Chapter 320: Chapter 298: Why Does He Always Drop the Ball at Critical Moments?

“Chef Huang, let me give you a hand. It looks pretty busy in the kitchen.”

Dong Yuantao stood up with a smile, volunteering himself.

But Huang Jun didn’t appreciate it and politely declined him directly: “Assistant Dong, no need, really no need. Aunt Lin and the others can handle it. You just sit and rest with President Liu, and wait for the dishes to be served.”

He had heard about how yesterday, when Dong Yuantao was getting food, he wouldn’t let go of Aunt Li’s ladle, frantically scooping food onto his own plate.

Therefore.

Worried that Dong Yuantao would “repeat the same mistake,” he decisively refused his “kindness,” wanting to nip his “little thoughts” in the bud.

Dong Yuantao: “…”

Uh…

Is he afraid I’ll take too much food again?

Chef Huang, oh Chef Huang!

Don’t be “once bitten by a snake, ten years afraid of a well rope,” okay?

I promise I won’t do it again!

What?

You don’t believe?

I can totally swear to the heavens on this!

Really!

Dong Yuantao showed an awkward yet polite smile: “Chef Huang, I…”

He wanted to explain a bit to ease Huang Jun’s concerns, but the words lingered on his lips and ultimately he couldn’t find the appropriate words to clarify his intentions.

Especially thinking about his boss still being present, it made him even more anxious inside.

If the boss knew about his behavior yesterday, he might use it as a joke to laugh at him for quite a while…

No, wait!

With the boss’s temperament, he’d probably laugh at him for a whole year!

The clueless Liu Shiwei misunderstood Huang Jun’s refusal as merely being polite and respectful to them, so he enthusiastically chimed in: “Chef Huang, you see Assistant Dong has some free time now, why not let him help out a bit, it could ease your workload!”

Huang Jun smiled and nodded slightly but said firmly, “I appreciate the kindness, but there’s really no need to trouble Assistant Dong. Just let him sit comfortably and keep you company, President Liu. We can handle things here.”

Liu Shiwei, seeing Huang Jun’s determined attitude, couldn’t help but feel a bit puzzled, suspecting there must be an unknown reason behind it.

Speaking of which.

What exactly did Dong Yuantao do to become so unwelcome by Chef Huang?

Hmm.

It must have been something unforgivable…

Sigh!

This Assistant Dong, why does he always mess things up at critical moments?

Thinking that Assistant Dong wasn’t helping much, he realized as the boss, he had to step up.

After all, if you mooch, you must help; mooching without helping makes mooching difficult!

With that thought…

He volunteered himself: “Huang Jun, why don’t I help out? After all, I’m just sitting around.”

With these words spoken.

Dong Yuantao’s jaw almost “clicked” and hit the floor…

Never in a million years did he expect that his boss, who usually wouldn’t even pick up a file off the floor, would offer to help out with chores…

This is shock’s mom opening the door for shock; it’s shock coming home!

If their colleagues saw this, they’d probably be shocked for a whole year too…

Huang Jun’s lips curled into a smile, feeling no disturbance inside, and even a bit amused.

It was the first time he’d heard of the president of a listed company visiting a kindergarten and volunteering to help with chores!

This really set a precedent!

He chuckled and refused politely: “President Liu, you don’t need to be so polite, there’s really no need for you to help. I have some things to handle here, so I need to excuse myself. Please feel comfortable, don’t feel restrained.”

“Alright, Chef Huang, you go ahead.”

Seeing this, Liu Shiwei didn’t say much more, watching Huang Jun leave, then quietly sat at the table, waiting for the upcoming dishes.

But…

The aroma permeating the air stirred the gluttonous worms in his stomach to clamor fiercely, making the wait feel extraordinarily long, as if each minute and second was infinitely extended…

It was truly agonizing for him!

Dong Yuantao was no different either.

His throat instinctively started doing “swallowing exercises,” his gaze eager and fixed on the direction of the food, if not for Huang Jun’s refusal, he’d rush to get the food himself.

Luckily, all the waiting eventually led to a wonderful outcome.

Watching Aunt Li carefully bring the tray over, carrying the mouth-watering dishes they’d been eagerly expecting.

Dong Yuantao, seeing this, instantly perked up, immediately stood up, warmly moved towards Aunt Li, and extended both hands to take the tray, gratefully saying, “Aunt Li, thank you, you’ve worked hard, let me take it from here…”

“Oh, alright then.” Aunt Li, watching his eager demeanor, couldn’t help but smile, then kindly reminded him, “Be careful, don’t spill any soup…”

Before she even finished her sentence!

Dong Yuantao was already hastily walking to his seat, moving so quickly as if afraid she might take the food back in the next second.

His urgent energy, contrasting sharply with his well-dressed, elegant image, made him seem more like a starving ghost reborn…

Indeed!

Who can resist the allure of Chef Huang’s cooking skills…

Even wealthy people and senior white-collar workers are no exception!

Unaware of Aunt Li’s sighs, Dong Yuantao placed the dishes on his table and smilingly said to the opposite Liu Shiwei: “President Liu, the food’s here!”

Then, he started taking the dishes from the tray one by one and arranged them neatly on the dining table.

“Oh, Braised Chicken with Chestnuts… I like this…”

Liu Shiwei’s eyes were instantly drawn to the tempting Braised Chicken with Chestnuts.

The dish in the pan had golden-brown pieces of chicken, arranged neatly, the skin glistening with a tempting sheen and exuding a mouth-watering aroma.

Each piece of chicken appeared plump, with a clear texture and coated in a rich, glossy sauce.

The chestnuts, like jewels, were embedded between the pieces of chicken. Their skins cracked open after cooking just enough to reveal the soft, fragrant, and sweet flesh inside.

The deep brown sauce covering the chestnuts contrasted beautifully with the golden colour of the chicken, adding a rich array of visual layers to the dish, providing immense satisfaction visually.

In the gaps between the chestnuts and chicken, a few sprigs of green onion were perfectly sprinkled, bringing a touch of fresh natural scent to the chestnut-braised chicken, making the dish visually harmonious and increasing appetite.

“Gurgle~”

His throat unconsciously moved a bit.

Being a meat lover, he immediately took the chopsticks handed over by Yuan Tao and dug in.

The chicken, simmered slowly, had a crispy and juicy skin, and the meat was exceptionally tender and delicious.

Every bite sent juices bursting in the mouth, where the rich sauce and delicate spices intertwined, immediately awakening the taste buds, as if a morning’s fatigue dissipated within this deliciousness.

Following close behind was the delicate texture of the chestnuts.

They absorbed the essence of the chicken and the aroma of the seasoning during cooking, making the already sweet chestnuts even more juicy.

The soft chestnuts and tender chicken formed a perfect contrast, each bite offering a new experience for the taste buds.

As the chewing deepened…

The fibers of the chicken and the powdery texture of the chestnuts intertwined in the mouth, releasing layer upon layer of aroma.

The deliciousness of the chicken and the sweetness of the chestnuts merged perfectly, with the perfectly salted seasoning further enhancing the taste.

Moreover.

The sauce of the chestnut-braised chicken was the icing on the cake for its deliciousness.

Rich but not greasy, with a hint of sweetness, it perfectly highlighted the original flavour of the chicken and chestnuts, while adding rich layers to the overall dish.

When this rich sauce met steaming white rice, every grain seemed to be coated with a layer of deliciousness, making the whole dining experience richer and more satisfying…

In conclusion.

This dish of chestnut-braised chicken was one with great texture and taste, seamlessly blending the deliciousness of chicken, the sweetness of chestnuts, and the richness of the sauce, making each bite irresistible, leaving one eager for more…

Just as he raised his head…

He saw Yuan Tao burying his head in the chestnut-braised chicken, oil dripping from his mouth, completely immersed in the deliciousness.

This scene gradually evoked a hint of his boss authority in Liu Shiwei’s gaze.

Ha ha, eating quite quickly, aren’t we~

Kid, you really don’t want to lose your job, do you?

Yuan Tao was completely unaware of the change in Liu Shiwei as he continued to eat heartily, losing himself in the sea of good food…

At this point…

Liu Shiwei was rendered speechless…

Doesn’t a boss have to exert authority, do you really think I’m just here for decoration?!

Can’t hold back anymore!

Really can’t hold back anymore…

But he’s always quite forgiving towards his subordinates, especially in situations outside of work. He certainly wouldn’t get angry for a fleeting indulgence from his assistant, or fire him because of it…

What else could he do?

Just… start eating promptly!

Otherwise… this kid Yuan Tao might really finish off the whole plate of chestnut-braised chicken alone…

Thus…

A boss and an assistant raced each other to eat the chestnut-braised chicken from the plate.

Their chopsticks almost started to blur with speed…

As the quantity of chestnut-braised chicken gradually decreased, nearing the bottom of the plate, Liu Shiwei finally couldn’t hold back and reminded, “That’s enough, young man, eat less meat, this stuff is hard to digest and could upset your stomach.”

Just seeing the chestnut-braised chicken Yuan Tao picked was more distressing to him than if a million dollars had been taken!

Yuan Tao: “…”

Asking him to eat one bite less was impossible, not in this lifetime, unless this dish wasn’t cooked by Huang Jun…

Besides, he couldn’t even eat enough if he ate the whole plate alone, let alone share it between two people, there simply wasn’t enough to eat…

Facing Liu Shiwei’s well-intentioned reminder, Yuan Tao answered without lifting his head, “Thank you for your care, President Liu, my stomach is like iron, eating more chestnut-braised chicken is no problem at all.”

Hey~

You’re a pretty smart guy, how come you can’t read between the lines this time?

Could it be… pretending to be clueless on purpose?

Liu Shiwei thought the latter possibility was greater and tugged the plate closer to himself, directly saying, “I haven’t had many bites myself yet! You, kid, better cut it out!”

Yuan Tao: “…”

Alright!

Got it!

That’s a cue to stop touching the chestnut-braised chicken!

Alright, you’re the boss, I won’t fuss with you!

Finally realizing this, he reluctantly withdrew his chopsticks.

Seeing Yuan Tao’s disappointed expression, Liu Shiwei softened internally, feeling he should allow this capable assistant to eat a little more.

His gaze flitted between the chicken and chestnuts, initially intending to pick a chestnut for Yuan Tao, but reconsidering, he ultimately chose to pick up a small piece of chicken and place it onto Yuan Tao’s rice, “Alright, eat up then…”

Already showing considerable generosity…

After picking the chicken, he felt a tiny pang of regret in his heart.

He hesitated, saying, “Assistant Dong, how about I give you an extra month’s salary this month, if you return that piece of chicken to me?”

A monthly salary near 30,000!

Could buy many, many plates of chestnut-braised chicken!

But unexpectedly…

Yuan Tao didn’t even think before swiftly picking up that piece of chicken, sending it into his mouth without hesitation, and eating it.

What extra month of salary or not.

This chicken is too delicious, eating it first and talking later!

Liu Shiwei: “…”

Who can resist the lure of money? If there is someone, it must be because of Huang Jun’s culinary skills…

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep