vstars Chapter 36 Eating Dumplings on the Winter Solstice
Chapter 36 Eating Dumplings on the Winter Solstice
The winter solstice sun lazily shone on the city's skyscrapers, adding a touch of warmth to the cold winter day. In the bustling city, Li Yuan's company was a hive of activity, with the sounds of ringing phones, typing, and people's discussions all blending together.
Li Yuan had just finished an important meeting and returned to her office, her face still showing signs of fatigue. Looking at the hurried pedestrians outside the window, a warm feeling suddenly welled up inside her. Today was the Winter Solstice, and on this special day, everyone was still steadfastly working at their posts. After a moment's thought, she picked up her phone and dialed the company's internal line.
"Hello, is this Xiao Li? Could you please inform all colleagues in each department to gather in the conference room? I have something to announce." Li Yuan's voice was gentle yet firm.
Soon, colleagues arrived at the conference room one after another, their faces filled with doubt and curiosity, whispering among themselves as they speculated about the purpose of General Manager Li's gathering.
Li Yuan walked into the conference room with a smile on her face, and the conference room instantly fell silent.
"Dear colleagues, as you all know, today is the Winter Solstice. On this traditional festival, we Chinese have the custom of eating dumplings." Li Yuan's gaze slowly swept across the faces of each colleague. "During this period, everyone has been extremely busy with the company's projects, working overtime without complaint. I have seen it all and remember it in my heart."
Upon hearing these words, some colleagues nodded slightly, while others smiled with satisfaction, and the atmosphere in the meeting room became more relaxed.
"So, I've decided that everyone will have the afternoon off to rest, go home and enjoy a good meal of dumplings with their families, and savor the warm and cozy time of the Winter Solstice." Li Yuan's voice rose a few decibels, carrying a hint of generosity and joy.
"Wow! That's fantastic!" "Thank you, Mr. Li!" Cheers and applause erupted in the conference room. Colleagues' faces beamed with surprise and excitement, and their previous fatigue vanished with the unexpected good news.
Looking at her cheering colleagues, Li Yuan felt a sense of satisfaction. She knew how precious such moments of relaxation were to everyone in this fast-paced work environment.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Mr. Liu was standing in his own fruit and vegetable shop. The shop was filled with all kinds of fresh fruits and vegetables, and the employees were busy arranging goods and serving customers. Looking at his busy employees, Mr. Liu was filled with emotion. He walked to the side, took out his phone, and dialed the shop's number.
"Hey, Xiao Zhang, could you tell everyone to stop what they're doing and come over here for a bit?" Mr. Liu said.
The employees came to Mr. Liu one after another. Their clothes were still covered with mud and water droplets, and their faces showed the weariness of their work.
"Thank you all for your hard work! Today is the Winter Solstice, and I know the shop has been very busy lately, and everyone is exhausted." Mr. Liu's eyes were full of gratitude and concern. "So, I've decided to close the shop this afternoon so everyone can go home and rest well and have a hot meal of dumplings with their families."
"Really? Mr. Liu, thank you so much!" "Long live Mr. Liu!" The employees cheered excitedly, their faces beaming with smiles.
One of the long-time employees said excitedly, "Boss Liu, you always think so much about us. We feel at ease working for you."
Mr. Liu waved his hand with a smile: "We're all family. I've seen how hard you all work. Winter Solstice is a time to reunite with family and relax."
On this winter solstice, both Li Yuan's company and Liu's father's fruit and vegetable shop were filled with warmth. People paused in their busy lives to feel the festive atmosphere and enjoy the care and gifts from others. Those small dumplings were not just food, but also became a bond that conveyed love and warmth, connecting people's hearts and making this cold winter day exceptionally warm.
The Winter Solstice, this ancient solar term, arrives quietly like a steadfast elder, its steps measured and unhurried. On this special day, there's an unwritten custom—eating dumplings. It's said that eating dumplings on the Winter Solstice will prevent your ears from freezing off; while this saying carries a touch of humor, it also fills the day with a unique warmth and joy.
It was a chilly afternoon when Li Yuan returned home from get off work. As soon as she opened the door, she heard a series of clanging sounds coming from the kitchen, like a lively kitchen symphony. Curious, she went into the kitchen and saw Liu's father wearing an apron with a bear pattern. The apron looked somewhat comical on his tall frame. He was clumsily rolling out dumpling wrappers with a rolling pin in his hand, and his face was covered in flour, making him look like a big, spotted cat that had just crawled out of a flour bin.
Li Yuan couldn't help but burst out laughing: "Honey, are you making dumplings or fighting with the flour?"
Mr. Liu looked up, saw Li Yuan, and chuckled, "Wife, don't underestimate me. These dumplings I make will keep you eating them non-stop."
Li Yuan suddenly said to Liu's father, "Aren't you going to take care of the shop? Today is the Winter Solstice, everyone must want to go home early to prepare dumplings." There was a hint of concern in her eyes. Although she was usually busy with her own company affairs, she was quite concerned about Liu's father's fruit and vegetable shop.
Mr. Liu smiled slightly and replied confidently, "I've already made arrangements. I've informed the employees to take the afternoon off so they can all go home and have a good meal of dumplings with their families. We may be busy, but we still need to let everyone enjoy this traditional festival. What about you? Your company isn't taking care of it either?"
Li Yuan chuckled softly, a hint of relief in her voice: "I was just saying that. I've already approved the employees for the afternoon off. Everyone has been working so hard lately, so they deserve a break on the Winter Solstice."
Mr. Liu nodded, saying with deep feeling, "Yes, it's not easy for our employees to work with us. On holidays like this, when the whole family sits together and eats hot dumplings, that's true happiness. We can't just let them keep busy with work; we also need to care about their lives."
Li Yuan leaned on Liu's father's shoulder and agreed, saying, "That's right. I saw that my colleagues at the company were very happy to hear about the holiday. In fact, sometimes, a little bit of care can make them feel very warm and make them more motivated to work."
Mr. Liu put his arm around Li Yuan and said with a smile, "You're quite the humane CEO."
Li Yuan playfully punched him: "You're such a smooth talker. You're the same way, treating the employees in the store so well, they must all really respect you."
Just then, Li Shiqing and Liu Yixin came hopping and skipping over like two cheerful little sparrows.
Holding a small spoon, Li Shiqing excitedly said, "Mom, Mom, I'm helping Dad scoop out dumpling filling. Look how well I'm doing!"
Liu Yixin held up a strangely shaped dough ball and said in a childish voice, "Mommy, I made a little dough doll. Doesn't it look like you?"
Looking at the two children's innocent and adorable appearance, Li Yuan felt as if her heart was filled with sunshine, warm and cozy.
The family sat around the dining table and began making dumplings. Li Yuan's technique was skillful; each dumpling seemed to magically take shape in her hands, quickly forming small, exquisite dumplings arranged neatly.
Looking at the dumplings Li Yuan made, and then at his own crooked and oddly shaped "dumpling monsters," Mr. Liu couldn't help but feel a little discouraged: "Wife, your dumplings are so beautiful, I'm embarrassed to even put mine in the pot."
Li Yuan smiled and comforted him, "Honey, this is called being creative. Each dumpling has its own personality, and they will definitely taste unique."
Not to be outdone, Li Shiqing and Liu Yixin also tried making dumplings like the adults. Li Shiqing's dumplings were filled with too much filling, making them bulge as if they might burst at any moment. She even said in a serious tone, "I made super big fat dumplings, filled with lots of love!"
Liu Yixin wrapped the dumplings into various shapes, including triangles, quadrilaterals, and even small steamed buns. She happily said, "Look at my creative dumpling army, it's going to conquer everyone's taste buds!"
Amidst laughter and chatter, the dumplings were finally wrapped. Father Liu carried plates of dumplings into the kitchen, ready to cook them. Soon, the aroma of dumplings wafted through the kitchen, like playful little sprites flitting about the house, tantalizing everyone's noses.
"The dumplings are here!" Mr. Liu called out, carrying steaming hot dumplings out of the kitchen. The family sat around the table, looking at the plates of steaming dumplings in front of them, and couldn't wait to pick up their chopsticks.
Li Yuan picked up a dumpling, took a small bite, and the delicious broth instantly burst in her mouth. She closed her eyes, a satisfied look on her face: "Mmm, these dumplings taste amazing! Honey, your cooking is getting better and better."
Upon hearing this, Mr. Liu smiled smugly: "Of course, I've put in a lot of effort to make my wife and children happy with their meal."
Li Shiqing and Liu Yixin didn't care that their mouths were burning, and they wolfed down the food.
While eating, Li Shiqing mumbled, "Wow, the big fat dumplings I made are really delicious. I want to eat a few more."
Liu Yixin laughed and said, "My creative dumplings are pretty good too. Eating them will make you smarter."
While eating, Li Yuan suddenly remembered a question. She looked at Liu's father and said playfully, "Honey, why do we have to eat dumplings on the Winter Solstice? Is it really to keep our ears from freezing?"
Mr. Liu put down his chopsticks, cleared his throat, and said in a pretentious tone, "You don't understand this. Legend has it that at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the medical sage Zhang Zhongjing saw that people's ears were frostbitten on the winter solstice, so he invented dumplings. These dumplings are filled with medicinal herbs and mutton, which can not only fill their stomachs but also keep them warm, so they have been passed down."
Li Shiqing blinked her big eyes and asked curiously, "Dad, is Zhang Zhongjing very amazing? Can he cure many, many diseases?"
Mr. Liu nodded: "Of course, Zhang Zhongjing was a famous doctor in ancient times. His book, Treatise on Febrile and Miscellaneous Diseases, is still very famous today."
Liu Yixin also became interested: "If we eat dumplings today, will we not get sick?"
Li Yuan smiled and patted her head: "Sweetie, although eating dumplings can't guarantee you won't get sick, it can make us feel the warmth of home. When you're in a good mood, you'll naturally be healthier."
Then, Li Yuan thought of another interesting topic. She smiled and said, "If dumplings could talk, what do you think they would talk about in the pot?"
Li Shiqing tilted her head and thought for a moment, then said, "They would definitely say, 'Oh dear, it's so hot, I need to hurry up and get eaten by everyone.'"
Liu Yixin added, "They also say, 'I am the most beautiful dumpling, you must eat me first.'"
The family chatted and laughed, their voices echoing throughout the house. On this winter solstice night, Li Yuan's family sat together, eating delicious dumplings, sharing their joy, and feeling the warmth and happiness of home. These small dumplings not only contained delicious fillings but also the deep affection and love of the family, becoming the warmest comfort on this cold winter day.