The winter solstice happened to fall on a Friday, and it also marked the third snowfall in Beijing.

The snow was heavier than the previous two, and Meng Sheng's hair turned white in less than two minutes while standing in the snow.

Pei Sui parked her car on the side of the road. She opened the car door, got in, and sniffed, "It's so cold today."

Pei Sui frowned and gently brushed the snow off her head. "Why didn't you use an umbrella? Why didn't you wear more clothes? What if you catch a cold?"

Meng Sheng didn't refute him. She smiled and put her hand inside his chest. It felt warm even through his sweater. She tilted her head and asked, "Is it cold?"

"Not icy."

Pei Sui turned up the car's heater, warmed her hands in his arms, and then started the car.

Meng Sheng rubbed her hands together. "Grandma called me this afternoon and asked what kind of dumplings I wanted. I said pork and corn and mackerel fillings. I thought Grandma would know your taste, so I didn't say what you like."

She sighed, "To be honest, I really don't know what kind of dumplings you like."

"They're all pretty good, the fennel filling is also quite nice."

Meng Sheng's eyes widened in shock. "You... you actually like fennel filling?"

Pei Sui curled the corners of his lips. "I've eaten here a few times, and it's not bad. Besides, I'm not a picky eater."

That's true.

"I'll choose."

“It’s normal not to like fennel filling; it’s not being picky.”

The two chatted along the way, and Meng Sheng dozed off in the car for about twenty minutes for half the journey on the highway.

The roads were slippery due to the snow, so the old lady made two phone calls to Meng Sheng, telling them to drive slowly and be careful on the road.

It was almost 6:30 when we arrived at the Pei family's house in the west of the city.

The old lady waited at the gate of the courtyard for more than half an hour, and she felt uneasy until they arrived.

Tonight, for the Winter Solstice dinner, Uncle Pei and Nie Fang's family also came.

When Pei Sui and Meng Sheng arrived, they were greeted by more than a dozen stares.

I feel really embarrassed.

Meng Sheng greeted them first, and said apologetically, "I'm sorry, Grandma, Second Uncle, Second Aunt, I've kept you waiting."

"Not long, not long, this is hardly a long wait," Nie Fang said, waving her hand first. "Ayu isn't home yet. Did you have a smooth journey back?"

"It went smoothly."

"Come, come, sit down. It's cold today. The kitchen just made some stewed rock sugar pears. Try some."

The old lady invited her to sit down and then hurriedly asked the servants to bring two bowls of rock sugar pear soup.

The two had just finished drinking when Pei Yu returned.

He politely declined the rock sugar pear soup, and the old lady stood up and said, "Everyone is here, and the food is ready, so let's eat."

The whole family sat around a table, on which, in addition to six plates of dumplings, there were ten of the Pei family chef's signature dishes.

"Hey, hey, hey, today's dumplings include chives and eggs, chives and vermicelli, pig's head and corn, cabbage and pork, mackerel, and beef and scallions. This afternoon, when we were making them, your grandma put twenty gold beads in these six plates of dumplings, two in each dumpling. Whoever finds one will have good luck and wealth next year."

Meng Sheng asked curiously, "Hmm? Don't you have fennel filling?"

"Hey, Sheng Sheng, you like fennel filling?" Pei Huan asked in surprise.

"No, I don't like them. I heard him mention fennel dumplings when I came back, so I asked him out of curiosity."

The old lady said, "In our family, only he and his older brother eat fennel dumplings. We don't like them, so we haven't catered to their preferences."

Pei Yao looked sincerely at her two cousins, "I also don't understand, what's so special about fennel dumplings?"

Pei Sui glanced at her indifferently, "You don't understand."

"Okay, I really don't understand." Pei Yao pouted and admitted it.

The old lady smiled and agreed, "Alright, alright, everyone, start eating. There are no outsiders here today, so let's all be family and not stand on ceremony."

Pei Sui first placed a pork and corn and mackerel filling on Meng Sheng's plate, asking, "Do you want vinegar or chili?"

"I want them both!"

Meng Sheng rolled the dumpling in chili oil and vinegar, took a bite, and was savoring the flavor when she discovered a golden bead in the filling of the other half of the dumpling. She chewed it, caught it in her hand, and spat out the other round golden bead.

Pei Sui was also taken aback. "You got to eat it?"

Nie Fang laughed and said, "Oh my, you got to eat it on the very first bite? That's incredible! Your good luck is going to soar next year!"

Others echoed this sentiment.

Pei Yao's eyes sparkled. "Sister-in-law, congratulations!"

Meng Sheng smiled; she was actually quite surprised as well.

"You should say Asui was lucky; he was the one who picked up the dumpling."

"It's all good, it's all good. You two are one. He's lucky, and you're even luckier." The old lady put a dumpling on Pei Yao's and Pei Huan's plate. "Eat up, there are still nine left. Maybe the next lucky dumpling will be yours."

The meal was enjoyed very much.

Meng Sheng barely ate any vegetables; she ate mostly dumplings.

The main thing is that the mackerel dumplings taste really good.

After dinner, the family sat in the living room chatting and laughing.

After sitting for more than ten minutes, Meng Sheng felt a little uncomfortable in her stomach, nauseous and wanting to vomit. She just felt unwell. After a few more minutes, she suddenly gagged. When everyone looked over, she covered her mouth in embarrassment and quickly went to the restroom without being able to say a word.

Pei Sui followed her almost the instant she got up.

"What's wrong? Is your stomach upset?"

Seeing that she had vomited everything up, his brows furrowed more and more, and his heart was gripped tightly.

Meng Sheng shook her head, unable to speak. She vomited until tears streamed down her face, and it took her four or five minutes to recover before she rinsed her mouth.

Pei Sui put his arm around her and said, "Come on, I'll take you to the hospital."

"No, it's nothing... I just don't know why, I feel a little nauseous."

"Have you been eating too many mackerel dumplings?"

"possible."

Pei Sui's brows remained furrowed. "You've never been like this before. I'll take you to the hospital for a check-up first thing tomorrow morning. I won't feel at ease if you don't get checked."