Gourmet: Twins' Father and Chef of the Kindergarten

"Okay, honey, I have faith in you!"

Liu Jinyan’s smile was filled with trust and support for him, then she thoughtfully suggested, "To make your preparation smoother, let’s move these cups to the dining table. The height of the coffee table isn’t exactly ideal for you to work your magic!"

"You’ve really thought of everything, dear!"

Wan Zhenhong looked at Liu Jinyan tenderly, and then the two of them, with a mutual understanding, walked towards the dining table together. He carefully placed each cup on the table, arranging them neatly like a line of soldiers waiting for orders.

Then, he carefully selected a few ping pong balls from a nearby storage cabinet, first placing one securely on top of the cup, while the rest were lined up neatly as backup.

"Daddy, I want to play too!"

Seizing the moment when the television was on a commercial break and her cartoon was temporarily absent, Niuniu, her small body like a spring, slid down the sofa and ran towards Wan Zhenhong and the dining table, her eyes sparkling with the desire to join the game.

But just as she was about to reach the edge of the table...

Liu Jinyan gently yet firmly stretched out her arm and pulled Niuniu into her embrace, stopping her advance: "Niuniu, right now Daddy is working hard for our ’Family Meal Voucher’! He needs to concentrate fully, and we can’t be his little distractions. Come, sweetheart, let’s go back to the sofa and continue watching your favorite cartoons. Once Daddy is done, he will play with you, okay?"

A hint of disappointment flashed across Niuniu’s little face, and she opened her mouth slightly, "But..."

Before she could finish her sentence, Liu Jinyan interrupted her again: "No buts. Let me ask you, do you want to eat the dinner Qingqing’s Daddy makes?"

"Yes~"

Niuniu’s eyes immediately lit up, and she nodded vigorously without hesitation.

"If you do, then we shouldn’t disturb Daddy anymore. Let him practice well and win us the ’Family Meal Voucher’. That way, we can eat the dinner Qingqing’s Daddy makes."

Without waiting for Niuniu’s response, she carried Niuniu back to the sofa, holding her gently as they continued to watch TV, to prevent Niuniu’s lively and active nature from sneaking her back to Wan Zhenhong’s side and unintentionally interrupting his practice.

Motivated by the prospect of eating Huang Jun’s dinner, Niuniu became exceptionally well-behaved. She nestled in her mother’s arms with a pure smile on her face and called out in a childish voice towards the dining area: "Daddy, you have to keep practicing! Niuniu believes in you~"

"Alright, Niuniu, Daddy promises to go all out and show you my true skills."

While responding, Wan Zhenhong warmed up, filled with confidence, and blew forcefully at the ping pong ball in the cup. Unexpectedly, the ping pong ball, like a mischievous child, leaped out of the cup’s confines, creating gentle ripples before finally landing on the table, announcing the failure of the first attempt.

Wan Zhenhong: "..."

This was really a case of trying to show off but getting a reality check instead!

Upon hearing the sound, Liu Jinyan smiled gently and reassured him, "It’s okay, honey, let’s try again, you can do it!"

Niuniu followed up, her small voice cheering: "Yes, Daddy, take your time, you can do it!"

"Okay!"

With his furrowed brows gradually relaxing, he took a deep breath, adjusting his breathing rhythm. This time, he gently, slowly blew a stream of air towards the side of the ping pong ball, carefully controlling the strength and direction.

Unfortunately...

The ping pong ball seemed unwilling to comply easily. After wandering around the rim of the paper cup a few times, it reluctantly returned to its original position.

"Okay!"

Wan Zhenhong let out a bitter laugh, but his eyes were full of determination: "Another failure. However, we have plenty of time and opportunities, don’t we?"

"Yes, honey, there are still several days left, no rush, take your time, practice makes perfect. I’m sure by the day of the event, you’ll be able to hit the target every time." Liu Jinyan continued to encourage him.

Niuniu nodded vigorously: "Yes, Daddy, you’re the best!"

"Don’t worry, Daddy won’t give up. Like an indestructible little cockroach, I will keep getting tougher through setbacks."

Wan Zhenhong turned and smiled at them, secretly encouraging himself: "Let’s try again, this time the force must be just right, not too heavy or too light."

He adjusted his position and strength, focusing once again.

This time, he was exceptionally cautious, carefully controlling the airflow, letting the ping pong ball move smoothly along the "track" of the cups, gliding lightly from one cup to the next.

And indeed.

This time it worked!

"Yes, that’s great, keep up this pace!"

His heart couldn’t help but leap with joy, and this sense of achievement boosted his confidence. Yet instead of relaxing, he concentrated even more on maintaining that force, letting the ping pong ball conquer each cup one by one...

Finally, when the ping pong ball rested steadily into the last cup, Wan Zhenhong straightened his back, exhaled deeply, and a genuine smile blossomed on his face: "Great, I did it!"

Liu Jinyan promptly affirmed him: "Honey, I knew you could do it!"

Niuniu clapped her hands in excitement: "Daddy, you’re amazing!"

Wan Zhenhong wasn’t satisfied just yet.

After all, this success was just the beginning. It’s only through continuous practice that one can truly show their best self during a real challenge.

And so...

He continued practicing.

Every attempt made him more proficient, every success boosted his confidence, bringing him one step closer to the "Family Meal Voucher"...

Surely, on the day of the event, he’ll shine brightly...

In the days that followed, parents harboring the beautiful vision of the kindergarten’s "Family Meal Voucher" quietly began a comprehensive preparation mode at home.

Some parents, like Wan Zhenhong, because they were unfamiliar with the game projects of other classes, chose to focus on their child’s class game, putting all their efforts into repeated practice of a single project.

Another group of parents, however, were quite resourceful.

They bravely crossed class boundaries and extended a hand of friendship to parents they had never met, actively engaging in communication and exchanges. This not only widened their channels for obtaining information but also unintentionally uncovered game projects from other classes.

This "know yourself and your enemy" strategy undoubtedly added to their chances of winning in the upcoming New Year’s event.

Unlike previous New Year’s events where children led and parents followed along, this year’s atmosphere saw a noticeable change.

Parents became active promoters of this event, planning ahead and practicing diligently. This unprecedented enthusiasm and involvement inadvertently fueled the children’s strong anticipation for the event, filling them with more intense interest and eager longing for the coming event.

In no time, the eve of the New Year’s event arrived.

Liang Yinqiu took time out of her lunch break to hold a brief meeting with teachers from each class and key members like Huang Jun.

After careful discussion and with Huang Jun’s approval, they decided to adjust the reward mechanism, setting the number of lucky families for the "Family Meal Voucher" to the top five from each grade.

This decision naturally stemmed from the enthusiastic feedback from the parents.

They not only actively gave opinions and suggestions to the teachers of each class but some even called Liang Yinqiu directly to express their thoughts.

In light of these circumstances, Liang Yinqiu believed the parents’ opinions should be seriously considered, so she decided to increase the initially set three spots to five, better meeting everyone’s expectations.

After the school bell rang and the last child was picked up by their parent, the teachers did not immediately leave for the day but returned to their classrooms instead.

Indeed!

They worked tirelessly, setting up classrooms and preparing props for the success of the New Year’s event tomorrow, all wholeheartedly invested in the preparation. Their sole aim was to ensure a smooth and successful event, leaving a memorable and beautiful experience for the children and parents, and making a good impression on city and education bureau leaders...