Apocalypse Foodie System: Watch Her Cook!-Chapter 162 - 157: Guilty Conscience

When Tang Yiyi walked quickly to the crib, Tang Yuan’s tears were already streaming down. His eyes were brimming with tears, but he stubbornly refused to cry out, pouting his lips instead. Tang Yiyi felt a deep pang of sympathy and pulled him into her arms, and he clutched her clothes tightly, afraid she would disappear again if he let go.

Tang Yiyi’s heart ached, and it took her a long time to soothe Tang Yuan’s anger. Fortunately, there weren’t many customers in the afternoon, so she had some free time to spend with Tang Yuan. By the time she finally managed to lull Tang Yuan to sleep again, it was nearly five in the afternoon, and customers started arriving at the shop.

Tang Yiyi had no choice but to put Tang Yuan in the crib and head to the kitchen to work. Although the house was equipped with various types of baby carriers to keep Tang Yuan close, the kitchen was filled with smoke and splattering oil, and she dared not expose Xiao Tang Yuan to these hazards. His skin was so delicate that she was afraid of hurting him even with the lightest pinch, let alone taking him into the kitchen.

Zhang Xue probably felt that the current situation wasn’t a sustainable solution. During a break, she couldn’t help but say to Tang Yiyi, "Yiyi, this can’t go on like this. Tang Yuan can’t be without you, and you have to manage the kitchen as well. It’s impossible to keep him with you all the time. Shouldn’t we hire a chef or something?"

Zhang Xue felt somewhat guilty when she said this. Although her intentions were good, she couldn’t deny that she had her own personal motives. She had long been aware of Tang Yiyi’s excellent cooking skills. Initially, she had no ulterior motives, but after hearing Zhang Haoyu frequently express how wonderful it would be if she could cook as well, she couldn’t help but develop some ideas.

However, although she wanted to learn cooking from Tang Yiyi, stealing techniques was something she couldn’t bring herself to do. Tang Yiyi was her benefactor, even saving her life, and she wouldn’t do anything to repay kindness with treachery. And with her pride, she couldn’t bring herself to steal techniques either.

She was a proud person. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have broken up with her boyfriend when she discovered his family didn’t like her, nor kept the pregnancy a secret from him, giving birth alone through sheer determination.

She endured those hardest days; would she resort to learning techniques through deceit just for a skill?

Initially, she wanted to learn cooking just so her son would admire her rather than constantly marvel at Tang Yiyi’s skills. Later, seeing Tang Yiyi constantly tied up with kitchen chores while also minding Tang Yuan, she couldn’t help but feel pity and wished to help ease her burdens. If she could cook, she could assist in the kitchen, sparing Tang Yiyi some exhaustion.

But she still harbored some personal motives, and felt ashamed to say this idea was purely for Tang Yiyi, thus she never dared mention it. This time, she impulsively spoke out of concern, feeling guilty and regretful immediately after voicing it.

She didn’t know how Tang Yiyi would react to these words, and feared that this might cause a rift between her and Tang Yiyi. After speaking, she anxiously observed Tang Yiyi’s expression, nerves unraveling.

Tang Yiyi, upon hearing her words, cast a scrutinizing gaze toward Zhang Xue. Thoughts of Liu Pengyi and Liu Zhenlan’s couple instinctively raised her guard, and her gaze began to grow sharp. The memory of Liu Pengyi and Liu Zhenlan’s betrayal was still fresh, and she feared becoming like her mother and fostering a viper in her midst!

Zhang Xue sensed her gaze sharpening, heightening her anxiety, with her expression becoming increasingly guilt-ridden.

Seeing Zhang Xue’s guilt, Tang Yiyi’s brows knit tightly. She was in a dilemma. She had always admired Zhang Xue; never did she expect Zhang Xue to present such a predicament!

Since being betrayed by Liu Pengyi and Liu Zhenlan, she dared not trust others easily. Therefore, she’d rather endure the hardship herself and clutch her recipe book tightly, avoiding hiring cooks. Now, Zhang Xue had suddenly proposed this idea, leaving her unsure how to respond.

On a personal level, Tang Yiyi dared not hire a chef, fearing another betrayal could potentially destroy the Tang Family’s entire legacy. Yet rationally, she knew Zhang Xue was right.

She indeed was busy, Tang Yuan couldn’t be without her, and she couldn’t bear causing him sadness. Without hiring a chef, managing everything solo was challenging. Furthermore, even though the Tang Family’s business was not yet expansive, if she wished to grow it, employing chefs was unavoidable!

Merely based on that statement, Tang Yiyi wouldn’t develop enmity toward Zhang Xue, yet she couldn’t help noticing Zhang Xue’s guilty demeanor in her speech!

Tang Yiyi couldn’t help but overthink!

She, like Zhang Xue, didn’t wish to become enemies. After all, together for so long, they had formed emotional bonds. So, Tang Yiyi took a deep breath, suppressing her aggressive thoughts and invited Zhang Xue into the nearby lounge.

The lounge housed a massage chair that activated upon lying down, helping ease physical tension. Especially after prolonged kitchen work, the massage was necessary for muscle relaxation. Tang Yiyi invited Zhang Xue to settle onto a nearby fabric sofa instead of the chair.

The sofa was very plush, offering much comfort when seated, relaxing Tang Yiyi’s tense nerves. However, Zhang Xue, preoccupied with her own intentions, felt increasingly anxious. Perhaps anyone else wouldn’t feel this way, possibly justifying her wish to learn cooking solely as beneficence to Tang Yiyi, but Zhang Xue wouldn’t deceive herself or boast self-righteously.

This inclination led Tang Yiyi to overthink.

Tang Yiyi noticed Zhang Xue’s silence, her guilty posture tucked in, and restrained herself before asking, "Zhang Xue, what exactly do your words mean? If there’s something on your mind, please tell me directly. Don’t hold it back, alright?"

As Zhang Xue heard this, she felt immediate remorse, apologizing as she looked at Tang Yiyi, "Yiyi, I’m sorry, it’s all my fault. It’s because I... because I want to learn cooking from you. I’ve been greedy; you... you can scold me."

Tang Yiyi raised an eyebrow, anticipating this much; nonetheless, she wanted to hear Zhang Xue’s own reasoning. She wished to listen to how Zhang Xue intended to persuade her.

Thus, she said, "Why did you suddenly want to learn cooking? Can you tell me the reason? I’d like to hear the truth."

Zhang Xue lifted her eyes to Tang Yiyi, nervously twisting her fingers, "Yiyi, you cook incredibly well, unlike me, just boiling plain vegetables or random stir-frying. I really admire you in this regard, so I wish to learn a little." She didn’t want to involve Zhang Haoyu or use her son for sympathy, much less cite aiding Tang Yiyi as an excuse, hence omitting numerous details.

Upon hearing, Tang Yiyi gazed deeply at her, unable to articulate a response. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, welcome to vote for it on Qidian (qidian.com) and support with monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com for reading.)