hotmtlnovel Chapter 106: Keep a Dog?
Chapter 106: Keep a Dog?
Chapter 106: Keep a Dog?
Xu Qing was startled, whipping his head around suddenly.
The kitchen was silent, and there was no sign of Jiang He sneaking a peek from the doorway. He checked the time—it was a video recorded days ago.
“Uh... Are dumplings easy to make?” he asked, moving to the kitchen doorway where Jiang He was kneading dough.
“Not made yet. I’m still working on the wrappers,” Jiang He replied, her strong hands kneading vigorously. She glanced back and asked, “Are you hungry?”@@@@
“Not really. Take your time,” Xu Qing said, casually turning back and plopping onto the sofa to peel an orange.
This girl... just testing things out? What a scare.
Jiang He’s rapid learning ability always caught him off guard. Though she often appeared naive, who knew what she was studying behind his back? Meanwhile, he was only concerned with sneaking in touches.
After a moment of zoning out on the sofa, Xu Qing wandered back into the kitchen. “Let me help. I know how to mix the filling; you can just add the seasonings.”
“Alright,” Jiang He replied. She tossed the prepared seasonings into the lamb filling to make lamb and green onion dumplings. Looking up, she noticed Xu Qing’s odd expression.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“I’m planning to make a big batch. That way, we can have enough for two meals and just boil them next time,” Jiang He said confidently. One meal wasn’t satisfying enough—she wanted a second.
Xu Qing hesitated, then decided not to ask if she knew the Earth was round or if the Sun revolved around it. Some things needed teaching; others didn’t.
“You can also cook them all at once. Tomorrow morning, you can pan-fry them to make potstickers or steam them for steamed dumplings. But pan-fried ones taste better,” he suggested.
“Pan-fried? That sounds great!” Jiang He said, her interest piqued.
“Make more; we can try it tomorrow,” Xu Qing encouraged.
The two bustled in the kitchen, preparing for their meal. Xu Qing focused on the filling while Jiang He kneaded the dough with sheer strength, occasionally sneaking glances at him. She loved this kind of life. If only it could last forever...
New Year’s Eve.
A heavy snowfall had blanketed the roads, making Xu Qing’s expectation of balance in all things seem excessively tested. While an old saying claimed a good snow signaled a prosperous year, in cities, it was more of a headache. Snow covered the streets before it could be cleared, crunching loudly underfoot with each step.
Jiang He, indifferent to style, bundled herself in thick layers until she looked like a little snowman. With a scarf wrapped around her face and a fur-lined pointed hat, she followed Xu Qing home for New Year’s dinner.
While she was resistant to the cold, it didn’t mean she couldn’t feel it.
Xu Qing was used to her habit of piling on as many clothes as possible. She treated everything like a treasure to be worn, reasoning it was better on her than sitting unused. But it didn’t bother him; summer would come eventually.
“A dog?” Jiang He pondered before shaking her head. “They’re so big, they must eat a lot. Not worth it.”
Not worth it?
Xu Qing twitched slightly. He was sure her reasoning wasn’t what he expected.
“Having a dog is fun. It’s like what Qin Uncle said—having a companion keeps things from getting too boring.”
“We have Winter Melon,” she said simply.
“True. Winter Melon eats less,” Xu Qing replied casually, savoring her use of “we.”
We have Winter Melon.
Huh.
Back home, Xu Qing helped Jiang He remove her scarf and hat layer by layer, leaving her in just her sweater. Then he stripped off his coat and hat, leaving them both in matching couple sweaters as they passed Xu Wenbin and Zhou Suzhi. Jiang He greeted them politely, took a teacup, and quietly sat down, while Xu Qing wandered about before grabbing some snacks to share with her.
“Did Haozi leave this box of fruit unopened? Saving it for someone?” he asked.
“No, who would we give it to?”
“Then I’ll check it out.”
Xu Qing promptly brought over the box and opened it. “Whoa, passion fruit! Good for beauty and health. Here, Dad, try it.”
“What do I need beauty for?” Xu Wenbin grumbled but took a slice once Xu Qing prepared it. After one bite, he froze.
“How is it?” Xu Qing asked, passing slices to Zhou Suzhi and Jiang He. Just as he was about to eat, his father’s reaction stopped him.
“It’s good,” Xu Wenbin said with a neutral expression.
“Mom, is it good?”
“You’ll know when you try it,” Zhou Suzhi replied, slowly savoring hers.
“Really?” Xu Qing eyed her skeptically before glancing at Jiang He, whose face was scrunched up.
“Beauty and health—eat more,” he teased. But as he tried to set his own slice down, two pairs of eyes turned to him.
Jiang He licked her lips, also staring at him.
“Well... I’ll eat more. Can’t waste it.” Xu Qing reluctantly took another bite, silently cursing himself for opening the box.