Sheng Liancheng went inside to change out of his greasy work clothes and carefully washed his hands with soap.

Zhang Shuzhen picked up a basketful of steamed buns from the lid of the canopy, and then served pickled vegetables, garlic sauce, and other dishes.

We'll have steamed buns tonight; it'll save us the trouble of preparing any other dishes.

"Alright, everyone come and eat. Didn't we say there would be volunteer work tonight?"

After tidying up the food, Zhang Shuzhen called out to everyone.

The club is being built on the field, and the work is being done on a voluntary basis. We can't let it interfere with our normal work, so we have to eat dinner before we start working.

The children had been eagerly waiting, and as soon as they heard the noise, they immediately sat down at the table to wait.

Sheng Liancheng was still sitting on the kang (a heated brick bed), while Sheng Xiping and Zhou Qinglan sat facing each other on the edge of the kang this time.

"Xiao Zhou, don't be shy when you come to our house. Make yourself at home and eat whatever you like."

As the head of the family, Sheng Liancheng should definitely give way to Zhou Qinglan, otherwise how could she have the nerve to pick up her chopsticks?

"Quick, try the steamed buns your aunt made. Let me tell you, your aunt is a great cook, they're delicious."

As soon as Sheng Liancheng finished speaking, Sheng Yunfang quickly picked up a steamed bun and handed it to Zhou Qinglan.

"Sister Qinglan, you eat."

"Yes, yes, come over for dinner. Don't be shy. We're all family here, and we won't try to persuade you to stay."

"Just do whatever makes you feel good, don't act like an outsider." Zhang Shuzhen also smiled and invited Zhou Qinglan to eat.

Zhou Qinglan, being a young woman, was indeed a bit shy and hesitant to speak up.

However, the Sheng family's warm hospitality made her feel a little more at ease.

So he nodded, took the steamed bun that Sheng Yunfang handed him, and took a small bite.

After blanching the bok choy in water, chop it finely and gently squeeze out some of the water, but don't squeeze it too hard and remove all the moisture.

Bear meat is fatty; even if it's lean, it still has more fat than other meats.

Zhang Shuzhen didn't chop the meat too finely; the pieces were slightly coarse and had a grainy texture.

We have plenty of meat at home, and it's hot and it won't keep long, so there's a lot of meat in these buns, basically half meat and half vegetables.

Generally speaking, you wouldn't put this much meat in dumplings.

The meat and vegetables were evenly mixed together and formed a ball. When you took a bite, the juice from the bok choy and the oil from the meat immediately gushed out.

Thankfully, these were the first batch steamed, and after letting them cool for a while, they weren't too hot anymore.

If you take a bite of this right out of the pot, you're guaranteed to burn your tongue.

The dough for steamed buns made from two different types of dough is not very sticky and does not adhere well.

As soon as you take a bite, the skin cracks open, and the pale green, oily broth flows down the crack.

Thankfully, each person had a small bowl in front of them to catch the water, which flowed into the bowl and prevented their hands or clothes from getting dirty.

"Mmm, delicious. These buns are pretty good, the flavor is just right."

Over there, Sheng Liancheng took a big bite of a steamed bun, followed by a clove of garlic. He was so pleased with himself that he kept nodding.

Not only Sheng Liancheng, but everyone was the same, they ate with great relish.

Sheng Xitai didn't know how big a bite he took, but his cheeks were bulging.

While chewing, he heard his father's words and nodded repeatedly, speaking indistinctly.

"Mmm, mmm, it's so delicious."

Yes, on ordinary days, who gets to eat buns like these?

Let alone ordinary days, even during the Lunar New Year, most families are reluctant to put so much meat in their dumplings.

If it weren't for the summer, and the meat was too fragile to keep out of the house, Zhang Shuzhen would never have put so much meat in there. But she had no other choice.

Sheng Xiping lowered his head and took a bite of the bun, nodding in agreement. The taste was indeed quite good, very fragrant.

"How is it? Is it delicious?" He looked up at Zhou Qinglan and asked.

"Mmm, it's delicious and smells amazing. Auntie's cooking is excellent, and the filling is so fresh. It's especially delicious."

Zhou Qinglan swallowed the bun in her mouth, then nodded and said something.

"Eat as many as you like, we've made a lot tonight."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Shuzhen beamed with joy. Seeing that Zhou Qinglan had finished her steamed bun, she quickly picked up another one for her.

The cornmeal buns had a solid skin and were filled with plenty of meat. Moreover, the buns that Zhang Shuzhen made were quite large.

Sheng Xiping, with his large appetite, hesitated to eat more after consuming four steamed buns, fearing it would lower his appetite.

When locals say "jiangzhe," they generally mean that eating too much oily or greasy food can make you feel greasy and indigestion.

Some children don't know their limits. When they see delicious food, they eat it all up and end up getting sick from overeating. They may even be afraid to eat greasy food for many years.

Sheng Xiping is no longer a child, and he should be more mindful of what he eats. Eating such oily buns so late at night is something he should be careful about.

Needless to say, Zhou Qinglan didn't dare to eat more after two steamed buns.

If you don't usually eat such oily food, your stomach and intestines can't handle it. If you eat too much of this, you're likely to get diarrhea in the middle of the night.

So no matter how much the Sheng family tried to persuade her, Zhou Qinglan didn't dare to eat anymore.

"Auntie, are the buns in the outer room ready yet? I'll go open the pot and take them out."

Seeing that the Sheng family was eating, Zhou Qinglan realized it wouldn't be right for her to just sit there without eating, so she got up and went to work in the outer room.

"Oh, Qinglan, no need for you, I'll finish eating right away."

Upon seeing this, Zhang Shuzhen hurriedly put on her shoes and got out of bed.

This was only Zhou Qinglan's second visit to the Sheng family; how could she possibly let their daughter do chores?

"Auntie, didn't you tell me not to be so formal?"

"It's just picking up some steamed buns, you think I can't do any work?"

Zhou Qinglan smiled as she picked up the rag from the pot lid, then reached out and lifted the two lids by the crossbars, quickly opening the lids and carrying them aside.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!