Unfortunately, with her frail health, Molly hadn't been able to help much around the house. Now that there was finally something small she could manage, like tending to the flowers and plants, Molly wasn't about to let the opportunity slip away.She let out a relieved breath and continued watching the stove, making sure the fire stayed steady.A moment later, she got to her feet and made her way toward the main room.The three elders chatted and laughed together, yet their hands never slowed. Each of them cradled a bowl of filling in their lap, with an array of colored dough wrappers spread out before them. They took turns rolling out the wrappers and folding dumplings, their rhythm practiced and smooth. In no time at all, they'd assembled an entire platter.Molly carried the finished dumplings outside on a woven bamboo tray, covered them with a sheet of plastic wrap, and set the tray on top of the water tank in the courtyard. With so many dishes planned for toni

Warren knew the Hale family would be staying for lunch after their New Year's visit, so he headed straight into the kitchen to start preparing the meal.After several days of rice and steamed buns, he was ready for something different. He dropped ground pork into the hot wok, letting the fat render and crisp. A handful of scallions went in next, filling the air with their sharp fragrance, then he splashed cooking wine around the sides of the pan. Once the alcohol burned off, Warren poured in sweet bean paste and stirred until the mixture darkened and thickened. Just before finishing, he added a splash of water to bring the zhajiang sauce together into a glossy, savory glaze.With the meat sauce done, he turned his attention to the toppings. He sliced scallions and cucumbers into fine julienne, then cut carrots into matchsticks and blanched them briefly before draining. Beyond the usual noodle garnishes, he prepared a handful of cold side dishes: radish slices tossed with c

Molly served the children more food while listening to Warren and their guest chat.Tommy spotted the yam in his bowl. He hated yams and was about to push it aside when he noticed Daisy beside him eating whatever was placed in front of her without complaint, stuffing everything into her mouth.Were vegetables really that good?Skeptical but curious, Tommy followed Daisy's lead and ate quite a few vegetables himself.Frank paused, a flicker of surprise crossing his face before he shook his head with a helpless smile. "My son's an oddball. He'll eat chicken, duck, fish, all the meat you can think of, but he won't touch vegetables. He is always getting overheated because of it."Warren, a father himself, shared a few tricks in a low voice. "Except on holidays, my daughter absolutely can't have any drinks with her meals. The food's dry, then she gets a bowl of soup. When she's thirsty, she drinks it on her own. That way she ends up eating a fair amount of vegeta

Warren planned to use the seeds to fill up the rest of his pocket dimension.The supply was meager, but he had no choice. He was down to his last 2 system points.Plant what he could now, then trade points for more seeds. Once he finished the task within the deadline, he'd use the pocket dimension to accumulate points again.By seven in the evening, Warren had only managed to plant a small patch. The soil in the pocket dimension didn't need tilling, but he still had to dig out rows for the crops. When he finally stopped, sweat soaked his hair and clung to his neck.Earlier, Warren thought filling such a small space would take just a few days. Now he realized how naive that assumption had been. This wasn't some tiny plot. It was a full-scale farm, and he was the sole farmhand responsible for every backbreaking inch of it.When Warren got home, Molly had already finished cooking dinner. She'd spent years preparing meals for the family, but tonight felt strange