Chapter 33: Your Whole Family Can Eat Cow Dung

Kneading the dough and rolling the skins—the filling had been prepared early in the morning. After pouring hot oil over the mixture of cabbage and pork belly, it became incredibly fragrant. The four children gathered around the low kitchen table, watching intently.

Back when Shen Meng was a low-level office worker, she loved cooking whenever she had free time on her weekends. Now that she had picked it up again, she was gradually becoming quite proficient.

"Mom, can Auntie Xifeng have one? She used to sneak boiled eggs to me!" Lu Mingkai said, swallowing hard.

Fearing her mother might feel sad, Mingfang quickly interjected, "The dumplings are ready, Mom, you eat first. You haven't fully recovered yet, but you're working every day. Right, Xiao Kai?"

Shen Meng glanced at Mingfang. It was true what they said about daughters being "little padded jackets"—after half a month, everything Mingfang did was with her mother's well-being in mind.

"It's fine. Xiao Kai is a good boy for remembering Auntie Xifeng's kindness. I made two sets of dough skins; we'll eat the white flour ones, and I'll save a bowl for Daqing, Erqing, and Gaogao. The mixed-flour dumplings can be brought to their mothers later using the bags I prepared. The leftovers will be sent to Grandma Chang later."

Mingyang frowned, confused. "Mom, why make two kinds of dough? If you're giving them to people, you should give them the good ones."

"Even if you wanted to, would they accept them? Life in the countryside is hard these days. If you give white flour dumplings with meat filling to certain shameless families, they'll just come knocking to take advantage of you. People like Daqing's mother, Auntie Xifeng, and Grandma Chang—they are struggling themselves yet still think of you. Would such good people accept something so precious from you? Don't worry, the filling is the same. The mixed flour just has more white flour and less cornmeal; they'll be able to tell."

Hearing Shen Meng's explanation, Mingyang dropped his objection. Adults were always right. In the past, his mother would have even scavenged sheep droppings to hide in her room; now, not only was she making various delicious foods, but she was also repaying those who had been kind to them. A mother like this couldn't be any better. He felt a bit of regret for what he had just said.

Shen Meng pretended not to notice the change in Lu Mingyang's expression. Her hands never stopped, and in a short while, she had wrapped two batches of dumplings. Lu Mingliang, who was always observant, had already started the fire while Shen Meng was halfway through wrapping. Now was the time to drop the dumplings into the pot.

As the plump, white dumplings hit the water, the only sounds in the kitchen were the crackling of firewood in the stove and the audible swallowing of the children.

After the water boiled three times, Shen Meng scooped the cooked dumplings out. She gave each child a large bowl and prepared a simple dipping sauce. She then began the next batch, leaving the space by the fire vacant. The children held their chopsticks, wanting to eat, but seeing her still busy, they didn't dare start. In the past, they wouldn't have dared; now, they simply couldn't bear to.

Lu Mingkai poked a plump dumpling with his chopstick, brought it to his lips to blow on it vigorously, and then waddled over to Shen Meng on his small feet.

"Mom, you eat first." He was so afraid the dumpling might fall that he carefully placed one hand underneath it, his skin turning slightly red from the heat.

"Good boy, thank you, Xiao Kai." She blew on it a couple of times and ate it in one bite.

She was not the kind of person who would say, "Mom won't eat, you eat first," or "Mom doesn't like this, save it for my baby." A mother shows her love by wanting to give the best to her children, and children show their love by wanting to give what they think is good to their parents. Love is mutual, and she was a parent willing to accept her children's love.

After eating the dumpling Mingkai brought her, Shen Meng rubbed his hair.

"Good boy, go back and eat. Mingyang, you all hurry up too. Once I finish this batch, the next one will be the mixed flour. In a bit, call Daqing and Erqing over. This batch must be eaten while it's hot; the next batch will be for them to take away."

"Alright, Mom!" Lu Mingliang responded directly before his older brother could even speak, grabbing his chopsticks and eating heartily.

The fact that the Lu family no longer provided meals was no longer a novelty in Lu Village. Shen Meng had started cooking for the four children herself and had requested to return to her own plot of land in the main house. This matter was still stuck with the village leadership, mainly because the head of the main house was away.

Fortunately, Shen Meng had Lu Zhenping's stipend, so she wasn't in a rush. Furthermore, during this period, she hadn't thrown tantrums or beaten the children, which had gradually put the families of the other children at ease.

After receiving Lu Zhenping's letter, Lu Changhong hurried home. He had been busy treating patients for the past few days and was unaware of the village happenings. Just as he was about to push open the door, someone called out to him, stopping him in his tracks.

"Uncle Changhong, you're back?"

"Mingyang? What are you doing here?"

Lu Mingyang approached Lu Changhong, presenting the items he had brought like a treasure.

"Uncle Changhong, my mom made dumplings and asked me to bring some to Grandma Chang. Uncle, you should have some too!"

"Your mother made them and sent you to deliver them? I find that hard to believe!"

Lu Mingyang pursed his lips. He felt more relaxed around Lu Changhong than he did at home, where he felt a certain awkwardness. His mother had become better, but he didn't quite know how to approach this new version of her.

"It's true, Uncle Changhong. My mom has been really good lately. She buys us clothes and shoes, she wants me, Mingyang, and Mingfang to go to school, and she even made cotton clothes and so much, so much delicious food. She doesn't hit or scold us anymore. She's really good. Uncle, Mom has truly changed."

Lu Changhong remembered the determined look in Shen Meng's eyes when he had treated her before, which had made him believe in her. Later, when she moved the children back to the brick house, he had wondered if she was just pretending to move back, but he hadn't expected her to actually be so good to the children.

"Your mother made dumplings for you all to eat. Your uncle and Grandma Chang don't need any; we have food at home!"

Lu Mingyang shoved the dumplings into his hand and bolted.

"Eat them, Uncle! I'll come back for the bowl later!"

"Hey, Mingyang! Mingyang! You little brat!" Holding the warm dumplings in one hand and Lu Zhenping's letter in the other, Lu Changhong felt a sudden sense of relief. For years, he had covered up many of Shen Meng's actions. Now that she had turned over a new leaf, he felt he had not failed Zhenping's trust. He only hoped she would continue this way and never harbor ill intentions toward the children again.

Daqing, Erqing, and Gaogao were called to the Shen house and were led into the room by a secretive Lu Mingliang.

"Mingliang, what are you doing? Your brother ran out looking all frantic holding something. Where did he go?"

"My brother is busy, he'll be back in a bit. Don't ask, just look at this, hehe!"

Daqing, Erqing, and Gaogao watched as he mysteriously opened the covered bowl. Their eyes instantly widened.

"Dumplings! White flour dumplings!"

"Not just white flour, they're meat dumplings too! My mom specifically saved a bowl for you guys. Eat up! There are two more bowls for your mothers; you have to sneak them home later. Daqing, Erqing, your dad is a fool, don't give him any. Gaogao, you can give yours to your mom—your dad loves her. Take them home and tell her to lock the door before eating, you hear me?"

Gaogao took after his father, Lu Yongjun, and nodded blankly. They never even got to eat dumplings during festivals, yet here they were, eating them at the Lu house.

Just as Erqing and Gaogao were about to reach out, Daqing pulled them back.

"Mingliang, why did your mother save dumplings for us? She used to scavenge even cow dung to bring home. Why is she giving us such good things now?"

Lu Mingliang's face darkened. He let out a "tsk" and snapped, "Your mother is the one who scavenges cow dung! Your whole family scavenges cow dung!"