My Co-renting Lady Boss
Chapter 902 - 0902: Glutinous Rice Balls and Wrappers

Chapter 902: Chapter 0902: Glutinous Rice Balls and Wrappers

"Nonsense, you can’t possibly not go back to accompany your brother every year."

Li Xiaoli rolled her eyes at Liu Mengting, who then started to teach Li Xiaoli how to make dumplings hand-in-hand.

Tang Ming also noticed Liu Mengting’s sadness, furrowing his brow and struggling with whether to tell the Liu family father and daughter about his encounter with Liu Mengting’s mother.

"Tang Ming, don’t space out. Watch carefully how I teach Xiaoli. This is for your food today."

Liu Mengting called softly.

"Oh, oh, okay."

Tang Ming nodded repeatedly, still deciding to respect Liu Ruming’s advice not to tell the Liu family father and daughter about this matter for now.

Soon, the four of them became busy and lively—in fact, only Liu Mengting and Liu Gaoze were really busy, while Tang Ming and Li Xiaoli were just fooling around.

The two had flour all over their faces, but the things they made were tragic, especially Tang Ming’s.

"No way! I’m so smart, so skilled; how could I possibly fail at making a simple dumpling?"

Tang Ming looked depressed at the pile of... unrecognizable forms in front of him.

"Hee hee, I’m smarter. At least I can make something shape-wise. Tang Ming brother is really too clumsy."

Seeing Tang Ming’s creations, Li Xiaoli felt much more satisfied.

"Tch, like those lumps of yours that look like buns, you dare to mock me."

Tang Ming pouted disdainfully and then seriously started working, though some things indeed require talent.

Watching Tang Ming and Li Xiaoli bicker, Liu Gaoze and Liu Mengting smiled. It’s been so long since they had such a lively New Year.

After putting in an effort, the group finally finished making the dumplings.

Looking at the neatly arranged, exquisite dumplings in front of Liu Gaoze and Liu Mengting, Tang Ming felt a wave of emotions, wondering what the pile of dough stuffed with meat in front of him even was.

"Not bad, should be edible."

Li Xiaoli seemed very satisfied with her work. Although it didn’t look like dumplings, her creations were still good.

"Let’s cook the dumplings in separate pots."

Seeing the creations of Li Xiaoli and Tang Ming, Liu Gaoze suggested with a smile.

If Li Xiaoli and Tang Ming’s works were cooked together, probably even his and Liu Mengting’s dumplings would be affected.

"Cook mine first."

Li Xiaoli couldn’t wait and shouted.

"Alright, let’s cook Xiaoli’s first."

Liu Gaoze immediately agreed, took Li Xiaoli’s creations, and went into the kitchen.

Tang Ming and the other two stood eagerly behind, waiting for the dumplings to be served.

After about ten minutes, a pot of ragged dumplings came out. More accurately, it was a pot of dough skins mixed with meat stuffing.

"Haha, Xiaoli’s dumplings are ready, but they look like a pot of noodle soup."

Liu Mengting couldn’t help but laugh.

"Humph, noodles or whatever, as long as they’re edible."

Li Xiaoli muttered bitterly, carrying the pot of noodles to the dining table.

"Oh dear, didn’t Xiaoli say she wanted dumplings, why is it noodles now?"

Tang Ming held his self-made dumplings, standing before Li Xiaoli gloating.

"Humph, yours haven’t been cooked yet. Maybe Tang Ming brother’s dumplings will turn out worse than mine."

Li Xiaoli hummed, taking a big bite of the dough skin.

"That’s impossible; my dumplings, though not great looking, definitely won’t break."

Tang Ming walked confidently to the kitchen. With his strength, dumplings made by his hands couldn’t possibly break.

"I want to see just how amazing you are."

Li Xiaoli ran stubbornly to the kitchen, waiting for Tang Ming’s dumplings to be served.

After about ten minutes, Tang Ming was dumbfounded. Things didn’t go as expected; none of the dumplings broke, but they all shrank into balls.

"Haha, Tang Ming brother, where are your dumplings? They look like tangyuan!"

Li Xiaoli couldn’t help but laugh heartily.

"Tangyuan or whatever, at least mine didn’t break."

Tang Ming glared at Li Xiaoli fiercely.

"Ahem, though they didn’t break, Xiao Tang’s dumplings are certainly chewy..."

Liu Gaoze chewed and playfully reminded him.

With his many years of dumpling-cooking expertise, he couldn’t tell if Tang Ming’s dumplings were cooked; they were exceptionally firm.

"Hee hee, we agreed before that whoever makes the dumplings eats them."

Liu Mengting handed a pot of dough balls to Tang Ming, "You two should savor your own creations. You’re not allowed to eat the dumplings made by me and dad."

"Fine, fine, I’m a man of my word; if I say I’ll eat my own, I’ll eat my own."

Tang Ming held his creation and proudly declared.

After some time, Li Xiaoli embraced a pot of noodles, and Tang Ming held a pot of dough balls. Both of them eagerly eyed the steaming, aromatic dumplings in front of Liu Mengting and Liu Gaoze.

"Before was just a joke, now that the dumplings are ready, let’s all eat together."

Liu Gaoze sat down, enthusiastically inviting everyone.

"Alright, alright."

Li Xiaoli quickly put down her pot, bringing a plate of dumplings to herself.

"Let me try too."

Tang Ming swallowed his saliva, picked up chopsticks, and prepared to eat.

"Haha, someone just said keeping promises, saying only eating his own dumplings!"

Seeing Tang Ming’s move, Liu Mengting sneered immediately.

"I..."

Tang Ming hesitated, pulling back his chopsticks, and said through gritted teeth: "I won’t eat then."

"Meng Meng, that’s not right; we’re all family, why be so petty?"

Liu Gaoze saw the mood wasn’t good, quickly interceding.

"I was just stating facts."

Liu Mengting pouted, not further stopping Tang Ming from eating.

"I’m still a baby; my words don’t count!"

Li Xiaoli stuffed dumplings into her mouth shamelessly, looking at Tang Ming: "Tang Ming brother is different, you’re supposed to be a man, keeping promises!"

Tang Ming swallowed, gritted his teeth: "Right, if I said I wouldn’t eat, I won’t; I’ll eat my own."

Then Tang Ming, while munching on his unknown concoction, kept watching Liu Mengting and others eat dumplings but couldn’t help regretting his principle of keeping promises.

Liu Gaoze was left speechless but didn’t interfere in the children’s rivalry.

Tang Ming, with a surprising appetite, soon finished his dish and took the "dumplings" Li Xiaoli had abandoned to his spot, starting to eat.

"Someone? Didn’t you say you wouldn’t eat others’ stuff, how come you’re eating Xiaoli’s dumplings?"

Liu Mengting immediately teased with a sharp tone.

"Xiaoli’s not eating; throwing it away is such a waste, I’m saving food."

Tang Ming spoke bitterly while eating.

"Not bad, this shows my dumplings are still tasty."

Li Xiaoli looked at Tang Ming proudly.