My girlfriend isn't as cute as me.

"Look, is this okay?" Lin Jiu smiled.

Ning Yuan couldn't find any fault with it no matter how he looked at it; he even thought that the other party's work was better than his own.

"You did a great job making dumplings for the first time, but there's still room for improvement."

"I see. How about this one then?"

Lin Jiu quickly wrapped four or five dumplings in a row, each one perfectly sized. The twelve grams of meat filling were so precise that it made one wonder if his hands had a built-in electronic scale. The dumpling wrappers were also shaped exceptionally well.

"..."

Are you deliberately picking a fight?

Does this person seem like someone who has never tried making dumplings before?

Internet cafe administrator, I want to report someone for cheating!

"Making dumplings like this is soulless; you have to make them with love." This is the stubborn remark from a middle-aged man.

Even Ning's mother couldn't stand it anymore and gave Ning Yuan a reproachful look.

Ning Yuan looked away guiltily, feeling that he was acting very immaturely.

"I see."

Lin Jiu nodded in agreement, her smile unchanged.

"Unfortunately, the person I love is not here."

Chapter Ninety-Seven: Rebellion Against My Despicable Father

"Ok?"

After Ning Yueyao came out of the room, she found the atmosphere had become somewhat heavy.

Lin Jiu maintained a smile that was neither distant nor intimate, remaining calm and composed.

Ning Yuan, on the other hand, had a serious expression. He looked at Lin Jiu's hands, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

"Here, you give it a try."

Lin Jiu pointed to the few dumpling wrappers left.

Ning Yuan nodded, carefully put the meat filling in, and slowly wrapped the dumpling.

"Master Lin, do you think this will work?"

Ning Yuan showed Lin Jiu the dumplings in his palm.

"It's not like this is your first time making dumplings, so why can't you learn it?" Lin Jiu said with a hint of helplessness. "Watch closely, I'll demonstrate it for you again. It's that simple."

"Okay, I'll try again."

Ning Yuan diligently wrapped dumplings with the last two dumpling wrappers, just like a new apprentice in the kitchen.

"Mom, what happened? Did Dad and Lin Jiu hit their heads?" Ning Yueyao asked, pointing at the two of them. She was quite confused, then pointed to herself, "Or did I hit my head?"

Looking at the two of them, Ning's mother calmly said, "Your father had a dumpling-making contest with your classmate, and he lost. He's learning from the other person."

"what?"

Ning Yueyao stared at the two of them in disbelief.

Ning Yuan seemed to notice his daughter's gaze, his face flushed, and he lowered his head even further.

Lin Jiu noticed the awkward atmosphere and quickly tried to smooth things over, saying, "Uncle Ning, could you teach me how to steam dumplings? I've never learned before. I'll learn from you while you're cooking and help you in the kitchen."

"Alright, since you're so eager to learn, I'll show you all my best skills."

Ning Yuan followed the suggestion Lin Jiu made, which saved him some face and prevented him from losing face in front of his daughter.

As for losing face in front of his wife... hasn't she seen enough already?

We're an old married couple, what's there to be afraid of?

Ning Yuan picked up the plate of dumplings and walked toward the kitchen, with Lin Jiu following behind him like a little assistant.

"Mom, what do you think of my classmate?"

After Ning Yueyao saw the two go to the kitchen, she secretly asked her mother what she thought of Lin Jiu.

Ning's mother glanced at Ning Yueyao. No one knows a daughter better than her mother; how could she not see through her daughter's little scheme?

only……

Lin Jiu has laid his cards on the table.

He has someone he likes.

That person is not Ning Yueyao.

Lin Jiu patiently chatted with Ning Yuan for a while, assuring him that he had no such intentions.

Ning Yuan had mixed feelings after hearing this.

It's normal for a father not to want his daughter to date, especially not too early; he's afraid his precious daughter will be snatched away by some random guy. Ning Yuan clearly thought so too, but when he heard Lin Jiu so firmly say there was absolutely no possibility, he felt a surge of displeasure. What was wrong with his daughter? Fair-skinned, beautiful, outstanding in appearance, and from a wealthy family—how dare this kid say such things!

Tell me what you're unhappy about, and I'll beat you up if I do.

Ning Yuan asked a few questions.

Lin Jiu did not say anything bad about Ning Yueyao.

He simply told Ning Yuan how wonderful the person he liked was.

Lin Jiu was completely accepting and fond of Wang Yuting, both her strengths and weaknesses.

Ning's mother was also present, and she understood halfway through the conversation... This boy must love that girl very much.

This is not just a simple matter of liking someone.

This boy is remarkable for having such a profound understanding at such a young age.

“Your classmate is quite nice,” Ning’s mother said with a smile, though she rarely smiled.

"Right!" Ning Yueyao tilted her head back. "How could my friend be bad!"

"Yeah, it's fine as ordinary friends."

Ning's mother emphasized the words "ordinary friends".

Ning Yueyao tilted her head. She didn't quite understand what her mother meant, but she was in a good mood.

After all, Mom has a good eye for people. Last time, Mom told Ning Yueyao directly what shortcomings Huang Minmin had that could be corrected.

As a friend, I'll help if I can.

If I can't help, then I won't help.

It's hard to persuade someone with kind words; if you say too much, they won't appreciate it and will even find you nagging.

In the kitchen, Lin Jiu was learning to cook from Ning Yuan.

Ning Yuan instructed, "After the water in the steamer boils, steam these dumplings over high heat for six minutes. Speaking of which, I haven't told you how to make the meat filling yet. Actually, it's not difficult. Remember: pork, carrots, celery, corn kernels, wood ear mushrooms, and shrimp. Soak the wood ear mushrooms until softened, then chop them finely. Chop the carrots and celery finely as well. Remember to marinate the chopped celery with a suitable amount of salt for ten minutes to draw out the moisture. Mince the pork, add salt, mix well, pour in the scallion and ginger water, then add the shrimp, a little white sugar, and a pinch of pepper. Finally, pour everything together, add a little sesame oil, and mix well."

"Ok."

Lin Jiu silently wrote it down.

He knew how to make dumpling wrappers. Using a 2:1 ratio, he mixed 100 grams of all-purpose flour with 50 ml of warm water, kneaded it into a dough, wrapped it in plastic wrap, and let it rest for ten minutes. This step is crucial; it allows the moisture inside the dough to be evenly distributed, and the gluten to relax. A relaxed dough is easier to shape, and the taste and texture are also better. If you don't relax the dough and just roll it out with a rolling pin, it will shrink back and forth during the rolling process… For a beginner, this is undoubtedly the most terrifying thing.

Once the bread has rested, knead it into a strip, cut it into small pieces, and then roll them out thinly with a rolling pin.

For those who find this troublesome, you can simply buy pre-made dumpling wrappers at the supermarket.

It's best to use the dumpling wrappers you buy on the same day, and not leave them overnight, otherwise they will become sticky and unusable.

Do you know how to make braised pork?

"I've never tried it, but I want to learn."

"Okay, I'll teach you everything. I'll also teach you a dish: braised lion's head meatballs! This dish is amazing; everyone loves it."

Ning Yuan hadn't felt this eager to show off in a long time. He had just lost to Lin Jiu in making dumplings and was worried about how to save face.

However, what Ning Yuan didn't know was that Lin Jiu actually did all of that; he just wanted to give the other party some face.

After all, there were still things that required Ning Yuan's help.

Outside the kitchen, Ning Yueyao was secretly watching her father and her classmate.

She hadn't known Lin Jiu could cook before; this was probably a prejudice against men, as it's generally believed that men can't cook. In fact, more and more men can cook these days, after all, cooking is a stress-relieving and enjoyable activity. For Lin Jiu, cooking is simply a hobby.

"It's so beautiful..."

Ning Yueyao muttered to herself.

Lin Jiu has very long hair. School rules prohibit boys from having long hair, but I've never seen his homeroom teacher, Lao Huang, say anything about it.

From Ning Yueyao's perspective, Lin Jiu's long, black hair fell softly to his shoulders, with his bangs simply combed and swept to the side, obscuring his forehead and making it impossible to see his eyes. However, she could imagine what Lin Jiu's eyes looked like. Since living with that older sister, Lin Jiu's eyes seemed to have gained a light, no longer as murky and dull as before.

Ning Yueyao's gaze shifted slightly downwards, landing on Lin Jiulu's arms exposed outside her school uniform. Her skin was so fair that even girls would envy her. Her slender figure appeared almost devoid of muscle, yet she could easily defeat boys who were taller and more muscular than herself.

"He's good-looking, masculine, incredibly smart, can cook... and has a great personality."

Ning Yueyao could sense that Lin Jiu wasn't particularly difficult to get along with; it was just that most people found it hard to open his heart. Hidden beneath his cold and distant exterior and demeanor, he was actually quite nice; otherwise, he would have simply abandoned Ning Yueyao in the first place.

I wish I could become good friends with Lin Jiu.

That's what Ning Yueyao thought.

"Dinner's ready. Wash your hands."

After Ning Yuan and Lin Jiu had been working in the kitchen for about forty minutes, Ning Yuan called out to the outside.

Besides dumplings, the two of them also prepared four dishes and a soup: braised pork, braised lion's head meatballs, garlic greens, steamed sea bass, and white jade tofu soup. Each dish was a top-quality delicacy, guaranteed in both taste and nutrition. Ning Yuan even regretted it a little... Of course, he didn't regret teaching Lin Jiu his best skills, but rather regretted his terrible attitude towards Lin Jiu just now.

Ning Yuan used to look at Lin Jiu as if he were wary of a bad boy who had tricked his daughter away.

Now, he thinks that if this person becomes my son-in-law, I will feel at ease.

Unfortunately, Lin Jiu already has someone she likes.

The meal was enjoyed in a harmonious and pleasant atmosphere, and even Lin Jiu's expression became much more relaxed and natural.

Lin Jiu harbored a deep resentment towards his parents due to his family background. Later, he met Lao Yang, the convenience store manager. Lao Yang was an unreliable middle-aged man, the kind of manager who was pushed into the position and scolded instead. His work ability was limited, insufficient to support a store that consistently suffered losses, but Lin Jiu noticed that he was diligently learning and trying hard to secure his position as manager.