish!
But, Ah Li had even said it was delicious?!
It was no wonder that Lu Zheng and the others had not allowed Ah Li to eat it!
Lu Zheng was quiet for a while before he reminded her, “It’s still not too late to return the goods now.”
Fang Yunyi was outraged.
She glared at him fiercely, but then she remembered the situation today and felt that she was going to die.
“This was the first time I’ve cooked for Ah Li!”
How could she make it up to her?!
“Ah Li even ate it… and she said it was delicious…”
Fang Yunyi felt as if her heart had suffered a huge blow.
“No, I have to go and explain it to Ah Li!” She stomped her feet and walked towards the living room.
At this moment, Lu Huaiyu was already planning on taking Shen Li away. Meanwhile, Fang Qingyun was helping to put the gift boxes into the trunk of the car.
The two of them stood together as they chatted.
“Ah Li, it’s fine if you don’t want to eat something or to say that it’s not delicious, you know,” said Lu Huaiyu as he looked at Shen Li, his voice low and gentle.
Shen Li shook her head. “Second Brother, I think Aunt Fang’s cooking is quite delicious.”
Fang Yunyi stopped in her tracks.
Then, she saw Shen Li raise her head to look at Lu Huaiyu, the corners of her lips curving slightly.
“Did I not mention that Su Yuan never cooked for me before?”
Her voice was very soft.
“Aunt Fang’s cooking is really delicious.”
Fang Yunyi clenched her hands slightly.
