Chapter 244: Pastry Chef

Chapter 244: Chapter 244: Pastry Chef

Surprise was written all over the man’s face.

He’d heard a variety show was filming in the area. The fair-skinned young woman before him was obviously part of the production, perhaps even one of the stars they were filming.

’So these days, even chefs are doing variety shows?’

’Looks like I don’t pay enough attention to the outside world if I didn’t even know that.’

The man’s appearance wasn’t what you’d call approachable.

Quite the opposite, in fact. He was burly, with strong, taut arms and a fleshy face. When he wasn’t smiling, his eyes were full of a menacing glint.

He looked to be in his forties, but it was no exaggeration to say he could probably knock out ten grown men with a single punch.

But Nan Zhi completely ignored the man’s fierce expression, asking with a bright smile:

"Don’t I look like a chef?"

The man shook his head, pondered for a moment with his head down, and asked Nan Zhi:

"Are you a savory chef or a pastry chef? And what cuisine do you specialize in?"

This time, it was Nan Zhi’s turn to be surprised.

’This man is dressed like an ordinary farmer, yet he knows about the culinary world?’

’Then again, it’s not exactly secret knowledge. No need to overreact.’

Nan Zhi quickly hid her surprise, her tone light and a little nonchalant as she replied:

"Both."

The man’s brows knitted together instantly, his tone slightly chiding:

"You’re so young. Why are you so full of empty boasts?"

Nan Zhi looked up again, her eyes crinkling into a smile:

"And how do you know I’m boasting?"

’For all he knows, I might have been underselling myself.’

The man’s frown deepened. He seemed disappointed in Nan Zhi and decided to leave.

Just then, Nan Zhi caught a glimpse of the man’s hands and had a sudden realization:

"So, you’re a pastry chef."

The man froze in his tracks, startled, and whipped his head around.

"How did you know?"

Nan Zhi pointed.

"You have the hands of a pastry chef."

The man lifted his hands, looking them over from left to right, but couldn’t see anything special about them.

Nan Zhi found the man’s puzzled, contemplative expression rather amusing.

"It seems you’re a pretty skilled pastry chef."

The man grew even more baffled.

"You... could tell that, too?"

"That part was a guess. Don’t worry, I’m not a mind reader. Besides, didn’t I just tell you? I’m skilled with both savory and pastry. As a fellow professional, it’s not that strange for me to notice these things, is it?"

Finding herself in a good mood, Nan Zhi offered a few more words of explanation than she normally would.

The man was practically bursting with questions.

Just then, the sound of scurrying footsteps approached.

The man turned his head and saw three short, little mud-people carrying hoes, heading in their direction.

"HSSS."

The man sucked in a sharp breath and immediately took two steps back.

Nan Zhi, who was behind him, had an even more exaggerated reaction, retreating a good two meters away.

Nan Yi, running at the very front, stopped in his tracks and called out forlornly:

"Mama!"

The man looked left and right, then, as if remembering something, glanced back at Nan Zhi.

’Huh? When did she dart over there?’

Nan Zhi’s smile was gentle, but the hand she raised to stop him was anything but:

"Sweetheart, go wash your... hands with Xiao Xi and Xiao Zhang, and then you can come over, okay?"

Nan Zhi really wanted to say "take a bath."

But given where they were, that was a bit difficult.

Nan Yi pressed his lips together tightly, realizing his own mother was grossed out by him, and he was not happy about it.

Qing Xi and Qi Zhang were just two simple, sweet boys, the type who didn’t have a single scheming bone in their bodies combined.

They tilted their heads cluelessly and asked:

"What’s wrong? What’s wrong?"

No explanation from Nan Zhi was needed.

The furious roar that suddenly erupted from Fu Chao, who had just walked over, said it all.

Meanwhile, the viewers in the live-stream chat were roaring with laughter:

[That’s her real mom, alright!]

[Yiyi, you’re still my sweet little baby! But this auntie will have to wait until you’re clean to give you a kiss!]

[The kids look so ridiculous, I have to take a screenshot to remember this moment!]

[Hey, that gives me an idea. When they’re older, I wonder if they’ll pay me to buy these screenshots and erase their embarrassing past?]

[Am I the only one curious about this guy’s identity? Nan Zhi said he’s a pastry chef? Is this one of those "hidden master living in seclusion" tropes?]

[You’ve been reading too many web novels. It’s the spring planting season and everyone is busy. Can’t a guy just be home helping out his family?]

...

Nan Zhi quickly said goodbye to the pastry chef she had run into and led Nan Yi and the others to the nearest house, which belonged to Fu Chao and Qing Xi, to get them cleaned up.

As they walked, Nan Zhi led the way, followed by three chattering little mud ducks.

The main noisemakers, however, were Qing Xi and Qi Zhang.

The two of them, apparently still not having settled their score, were tapping their little hoes together, playing. CLANG! CLANG!

Fu Chao, who was unfortunately closer to them, got splattered with mud.

Fu Chao let out a frustrated roar, nearly chasing after the two little rascals to give them a thrashing!

Compared to them, Nan Yi was much more subdued.

It was just that his lower lip was stuck out in a pout the entire way, so far that you could almost hang a pot from it.

Nan Zhi started to reach out to pat his head, but pulled her hand back halfway.

"Yiyi, don’t you usually find these kinds of games childish?"

Nan Yi huffed but still answered his mother’s question:

"I was just playing with them."

Nan Zhi raised an eyebrow slightly.

’Nan Yi was just "playing with them," and ended up this covered in mud?’

Nan Zhi: "Wasn’t it fun?"

Nan Yi: "...It was fun."

It seemed he couldn’t bring himself to lie to his mother.

Nan Zhi couldn’t help but smile.

Soon, they arrived at Fu Chao’s house.

Nan Zhi had been here twice before, so she was reasonably familiar with the place.

Seeing that Fu Chao and the others were lagging behind, Nan Zhi decided to just push open the courtyard gate herself.

CREAK.

The courtyard gate was pulled open from the inside just before she touched it.

Nan Zhi almost collided head-on with the person.

"Xie... Yu?"

Nan Zhi narrowed her eyes slightly and took half a step back.

Xie Yu froze at first, but when he realized what was happening, he quickly followed suit, backing away to create some distance between them.

"...Sorry."

Nan Zhi shook her head.

’Xie Yu had no idea I was coming, after all.’

Still, she asked, "Isn’t this Fu Chao’s house?"

"Yes, the village chief left some materials at his place and asked me to come pick them up."

Only then did Xie Yu notice the filthy Nan Yi behind Nan Zhi, and his eyes silently asked what had happened.

’Did he fall down?’

Nan Zhi smiled. "He was playing in the mud."

Xie Yu: "Yiyi?"

Even Xie Yu couldn’t believe Nan Yi would do something so childish.

Nan Zhi said helplessly:

"This place was close, so I brought him here for a bath. Are you the only one here?"

Xie Yu stepped to the side, revealing Xie An’an, who had been completely hidden behind him.

Nan Zhi hadn’t seen Xie An’an in two days.

Besides, the last time they’d met, there were too many people around, and the two of them had barely had a chance to speak.

She gave Xie An’an a friendly greeting.

But unexpectedly, Xie An’an’s eyes welled up as she buried her head and rushed into Nan Zhi’s arms, hugging her tightly.

Her voice was muffled and adorably small as she said pitifully:

"Auntie Zhizhi, I missed you so much."

Nan Zhi’s first instinct was to check Nan Yi’s reaction out of the corner of her eye.

Sure enough, he had even clenched his little fists.

Fortunately, the Nan Yi of today had matured quite a bit. He didn’t throw a random tantrum, merely stood to the side with his cheeks puffed out in anger.

Nan Zhi took the opportunity to comfort Xie An’an.