The snow fell.
Jiang Mianmian lay in front of the window, watching the fluttering snowflakes outside.
She was amazed.
This was the first snow of winter.
And also the first snow of her life.
Her tiny body only reached the very bottom of the wooden window, and to see outside, she needed to cling to the window and stand on tiptoes.
Watching the flakes drift, the lid of the well in the courtyard slowly turned white.
The black soil also turned white.
She saw Mom hurry out, carrying a large bundle of firewood back inside.
From the next house came Elder Sister's shouts.
"Ah!"
Followed by Elder brother's voice.
"Don't make such a fuss, you're a young lady, you won't get married like that."
"Mom said we should make dumplings on a snowy day, ah ah ah, last New Year we didn't even get to eat dumplings." Elder Sister's voice was excitedly loud.
Jiang Mianmian took out Jiang Xiaoshu from her pocket and placed it on the windowsill. Seeing it curl up and retreat from the cold, she put Jiang Xiaoshu back in her pocket.
Ants are cold-blooded creatures, very active in autumn. During autumn, Jiang Mianmian often collected various foods.
In winter, Jiang Xiaoshu was also lazy, and most of the time liked to stay close to her, and she often kept it in her pocket.
Jiang Mianmian now liked to carry Jiang Xiaoshu, because with Jiang Xiaoshu, she was a clean baby, and wouldn't make a mess everywhere when eating.
Jiang Mianmian watched the snow for a long time.
Until a figure picked her up.
It was Father.
Jiang Changtian, after finishing his work, came back and saw his little daughter standing on tiptoes, clinging to the window to look outside. Her tiny figure had a strange sense of loneliness.
He picked her up and felt her cheeks and hands, icy cold.
It seemed like she had been standing there for a long time.
He couldn't help but ask, "What is Mianmian looking at?"
Jiang Mianmian, with a reddened nose, said, "Looking at white."
"That's snow, it's snowing." Jiang Changtian held his daughter and looked out the window.
"Husband, husband, bring Mianmian over here." Mom's call came from the next room.
Breaking the somewhat distant and fragmented atmosphere between father and daughter.
Jiang Changtian carried his daughter to the next room, which was the kitchen.
Qin Luoxia's strong figure was kneading dough.
Jiang Feng was chopping stuffing.
Jiang Yu was tending the fire.
Qin Luoxia brushed aside a loose strand of hair with her elbow and said with a beaming smile, "Husband, we're making dumplings for dinner, come help out."
"Okay." Jiang Changtian put his daughter on her small chair and began rolling up his sleeves.
Revealing his slender arms.
Jiang Yu happily spun around like an ant on a hot pan in the small kitchen.
Qin Luoxia kneaded the dough well, then deftly pinched off small pieces.
"Later, you guys first round these small dough pieces, then roll them out with a rolling pin or flatten them by hand. Either way works, then we can stuff and wrap them."
Jiang Mianmian got a small dough ball.
She rolled the ball, watching Mom sprinkle salt, pork, and wild chives into the stuffing, pinching her fingers as if sprinkling arsenic... (⊙o⊙)...
Jiang Mianmian knocked her head, wondering why she had such a strange thought.
Jiang Yu, Jiang Feng, and Father all gathered around the table, rolling the dough.
Mom had also finished mixing the stuffing - lots of wild vegetables, a little meat, a little pickled vegetables, a little salt, a little wild chives, and finally, a thick pat of lard.
She mixed the vegetables until they glistened with oil.
The whole family gathered around the small table to wrap dumplings together.
Except for Jiang Mianmian, who was still rolling her dough ball, her hand coordination not quite strong enough yet.
Father was a bit slow too, but the dumplings he wrapped were beautiful and delicate, like small purses.
Mom was the fastest, Mom did everything quickly.
When she was around, the house felt warm.
Outside, the snow grew heavier, the slender branches giving way under the weight with soft cracking sounds.
The snow that fell to the ground melted quickly in the bottom layer, seeping into the earth.
But the top was soon covered by fresh snow, layer upon layer, like a thick blanket.
The pot of water bubbled, and the wrapped dumplings could go in. The fire blazed, reddening Elder Sister's cheeks.
Jiang Mianmian noticed Elder Sister's face seemed rounder lately.
Jiang Feng was helping take out dumplings, while Father was wiping the table.
Jiang Mianmian was still playing with the dough ball in her hand.
She flattened the little ball, took out Jiang Xiaoshu, and stamped it, leaving many tiny ant impressions on the dough, a long trail.
For the little girl who loved playing with ants, her family was no longer surprised.
Smoke rose from the pot, and a fragrant aroma wafted out.
Qin Luoxia stirred the bottom of the pot with a large ladle, occasionally adding some cold water.
Watching the big dumplings bob up and down, she wiped her hands with her apron and said, "Husband, why don't you have a drink?"
Jiang Changtian was a little surprised, but he never refused his wife's requests.
He nodded.
Qin Luoxia asked Jiang Feng to watch the pot while she went to fetch the wine.
Jiang Mianmian thought to herself, her family must be well-off now, to have wine when they used to divide every drop of hot pot broth among them all. She wondered where Mom hid the wine.
She stretched out her arms and called, "Mom, carry me."
Qin Luoxia didn't realize her daughter wanted to see where she stored things, so she picked her up, carrying her on her back.
Then she went to the cellar, and Jiang Mianmian saw that it was now wide, large, and deep - Mom had dug out an underground room.
Mom rummaged in a corner and brought out a small jug.
Outside, there was snow, and Mom's footprints trailed behind, one by one.
Jiang Mianmian, on her mother's back, found the winding footprints very intimate.
They returned to the warm, steamy kitchen, where the dumplings had floated to the top and were ready to eat.
Mom served everyone a large bowl.
With pickled vegetables in the middle.
She opened the jug and poured wine for Father, Jiang Feng, and Jiang Yu.
For Jiang Mianmian, she poured a bowl of dumpling soup, blatantly tricking her and pretending to pour it from the jug, using the jug to hide it.
Jiang Mianmian: ...Even if I'm naive, everyone else's wine doesn't steam, only mine does. I can tell the difference.
Qin Luoxia raised her cup first, then said to her husband, "Today is your birthday, let's eat well and drink well, and wish for our days to get better and better."
Jiang Changtian's tears immediately welled up.
He had forgotten.
He didn't remember that today was his birthday.
No one in the family had ever celebrated it for him before.
Jiang Feng handed Father a brush he had made himself, "This is for you from me, Father."
Jiang Yu also took out a crooked little handkerchief, it was unclear what was on it, and gave it to Father, saying, "Wishing Father good health and growing younger with each year."
Jiang Mianmian: ...
Unreasonable. Such a big event, yet they hid it from little Jiang Mianmian. She didn't even have a chance to prepare a gift.
Jiang Mianmian reached into her pocket, rummaging around until she finally fished out a small, round, yellowish stone that Jiang Xiaoshu had brought for her. It looked quite pretty, so she had kept it in her pocket.
"Father, here, here, Happy Birthday, Father." Jiang Mianmian handed over the little stone.
Jiang Changtian accepted the gift from his child.
He raised the cup of wine in front of him and drained it in one gulp.
He didn't drink alcohol, not since that time he was wrongfully accused. Yet today, with his wife and child by his side, he could drink without worry.
Jiang Changtian had a very low alcohol tolerance and passed out after just one cup.
He slumped over the table, emitting soft snores.
Asleep.
Mom carried Father away.
Outside, snow was falling.
Jiang Mianmian and her Elder Sister and Elder brother ate dumplings.
So today was Father's birthday.
Mom had been gone for so long and still hadn't returned.
The dumplings had gotten cold.
What a pity.
