Wang Jinhua watched as she kneaded a large lump of dough and frowned. “What are you doing?”
Xu Sangluo didn’t recognize Wang Jinhua and simply replied, “I want to make some dumplings so they can have something to eat when they come back.”
Wang Jinhua was taken aback, then looked at her suspiciously.
Xu Sangluo only smiled and didn’t explain further.
Meanwhile, little Qin Yan watched as she skillfully turned lumps of dough into round wrappers. Curious, he couldn’t help walking closer and leaning to the side to watch.
Seeing how deft her hands were and how evenly sized and thin the wrappers she rolled out were—clearly the work of someone experienced—the critical look in Wang Jinhua’s eyes lessened.
She rolled up her sleeves. “What else needs to be done? I’ll help.”
Xu Sangluo didn’t refuse. Smiling, she pointed at the cabbage and mushrooms. “Please chop these into mince.”
Her smile was gentle and soft, giving people a very comfortable feeling. It made Wang Jinhua somewhat puzzled.
She didn’t look like the kind of person who would make a scene or act like a scoundrel.
Near noon, Mother Qin was finally carried out of the clinic on Qin Zhiyi’s back.
Following beside them were the three Qin siblings, their eyes red and swollen.
The second child, Qin Zhishu, was fifteen this year and studying in high school.
Qin Zhifeng and Qin Zhiyu were thirteen and attending middle school.
Father Qin had passed away ten years ago, and the family had been living off Qin Zhiyi’s military allowance.
Now that he had retired and returned home, the pressure on the family’s livelihood had suddenly grown much heavier.
Mother Qin had gone to gather mountain goods to help ease her son’s burden, but that was how the accident happened.
However, Mother Qin didn’t care much about her own injury.
“Hurry up. That child Yanyan must be frightened. And you all—how could you lock such a small child in the house? That’s unacceptable!”
The three children lowered their heads and didn’t dare make a sound.
As soon as they returned home, they saw the courtyard gate open and heard no movement. They thought the child had already been taken away by Wang Jinhua.
But the moment they stepped inside, they smelled a delicious aroma, along with… a child’s laughter coming from the kitchen.
Everyone was stunned.
The people in the kitchen also noticed they had returned.
Wang Jinhua was the first to come out and quickly asked, “How is it? Is the injury serious?”
“Ah, just a small injury. A few days of rest will do,” Mother Qin said with a smile.
Little Qin Yan also ran out, hurried to Qin Zhiyi’s side, and looked up at Mother Qin on his back with his small head tilted.
“Daddy, you’re back! Grandma, Grandma, did you fall? Does it hurt? Yanyan will blow on it.”
Before anyone could respond, they saw another girl standing at the kitchen door—someone unfamiliar yet somewhat familiar.
After all, ever since Xu Sangluo came to the Qin family, she had been locked in a room the entire time, with meals passed through the window.
Seeing everyone looking at Xu Sangluo, the little fellow immediately said happily, “Grandma, Auntie made lots and lots of dumplings! Yanyan helped wrap them too. They’re for Grandma—after you eat them, the pain will fly away!”
The child’s voice was crisp and bright, without the slightest shadow, leaving everyone stunned once again.
They looked again toward Xu Sangluo standing quietly at the doorway, though her heart was actually full of complicated emotions.
In her previous life, when she met Qin Zhiyi again, he had already become a highly respected general.
At that time, he had learned that the food at Xu Sangluo’s farmhouse restaurant was good for the body, so he brought Mother Qin to visit.
When they first met, neither of them recognized the other—after all, twenty years had passed.
Later, when Xu Sangluo heard their names, she finally remembered.
During that period, Qin Zhiyi accompanied Mother Qin to recuperate at the farmhouse, and the two gradually interacted more.
Mother Qin didn’t want her son to spend his life alone and tried to match them together.
But Qin Zhiyi always felt guilty toward Qin Yan and couldn’t get past that hurdle in his heart.
Because Qin Yan was not his biological child but the orphan of a fallen comrade. The child’s early death had always weighed heavily on his mind.
Xu Sangluo, too, carried guilt in her heart and couldn’t cross that barrier.
So the two had always remained only friends.
At that time, Qin Zhiyi had been as cold and sharp as a blade, rarely smiling, with deep furrows already etched between his brows.
The current Qin Zhiyi, though still somewhat cold in personality, lacked the piercing, unapproachable sharpness he would later possess.
Just then, the little fellow cheered and ran over, breaking the silence in the room.
“Ah—I’ll go serve dumplings for Grandma!”
Afraid that he might burn himself, Xu Sangluo didn’t bother with the rest of the Qin family and hurriedly turned to follow him inside.
“Yanyan, don’t move—be careful, it’s hot!”
The Qin family members left outside looked at each other in confusion.
Wang Jinhua quickly explained the situation in a low voice, then said, “Take your mother back to her room to rest first. Let her recuperate well these next few days.”
With that, she waved her hand, not staying any longer, and hurried home to prepare dinner.
Qin Zhiyi carried Mother Qin on his back and went inside.
“She…”
After entering the room, Mother Qin hesitated before speaking.
“You rest first. I’ll go take a look.”
Qin Zhiyi settled her properly before heading out. As he stepped outside, he ran into Qin Zhishu, who was carrying a bowl of dumplings over.
Smelling the aroma, Qin Zhishu’s expression became complicated.
“She made them. I’m bringing some to Mom.”
Qin Zhiyi looked at the bowl full of plump, snow-white dumplings and stepped aside to let him pass.
At this moment, several bowls of steaming dumplings were placed on the old, worn folding table in the courtyard.
But no one sat down yet; they all stood around it, and the atmosphere felt somewhat awkward.
When Qin Zhiyi arrived, everyone immediately looked over.
The little fellow, who had been a bit at a loss because of the strange atmosphere, brightened instantly upon seeing his father and ran over to throw himself at him.
“Dad, is Grandma asleep?”
“No.” Qin Zhiyi lifted him up with one hand and settled him on his arm.
“Then did Grandma eat dumplings? Dumplings are really delicious!”
Hearing this, Qin Zhiyi subconsciously glanced toward Xu Sangluo.
Xu Sangluo had been secretly peeking at the two of them. Their eyes met unexpectedly, and she stiffened at once.
But Qin Zhiyi quickly withdrew his gaze and softly responded, “Mm.”
Then he sat down by the table and said in a deep voice, “Everyone, come eat.”
The twins exchanged a look, then secretly glanced at Xu Sangluo again. Swallowing discreetly, they shuffled forward.
Qin Zhiyi looked at Xu Sangluo again.
Xu Sangluo: “…”
She braced herself and walked over to sit at the table.
“Eat,” Qin Zhiyi said, picking up his chopsticks. He first picked up a dumpling and fed it to the little fellow who had been about to grab a spoon to feed himself.
The twins exchanged another glance across the table, then looked at their eldest brother and sneaked a peek at Xu Sangluo, who was lowering her head to scoop dumplings.
Finally, they hesitantly picked up their spoons, staring at the unfamiliar food in their bowls while swallowing their saliva.
When Qin Zhishu returned, everyone around the small table was quietly eating with their heads lowered.
He glanced at Xu Sangluo, somewhat hesitant.
Then he heard an unmistakably firm voice.
“Come eat.”
Qin Zhishu froze for a moment, then lowered his head and walked over. He squeezed in beside Qin Zhifeng, took his bowl, and started eating as well.
Although the dumplings were filled only with cabbage and mushrooms, they were no less delicious than meat dumplings.
The dumpling skins were thin yet pleasantly chewy, carrying the unique sweetness of wheat and starch.
The fresh sweetness of cabbage blended with the savory taste of mushrooms, accompanied by the faint pungent fragrance of scallions—and enhanced by the “buff” of the spiritual spring.
One bite instantly awakened the taste buds, making it impossible to stop.
After finishing the meal, everyone’s expressions softened considerably.
Qin Zhiyu diligently cleaned up the bowls and chopsticks.
Qin Zhiyi went into the room to collect a bowl and ended up chatting with Mother Qin for a while.
A single bowl of dumplings stirred up many memories for her.
In earlier years, the Qin family had been a prominent household in the north. During the chaotic times, the whole family fled south.
“Unfortunately, until the day your father passed away, he never got to eat another dumpling. He loved dumplings the most—he never missed them at a meal.”
Qin Zhiyi pressed his lips together and gently patted the back of her hand with his large palm.
“Don’t think about those things. Get some rest.”
Mother Qin nodded. Perhaps recalling the past had tired her; she looked somewhat weary.
Just as Qin Zhiyi was about to lift the curtain and walk out, he heard Mother Qin’s quiet voice behind him.
“If she’s willing to change her mind, then live well together. But if she still doesn’t want to stay, help her find another path. After all, our family has wronged that girl.”
Qin Zhiyi paused for a few seconds. After hearing no further sound from Mother Qin, he finally responded softly.
“Mm.”