Chapter 16 Pasting Couplets and Making Dumplings
"She cries one minute and laughs the next, she's such a silly girl. Mom, why don't you take her to see a psychiatrist today?"
"Ah Chao, there's a limit to jokes. Can you just say things like that so casually?"
Seeing that Aunt Wu was really angry, Yunxia pretended to punch Jiang Chao for the sake of family harmony.
"Aunt Wu, he scolded me, so I hit him back. We're even now. Please don't get angry, getting angry can cause wrinkles. Also, I'm so hungry. I want to eat stir-fried cabbage with pork cracklings and sweet and soft sweet potato pancakes."
"Xiaxia, if Achao bullies you again, tell your auntie and see how I deal with him!"
"I want to eat sweet potato pancakes. Wait, Auntie will go to the kitchen to make them. Ah Chao, come and start the fire in a bit."
After Wu Lifang left, Yunxia put the bag of milk back into the arms of the two brothers.
"An'an, drink up! I have plenty, one more won't make a difference. If you want some more, just come and get it!"
"You stinking Jiang Chao, take your lousy breasts back, hmph!"
"Heh, didn't we say we were even? Why are you still angry?"
Faced with someone's sarcastic remarks, Yun Xia silently told herself not to get angry, rolled her eyes at him, and then carried the milk box into the master bedroom.
"Brother, it smells so good! You should bite into it and try it!" The little baby, with milk dripping from the corner of his mouth, excitedly suggested.
The boy raised his eyebrows slightly, bit a hole in the corner of the bag with his teeth, and put his lips into the hole.
The milk, with its distinctive aroma and silky smooth texture, had a lingering sweetness when savored. A hint of amazement flashed in the boy's slightly narrowed eyes; clearly, the taste of the milk exceeded his expectations.
In no time, the bag was deflated by his sucking, and remembering the task his mother had given him, he turned and went to the kitchen.
On the thirtieth day of the twelfth lunar month, Wu Lifang scooped some flour, stirred a bowl of paste, and got the three children to put up Spring Festival couplets.
Jiang Chao and Yun Xia worked together, taking charge of pasting on the doors and windows, while Jiang An, being short, was responsible for pasting on the bed and boxes. Aunt Wu, who was frying New Year's goods, watched their busy figures with a smile.
It was almost noon when we finally finished our work. Yesterday's big cleaning and today's Spring Festival couplets made the house look brand new, with red backgrounds and black characters that looked very pleasing.
"That stinky Jiang Chao is really blessed!"
"Otherwise, who would paste the character '福' (fortune) upright in their house?"
Fingers covered in paste felt sticky and uncomfortable.
After finishing his rant, Jiang Chao turned his head, staring at the other person's small face with a sinister look. With a slight twitch of his fingertips, he suddenly launched an attack.
Tai, what kind of skill is it to launch a sneak attack?
The angry little pufferfish, its face covered in paste, bared its teeth and claws, ready to retaliate. The boy smiled disdainfully, dodged to the side, and then the two played a game of chasing each other in the yard.
"Haha, Xiaxia, your legs are so short! You can never catch up with your brother."
The little boy, sitting on the doorstep, munching on a large piece of melon, kept adding insult to injury.
Yunxia: ...
Who are you calling short-legged? Go enjoy your melon!
Despite sweating profusely, Yunxia still couldn't catch up with Jiang Chao. In the end, with Aunt Wu's help, she hopped around and smeared the paste on her hands onto someone's...nostrils.
"Yunxia, where are you putting this? I can't breathe!" the boy said angrily as he washed himself with warm water.
"Serves you right, who told you to start trouble first, humph!"
It is a local custom not to use knives on the first day of the Lunar New Year, which is said to prevent bloodshed.
Almost every household will make several hundred dumplings on New Year's Eve to eat the next day.
After lunch and a short rest, Wu Lifang gave the order, and the massive dumpling-making operation began.
Add water to the flour, knead it into a dough, put it in a bowl, cover it with gauze, and let it rest.
Wash the chives, cut them into small pieces, sprinkle with salt to draw out the moisture, squeeze out the excess water and set aside.
Remove the skin from the pork belly, cut it into small pieces, and chop it finely while adding chopped chives. Chop until it can cling to the blade of a knife, then put it into a bowl, add various seasonings, and mix well.
By this time, the dough has risen. Cut off one-third of it, roll it into a long strip in your palm, connect the ends together, pinch it into a long ring, then cut it into small pieces, and then roll them into thin sheets.
The three children sat together, taking charge of making dumplings.
"An'an, you're wrapping things slowly and ugly, go back to your room and play!"
Upon hearing this, Yunxia turned her head and looked at the deflated dumpling wrappers, which were covered with green leaves and light brown juice.
Well, it's all about participation!
"No, An'an likes making dumplings!"
"Jiang An, the ones you made will definitely crack when they're cooked. We'll eat dumplings, and you'll just get soup!"
Seeing that the little baby was about to cry, Yunxia nudged someone with her elbow and, seeing that the person was looking over, frantically gave them meaningful glances.
Jiang Chao instinctively wanted to retort, but seeing An An pouting, her eyes slightly moist, looking aggrieved, he couldn't bring himself to speak.
Pick a piece of dough that looks terrible and throw it in front of her. "An'an, making dumplings is a skill. You're too young to do it well. Leave the work to your brother and Xiaxia. Use the dough to make a little animal. Remember, this is your forte."
With just a few words, the little boy was coaxed into happily kneading dough. Yun Xia shook her head helplessly, thinking to herself that he had a really good temper. If it were her, she would have smeared flour all over his face.
Amidst the commotion, three large baskets of dumplings were made. Yunxia stood on tiptoe and counted them one by one, finding a total of 280 dumplings. She thought to herself, "No wonder my hands are so sore!"
The cutting board wasn't high, so Wu Lifang had to bend over when rolling out the dough. Right now, she could barely straighten up. Seeing this, Yunxia quickly helped her back inside to lie down and massaged her with her chubby little hands.
"Xiaxia, Auntie is fine. It's just an old ailment. She'll be alright after lying down for a while!"
Having lived two lives, Yunxia knew in her heart whether a back injury was a trivial matter.
"Aunt Wu, you can rest today. Leave the New Year's Eve dinner to me!"
"No way! Xiaxia, be good, listen to me, Auntie will cook the New Year's Eve dinner later!"
"Aunt Wu, you're the one who's being disobedient. Xiaxia's cooking skills are pretty good too. If you don't agree, I'll go and call Brother Jiang Chao and have him persuade you!"
Wu Lifang knew her son's stubbornness all too well. After thinking it over, she nodded slightly and agreed to her suggestion.
Hmph, Jiang Chao, in Aunt Wu's heart, he's quite authoritative!
"Xiaxia, just cook a few simple dishes, don't make anything too complicated."
"I understand, I know what I'm doing!"
In the evening, the young girl rolled up her sleeves and started cooking. Her movements were quick and powerful, and after a series of clattering sounds, four dishes and a soup were freshly prepared.
Looking at the delicious-looking and fragrant dishes on the table, Wu Lifang couldn't help but praise them:
"Xiaxia is amazing! This crispy pork soup is even better than what you get in restaurants. Ah Chao, what's with that expression? If you don't believe me, try it for yourself!"
With the same ingredients, could she possibly make something fancy out of them?
With a snort, he scooped up a spoonful of crispy pork. The outer layer was soft and chewy, while the inside was firm and chewy, all blended together, constantly stimulating his taste buds.
The broth was rich and flavorful. As soon as I swallowed it, a warm current flowed through my body, driving away all the chill. Wow, she really knows how to make something special!
He licked the soup off his lips, raised an eyebrow, and said coldly, "So-so!"
Do you think everyone else is blind?
His eyes, which had just been so full, were now squinting!
Jiang Chao is always at the forefront of the "it smells so good!" trend!
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