"Mifan, how are the competitors in this game fairing?" Chuntao had finally remembered to ask about the main plot and reason she was even here.

Tiantian was sitting in the rocking chair that had once rested in the attic while she stood in the kitchen, the rocking chair now moved into the first floor under a window to get the best sunlight and moonlight depending on the time of day. Tiantian especially liked the rocking chair's new spot because she could rock in it without the floorboards creaking and the sun made it nice and warm for her.

The spirits trapped inside of Tiantian, however, hated the increased heat and clawed even more at the inside of her little head. She wished that they'd just burn back into little balls of energy already so she could absorb them.

Chuntao was still completely unaware as Tiantian turned up the heat inside of her to get rid of the poor spirits faster.

[ They have just arrived in the village and are collecting clues. Would the Host like to see their progress? ]

"I can do that? Wouldn't watching them be a bit creepy?"

[ Not if you imagine it as watching a t.v. drama. ]

Chuntao thought about it for a second before nodding. If she thought about viewing the people in the world as watching a first-person drama, it didn't become as weird just watching people through a camera like a stalker. Though technically, that's what dramas are. You're just watching the story of someone else while they're the none the wiser person of interest.

She decided to stop thinking before her she got brought in too deep into the fold of the moral implications of watching t.v. and movies.

"Yes, please. Are they just one group as of current or did they split up?"

[ They've split up. ]

"Idiots. Please show me the group of the protagonist then."

With her request, a screen that looked similar to the walls of text she had seen earlier with information on the world in her tasks. As of current, a group of around five people were running for their lives with terror as a bloodied ghost chased behind them, literally laughing its head off.

Chuntao couldn't help but feel the situation as being quite cheesy and basic. She was expecting some blood or gore, but it was just a lazy chase scene.

How disappointing.

"Mifan, which girl is the protagonist? I can't really see her among the chaos." Chuntao questioned her System, floating into her kitchen to start on lunch. She had decided to make dumplings at the silent request of Tiantian. The little doll had no specifics on if she wanted steamed or fried dumplings, meat or vegetable filling, anything. She just wanted dumplings. The little doll could speak, but often only one word at a time. Extremely cute.

Chuntao would just make a lot of types of dumplings for Tiantian.

[ Host, Bai Yue is the woman at the front of the group. ]

"Ah, I see her now. She's quite pretty, isn't she."

[ Aren't all protagonists attractive? ]

"Fair point." Chuntao agreed with Mifan and passively watched the screen as she ordered ingredients from the System Store.

Bai Yue, the aforementioned protagonist, was indeed an attractive young lady. Her long, dark hair had been put up into a ponytail, a few escaped strands framing her face as she ran. Despite her eyes being wide in fear, you could tell she was thinking about how to get out of the situation in tact rather than just running without destination. Her young face was flushed with exertion, like the rest of her group.

"Tiantian, come over here." Chuntao called out to the little doll, turning away from the screen as the ingredients she had ordered came in.

Tiantian, ever the obedient doll, made her way off of the rocking chair before wobbling over to Chuntao and clinging to her leg again.

"We're making your dumplings, so you have to help. Okay?"

"Okay."

Chuntao smiled and pet Tiantian's head, obviously satisfied. Who wouldn't be happy with such a good, obedient child? Rather than a doll with a spirit residing inside it, Tiantian was much more like a little girl, naive and reliant on the adults around her and always seeking praise.

Chuntao could wholly admit that she was weak to cute children, often unable to deny them requests. She wouldn't allow them to do things like act up, but usually couldn't resist giving them sweets or a bit of extra food in their bowls.

"Tiantian, you'll be washing the vegetables. Since you didn't ask for a specific type, we'll be making a lot of dumplings." Chuntao pulled various vegetables out of the box. Bok choy, scallions, carrots, and cabbage were placed into a metal bowl for Tiantian to bring over to the water to wash with. Considering it again for a second, Chuntao also grabbed some towels to clean up any water that Tiantian might get on the counter.

After tying a little apron with flower embroidery onto Tiantian, she received a little place on the counter, a tub of water, and a brush for cleaning the vegetables. Chuntao showed her how to clean the vegetables properly and the little doll listened seriously before diligently beginning her task.

She would be the best vegetable cleaner this world and the spirit world had ever seen!

Chuntao couldn't help but smile at Tiantian's dedication, being reminded of herself when she was little. Standing on a step stool in front of the kitchen sink, scrubbing and cleaning vegetables for dinner while her parents dealt with the meat. Some of her best family memories were in the kitchen, making food for the people she loved and herself.

She was a bit glad her parents hadn't been alive to hear of her death. They surely would've been grief stricken at the loss of their only child.

Removing herself from her memories, Chuntao got to work dealing with the meat of the fillings. Pork, beef, and shrimp. As much as she liked shrimp, cleaning and deshelling them had always been a hassle. But goddammit, she wanted some beef and shrimp dumplings and she was going to get them.

The kitchen was filled with quiet harmony as a small doll scrubbed at vegetables with dedication and a ghost ground meat and deshelled shrimp with practiced ease. The scene was sure to look strange to any outsiders, even creepy.

"Done." Tiantian spoke up, the vegetables in her bowl looking squeaky clean and ready to be prepped. Chuntao nodded in approval.

"Good job, Tiantian. Bring them over here so I can cut them." 

Chuntao would've given her a pat on the head, but her hands had just dealt with meat and she hadn't washed them yet. Tiantian dragged the bowl over to the cutting board like she had been asked as Chuntao washed her hands.

"Pay close attention to how I cut these. You might get to do it at some point." Chuntao poked Tiantian's forehead, the doll nodding as she sat next to the cutting board and watched the ghost's deft hands do their magic. Within what seemed like a minute, all the vegetables were properly cut to add to the fillings.

They were going to make four fillings. One pork, one beef, one with shrimp and pork, and one with shrimp and beef. With the help of Tiantian, although she only handed over the seasonings, the meats were thoroughly seasoned before a bit of water was added to make sure the meat stayed juicy during the cooking process. Then came the vegetables and a bit of sesame and chili oil that Chuntao added for a kick. After thoroughly mixing each filling together, finally came the assembly of the dumplings themselves.

"Tiantian, watch carefully. After putting in the filling, wet one side of the wrapper with water," Chuntao gently walked Tiantian through the process, making sure she was following along. "then you fold them like this."

Even though Tiantian listened seriously and did it just like Chuntao did, her dumplings still looked a bit strange in comparison to Chuntao's artfully folded ends. She couldn't help but feel a bit frustrated.

"Not. Right."

"They're just fine, Tiantian."

"Not."

"You'll get better at it. Doing this takes practice, you know." Chuntao coaxed the doll, a soft smile on her face. "You want to hear about my first dumplings?"

Tiantian sat up in attention at that before nodding frantically.

Chuntao giggled. "When I first made dumplings, I couldn't even get the ends to close. They all ended up opening up and spilling their filling everywhere. I was so upset and my parents couldn't stop laughing at me," She grinned. "But I still ate the cooked filling and the wrapping."

Tiantian let out a giggle, similar to the time she had eaten that spirit but much more joyful. She looked much happier than before.

Chuntao, satisfied with her change in emotion, put some of the dumplings into a pan to fry, others in a basket to steam. Now, all they had to do is watch and wait.

Still ignoring the poor contestants who were running for their lives.

[ Chuntao and Tiantian: *Peacefully making dumplings together*

The contestants: *Literally dying to ghosts* ]