The steaming dumplings are out of the pot; for the Bai family, they only have dumplings during the New Year.
On regular days, even if they want dumplings, they can’t have them; how can the little white flour at home be wasted ?
Moreover, on regular days, even if they want dumplings, they might get vegetable-stuffed ones at best; for meat-stuffed dumplings, they have to wait until New Year.
And even then, the New Year dumplings contain more cabbage than meat, unlike when entertaining guests, where there’s more meat than cabbage.
A bite into them, and the juicy meat flavor is overwhelming.
The table is set, but only Jiang Lei, Bai Jiefang, and Bai Yiyi, Tang Yuan, and Baozi are seated.
Cui Fen and the other four children aren’t at the table.
They’re eating in the kitchen.
These dumplings actually have two different types of filling.
The ones with the most meat were naturally wrapped for Jiang Lei and the others to eat; the rest with little meat and more vegetables are for their own family.
Otherwise, just imagine how many pounds of meat would be needed!
All together, this family has about ten or so mouths to feed.
To eat with open stomachs, each child can at least eat twenty dumplings.
Even with two pounds of meat, you can barely taste any meat.
Jiang Lei saw and understood what’s going on; there are five big platters of dumplings in front of them, piled high and full.
Just by looking, he knows that their dumplings are definitely different from the ones the kids in the kitchen are eating.
His own mother had done this before; he knows from his childhood experience.
He was once among the children squatting in the kitchen, eating dumplings with more vegetables and less meat.
Back then, their family wasn’t well-off either; but as they grew up, life seemed to gradually improve.
Especially after his sister went to the countryside; perhaps because she became an educated youth, the family life seemed to get better.
Maybe it’s because Xiao Xiao is their lucky charm.
Anything associated with Xiao Xiao must have good outcomes.
Look at how he replaced his father at work, and although he’s just average, even in a car accident he met someone who helped.
He managed to change jobs, and his current position is not only easier but also pays more.
All thanks to his sister’s blessing.
"Uncle, let Aunt and the children come up and eat. If you have two tables, we won’t be able to swallow these dumplings."
He put down his chopsticks.
Bai Jiefang was embarrassed; how could he let the children sit at the table?
"No need! You see, this table can’t accommodate everyone; it’s too crowded. They can eat in the kitchen, which avoids any fuss. Quickly, drink your wine. I toast this to you; you came all this way, and it wouldn’t have been so hard for these two children if it weren’t for our Yiyi."
Bai Jiefang tried to brush it off.
"Uncle, if you don’t call Aunt, I won’t eat, and I won’t drink the wine either. We’re all family, why be so formal? Eating together in a lively atmosphere is the best."
Jiang Lei stubbornly refused, leaving Bai Jiefang no choice but to call Cui Fen and the children from the kitchen to join them at the table.
Cui Fen brought the dumplings from the kitchen; although they are several large platters, it’s obvious these dumplings aren’t piled high but flat, so each child might only eat eight or nine.
Compared to theirs, it’s like night and day.
The children were a bit reserved; they naturally knew these were city folks, relatives yes, but had no real connection with them.
Those dumplings were obviously for the guests, while they only got a few from their platter.
Mom had already said, once they finish these, they should go to the kitchen, have some dumpling soup, and eat two cornbreads to definitely fill up.
They avoided even glancing at the few big platters of dumplings in front of Bai Jiefang’s group and carefully picked out dumplings from their own platter, cherishing every bite; for them, having a meal with meat dumplings was a blessing.
Even with little meat, meat is still meat.
Besides, mom had explained they must have manners and can’t stare like starved ghosts at others’ dumplings because that’d make outsiders look down on them.
Jiang Lei couldn’t help but praise, "Uncle, the kids from your family are really admirable, truly well-mannered and polite."
Bai Jiefang felt a little embarrassed.
"What matters do they understand? They’re just rural kids, just timid and not daring to make a sound."
"Come, come, hurry and eat the dumplings, eat quickly! They must be eaten hot, with big bites to enjoy; being overly cautious doesn’t work."
Without a word, Jiang Lei directly picked up a big platter of dumplings, dishing out several into each child’s bowl, except for Baozi, Tang Yuan, and Bai Yiyi. They often had dumplings.
Tang Yuan especially loves meat; the family wouldn’t run short on his meat.
Bai Jiefang and Cui Fen couldn’t respond in time; the children’s bowls were already piled high by Jiang Lei, filled with the large meat-filled dumplings from their plates.
The couple anxiously tried to stop him, "That’s not right, they can’t, the kids have enough, their stomachs are small, a few dumplings will fill them, you can ask them. Adding so much would be wasteful."
Even Bai Jiefang blushed, thinking there’s never been a time anyone’s unwilling to eat dumplings.
"Small appetites won’t do, Uncle, children are growing, not feeding them fully could stunt their growth, and they’d suffer in the long run. That’s not right, compelling the kids would be unjust."
"Don’t think I don’t know the secret in your dumpling fillings."
Jiang Lei grabbed a dumpling from the children’s platter.
Biting into it confirmed his suspicion; he merely tasted cabbage, not a sign of meat.
Bai Jiefang blushed again, sighed deeply.
"It’s all because of me, the father, failing to provide a comfortable life for the kids."
The children hesitated to pick dumplings from their bowls.
Jiang Lei encouraged them, "Quickly eat! Dumplings already in your bowl, who’d want them back out, right? Eat quickly, and I’ll dish out more later. Today, let’s genuinely improve life together.
No distinctions between guests or not, I’m not a guest; I’m actually your brother in this. So brother’s words rule, eat properly, don’t peek at your parents." Follow current novᴇls on novelꞁire.net
Only after Jiang Lei’s encouragement did the children pick up their dumplings, biting into them joyfully, finally tasting real meat dumplings, savoring the big chunks of meat and the juicy burst.
Bai Yiyi also had a dumpling from her siblings’ platter, biting into it, tears welled up.
How hard life truly was at Uncle’s place.