Chapter 30: Cooking
On the other end of the phone, Tan Feng answered, “President Gu, I was just about to call you.”
“Found it. Your guess was exactly right; the ones following your car last night were President Gu Xinglin’s people.”
Gu Xinglan gave a snorting laugh after hearing this.
“Good.”
Hanging up this call, he dialed his personal bodyguard, Xiao Han.
“Keep a close eye on Gu Xinglin’s side these next two days. He will definitely make a move.”
“Yes, President Gu.”
After Qin Wan washed up in the bedroom, Uncle Wang walked in and said breakfast was ready, inviting him downstairs to eat.
After tossing and turning all night, Qin Wan was indeed hungry.
Going downstairs to the dining room, he was immediately captivated by the complex aromas wafting from the kitchen.
He twitched his nose and licked his lips.
“Shrimp dumplings, Tingzai porridge, pineapple buns…” he muttered.
He had eaten these things when he stayed at the mountain villa a few days ago.
He could identify them with one sniff.
At this time, Auntie Zhang beckoned two maids to bring the breakfast to the table one by one.
Auntie Zhang said with a chuckle, “Little Mr. Qin, your nose is really sharp!”
As she spoke, she and the maids placed the shrimp dumplings, Tingzai porridge, pineapple buns, and so on, onto the table.
Qin Wan grinned, a small pear vortex appearing at the corner of his left lip.
Exceptionally playful and cute.
Qin Wan’s sense of smell and taste had probably been trained by helping in the kitchen since he was very young.
At that time, he was only six or seven, just slightly taller than the kitchen counter, when Mrs. Sheng required him to help in the kitchen every day.
Euphemistically called “exercising his labor skills.”
The servants in the Sheng family kitchen were fiercer than the last. If little Qin Wan didn’t do well, he would get slapped.
So Qin Wan worked cautiously, inadvertently honing his cooking skills to perfection.
Especially his sensitivity to the taste of food, which was beyond ordinary people.
So, having eaten it only once, he could smell the white truffle in the ginseng soup.
He could also smell the contents of this rich breakfast.
Watching Auntie Zhang and the others busy, Qin Wan felt that the servants in Gu Xinglan’s house were all very nice.
Uncle Wang, Auntie Zhang, were all kind people.
They never made things difficult or discriminated against him because of his awkward status.
“Thank you, Auntie Zhang.” Qin Wan thanked her politely. “If I’m eating alone, actually, there’s no need to make so much.”
Auntie Zhang smiled and waved her hand. “It was the Young Master’s order.”
Qin Wan pursed his lips and gave a microscopic nod.
After breakfast, Uncle Wang walked over.
He told him that Gu Xinglan said he could play anywhere inside the villa.
Qin Wan felt that this understanding old uncle must have been protecting his dignity, too embarrassed to convey the second half of Gu Xinglan’s sentence.
That psycho definitely said, “Not allowed to go out.”
Qin Wan nodded.
“Okay, I won’t go out; don’t worry.”
Uncle Wang paused slightly.
His Young Master had indeed instructed that Qin Wan was not allowed to go out.
Of course, there were many private guards in the yard outside; he couldn’t get out even if he wanted to.
But he still didn’t say it directly.
And Qin Wan’s obedience and sensibility exceeded his expectations, and he couldn’t help but feel a little heartache.
An eighteen or nineteen-year-old boy, in the prime of his youth. With his Young Master imprisoning this child like this, what good result could come of it?
“Little Mr. Qin, the small building in the back has various activity rooms inside. You can play billiards, swim, watch movies, play games, indoor golf, and so on.”
Uncle Wang said.
Hearing about that small building, Qin Wan instinctively shrank back, his brain recalling that terrifying “Reflection Room” again.
He wouldn’t go.
Avoiding it wasn’t enough.
Had to stay far away.
After Uncle Wang finished speaking, he nodded and left the dining room.
Qin Wan went back to the upstairs bedroom.
Those two little yellow books were placed in the most conspicuous position on the table.
Obviously, Gu Xinglan had deliberately put them there before leaving.
Qin Wan didn’t want to look at them at all.
But thinking of Gu Xinglan’s threatening words, he sighed again.
He said he would check when he came back tonight.
If he hadn’t made any progress at all, who knew if he would go crazy again?
Qin Wan braced himself and opened one of them, flipping through a few pages.
For some reason, as he watched, he couldn’t suppress the memory of being kissed by Gu Xinglan in his mind.
His breathing stagnated in waves.
He could even faintly smell the faint ebony scent permeating him.
Qin Wan frowned.
It seemed the psychological shadow Gu Xinglan left on him was too great.
Annoyed, he threw the book aside again.
Cooped up in the room all morning, when it was time for lunch, he had no appetite at all.
Looking at the food on the dining table, Qin Wan counted: eight dishes and one soup, plus two desserts.
“Auntie Zhang, no need to make so much food; it’s a waste if I can’t finish it,” he said.
Auntie Zhang smiled and shook her head. “These are the Young Master’s orders; how dare we give a discount!”
“The Young Master said he doesn’t know yet what Little Mr. Qin likes to eat and what he doesn’t, so we have to explore slowly.”
Qin Wan pursed his lips. “Auntie Zhang, I’m not a picky eater; I like to eat everything.”
“So in the future, when I’m eating alone at home, you only need to make two dishes; that’s enough.”
“It won’t be wasteful, and it saves you hard work.”
Looking at Qin Wan’s sincere little face, Auntie Zhang felt that although this child wasn’t old, he was very sensible and likable.
No wonder her Young Master, who had remained unenlightened for years, was moved by him.
At a little past 5:00 PM, Qin Wan went downstairs and ran into the kitchen.
“Auntie Zhang, Mr. Gu isn’t coming back to eat tonight, just heat up the leftovers from noon…”
Halfway through his sentence, he saw that the kitchen counter was already filled with various main dishes and side dishes.
Uh, still too late.
Auntie Zhang was all smiles. “Little Mr. Qin, look at what you’re saying. How could we let you eat leftovers!”
Qin Wan was a bit embarrassed. “Auntie Zhang, then, I’ll cook with you. Later, let’s call Uncle Wang and eat together, okay?”
As he spoke, his eyes curved, looking at Auntie Zhang.
Uncle Wang walked in at this time.
“That won’t do, Little Mr. Qin. Neither of these two things will do.”
Qin Wan puffed out his cheeks slightly, then smiled.
“Uncle Wang, you don’t know, I’ve known how to cook since I was little. How about tasting my craft?”
“I was cooped up upstairs all day, a bit bored. Just let me play here for a while, okay?”
Uncle Wang: “But the kitchen isn’t a fun place!”
Qin Wan smiled with narrowed eyes. “I really like cooking; liking it makes it fun.”
Uncle Wang rubbed his chin.
He knew Qin Wan hadn’t left his room all day except to eat.
But he didn’t know why he didn’t go to the yard or the recreation area to play.
Seeing his eyes full of longing, Uncle Wang thought for a moment and nodded.
“Then I’ll tell the Young Master.”
Qin Wan smiled. “Mn!”
Uncle Wang sent a message to Gu Xinglan.
“Little Mr. Qin says he’s bored stiff and wants to cook in the kitchen.”
Uncle Wang had his own little calculation.
He knew Gu Xinglan took a long time to reply to messages every time, sometimes waiting for hours.
By then, Qin Wan would be mostly done cooking and would have had his fun. Even if the Young Master disagreed, just asking him to leave then would be fine.
He would be absolved of responsibility and satisfy Qin Wan’s small wish.
Unexpectedly, just as the message was sent, Gu Xinglan’s reply popped up.
Almost an instant reply.
“Approved, but tell him to pay attention to safety. Don’t cut his hand, and don’t get scalded by hot oil.”
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