Chapter 209 Let's Make Dumplings!
"How about... we make dumplings? We'll make both meat and vegetarian dumplings, and whoever wants one can have whichever they like, okay?"
The thought of the whole family gathering together to make dumplings was so heartwarming. Yunxia's suggestion was quickly agreed upon by everyone. They took baskets and went to the nearby market to buy fresh pork and vegetables, among other necessities.
It's worth mentioning that the prices of vegetables here are half again as high as those on Huaimin Street, and there's no bargaining service. The girl smacked her lips at the thought, but since she was in the local area, she had no choice but to be ripped off.
Back home, perhaps noticing the girl's unhappiness, Bai Jie comforted her, "Xiaxia, the land prices here are high, the rent is expensive, and the residents are picky. They won't buy anything that isn't fresh and organic, so the vegetable prices are a bit higher."
“What angers me is not these things, but that they don’t allow bargaining. If I win even a single point in the verbal battle, I’ll be happy all day.”
Uh, to my surprise, the girl was angry because of this. Bai Jie, who is usually very eloquent, didn't know how to comfort her for a moment.
"Uncle Bai, Yunxia... is just acting for fun, don't take it seriously. Go help in the kitchen, I'll talk to her."
Bai Jie believed Jiang Chao without a doubt, nodded, and turned to go into the kitchen.
Yunxia looked up and met the sole of a cotton slipper. She immediately raised her hands in surrender, "Okay, I'm not pretending anymore. Let's go make dumplings."
Today, Bai Jie was given the job of chopping meat filling. Despite having such handsome hands, his chopping skills were simply appalling. The meat filling spun and flew through the air before landing on the floor with a splat.
"I'll chop it up. At this rate, you'll probably be eating soup for lunch!"
"Everyone has their own expertise. I'm really not good at wielding a kitchen knife, but you...aren't you going to knead dough?"
"I'll chop the filling!"
After washing his hands, Jiang Chao rolled up his sleeves, grabbed the cleaver, and started chopping. Bai Jie, who had been standing there, was happy to be assigned the task of peeling garlic, which didn't require any skill and was easy to learn.
"Uncle Bai, do you have a mortar and pestle at home?"
"Uh, I don't eat garlic, so..."
"Oh, you don't eat garlic? I remember when we first met, I took you to eat dumpling noodle soup, and you always ate three big cloves of garlic!"
Bai Jie blinked slightly, scratched the back of his head, and said, "You love garlic. If we can't eat together, we won't see each other as often in the future!"
Goodness, Bai Jie, who appears to be a gentle and warm-hearted man, has a whole host of little schemes up his sleeve when he's pursuing someone. Yun Xia nudged Jiang Chao, giving him a look that suggested he should learn from him, otherwise, with his sharp-tongued personality, he'd easily end up single forever.
"You're such a young lady, your brain is full of useless ideas. You're taking the college entrance exam this year, so I'm going to keep a close eye on you."
Oops, I almost forgot, the new year starts after New Year's Day. Yun Xia's lips twitched as she said, "My grades are stable, I don't need any cramming."
Oh my god, she doesn't want to go through that nightmare again, just a month before the high school entrance exam.
"Hehe, wishful thinking. Only with good grades will you have more choices in university. The college entrance examination is a critical juncture in life, so I have to keep an eye on you. I'll tutor you for an hour every night."
"You're not going to class anymore? You're not going to do part-time jobs to earn money? How am I going to get enough sleep?" Aunt Wu was eager for tutoring, and Uncle Bai listened to Aunt Wu. Jiang An didn't have much say, so she could only rely on herself.
"In the second semester of my junior year, although my schedule is packed with classes, I don't have any classes in the evenings. I also have a part-time job... The new game is already in the promotion phase, and apart from routine maintenance, I don't have much to do, so... I have plenty of time. As for sleep, don't think I don't know you have a habit of reading magazines every night. If you get rid of that, and cut your washing-up time in half, you'll save some time, right?"
The girl's pupils dilated as she stared at the man in shock, stammering, "You stinky Jiang Chao, this is... premeditated, Tai!"
After rolling her eyes at him, she continued chopping the filling. "If you weren't my sister, I wouldn't even bother with you. Think back, when have I ever tutored anyone outside of my family?"
Thinking about it carefully, it really is true. His academic performance has always been excellent. In previous years, when his family was in financial difficulty, some people came to his door, offering to pay him to be a tutor, but he refused with a straight face. After hearing this, Yunxia could no longer find a reason to refute him.
"Alright, Xiaxia, don't be sad. Getting tutoring from the top scorer in the city is a blessing that many people would kill for!"
When Aunt Wu spoke, the girl quickly put on a well-behaved smile, "I'm not sad, I'm just worried about the miserable study life in the second half of the year."
What does "miserable" mean?
Damn, this generational gap! "Oh, a new internet slang term that all my classmates are using."
Upon hearing this, Wu Lifang chuckled, but Jiang Chao unleashed a death stare, saying, "You only learn bad things and not good ones. If you dare to dye your hair blonde and put on smoky makeup, see how I'll beat you up!"
The evolution of trends is inevitable. Recently, the "Shamate" style has shown signs of becoming a whirlwind, with brightly colored hair, heavy smoky makeup, and clothes full of studs and rips, all coming together to show off their individuality.
Every time they pass by, it sparks a discussion, mostly negative. Yunxia says that it's their hobby and deserves respect. As long as they don't feel ashamed when they look back years later, that's fine.
"Don't worry, even Gu Xun can't appreciate that kind of individualistic beauty, let alone me. I prefer natural hair color."
"Hehe, always trying to be clever. Here, add the ingredients and filling."
He knew how to chop the filling, but he didn't know what seasonings to add or how much to add. Yunxia raised her eyebrows slightly, gave him a smug and provocative look, took the iron basin, and quickly seasoned it. Once the dough had risen, they could start wrapping the filling.
...
"Uncle Bai, the dumplings you made are so beautiful, they look like crescent moons in the starry sky."
After spending more than an hour in the kitchen, Bai Jie finally heard a compliment, and he instantly became elated. "Putting everything else aside, when it comes to making dumplings, no one in our family can surpass me."
"Not even Bai Ye?" This refined and elegant young nobleman should be able to do such delicate work, right?
Bai Jie seemed to remember something, smiled contemptuously, and said, "Him? In today's popular terms, he's a kitchen killer. Forget about making dumplings, he can't even pick chives. He'll start blowing things up as soon as he enters the kitchen. When he was a kid, he was playful and ruined many of the pots and pans at home. Oh, right, he can pick shepherd's purse. When he showed off this skill, his dad and grandpa were so shocked that they were speechless."
Picking shepherd's purse was something I taught him myself. Goodness, I never imagined that both the grumpy and sarcastic Jiang Chao and the gentle and refined Bai Ye would be kitchen killers.
Where's Gu Xun? I'll ask him sometime!
With the whole family working together, they got things done quickly. Before long, the steamer was full of dumplings. After the water boiled, they put the dumplings in, adding cold water each time it boiled. After the water boiled three times, the dumplings were cooked.
At the dinner table, I noticed my partner peeling a clove of garlic and about to put it in their mouth, so I quickly stopped them, saying, "If you don't like it, don't force yourself."
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