Meng Yan's Transformation

Chapter 544 Mysterious Gift

"Zhan Mengyan, Zhan Zixun, now that you've finished setting off the firecrackers, go back inside to wash your hands and get ready for dinner!"

Yunqing's voice drifted out from under the door.

"Mengyan, Mom is calling us for dinner. Let's save some fireworks and set them off later tonight when it gets dark. Setting off fireworks at night is a different kind of fun."

As Zhan Zixun spoke, he pushed the somewhat reluctant Zhan Mengyan toward the house.

Passing by the kitchen stove, Zhan Yingying was lifting the pot lid. White steam carrying the aroma of wheat rushed into her arms. The steam rose to the window, and the steamed dumplings stretched their pleated skirts in the steamer. Steam flowed over the pleated skins, revealing the filling as gentle as moonlight.

Zhan Yingying put a slightly "splitting" dumpling into the bowl, and picked out the intact ones into the basin.

Zhan Mengyan reached out and grabbed a dumpling from the bowl, putting it in her mouth: the moment she bit into the cloud, mountains and seas awakened on her tongue, and the fresh juice overflowed the reefs of her taste buds; the dough wrapping a thousand layers of confession danced a tango on her tongue...

"Wow, this is so delicious! It's much better than the boiled dumplings from yesterday! It smells amazing!"

As Zhan Mengyan spoke, she reached out as if to grab another dumpling into her mouth.

"Slap!" Zhan Yingying raised her hand and slapped Zhan Mengyan's hand: "Stop! Zhan Mengyan, you're eating dumplings without washing your hands? Go wash your hands! You just came back from outside, and you're eating as soon as you come in. Be careful you don't choke on your food!"

Zhan Mengyan pretended to wince in pain and shook her hand: "Ouch, Yingying, you really hit me? I'll go wash my hands now and come back to help you pick up the dumplings."

"Go peel some garlic and mash it into garlic paste using a garlic press!"

As Zhan Yingying spoke, she quickly picked up dumplings from the steamer and placed them in the bowl—her fingers swiftly reached towards the edge of the steamer, her joints deftly flipping as she picked up the dumplings, the movements fluid and natural. Her fingertips lightly grazed the surface of the dumplings in the steam, steadily lifting them up, her movements as smooth and natural as flowing water.

After Zhan Mengyan finished mincing the garlic and put it into a small bowl, she brought the bowl and chopsticks to the dining table. Zhan Yingying brought over a bowl of dumplings and divided them into four plates, placing them on the table. After Zhan Yu finished offering incense to the "ancestors," the whole family sat together and began to eat dumplings.

Zhan Mengyan gently picked up a dumpling with her chopsticks. The thin skin trembled and danced on the chopsticks, like a leaf falling in the wind. She gently put it in her mouth, and the dumpling skin delicately caressed every inch of her mouth, as if telling an ancient story.

"It's so delicious! It tastes like happiness..."

When Zhan Mengyan spoke, she closed her eyes and looked completely absorbed, as if she was savoring the moment.

"Happy Chinese New Year, Grandma and Grandpa!"

Zhan Qiqi, Zhan Zhuozhuo, and Zhan Jiaojiao stood up respectfully in a row, and as if they had been trained, they all wished Yunqing and Zhan Yu a Happy New Year in unison.

"Happy New Year! Happy New Year! My dear granddaughters, why are you up so early! Come to the table and have some dumplings!"

As Yunqing spoke, she smiled broadly and took out three red envelopes from her pocket, giving one to each person.

Zhan Qiqi, Zhan Zhuozhuo, and Zhan Jiaojiao accepted the red envelopes: "Thank you, Grandma!"

Zhan Qiqi and Zhan Zhuozhuo put the red envelopes into their pockets, but Zhan Jiaojiao insisted on opening them to take a look. Zhan Qiqi held her hand down and said, "Jiaojiao, don't look. It's bad luck to open them now. Let's go home and look at them. Let's eat dumplings first."

Zhan Jiaojiao reluctantly put the red envelope into her pocket. She even tried to open it twice, but Zhan Qiqi stopped her each time.

"Hurry up and eat. After you finish, I have something good to give you."

Zhan Mengyan spoke with an air of mystery.

When the three girls heard that Zhan Mengyan was going to give them something nice, they happily started eating dumplings like little tigers.

"Aunt Mengyan, what kind of good stuff is it? Can you tell me first?"

As Zhan Qiqi spoke, she whispered her slick lips into Zhan Mengyan's ear.