Chapter 206

Compared to loud sobs, these soft sobs and choked cries were even more heartbreaking. Xia Yan gently pulled open his down jacket and covered Hua Xin with it, making her cheeks warmer. At the same time, it brought her closer to his heart. Hua Xin clung tightly to Xia Yan, as if afraid he would run away. Xia Yan hugged Hua Xin, resting his head on hers. "Don't be afraid, I'm here," Xia Yan whispered in the girl's ear, stroking her back. The girl's cries sounded even more heart-wrenching, her body sobbing uncontrollably. Hua Xin could no longer maintain her composure; everything seemed to crumble after seeing Xia Yan tie the red scarf around her neck. She wanted to cry her heart out, to shout to that child that she now had a red scarf too, that someone cared about her, someone would hold her. Not the abandoned one who could only witness everything from a corner. She was just sick. Why did everyone abandon her? She was just like everyone else, only she didn't know how to refute those people, she just didn't want to talk to anyone anymore, she just didn't want to be laughed at anymore. Did she... not deserve a scarf? Perhaps what troubled and suppressed the girl's heart wasn't the scarf worn by the couple she saw talking on the street after the math exam, nor the scarf Xia Fen wore on the day they met and parted. Xia Yan silently stayed with Hua Xin, gently comforting her. For a long, long time. The two stood embracing in this small, sunless corner, warming each other. Ah... perhaps it was that love, which she had briefly possessed before, and only regained today. 156. The future, no one can say for sure if it will change. 3k2 "Xin Hua ..." "Let's talk this out." "We're all comrades on the same side, there's no need to die like this." Xia Yan looked at the long, unidentified yellow box in his hand with slightly fearful eyes, his voice trembling with resistance and fear, as if he were seeing an abstract and unrealistic scene of Godzilla fighting Ultraman Mother. "?" "Uh... why do you look so scared?" Hua Xin's eyes were still a little red and swollen, but she still looked at Xia Yan with some speechlessness as always. After a brief hesitation, she put down the Thirteen Spices she was about to pour into the pot: "Isn't it normal to put a little Thirteen Spices powder in soup? What's the big deal?" "I do this all the time at home..." As if realizing something, Hua Xin's dissatisfied words suddenly paused. "This is corn and pork rib soup." "Not Thirteen Spices soup." Xia Yan walked up to the girl with a serious expression and took the Thirteen Spices from her hand without making a sound. If she continued like this, the huge hole she made in the Thirteen Spices seasoning would probably spill half the box! He really didn't know what she ate at home every day to develop such an incredibly abstract cooking skill. At first, the girl's confident assertion that she was a great cook almost convinced him... Xia Yan had originally planned to cook slowly himself, since there weren't many dishes to choose from; most of the food was ready-made meals and snacks, plus fruit, melon seeds, peanuts, etc., which would be enough for the two of them. Besides, there would be dumplings for dinner. In previous years, he would just symbolically prepare some food for New Year's Eve dinner, because a holiday for one didn't need any grand ceremony. But this year, he wasn't alone. "..." Surprisingly, the girl didn't argue further, but silently gave up her seat and quietly squatted down next to the trash can to peel garlic. Yes. Now, it wasn't like when she was home alone and could only use Thirteen Spices seasoning to compensate for the blandness of the food. Xia Yan could make dishes that rivaled those of a restaurant chef. Sigh. She... seemed utterly useless. The girl thought dejectedly. Her cooking skills, her means of survival, were completely useless against Xia Yan, and even her best culinary skills had been mercilessly crushed by him. And at noon... Thinking of this, Hua Xin couldn't help but clench the garlic cloves in her hand. Being moved to tears in Xia Yan's arms by a single scarf was utterly shameful. Anyone would feel awkward showing their vulnerable side. But the person you're with is also important. If you show your vulnerability to someone who doesn't care about you, the comfort and words you receive will mostly be superficial politeness. Behind your back, they might even join others in mocking your vulnerability and your outpouring of emotion. But someone who cares about you won't. You'll receive reassurance and gratitude. Even though the girl felt incredibly ashamed now, she didn't feel that crying to Xia Yan was wrong. In all her life so far, Xia Yan was the only person she could rely on and confide in. There was already a lot of garlic on the cutting board. Judging from the current division of labor in the kitchen, it seems that Hua Xin is doing all the work. Her silent and pitiful appearance, squatting in a small corner as if drawing circles, is completely opposite to her assertive demeanor when teasing Xia Yan this morning. Perhaps she's felt a little embarrassed after what happened at noon. A tangible emo aura seems to emanate from the girl, a thick aura of dejection emanating from her. She's become a useless person who only knows how to eat and play games. Xia Yan looked at Hua Xin, lost in her own world, with a smile in his eyes. Then, he raised his hand, coughed lightly, blinked, and kindly reminded her, "Excuse me, Miss Xin Hua, could you help me prepare the sauerkraut?" "Tonight we're making pork and sauerkraut dumplings." "Shall we make them together around nine o'clock?" Hua Xin silently put down the garlic cloves in her hand. After hearing Xia Yan's words, she nodded with her head down, stood up, and calmly replied in a low voice, "Oh." Even if she's defeated, she still can't bow her head and admit defeat, because her crown will fall. jpg After the girl left the kitchen, she skillfully tied her apron. Watching the bubbling pork rib soup in the pot, Xia Yan felt a surge of unprecedented happiness. Although she didn't confide in him after calming down, only wiping her tear-streaked face haphazardly from her chest, he felt her intense, suppressed pain and emotions. Everyone experiences both pain and happiness in life. But is there more pain or happiness? Perhaps it depends on which holds more weight in memory. Xia Yan understood that the pain hidden deep within memories, the bone-chilling pain, was something he could never forget or heal. Even the smallest trigger could bring it back, like a slap in the face from a time warp. He remembered the heartache and despair of standing in the shattered glass hall, severing ties with his parents. Therefore, while he couldn't fully comprehend the girl's past, he could empathize with her to some extent. Xia Yan could wait. He added a small spoonful of salt, then gently stirred the simmering pork ribs.