Chapter 114: Soup Dumplings

Chapter 114: Chapter 114: Soup Dumplings

Nan Yi wasn’t sure where to start.

He was afraid of burning himself and worried that his clumsy hands would break the skin, letting all the soup spill out.

After thinking it over and over, he still couldn’t figure out the right way to do it, so he had no choice but to ask Nan Zhi for help.

Nan Zhi chuckled, amused by his dazed and clumsy expression.

She picked up a spoon with one hand and her chopsticks with the other. With a swift, precise movement, she firmly gripped the pleated top of a dumpling and lifted it deftly.

The dumpling landed perfectly in the spoon, and Nan Zhi held it out to Nan Yi.

"Here, take a small bite. Yes, just like that. Go slow so you don’t get burned."

Panting from the heat, Nan Yi felt the savory aroma of the soup dumpling rush into his nose and mouth.

Before he knew it, a trickle of drool escaped from the corner of his mouth.

Fortunately, Nan Yi reacted quickly, raising his hand to wipe it away in a flash.

Then he stole a glance at Nan Zhi.

To spare her little boy’s pride, Nan Zhi pretended she hadn’t seen a thing. Suppressing a laugh, she reminded Nan Yi that he could sip the soup first.

Nan Yi did as she said, handling the dumpling with extreme care. He was concentrating so hard he nearly broke a sweat.

But the deliciousness of the soup dumpling was more than enough to make one forget the hassle.

Though he was struggling to eat it, Nan Yi’s face was a picture of satisfied surprise.

"Try dipping it in some vinegar."

Nan Yi did as she suggested. Mmm, that was even better.

Although this was Nan Yi’s first time eating soup dumplings,

he was stubbornly and firmly convinced that the soup dumplings his mom made were the most delicious in the entire world!

...And as it turned out, he wasn’t wrong.

Soup dumplings are incredibly difficult to make. The perfectly formed, standard eighteen pleats alone can take a chef ten years to master.

Furthermore, when an ordinary person makes soup dumplings, the filling and the broth often separate. The eater sips the broth dry, and when they get to the meat filling, it just tastes dry and bland.

But with the soup dumplings Nan Zhi made, even after sipping the broth that spilled out, every bite revealed that the soup and meat filling were perfectly integrated. Far from being dry, the filling was savory, tender, and still bursting with broth.

Truly, the finest of their kind!

The level of mastery required for this was a perfect example of true skill being revealed in the tiniest details!

Nan Yi was ecstatic. He ate five in a row without even pausing for breath.

From his initial clumsiness, he had now become so proficient it was as if he’d transformed into a soup dumpling connoisseur.

He didn’t find them the least bit heavy; he simply couldn’t get enough of them.

Nan Zhi had to slide the soy milk in front of him herself.

"Try the soy milk."

Even soy milk, a common staple in any little eatery, became something extraordinary simply because Nan Zhi had made it.

Silky, rich, aromatic... any and every wonderful adjective could be applied to this little bowl of soy milk.

Nan Yi had only meant to take a casual sip, but he was so stunned by the taste that he hugged the small bowl to his chest and GULP, GULP, GULP, drained nearly the whole thing.

"Delicious!"

Nan Zhi rested her chin on her hand, her eyes fixed on Nan Yi.

She stared at him so intently that he started to feel shy.

"Aren’t you going to eat, Mom?"

"Of course I am."

Only then did Nan Zhi leisurely pick up her chopsticks to sample her own handiwork.

’Mm, not bad at all.’

After breakfast, Nan Yi secretly took a look around.

He saw that his mother truly hadn’t saved any extra soup dumplings.

This gave him a secret thrill of delight, but it also left him wondering confusedly:

’Is it really okay not to share with anyone else?’

’Aren’t good kids supposed to be generous and share?’

Soon, Fu Chao was the first to arrive, leading a constantly yawning Qing Xi by the hand.

Fu Chao said, "Good morning, Yiyi."

Qing Xi immediately broke free from his uncle’s grasp and ran to Nan Yi’s side.

"Yiyi! My uncle just took me to get sugar triangles, and they were super delicious! I feel like I didn’t get enough. Have you had breakfast yet? Let’s sneak out later and buy some more. My treat!"

As he spoke, Qing Xi pulled a treasured 10-yuan bill from his pants pocket!

Fu Chao turned his head, a smile playing on his lips but not reaching his eyes.

"Xiao Xi, next time you’re plotting some mischief, could you be a little quieter? At least quiet enough that I can’t hear you."

Qing Xi just shook his head, unconcerned.

Nan Yi hesitated. "I’ve already eaten."

Qing Xi’s eyes widened.

"What did you have? Was it sugar triangles?"

Nan Yi hesitated for a moment before answering.

"Soup dumplings and soy milk. My mom made them."

Qing Xi swallowed hard.

"Wow, the soup dumplings your mom makes must be super delicious! Even better than sugar triangles... BOO HOO... Yiyi, I’m so jealous of you!"

But it was only envy, not a complaint.

Shortly after, Xie Yu and Xie An’an, as well as Qi Pei’er and Qi Zhang, arrived at the small restaurant one after another.

Most of them had already eaten breakfast.

Even those who hadn’t wouldn’t ask Nan Zhi for food; they’d get it themselves.

They were all very clear about this boundary—

If Nan Zhi made something and invited them to eat, that was her being polite and generous.

It wasn’t something they were entitled to.

...As he quietly observed all this, Nan Yi’s mood suddenly brightened.

He went up to Qing Xi.

"Weren’t we going to buy sugar triangles?"

"Yeah! Let’s go!"

Qing Xi almost cheered out loud.

But then he remembered his uncle’s warning and quickly lowered his voice.

He shot Nan Yi a look, signaling that the two of them should sneak out.

But Qi Zhang had sharp eyes and quickly sidled up to them.

"I want to go too."

Qing Xi pouted, keeping his voice down.

"Do you even know where we’re going?"

Qi Zhang lifted his chin smugly.

"To get sugar triangles! I heard everything! Don’t worry, I have money. My treat!"

Qing Xi puffed up his cheeks indignantly.

"I said it’s my treat!"

The two of them nearly got into a fight over who would pay.

Nan Yi’s gaze, however, fell on Xie An’an, who was standing not far away. She was holding onto the corner of the counter, peeking in their direction.

—The day before, Nan Yi had suddenly thrown a tantrum and run off, frightening Xie An’an so badly that she’d been on the verge of tears. When she returned to the restaurant and told her father and Auntie Zhizhi, she was still trying to puzzle out what she could have done wrong.

Xie An’an was sure she must have said something wrong to make her big brother Yiyi upset.

So now, she just watched Nan Yi and the others from a distance, like a child who had done something wrong and didn’t dare to approach.

Nan Yi pressed his lips together.

"Xie An’an, do you want to come with us?"

Reminded of her presence, Qing Xi and Qi Zhang had a moment of realization.

"Oh yeah! An’an, you wanna come too?"

Little boys their age generally didn’t like playing with girls.

But Xie An’an was different.

She was well-behaved and sensible, always mindful of others’ feelings, and she rarely cried or made a fuss. She was the ideal little sister. Both Qing Xi and Qi Zhang were very fond of her, always calling her "little sis An’an."

Xie An’an skipped over excitedly.

"C-can I come with you?"

"Of course!"

Qing Xi waved his hand with the air of the group’s oldest brother.

But then Nan Yi calmly pointed out a problem.

"But we don’t have enough money."

Qing Xi had 10 yuan, and Qi Zhang only had 5.

It probably wasn’t enough for all of them.

Nan Yi didn’t have any money.

As for Xie An’an...

"I have 50 yuan."

She shyly pulled out the allowance her father had given her.

Qing Xi and Qi Zhang gasped, "Whoa!"

’She’s a little heiress!’

Xie An’an’s gesture seemed to move Nan Yi.

While he was being so wary and guarded, they were all willing to share generously with him.

’Was I the one who was wrong?’