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Finally, the steamed pumpkin buns were made by two people together. Li Jin washed the pumpkin, peeled and diced it. Then mixed the filling with soy sauce, salt, and sesame oil.

Qin Mu Wen was responsible for mixing and kneading the dough, then finally wrapping the small buns.

Li Jin had made steamed buns and dumplings before. 

When he was studying abroad, during the Chinese New Year, a bunch of Chinese students would gather together to make steamed buns and dumplings.

But he had to admit that his ability was just enough to keep the buns from falling apart.

His ability was no way near the teenager, the boy was holding a bun with one hand, pinching the edge in the other, turning a few times, and a small beautiful bun was ready.

There were no more or less folds on each bun, exactly eight.

Li Jin also took some dough and wrapped it up like him. Unfortunately, making buns was a technical job.

You couldn’t learn by just looking at it.

Li Jin made the first steamed bun and was placed on the chopping board by the young boy, right on the tail of the series of perfect steamed buns that looked like works of art.

Li Jin thought for a while and said, “The last bun looks crooked, it will not make a good bun.”

It was the first time that the teenager saw that Li Jin could not do something, his eyes were deeply smiling and the shallow dimples on the corners of his lips were shown.

Before giving up, Li Jin wanted to practice one more time, but someone outside the door raised his voice and shouted, “Li Jin, I am here to build a roof for you!”

Li Jin went out and quickly cleaned his hands, and opened the door. He saw two familiar faces standing outside the door.

He saw them frequently when he was farming.

Li Jin greeted people and asked them to come in, “Brother Erniu, Brother Dazhuang, please come in.”

Li Erniu and Li Dazhunag had a relationship with Li Daniu’s family. Last time, it was Li Erniu’s children who brought his friends to Li Jin’s house for meat.

This person was a little embarrassed about that and wanted to help Li Jin do something.

Anyway, now that the busy farming season was over, he didn’t have anything to do. 

If he could help in building a house, it could be considered as consolidating the relationship between the neighbors.

Li Erniu said, “We wanted to come before, but my family’s farm work was just finished yesterday…”

“Today, I brought Dazhuang to ask you, in addition to building a roof, what else needs to be supplemented?”

Li Jin knew if the roof was not repaired now, his family would suffer from the rain leak in the future.

“The bedroom and the kitchen roof has many holes. Fortunately, it hasn’t rained recently, otherwise my house would have been badly damaged.”

Li Dazhuang had an upright temper. Hearing this, he said, “Last year, Li Zhuzi saw that your house was leaking and the rain made the bed damp. So, he asked me to make the roof for you.”

“…At that time, you strongly refused my help. If Erniu didn’t call me to help you now, I might not have come. “

Li Jin knew this was a habit of talking in the village. Before praising you, they would degrade you first. And when it comes to work, they want dignity above all.

Li Jin said, “At that time I was young and ignorant… but now I finally know that I was wrong.”

Li Dazhuang saw that Li Jin was indeed behaving like a pillar of the family.

So, he didn’t say much, he supported the ladder on his hand and climbed up in a few strokes.

Li Erniu asked, “How is the roof?”

When Li Dazhuang came down, he frowned and said, “Some small holes can be filled, but even if you fill the big holes with straw, the water will leak in the heavy rain.”

Li Jin also knew about this situation, and he politely asked, “Is there any other way? I want to live with peace of mind after the roof is patched up.”

Hearing this, Li Erniu said, “Could it be that you want to replace all the tiles on the roof?”

Li Jin asked about the price of the tiles and the cost of replacing the whole roof.

Knowing the price, he replied with a wry smile, “I don’t have that much money to replace all the tiles, I just want to replace the bad places with new ones.”

“…In this way, even if the heavy rains come in the rainy season this year, the house will not leak rain. “

Finally, Li Dazhuang went to inspect the roof of the kitchen and estimated how much materials were needed to patch up the roof.

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