bioinnovel Chapter 54 Bento Sharing Day
Chapter 54 Bento Sharing Day
early morning.
The early summer sun shines through the windows into the rented rooms in the urban village.
Lin Chen got up on time, washed up, diluted the boiled water from last night with warm water, put it into Tangtang's pink rabbit thermos, and tightened the lid.
"Tangtang, wake up."
Lin Chen walked to the bedside and gently pinched his daughter's cheek.
Tangtang rubbed her eyes and got out of bed.
Lin Chen helped her put on her blue and white school uniform, combed her hair, slung her thermos over her shoulder, and put her small backpack on.
The two went downstairs, where Wang Hai was already waiting, straddling his tricycle.
Good morning, Tangtang!
Wang Hai grinned.
Good morning, Uncle Fatty!
Tangtang's voice was clear and crisp.
Lin Chen lifted Tangtang onto the spacious passenger seat next to the tricycle and helped her sit securely.
"Go to kindergarten."
Lin Chen said.
"Alright!"
Wang Hai turned on the ignition, and the tricycle smoothly drove into the street.
At 7:50 a.m., the tricycle stopped outside the gate of Qiming Bilingual Kindergarten.
Lin Chen got out of the car, picked up Tangtang, and led her to the reception area.
Ms. Liu, the teacher in charge of the class, was standing at the door. When she saw Lin Chen and Tangtang, she immediately greeted them with a smile.
Good morning, Teacher Liu.
Lin Chen greeted them calmly.
Good morning, Mr. Lin. Tangtang looks very energetic today.
Teacher Liu smiled and patted Tangtang's head, then looked up at Lin Chen, "Mr. Lin, please wait a moment, there's something I need to tell you."
Lin Chen stopped in his tracks: "Please go on, Teacher Liu."
Teacher Liu took out a printed, color notice and handed it to Lin Chen.
"That's right, tomorrow is Friday."
Our kindergarten holds a lunchbox sharing day on the last Friday of every month.
Teacher Liu explained patiently.
"A bento sharing day?"
Lin Chen took the notification and glanced at it.
"right."
Teacher Liu nodded. "The kindergarten cafeteria will not provide lunch tomorrow at noon."
Parents are requested to prepare a lunchbox for their children at home and bring it over.
The main purpose is to cultivate children's awareness of sharing in group life, allowing them to taste each other's home-cooked meals.
Teacher Liu paused for a moment, then added, "There are no strict rules about the contents of the bento box, as long as it is clean and hygienic cooked food."
You can prepare some of the things your child usually likes to eat.
After listening, Lin Chen nodded and put the notification in his pocket: "I understand. So, I'll prepare my own lunch tomorrow and have her bring it over, right?"
"Yes, thank you for your hard work, parents."
Teacher Liu said with a smile.
Just as Lin Chen finished putting away the notification, Tangtang, who had been listening obediently beside him, suddenly tugged at Lin Chen's sleeve excitedly.
"Daddy!"
Tangtang tilted her little face up, her big eyes full of anticipation.
Lin Chen crouched down and looked at his daughter: "What's wrong?"
"Daddy, I'm bringing the food you made to kindergarten tomorrow!"
Tangtang gripped the strap of the thermos with both of her little hands, her voice crisp and clear, "Xiaomeng said yesterday that her mother's cooking wasn't good."
I'm going to bring the food Daddy made to share with Xiaomeng!
Daddy's cooking is the best in the world!
Looking at his daughter's proud expression, Lin Chen couldn't help but smile slightly.
He reached out and gently brushed Tangtang's little nose, his tone gentle yet firm.
"Okay. Daddy promises."
Lin Chen looked into Tangtang's eyes and said, "Tomorrow, Dad will make you the most delicious bento box so you can take it to share with your best friend."
"Yay! Thank you, Daddy!"
Tangtang jumped up and down happily.
Hearing this, Wang Hai, who was standing to the side, also came over with a smile: "The lunchbox that Tangtang is bringing tomorrow will definitely be the best in the whole kindergarten!"
That will definitely make all the other kids drool with envy!
"Alright, let's go inside with the teacher."
Lin Chen stood up.
"Goodbye, Daddy! Goodbye, Fatty Uncle!"
Tangtang waved her little hand, obediently took Teacher Liu's hand, and followed her into the kindergarten gate.
Lin Chen watched his daughter's figure disappear around the corner of the teaching building before turning his gaze away.
He turned around and strode back to the tricycle.
"Brother Chen, tomorrow is lunchbox sharing day, what are you planning to make for Tangtang?"
Wang Hai climbed into the driver's seat and asked curiously, "Are you making our signature 'Golden Fried Rice'?"
Lin Chen climbed onto the tricycle and settled into the passenger seat.
"I won't make fried rice."
Lin Chen said calmly, "Fried rice will become hard when it gets cold."
Children have sensitive stomachs, so the food in their lunchboxes must be something that won't taste fishy or affect digestion when it gets cold.
I'll see what to do tomorrow morning.
First, go to the farmers' market and gather all the ingredients for tonight's stall.
"That makes sense. Brother Chen, you've thought of everything."
Wang Hai turned on the power. "Let's go to the market!"
The tricycle merged into the traffic and headed towards the comprehensive farmers' market.
At 8:30 a.m., the market was bustling with activity.
The two parked their car and walked directly into the market.
"Go buy eggs first."
Lin Chen walked ahead.
We arrived at a familiar poultry and egg stall.
"Boss lady, twelve trays of free-range eggs."
Lin Chen spoke up.
"Hey, young man, you're here!"
The proprietress deftly pulled out twelve trays of eggs, tied them with rope, and said, "Hold them tight."
Wang Hai stepped forward, steadily lifted the eggs, and carried them back onto the tricycle.
The two then went to the vegetable section.
"Big sister, give me three bunches of fresh scallions with short white parts."
Lin Chen picked out the three driest ones from the stall.
After paying, the two headed straight for the fresh meat section.
Lin Chen stopped in front of the same live poultry stall he had seen yesterday.
"Boss, two free-range hens that are over two years old, slaughtered and cleaned."
Lin Chen looked at the chickens in the cage and said.
"Alright! I'll handle it right away!"
The boss immediately got to work. While the chicken was being butchered, Lin Chen walked to the meat stall across the street: "Boss, four fresh pork bones, break them in half."
With a few quick "cracks," the large bone was chopped and bagged.
Lin Chen carried the bones and picked up the prepared old hen.
"Brother Chen, all the ingredients are ready."
We still have more than half a bag of rice left from the one we bought yesterday, enough for today.
Wang Haiqing counted the items in his hand.
"Yes, let's go home."
Lin Chen turned and walked out.
Nine o'clock in the morning.
The two of them, carrying large and small bags of groceries, pushed open the door of the rented room.
Without pausing, Lin Chen put down the bag in his hand, went straight to the sink to wash his hands, and tied on an apron.
"Fatty, same old routine, you rinse the rice and cook it first, then chop the scallions."
Lin Chen assigned tasks methodically.
"Okay!"
Wang Hai deftly grabbed a large basin, scooped out the old rice, and began to wash it under the tap.
Lin Chen picked up the old hen and pork bones he had just bought.
He picked up a kitchen knife and deftly removed the chicken breast from the old hen, placing it in a small bowl to set aside.
He threw the remaining chicken carcasses and pork bones into a large stainless steel bucket.
Add cold water and turn the heat to high.
As the water temperature rises, grayish-white foam begins to gather on the surface.
Lin Chen stood in front of the stove with a strainer, calmly skimming away the blood and impurities little by little.
Remove the chicken and bones, and rinse them thoroughly with warm water.
Pick up the deep soup pot again, put in the washed ingredients, and add purified water.
"Smack."
Lin Chen smashed a piece of old ginger with the flat side of a knife, threw it into the pot, and added salt.
Cover the pot with the lid and turn the heat to medium-low.
"Gurgle gurgle..."
A faint bubbling sound soon came from the soup pot.
On the other side, Wang Hai had already put the rice in the rice cooker and was standing in front of the cutting board.
"Tap tap tap tap—" Wang Hai held a kitchen knife in his hand and quickly chopped scallions. His movements became more and more skilled, and the chopped scallions were of uniform size.
After chopping the scallions, Wang Hai put the scallion pieces into a food storage container and closed the lid.
"Brother Chen, the scallions are chopped."
The rice needs to simmer for a while longer.
Wang Hai wiped his hands and walked to the stove.
Lin Chen was preparing to process the piece of chicken breast that had been removed from the cob.
He placed the chicken breast on the cutting board, holding a cleaver in his hand.
"Knock knock knock knock—"
The sound of chopping meat filled the air.
Lin Chen's movements were slow, but his wrists were extremely steady, and the chicken breast meat was quickly turned into fine minced meat under his hands.
"Brother Chen, tonight we're still making 150 servings of fried rice, plus a pot of clear soup, right?"
Wang Hai confirmed this from the side.
"Yes, one hundred and fifty portions."
Lin Chen continued wielding the knife, his tone calm, "Same as yesterday."
"Okay, then I'll tidy up the empty soup bowls and takeout boxes from yesterday and prepare for tonight's packaging."
Wang Hai turned around to organize the cardboard boxes.
The aroma of soup pot began to slowly waft from the kitchen.
Lin Chen put the chopped chicken into a bowl, added cold water, and quickly stirred it in one direction with chopsticks until it became a thin paste. He set it aside for later use, waiting for the final "soup-sweeping" moment.
Sunlight streamed through the window onto the cutting board as the two prepared ingredients for their evening stall in their rented room.