"Uncle has collected the shell casings for you. Keep them safe. If you save up a lot, Uncle will glue them together to make a tank for you." Staff Officer Zheng handed the bag to Qin Xiaoyu, picked up Hanhan, and took out a few golden shell casings from his pocket and handed them to Hanhan.
"Mom! Look!" Hanhan's eyes lit up with joy.
The younger sister panicked and tugged at Staff Officer Zheng's trouser leg from below. Staff Officer Zheng bent down, picked her up as well, and carried her one on each side into the building.
Qin Xiaoyu followed behind, making a funny face, which looked pretty cool, but what did it have to do with her? She probably really was suffering from a chronic illness; she wasn't moved at all.
Children are like that; they'll be nice to whoever treats them well. The two children wouldn't leave Staff Officer Zheng's side, playing in Qin Xiaoyu's office the whole time. Laughter frequently drifted out, and Master Wang beamed with delight, her face radiating an unusual glow, as if she were in love.
"Tian Tian, go buy some ground meat. I'll pay for it. Buy a lot, we'll make dumplings for lunch." Master Wang took out thirty yuan and handed it to Tian Tian.
"Master, what are you doing?" Qin Xiaoyu was startled. Master Wang was always careful with money, but this time he had really spent a lot.
"I'm happy, okay? What are you looking at, silly girl? Go quickly, get the pork shoulder, the best mix of lean and fatty meat. Make two kinds of fillings, half chives and half celery, plus a sauerkraut one, your master likes it."
After Master Wang made the arrangements, the idle trainees immediately got to work. Eating meat dumplings was like celebrating the New Year. Some families don't even get to eat meat dumplings during the New Year. Some washed vegetables, some picked vegetables, some chopped filling—everyone who could help did so.
For a moment, the hairdressing school was like a festival, with everyone beaming with joy and laughter echoing up and down the stairs.
"What's going on?" Commander Wang asked, somewhat bewildered as he walked to the door.
"Aunt Wang, let's have dumplings for lunch, don't go!" Qin Xiaoyu hurriedly called out to her.
"What good news is there?" Commander Wang sensed something was amiss.
"Nothing good, just happy." Master Wang came over and pulled Commander Wang aside to whisper something.
Qin Xiaoyu knew they were talking about her, which was awkward, but she couldn't stop them because they were all people who genuinely cared for her.
Commander Wang is such a gossip; he didn't keep an eye on Qin Xiaoyu for a second, and she ran off to the second-floor office. He doesn't know what she interrogated her about, but she came out beaming.
“There’s hair stubble down there, and you’re all covered in it. You’re practically walking on air. Take the filling and dough to Xiaoyu’s office on the second floor to wrap them,” Commander Wang suggested.
Tian Tian was just worrying about how to make room in the kitchen when she heard what Commander Wang said, so she carried the basin upstairs.
Qin Xiaoyu had just finished seeing off a customer and was about to go to take on the next job when Master Wang stopped her first.
"Go upstairs and make dumplings, you don't need to do this."
"I don't like making dumplings, let me get a haircut instead."
"No way, they've come all this way to deliver this to your child, and this attitude is just unacceptable." Master Wang forcefully pushed Qin Xiaoyu out the door.
The office was already bustling with activity. Staff Officer Zheng was rolling out dumpling wrappers, Regiment Commander Wang and Tian Tian were making dumplings, and Hanhan and Xiaomei were helping Staff Officer Zheng press the dough pieces on either side.
"Little Fish, come quick! Staff Officer Zheng is too fast, we can't keep up!" Commander Wang hurriedly called out.
The dumpling wrappers in front of them were piled up like a mountain. Staff Officer Zheng was chatting happily with them, but when Qin Xiaoyu came in, he suddenly stopped talking, his face turned slightly red, and he refused to say anything.
Commander Wang saw this and a slight smirk appeared on his lips, but he quickly suppressed the smile.
"Let your Uncle Zheng rest for a bit, he's tired." Commander Wang winked at Hanhan.
"Uncle Zheng, please sit down for a while." Hanhan came over and took his hand.
"No, let me pack them for you, it'll be faster." Staff Officer Zheng walked around, wanting to stand next to Regiment Commander Wang. Unexpectedly, Regiment Commander Wang nimbly dodged, moving to Tian Tian's side and squeezing Qin Xiaoyu aside.
While making dumplings, Qin Xiaoyu was thinking about Qi Si Hotel. She was a little distracted and didn't notice what was happening around her.
There were three bone scrapers in the basin, which are useful tools for making dumplings in northern China. They are more convenient than chopsticks and spoons for scooping filling.
Tian Tian and Regiment Commander Wang didn't put down a single one. Qin Xiaoyu reached out to grab the last one in the basin, and Staff Officer Zheng also reached out his hand. Their hands touched, and they were so startled that they quickly withdrew their hands.
Commander Wang exchanged a glance with Tian Tian, both suppressing a laugh. Qin Xiaoyu blushed deeply, and Staff Officer Zheng was so embarrassed he didn't know where to hide.
"I'll go down first, I still have work to do." Qin Xiaoyu couldn't stay here for even a moment longer.
She had just stepped out of her office when an unexpected visitor walked towards her.
Zhou Xing?
"you……"
"I'm here for a haircut," Zhou Xing said with a dark face, glancing around Qin Xiaoyu and into the office.
"Your hair isn't that long." Qin Xiaoyu had just trimmed it a while ago, and now it would be too short if she cut it again.
"Not long? Then let it be. What's that smelling so good?" Zhou Xing seemed more interested in the dumplings.
"Let's make dumplings. You stay and eat. Call Sister Xiaoyue over too." Since things had come to this point, Qin Xiaoyu couldn't refuse.
But as soon as he said it, he regretted it. This guy and Staff Officer Zheng seemed to be at odds. What if he embarrassed him again?
“My sister doesn’t live here. My parents aren’t home. She went back to her own home.” Zhou Xing said and walked towards the office.
Does this mean he wants to stay and eat dumplings?
Let him do whatever he wants. Qin Xiaoyu was going all in; this would be a good opportunity to help her fend off Zheng's attacks, so they could be considered teammates.
"Master, where are we eating?" Tian Tian asked Qin Xiaoyu after she had arranged for someone to start cooking dumplings in the kitchen.
"Let Aunt Wang and my master eat upstairs, it's the usual rule for trainees. I'll eat after I finish this job." Qin Xiaoyu made the arrangements and then focused on her work. Trainees take turns eating, it's always been like this, and no one has any objections.
"Xiaoyu, hurry up and eat, it'll get cold soon." A few minutes later, Master Wang ran downstairs, insisting on replacing Qin Xiaoyu.
"No, I'll eat after I finish cooking. It's still cooking anyway." Qin Xiaoyu kept stalling for time.
"Go eat quickly, I'm not in a hurry!" The customer was a regular, but she was getting anxious.
Qin Xiaoyu was practically dragged upstairs by Master Wang. Upon entering the office, she felt a little dizzy. Commander Wang's eyes were as alert as a startled rabbit's; he glanced at Zhou Xing, then at Staff Officer Zheng, and finally at Qin Xiaoyu, as if he had discovered something terrible.
Staff Officer Zheng was squeezed into a corner and silently dealt with the dumplings on the plate in front of him.
To Zhou Xing's left is Hanhan, and to his right is his younger sister. He is using chopsticks to pick up half a dumpling and feed it to his younger sister.
"Sweetie, chew slowly and swallow carefully, it's good for digestion."
"Come and eat. You're always the one dawdling." He looked up and saw Qin Xiaoyu, greeting her with a very impolite tone, as if they were so familiar that they could joke around with each other.
Hanhan had already brought over the chopsticks and small dishes, and poured some vinegar for Qin Xiaoyu.
"Didn't I tell you? The sauerkraut dumplings are sour enough. Don't eat vinegar anymore; it's bad for your stomach." Zhou Xing had quite a few things to say. Besides, when did he ever tell you these things?
Qin Xiaoyu was completely confused, while Commander Wang's eyes were filled with complex emotions and deep worry.
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