Meng Yan's Transformation

As Zhang Xincheng spoke, he looked smugly at Zhan Zixun, who was puffing up his cheeks.

"Here we are, let's all make dumplings together!"

As Zhan Yingying spoke, she walked in carrying a bowl of dumpling filling.

The wall clock struck eleven.

"Oh my god, it's already this late! I have to go home too, I still need to help my mom make dumplings!"

As Zhang Xincheng spoke, he rushed out of the house.

Zhan Zixun chased after him, trying to grab Zhang Xincheng back: "Zhang Xincheng, come back here! You can only leave after the game is decided!"

Zhan Zixun's shouts disappeared behind Zhang Xincheng, who vanished into the night without looking back.

Zhan Zixun stamped his feet in frustration, trying to catch up: "Zhang Xincheng, he's so annoying! He runs away at the last minute when he sees he's about to lose!"

Zhan Mengyan grabbed Zhan Zixun's arm: "Brother Zixun, don't chase after him, you can't catch him. Once the clock strikes eleven, Zhang Xincheng will be like Cinderella hearing the midnight bell. He has to run away from our house. He's afraid his magic will wear off. Look how good he is at chess today! He's never this good before. He came here with magic today, but by eleven o'clock his magic will wear off, and he'll revert to his usual dull self. So he has to run away for his life. I can't catch someone who's running away for his life! It's like you can't wake someone who's pretending to be asleep."

"Hmm, I'm wondering too. How come Zhang Xincheng's chess skills are so amazing today?! Magic? What kind of magic is that in real life? You, Zhan Mengyan! Are you trying to fool your brother with a plot from Grimm's fairy tale 'Cinderella'? Do you think I'm a three-year-old? Zhan Mengyan, you're taking things out of context and confusing the issue to cover up that you colluded with Zhang Xincheng to attack your own brother, just to win a game of chess against me!"

As Zhan Zixun spoke, he felt as if he had been enlightened, as if he had just woken up from a dream.

"Mom, look at my brother Zixun! He looks like a sore loser. He couldn't win Zhang Xincheng back, so he's taking it out on me!"

While Zhan Mengyan was speaking, she hid behind Yun Qing, winked at Zhan Zixun, shook her head, stuck out her tongue, and made faces.

"Mom, aren't you going to do anything about Zhan Mengyan?! To win a game of chess against me, she teamed up with outsiders to bully her own brother!"

Zhan Zixun glared angrily as he spoke.

"Zhan Zixun, how old are you? Is it really necessary to be so petty about playing checkers with your sister? When we were little in Heilongjiang, you and Zhan Yingying always got into fights when you played checkers or cards. I was so angry that I burned so many checkers and cards! You're a high school student now, and you still haven't gotten rid of those childhood habits? Playing chess is supposed to be fun, but you always end up getting all worked up over it, especially during the New Year..."

As Yunqing spoke, she got off the kang (a heated brick bed) to prepare to make dumplings.

"Water, water..."

Zhan Yu was thirsty in his hazy sleep.

Zhan Mengyan hurriedly brought over the warm tea.

Zhan Yu sat up, his eyes glazed with drunkenness, and gulped down a large cup of warm tea.

Zhan Yu opened her eyes and saw Zhan Yingying skillfully kneading the dough, dividing it into evenly sized small portions, and gently pressing them into round shapes with her palms. Then, holding a rolling pin in her right hand, she pinched the edge of the dough portion with her left hand and rotated it, while applying even pressure with her right hand to roll the rolling pin. Gradually, the edges of the dough showed delicate lotus leaf patterns, the edges as thin as cicada wings, and the center slightly thicker. The whole set of movements was smooth and natural, and when the dough separated from the portion, it made a crisp "sizzle" sound.

"Are you all just staring blankly at Zhan Yingying making dumplings? New Year's Eve is a night for family reunion, so go wash your hands and make dumplings together."

As Zhan Yu spoke, he rubbed his eyes, suddenly becoming alert.