Don't Say You're Heartless (Modern Edition)

57 New Year's Eve (2)

"You think I can't do it?"

"You can!" Yang Qiong was quite dazed from that glance and could only nod foolishly.

"Yang Qiong, you and my Qiuhua have such a good relationship," said Father Shen, his face flushed from drinking.

"I like Qiuhua the most!" Yang Qiong, pretending to be crazy from the wine, clung tightly to Shen Qiuhua.

"These two kids! Even when they are working, they still behave so foolishly!" Mother Shen said with a smile.

Upon hearing Mother Shen, Shen Qiuhua felt relieved and turned to glare at Yang Qiong, her meaning clear: 'Be a little more obedient.'

After the family finished dinner, they pitched in to clean up the dishes. Shen Qiuhua personally brewed a pot of tea. The Shen family wasn't particularly wealthy, so they wouldn't buy expensive tea leaves, but under Shen Qiuhua's hands, the tea already reached its best flavor.

"Tea can help sober you up. Dad, have a cup of tea," she said, placing a fragrant cup in front of Father Shen.

"Having daughters makes life plentiful!" Father Shen exclaimed, taking the teacup.

Mother Shen laughed, "Just enjoy your moment."

"Mom, have some tea," Shen Qiuhua said while serving Mother Shen a cup as well.

The next cup was naturally for Yang Qiong. Shen Qiuhua poured the tea, and Yang Qiong immediately took it for herself, saying, "I can handle it."

"You are quite sensible."

"Of course," Yang Qiong replied, smiling affably.

At eight o'clock, the Spring Festival Gala began. The four members of the Shen family gathered around the table to make dumplings. Yang Qiong thought that a young lady like Shen Qiuhua, raised in a prominent family, would not know how to make dumplings well. To her surprise, Shen Qiuhua's dumplings turned out to be the most exquisite of all.

Seeing Yang Qiong's surprised expression, Shen Qiuhua raised an eyebrow and said, "It's just making dumplings. I've known how to do it since I was a child."

Taking the chance when Mother Shen stepped out for something and Father Shen was feeling tipsy and in a daze, Yang Qiong grabbed her and asked, "Quick, how did you learn to make dumplings?"

"Do you think being a consort in the palace doesn't require these skills? The competition in the harem is comprehensive. If I lacked culinary skills, I would certainly become a target for attacks. So whether it's me or the Shen family, we would never let such things happen."

Yang Qiong nodded, realizing that being a palace consort was indeed not an easy task. But then she thought it over and felt something was off. "But you seemed to not know how to cook before." She remembered being dragged into the kitchen by Shen Qiuhua, where she had to make a few dishes according to recipes.

When faced with this question, Shen Qiuhua seemed reluctant to answer. Overwhelmed by Yang Qiong's intense curiosity, she hesitated, saying, "I hadn't used these ingredients before."

Yang Qiong felt that the term 'seeking humiliation' aptly described her current situation. Shen Qiuhua was unlikely to have learned to make spinach with dipping sauce in her culinary studies.

Mother Shen came back into the living room, only to find Father Shen had already fallen asleep on the sofa. Yang Qiong and Shen Qiuhua continued to roll out the dough and wrap the dumplings quickly.

"Yang Qiong, you work well! Whoever marries you in the future will surely be fortunate indeed."

"It truly is a blessing earned from a past life," Yang Qiong replied, hinting as she looked at Shen Qiuhua, making the message clear in her eyes.