Chapter 764 Plum Blossom Cake At this time, Xiaoyuer tugged at Chen Mo's sleeve, pointed at the birthday peach cake that had been cut off a large piece, and asked in a baby voice: "Mom, cake, it's sweet, why is it peach?"
Chen Mo gently pulled her daughter to her side and patiently explained, "Because peaches represent longevity and health. Look, it's my great-grandfather's birthday today, so we made a peach cake. I wish him to be as healthy and long-lived as the fairy peach."
The little boy seemed to understand but also followed suit: "Long live! Long live great-grandfather!"
This made Uncle Shen laugh again, and the wrinkles on his face smoothed out like a blooming chrysanthemum.
Old Mrs. Fang looked at her two great-grandchildren lovingly and said to Fang Zhongding Panyun, "Look at these two clever little ones. They are so adorable."
She turned to Shen Mo again, "Xiao Mo, you have taught your child so well. He is sensible and polite."
Shen Mo was a little embarrassed by the praise: "Grandma, I need Aunt Liu and Teacher Chen to take care of me more. I'm busy with school, and it's thanks to them."
Aunt Liu waved her hands quickly: "Oh, you're not to blame. Little Xiaoyuer is very well behaved and smart! You are all sensible people, so the child is naturally worse."
Fang Zhong looked at this joyful scene with a feeling of deep emotion, raising his glass: "Come on, today, on the occasion of my in-laws' eightieth birthday, it is the greatest blessing for our family to be together. I suggest that we all toast the birthday man together, and also to our beautiful family!"
Everyone raised their glasses, even the little fish raised his own glass and clinked glasses with the others in a proper manner, shouting "Cheers!"
The children's words and phrases once again brought laughter to the room.
After the meal, the waiter cleared away the leftovers and replaced them with tea and a fruit plate.
Mr. Fang took a sip of strong tea and said to Lu Qingyang, "Qingyang, I heard that your pharmaceutical factory is getting more and more powerful."
Lu Qingyang nodded seriously: "It's great that everyone cooperates. By the way, I brought the plaster you asked for and will send it to you when the time comes."
"Great! Now the old guys will say I'm bragging."
Fang Zhong also nodded: "That stuff is really good. Wherever the soldiers are in pain, after applying it overnight, their blood circulation and blood stasis are relieved. It's as effective as our ancestors' stuff."
It was almost time, so everyone dispersed and went home.
…
The weekend sunshine shines through the glass windows into the Lu family's spacious kitchen.
Old Mrs. Fang put on a floral apron and announced with a smile, "It's a nice day today, let's make plum blossom pastries."
This "Plum Blossom Pastry" is an ordinary pastry. It is a craft passed down from Mrs. Fang's family, that is, Lu Qingyang's great-grandmother's generation. It looks like a plum blossom, with layers of crispness, and melts in the mouth. In the past, it was only made during festivals or important days.
When Shen Mo heard this, she immediately became interested: "Grandma, I'll help you and learn this skill from you!"
Old Lady Fang smiled delightedly and began to give orders confidently, "Qingyang, the hard work is yours. Take that lump of lard dough and knead it repeatedly until it's shiny, shiny, and smooth. Then you can make a pastry."
Lu Qingyang immediately accepted the order, rolled up his sleeves, and said with a smile: "As you wish."
Old Mrs. Fang took out another basin and began to make the water-fried dough. As she worked, she whispered to Shen Mo, "Look, the water-fried dough should be neither too soft nor too hard. If it's too soft, it won't form, and if it's too hard, the crispy layers will come out... This plum blossom pastry, when I was a child, my mother would only make it with my sisters and me once in the twelfth lunar month. At that time, supplies were tight, and the oil and sugar we used were precious. The finished plum blossom pastry was wrapped in kraft paper and hung on the beams of the house. We were so greedy that we looked up at it every day..."
At this time, the little fish, who was cleaned up by Aunt Liu, also held back, tiptoed to the edge of the cooking table, and looked at it eagerly.
Old Lady Fang's heart softened and she said with a smile, "Come on, Grandma will assign you some work!"
She pinched off two small pieces of dough that had risen and handed them to the two little ones: "Here, imitate grandma. Roll this small dough into small balls in the palm of your hand, and then gently flatten it, just like... just like making cookies!"
She took out a few small pink doughs colored with red yeast rice flour and said, "Use these to make flower centers for the cookies."
This made the two children very happy.
The little boy followed suit and kneaded the dough vigorously with his chubby little hands, but the dough was too obedient and squeezed out from between his fingers. He was so anxious that sweat broke out on the tip of his nose.
Xiao Yuer carefully pressed the pink dots into the dough. She was naturally talented, so she did a great job.
After the preparations are done, start rolling, shaping and pastry making.
The simple dough was folded and rolled in her hands several times, and then she skillfully drew the petals with her hands, and in an instant, a plum blossom bud was formed.
Shen Mo studied hard. Although she was a little clumsy at the first few and the petals opened and closed unevenly, she gradually got the hang of it under the guidance of Old Lady Fang.
When the steaming plate was filled with exquisite raw dough of plum blossom pastry, Lu Qingyang took it to deep-fry it in lard over a low heat.
Finally, the dessert is out.
The golden plum blossoms bloom layer by layer, and the pastry is as thin as a cicada's wing, as if it will break at the touch.
After it cooled to a slightly warm state, Old Lady Fang picked up the first piece, blew on it, carefully broke it open, and handed it to Shen Mo.
The crispy aroma melts in your mouth, with the sweet and greasy red bean paste filling, "It's really delicious."
After doing all this, Lu Qingyang hurriedly changed into another set of clothes.
He said he had something to do and had to go out.
"It's so easy to take a day off, but you're going out again?"
Shen Mo was a little disappointed.
"The restaurant called and said there was a disturbance. I'm relieved, so I went to check it out. I'll bring you some soup when I come back."
Shen Mo had no choice but to nod: "Come back soon."
The kitchen suddenly became quieter, with only the gurgling sound of something simmering on the stove.
Old Lady Fang looked at the lingering disappointment on Shen Mo's face, and while she was neatly packing up her stall making plum blossom pastries, she consoled her:
"Men have to be busy with things outside the home all the time. Qingyang is the one who takes charge. If there's a mess in the store, he, the head of the family, will go."
Shen Mo nodded. She understood the reason, but she felt a little empty in her heart because the reunion weekend she had been looking forward to for a long time was interrupted.
Aunt Liu said slowly, "Let me clean up. You guys take a rest. I'll cut some fruit for you later."
On the other side, Lu Qingyang rode his bicycle to Xinwei Ju.
Before entering the door, I heard the sound of broken dishes and a man's rough shouting.
He pushed the door open with a gloomy face, only to see the store in a mess, a table overturned, and leftover soup spilled all over the floor.
Two young men in work clothes were tugging at each other's collars, their faces flushed and their necks thick.
A young woman with curly hair hid aside, watching with great interest.
At this time, Ma Hongxia shouted: "You have broken things here, but you have to pay for it. If you dare to make trouble again, I will report it to the police directly and ask you to go to the police station to calm down. If you talk, you will definitely lose your current job."
"No! No!" The other man quickly grabbed his companion and said to Ma Hongxia with a wry smile, "It's a misunderstanding, it's all a misunderstanding! We were drunk and confused for a moment... We'll pay for this loss, we'll pay for it!"
Ma Hongxia knew when to stop and pointed at the mess on the floor. "Alright, then I'll compensate you according to the price. Also, today's meal fee can't be reduced by a cent. From now on, drunk and troublesome guests are welcome here. Do you understand?"
Seeing that Ma Hongxia handled the situation well, Lu Qingyang said nothing and let the two men pay the money and leave in disgrace.
Only the curly-haired woman snorted coldly and said, "It's boring."
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