Chapter 406: Chapter 374: I Treated You as a Good Colleague, but You Used Me as a Tool

The hands of time slightly turn back, and the sunlight gently falls like fine threads on the corridor of the Dorami Kindergarten office building.

Chu Qiweng immediately spots a stunning figure from behind.

Seeing the somewhat hurried silhouette, she couldn’t help but curiously call out, "Manager Liu, where are you going?"

As soon as she spoke,

she felt her question was a bit silly—wasn’t this the time just after the lunch bell rang?

So...

Manager Liu was likely heading to the kitchen...

Liu Suyu heard her call, turned around with a hint of embarrassment from being caught, but soon regained her composure, "Oh, Chu Accountant. I was just heading to the kitchen to check things out, to lend Chef Huang a hand, mainly because I’m worried he might be overwhelmed."

Seeing through it all, Chu Qiweng smirked knowingly and directly pointed out, "Manager Liu, are you going to help? Clearly, you want to sneak into the kitchen to eat early! I’m too embarrassed to expose you directly!"

Liu Suyu: "(￣^￣゜) Awkward"

Her pretty face maintained its signature cold look, but her lips curled up into a helpless smile, "Hey, let’s not expose each other, we’re still good colleagues!"

Saying that, she leaned closer to Chu Qiweng, leaning her entire upper body on her, staring closely into her eyes, "But honestly, don’t you also want to sneak into the kitchen to eat? Don’t think I don’t know!"

Chu Qiweng: "..."

Manager Liu, we’re in the same boat, don’t laugh at me for doing what you’d do!

She put on an awkward yet polite smile and said, "Alright then, since you put it that way, let’s go ’help’ together."

She deliberately emphasized the word "help," drawing the tone out long.

Liu Suyu stroked her chin, showing a knowing expression, and then wordlessly reached a tacit understanding with her, "Yes, help..."

"Let’s go, let’s help Chef Huang in the kitchen..."

Chu Qiweng said as she pulled Liu Suyu’s hand, running towards the staircase, forcing Liu Suyu to almost not keep up, her chest rising and falling dramatically, as if her shirt buttons might pop open under the sudden intense fluctuation.

"Slow down..."

Liu Suyu said as she reached out to protect her chest, trying to steady her breathing while preventing any accidents.

Unfortunately.

Her words were ignored.

When they finally reached the kitchen door, Chu Qiweng slowed down, giving Liu Suyu a chance to catch her breath.

But her chest heaved even more! 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

In the kitchen.

Huang Jun’s white fungus pumpkin dumplings were already simmered, and the rich aroma filled the air, making Liu Suyu and Chu Qiweng salivate before they even saw the dish, unable to suppress their craving for the upcoming delicacy.

"Smells so good!"

Chu Qiweng’s eyes lit up instantly, pulling Liu Suyu to dive into the workstation.

"Wait a minute! Wash your hands first!"

Liu Suyu pulled her back, reminding her of the necessary kitchen procedures.

"Alright!"

Chu Qiweng obediently followed, and they both washed and disinfected their hands, then stepped into the steamy and fragrant workspace, politely calling out, "Chef Huang!"

Upon hearing the voice and footsteps, Huang Jun immediately knew who was coming and understood their purpose.

Without looking up, he greeted, "Manager Liu, Accountant Chu, you’re here..."

Aunt Li and the others also seemed to understand, nodding at them in greeting without saying anything.

"Yeah, Chef Huang, Accountant Chu said she wanted to see if you needed any help." Liu Suyu tucked away the stray hair on her ear, smiling faintly,

Chu Qiweng: "..."

Oh my~

I thought you were a good colleague, but you’ve made me your scapegoat.

Clearly, you wanted to come help first, and now it’s me being proactive?

Is this how you treat colleagues?

Chu Qiweng pinched Liu Suyu’s waist gently.

If it weren’t for Huang Jun and the others being present, Liu Suyu would definitely pinch back in the next moment, but for the sake of appearances, she had to hold back and return a "you just wait and see" look.

Huang Jun watched the interaction between the two teachers and couldn’t help but laugh, "I’ve already finished everything, no help needed. Since you’re here, you might as well try my white fungus pumpkin dumplings!"

Before serving, Huang Jun sprinkled some dried osmanthus, the little gold spots not only adding a touch of elegance to the dessert but also bringing a hint of fresh osmanthus fragrance.

He then picked up a spoon, serving bowls of white fungus pumpkin dumplings, handing them to Chu Qiweng and Liu Suyu.

"Thank you, Chef Huang!"

The two of them accepted the bowls with smiles, thanking in unison.

Inside the bowls, the silver ear was as white as snow, casually spread out at the bottom, its crystal-clear gel subtly rippling, like thin clouds floating on a golden ocean.

Above the silver ear soup, floated plump, round pumpkin dumplings, their tempting orange-yellow color and uniform size resembled stars dotting the night sky.

The surfaces of the dumplings were smooth and delicate, exuding the natural sweetness of pumpkin, each one shining temptingly.

Wolfberries were scattered between the pumpkin dumplings and the silver ear, adding a lively touch of red to this dessert, like precious gems set in amber, shining brilliantly and adding a rich layer to the visual experience.

The sprinkle of dried osmanthus was the finishing touch, scattered like stars over the dessert, not only adding a hint of fresh osmanthus fragrance but also bringing a breath of autumn and poetry to the silver ear pumpkin dumplings.

"Then I’ll start eating~"

Chu Qiweng scooped up a spoonful of silver ear pumpkin dumpling soup, gently blowing to cool it before taking a small sip.

As her tongue first touched the warm broth, the silky smooth silver ear immediately slid into her mouth, its texture as smooth and delicate as tasting flakes of light clouds, dancing lightly on the tongue, leaving a faint sweetness.

This texture was both soft and elastic, making it irresistible, bite after bite.

The pumpkin dumplings offered a different flavor, the outer layer carefully cooked to have a slight chew, yet the inside was soft and delicate, filled with the natural sweetness of pumpkin and the light fragrance of lotus root powder.

The key was, they didn’t stick to the teeth at all, and were very chewy and bouncy.

With each bite, the rich pumpkin flavor spread in the mouth, perfectly balancing the subtlety of the silver ear.

The wolfberries in the soup didn’t just add a natural sweetness but also brought a subtle chewiness, enriching the entire dessert’s texture.

The addition of dried osmanthus brought a hint of autumn freshness in terms of taste, its fragrance elegant and lingering, creating a sense of romanticism like osmanthus petals falling when tasted.

Overall, the texture of the silver ear pumpkin dumplings was rich and layered, with the smoothness of the silver ear, the softness of the pumpkin, the sweetness of the wolfberries, and the fragrance of the osmanthus, woven together to create a warm and fulfilling taste experience.

While enjoying this delicacy, Chu Qiweng also felt deep happiness and joy.

With one bite, it...

Moistens the lungs, reduces dryness, and feels so soothingly warm in the stomach!

She couldn’t help but praise it: "These pumpkin dumplings are just amazing! The outer layer is slightly bouncy, yet the inside is so soft, the sweetness of the pumpkin and the smoothness of the silver ear blend perfectly, making each bite a delight!"

Liu Suyu savored each flavor in the soup carefully and then nodded with a satisfied smile, agreeing: "Yes, these silver ear pumpkin dumplings don’t just taste wonderful, their texture is also exceptional. The silky silver ear and soft pumpkin complement each other perfectly, along with the wolfberry garnish and the scent of dried osmanthus, it’s simply a treat for the taste buds."

Qian Guoxiang was also moved by the deliciousness of this dessert, laughing, "It’s indeed tasty, sweet but not cloying, fragrant but not overpowering, really just right. Even I, who generally don’t like sweet soups, have been won over by these silver ear pumpkin dumplings."

Aunt Lin chimed in: "Yes, the sweetness level is just right too, it doesn’t make one feel overly sweet at all."

"Chef Huang’s dishes are never bad!" Aunt Li said with a happy grin, "What do they say again, Chef Huang’s production, that means it’s... Oh, right, it must be a masterpiece..."

"Right, right, Aunt Li is absolutely right, Chef Huang’s dishes are always masterpieces," Chu Qiweng responded jokingly with a smile: "I didn’t expect you to be such a pro at surfing online, Aunt Li, you’re quite familiar with internet slang!"

"Of course, I may be old, but I can’t fall behind, I also strive to learn, can’t be abandoned by the times, otherwise, there’d be a gap between me and you young folks."

For a moment...

The whole kitchen was filled with praise for the silver ear pumpkin dumplings, as well as light-hearted laughter.

Huang Jun, hearing all these compliments, could barely contain his smile.

Just then...

Wang Wenxia and several other childcare teachers came over, the moment they entered and saw Liu Suyu and others already holding bowls and eating happily.

Oh!

The "sneak eating squad" has expanded again...

But, envy!

Being childcare teachers, though they can come to the kitchen to prepare meals earlier, they rarely have the chance to enjoy the food beforehand, always having to wait until the little ones have eaten before they can dine at ease.

So every time they saw Aunt Li and the others sneaking bites, how could they not be envious?

Of course, although envious, they didn’t show it, but instead wore expressions of calm indifference, habitually asking Aunt Li and Aunt Lin, "Aunt Li, Aunt Lin, are our snacks ready?"

Aunt Li and Aunt Lin quickly responded, "Of course, it’s ready, we’ll bring it to you right away."

While answering, they couldn’t help but sneak another taste of the silver ear pumpkin dumplings, afraid of missing any opportunity to savor the delicacy.

Wang Wenxia smiled wryly and then they all took their class’s snacks back to the classroom.

"Wow! So many golden spheres!"

"Wow... It even has the fragrance of osmanthus!"

"..."

When the snacks were brought in, children from both the junior and senior classes couldn’t help but utter exclamations of excitement, appearing exceptionally thrilled.

With the snacks in hand, the kids couldn’t wait to pick up their small spoons, carefully scooping up the enticing silver ear pumpkin dumplings, and began to eat.

The silver ear soup was cooked just right, smooth and silky, gliding like silk across the tongue; while the dumplings were bouncy and soft, chewy yet non-sticky.

"So yummy~"

The children’s cheerful laughter echoed in the classroom, filled with a sense of contentment and happiness...