After serving the food, the children sat in their designated spots, eagerly anticipating the meal. The tallest among them, Zoey, couldn't contain his excitement. He carried his plate back to the table, and as the tantalizing aroma of the sweet and sour sauce wafted into his nose, he couldn't resist. He scooped up a generous portion of the crispy meat with his spoon.
"Yum," Zoey mumbled with a full mouth. The succulent meat, coated in the delectable sweet and sour sauce, was so delicious that he wanted to lick the spoon clean. He accidentally spilled some of the sauce over the edges of his rice, but it didn't matter. He scooped up some rice, now flavored with the rich sauce, and found it even more delicious than the meat itself.
The typically dry and hard rice that they usually had was transformed into a soft and sticky delight. Zoey couldn't help himself as he mixed the meat and rice together, creating a heavenly combination. He couldn't stop eating spoonful after spoonful.
"Miss, this is amazing! I want to eat this meat again tomorrow," Zoey exclaimed, his mouth full.
Meanwhile, the quieter boy, Martin, was enjoying his meal as well. He initially left the meat aside, focusing on the mashed potatoes. Potatoes were Martin's all-time favorite food. Even when cooked with plain water and just a pinch of salt, they were incredibly delicious. Potatoes were like his safety net, something he could always count on.
So for now, he chose to dig into the mashed potatoes. The meat from the boiled water was a bit tough and still stuck in his teeth, so he put it aside temporarily. Martin knew he couldn't go wrong with the comforting potatoes.
Littile Martin wasn't too familiar with mashed potatoes, but he figured there couldn't be much of a difference. He used his spoon to scoop up a small bite of the mashed potatoes, cautiously taking a taste.
How Delicious! The creamy and velvety mashed potatoes melted in his mouth, and he was instantly enchanted by the experience. The brown gravy coating the golden potatoes had infused them with flavor. No chewing was necessary; every bite was an indulgent and lasting sensation.
As for Henry, despite his young age and small size figure. He didn't need anyone to feed him. He used the spoon with precision, relishing each bite. His cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk's as he enjoyed his meal.
While Mia was preparing the meal, she intentionally made extra portions. After serving the four children, there was still half of the food left in the pot. She artistically plated the meal, carefully arranging the rice, mashed potatoes, and beef segments in separate sections of the plate to avoid mixing the flavors. Mia even garnished the plate with a potato flower.
"Mr. Principal, you should give it a try," Mia offered, presenting the well-arranged plate with a warm and genuine smile. Rao observed the children indulging in the delightful meal, their faces radiant with joy. Internally, he felt a tinge of regret but remained resolute in his decision not to partake in such simple pleasures.
He said confidently: "Thanks, but I don't value these appetites."
Rao made his point, implying, "Being swayed by a meal, what will happen when it's time for the battlefield?"
Mia's smile vanished in an instant. The oldest child here is only five years old! Why think about the battlefield already? Can't they just have a perfect childhood?
Mia detested lectures during meals. No matter how delicious the food was, having someone moralize at the table made her lose her appetite.
Henry, who knew Rao's personality quite well, was unafraid of him. The little guy swiftly finished the food on his plate, and with his short legs, he excitedly ran over. The adult dining table was significantly taller than him, so he couldn't reach the tabletop. Instead, he climbed up, sat on Rao's lap, and tried to look as adorable as possible. His dark, pearl-like eyes glistened as he struggled to keep them open. He softly shook Rao's arm with his little hands, saying, "Rao, if you're not eating, can I have your food?"
Rao shot a stern glance at him and replied, "Don't even think about it." He didn't see that the little rascal had just used his charm to persuade Mia to feed him. With a full plate of food and his tummy already bloated, another meal would undoubtedly lead to tears and a request for a belly rub. Rao wasn't about to give himself more trouble.
With nothing else to do inside, Mia sat by the dining hall door, facing outside, her back to the people in the room.
The yellow hair puppy have a very affectionate nature. It ran over with a rope in its mouth and nuzzled against Mia's legs. Roxy watched it curiously, knowing that life in the slums was hard for people, let alone this small thing. Encouraged by Mia's gaze, Roxy walked up to the dog, tentatively extending her hand to touch it.
The puppy is sitting obediently, tilted its head to reach Roxy's hand. Feeling the soft and furry sensation, Roxy's eyes lit up, and she continued petting the dog. The dog, enjoying the attention, lay down lazily and made contented whining noises. Roxy burst into giggles, amused by the dog's reaction.
Inside the house, Rao had cleaned up the dirt from her face and hesitantly picked up a pair of chopsticks. The piece of meat that Henry had stuffed into his mouth earlier, even though he had eaten it in a hurry, had already revealed its deliciousness. The meat was crispy and coated with a rich, thick sauce. It was both crispy and flavorful, with a complex blend of the fragrance of the oil and the sweet and sour taste of the sauce.
Unlike the kids who had no reference point, Henry had tasted many dishes, including those cooked by the self-proclaimed "master chefs" in the capital star. If Rao had to evaluate them, he would say they could only boil everything. Some of these "chefs" prepared dishes that weren't even as good as just eating the ingredients raw.
Rao had once been a young man with dreams of tasting Earth's ancient delicacies, but after enduring the creative experiments of interstellar chefs multiple times, he had finally given up.
But today, Rao decided to give it a try - although the meat was delicious, Rao first picked up his spoon and reached for the meatball seaweed soup that was lying on the side.
According to his observation, Mia's preparation on this dish is simple, and it is boiled, he has to carefully taste the difference - he scoops up a meatball, the meatball is small pink and white, in order to accommodate the children's easy to eat, so Mia makes it into the most suitable shape for mouth.
It was the first time Rao had faced such a small food. He carefully put the meatballs into his mouth, a unique feeling.
Crunchy, thought to be hard meatballs, Rao's teeth had already been ready to chew with full force. Unexpectedly, the tight meatball was easily bitten by the teeth and bounced in the mouth as if it had life, followed by the taste of the meatball itself spreading in the mouth, which immediately activated Rao's taste buds.
Delicious and sweet. Never thought Rao would one day be able to say that about a meat dish.
He scooped up another meatball, this time not swallowing it whole, but studying it in half. The meatballs are tinged with red in the middle, and if he don't look closely, then he will miss it.
Rao suddenly realized, "Added carrots to..... The carrot is sweet, and the meat is white with a fishy meat, the combination of the two, the carrot subtly resolve the smell of the meat, so that the texture of the meatball to a higher level. Rao couldn't resist picking up his spoon, and gobbling it down.
Rao couldn't help but pick up the spoon and devour it one bite after another.
The minced meat is mixed with carrots and made into meatballs, and the seaweed in the soup is added to enhance the freshness. The whole bowl of soup makes people want to stop eating. The more he eat, the more he wants to eat.
After a bowl of soup, his stomach felt warm. Rao's taste buds were completely opened and his eyes turned to other dishes. The hand-mashed mashed potatoes taste soft but still have the grainy texture of potatoes. Together with the gravy, they have a milky and meaty taste. The meatballs are crispy, sour and sweet, which is just right for children. There is also meatball soup with sesame oil. The meatballs are chewy and the soup is delicious. There is both meat and soup. Not to mention how comfortable this meal is.
Considering the beauty of the plate, Mia didn't serve a lot of rice to Rao, but it was enough for an adult. However, when Mia finally heard the sound of bowls and chopsticks being put down behind her, and turned around to come in, she realized that the remaining rice and vegetables and half a pot of soup had all disappeared. The children ate one by one with their bellies bulging, but no matter how hard they tried, they obviously couldn't eat more. Unexpectedly, the principal actually took advantage of back to eat, but this also proves that her food has been recognized.
Mia sat across from Rao anxiously...
