Meng Yan's Transformation

Chapter 592 The petite Zhan Chun

Everyone took a half-step back as Zhan Chun approached, not out of fear of being burned by the sticky rice dumplings on the steamer, but because they were worried about her slender frame swaying in her loose clothes. Every step she took made their hearts clench – fearing that the scalding steamer would bring down her frail body, and even more so that the splashing steam would burn her paper-thin skin. Zhan Mengyan instinctively spread her arms out in a protective gesture, while Zhan Yingying stepped aside to make way for her, her eyes following the trembling, thin figure. The crowd's gazes were a mixture of worry and fear, fearing that the steam would hurt her, and even more fearing that Zhan Chun's slender frame would be crushed into the air.

Wang Shujuan and Yunqing, who had originally reached out to catch her, were now frozen into silhouettes of various poses. Only the sticky rice cakes in the steam, rising in the misty heat, were arranged neatly like freshly oiled terracotta figurines, their sweet and moist aroma seeping into the air, creating a strange and contradictory picture with Zhan Chun's slightly trembling shoulder line.

The soft sound of the steamer being placed on the table startled the tabby cat, which was fast asleep on the kang (heated brick bed). It meowed and stared with curious green eyes.

The five people inside the room remained in a hiding posture, as if they had been frozen in place by a spell.

Zhan Chun stared blankly at the five people, her movements stiff.

The sticky, sweet aroma filled the air, creating a stark contrast with Zhan Chun's slender figure, causing everyone to hold their breath. Zhan Chun lifted her eyelashes, which were damp with moisture, and the heat of the steam brought tears to her eyes. Her forehead was still covered in dust, and her hands, which held the steamer basket, were marked with red marks. They trembled slightly in the air, like two autumn leaves that had been touched by frost.

The five people stared at the sticky rice cakes on the kang table, none of them having time to taste them. After a long while, their hearts finally settled down, and they looked at each other with relieved yet ashamed smiles.

"Sister Liu Chun, why didn't you ask me for help? How come you cooked it all by yourself? Seeing you trembling like that almost scared me to death."

As Zhan Mengyan spoke, she picked up Zhan Chun's slender hand, stroked it, then withdrew it as if she had been electrocuted, a sob escaping her throat: "Look at your hand, it's all red, does it hurt?"

"Yes, Liu Chun, you're too brave. If you had burned yourself, we older sisters would have regretted not protecting you."

When Zhan Yingying spoke, she looked shaken.

"Liu Chunzi, I told you to stay home and take care of Mom, but you scared me so much when you were holding the steamer. You're too young and too weak. You can't do such dangerous things anymore. We have to stand side by side in front of the stove and let our shared growth help us overcome our fears. I'll stay with you until you grow up before I feel comfortable letting you do things. Don't make me worry anymore."

As Zhan Yue spoke, she patted Zhan Chun's head with heartache.

"Liu Chunzi, you silly girl, why didn't you ask for help? You carried such a big steamer of sticky rice cakes all by yourself. I'm really worried about your little body..."

As Yunqing spoke, she patted Zhan Chun's thin shoulder.

"You're all such cowards! Don't let my small size fool you, I'm incredibly strong. We didn't ask any of you for help, we just wanted to show you that I can do it all by myself. My hands are a little red, but that's nothing, it doesn't hurt at all. Don't worry about me taking care of Mom at home, I can do anything! Sister Yue'er, you can go to school with Sister Mengyan without worry."

As Zhan Chun spoke, she straightened her chest, her shoulders as thin as paper, yet she forcefully stretched them forward, causing her slightly oversized clothes to bulge out a stubborn arc in front of her chest. This movement made her collarbone appear even more prominent at the neckline, as if it would shatter at the slightest touch.