Chapter 452: A World of Difference

Seeing these dishes made by Han Meiqing, Ye Chen couldn't help but have a great appetite. However, out of politeness, he didn't have the nerve to use his chopsticks directly, but instead took the initiative to take out a bottle of beverage and pour it for the two ladies.

Subsequently, he raised his wine glass and said with a smile, "Auntie Han, Paul, welcome back to China, welcome back to Jin Ling, and welcome to our home as guests. Let's have a drink together."

Xiao Changkun also hurriedly echoed from the side, "That's right, that's right. To welcome you, let's have a drink together!"

Han Meiqing raised her beverage and said sincerely, "Thank you so much for your hospitality. I really didn't expect that on the first day back in Jin Ling, I would be able to have a home-cooked meal at an old classmate's house. Thank you very much."

Xiao Changkun said with a chuckle, "Meiqing, we are old classmates for so many years; why are you being so polite about such a small matter!"

After finishing, he added, "Besides, today's table of food is all your credit; I just helped out. It makes me feel particularly embarrassed. How can an old classmate come to visit, and still have the old classmate cook in person?"

Han Meiqing laughed, "What's there to be embarrassed about? It was already agreed that I would cook today."

Ye Chen said with a smile, "Come, let's finish this first cup of wine!"

Everyone raised their wine glasses and beverages one after another. The three men drank the wine in their small cups in one gulp, while the two ladies raised their beverages and took a shallow sip.

Xiao Churan's expression was slightly cold, but this couldn't be blamed on her.

After all, she had already tried her best to show friendliness to Han Meiqing.

Han Meiqing also knew very well that Xiao Churan must have opinions about her, so she also deliberately tried to please her, smiling and saying to Xiao Churan, "Churan, you try the braised shrimp Auntie made first, and see if it suits your taste."

As she spoke, Han Meiqing took the initiative to pick up a large shrimp for her and placed it in her bowl.

Xiao Churan was more or less embarrassed. After all, this woman was her father's first love back then, and now she was sitting in her home and picking food for her; this feeling was always a bit wrong.

However, she still nodded very friendly and whispered, "Thank you, Auntie Han."

As she spoke, she tasted the braised shrimp.

Unexpectedly, the taste of this shrimp made her marvel the moment it entered her mouth.

Um, Xiao Churan had eaten braised shrimp more than once, but she had never tasted one this good.

The braised shrimp made by Han Meiqing had a moderate sweet and salty taste, a fragrant aroma, and superior flavor. Even those eaten in high-end large hotels were far inferior to this dish made by Han Meiqing.

Xiao Churan marveled even more in her heart. This Auntie Han was really not an ordinary woman; not only was her temperament good and her image excellent, but even her cooking was so delicious.

She recalled the dishes her mother made, and there was only one adjective to describe them: inedible. Compared with Han Meiqing's culinary skills, it was simply a world of difference!

More importantly, her mother never sought improvement in cooking; what the taste was 20 years ago was what it was now.

Later, after she married Ye Chen and Ye Chen became responsible for cooking, her days became much better.

However, although Ye Chen's cooking was not bad, it was still a big cut below Han Meiqing's.

At this time, Han Meiqing picked up a piece of West Lake vinegar fish for her and said with a smile, "Churan, you try this fish. It is also Auntie's specialty, but it has been a while since I made it. I don't know if it still suits your taste."

Seeing the enthusiastic Han Meiqing picking fish meat into her bowl, Xiao Churan, in order not to hurt her face, could only nod and say, "Thank you, Auntie Han, but you don't need to always pick food for me. You should eat first."

Han Meiqing nodded and said with a smile, "You must eat more food yourself. If there is anything you can't reach, let Ye Chen pick it for you."

Xiao Churan agreed, then tasted the fish meat Han Meiqing had picked for her. With this one bite, she was immediately amazed.

Han Meiqing's cooking was really too delicious. The fish meat was soft, tender, and bouncy, fresh and delicious, simply impeccable.

Xiao Changkun was also stunned.

In his life, he had never eaten such delicious home-cooked food. One must know that eating a delicious meal at home and eating a delicious meal in a hotel were completely different feelings.

With the warm feeling of home as a blessing, that feeling would make a man linger and forget to return.

This was also why women always said that if you want to keep a man's heart, you must first keep his stomach.

Xiao Changkun felt that his stomach and his taste buds were conquered by Han Meiqing's culinary skills at this moment.

He looked at Paul with envy and said, "Paul, your mother's cooking is so delicious; you are really blessed."

Paul smiled slightly and said earnestly, "Uncle Xiao, this question depends on how you look at it."

"Take me for example. I was very miserable when I was in college because I left home and left my mother. No matter what I ate at school, I felt it was lacking something;"

"Later, because my law firm was busy, I often went on business trips. Most of the time I was flying back and forth across the United States, and there was a lot of time flying back and forth around the world, so I didn't have the opportunity to taste the food my mother made."

"However, my appetite has already been spoiled by her culinary skills, so I am not used to eating anywhere else. This feeling is actually very painful."

Xiao Changkun lamented, "That is true. It is easy to go from frugal to luxurious, but difficult to go from luxurious to frugal. Your mother's cooking is so delicious; if it were me, I wouldn't be interested in any food outside anymore."

Xiao Churan heard the hidden meaning in her father's words and felt uncomfortable in her heart, so she raised her beverage and said to Han Meiqing, "Auntie Han, let me toast you. You have come all the way from the United States; it must be very hard. Let this cup be to welcome you."

Han Meiqing hurriedly raised her beverage and said with a smile, "Thank you, Churan. Then let's use beverage instead of wine to have a drink."

Xiao Churan touched her cup slightly with Han Meiqing's cup, and at the same time couldn't help but lament, "Oh, if only my mother were at home too. She has been talking about you for so many years. If she knew you were back, she would definitely be very happy."

As soon as Xiao Churan mentioned Ma Lan, the expressions of Xiao Changkun and Han Meiqing became a bit unnatural.

Both of them knew very well that Xiao Churan mentioning Ma Lan at this time was deliberately saying it for them to hear, reminding them not to forget that there was still her mother in this home, even if her mother was not here now, she was still the hostess of this home!

Han Meiqing's dignified expression couldn't help but show a bit of embarrassment. She smiled unnaturally and said, "I haven't seen your mother for so many years; I would also like to see her."

After finishing, she looked at Xiao Changkun and asked, "By the way, Changkun, where exactly did Ma Lan go? Why isn't she at home?"

Xiao Changkun hurriedly said, "Her? She went back to her maiden home these two days; she will probably be back in a few days."