The method for making Four Happiness Dumplings has already been described many times in previous sections.
Qin Huai follows the numerous identical descriptions mentioned before to make the Four Happiness Dumplings.
There are times when Qin Huai has to admit, Luo Jun is a very considerate old bird. Many times, you don’t even need to say anything to him, and he will proactively have Zhang Shumei prepare everything possible.
The ingredients for the Dried Tangerine Peel Tea are placed beside the sink.
The bag of glutinous rice flour is placed on the cooking counter.
The sesame peanut brittle and red bean paste fillings Qin Huai mailed a couple of days ago are all defrosted, covered, and placed on the cooking counter.
The dried fruits and nuts are right next to the bag of glutinous rice flour.
Even the pork, freshly bought in the morning, is the best part for making the meat filling of the Four Happiness Dumplings, placed on the most visible spot on the upper shelf of the fridge, easily spotted right when you open the fridge door.
By the way, right next to the pork is a fresh pigeon already prepared.
Qin Huai first brews the Dried Tangerine Peel Tea, then begins making the Four Happiness Dumplings.
After more than a week of knife skills training, Qin Huai’s Four Happiness Dumplings didn’t exactly improve dramatically, but you could say they were consistent.
His training in knife skills didn’t increase his skill level; it was purely starting over from scratch.
However, in martial arts novels, starting over is about a prideful talent falling into the mud, losing all martial arts skills, and having their foundation destroyed. Then, after going through all sorts of hardships, at least five episodes of drama, or at least 500,000 words of novel filler, they encounter various opportunities, preferably meeting some close romantic companions or good brothers, experiencing the warmth and coldness of the world, finally acquiring supreme martial arts to show off and face-slap.
This is not Qin Huai’s plotline.
Qin Huai had no skills to disperse.
He was simply forgetting his previously worthless basic skills and starting from scratch as a beginner, relearning from the grip on the knife, resetting, and practicing knife skills for a few days.
When Qin Huai held the knife, he felt he could also count as a semi-professional chef with formal training.
This action, this exertion, this smooth-flowing feeling, this simple act of chopping the dried fruits and nuts.
Master Cao, your unnamed disciple has succeeded!
Qin Huai happily chopped the dried fruits in the kitchen, then began cutting the meat. Outside the kitchen, Cao Guixiang peeked inside, eating fruit salad while whispering softly:
"Luo Jun, why don’t you let Zhang Shumei help Xiao Qin cut the meat? You know how his meat-cutting skills are, just a little better than mine."
Luo Jun: "... Blame me?"
"How many Four Happiness Dumplings have I had in total? You brought back a total of 8 pounds from Gusu, during the New Year when Xiao Zhang went back, I even shared 3 pounds with her. No one was home to cook the dumplings, and when I did, I burned the pot. How was I supposed to know which meat to use?"
Luo Jun wished he could spit fire and burn Chen Huihong too: "You want me to write a reflection? Why should I write a reflection for Qin Huai? Am I the type to write reflections?"
"You didn’t write..."
"What I wrote were negative reviews!"
Qu Jing could only shove rice cake soup into her mouth to avoid laughing out loud.
An hour later, the Dried Tangerine Peel Tea and Four Happiness Dumplings, at just the right temperature, were brought out by Qin Huai from the kitchen.
The TV in the living room was already turned off, Luo Jun sat by the dining table nibbling cherries, watching Qu Jing using small clips to peel a pomegranate.
Chen Huihong was also watching, snacking on sunflower seeds while watching, occasionally picking a few pomegranate seeds from the little bowl filled with peeled pomegranate by Qu Jing and popping them into her mouth.
"Mr. Luo, given the current condition of your legs and waist, you really need to go to the hospital for regular therapy. Just the other day, Sister Hong mentioned that you haven’t left the house in months, sitting at home for long periods without moving, and you’re quite advanced in age. You’re not Bi Fang anymore, you’re in a human body. Even if your health is stronger than the average human’s, you’re still 92. Don’t avoid necessary medical treatment."
"The therapy that needs to be done should be done, right? You’ve already paid for it, haven’t you?"
Qu Jing, while peeling the pomegranate, encouraged Luo Jun softly and gently, not caring whether Luo Jun listened or not, as her attention was completely on the pomegranate, not looking at Luo Jun.
Luo Jun continued to eat the cherries with a blank expression, only sitting up straighter when he saw Qin Huai coming out of the kitchen, holding a tray in hand.
"The Four Happiness Dumplings and Dried Tangerine Peel Tea are ready, just the right temperature to eat." Qin Huai walked to the dining table, and Qu Jing quickly stood up, helping Qin Huai place the bowls on the table.
Two bowls per person.
There were only four chairs around the dining table, with Luo Jun and Chen Huihong sitting together, and Qin Huai and Qu Jing sitting together. In front of Qin Huai’s seat was a distinct and vividly colored banana, without a single black spot.
Almost as soon as he sat down, Qin Huai casually picked up the banana and began to eat it.
Luo Jun started tasting the Dried Tangerine Peel Tea.
For Luo Jun, even an A-level Four Happiness Dumpling must rank behind the Dried Tangerine Peel Tea.
After just one sip, Luo Jun faintly praised, "Your skills haven’t been wasted, better than before."
"It might be because, Mr. Luo, the ones you drank before were transported across provinces. By the time they arrived, the taste had already significantly diminished." Qin Huai was well aware of his own level.
His Dried Tangerine Peel Tea was still at D+ level, the level doesn’t lie.
Luo Jun didn’t say anything further and continued drinking.
Chen Huihong had already started eating the Four Happiness Dumplings, simultaneously playing on her phone. Her phone screen was showing a memo, and in the memo were her tasting notes on the Four Happiness Dumplings written during the New Year period.
Seeing this, Qu Jing also took out her phone and mimicked Chen Huihong, flipping to her own tasting notes.