Chapter 51.2

Once the dumplings were wrapped, Qin Qingman glanced at the darkening sky outside and hurried to start frying the dumplings.

During winter, the days grew dark early, and she wanted to finish frying them before Wei Ling returned from delivering dumplings. It would likely be completely dark by then.

She set aside the dumplings that needed frying and instructed Wei Ling to take the extras to the courtyard to freeze them. They could bring them back in later to cook for dinner.

Wei Ling carried the dumplings outside while Qin Qingman got busy with frying.

The Qin family had a flat-bottomed pan.

The flat-bottomed pans of this era were slightly different in design compared to those of later generations, but their function was the same. Their region often hunted during the winter, and most of the hunted meat was roasted to eat. Roasting helped reduce the strong gamey flavor of the meat.

Qin Qingman placed the pan on the stove and coated the bottom with a thin layer of peanut oil.

Vegetable oil worked best for frying dumplings; it wasn’t greasy and had a more fragrant aroma.

After adding the oil, Qin Qingman didn’t immediately place the dumplings into the pan. If she were to do so, the dumpling skins would likely break. Instead, she sprinkled some starchy water into the pan first.

Only after sprinkling the starchy water did she arrange the dumplings one by one in the pan. Once the pan was full, she covered it with a lid and let them fry over medium heat.

As the moisture in the pan evaporated, the sizzling sound of the oil became audible to all three of them.

This was the oil beginning to work its magic.

The fragrance of the meat and the tangy aroma of the sauerkraut intensified under the stimulation of the hot oil, becoming even more appetizing.

“Big Sis, it smells so good.” Chuchu said, his mouth watering again. He had only just finished eating a little while ago, but the enticing aroma of the fried dumplings made him regret eating so much earlier. He wished he had left some room to taste these dumplings.

Chuchu wasn’t the only one with this thought; Wei Ling shared the same regret.

It was his first time seeing dumplings fried like this, and the aroma was incredible. They looked delicious.

“I’ll fry some for you both tonight.” Qin Qingman said, smiling at the two of them—a big one and a small one. It had been a long time since she had eaten fried dumplings herself, and the tantalizing aroma made her crave them too.

Luckily, they had made plenty of dumplings. Half could be boiled, and the other half fried for dinner.

To let everyone experience a different flavor of dumplings.

“Okay.” Chuchu replied, fully satisfied.

Wei Ling felt the same sense of satisfaction, his gaze toward Qin Qingman softening even more.

Qin Qingman instructed Wei Ling. “Ah Ling, go to the cupboard and grab the lunchbox.”

After giving it some thought, she added, “Ah Ling, why don’t you bring a smaller willow basket instead? That way, it’ll hold this whole pan of fried dumplings.”

After all, if the fried dumplings were placed in the lunchbox and taken to the regiment headquarters, they would freeze solid in this weather anyway.

It would be better to take the entire pan out to the courtyard for a couple of minutes, let the dumplings freeze, and then load them into the willow basket.

“Alright, I’ll get the willow basket.”

Wei Ling, having seen firsthand how many dumplings Qin Qingman had fried in this pan, knew a lunchbox wouldn’t hold much.

Thinking about Hong Wei from the logistics department, Wei Ling decided that since the Colonel was already being sent some dumplings, it would be a good idea to deliver some to Uncle Hong as well.

Wei Ling was generous by nature and didn’t mind sparing a bit of meat.

When Qin Qingman saw Wei Ling head toward the kitchen, she lifted the lid of the pan. Instantly, the rich aroma of crispy fried dumplings filled the entire hall.

She used a spatula to gently loosen the edges of the dumplings. Since she had oiled the pan earlier, a light push was all it took for the entire batch of dumplings to separate cleanly from the bottom.

Chuchu watched as the starchy water from earlier, now dried, had turned into a golden, web-like layer. His mouth watered again.

The crispy fragrance of the starch, the fresh aroma of the meat, and the tangy scent of the sauerkraut—it all smelled irresistible.

“I’ll save a few for us to taste in a bit.”

Qin Qingman couldn’t resist the temptation either. She carefully flipped the entire batch of dumplings over before covering the pan again.

This time, she didn’t sprinkle any more starchy water, nor did she use medium heat. Instead, she switched to low heat, gently roasting the already-cooked dumplings.

This method would turn the other side golden brown as well.

Wei Ling returned with the willow basket and rinsed it thoroughly with water.

He then brought it back to the hall, drying it by the stove so it would be ready to hold the fried dumplings.

“Ah Ling, come, try one.” Qin Qingman said, finally succumbing to the lure of the fried dumplings herself. She had just taken a few dumplings out of the pan and let them cool in a bowl.

By the time Wei Ling returned, the dumplings had cooled enough to eat.

“Okay.” he agreed.

Wei Ling, who had long been tormented by the mouthwatering aroma filling the room, eagerly opened his mouth as Qin Qingman handed him a perfectly golden-brown dumpling.

The dumpling’s temperature was just right—not too hot. As soon as it entered his mouth, it completely captivated his taste buds.

“Delicious.”

When Wei Ling opened his mouth to eat the dumpling, Chuchu was already helping himself.

With his small, clean hands, Chuchu grasped the two corners of a fried dumpling and gently tore it apart, immediately revealing the filling inside.

The sauerkraut, glistening from the juices of the meat filling, looked oily and enticing. The scallions, though slightly dimmed in color, stood out vibrantly against the rest of the stuffing.

With a hearty bite, Chuchu stuffed half a dumpling into his mouth.

His mouth was small, so he could only eat half at a time. Otherwise, he would’ve liked to eat a whole dumpling in one go, just like his brother-in-law.

Eating them one by one, savoring the flavor, was even better.

Qin Qingman noticed Chuchu’s slight frustration and laughed. “Tomorrow, I’ll wrap some smaller dumplings for you.”

“Mm-hmm.” Chuchu nodded vigorously, chewing as he did.

The dumplings were so delicious that he didn’t have much to say; he was too focused on enjoying them.

After both the elder and the younger had sampled the fried dumplings, Wei Ling took the chopsticks from Qin Qingman’s hand and picked up the last dumpling from the bowl. He held it out toward his wife’s mouth.

He had been observing carefully—these dumplings were quite large, and given his wife’s mouth size, she likely couldn’t eat one in a single bite. Tomorrow, when he rolled the dumpling wrappers, he would make them smaller.

Qin Qingman didn’t refuse the dumpling that was offered to her. She opened her mouth, taking half of it while pushing the remaining half back toward Wei Ling.

The fried dumpling was undeniably delicious; her cooking skills were impeccable. However, she had eaten a hearty meal at lunch, so she was satisfied with just tasting it for now. She planned to eat more in the evening.

Wei Ling didn’t mind that the dumpling had been bitten into by his wife. Seeing that she didn’t finish it, he popped the rest into his mouth.

Somehow, the dumpling seemed even more fragrant and flavorful after being bitten by her.

“Big Sis, the fried dumplings are so tasty, really tasty.” Chuchu exclaimed after finishing his share. Though he still eyed the dumplings longingly, he wisely refrained from reaching for more.

He remembered Qin Qingman’s advice: it was best to eat until you were about seventy percent full.

“Later, I’ll mix some garlic with vinegar for dipping. Tonight, we’ll have a proper meal of dumplings.” Qin Qingman said after swallowing her bite. She affirmed Chuchu’s praise before lifting the flat-bottomed pan off the stove and heading toward the door.

The dumplings were perfectly fried and ready to be taken out of the pan.

If fried any longer, they would become overcooked, taking on a slight burnt taste that would diminish their flavor.

As Qin Qingman carried the pan toward the door, Wei Ling followed closely behind, holding the dried willow basket. He lifted the door curtain for her, making it easier for her to step outside with the pan.

The moment Qin Qingman stepped out, she placed the pan directly onto the snow-covered ground.

“Wife, go back inside. I’ll handle the rest.” Wei Ling said, noticing that Qin Qingman was only wearing a sweater. He quickly urged her to return indoors, thinking it was unnecessary for her to stay and help with collecting the dumplings.

“You should come back in with me. They need a few minutes to freeze properly.” Qin Qingman said, her concern evident as she glanced at Wei Ling, who was also only wearing a sweater.

“It’s fine, I’m not cold. I need to separate the dumplings.” Wei Ling replied. He had noticed earlier that the fried dumplings were all stuck together. If he didn’t separate them before they froze completely, it would be impossible to pull them apart later.

“Alright.” Qin Qingman said softly, giving Wei Ling a long, thoughtful look. She handed him the chopsticks before lifting the curtain and heading back inside.

Once inside, Qin Qingman immediately went to wash her hands.

Cooking left some oil on her hands, and she wanted to clean them thoroughly before doing anything else.

Chuchu, always quick to act, picked up the kettle and poured hot water for her.

Using soapberries, Qin Qingman carefully scrubbed her hands, washing away all traces of oil. After rinsing with clean water, she dried her hands with a towel. Then, she wrapped herself in a thick cotton coat, picked up Wei Ling’s cotton coat, and stepped back outside.

In the short time she was gone, Wei Ling had already separated the dumplings that had been stuck together and was waiting for them to freeze.

Hearing the sound of the curtain being lifted, Wei Ling turned around, only to feel a warm cotton coat being draped over his shoulders.

At that moment, Wei Ling felt warmth not just in his body but deep in his heart.

“Wife.” he said, grasping Qin Qingman’s hands. For a moment, he was at a loss for words, overwhelmed by emotion.

“Are they frozen yet?” Qin Qingman asked, her face turning red under Wei Ling’s gaze as she turned to look at the dumplings in the pan.

Wei Ling snapped out of his thoughts and naturally put an arm around Qin Qingman as he crouched beside her. “They’re almost frozen. The oil on the dumplings won’t stick to the willow basket. You can start collecting them.”

Qin Qingman took the chopsticks from Wei Ling and poked at the dumplings in the pan. Realizing they were indeed nearly frozen, she began carefully picking them up one by one and placing them in the basket. At the same time, she reminded him, “Ah Ling, the round trip to the military base will take about an hour. You should head out now and come back as soon as you’ve delivered them.”

“Alright, I’ll get ready.” Wei Ling replied.

As Qin Qingman focused on transferring the dumplings, Wei Ling gave her a quick hug before heading back inside.

Hat, scarf, gloves—these were essential items for venturing out into the cold. After preparing himself, Wei Ling gently patted Chuchu, who was standing by his side, and said in a low voice, “You’re a man now. Take care of yourself and your sister.”

“Don’t worry, Brother-in-law. I’ll take good care of Big Sis!” Chuchu replied earnestly, his small fist clenched in determination.

“Good.” Wei Ling said, satisfied with Chuchu’s attitude. He then stepped outside.

By the time Wei Ling emerged, Qin Qingman had already transferred all the dumplings into the basket. Each dumpling was perfectly frozen, with none of the skins broken. They all displayed their most appealing, golden-brown sides.

“Ah Ling, come back as soon as you can.” Qin Qingman said, covering the basket with a clean piece of cloth before handing it to Wei Ling.

“I will, Wife. Wait for me—I’ll be back early.” Wei Ling said, bending down to embrace her briefly before picking up the basket and heading out. He needed to hurry; there were loved ones waiting for him at home.

From behind the glass window, Qin Qingman and Chuchu watched Wei Ling leave before returning to their respective tasks.