The Little Cafeteria by the School Gate [Gourmet]

As an extreme introvert, Wei Zhouchen finally saved enough "buyout money" in the big city and returned to her small hometown.

She had only wanted to lie flat and live a peaceful life, but there was a human-shaped beagle at home who went out to run wild every day, showing off the delicious food Wei Zhouchen made wherever it went.

It won over a group of kids, and even attracted the adults behind them.

Two days after coming home, Wei Zhouchen sat in the courtyard early one morning, staring at her fingers and trying to figure them out.

Who would believe her fingers could produce water!

Before she could work out what was going on, someone cornered her at home.

Thinking one of the kids had caused trouble again and someone had come to their house to complain, she lowered her head and silently chanted, "You can't see me." She was still trying to figure out how to apologize when the visitor asked, "Do you take children?"

Huh? What?!

"Chenchen, I've watched you grow up. Now that you're back home, you can't just do nothing... Could you open a little lunch place for the kids?"

The neighbor thought of her own child, still throwing tantrums at home, and came to coax Wei Zhouchen into it, feeling rather awkward. Wei Zhouchen somehow agreed before she knew what was happening.

Back in her room, Wei Zhouchen finally got it. This person hadn't come to settle a score, but to bring her a business opportunity. The problem was, she really didn't want to deal with people. (/｡\)

She had planned to turn them down, but then she saw the hopeful look of the little show-off at home, along with a group of children peeking around the entrance.

Fine, she would open it. She only had to cook, right? ⊙_⊙

*

Ever since Chenchen's Little Lunch Place opened...

When teachers kept class past the bell, the elementary school kids' eyes would fill with tears.

The middle schoolers trained themselves to run like the wind so they could get there in time for lunch!

Their homeroom teachers never had to worry about finding the right students for the sports day again.

No need for tryouts. If anyone in the class ate at Chenchen's Little Lunch Place, they were the ones to pick!

The teachers stopped caring about the North Gate too, even though it was closest to home!

Come mealtime, the aroma from the little lunch place was simply irresistible.

They were genuinely afraid they wouldn't be able to stop themselves from walking right inside!

Pine Nut Braised Pork, Tomato and Pork Tenderloin, Crispy Sweet-and-Sour Pork, Fish in Savory Sauce, Oil-Braised Prawns, Dry-Fried Eel Strips...

Rock Sugar Pork, Water Chestnut Cake, Fresh Peach with Mint, Honey-Glazed Gourd...

The ingredients were top-notch, and the owner was a terrific cook.

Every dish at Chenchen's Little Lunch Place kept the children coming back for more.

*

After a while, the people who had once mocked Wei Zhouchen for returning to her hometown smelled the food from the lunch place and fell into thought. Maybe it didn't matter where you were, as long as you had food like this.

The neighbor who had first asked Wei Zhouchen to open the lunch place came back to see her.

This time she got straight to the point instead of beating around the bush. "Do you take adults?"

No! Absolutely not!

Wei Zhouchen shook her head so hard it became a blur.

The neighbor asked again, "Can't you just turn it into a restaurant?"

Wei Zhouchen chose to run away.

"Chenchen's Little Lunch Place served braised pork, tomato and egg stir-fry, sweet-and-sour ribs, and greens for lunch today!"

"Damn it! Can students even appreciate that food?!"

"Dessert was little cakes made by Boss Chenchen."

"Unfair! Why can't I be twenty years younger? Food this good should be enjoyed by us adults!"

A lighthearted slice of life, savoring life's little everyday comforts.

Theme: Sincerity and childlike wonder make life colorful