Love So Sweet

Chapter 8: Passing Vegetables

When they arrived home, Zhang Li Xue was surprised to see that her great-grandfather was at home. With the small backpack behind her, the little girl ran over with her arms spread wide.

“Great-grandfather, why are you here?”

The little girl’s great-grandfather, Zhang Jing, lowered his body so that he could hug the little girl in his arm. However, due to his old age, he could not bend down too much.

Zhang Li Xue could only hug the old man on his thigh.

“I heard that today is the first day you went to school,” Zhang Jing said. “How was it? Did you have a lot of fun?”

It was the same questions that her mother had asked her earlier. However, Zhang Li Xue was not tired to tell the same story again.

Initially, everyone was worried that the girl would have a hard time adjusting herself to the new school. However, seeing that she excitedly told everyone about her friends, the others were more at ease.



.....

“It’s good that you’re having fun. Later, Great-grandfather will make you some chicken wings, alright?”

Zhang Li Xue’s eyes lit up. Growing up, two of her favorite things were basketball and chicken wings, especially the one that her great-grandfather made.

After talking with her great-grandfather about her day for a while, the little girl went into her room to change her clothes.

Her mother finally noticed that something was wrong when the girl was too quiet. Li Qin Yao walked into her daughter’s room and saw that her daughter had fallen asleep.

Thinking that the girl was too tired after playing around, Li Qin Yao closed the door and head out.

Zhang Li Xue woke up again after an hour of nap. When she headed downstairs, she found her great-grandfather was in the backyard with the barbecue grill on.
The scent of her favorite chicken wings wafted in the air and Zhang Li Xue decided to stay by the old man’s side to watch him grill some meat.

“Great-grandfather, when can I eat the chicken wings?” Zhang Li Xue asked. Her eyes were staring at the chicken wings with greed. The more she looked at it, the more she could not stop herself from salivating.

The smell was too much. After playing with her friends in the kindergarten and taking a nap, her stomach began to growl, asking to be fed.

“Are you hungry?” Zhang Jing asked.

“Un.” Zhang Li Xue swallowed.

“Then, wait for a little while,” Zhang Jing said. He checked on the chicken wings before putting them back on the griller. “Wait for a few minutes. Once the chicken wings are done, I’ll let you eat first.”

“Oh.” The little girl could only wait closely by the grill. However, because she was too close to the grill, her face started to turn red.

“Li Xue, don’t get too close to the grill. Look at you. Our face is all red.”

Zhang Li Xue took a step back and touched her cheek. She suddenly recalled her conversation with her desk mate and went to look for her mother.

“Mommy!” The little girl ran around the house and found her mother in the kitchen, preparing some vegetables.

“What’s wrong. Why are you running around?”

She pointed at her cheek. “Mommy, is my cheek red?”

“Did you get too close to the griller again?” Li Qin Yao washed her hands and wiped them dry before touching her daughter’s cheek. “Didn’t I tell you not to get too close to the griller when Great-grandfather is working at the griller?”

“I know. But Mommy, just now, my friend said that I should put on some sunscreen when I was playing under the sun. Later, will you help me to apply them? Otherwise, my skin would hurt when I play basketball.”

“Didn’t I always help you to put them on before you go out?”

“That blue bottle cream?”

“En.” Li Qin Yao nodded. Her daughter liked to play under the sun very much and she had always worried that Li Xue would get sunburn.

The little girl finally let out a breath of relief, knowing that she can play her favorite sport without worry. She always complained when her mother put on the cream. Now that she heard that it was beneficial to her, Zhang Li Xue decided not to complain about it anymore.

Li Qin Yao looked at her daughter, wondering what was going on in her daughter’s mind.

At this time, her Great-grandfather entered the room with a tray of cooked food in his hand. “Li Xue, come over. The chicken wings are ready.”

The little girl’s face lit up. “Chicken wings!”

“Li Xue, go and get your father in the study and tell him to eat dinner together.”

“Oh.” With her short legs, Zhang Li Xue ran around to look for her father. After telling him to come down, she went back downstairs and hopped on her chair. Her gaze was on the hot chicken wings that her great-grandfather had grilled for her.

Once her mother put on the chicken wings on her plate, Zhang Li Xue began to eat with relish.

“How is it? Delicious?” Her great-grandfather asked. His eyes were watching the little girl expectantly.

“Un. It’s delicious. The chicken wings that my great-grandfather grilled for me are naturally the best,” The chicken wings were hot and she have to blow at it a few times before she can take a bite.

Soon, Zhang Li Xue’s expression began to change when she saw a few greens on her plate.

“Don’t just eat your chicken wings. Eat some vegetables as well.”

Zhang Li Xue poked at the greens on her plate. She glanced at her great-grandfather and transferred the vegetables to him. “Great-grandfather, this is for you. Daddy said you can’t eat too much meat and have to eat a lot of vegetables.”

The corner of his lips twitched. He picked up the vegetables that his great-granddaughter had placed on his plate and passed the vegetables back to her. “Li Xue, you are growing up. You have to eat a lot of vegetables. Otherwise, you wouldn’t grow taller. Then, how are you going to play basketball?”

Zhang Li Xue stared at the vegetables on her plate with mixed emotion. She didn’t like to eat the vegetables, but she wanted to get taller just like her father...

Meanwhile, Li Qin Yao was watching the two’s exchange and the corner of her lips started to twitch. This was not an unfamiliar scene as they both liked to avoid eating their vegetables.

Fortunately, the little girl’s father arrived at the dining room in time. With Zhang Yu Han’s presence, the old man and the young girl quickly ate the vegetables obediently.