Meng Yan's Transformation

Zhan Mengyan picked up a string of candied haws and took a light bite. The crispy outer skin and the soft and glutinous hawthorn intertwined in her mouth, with just the right amount of sour and sweet, and extremely delicious. At that moment, it seemed as if all the waiting and hard work had turned into the sweetness in her mouth, giving Zhan Mengyan's taste buds a wonderful enjoyment.

"How come you guys are eating candied haws?! Are you eating twenty bunches?"

As Zhan Yu was speaking, he walked into the room holding a large oil-paper bag.

"Report to Dad, we made a total of sixteen strings of candied haws. I just ate one string, so there are fifteen strings left."

While Zhan Mengyan was speaking, she was licking the candy stuck to the corner of her mouth with the tip of her tongue.

"You only made sixteen strings of candied haws, not even enough to send to your grandmother Liu's family. How dare you eat candied haws with such a small quantity?"

Zhan Yu revealed a reproachful tone when he spoke.

"Zhan Yu, tomorrow is New Year's Eve. The children only ate one string of candied haws. What else can you blame? Even if we make twenty strings of candied haws, the return gift for Old Lady Liu is still a little small. Let's think about adding something else."

Yunqing showed a very calm attitude when speaking.

"I let Sister Mengyan eat the candied haws. She was doing a food tasting. You should always taste the food before giving it to others. If you find it hard to swallow yourself, how can you give it to others?"

When Zhan Yingying spoke, she behaved neither humbly nor arrogantly.

"Zhan Mengyan, you just had some candied haws. What do you think of the candied haws made by your sister Yingying?"

As Zhan Yu spoke, he looked at Zhan Mengyan.

"I...I can't really say for sure. I swallowed it whole before I could even taste it. No, I'll try another string of candied haws. This time, I'll chew it slowly and savor it thoroughly."

As Zhan Mengyan spoke, she reached out to take the candied haws.

"Zhan Mengyan, you little brat, you tried another string and you still said you didn't taste it. You must have tasted all the candied haws. I'd better try it myself."

As Zhan Yu spoke, he "grabbed" the candied haws from Zhan Mengyan's hand.

"Zhan Mengyan, your dad saw through your little tricks right away. The old man is still the wisest, and he solved the problem for you in a rough and simple way."

As Yunqing spoke, she watched with a smile. Zhan Mengyan had just opened her mouth to take a bite of the candied haws, but the candied haws in her hand quickly fell into Zhan Yu's hands. Zhan Mengyan's mouth was stiffly open, as if it was frozen. Her funny look caused the three of them to burst into laughter.

"Look, I caught more than a dozen snowbirds today, and I've added another dish for New Year's Eve—stir-fried snowbirds. You guys are having so much fun eating candied haws! It's a good thing I'm back, otherwise you would have eaten them all."

While Zhan Zixun was speaking, someone came in with a bird trap and ten snowbirds. He put down what he was holding and picked up the candied haws to eat.

"Zhan Zixun, wash your hands before eating the candied haws! They've just been made, there are more than ten strings. Your dad and Zhan Mengyan just tasted one string when you came back. Why are you in such a hurry?"

As Yunqing spoke, she pulled Zhan Zixun to the basin of water.

"It's okay. I'm holding a bamboo stick, and my hands haven't touched the candied haws. I'll wash my hands after I finish eating this string. This candied haws is really delicious, sweet and sour..."

While Zhan Zixun was talking, he was eating candied haws in big mouthfuls.

"Well, it's good. Zhan Yingying's skill in making candied haws is really good. Yunqing, Zhan Yingying, you should try some too. Everyone should try some."

Zhan Yu was eating candied haws while talking.