Chapter Thirty-Eight: Dumplings

"Dinner's ready" Yun Nan called out to him.

Shi Nian turned around and walked to the dining table. His relatives would be ecstatic if they knew about Yun Nan's identity. His grandfather and sister-in-law were fans of Xi Jin, and his sister—Shi Xiu—was a fan of Yun Nan. This girl is a little too charming.

"These have beef filling, and these are stuffed with pork. I made two kinds of fillings. This mushroom soup is your favorite; it's even better with dumplings. It's best to have lighter meals at night, so I made shredded pork stir-fry and shredded asparagus lettuce salad," Yun Nan said as she pointed out each dish while setting out the bowls and chopsticks.

Shi Nian silently took the chopsticks from Yun Nan and watched as she placed a four-compartment condiment plate in front of him. Each compartment held a different dipping sauce; there was soy sauce, mature vinegar, chili oil, and sesame oil.

"Why do you know how to cook so many dishes?" Shi Nian asked.

Yun Nan was surprised at the question, but she laughingly answered, "I learned it from my mother when I was young." 

Yun Nan had a blissful smile as she recalled her childhood. "When I was young, my family wasn't rich. My father worked very hard, and my mother only worked part-time in order to take care of me. This way, she could have the food ready when my father came home from work, and the whole family could eat together." 

"Dad always said that when he returned home and saw our smiling faces and the table of dishes, he would no longer feel tired. My mother can always use the simplest and cheapest ingredients to make the most delicious dishes. She's amazing," Yun Nan enthused. 

Shi Nian knew that the parents she was referring to were her adoptive parents. Yun Nan probably lived a happy life with her adoptive parents, even if they weren't financially rich. On the other hand, the Yun family likely didn't give her anything other than hurt and anguish.

He didn't want to ruin her trip down memory lane, so he shared something of his own, "My mother's cooking… is awful, but none of us dared to say anything because my father won't let anyone upset her."

Yun Nan was stunned; she hadn't expected him to reveal a private detail just like that, but she wanted to know more, so she looked at Shi Nian with eyes full of curiosity.

Shi Nian picked up a dumpling and took a bite. It was juicy, fresh and refreshing, and not at all greasy. He couldn't help but praise, "These dumplings are very delicious."

Yun Nan smiled and stared at him, seemingly still waiting for him to tell her a story. The delicious food not only warmed his stomach but also his heart. As Shi Nian ate, he slowly said, "In my father's eyes, my mother is the most precious thing in the world; she is the apple of his eye. I heard from my grandfather that when my mother gave birth to my older brother, my father was so scared that he didn't want any more children."

"He even disliked my brother because my mother cried in pain when she gave birth to him, so he gave my brother to my grandparents to raise. My mother loved my father too much and insisted on giving him a daughter. Then, she had me. Seeing that I am a boy, my father left me with my grandparents."

This was the first time Yun Nan had heard gossip about the Shi family, and it came from Shi Nian; she was filled with interest. "And then, you have a younger sister," she stated.

Shi Nian nodded as he ate. "Yes, my sister was an accident. When my mother was pregnant with her, she was extremely happy, while my father was not. At that time, my grandmother had already passed away. My father was worried that the birth of this child would ruin their time together, but actually-"

Shi Nian bit his tongue. Yun Nan was fascinated by his tale and eagerly urged him to continue, "What?"

Shi Nian lowered his eyes and resumed his narration, "My mother had no idea how to take care of a child at all. She's worse than Grandpa in that regard! To borrow a phrase from Grandpa, my parents think that 'it's fine so long as the child is alive.' So, Grandpa couldn't stand it anymore and took on the task of taking care of my sister. My parents only need to appreciate her."

"Then, do you guys have a bad relationship with your parents?" Yun Nan recalled the two occasions she had met the other Yun family members. From what she remembered, the atmosphere in the Shi family seemed quite harmonious.

As expected, Shi Nian shook his head. "The three of us don't mind it. We're used to letting them have their way."

"They were first loves. It was love at first sight. My father often felt guilty about being too busy with work and spending too little time with my mother, so he decided to train up a successor as soon as possible. My father made my brother and I attend their meetings when we were young, but my brother chose to go to military school and join the army, so I was the only one left."

"After I completed my first merger and acquisition assignment, my father wasted no time stepping down and accompanying my mother to travel around the world," Shi Nian said.

Yun Nan was flabbergasted, "So, that's how you became the youngest chairman?" 

'What irresponsible parents! Forcing him to run before he could walk and giving him tall orders…' Yun Nan inwardly sympathized.

Shi Nian nodded and ate another dumpling.

"Your dad really loves your mom." Yun Nan tried hard to think back. The impression she had of Mrs. Shi was a beautiful, elegant, and gentle woman who seemed to have the innocence of a young girl.

In the past, her biological mother—Gu Wei—had secretly mocked Mrs. Shi for her innocent behavior and said she was being pretentious. But, in truth, Mrs. Shi wasn't pretending anything. She was naive because she was sheltered and nourished by her husband and her family's love. 

'Happy love stories like that really do exist in real life!' Yun Nan inwardly exclaimed.