Chapter 117: Chapter 113: Masters of Praise

On a Sunday morning, sunlight seeped through the gaps in the curtains like threads, casting mottled shadows in the cozy bedroom, adding a touch of warmth to the tranquil space.

Huang Jun was still immersed in a beautiful dream, playing chess with Zhou Gong with great enthusiasm.

However.

The shrill sound of electric scooters honking was like an unwelcome alarm clock, mercilessly bringing him out of his dream.

He groggily reached for his phone, and the numbers on the screen gave him a shock —

Well, well!

It was just after 6 o’clock.

The promised weekend should be about lazing in bed until the end of time!

Why is it that I wake up earlier and earlier each day?

It’s simply bewildering!

At this moment, a classical verse about “Sunday laziness” floated through Huang Jun’s mind:

The summer sun shines through the window,

The warm bed is so very nice.

No matter north, south, east, or west,

Sleep until the world is old and grey.

He chuckled bitterly and shook his head. The poem was good, but reality is so cruel!

“Ah!”

Huang Jun sighed softly in resignation.

Thinking about the teachers gathering around eight o’clock, he dismissed the idea of continuing to languish in bed and planned to get up to make breakfast.

Before leaving the bed, he turned his head affectionately to look at his two darling daughters beside him.

The two little ones were sleeping soundly, perhaps dreaming sweet dreams, as their mouths still held a trace of a sweet smile.

Unable to contain his love, he secretly planted a warm kiss on their foreheads.

Afterwards, he carefully moved his body and tiptoed out of bed.

Afraid of waking them!

But, as fate would have it!

“Mmm hmm~ mmm hmm~”

In their sleep, Qingqing and Weiwei suddenly hummed and opened their eyes drowsily.

Oh dear!

Huang Jun was startled, not expecting his careful actions to wake them.

He quickly reached out, gently patting them over the thin blanket, like soothing frightened little birds.

He softly comforted, “Qingqing, Weiwei, go back to sleep. It’s still early! Dad is here with you.”

“Daddy~”

Qingqing mumbled, seemingly confirming something, “It’s daylight, isn’t it?”

Huang Jun continued to gently pat her back, soothingly reassuring, “Yes, it’s daylight, but it’s still early. You can sleep a little longer.”

Weiwei rubbed her sleepy eyes, quietly expressing her thoughts, “Daddy, I can’t sleep anymore. I want to get up…”

Before she could finish.

Qingqing, who had already nodded and closed her eyes again, also opened her eyes and said, “Daddy, I can’t sleep anymore either!”

Huang Jun: “…”

Well!

No chance of lulling them back to sleep!

Huang Jun shook his head in resignation and said, “Alright, since you both can’t sleep, let’s get up. After breakfast, we’ll be going outdoors with Miss Yang and everyone else for a picnic!”

Hearing about the “outdoor picnic” made Qingqing and Weiwei instantly lose all sleepiness, their eyes sparkling with excitement.

Like finding treasures, they cheered in unison, “Yay! We’re going on a picnic!”

Without needing Huang Jun’s urging, the two little ones eagerly got up and started dressing themselves.

They followed Huang Jun into the bathroom.

At the sink, the three of them bustled about in an orderly manner, water splashing amid laughter.

After washing up, Huang Jun even styled their hair in pretty buns, prompting the two little ones to admire themselves in the mirror.

Once everything was done!

He smiled and suggested to the two little ones, “Qingqing, Weiwei, I’m going to the kitchen to make breakfast for you. How about eating buns for breakfast?”

“Great, great!”

The two little ones cheered joyfully, “Daddy’s buns must be delicious!”

Undeniably, the two little ones were truly supportive fans.

He smiled and tapped their little noses affectionately, saying, “You can go play now, I’ll call you when the buns are ready!”

Qingqing blinked her big eyes and considerately asked, “Daddy, do you need help?”

Weiwei eagerly chimed in, “Yeah, do you need help? Weiwei is a pro at washing and preparing vegetables!”

Seeing the eager anticipation on the two little ones’ faces, Huang Jun simply let them join in.

The three of them arrived in the kitchen together.

After assigning the task of peeling green onions to the two little kids, Huang Jun quickly washed his hands and got busy.

He took a large stainless steel basin, filled it with some warm water, added an appropriate amount of yeast powder, stirred it evenly, let it sit for 5 minutes, then added low-gluten flour, and mixed it with chopsticks until it formed lumps and continued stirring.

Finally, he stirred it until it was free of any lumps.

He covered it and placed it in the sun to proof.

Huang Jun deftly took out fresh pork from the refrigerator, washed it carefully, and gently placed it on the chopping board.

In a swift and powerful motion, he chopped the whole piece of pork into different-sized chunks in the blink of an eye.

“Chop chop chop…”

With the swing of Huang Jun’s arm, the knife danced on the chopping board, producing a crisp, rhythmic sound.

In no time, the pork was turned into fine mince by Huang Jun’s skillful hands and placed neatly in a bowl for later use.

He turned to get a small bowl, added minced ginger and Sichuan peppercorns, then poured in some water to soak for a while.

Then, he began seasoning.

He added an appropriate amount of salt, pepper, and thirteen-spice powder to the meat filling, poured in oyster sauce and light soy sauce, and finally added dark soy sauce to give the meat filling an enticing color.

With chopsticks, he carefully stirred it evenly, ensuring each seasoning blended well with the meat filling.

Afterward, he began adding the soaked ginger water to the meat filling in portions.

Each time he added it, he gently mixed it with his hand, making the meat filling smoother and more tender while also allowing the ginger water flavor to permeate every corner.

This process not only improved the texture of the meat filling but also enhanced its overall deliciousness.

Once all the seasonings had fully combined, Huang Jun sprinkled chopped green onions into the meat filling and continued mixing it evenly.

He placed the seasoned meat filling aside, letting it marinate slowly while waiting.

By this time, the dough had already risen.

There were tiny bubbles on the surface.

Using chopsticks, Huang Jun gently stirred the dough clockwise to release excess air, then added an appropriate amount of low-gluten flour, stirring it again until smooth.

He moved it onto a spacious chopping board.

After washing his hands, he began kneading the flour into the dough.

He kneaded and kneaded continuously until the dough became smooth and fine.

He poked a hole in the middle of the dough, cut it into long strips.

With skillful hands, he cut it into evenly-sized small pieces, each looking so neat.

He picked up a small piece and skillfully began kneading it.

The dough flew and spun in his hands, gradually becoming soft and elastic.

Then, he gently rolled the small piece with a rolling pin into a round skin, thicker in the middle and slightly thinner around the edges.

Every movement appeared so smooth and natural, as if the result of countless practice.

He picked up an appropriate amount of meat filling with chopsticks, placed it in the center of the skin, and gently pinched the edges of the skin, rotating and pinching to form a beautiful pleated edge.

This process seemed simple but actually required great skill and patience.

As his hands danced, buns gradually took shape.

They were neatly arranged in the steamer, like chubby little babies waiting to be steamed.

“Wow, such beautiful buns…”

“Yes, they’re really pretty…”

Qingqing and Weiwei stood on small stools, their eyes wide and staring intently at the buns in the steamer, constantly exclaiming in admiration.

Listening to the children’s praises, Huang Jun felt a warmth in his heart: “These buns are not only pretty, but also very delicious. When they’re cooked, you can try them.”

He gently closed the steamer lid, turned on the gas stove, and started the fire.

As time passed, steam gradually emerged from the steamer, and the aroma of the buns slowly spread, quietly permeating the kitchen.

Huang Jun stood by the stove, occasionally adjusting the heat to ensure each bun was perfectly presented.

Finally, after a period of waiting, the buns were cooked.

He opened the steamer lid…

A rich aroma that had been suppressed rushed out almost instantly, filling the entire kitchen.

The buns in the steamer were snow-white and plump, slightly shiny with oil, looking soft and elastic, each presenting a perfect round shape, like a delicate work of art.

“Wow, so fragrant…”

Qingqing and Weiwei had long been impatiently gathered around, their little hands stretched out straight, their eyes sparkling with a craving for food: “Daddy, I want to eat, I want to eat!”

Huang Jun smiled, handing each of them a bun, gently reminding them: “Be careful, it’s hot.”

“Okay!”

The two little ones answered in unison, but their actions didn’t slow down at all.

They couldn’t wait to take a bite of the bun, the snow-white skin as delicate as snowflakes, with the moment of the bite releasing a fragrant aroma that filled the air.

The pork juice gathered at the center of the bun, leaving them opening their little mouths due to the heat, but were immediately captivated by the rich aroma.

“Ah! So hot, but so fragrant!”

“Mm-hmm, so delicious!”

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