Chapter 599: Colored Dumplings

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation   Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The dumpling restaurant was not big but looked clean and elegant. The tables and stools were in a neat arrangement.

The young man looked to be thirteen or fourteen years old. Although he wore slightly tattered clothes, he looked tidy. He smiled at Su Binglan and Luo Jin’an, saying, “What would you like to order, sir and madam?”

“What kind of dumplings do you have?” Su Binglan asked in return. She was pretty happy when she saw many dumpling establishments along the way because it meant dumplings were popular and had become common in Dingzhou.

Everyone will eat dumplings since New Year celebrations are near, right? As time passes, dumplings will become a tradition and make people feel the spirit of the New Year.’

“We have cabbage and pork, wild vegetables and pork, cucumber and egg, carrot and egg, pork and corn, and mushroom and pork fillings.”

Su Binglan was surprised to hear so many options. She had never tried making dumpling fillings with cucumber, carrot, eggs, or corn. She did not expect people to be so innovative.

“Did your parents come up with those ideas?”

The young man shook his head, saying, “No, it’s something Miss Su developed and taught everyone to make. My mother learned to make dumplings from others.

“She would fumble around and make dumplings herself whenever she was home. When she finally got the hang of it, my parents decided to open this restaurant. We’ve only been open for a month.”

Su Binglan saw many people in the restaurant, which was almost full. She smiled and said, “It looks like business is good.”

The young man chuckled. “My mother is the cook here. My family’s conditions have improved so much because of this restaurant.”

Su Binglan felt the young man was quite shy. She could not help but ask a few more questions because she wanted to know more about the situation in various places to develop more delicacies in the future.

“Are you a local, madam?”

“Yes, my husband and I live in a village nearby,” Su Binglan talked to the young man for a while, then discovered he and his parents lived in the same village.

The young man’s family had three acres of land. Previously, his family could not produce enough grain to eat, and they barely got through their days. The youth’s father worked tirelessly.

However, the youth’s father would easily faint whenever he worked too hard. In addition, just relying on the youth and his mother to grow crops would not be enough.

“Fortunately, Miss Su developed dumplings and spread her teachings about them. My father and I supported my mother by buying her flour and meat when she wanted to practice making dumplings.

“These days, people can’t help but compliment my mother’s delicious dumplings. Before this, my mother taught my father to make dumplings and then used her savings to buy this small shop.”

Su Binglan was happy for the family of three. “That’s lovely. Your parents were able to open this fine establishment because they worked tirelessly.”

‘Most wouldn’t be as willing as this family to spend their money on continuous practice.’

“Your days will only keep improving when you work hard.”

“My mother says the same thing. My parents wake me every morning to make the dough and prepare the meat for the dumplings. They cook at noon and night to serve our customers.

“Sometimes, my mother is considerate of my father and lets him rest a little longer. Whenever we come to the shop, my father cooks the dumplings while my mother and I serve them. That way, my father won’t tire himself out.”

The youth did not know why, but the young lady before him gave him a sense of familiarity. He could not help but blabber on.

Meanwhile, Su Binglan suspected the youth’s father might have a heart condition. However, she thought it should be benign since the youth had mentioned his father would only faint if he worked too hard.

Still, Su Binglan planned to speak to the youth about his father’s heart condition.

“All right, give me a plate of pork and corn dumplings,” Su Binglan looked at Luo Jin’an and asked, “What filling do you want to try?”

“Carrot and eggs,” Luo Jin’an answered. Since they had never tried such fillings, they decided to taste them.

“All right, please wait a moment.” The youth went to the kitchen and told his father the order. Then his mother took some plates to the kitchen. She had washed them in the afternoon when the shop was not too busy.

Although the dumpling restaurant opened only a month ago, many customers went there. Perhaps it was because the dumplings were fresh and delicious.

The family had earned back their invested capital in half a month and felt they had a bright future ahead. The woman looked at her son and smiled gently. “Were you chatting with a customer just now?”

“Yes, they were lovely, and I couldn’t help it. Still, they don’t look like ordinary people to me.”

The mother-son duo thought it was rare to encounter such extraordinary people in town. Not only was Su Binglan pretty—she also gave off an otherworldly presence.

The youth’s mother did not have time to chat as customers were waiting outside. Immediately after, she hurriedly served the freshly-cooked dumplings to the customers.

The youth’s mother could remember who ordered what dumplings without worry. After taking the young couple’s order from the kitchen, she seemed to have thought of something and returned to the kitchen.

She told her son, “They don’t look like ordinary people and must’ve eaten many delicacies and seen many things. You can send two more dumplings with different fillings for them to try.”

When her husband heard that, he knew he had to make two more dumplings with different fillings.

The youth understood his mother’s intentions. In the first two days of opening, his parents would treat people to free dumplings as long as the customers shared their opinions.

Because of that, his mother had greatly improved, and her dumplings became even more delicious. The youth nodded. “Yes, Mother, I understand.”

Soon after, the youth brought out three plates of dumplings and explained each dish when he noticed Su Binglan’s puzzled expression.

Su Binglan smiled. “Your mother is very hardworking.”

Su Binglan and Luo Jin’an ate the dumplings and agreed they tasted good. She and her husband were in no hurry to leave after finishing their dumplings. Instead, they sat and chatted for a while.

When Su Binglan noticed not many customers remained in the shop and realized the youth could handle everything by himself, she told him, “Tell your mother I’d like to discuss her dumplings privately.”

The young man was thrilled when he heard that and rushed to tell his mother about it. When Su Binglan entered the kitchen, the woman stood awkwardly, not knowing what to say.

Su Binglan initiated, “Thank you for the dumplings, madam. They were delicious. I suggest distinguishing between each type of dumpling by making them in different colors.’

Soon after, she showed the woman how to use carrot and spinach juice to make more colorful dumplings. The woman and her family were stunned when they saw the different colors. They had never expected to see such a thing.

Su Binglan smiled, “Now that the dumplings have color, they’ll look even more appetizing.. Also, eating them with vegetable juice is perfect for the body, don’t you think?”

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