2 chapter 2 , dumpling

"It's dinner!"

Silence.

"Come down for dinner!"

Once again, only silence.

"If you don't come down this instant and eat your dinner, I'll whoop your butt, child!" The old woman huffs out and pouts at the bottom of the staircase.

"I'm coming, granny! Just had finish what I started first" they exclaimed breathless from their room upstairs. A small thud, a creaky door and some quiet steps before a figure could be seen at the top of the staircase. The grandma, glanced up and a big smile grew on her face at the sight of her grandchild.

"What are you up to now hun?" She subconsciously tilted her head a little at her own question, making her look like a little curious puppy. They smiled cutely at their grandma and skipped down the steps until they were standing beside her.

They shot her teasing smirk and did fingerguns in front of their face.

"It's a secret~ lets go eat or the food might become cold granny" they said, still with a small smirk lurking on the corner of their mouth. Their grandma just shook her head fondly and followed them out to the kitchen area.

The sunshine glimmered through the window, making everything bright and cozy. The kitchen cabinets were their usual brownish color, with flecks of lighter tones. All the counters were polished clean, except for the ones being used by their housekeeper, Bao. He was humming softly on a tune made up by him on the spot. When the grandma and her grandchild walked through the door, he turned his head and beamed.

"Good afternoon Mrs Hsu Meihui and Mx Chun, do any of you fancy Ma Po Tofu[1] this lovely day? Oh, I also took the time to prepare some dumplings for you, Chun!" He ended with a tiny wink towards the younger teenager, which they answered with a wink back. Meihui sighed before patting Chun's head, a little harder than necessary.

"Why don't you go join your grandpa darling? He has been grumpy all day long" said Meihui with a nod towards the table. Chun smirked and asked with a playful glint in their eyes, " 'pa is turning sooooooo old granny, the older he gets, the grumpier the old fart becomes"

Meihui shushed her with a harsher pat on their head and turned towards Bao.

"Could you come in with white tea for Guang? Oh and some oolong for me please!" She asked their housekeeper with Chun struggling in her arms. Bao just lifted his left eyebrow at the scene, but chose to ignore it by replying with a formal, "yes ma'am"

[1] Ma po tofu (麻婆豆腐) is one of the most famous dishes in Chuan Cuisine with a history of more than 100 years. Ma (麻) describes a spicy and hot taste which comes from pepper powder, one kind of condiment usually used in Chuan Cuisine.