Zhou Zehan immediately cheered, "Mom, are we having dumplings tomorrow?"

"I love dumplings. Do you like them, big brother?" Zhou Zehan asked.

Zhou Zedong glanced at his younger brother with a look of exasperation, as if Zhou Zehan had never had dumplings before. Noticing Si Nian's gaze, Zhou Zedong sat up straight and said, "Mom, I like them too."

The door creaked open with a steady set of footsteps coming from outside. When Zhou Yue Shen opened the door, a blast of cold air followed him in. It was particularly chilly outside in the countryside at night.

Si Nian was a bit surprised; with the holiday approaching, the pig farm had been exceptionally busy. Zhou Yue Shen had been coming home less frequently, so it was rare for him to be home this early.

Just as she was about to say something, Zhou Zehan dashed over and grabbed Zhou Yue Shen's big hand, shaking it excitedly. "Dad, Dad, we're having dumplings tomorrow. I want ten big dumplings!"

Si Nian smiled and said, "Xiao Han mentioned that tomorrow is New Year's Day, so I thought we could make some dumplings. What do you think?"

Despite the cold around him, Zhou Yue Shen's sharp features softened as he replied in a deep voice, "Sounds good." Si Nian's cooking was always delicious, so the dumplings would surely be no exception.

Zhou Zehan ran back over, pressing his little face against Si Nian's arm and looking up with a pout. "Mom, I also want to have sweet, round tangyuan."

Si Nian immediately smiled and said, "Sure, whatever you want, Mommy will make for you."

The little guy, feeling grateful, said, "Mommy is the best! Thank you, Mommy."

Zhou Yue Shen moved to the side, picking up Yao Yao, who had been playing with a small teddy bear, and sat down next to Si Nian. "I'll be back by ten in the morning."

Si Nian was surprised. "Aren't you busy tomorrow?"

Zhou Yue Shen replied, "It's New Year's Day. After delivering the goods, we have a holiday. I'm just letting you know now. I still have to head back later."

There was a lot of work for New Year's Day, so because Zhou Yue Shen had given everyone a holiday, everyone was working late into the night.

Zhou Yue Shen returned briefly. Si Nian looked at him with concern and asked, "How long will you be busy?"

"It won't take long. You all should go to sleep first," Zhou Yue Shen replied.

The two little ones excitedly asked, "Dad, will you celebrate the festival with us and help us make dumplings?"

Zhou Yue Shen nodded slightly, "Yes."

"Yay~ We'll make dumplings with Dad!" they cheered.

Si Nian got up to prepare dinner for Zhou Yue Shen. Zhou Ze Dong, looking at his excited younger brother, said, "Finish your homework and go to bed."

He added, "We're running low on firewood. Tomorrow, we should go gather some to help Mom cook the dumplings."

Zhou Ze Han, energized, immediately opened his homework and started writing. The teacher had assigned an essay about New Year's Day, and while he wasn't sure how to start earlier, ideas flowed quickly now, and he began writing enthusiastically.

**Title: Making Dumplings with Mom and Dad**

**Content:** Mom said that tomorrow is New Year's Day and that we will make dumplings to eat. Dad came back from slaughtering pigs and also said he would make dumplings with us. I guessed that Dad was just bragging and probably won't help with the dumplings. But I'm different. Mom says I'm smart, so I'll definitely learn how to make them in no time. Tomorrow, the dumplings I make will definitely be the biggest and the prettiest. By the way, I also want to eat ten dumplings and ten big sweet rice balls. Ah~ I'm really happy!

He wrote with a smile, his expression beaming with joy.

Zhou Ze Dong, who was practicing calligraphy nearby, glanced at him several times, wondering what could make him so happy.

He shook his head and continued focusing on his calligraphy.

Si Nian had bought a lot of calligraphy books with characters Zhou Ze Dong had never seen before. He was very interested and practiced for at least an hour every day after finishing his homework. After some time, he noticed that his writing had become more beautiful. Mom is really amazing for buying so many useful things for them.

**In the Kitchen**

Si Nian was heating up dinner for Zhou Yue Shen. She always made extra dishes, keeping them separate so that he could easily reheat them when he got home in the evening. After cooking dinner, she noticed that the fire in the stove still had some embers and would keep burning for a while.

As she was stirring the food, Zhou Yue Shen walked in. His tall, imposing figure cast a large shadow over her, like a mountain looming in the background.

Si Nian glanced over at him, and the proximity made her heart race a bit. She quickened her movements.

The coldness from Zhou Yue Shen had dissipated, replaced by a subtle, refreshing aura.

"You came in? Are you hungry?" she asked.

"It'll be ready soon," she added, trying to reassure him.

Zhou Yue Shen lowered his gaze to look at her. His dark eyes were like ink, deep and intense, as if they could draw you in completely.

Si Nian's eyelashes fluttered as she hesitated, unsure of what to say. Zhou Yue Shen reached out to her.

His voice was low and soothing: "Let me do it. It's getting late; you should rest soon."

Si Nian shook her head. "You go ahead and have some soup to warm your stomach. I'll be done here shortly."

Zhou Yue Shen glanced around and walked over to the cabinet. He pulled out a large bowl and lifted the lid, revealing steam still rising from the soup.

Si Nian always made sure to prepare soup with every meal, believing it was good for the body. Zhou Yue Shen's irregular diet due to his busy work schedule had caused him occasional discomfort, despite his strong constitution. However, recently, his stomach seemed to be improving and he hadn't experienced any discomfort.

Instead of leaving, Zhou Yue Shen decided to have dinner in the kitchen. The kitchen in the Zhou household was spacious, so Si Nian had set up a small table there. During busy times with many guests, some people would eat in the kitchen, making it convenient for storage and serving.

After Zhou Yue Shen finished his meal, Si Nian cleaned up the dishes and saw him to the door. Outside, it was pitch dark and the cold wind howled.

Si Nian, wearing a thin home outfit, felt goosebumps rise as the cold wind blew against her.

Zhou Yue Shen glanced at her with gentle eyes and said softly, "Go to bed."

Si Nian blinked and nodded in agreement. "You come back early."

Zhou Yue Shen gave a slight nod. "I will."

They exchanged a quiet glance. The children had all gone to their rooms, the big dog was resting, and the only sounds left in the air were the wind and their breathing.

After a moment, Zhou Yue Shen stepped closer, his tall figure casting a shadow over her. He gently pressed his hand on the back of Si Nian's neck and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "Goodnight."

Si Nian's eyelashes fluttered as she responded, "Goodnight."

---

At the pig farm, the sounds of pigs squealing continued until past midnight. The surrounding area was sparsely populated because when Zhou Yue Shen originally set up the farm, it was in a rural area with few residents. So, even though they were slaughtering pigs late into the night, it didn't disturb anyone's sleep.

After slaughtering the pigs and packing everything up, Zhou Yue Shen and Lin Feng needed to drive to the city to deliver the goods. Since driving at night can be dangerous, Lin Feng didn't feel comfortable going alone, so Zhou Yue Shen went with him. They could switch drivers if they got tired.

At 2 a.m., Yu Dong, yawning, walked into Zhou Yue Shen's office. Zhou Yue Shen was sitting at his desk, filling out forms. Yu Dong called out, "Boss," but Zhou Yue Shen didn't look up. He finished organizing his desk before responding, "What's up?"

Yu Dong grinned and said, "Since we're off tomorrow, I've invited a few guys to meet up in the city tomorrow night. Are you coming?"

Zhou Yue Shen stood up, stapled the forms together, and set them aside. "No time."

Yu Dong clicked his tongue in frustration. "It's been ages since we all got together. Everyone's been talking about having a drink. It's rare to have a day off, and you're not coming? Are we still brothers or not?"