"Wancheng, go get yourself some porridge."
"Okay." Then he looked at Chaochao. "You can spit it out now. Don't drink it without blowing on it this time. Got it?"
"Mm-hmm." Chaochao slid off his stool, ran aside to spit out the water, then sat back down and carefully blew on the porridge to cool it before drinking.
"We can only make something simple for lunch."
"No big deal. Dinner's the main event anyway. After all, we'll be eating well tonight," Gu Wancheng said.
Xu Xiashi blinked and joked, "Exactly. Most of what we picked up were moon snails. We can have a moon snail family banquet."
[A real moon snail family banquet, with the whole family, young and old, and all the aunts and uncles.]
[How do you cook moon snails so they taste good?]
[Taste isn't the priority right now. As long as they're cooked. earnest advice.jpg]
[Me, a little snail, setting off on a long voyage today.]
Gu Wancheng asked a crucial question. "How do you cook moon snails?"
Everyone turned to Zhao Chengyu, putting him under immense pressure.
Under their expectant gazes, Zhao Chengyu shook his head and turned to the best cook there. "No idea. Do you know, Yi'an?"
Chu Yi'an: "..."
[All hopes rest on Brother Chu.]
[Brother Chu's reputation as a caring guy isn't just talk. doge.jpg]
Chu Yi'an fell silent for a moment. "I think so."
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief in unison.
Gu Wancheng looked at him approvingly. "Well done, young man. I've got faith in you."
Chu Yi'an: "..." There's really no need.
"I've never cooked moon snails either. I can't guarantee they'll taste good."
Gu Wancheng waved a hand. "It's fine. As long as they're edible. We're not picky."
"That's right, Yi'an. You handle the cooking, and we'll help you out," Zhao Chengyu said.
They quickly finished their porridge and sorted everything they had collected.
They crouched beside the pile of moon snails and stared at it in silence.
"How do we clean the moon snails?"
"Put them in clean water first and let them purge the sand for a while."
"Sure. The chef has spoken. We underlings will get it done."
Gu Wancheng rubbed his chin. "Then we'll need to fetch water. How about this? Brother Zhao, Little Jian, and I will fetch water. You can stay here and handle the rest."
They nodded in agreement, except Jiang Yu, who nearly failed to control his expression when he heard he had to stay and deal with these things. He almost blurted out that he wanted to fetch water, but remembering how tiring that would be, he forced the words back down.
Gu Wancheng's lips curled slightly. He had done it on purpose. Did Jiang Yu really think he wouldn't hold those earlier snide remarks against him?
Impossible. He held grudges like nobody's business! ＜).(＞
Fetching water might be tiring, but making Jiang Yu handle the seafood would disgust him even more. After all, he considered himself too noble to deign to touch such things.
At the thought, Gu Wancheng almost laughed aloud.
"I'm full!" By the end, Chaochao found the spoon too troublesome, and the porridge had cooled enough. He simply lifted the bowl and gulped it down.
He finished it in one go and set the bowl down with a bang.
Looking at his little friends who were still drinking their porridge, he sprawled lazily over the table. "Are you full yet?"
Hearing Chaochao speak, Mi Tu's eyes lit up as she remembered the surprise he had mentioned. "Chaochao, are you going to tell us now?"
Xiaolin looked up in confusion. Seeing how mysterious they were acting, he scratched his head. "What is it?"
"Shh. It's a surprise."
Xiaolin nodded to show he understood, then whispered, "I won't tell anyone." So hurry up and tell us.
Chaochao stood up with his hands behind his back. "Are you full yet?"
The little ones gulped down the rest of their porridge. Aside from Tongtong and Zuozuo, who were secretly giggling, the others' eyes shone with curiosity.
Chaochao beckoned to them, signaling for them to follow.
They came over to Chaochao's little bucket. It was upside down, hiding whatever was inside.
"Ta-da!" Chaochao lifted the overturned bucket, revealing three plump moon scallops.
Chaochao pointed at the plumpest moon scallop. "This is my little pet, Pangpang. The other two belong to Tongtong and Zuozuo."
Xiaolin said, "What a fat shellfish!"
Mi Tu gazed at them longingly. "Chaochao, where did you find them?"
Xiaoxiao... Xiaoxiao's expression gave nothing away.
The little one proudly raised his head. "My daddy found them for me."
Mi Tu said enviously, "Uncle Gu is amazing. Can I ask Uncle Gu to find one for me?"
"No!"
Chaochao answered immediately, watching Mi Tu warily as though she might snatch his daddy away at any moment. He still remembered Gu Wancheng saying he liked her.
Mi Tu looked utterly crestfallen. Tongtong comforted her. "It's okay. I'll ask my big brother to find one for you."
Mi Tu shook her head. "No, I'll ask Mommy."
Zuozuo held his moon scallop. "It's okay. We'll look together and form the Moon Scallop Squad."
"Yes, yes!"
The little ones immediately nodded, thinking it was a fantastic idea, and cast admiring looks at Zuozuo for suggesting it.
Zuozuo instantly puffed up with pride.
[Moon Scallop Squad? Is there some meaning behind that?]
[Heaven knows.]
[I really don't understand the world of children. Can moon scallops fight?]
[Dunno. Teacher never taught us.]
[Teacher never taught us +1]
"Oh, right, Tongtong, what are your little pets called?" Mi Tu cupped her face in her hands.
Tongtong looked up. "It's called Duoduo."
Zuozuo patted his moon scallop. "It's called Qianqian."
[...]
[Well, now we've got left, right, and front. When are we getting a back?]
[Zuozuo, does Youyou know you picked that name? pretending to be curious.jpg]
[How dare you! Call him Brother Jian.]
[My mistake, my mistake. doge to save my life.jpg]
Gu Wancheng and the others carried their buckets toward the stream. Meanwhile, Chen Liqing appeared before the little ones with a megaphone.
Smiling like the wolf dressed as Grandma, he pitched his voice high. "Children, Uncle has a task for you."
Xiaoxiao stood in front of the others and looked straight at this uncle who seemed like a child kidnapper, asking expressionlessly, "What is it?"
Chen Liqing: A child kidnapper? Me?
"Ahem. Your parents found meat today, but a balance of meat and vegetables is good for you, so your task is to gather vegetables."
Xiaolin said nervously, "But we don't know what they look like."
"No problem. I've prepared samples for you."
The little ones looked at one another, completely bewildered. "What's a sample?"
Chen Liqing: "..." He had forgotten these were a bunch of little ones who hadn't even graduated from kindergarten.
Chen Liqing clapped his hands, and several crew members immediately appeared and set some small baskets on the ground.
"These are for you. The things inside are samples. Just find things that look the same as them."
Mi Tu opened her big, innocent eyes wide. "But Uncle, you still haven't told us what a sample is."
Chen Liqing waved a hand. "Never mind the details. Go complete your task now."
He knew perfectly well that answering this question would leave countless more waiting for him, so he chose to fast-forward.
Chaochao hesitated and looked at Chen Liqing. "Can I bring Daddy?"
Chen Liqing immediately refused. "No! This is a task for children."
"But Daddy is a child."
[Exactly! Why can't he bring Chengcheng? Chengcheng is only three. sideways grin.jpg]
[Even four-year-olds can go. What's wrong with being three? (｀へ´)]
"I said no, and that means no."
Chaochao pouted, sticking out his lips with an unhappy expression, before Tongtong pulled him away.