Chapter Seventy-Two: Making Dumplings

Taking Shu Ran’s condition into account, Fu Yiqing not only had Xu Jingyu modify the martial arts movements in her short program, but also reduced the overall difficulty level. During the first week after resuming training, Shu Ran’s performance was less than stellar, and in light of Dr. He’s advice, she dared not push herself too hard. It wasn’t until the second week that she finally recovered about half of her former state.

Sitting down to change her skates, Shu Ran heard Xu Jingyu say, “Are you not going home for the New Year this year?” Shu Ran made a noncommittal grunt, which was as good as an admission. Xu Jingyu wiped her hands and gave a shy smile. “This year, Liu Bei is coming home with me for the New Year.”

Having finished lacing her left skate, Shu Ran raised her head in confusion. “Didn't he go home with you last year, too?”

“It’s different this time,” Xu Jingyu’s cheeks flushed with a rosy glow. “This year, we’re going to my grandmother’s house for the New Year.”

“So…” A hint of amusement crept into Shu Ran’s eyes. She teased, “You’re taking him to meet the relatives? Have you decided he’s the one?”

Xu Jingyu replied, “Even if I haven’t made up my mind, there’s nothing I can do. Last year, he snuck into my mom’s family’s group chat, and he charmed everyone. They’ve all been urging me to bring Qin Liubei home early so they can meet him.”

Shu Ran recalled Qin Liubei’s silver-tongued ways and had to admit only he could pull off something like that. She chuckled softly. “Looks like you two are about to register your marriage?”

Xu Jingyu said, “We’ll register it when we go back this time.”

Shu Ran looked up in surprise. “Congratulations, then.”

Two days before New Year’s Eve, Xu Jingyu and Qin Liubei left. Shu Ran was too busy training to see them off. Originally, Fu Yiqing wanted to drive them to the airport, but he was uneasy about leaving Shu Ran to train alone. They understood and ended up taking a cab.

Last week’s follow-up appointment showed that Shu Ran was recovering well; a week of training hadn’t affected her foot injury at all. Dr. He said she should come for another check-up after this week, and by then, she might be able to increase her training time.

The repetitive cycles of training made Shu Ran more accustomed to solitude, and this injury made her cherish her time on the ice all the more.

The hour-long practice session passed quickly. Carrying her used skates, Shu Ran headed to the locker room. After putting them away, she came out to see Fu Yiqing on the phone.

“Yes, she just finished training,” he said, his tone gentle and respectful. This made Shu Ran all the more curious about the caller’s identity. Could it be a family member of Fu Yiqing? She remembered the first year, also on New Year’s Eve, when Fu Yiqing had taken her to see fireworks on the mountain. He’d said he’d lived in City B since childhood, but after nearly three years there, she’d never seen him meet with any relatives, not even a phone call.

Could it be that he had actually stayed in touch and met with them, but she just hadn’t happened to see it?

“All right, she’s right here. I’ll let her speak with you.”

Before Shu Ran could react, she saw Fu Yiqing hand her the phone. Shu Ran panicked, shooting him a look of alarm. She’d come to understand Fu Yiqing’s feelings for her, but speaking to his family now seemed too soon, too hasty.

Fu Yiqing flicked her forehead with a light smile. “What are you spacing out for? Your mother is waiting.”

Mother…

Only then did Shu Ran realize her mistake. Thankfully, Fu Yiqing had clarified, or she might never have lived it down.

Regaining her composure, Shu Ran answered the phone, her voice still uncertain. “Hello? Mom?”

Shao Anhong’s tone was urgent. “Ran Ran, just finished training?”

“Yes, Mom.” Shu Ran frowned, hesitating a few seconds before continuing, “I won’t be coming home for the New Year this year.”

“I know, your Coach Fu just told me. So, how’s the training? Is it tough?”

Shu Ran laughed. “I’ve been training for over ten years. If I ever wanted to cry, it was only when I first started.”

“Oh.” Shao Anhong had been wanting to make this call for a long time. She’d had a thousand things to say, but now her mind was blank, and she didn’t know where to start. After a few seconds’ pause, she continued, “Jingyu brought her boyfriend to see your father and me yesterday.”

“Really? How do you like him?”

“Well, he’s a nice young man, but his mouth… too glib. He had your father laughing nonstop, even saying that he’d like a son-in-law just like him in the future.”

Shu Ran was both amused and exasperated. “I don’t want a boyfriend like Qin Liubei!”

At that, Fu Yiqing, standing nearby, shot her a sharp look.

Shu Ran chatted with Shao Anhong for a long time before finally ending the call. Afterward, she stared at the phone in a daze, about to put it in her pocket when she realized—it was Fu Yiqing’s phone.

He took it back and asked, “What did you two talk about?”

“My mom said Qin Liubei and Xu Jingyu visited her yesterday, and she also…” Shu Ran suddenly stopped, then changed the subject. “I told her I finished training today, and she asked why the session was so short. I almost slipped up, but I quickly said today’s New Year’s Eve and Coach Fu wanted me to take it easy.”

Fu Yiqing looked at her quietly. “Let’s go home.”

They had a simple lunch. Shu Ran sat on the sofa, replaying her moves in her mind, practicing every gesture with her upper body and arms, making use of every minute.

Aunt Zhang had gone home for the New Year, leaving just the two of them in the villa. It felt rather quiet.

Suddenly, Shu Ran said, “With Qin Liubei gone, the house is suddenly too quiet—I’m not really used to it.”

Fu Yiqing responded, “Didn’t you say you don’t want a boyfriend like him?”

Shu Ran blushed. “How did you know?”

Fu Yiqing replied, “It was hard not to hear.”

*

For New Year’s Eve dinner, Fu Yiqing did the cooking while Shu Ran made dumplings. She’d insisted on it, since making dumplings was the only thing she knew how to do in the kitchen.

When Fu Yiqing emerged after preparing five dishes, he found Shu Ran still stuck on the first step—rolling out the dumpling wrappers. She glanced at him for help, her lips pursed in distress. “Coach—”

But Fu Yiqing just laughed.

Baffled, Shu Ran watched as he approached, tapped her nose with a flour-dusted finger, and brushed her cheek. He showed her his fingertips. “This is flour, not a face mask. Why are you putting it on your face?” His voice held a gentle, teasing lilt.

His fingertips, speckled with dough, made it clear just how “tragic” her face must look.

Shu Ran’s cheeks flamed. “I really do know how to make dumplings. I just forgot that in the north you can’t buy ready-made wrappers.”

She’d insisted on making dumplings because she thought it would be easy, only to have Fu Yiqing come back with flour and inform her there were no pre-made wrappers. At that moment, despair had set in.

But, since she’d insisted, she had to see it through, even if it meant kneading the dough in tears. At least she’d managed to follow an online tutorial to make the dough and start rolling.

The wrappers she made were all sorts of shapes and sizes—none of them normal, and certainly not what you’d call proper dumpling wrappers.

Seeing Fu Yiqing’s expression, Shu Ran felt all the more embarrassed and hung her head.

With a wry smile, Fu Yiqing shook his head. “Let me do it.”

Shu Ran was surprised. “You can?”

So, he’s not only handsome but a good cook, too? She suddenly remembered he was also a vice president of the International Skating Union. Goodness—what kind of otherworldly man was standing before her?

“I can’t,” Fu Yiqing admitted with perfect ease, then took her iPad and started watching the tutorial video.

Shu Ran relaxed a little. If he could do everything, she’d really feel inferior.

Fu Yiqing watched the video twice, then took the rolling pin from her. She’d watched it countless times and still couldn’t master the “pressure control” and “coordinated hand movements” the host described.

Shu Ran waited to see him fumble.

But then she realized Fu Yiqing was the kind of man who made you aware of just how deep the well of your own inadequacy could go.

His long fingers pressed the dough, the rolling pin deftly spinning, and in an instant, a perfect dumpling wrapper appeared.

Shu Ran frowned deeper. “Wait, do it again. I didn’t catch it.”

“All right.” Fu Yiqing’s smile widened.

He demonstrated three times, and Shu Ran thought she’d finally understood, but as soon as she tried, she failed again. She watched a few more times, tried again, and still ended in defeat.

In frustration, Shu Ran rolled up her sleeves. “I don’t believe this—does the rolling pin only work for you?”

Fu Yiqing laughed softly. “Shu Ran, maybe you’re just better at wrapping dumplings.”

“I don’t buy it. Let me succeed at least once!”

With a helpless sigh, Fu Yiqing moved behind her, took her hands in his, and said, “Hold it like this, lighter, now turn—yes, just like that.”

With Fu Yiqing’s clear voice guiding her, Shu Ran’s mind went blank. Her hands no longer obeyed her, moving only as he directed, rolling out the perfect dumpling skin.

“There, you did it.”

Snapping back to herself, Shu Ran saw a flawless dumpling wrapper on the table. But instead of excitement, she only felt a shy nervousness, softly repeating, “Yes, I did it.”

With Fu Yiqing’s hands-on teaching, Shu Ran finally learned how to roll out dumpling wrappers. Since they only needed enough for two, it took just five minutes, and by the end Shu Ran’s cheeks were flushed.

The filling was shepherd’s purse and shrimp. Wrapping dumplings left her hands sticky and messy, but after finishing the first one, she proudly showed it off. “See? I told you I could do it!”

Fu Yiqing, helping beside her, gave a fond smile. “Mm.”

Once the dumplings were in the pot, they quickly floated to the top. Shu Ran helped fish them out and plate them.

And so, their New Year’s Eve began.

Just as Shu Ran sat down at the table, she seemed to remember something and dashed out of the dining room.

Fu Yiqing frowned. “Slow down.”

Shu Ran slowed her pace and went to turn on the TV in the living room. The New Year’s Gala was already underway, the hosts’ greetings ringing through every corner of the villa, suddenly filling it with festive cheer.

She returned, smiling. “Now it really feels like New Year.”

Fu Yiqing’s gaze softened. He tapped her forehead lightly. “Mm.”