The biting wind howled, pressing a thick layer of snow onto the adobe houses of Kaoshantun. Icicles hanging from the eaves shimmered with a cold light under the weak sun.
Inside the cafeteria kitchen, however, it was warm and cozy. Steaming vapor blurred the frost patterns on the windows, and the cutting boards were covered with dumplings in various fillings. The sauerkraut and minced pork filling gave off a tangy, savory aroma, while the cabbage and minced pork filling was fresh, tender, and slightly sweet—each one embodying everyone's anticipation for this hard-won meal.
Over the course of the afternoon, everyone worked together until the dumplings were piled up like a small mountain. Seeing a harvest that would allow each person to have over a dozen dumplings, expressions of relief and satisfaction appeared on their faces.
Chapter 115