Daddy's Gourmet Shop-Chapter 273 - 264: The Little Mole’s Potato (Happy New Year!)

Chapter 273: Chapter 264: The Little Mole’s Potato (Happy New Year!)

It’s late at night.

A full moon hangs high in the night sky.

After Huang Tao took a refreshing hot bath in the bathroom, he changed into a clean set of pajamas and returned to the bedroom.

When he came in, he saw that Xuanxuan, who had finished washing up earlier, was not obediently asleep as agreed, but was barefoot, holding a plush Peppa Pig, stepping all over the big bed!

"Daddy~"

Upon seeing Huang Tao, Xuanxuan immediately tossed her beloved plush Peppa Pig to the side and leaped directly from the bed towards Huang Tao.

Huang Tao quickly opened his arms to catch her, then hugged her and sat on the edge of the bed, smiling as he asked, "Why aren’t you asleep yet?"

"I’m waiting to sleep with you, Daddy~"

She tilted her little head, her eyes shining brightly as she gazed up, looking truly adorable.

Huang Tao helplessly tapped her little nose, knowing her trick but not exposing it: "Oh, you, you~"

Xuanxuan’s little nose scrunched up: "Daddy, are you tired?"

"Not tired."

He smiled: "Why do you ask?"

"I want to hear a story from you, Daddy."

A sweet smile spread across Xuanxuan’s face as she shyly asked in a childish voice, "Can I? Daddy~"

"Of course! I’ll tell you a new picture book story in a bit."

Huang Tao nodded and smiled: "But Xuanxuan, you need to lie down properly first!"

"Okay! Xuanxuan will lie down properly!"

Xuanxuan nodded like a little chick pecking at rice, quickly stood up, hugged the plush Peppa Pig with one hand, and swiftly burrowed into her own big duvet, eagerly watching her dad.

He extended his hand to help tuck her in snugly.

Then lying down beside her, he picked up a recently bought picture book, speaking softly: "Underground, there’s a little wandering mole, and for wanderers, it feels like they possess the whole world, yet also like they have nothing. Moles live by constantly digging tunnels underground, searching for all sorts of treasures, but the little mole is never lucky, finding nothing at all..."

That’s right.

The new picture book story Huang Tao was telling Xuanxuan was "The Little Mole’s Potato."

The story carries a meaningful message.

Xuanxuan seemed to really like this picture book story!

She was completely engrossed in the story’s content.

When the little girl heard about the little mole digging up a potato, her little eyes showed a trace of delight.

And when she heard of the little mole cleaning the potato only to suddenly hear a rumbling of footsteps approaching, a large group of beetles rushing over, she was full of worry and tension.

She even reached for her dad’s hand, anxiously and uneasily saying, "No, no, Xuanxuan doesn’t want the beetles to eat the little mole’s potato."

"My darling! Don’t worry, the little mole is still there!"

Huang Tao gently patted his daughter’s little head, comforting her: "You see, the little mole stays next to the potato every day, watering it many times, loosening the soil, and even at night, he can’t help but turn the lights off and on to watch over the potato, so how could he let the beetles eat his beloved potato?"

Realizing the little potato wouldn’t be eaten, she breathed a sigh of relief, and under the tension, the little one’s spirit grew a bit weary!

Yet she still asked with a hint of concern, "Daddy, is the little mole able to protect the potato?"

He nodded assuredly: "Of course he can!"

"How does the little mole protect it?"

Xuanxuan blinked her eyes full of curiosity: "He’s just one, and there are so many beetles!"

She finished, holding up one finger to indicate the little mole, and then spreading her arms wide to indicate a large group of beetles.

Huang Tao laughingly placed her little hand back under the blanket, continuing with lively narration: ""Get away! That’s my potato!" the little mole shouted. But the beetles didn’t listen at all. They seemed like a bunch of mindless gnawing machines, rushing forward relentlessly."

"The little mole picked up a shovel to fight bravely like a farmer protecting his field."

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

"The beetles’ heads were really tough! Even the shovel cracked a little, but the little mole kept fiercely fighting."

"After a fierce battle, the beetles finally scurried away."

"Still not convinced, the little mole decided to build a big wall to protect his potato."

At this point, Xuanxuan fully relaxed and smiled wide: "Wow, the little mole is so brave, just by himself he chased away a whole lot of beetles~"

He responded with a smile: "Indeed, very brave."

Xuanxuan looked forward eagerly: "Daddy, keep telling the story..."

"Aren’t you sleepy yet?"

Huang Tao asked softly.

This picture book was quite thick, and he initially intended to finish reading it to Xuanxuan over two nights.

But looking at this little girl’s enthusiasm, it seemed she wouldn’t want to sleep until the story was finished.

Alright then!

He could only speed up a bit to finish sooner and rest earlier.

With a faster pace, he continued to narrate emotionally: "The little potato finally grew up safely, making the little mole very happy. He said loudly, "Alright! Now I can invite the mole lady to see it!""

Xuanxuan listened with great interest, holding her plush Peppa tightly.

The corners of her mouth also turned upwards in delight.

But when she heard the little mole’s potato was rejected by the mole lady and laughed at by other moles, her expression grew sorrowful.

When she later heard the potato was actually grown by a farmer, not the little mole, she hugged her plush Peppa tightly and said sadly, "So, doesn’t the little mole end up with nothing?"

The ending wasn’t a happy one!

No wonder the little girl felt sad.

"Yes."

Huang Tao nodded and explained as simply and clearly as possible: "Not every effort achieves a dream! But effort always brings happiness!"

"You see, during his time with the potato, he found companionship and joy, and because of the potato, he experienced sunshine, flowers, trees he had never seen before..."

Xuanxuan hugged her plush Peppa Pig tightly, blinking her big eyes, looking half-understanding.

After a while.

She spoke: "Daddy, if the little mole feels lonely or sad in the future, he should come above ground to see flowers, see the sunshine, look at the trees, and he wouldn’t feel bad anymore."

"The mole must have thought so too, which is why he didn’t cry then."

Huang Tao smiled, stroked her head, then kissed her on the forehead, saying, "It’s late, go to sleep now!"

"Goodnight, Daddy~"

"Goodnight, sweetheart."

Huang Tao reached out to turn off the light, then, through the blanket, held the little girl in his arms.

Embraced by her father, Xuanxuan felt warmth and safety, gradually breathed evenly, and fell into a deep sleep.