Before four in the afternoon...

The sunlight filtered through the sparse clouds, slanting across the entrance of Dorami Kindergarten, draping this little world in a layer of golden glow.

Although there was still some time before the children were to be released, the parents had already started to sporadically appear around the campus. Their shadows, elongated by the setting sun, seemed to tell a story of anticipation and joy for their children’s imminent return.

NO! NO! NO!

The facts were not as they seemed!

The parents’ early arrival today was not entirely due to the children.

It was because of the news that "Huang Jun would distribute Osmanthus Rice Lotus Root to the parents by the kindergarten gate after school," which spread among the parents like wildfire, enticing many of them to come early and wait.

At this moment.

Parents gathered in small groups, their faces lit with smiles of anticipation as they chatted with one another.

Amidst these small groups, Pengpeng’s mother was encircled by a curious group of parents, becoming the center of attention.

The parents’ eyes sparkled with curiosity and anticipation as they eagerly questioned, "Pengpeng’s mom, is it true? Will Qingqing’s dad really give each of us a slice of his homemade Osmanthus Rice Lotus Root to taste this afternoon?"

Qu Qing nodded with certainty: It’s absolutely true. This morning by the kindergarten gate, Qingqing’s dad told us parents directly; many parents heard it. Besides, I collected quite a lot of osmanthus with several other parents and bought a lot of lotus roots to give to Qingqing’s dad for making the Osmanthus Rice Lotus Root."

Li Xiuxian chimed in with a smile, "Exactly, the osmanthus on the nearby roads and in our community has almost all been picked by us!"

Liu Jinyan joined the discussion: "On my way here, I was wondering why the osmanthus that was blooming so nicely this morning seemed so sparse now. Turns out, you all picked them to make delicious food!"

Hanghang’s dad chuckled, "Haha, that’s good. I specially took leave this afternoon. If I miss out on tasting this Osmanthus Rice Lotus Root, wouldn’t my leave have been wasted? Then my wages would’ve been deducted for nothing?"

Zheng Yuanzhou followed, "Yes, me too. After hearing the news, I couldn’t sit still and sneaked out. If I miss out on this delicious Osmanthus Rice Lotus Root and get caught sneaking out during work hours, I’d be out of luck. But now with the confirmation, I’m willing to wait even if I get a telling-off."

Wen Xueqian exclaimed, "When I first heard the news, I couldn’t believe it, like a dream. But hearing you say so, I completely believe it now. Now I can peacefully wait to taste Qingqing’s dad’s craft."

Ni Shujing thought for a moment and said somewhat regretfully, "But each parent only gets one slice of the Osmanthus Rice Lotus Root. Isn’t that a bit too little?"

Miaomiao’s mom empathetically responded, "It’s a bit little, but considering it’s difficult for Qingqing’s dad to make so much, we’re already lucky to get a taste."

"You’re right," Liu Jinyan nodded in agreement, looking expectant, "Just standing by the kindergarten gate now, the sweet fragrance is wafting through. I’m sure when we taste it, it will be great!"

"Listen closely," Qu Qing’s gaze darted towards the direction of the teaching building, her eyes brightening, "From the teaching building comes the children’s joyful laughter and chatter; they must’ve already tasted the delicious Osmanthus Rice Lotus Root. Their happiness is real, so the taste must be excellent too!"

"Indeed, I wish I could taste it now..."

The parents stood by the kindergarten gate, instinctively taking deep breaths, trying to inhale every wisp of the fragrant Osmanthus Rice Lotus Root scent lingering in the air.

As time passed...

With the dismissal time drawing nearer, everyone’s anticipation and nervousness grew more intense.

Suddenly.

A meticulous parent excitedly pointed inside the kindergarten and shouted, "Look everyone, Chef Huang is coming..."

As soon as the words were uttered.

All eyes simultaneously darted in the direction her finger pointed...

They saw Huang Jun and the other kitchen staff slowly pushing a fully loaded catering cart towards the school gate.

The cart was neatly lined with plate after plate of fragrant Osmanthus Rice Lotus Root.

Upon seeing this, Zheng Yuanzhou and the other fathers’ eyes lit up, and they stepped forward to offer, "Chef Huang, let us lend a hand!"

Huang Jun smiled, graciously declining, "No, no, we can handle it ourselves. Parents, please line up in an orderly manner at the school gate, and we’ll distribute the servings in sequence."

Liu Suyu also added, "Please ensure everyone lines up first, then come to me to sign and register. Once you’ve signed, you can collect a serving of Osmanthus Rice Lotus Root from Chef Huang. If your partner couldn’t make it, you can sign on their behalf and collect a serving."

With those words...

Those parents who thought they could first collect a serving then sneak to the end of the line for another serving instantly felt a pang of disappointment.

Exactly!

They initially planned to exploit the queue loophole, hoping to relish an extra serving of the sweet delicacy.

Imagining, just being quick enough would allow them to snag an additional serving of the Osmanthus Rice Lotus Root without catching anyone’s attention.

But little did they think...

As the saying goes, the higher the road, the trickier the devil...

The kindergarten had anticipated this and implemented the sign-and-register measure.

And so.

Their clever plans fell through, leaving them unable to take advantage of the situation.

Though a bit disappointed, they could only understand and comply with the kindergarten’s arrangement.

What else could they do but comply?

Worst-case scenario, they might lose their qualification altogether, which would leave them full of regret!

Thus...

The parents lined up orderly as per Liu Suyu’s instructions at the kindergarten gate.

Huang Jun and his kitchen team took the Osmanthus Rice Lotus Root from the cart and placed it plate by plate onto the nearby folding tables.

The parents craned their necks eagerly, wanting a glimpse of its "elegant appearance"...

Only to see slices of osmanthus sticky rice lotus root neatly arranged on a white porcelain plate, each slice cut with even thickness and edges that reflect a craftsmanship and exquisite charm.

The light pink of the lotus root and the milky white of the sticky rice complemented each other, making it look very appealing.

The full grains of sticky rice were crystal clear, resembling pearls embedded in the lotus root, gleaming with a tempting luster.

On the lotus slices, a layer of golden osmanthus syrup was drizzled, flowing between the slices, adding a touch of sweetness and sheen to the dish, making the osmanthus sticky rice lotus root look even more enticing.

The osmanthus syrup formed subtle light and shadow changes on the lotus slices, making the whole dish more three-dimensional and full of layers.

Several osmanthus flowers were scattered like stars, adding a touch of natural autumn and subtle floral fragrance to the osmanthus sticky rice lotus root.

One could smell its fragrance before tasting it.

It was at this moment.

The school bell rang...

As usual, parents would eagerly rush toward the area where their children’s classrooms were located, waiting to greet their children.

But today, the situation was completely different.

The parents didn’t move at all; they just glanced in the direction of the teaching building, then continued to queue and wait.

Hmm.

In the queue, some parents didn’t even lift their heads, eagerly noting how many people were ahead before it was their turn.

After all, the children were being looked after by the teachers, so even being a little late to pick them up wouldn’t be a problem. Instead of worrying, it was better to enjoy the fragrance of the osmanthus sticky rice lotus root a little longer.

Smelling the fragrance to satisfy cravings was also good...

The parents who had completed the sign-in registration with Liu Suyu couldn’t contain their excitement any longer and eagerly rushed to the table.

They picked up the prepared toothpicks beside the table, carefully picking up their share of the delicacy.

The reddish lotus root slices, evenly cut and drizzled with sweet osmanthus syrup, exuded an enticing sweet fragrance.

The lotus root had been stewed until tender and flavorful, soft and delicious, while the sticky rice inside was sticky and gooey, perfectly absorbing the sweetness of the osmanthus syrup. Chewing it in the mouth, one could feel the rich osmanthus fragrance spreading throughout the cavity. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

The male parents were careful to savor this delicacy in small bites, fearing that with a larger bite, it would be gone too quickly.

And the female parents were also enamored with this osmanthus sticky rice lotus root.

The soft and sweet fragrance in their mouths made them unable to stop, and one slice could hardly satisfy them.

The sticky rice had the right amount of stickiness, and the osmanthus honey was sweet but not cloying. The combination created a wonderful texture in the mouth.

This unique texture made them feel surprised with every moment of tasting.

They couldn’t help but wonder how the osmanthus fragrance was so perfectly sealed within the lotus root and sticky rice.

When a piece of osmanthus sticky rice lotus root entered the mouth, the rich fragrance began to spread from the tip of the tongue, filling the entire mouth and then rushing straight to the nasal cavity, as if the whole person was bathed in the fragrance of osmanthus.

This fragrance, just smelling it couldn’t fully appreciate it, only by actually tasting it, could one feel the illusion that the whole body was exuding the osmanthus fragrance from inside out.

After everyone finished eating, they all exuded a faint osmanthus sweet fragrance, and just smelling it was intoxicating. Taking a deep breath, it seemed as if the internal organs were soaked in this fragrance...

Qu Qing finished eating, but was still unsatisfied. Her eyes involuntarily fell on the half piece of osmanthus sticky rice lotus root in Lin Weilin’s hand, with a look of longing, she coquettishly called out, "Hubby..."

Lin Weilin: "..."

Uh...

This is not good...

It seems she is craving his half piece of osmanthus sticky rice lotus root...

Lin Weilin quickly popped the remaining piece into his mouth, then cheerfully looked at Qu Qing, asking knowingly, "Wife, what’s up?"

Qu Qing: "..."

Should it be the washboard tonight? Or the keyboard? Or maybe the durian?

The passersby who witnessed Dorami Kindergarten giving away free osmanthus sticky rice lotus root to parents couldn’t help but show envious glints in their eyes.

Watching the parents savoring it with such relish, they couldn’t help but feel a bit greedy themselves, thinking to try making some at home to satisfy the craving.

Other parents, after finishing their share, still felt unsatisfied and expressed their feelings and requests to Huang Jun:

"How can only one slice of osmanthus sticky rice lotus root satisfy my appetite? Just when my appetite was aroused, it was gone, it’s truly disheartening!"

"I, a big man, usually don’t like sweet and greasy foods, but this time with the osmanthus sticky rice lotus root, after just one taste, I couldn’t stop, and before I knew it, it was all gone, leaving me quite helpless..."

"A petition from thousands, asking Chef Huang to make some more osmanthus sticky rice lotus root, it’s so delicious! No matter the cost, I’m willing to purchase, just to taste it again!"

"Yes, with only one slice, it’s indeed not enough! Kneeling and begging Chef Huang to make more!"

"..."

Huang Jun: "..."

He chuckled, "Next year, next year..."

Parents: "..."

Such empty promises, truly intoxicating...

Liu Suyu: "..."

As expected of Dorami Kindergarten’s master of empty promises, now not drawing cakes for the teachers, but for the parents...