Usually, he always had a stern face rarely smiling, giving off an air that kept strangers at a distance. But at this moment, the corners of his lips were slightly raised, his brows relaxed, looking so good that people couldn’t help but glance at him a few more times.
Hearing her words, Song Zhinian’s smile paused slightly. He lifted his hand to wipe the flour from the corner of his lips, but his fingertip accidentally brushed against hers.
Both of them stiffened again and quickly pulled their hands back as if shocked by electricity.
“Auntie! Handsome brother! What are you doing?” Tang Tiantian lowered her hands from her eyes and ran over with pattering steps. Seeing the flour all over their heads and faces, she tilted her little head and asked, “Are you playing with flour? I want to play too!”
Qiao Yuwei hurriedly pushed Song Zhinian. “Get up quickly.”
Song Zhinian supported himself on his arms and stood up first, then pulled her up as well.
The two stood there, looking at each other covered in flour and then couldn’t help but smile at the same time.
Realizing he had actually smiled at her, Song Zhinian quickly turned his face away again, flustered, and awkwardly brushed the flour off his face.
Seeing him like this, Qiao Yuwei’s eyes turned mischievous. She suddenly called out to Tang Tiantian, “Tiantian, check if there’s any meat outside the door. Can you help Auntie find it?”
At the mention of helping, Tang Tiantian cheered and ran out excitedly. “Okay! Wait for me, Auntie!”
Now only the two of them were left inside the stall.
Qiao Yuwei quickly walked up to Song Zhinian. Before he could react, she stood on tiptoe and lightly kissed his cheek the one still dusted with flour.
Like a little cat that had successfully stolen fish, she smiled and took two steps back, playfully blinking at him. “Tiantian, Auntie’s going to help you look too!”
With that, she dashed out, leaving Song Zhinian alone, frozen in place.
A minute later, she returned carrying a large bag of meat.
It was pork that her cousin had helped her order from a vendor, freshly slaughtered that morning.
She untied the bag and squeezed the meat. Her brows immediately furrowed. With a hard press, murky water oozed out between her fingers.
“Damn it,” Qiao Yuwei muttered under her breath, her expression darkening.
“What’s wrong?” Song Zhinian walked over and asked in a low voice when he saw her expression change.
“The meat was injected with water. If we don’t handle it properly, it’ll turn fishy when cooked.”
Good thing she hadn’t rushed to open the stall today. Otherwise, if these dumplings had been sold, her cousin’s reputation would’ve been completely ruined.
It didn’t take much guessing to know who did it other than the shameless Li Daguo, no one else would bother.
Fortunately, she knew how to cook and was especially skilled with dumplings. She poured the meat out, picked out the less severely affected pieces, then added salt into a large basin and kneaded the meat repeatedly.
After a while of working, Qiao Yuwei straightened up and blinked. “Song Zhinian, can you help me again? Chop the meat filling finely. The finer, the better.”
Song Zhinian didn’t answer. He only nodded.
He walked aside, took off his military jacket neatly, folded it with precision, and placed it on a clean wooden table.
Then, when he turned back, he somehow found a clean apron, tied it on skillfully, and picked up the kitchen knife on the cutting board.
“Ding ding ding”
He stood in front of the board, chopping steadily and powerfully. His arm muscles moved in clean, controlled lines, each cut precise and forceful.
Qiao Yuwei leaned against the doorframe, watching him. Before she knew it, she was completely lost in thought.
A silly idea popped into her head: it would be nice if every day could be like this him cooking in the kitchen, her leaning by the door watching, occasionally handing him water or wiping his sweat. A peaceful, happy life.
The more she thought about it, the more her lips curved upward without her noticing.
“Auntie! Auntie, look!” Tang Tiantian’s voice pulled her back.
Qiao Yuwei looked down and saw the little girl holding a stainless steel lunch box, proudly presenting it.
“This is dumplings Mom made this morning! They’re really good!”
Qiao Yuwei took it, opened it, and saw a few plump dumplings inside. She picked one up and bit into it.
The wrapper was thick and slightly stiff, and the filling was just simple cabbage and minced meat bland, with a faint fishy taste.
She frowned slightly. By modern standards, it wasn’t great but in this era, it was already considered decent. After all, meat was expensive; having meat flavor and thick wrappers already counted as good food.
“Not tasty?” Tang Tiantian asked, tilting her little head, full of expectation.
“It’s tasty,” Qiao Yuwei said with a smile, ruffling her hair. “But Auntie can make even better ones.”
She walked to the stove, scooped flour into a basin, added a bit of warm water, and kneaded it skillfully into a smooth dough.
While letting it rest, she started preparing the filling again.
Song Zhinian, who had finished chopping the meat, stood quietly beside her, watching her every movement with deep curiosity.
He still remembered that when they first got married, the dishes she cooked for Lin Sen were dark and unappetizing.
A few days ago, her mung bean soup had tasted surprisingly good but he had assumed it was made by someone else, and she just took credit.
But now, watching her knead dough and prepare fillings with such fluid precision, she didn’t look like someone who couldn’t cook at all.
His brows furrowed tighter and tighter, his doubts growing.
Soon, a pot of dumplings floated to the surface. She served them into two large bowls, brought over chopsticks, and rested her chin on her hand, looking at Song Zhinian and Tang Tiantian expectantly.
“Try it. See how it tastes.”
Tang Tiantian couldn’t wait. She picked one up, blew on it for a long time, and carefully bit into it.
The moment she did, hot, flavorful juice burst out. She hissed from the heat but refused to spit it out. After chewing, her eyes lit up instantly.
“It’s delicious! So delicious! Auntie, these dumplings have thin skin and lots of filling!” she shouted, happily stuffing another one into her mouth, cheeks oily with juice.
Song Zhinian looked at the bowl, still slightly frowning. Meeting her bright, expectant eyes, he finally picked up his chopsticks.
He took a bite.
The rich meat filling spread instantly across his mouth tender, juicy, perfectly seasoned. The wrapper was thin yet firm.
Better than any dumplings he had ever eaten.
Qiao Yuwei watched him closely, smug. She raised her eyebrows. “So? Good enough to sell?”
He opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end only nodded and took another dumpling.
Satisfied, Qiao Yuwei clapped her hands, brushing off the flour. “When we go back, I’ll make a secret dipping sauce. People will line up to eat these! Our dumpling stall is definitely going to be a hit!”