“My, so much filling!” Granny Zhou was delighted—at home, they’d never put in so much, as that would waste pork.
Jiaoniang said, “It’s all for ourselves—more filling tastes better.” As she spoke, she made another round, plump dumpling, placing it beside the others on a silver tray. Xing Pingchun leaned over, his eyes crinkling in a smile.
Granny Zhou, happy to watch, wanted to make some too, but Jiaoniang quickly had someone invite her to sit on the heated kang and rest, telling her just to wait and eat them at night. Hongjuan rolled out wrappers; Jiaoniang, Zhou Cuilian, Yanluo, Shanzha, and Li Qing’s wife all wrapped. Yanluo only knew how to cook a few delicate dishes to please her master; she couldn’t make dumplings, and Jiaoniang hadn’t meant to ask her. Yanluo smiled, “Madam, don’t mind if my hands are clumsy—if I practice a few times, I’ll get it.”
Jiaoniang just smiled and let her try. Sure enough, Yanluo wasn’t lying—after a few tries she was doing quite well, though she didn’t dare put in much filling. One person rolling dough wasn’t enough; Zhou Cuilian noticed and was about to help cut dough when Suier and the maid came back, carrying a big basin of leavened dough. So Jiaoniang had another table set up at the side, asking Zhou Cuilian to show her skill, with Suier assisting. Granny Zhou quickly gave her granddaughter a meaningful look, and Zhou Cuilian pressed her lips and went over, quietly kneading and cutting the dough. Suier, seeing her deft movements, couldn’t help much at all.
Zhou Cuilian took a piece of dough, kneading and shaping it here and there, and in moments had made a rabbit-shaped steamed bun. Then she took another piece, kneaded again, and shaped it into a puppy.
Xing Pingchun came running over, immediately gasping in delight. Jiaoniang and the others gathered around, all praising her. Zhou Cuilian’s cheeks flushed. To her, this was just what a daughter-in-law ought to do; in the Zhu household, apart from the children, no adult paid much attention to it. Why were Madam Qian and her ladies here all so pleasantly surprised? Under their gaze, she quietly made a complete set of the twelve zodiac animals. Xing Pingchun cried out in wonder again and again, then tried making a rabbit himself and proudly ran off to show it.
Seeing that Jiaoniang liked it, Granny Zhou said to Zhou Cuilian, “Girl, it’s New Year’s Day, a fine occasion—make a few treasure-basin ones too, so your Sister Qian can eat them and gain even more good fortune.”
“How do you make a Treasure Basin, Sister Zhou? Hurry, hurry and make one.” Shanzha, the youngest among the maids, was always more curious than the rest.
Zhou Cuilian quietly began working again. She first pinched a ball of dough, pressed a hollow into it, then used the tip of a knife to make pleats. Next, she rolled and shaped some small pieces of dough into little gold ingots, gently pressing them into the hollowed dough. Just like that, a Treasure Basin was finished.
Shanzha clapped her hands in delight. “That’s wonderful! Sister Zhou, with such skillful hands, how could your husband’s family still look down on you? They really have no eye for talent!”
Zhou Cuilian’s eyes had just been touched with a hint of a smile, but at those words her gaze dimmed again. Suier shot Shanzha a glare—picking the sorest topic to bring up. Shanzha realized she’d misspoken, her brows scrunching together, not knowing how to smooth things over.
“How should this tiger be shaped next?” Qian Jiaoniang suddenly spoke up, holding a half-molded lump of dough.
Zhou Cuilian quickly began explaining to her. Just then, Xing Pingchun, who had gone out to “offer treasures,” came dragging someone back. “Father, Father, come quick and see—Sister Zhou is amazing!”
Dragged along by Xing Pingchun, Xing Muzheng appeared. All the womenfolk quickly stood up, and Granny Zhou hurried down from the kang.
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