Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen: Winter Solstice

Li Shenxing's uncle's family runs a farm on Jeju Island, so Li Shenxing's side is never short of meat. Every one or two weeks, his uncle sends beef, pork, and sometimes lamb, along with fresh and valuable seafood.

Yesterday, they just received fresh beef and pork, so today, when Li Shenxing went to his in-laws' house, he brought a lot as a holiday gift.

Since in Northern China, people eat dumplings on the Winter Solstice, Li Shenxing asked Hyo-ri to wait in the car while he went to the market to buy the ingredients needed for the dumpling fillings.

He planned to make two types of dumplings: pork and shiitake mushroom, and pork and chives. He also intended to make the dumpling wrappers himself and add some vegetable juice to color them, making them both delicious and visually appealing.

By the time Li Shenxing came out of the market, nearly half an hour had passed.

After putting the ingredients in the trunk, he opened the car door and got in, noticing that Hyo-ri was on the phone.

"Uh-huh, uh-huh, he's back now, we'll be there soon, okay, got it."

After Hyo-ri hung up, Li Shenxing asked, "Was that your mom?"

"Yes, she called to check why we haven't arrived yet. I told her you were buying groceries and that we're making dumplings today."

"Let's head over now."

He started the car and drove towards his in-laws' house.

...

After parking the car, Li Shenxing and Hyo-ri carried the items and walked into the house. Knowing they were almost there, the front door was only slightly ajar.

In the living room, his sister-in-law had already arrived with her children, and his father-in-law was not out chatting with others. The family was busy making glutinous rice balls for the red bean porridge while chatting.

"Oh! Our new son-in-law, Shenxing, is here!"

Sitting by the door, his sister-in-law was the first to spot Li Shenxing as he walked in.

"Hello, Sister, it's been a while. Have you missed me, Yeong-suk and Chan-jin?"

Li Shenxing smiled and greeted them.

"Uncle, hello!" The older Yeong-suk loudly greeted Li Shenxing.

The younger Chan-jin, being more shy, followed behind and softly said, "Hello, Uncle!"

"Good boys!" Li Shenxing squatted down and took out two Transformer toys from his bag, "Look what I have here."

"Wow! Transformers!" Yeong-suk exclaimed excitedly.

Although Chan-jin didn't shout, his eyes lit up as he stared at the toys in Li Shenxing's hand.

"Here, these are gifts from Uncle. Do you like them?" Li Shenxing handed the Transformers to them.

"Like! Thank you, Uncle!" Yeong-suk took the gift and thanked him loudly.

"Thank you, Uncle!" Thanks to the toys, Chan-jin was less shy and also thanked Li Shenxing loudly.

Li Shenxing smiled and ruffled their hair, "Go play!"

The two children happily ran off to play with their new toys.

"Shenxing, don't buy them so many toys, it's a waste of money," his mother-in-law said, pleased to see him getting along well with the children, but still nagging about his spending.

"It's fine, Mother-in-law. I don't see them often," Li Shenxing replied with a smile.

"Mother-in-law, I bought the ingredients for the dumplings. Today, I'll make authentic Chinese-style dumplings. In Northern China, people mostly eat dumplings on the Winter Solstice. There are many types of fillings, and today I'll make pork and shrimp with shiitake mushrooms and pork and chives."

Seeing that they were almost done with the rice balls, Li Shenxing said to his sister-in-law, "Sister, can you and Hyo-ri help me prepare the vegetables? I'll start making the dough for the wrappers."

"Here you go, making me work as soon as I arrive. Minnie, come help me," his sister-in-law said, extending her flour-covered hands to Hyo-ri.

But Hyo-ri turned around, pretending not to see, and followed Li Shenxing into the kitchen.

"Oppa, I'll help you."

"Hey, you brat," his sister-in-law quickly got up and chased Hyo-ri into the kitchen.

The next moment, everyone in the living room heard the bickering from the kitchen.

"Ah! These two still love to bicker. After all these years, they never get tired of it," his sister-in-law shook her head in exasperation.

"If they don't get tired of it, I'm tired of hearing it," his mother-in-law complained.

...

"Wow!!" Everyone was amazed by Li Shenxing's skills.

First, he kneaded the dough into a long strip, then cut it into small pieces of roughly the same size. Holding a rolling pin, he rolled out two wrappers at once.

Taking one wrapper, he scooped a spoonful of filling into the center. With a quick motion, he sealed the dumpling, and when he opened his hand, a perfectly shaped dumpling appeared, not the usual round and plump shape but a cute and unique design.

Inspired, Li Shenxing tried all the different ways he knew to fold dumplings.

Sunflower dumplings, triangular dumplings, square dumplings, yuanbao dumplings, crescent dumplings, fish-shaped dumplings, and even two rabbits made from the dough.

"Shenxing is so skilled. These rabbits look so real," his mother-in-law marveled.

After the show, everyone joined in to help make the dumplings.

Seeing that two large trays of the two types of dumplings were already filled, Li Shenxing took them to the kitchen to cook, so everyone could try them and taste the flavors. He also prepared the dipping sauce.

To cook the dumplings, you need to boil them three times, adding cold water each time the water boils. When the dumplings float to the surface, they are fully cooked.

The sauce was simple to make. Li Shenxing first put garlic, scallions, chili powder, sugar, and sesame seeds into a soup bowl, then poured hot oil over them. He boiled soy sauce with a little water in a pot and poured it into the bowl, making it fragrant and not too salty.

He didn't add vinegar to the sauce, leaving it for people to add as they wished.

Using a slotted spoon, he fished out the dumplings and placed them on plates, then set the plates and sauce on the dining table, arranging the bowls and utensils.

After everything was ready, Li Shenxing called out to the living room, "Everyone, stop for a moment. The dumplings are ready. Father-in-law and Mother-in-law, please try them while they're hot."

"Oh! Oh! Dumplings!" The two children were the most excited.

The adults also stopped what they were doing, washed their hands, and came to eat the dumplings.

Li Shenxing had specially prepared a small bowl of sauce without chili for the children, serving it in small dishes in front of them.

Hyo-ri was the first to wash her hands and run to the dining table, picking up an orange dumpling and putting it in her mouth.

"Ouch... Hot! Hot!..." Although it was hot, she didn't want to spit it out. "So delicious, the shiitake flavor is very rich, and the filling is juicy and fresh."

Li Shenxing added a cooled green dumpling to her plate, "Try this one with pork and chives."

"Mmm!" Hyo-ri took a big bite and commented before swallowing, "The pork and chives are also delicious, but I like the pork and shiitake more."

At that moment, his mother-in-law patted her on the back and scolded, "Don't talk while eating. Swallow first, then speak. It's very impolite."

"Uh-huh, I know!" Hyo-ri pouted in response.

"Mother-in-law, please sit down and enjoy while it's hot," Li Shenxing pulled her to a seat, placing the sauce and other condiments in front of her.

"Shenxing, you sit and eat too, don't just take care of me," his mother-in-law said kindly to Li Shenxing.