Jie Jingjue did the frying while Qin Mei handled the seasoning. Jie Jingjue took the first taste, but whether it was all in his head or for some other reason, he felt like something was missing.
"The cutting technique, the soul of the dish," was Qin Mei's explanation.
Jie Jingjue produced two rocking chairs from somewhere. He and Qin Mei each took one. Jie Jingchen sat in a wicker chair while Jie Jingshan was in her wheelchair. The two siblings read their books as Qin Mei and Jie Jingjue sat in their rocking chairs, basking comfortably in the sun.
"Jing Wu, were you adopted?" Qin Mei asked, nudging Jie Jingjue's rocking chair with her foot.
"I'm their biological son." Jie Jingjue's features were a blend of Qiao Yanqiu and Jie Jianguo's. Jie Jingchen took more after Qiao Yanqiu, while Jie Jingshan had completely inherited Qiao Yanqiu's looks.
