Chapter 2: The Power of Food

Back home, Qin Zhishu ran ahead and opened the copper lock on the gate.

He didn’t hear any movement inside, and his heart began to feel uneasy.

But when he pushed the door open, he smelled a fragrance.

And from the kitchen, he heard a child’s… well, laughter.

Qin Zhishu was stunned.

Qin Zhifeng and Qin Zhiyu also ran in, and Qin Zhiyi followed closely behind, carrying Qin’s mother on his back.

“Yan Yan, we’re back… uh, it smells so good, what is it?”

Qin Zhiyu, who was lively, stopped halfway through her sentence, attracted by the fragrance.

Everyone was hungry at this time, and their stomachs were rumbling with hunger, tempted by the aroma.

“Little Auntie, wow, Dad, you’re back, Grandma, Grandma, you fell, does it hurt, Yan Yan will blow on it.”

The little guy, hearing the commotion, ran out of the kitchen, da-da-da.

Then, when he saw everyone, he hurried to Qin Zhiyi’s side, looking up at his mother on his back.

Everyone was a little stunned.

At this time, Xu Sangluo, who had prepared herself mentally, also walked to the kitchen door.

When they saw her, the Qin family members unconsciously frowned.

Only a little baby was unaware of the situation.

Seeing Xu Sangluo come out, remembering the fragrant dumplings in the pot, he immediately said happily, “Grandma, Third Auntie made so many dumplings, Yan Yan also helped wrap them, for Grandma to eat, after eating, the pain will fly away.”

The child’s voice was crisp and clear, without any gloom, which made everyone stunned again.

They looked at Xu Sangluo, who was standing awkwardly at the door, again.

At this time, Xu Sangluo could only bite the bullet and speak.

She looked at Qin Zhiyi, her eyes complex for a moment.

“Let’s take Qin’s mother to the room to rest first, we can have lunch after we’re ready.”

The last time she saw Qin Zhiyi, he was already in his forties, successful and had become a respected general.

At that time, he had heard that the food and environment of Xu Sangluo’s farmhouse were good for the body and could cure diseases.

So he personally brought Qin’s mother to her door.

When they first met, neither of them recognized each other, after all, it had been twenty years.

Later, Xu Sangluo heard their names and remembered.

It was also during that time that Qin Zhiyi accompanied Qin’s mother to recuperate at the farmhouse, and the two of them interacted more and more, gradually developing feelings for each other.

Qin’s mother didn’t want her son to be alone for the rest of his life, and she also wanted to bring them together.

But Qin Zhiyi always felt guilty towards Qin Yan and couldn’t get over that hurdle in his heart.

The Qin Zhiyi in Xu Sangluo’s memory was still in his forties.

At that time, Qin Zhiyi was as cold as a knife, he was serious and didn’t smile much, and there were deep wrinkles on his brow.

The current Qin Zhiyi, although still cold in personality, was less sharp and intimidating.

To be honest, Qin Zhiyi was very handsome.

He had a high nose bridge, deep eyes, thick eyebrows and big eyes, and his facial features were like they were carved by a knife.

Combined with his military bearing and just the right amount of beautiful muscles, he was very masculine and handsome.

According to Qin’s grandmother, Qin Zhiyi should have some Mongolian blood.

The Qin family was originally from the north, and they fled to the south over ten years ago.

So the Qin men were all tall.

However, besides

Besides Qin Zhiyi, the other children were all like chicks due to long-term malnutrition.

Seeing him again, Xu Sangluo’s heart was filled with complex emotions.

Twenty years later, although she and Qin Zhiyi had developed feelings for each other, they hadn’t reached the level of love.

After all, they were both older, and they no longer had the youthful vigor of young lovers.

Plus, they both had their own knots in their hearts, and their relationship was more like that of old friends.

Meeting again now, it felt like a lifetime had passed.

In fact, a lifetime had indeed passed.

Shaking off the messy thoughts in her head,

Xu Sangluo looked away, avoiding Qin Zhiyi’s probing gaze.

At this time, the little guy was already cheering.

“Ah, I’ll go get some dumplings for Grandma.”

The little guy was like a bouncing ball, quickly dashing into the kitchen.

Xu Sangluo was afraid that he would really go and get the dumplings, and she didn’t care about the Qin family, so she quickly turned around and followed him in.

“Yan Yan, don’t move, be careful of getting burned!”

The Qin family members, left outside, looked at each other.

At this time, Qin Zhiyi motioned to his three siblings, “Go and help.”

Then he carried Qin’s mother to the room first.

“She…”

Entering the room, Qin’s mother hesitated to speak.

“You rest well first, don’t move around, I’ll go and see.”

Qin Zhiyi settled Qin’s mother, covered her with a blanket, poured a cup of hot water and placed it on the bedside table, gave her a few instructions before turning around and walking out.

He happened to meet Qin Zhishu, who was carrying a large bowl of dumplings on a plate.

Qin Zhishu smelled the aroma, his eyes complex.

“She made them, I’ll take them to Mom.”

Qin Zhiyi looked at the plump white dumplings in the bowl, and he was also stunned for a moment, then he nodded and stepped aside.

There was a dilapidated folding square table set up in the yard, with several bowls of steaming dumplings on it.

But no one sat down, they all stood scattered around, the atmosphere was a little awkward.

As soon as Qin Zhiyi came over, everyone looked at him.

The little guy, who had been so happy, was a little overwhelmed by the strange atmosphere, but when he saw his father, he immediately ran over.

“Dad, is Grandma asleep?”

“No.” Qin Zhiyi reached out and rubbed his little head.

“Then did Grandma eat dumplings, the dumplings are delicious.”

Hearing this, Qin Zhiyi looked up at Xu Sangluo, who was a little restrained and awkward, and lightly replied.

“Yeah.”

Then he pulled the little guy to the table and sat down first.

Then he looked up at the three people who were standing there, “Come and eat.”

He had the air of a patriarch.

The twins looked at each other, then secretly glanced at Xu Sangluo, swallowing their saliva without a trace, and moved forward.

Qin Zhiyi looked at Xu Sangluo again.

Seeing him, Xu Sangluo couldn’t help but think of his domineering and commanding general’s demeanor in her later life.

So she also gritted her teeth and walked over.

Because the twins were sitting on Qin Zhiyi’s left and right, she could only sit opposite him.

“Eat.” Qin Zhiyi picked up his chopsticks and first picked up a dumpling to feed the little guy who was about to use a spoon to feed himself.

The dumplings in the little guy’s small bowl were cooled beforehand by Xu Sangluo, so they were just right to eat now.

The twins exchanged glances again, then looked at their older brother and their little nephew who was eating with a blissful expression and kept saying “hu hu.”

They also stole a glance at Xu Sangluo, who was lowering her head and starting to scoop up dumplings.

Then they hesitantly picked up their chopsticks, looked at the food they had never seen before, and couldn’t help but swallow.

When Qin Zhishu came back, he saw everyone at the small table quietly eating with their heads down.

Only the little guy was like a chatterbox, eating and talking non-stop.

Qin Zhiyi responded occasionally.

Qin Zhishu glanced at Xu Sangluo, who was eating with her head down, pursed his lips, and hesitated.

At this time, he saw his older brother looking at him, and then he heard a commanding voice, “Come and eat.”

Qin Zhishu froze, then lowered his head and walked over, squeezing next to Qin Zhifeng, taking his bowl and starting to eat.

Although the dumplings were only filled with shepherd’s purse and shiitake mushrooms, they were no less delicious than meat dumplings.

The dumpling wrappers were thin and chewy, with a sweet aroma of wheat and starch.

The wheat flour was ground from wheat grown with spring water from Xu Sangluo’s space, making it even better in texture and taste.

In the future, it would be enough to make a group of diners eagerly waiting to eat every day, let alone in this era of food scarcity.

The shepherd’s purse and shiitake mushrooms were the same, the spring water not only enhanced the efficacy of the ingredients but also improved their taste and texture.

The refreshing taste of shepherd’s purse and the sweetness of shiitake mushrooms combined with the slight spiciness of scallions and the richness of eggs.

The dumplings were so delicious that they instantly opened up the taste buds and made people want more, leaving a lingering aftertaste.

At least the last few people were indeed eating with their heads down, not because of embarrassment.

It is said that food is the easiest way to bring people closer.

After finishing the meal, everyone’s expressions softened a little.

Qin Zhiyu quickly picked up the bowls and chopsticks, “I’ll wash them.”

Qin Zhiyi went into the house to collect the bowls and was pulled aside by Qin’s mother for a chat.

A bowl of dumplings touched the memories that Qin’s mother had buried in her heart for many years, making her whole person softer.

The Qin family was once a prominent family in the north.

Qin Zhiyi was also a young master for a few years, until the turmoil began, and everything changed.

Dumplings were an indispensable food for people in the north.

However, Qin’s mother was not from the north, and when she married into the family, she couldn’t get used to eating them at first.

Later, they fled to the south.

At first, they ate in a big pot, and when they were able to cook at home, they didn’t think about it, and the children at home naturally hadn’t eaten them.

“It’s a pity that your father never ate another dumpling until he passed away. He loved dumplings the most, he never missed a meal.”

Qin Zhiyi pursed his lips and gently patted Qin’s mother’s hand, “Okay, don’t think about it, rest well.”

Qin’s mother nodded, probably because she was reminiscing about the past, she was a little tired.

When Qin Zhiyi was about to lift the curtain and walk out,

He heard Qin’s mother’s low voice.

“If she wants to stay, then live a good life. If she still doesn’t want to stay, then help her find another way out. After all, our family has wronged the girl.”

Qin Zhiyi paused for a few seconds, and after he didn’t hear Qin’s mother’s voice anymore, he replied softly, “Yeah.”