Chapter 45: “A Family of Three”

The two bear cubs were little foodies. When they smelled the fragrance of the filling in the bowl, they could no longer sit still. However, they did not dare to climb onto the table directly, so they started circling underneath it. Whenever they passed by Liu Heming and Alex, they would rub against their legs.

“Dexter, can we give the bear cubs a little taste?” Alex asked.

“Not this one. There are seasonings inside, and it might upset their stomachs. I already prepared their own food. Once we finish here, we will feed them first,” Liu Heming explained.

“You need to be good. It is not lunchtime yet,” Alex said comfortingly as she patted Xiong Er’s head.

Children tend to have little patience. After watching Liu Heming roll out the dumpling wrappers for a while, she lost interest and started playing with the two bear cubs. But when she saw Liu Heming scoop the filling onto the wrapper, gently pinch it, and a plump, cute dumpling appeared, her enthusiasm returned.

“Would you like to make dumplings together?” Liu Heming asked with a smile.

Alex nodded vigorously, her face full of joy.

“Alright, let Uncle Robin take you to wash your hands. Once you are done, you can come back and join us,” he said, treating Robin like family and giving him direct instructions.

Alex was full of energy. After washing her hands with Robin, she hurried back on her little legs.

Liu Heming had prepared small dumpling wrappers for her and even set aside a small bowl of filling. He lifted Alex’s little hand, placed a dumpling wrapper on it, added a bit of filling, and then guided her to pinch the wrapper shut.

Even though this little dumpling was made under Liu Heming’s guidance, Alex was extremely happy. She even ran to Sasha to show off her creation.

Seeing his daughter having so much fun making dumplings, Liu Heming was also very happy. No matter how her dumplings turned out, he decided they would cook and taste them today. Alex’s other dumplings were not very successful—her hands were small and lacked strength—so Liu Heming took time to help her pinch the wrappers shut.

The little one was overjoyed, and her excitement grew. She did not even mind the flour all over her face and hair. No one at home had ever dared to let her cook, and now she felt her job was very important.

After making the dumplings, Liu Heming did not rest. Once the dumplings were in the pot, he asked Robin to keep an eye on them while he prepared two more dishes and a soup. One dish was Kung Pao Chicken, the other was Scrambled Eggs with Tomatoes, and the soup was a simple Egg Drop Soup.

He was still worried that his daughter might not like the dumplings, so he made these dishes as backup. Even if she did not like the dumplings, she could still fill up on the dishes. As for whether others liked them, that was not his concern at all.

After a moment’s thought, he also cooked some rice in the rice cooker. He did not know how much the bodyguards could eat. Although he had prepared extra dumplings, he was still worried it might not be enough, just in case there was a big eater.

Watching Liu Heming cook at the stove, Alex’s eyes sparkled with admiration. Liu Heming picked her up and let her hold the spatula to contribute as well. His reward was even better—Alex gave him a big, sweet kiss.

“Dexter, when should we take the dumplings out?” Robin asked in a muffled voice.

“Two more minutes. The meat filling needs to cook a bit longer. I want to cook the dumplings Alex made together with her,” Liu Heming said, glancing at the time.

Robin nodded and then subtly winked at him. Liu Heming was puzzled. What did that mean?

It was then that he realized he had been so focused on cooking with his daughter that he had overlooked someone—the child’s mother, Sasha, who had been sitting on the sofa watching.

“Sasha, would you like to join Alex in cooking the dumplings?” Liu Heming invited.

He guessed Robin’s intention. Probably Sasha was a young lady at home who, although she played with her daughter, likely never participated in kitchen work.

“Mommy, come and cook the dumplings with me,” Alex said sweetly from Liu Heming’s arms.

Sasha’s pretty face flushed slightly. She had indeed been envious of the father and daughter cooking together. She also felt a bit sad, thinking that since Alex met Liu Heming, her own importance in her daughter’s heart had diminished greatly.

Now, seeing Alex inviting her too, she felt a little embarrassed. Her daughter had not forgotten her at all—she had just been having too much fun.

Robin scooped the dumplings out of the pot. Despite his rugged appearance, he was quite deft. Then he handed the dumpling pot over to the “family of three.”

How big could the dumplings Alex made be? After boiling for a few moments, they were cooked. Liu Heming held a plate in one hand and carried his daughter in the other. Then Sasha and Alex, mother and daughter, used a spoon to scoop the dumplings out. The more they scooped, the happier Alex became.

Click

Just as the “family of three” were carrying two plates of small dumplings to the dining table, Robin took a photo of them with his camera.

Liu Heming and Alex did not mind, but Sasha subtly glared at Robin. She really did not want to be in the same frame as Liu Heming.

“OK, everyone, come and sit down. My cooking skills are still a bit lacking, but I promise you, every time you come, I will improve,” Liu Heming said as he served the dumplings.

The three bodyguards did not hesitate. They took off their jackets and sat down, each with a pistol holstered under their arm.

As the saying goes, nothing tastes better than dumplings. If the filling is well-seasoned, even if the wrapping is not perfect or the cooking time is slightly off, the flavor is still incredibly delicious.

The other bodyguards ate one dumpling in two bites, but Robin simply stabbed them with a fork and popped them into his mouth. After eating a few dumplings, he scooped a spoonful of Kung Pao Chicken onto his plate and shoved it in. Not stopping there, he then scooped a spoonful of Scrambled Eggs with Tomatoes and stuffed that in too.

By the time Liu Heming had eaten five or six dumplings, Robin had already eaten at least ten, along with all the Kung Pao Chicken and Scrambled Eggs with Tomatoes that had been served to him.

Not only was Liu Heming astonished, but even the two bear cubs munching on chicken nearby were stunned, forgetting to eat their own food. While others ate, Robin was practically stuffing himself.

“The taste is really good. Let me try the dumplings Alex made,” Robin said without any embarrassment.

“Wait a moment,” Liu Heming said quickly. He first distributed the small dumplings to everyone and then placed the remaining ones in front of Robin.

He was truly worried. If Robin kept eating like that, those small dumplings might not even be enough for him alone.