“You don’t have to do it,” Shen Yi said while he leaned on the counter, watching his wife teach Little Yuyan how to bake her favorite chocolate chip cookies. Since she would be attending Silver Leaf soon once she passed her exams, there’s a little chance that she could cook and bake for her little family.
“Darling, everything will be okay. You worry too much,” Lu Xinyi replied before helping Little Yuyan stand in a sturdy wide stool so she could reach the counter. “We should measure each dry ingredient correctly, okay?”
“Okay, Mommy.” Little Yuyan nodded while her brother took his place beside Shen Yi and pulled the hem of his shirt.
“Daddy, I can’t see it.” Shen Zhichen complained.
Shen Yi lifted the little boy from the ground and made him sit at the edge of the counter. Shen Zhichen then placed a large bowl beside her sister who was busy scooping flour from a glass jar using a spoon.
“One important thing with the flour is to make sure you measure it correctly by spooning it into the cup and leveling it off with the back of a knife. But since children like you aren’t allowed to hold a sharp knife, you should ask for an adult’s help or use another utensil to level it.”
“Why can’t we scoop it directly with a measuring cup?” Shen Zhichen asked.
“Because you don’t want the flour to be packed inside of the cup, ruining the amount you should use,” Lu Xinyi explained.
With Little Yuyan standing in front of her, Lu Xinyi tilted the glass jar of flour to help the girl scoop from it before transferring what she got to the measuring cup.
“Zhichen, can you please measure the sugar for us?” Lu Xinyi passed another spoon and measuring cup to him. The little boy copied his sister and scooped the brown sugar from its container slowly, not wanting to drop anything from his spoon.
Once all of their ingredients were measured, Lu Xinyi taught them how to mix the dry ingredients first. She demonstrated as she combined and whisked together the flour, baking soda, and salt before setting it aside.
And then in a mixer, she creamed together the butter and the two types of sugar she would be using before adding the eggs and vanilla extract one at a time until the ingredients were fully combined.
“Pass the flour mixture please.” Lu Xinyi asked. The twins then argued who should give the bowl with the flour mixture but ended up with Shen Yi taking the huge bowl from them and passing it to his wife. ρꪖꪕᦔꪖꪕꪫꪣꫀꪶ
“You don’t have to fight for a small thing like this.” Shen Yi chided the twins.
“Sorry, Daddy.” The twins slumped their shoulders in shame.
“Are you sure this portion is enough for you?” Lu Xinyi took some cling wrap and covered the mixing bowl with it. She then left the cookie dough in the refrigerator to chill for a few hours before baking it.
“Uncle Xue will take it!” Shen Yuyan gripped her skirt and stomped her little feet on the floor. “He took my chocolate drink yesterday!”
“Yes, Mommy! Uncle Xue always come here before you and Daddy wake up every morning to check our fridge for food!” Shen Zhichen blurted out. Once, he woke up too early and went downstairs, only to find his Uncle Xue eating alone at their kitchen.
Shen Yi pinched the bridge of his nose. So it was Shen Xue after all. Lu Xinyi had been accusing him of taking her donuts she left in the fridge last time, and he insisted he didn’t. Ah, Shen Xue should take the punishment from his wife, not him!
Lu Xinyi removed her apron and wiped her hands with a clean washcloth. She frowned when she heard the twins talking about her brother-in-law. Shen Xue would pay a visit every morning? Was that the reason why he was always there waiting for breakfast?
She thought the missing desserts and pastries she was keeping in the fridge had been eaten by her husband and the twins. Lu Xinyi narrowed her eyes and then decided to leave the twins with Shen Yi at the kitchen. When she came back, she handed receipts and bills to her husband.
“What’s this?” Shen Yi inquired, his eyes checking the receipts. They were the receipts Lu Xinyi had after purchasing their groceries and her ingredients for her baking goods.
“Darling, do you think you can charge this list to your brother’s salary for this month? He’s been spending a lot of time here eating our food, and yet he never shares anything!” Lu Xinyi huffed. If Shen Xue thought he could just eat everything she cooked, he was wrong!
Shen Yi smirked, liking his wife’s idea. His younger brother would always do a hit-and-run recently, trying his best not to let him and Lu Xinyi ask for a favor in return.
“Should we charge him twice or thrice?”
