On the first day of the Lunar New Year, Ling Chengyan made dumplings with the children, using a handful of green chives sent over by Sister Lin from Xing's family's home. Ling Chengyan mixed the filling, adding pork, shrimp, and wood ear mushrooms, a rare treat in the snow-covered, icy New Year.
Four people, young and old, Ling Chengyan rolled the dough, Xiaoyu wrapped the dumplings, Xiao Xing picked up dumplings, and Xiao Shi Tou was busy bringing the jar of brown sugar to eat sweet dumplings.
With few people, only sixty dumplings were required. The family woke up early; it was just dawn. Ling Chengyan and Xiaoyu got up almost simultaneously to knead the dough and mix the filling. Xiao Xing heard the commotion and got up to help. In less than an hour, the dumplings were ready.
