Chapter 54: Winter Solstice Dumplings

Jiang Yu averted his gaze, lowering his head to pretend he was on his phone, but the tips of his ears had quietly turned red.

The dough was kneaded, and the filling was seasoned.

The three of them moved to the dining table and began making dumplings.

Jiang Qing rolled out the wrappers with lightning speed, sending perfectly round discs flying from her hands.

Li Xiao picked up a wrapper, scooped up a spoonful of filling, and attempted to pinch it shut like Jiang Qing had done.

But his first dumpling was… a disaster.

Too much filling, and the edges weren’t sealed properly—it would definitely fall apart during boiling.

Jiang Qing couldn’t help but laugh out loud:

“Brother Li, that’s not a dumpling, it’s a bun!”

Li Xiao looked at the shapeless “creation” in his hand and laughed too.

He turned his head toward Jiang Yu:

“You teach me.”

Jiang Yu glanced at the ugly dumpling in his hand, pressed his lips together, and finally set down his phone.

He washed his hands, picked up a wrapper with his left hand, asked Jiang Qing to help him scoop an appropriate amount of filling, and then pressed it together.

A beautiful crescent-shaped dumpling quickly took form.

“See? Don’t use too much filling. When you press, you need to apply force, but not too much, or the wrapper will break.”

Jiang Yu placed the dumpling on the plate, explaining in a calm tone.

Li Xiao stared at his nimble fingers, his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly.

“I didn’t catch it.”

He said, his voice a bit hoarse:

“Show me again.”

Jiang Yu shot him a look and picked up another wrapper.

This time, Li Xiao leaned in even closer.

His arm was almost touching Jiang Yu’s, and his breath brushed against Jiang Yu’s ear.

Jiang Yu’s fingers trembled slightly.

He forced himself to focus and wrapped another one.

“Got it?”

Jiang Yu asked without looking up.

“Got it.”

Li Xiao said, picking up a wrapper, scooping filling, and pressing it shut.

This time it was much better—still a little ugly, but at least it looked like a dumpling.

“Improvement!”

Jiang Qing praised.

And so the three of them chatted while making dumplings.

To be precise, Jiang Qing did the talking, Li Xiao listened, and Jiang Yu occasionally responded.

The atmosphere was unexpectedly harmonious.

Before they knew it, they had made two large plates full of dumplings.

“That’s enough, that’s enough!”

Jiang Qing put down the rolling pin and rubbed her wrists:

“These are enough for two meals!”

Li Xiao looked at the misshapen but vaguely recognizable dumplings on the plate, feeling a strange sense of satisfaction swell in his heart.

He had made these dumplings with Jiang Yu and Jiang Qing.

The first time in his life.

“I’ll go cook the dumplings!”

Jiang Qing picked up a plate and headed into the kitchen.

Only Jiang Yu and Li Xiao remained in the dining area.

Flour dusted both their hands.

Li Xiao looked at Jiang Yu, then suddenly raised his hand and, with a flour-tipped finger, lightly tapped the tip of Jiang Yu’s nose.

A speck of white remained on Jiang Yu’s straight nose bridge.

Jiang Yu froze, looking up at him.

“What are you doing?”

“There’s flour.”

Li Xiao said with a smile, his gaze so tender it could melt.

Jiang Yu raised his hand to wipe it off, but Li Xiao suddenly grabbed his wrist.

“Don’t move.”

Li Xiao leaned in, using his thumb to gently wipe the flour from the tip of Jiang Yu’s nose.

His movement was light, slow.

As his fingertip brushed across the skin, it brought a faint tickle.

Jiang Yu’s lashes fluttered, and he unconsciously held his breath.

Their faces were very close.

So close that Jiang Yu could see his own reflection in Li Xiao’s pupils.

So close that they could feel the warmth of each other’s breath.

From the kitchen came the sound of boiling water and Jiang Qing humming.

But at this moment, it was as if only the two of them existed in the world.

Li Xiao’s thumb didn’t leave immediately; it lingered on Jiang Yu’s cheek for a moment, the pad of his finger tracing the delicate skin.

“Jiang Yu.”

Li Xiao called his name in a low voice.

“…Hmm?”

“I’m really happy today.”

Li Xiao’s voice was soft, but every word was clear:

“Like this, with you and Jiang Qing, making dumplings together… like a family.”

Jiang Yu’s heart gave a heavy thump.

He looked into Li Xiao’s eyes, which were filled with tenderness and something deeper.

“Dumplings are ready!”

Jiang Qing came out of the kitchen carrying a plate of steaming dumplings.

Li Xiao let go and stepped back half a step, restoring a normal distance.

But the intimacy and flutter of that moment lingered in the air.

The three of them sat around the table eating dumplings.

Jiang Qing’s dumplings were beautiful, Jiang Yu’s were standard, and Li Xiao’s… although ugly, hadn’t broken apart.

“Brother Li’s dumplings look a bit casual, but they taste good!”

Jiang Qing picked up one of Li Xiao’s dumplings, took a bite, and gave a thumbs-up.

Li Xiao smiled, picked up one of Jiang Yu’s dumplings, and put it in his mouth.

Thin wrapper, generous filling, perfect flavor.

He looked at Jiang Yu, who was quietly eating dumplings with his head down, lashes casting fine shadows under his eyes.

On the tip of his nose, where Li Xiao had touched earlier, there was still a faint trace of red.

The fire in Li Xiao’s heart quietly flared up again.

He wanted to kiss him.

Wanted to kiss him in this small but warm rental apartment, on the evening of the winter solstice, amid the aroma of dumplings.

But he knew now wasn’t the time.

He had to wait.

Wait for Jiang Yu to completely let down his guard, wait for Jiang Yu to be willing.

After the meal, the sky had already darkened.

Li Xiao helped clean up the dishes, put on his coat, and prepared to leave.

“Brother Li, are you coming again tomorrow?”

Jiang Qing saw him to the door, blinking as she asked.

Li Xiao glanced at Jiang Yu.

Jiang Yu stood in the living room, saying nothing, but not objecting either.

“I’ll come.”

Li Xiao smiled and ruffled Jiang Qing’s hair:

“I’ll bring you dessert tomorrow.”

“Yay!”

Jiang Qing waved happily.

Li Xiao turned to Jiang Yu:

“I’m off.”

“…Okay.”

Jiang Yu nodded:

“Take care on the road.”

Li Xiao gave him a deep look, then turned and went downstairs.

Jiang Qing closed the door, turned to face Jiang Yu, the smile on her lips impossible to suppress.

“Bro.”

“Huh?”

“Brother Li is really wonderful.”

Jiang Qing walked up to Jiang Yu, hugged his arm, and rested her head on his shoulder:

“I can feel it—he truly cares about you.”

Jiang Yu didn’t speak, just raised his hand and ruffled her hair.

Outside the window, the winter solstice night was cold and long.

But inside, the fragrance of dumplings still lingered, along with a warmth quietly growing.

Meanwhile, downstairs, Li Xiao got into his car and took out his phone to send a WeChat message to Jiang Yu:

“I washed the sweater. I’ll bring it tomorrow. It has your scent on it—I’m reluctant to give it back, but I’m afraid you’ll mind.”

A few seconds later, Jiang Yu replied:

“…Do whatever you want.”

Li Xiao looked at those three words and smiled.

He could imagine the expression on Jiang Yu’s face when he typed them: that mixture of awkwardness and helplessness.

Adorably infuriating.

Li Xiao started the engine and drove away from the old town.

In the rearview mirror, the light from the window on the fourth floor looked especially warm in the winter night.

And at that moment, Jiang Yu stood by the window, watching the black SUV slowly drive away.

His phone was still in his hand, the screen displaying Li Xiao’s message about the sweater.

Jiang Yu’s lips, uncontrollably, curled up slightly.

📚 Also on NHV Novels

Miss Witch, Please Kill Me

FantasyGender BenderMagical

Read Now →
Not interested