Chapter 308: Concerns Dispelled, Full Of Confidence For The Future!
Twelve noon.
Bright and clear sunlight streamed through the polished glass windows, landing on the brand-new, large round dining table in the center of Lin Ranran’s living room.
The table was personally selected by Lin Ranran and her mother, Zhao Huilan, who took a taxi to the furniture store near their residential area early this morning.
Mother Yuan, Zhao Huilan, also carefully laid out a festive red tablecloth.
Clearly, Lin Ranran’s family was taking the visit of Jiang Tao’s parents very seriously today.
At this moment, this large round table was almost completely covered with various types of clay pots.
The matte black clay pots were bubbling with steam.
The entire house was filled with the mixed aroma of various ingredients.
The boiled sliced pork in hot chili oil clay pot was a rich red sauce, sprinkled with chopped scallions and crispy fried dried chili peppers.
The stewed beef brisket with tomatoes had a bright red soup, and the beef chunks were stewed to a tender softness, making one’s index finger twitch with desire just by looking at it.
The stewed chicken with mushrooms used authentic wild mushrooms, the chicken meat was golden, and the mushrooms had absorbed the soup.
The shrimp with garlic and vermicelli was exquisitely plated, with the butterflied shrimp arranged in a neat circle, and the garlicky aroma was enticing.
The clay pot sole slices were snow-white, submerged in golden sour soup, topped with a few bright red pickled chilies and tender green cilantro leaves.
In total, there were twenty-eight dishes, covering almost all the clay pot flavors from all over the country.
Steaming hot and colorful, it was like a small clay pot exhibition.
Yuan Mengjie, wearing an apron, was coming out of the kitchen with the last dish, a clay pot of cabbage and tofu soup.
He carefully placed the tofu soup on the last empty spot on the table, which had a small wooden board for heat protection.
“Brother Jiang, Sister, Uncle and Aunt, you can all come and take your seats.”
Yuan Mengjie looked at the few people chatting on the sofa in the living room and smiled, inviting everyone to be seated at the dining table.
“Uncle and Aunt, let’s sit over there and try my younger brother’s cooking.”
Lin Ranran smiled charmingly as she beckoned Jiang’s Dad and Mom, leading them to sit at the dining table.
Ordinary families don’t pay much attention to the hierarchy of seating.
Moreover, Lin Ranran rarely attended such gatherings and didn’t understand those superficial customs, so she didn’t specifically arrange for Jiang Wen to take the main seat or anything like that.
“Uncle, Aunt, please sit down, don’t be so polite! They are all home-style dishes, I don’t know if they suit your taste.”
Since meeting Jiang’s Dad and Mom, Lin Ranran had maintained an appropriate, warm smile on her face.
While inviting them, she personally pulled out chairs for Jiang’s Dad and Mom.
Her movements were nimble and her tone was warm; her attentiveness clearly showed the skills she had honed during her time as a real estate salesperson.
All of this was now being applied to entertaining her future in-laws.
Jiang Wen looked at the table laden with a dazzling array of clay pots and nodded repeatedly with satisfaction:
“Little Yuan, this table is too generous today! Xiao Jie, Ran Ran, you two must have worked very hard, busy all morning?”
Jiang Wen’s gaze fell on Yuan Mengjie and Lin Ranran, who were still wearing aprons, and he was very pleased with these two young people.
“No trouble, no trouble. It’s Uncle and Aunt’s first time at our house, so of course we have to show our utmost sincerity in entertaining you both.”
Yuan Mengjie smiled sheepishly and scratched his head. Meeting his Brother Jiang’s parents for the first time made him as nervous as his sister.
Although the relationship between Lin Ranran and Jiang Tao had not been explicitly stated, everyone understood without saying it, and it was an open secret.
Yuan Mengjie was also worried that his sister might not be approved by Jiang’s Dad and Mom, leading to a series of undesirable outcomes.
However, judging from the performance of Jiang’s Dad and Mom so far, they didn’t seem to have any dissatisfaction with his sister.
Tian Xiaomei, upon learning the exact nature of her son’s relationship with Lin Ranran, found her mood was not as pleasant as when she first arrived.
Although she didn’t dislike Lin Ranran, she still had some reservations about her.
However, out of consideration for her son’s feelings, she suppressed her emotions and did not show them on her face.
“Auntie, please sit here. I heard Tao Ge say you have back problems, so I prepared a cushion for you.”
Lin Ranran seemed not to notice Tian Xiaomei’s subtle scrutiny, and smilingly helped her to a chair with a cushion.
“Little Yuan, you’ve put a lot of thought into this.”
Facing Lin Ranran’s thoughtfulness and warmth, Tian Xiaomei couldn’t maintain a cold demeanor, and her expression softened considerably.
“Uncle and Aunt are our most honored guests, so naturally we must entertain you with care. If there’s any lack of hospitality, Auntie, please feel free to say so.”
Lin Ranran maintained her extremely enthusiastic smile, and her words helped to lessen Tian Xiaomei’s prejudice against her.
After settling Tian Xiaomei, Lin Ranran continued to attend to Jiang Wen:
“Uncle, what would you like to drink? My brother has prepared beer, baijiu, and red wine. Whatever you like.”
Jiang Wen smiled and said, “Just a bit of beer is fine, thank you for all your trouble.”
“No trouble at all, no trouble at all. We wish you and Auntie would come every day.”
Lin Ranran said with a smile, subtly gesturing to Yuan Mengjie to get the beer.
“Tao Ge, Mom, Ran Ran, everyone, please sit down.”
“Okay.”
“I’ll get everyone some drinks.”
Lin Ranran turned to get the drinks, while Jiang Tao and the others pulled out their chairs and sat down.
Soon, Yuan Mengjie and Lin Ranran came out of the kitchen together.
Yuan Mengjie was carrying a case of beer, and Lin Ranran was carrying two large jugs of freshly squeezed fruit juice.
Everyone was drinking, some drinking beer, some drinking fruit juice, and their cups were all full.
“To the first toast, let’s raise our glasses together to Uncle and Aunt, welcoming you to our home.”
Lin Ranran raised her glass with a smile, looking at Jiang’s Dad and Mom with a respectful expression.
“Welcome, Uncle and Aunt.”
“Welcome, Uncle and Aunt.”
“Welcome, Parents.”
“Hahaha…”
Jiang Tao also joined in welcoming his parents, causing everyone to burst into laughter, and the atmosphere in the room instantly became even more lively.
“This whole table of clay pots, just looking at them makes me know they’re delicious. I’ll try this beef first.”
After a simple welcome ceremony, Jiang Wen was the first to pick up his chopsticks, take a piece of the stewed beef brisket, and put it in his mouth.
He chewed carefully, and his eyes immediately lit up.
The flavor of this stewed beef brisket with tomatoes exceeded his imagination!
“Delicious! Tender! Flavorful! Xiao Jie, your cooking skills are excellent! It’s no worse than what they serve in those five-star restaurants outside!”
Jiang Wen swallowed the piece of beef brisket and, with a look of delight, gave Yuan Mengjie a thumbs-up, praising him generously.
Yuan Mengjie’s years of culinary skill, plus the enhancement of flavor from the delicious clay pot.
As Jiang Wen said, the quality of this clay pot stewed beef brisket with tomatoes was even superior to those stewed beef brisket with tomatoes in five-star hotels that cost hundreds of yuan.
“Thank you for your compliment, Uncle. If it weren’t for Tao Ge’s clay pot, the taste would be much worse.”
Yuan Mengjie was very clear about his own cooking abilities and did not become arrogant.
“Clay pot?”
Jiang Wen looked curiously at the matte black clay pot in front of him, his eyes full of curiosity.
“Mom and Dad, this isn’t just any ordinary clay pot.”
“It was developed by a friend of mine at a cost of tens of millions in research and development funds. It can bring out the maximum flavor of food.”
“In the future, all our Jiang’s Delicious Claypot Restaurant branches will use this type of clay pot.”
Jiang Tao said this seriously while eating the spicy and fragrant boiled sliced pork, talking nonsense with a straight face.
“So that’s how it is…”
After hearing his son’s explanation, Jiang Wen’s face showed a look of understanding, but he did not delve into the matter or ask any unnecessary questions.
While everyone was chatting, Tian Xiaomei also primly picked up a strand of vermicelli from the shrimp with garlic and vermicelli.
Enhanced by the delicious clay pot, the vermicelli, having absorbed the garlic and shrimp flavors, was smooth and delicious.
Although Tian Xiaomei didn’t say anything, the surprise and approval in her eyes were undeniable.
She then picked up another piece of sole fish next to it. It was sour, spicy, and fragrant, extremely appetizing.
Since coming to Beijing with her son and daughter-in-law, Tian Xiaomei had gained a lot of experience and eaten many delicacies she had never dared to imagine before.
She had been to many five-star restaurants.
But the shrimp with garlic and vermicelli and the sole fish she ate today were among the best she had ever tasted.
“Auntie, please try this stewed chicken with mushrooms. Xiao Jie bought this free-range chicken from the market and it was slaughtered on the spot. All the ingredients are good.”
Lin Ranran thoughtfully ladled a spoonful into Tian Xiaomei’s bowl. The soup was rich, the meat was tender, and the mushroom’s flavor had completely infused the soup.
Tian Xiaomei took a sip and finally couldn’t help but nod: “Mmm, it’s quite authentic. Both the chicken and mushrooms are very fragrant.”
After receiving Tian Xiaomei’s affirmation, Lin Ranran felt relieved and smiled with a simple honesty:
“I’m glad you like it, Auntie! Uncle, please try this boiled sliced pork. Xiao Jie made it according to Sichuan cuisine methods, but we reduced the spiciness a bit. I don’t know if you can handle it.”
“Okay, I was just wanting to try that.”
Jiang Wen said, extending his chopsticks to pick up a piece of meat that looked mouth-watering, blew on it, and then swallowed it in one bite.
“Mmm, it’s delicious, spicy, fragrant, and the taste is really good!”
After finishing the boiled sliced pork, Jiang Wen once again gave Yuan Mengjie a thumbs-up, sincerely praising him.
Seeing this harmonious scene, Jiang Tao felt much more at ease.
He helped himself to a bowl of stewed beef brisket with tomatoes soup and drank it with loud slurps.
The atmosphere at the table gradually became more lively.
Lin Ranran didn’t waste the verbal skills she had honed as a real estate salesperson, smoothly transitioning from one warm topic to another, ensuring the conversation never lulled.
Sometimes she praised Jiang Dad for raising Jiang Tao so well, enabling his current achievements.
Other times she complimented Jiang Mom’s elegant demeanor, saying she must have been a great beauty in her youth.
People like to hear nice things and be flattered.
Jiang’s Dad and Mom were so delighted by Lin Ranran’s compliments that their good impression of her soared.
“Auntie, your skin is so good! How do you usually maintain it? You look younger than me.”
As they chatted, the conversation turned to Tian Xiaomei’s skin.
Since she started using the whitening face mask that Jiang Tao gave her a few days ago, the effects had been very significant.
While whitening her skin, it also became much softer, making her look like she had aged ten years.
Lin Ranran was not the only one who complimented Tian Xiaomei on looking young.
Her current condition was much better than when she first arrived in Beijing.
No one would guess she was a sixty-something-year-old woman from the countryside; she looked at most forty-something.
“Hahaha, Little Yuan, you’re exaggerating! Your skin is better, being young.”
Tian Xiaomei was overjoyed by Lin Ranran’s compliment, and her reservations about her lessened considerably.
The meal concluded with an atmosphere that was far more harmonious than expected, thanks to Lin Ranran’s warm interactions.
Most of the clay pots on the table were nearly empty. Jiang Wen ate until he was sweating and fully satisfied, praising Yuan Mengjie’s cooking skills.
At the same time, after the old couple personally tasted the delicious clay pot dishes, they felt more confident about opening a restaurant, with no lingering worries.
Although Tian Xiaomei spoke little, the lines on her face had softened considerably.
In her eyes looking at Lin Ranran, the initial displeasure and prejudice gradually gave way to acceptance and a hint of unspoken apology.
She had initially thought that this girl, knowing her son already had a wife, was trying to get close to him, which she considered a sign of disrespect.
She thought she was either after her son’s money or his looks.
But after the meal, she could feel Lin Ranran’s sincerity and warmth towards her and Jiang Tao’s father.
She could also see that Lin Ranran’s family were all honest and upright people.
Not the type to curry favor or look down on the poor and love the rich.
As a woman herself, she could tell that Lin Ranran’s feelings for her son were genuine.
Moreover, Lin Ranran’s personality was very likeable.
The girl was shrewd, but not malicious, and handled matters with great care.
If her son wanted to start a business, having such a shrewd and capable helper by his side would be a good thing.
Thinking this way, Tian Xiaomei’s lingering doubts gradually dissolved.
“Forget it, children and grandchildren have their own fortunes.”
“Second Brother is not young anymore. When it comes to love matters, they should handle it themselves.”
“No matter how much I worry about it, it’s useless.”
As the meal approached its end, Tian Xiaomei had convinced herself.
Since she couldn’t change anything, she decided to treat it with a normal mindset.
Setting aside the intimate relationship between Lin Ranran and her son.
Tian Xiaomei still liked Lin Ranran as a person.
The meal finally concluded around 2 PM.
After eating their fill, Jiang Wen and Tian Xiaomei enthusiastically discussed matters concerning the delicious clay pot restaurant with Lin Ranran and Yuan Mengjie.
From site selection, to restaurant size, renovation style, staff recruitment, and future marketing strategies.
The discussion was very lively.
Through this gathering, Jiang Wen and Tian Xiaomei’s concerns were completely gone.
They already had answers in mind regarding the site selection.
Just as Jiang Tao had said earlier, the Jiang’s Delicious Claypot Restaurant would definitely not lack business after opening.
Therefore, the area must be chosen to be large enough to accommodate a sufficient number of diners.
The location was secondary, as long as it wasn’t a deserted corner with extremely low foot traffic.
Jiang Tao was not very interested in the topics of discussion and felt drowsy listening from the side.
After informing his parents, he turned and went to Lin Ranran’s room to sleep on the large bed.
Ever since he got used to taking naps, he started feeling sleepy right on time.
If he didn’t take a nap, he wouldn’t have much energy in the afternoon.
