"Mom, put xx grams of sugar, put..."
Jia Naji started directing his mom as she added ingredients.
"I've got sugar in one hand, water in the other, and..." Zhen Lina muttered while following her son's instructions.
"Mom, knead it a bit more so the dough gets drier," Jia Qiyi also chimed in, guiding his mom through the dough-kneading battle.
"Alright." Zhen Linqi smiled as she looked at her son's serious face and continued kneading the dough without stopping.
She thought this family activity was quite nice. At home, she always played the role of the strict mom, and this scene felt refreshing.
Jia Fuhai was also kneading the dough. He thought about his eldest son's talent, wondering if it would show up for the first time, though using others' help might affect it.
Jia Naji's sparse eyebrows raised as he observed his mom's clumsy hands. For someone as skilled as him, his mom's movements were disappointing. The dough they were preparing for baking was a mess and didn't look like it would hold its shape.
"Mom, let me do it." Seeing how things were falling apart, Jia Naji quickly stepped in. After all, the next step didn't require much strength—just technique to mold the dough, which he could handle with ease.
"Alright, you do it," Zhen Lina agreed, feeling embarrassed by her own attempt and happily handing the task to her son.
Meanwhile, Jia Qiyi worked steadily alongside his mom, forming the dough into shapes.
"Mom, set the timer for xx minutes." As soon as his mom put the tray in the oven, Jia Qiyi quickly instructed her, feeling it was the right time.
Jia Naji and Jia Fuhai also started fiddling with the oven. For their first attempt, Jia Fuhai suggested they make something simple like buns or bread.
The family sat together, waiting for the oven timer. They were covered in flour but filled with happiness. Nearby, Zhen Fugui watched them with a hint of envy.
"So nice."
Chen Lina leaned on her husband's shoulder, thinking how beautiful this moment was.
Ding.
"Oh, time's up!" Jia Naji was the first to open the oven, and a wonderful aroma filled the room.
"Naji, you did great! They look so beautiful!" Zhen Lina pinched her son's cheek, impressed by how amazing the buns looked. Naji had shaped the dough into various forms before putting it in the oven.
"Bunnies, pigs, cats..." Zhen Lina was astonished by her son's craftsmanship.
"Let me see." Zhen Fugui quickly came over, equally shocked at what he saw. The buns resembled cartoon animals, and they were all quite accurate.
"Naji's hands are very skillful. He even learned to walk faster than Qiyi, and his coordination has always been excellent," Zhen Linqi observed, reflecting on Naji's growth.
Jia Qiyi looked at his brother's creatively shaped buns and felt a little discouraged. His were just ordinary buns.
"Don't feel down. The taste is what matters," Jia Fuhai noticed his eldest son's expression and gently patted his head, offering some quiet encouragement.
"Okay," Jia Qiyi perked up at his dad's words.
Ding-ding.
Soon, everyone's buns were ready. The three generations gathered around three sets of buns: Qiyi's plain ones, Naji's artistic creations, and Fuhai's flavorful yet simple buns.
"Let's all eat together. Qiyi, you start," Jia Fuhai said, watching everyone prepare to dig in.
They each took one of Qiyi's plain buns. Jia Fuhai grabbed one too, noting its fluffy texture and good elasticity. The wheat aroma was strong, and it made his mouth water.
Not bad!
He took a bite and chewed. It was soft, springy, and had a fine texture with just the right amount of sweetness. In a word, it was explosively delicious! Fuhai couldn't believe that his son's first attempt at making buns turned out so well—better than his own.
"This is amazing!"
"My precious grandson, this is so good," Zhen Fugui was almost brought to tears. The flavor made him feel like he had no regrets in life.
"Qiyi, you're incredible! So delicious, mm~" chimed in one of the family's sweet tooth enthusiasts.
"Son, this is really good, so tasty."
"Bro, mm~ it's delicious~"
"This craftsmanship, it's better than some old-school bakeries."
Amidst all the praise, Jia Qiyi was overjoyed. He hadn't expected his buns to be so well received. When he saw his dad give him a thumbs-up, he felt even happier.
Slap!
"Ouch! What was that for, Haige?" Zhen Lina held her reddened hand.
"Stop. One bun per person, and don't forget we still have Naji's to try. Let's all taste everything first," Jia Fuhai said, trying to ensure everyone got a chance to taste each bun.
"Hmph," Zhen Lina swallowed her protest. The others nodded in agreement, even though they were eager to continue devouring Qiyi's buns.
"Alright, next up is Naji's." Jia Fuhai grabbed one of his younger son's buns.
"These bunny buns are so cute, I don't want to eat them," Zhen Lina said, hesitating as she admired the adorable shapes.
"Eat it." Jia Fuhai stuffed a bun into Lina's mouth and grabbed one for himself. The buns were indeed cute, but after taking a bite... it was, well, just average.
Jia Fuhai finished the bun without showing any change in expression.
"...It's okay."
"Not bad..."
"Son, you did great, much better than mine."
The compliments were a bit more half-hearted this time, and even Jia Naji could sense it. After tasting his own bun, he realized it wasn't as good as his brother's.
"The shapes are cute, and it's as good as anything from a local bakery," Zhen Fugui said while chewing, trying to keep up the appearance that it was delicious—even if it wasn't.
Jia Naji pouted, knowing his buns didn't taste as good as his brother's. In fact, he wanted to eat more of Qiyi's buns instead.┐(′-｀)┌
"Naji, you could team up with your brother! You handle the shapes, and your brother handles the flavor. That way, it would be perfect," Jia Fuhai suggested quickly.
"That's right! We could combine our strengths," Jia Qiyi added, not wanting his brother to feel bad.
"That's a great idea! If we work together, it'll be perfect," Naji's eyes lit up at the thought.
Seeing the two brothers' excitement, the adults chuckled.
"Now, try mine." Finally, Jia Fuhai brought out his own buns. He hadn't bothered with fancy shapes, just focusing on flavor.
The others grabbed one of his buns. The taste wasn't as good as Qiyi's, but it was definitely better than Naji's.
"Not bad."
"It's alright," Zhen Fugui commented while smacking his lips.
"Better than what you'd get outside, for sure."
"..."
Fuhai knew his level, but he didn't mind—he could always eat his sons' buns instead. (?ˇ?ˇ?)
"Everyone's had a taste now, right?" Zhen Lina asked mischievously.
"Mm," Jia Fuhai hummed in acknowledgment.
Suddenly, Lina reached out and grabbed several of Qiyi's buns, holding one between each of her fingers. The plate was nearly empty in seconds.
Everyone else stared at her, stunned.
Even Naji covered his adorable eyes, pretending he didn't have such a mom.
"Lina, you're stealing food from the kids!" Chen Lina scolded her daughter.
"Oh, right. Qiyi, Naji, here you go." Zhen Lina realized her mistake and quickly extended her hand to offer the buns to her two sons.
Jia Qiyi: "..."
Jia Naji: "..."
Zhen Fugui handed the remaining buns to his grandsons and shot his daughter a disapproving look. Though he really wanted to eat more himself, he wouldn't steal from his grandchildren. Lina's behavior even made him, a former doting father, shake his head.
"Don't worry. If we want more, we can always make another batch," Jia Fuhai jumped in to smooth things over. He wanted more too, but as a dad, he had to maintain some dignity.
Even though he usually had no shame, in front of the kids, he had to at least pretend to be respectable.?(￣ε￣")?
The family started munching on Naji's and Fuhai's buns, though the two boys stopped after finishing Qiyi's—nothing could top those.
"Mom, why aren't you eating mine?" Jia Naji looked sadly at his mom, who had eaten his brother's buns but was avoiding his. After all, they had made them together.
"Um, didn't I say earlier that the bunnies were too cute to eat? Wait, no, everyone's eating them." Zhen Lina stammered, unsure how to respond. But under her son's sad gaze, she obediently picked up a bun and started eating, bite by bite.
She couldn't bear to let her son be disappointed, even though she knew she wasn't the best mom, relying mostly on her sister to help out.
Watching his mom eat the buns they