Chapter 321

If it's that "Little Xia Yan" who can't do anything but cry, Grandpa will probably be very disappointed, right? How could someone like him give Hua Xin a happier and more fulfilling life? Every day. Cherish every day to come. Xia Yan thought to himself, and his tense and aching heart gradually calmed down. In short, let's enjoy this New Year first. Hua Xin, standing next to Xia Yan, seemed unusually nervous. Her eyes not only blazed with an amazing will, but she also muttered to herself, "Don't worry..." "Hua Xin, you can do it! You're Sun Wukong from Black Myth, you're the Wanderer from Wuthering Waves, you're the Dragon Slayer from Western fantasy, you're Li Xiaoyao from the martial arts world, you're the King Summoner from League of Legends, you're the traveler from ○ God... uh, you're a super invincible beautiful girl loved by everyone!!" No problem. It's just meeting the parents once. Besides, isn't Xia Yan's grandfather her grandfather? Aren't they family now? Uh, it seems that legally speaking, they aren't family, because they haven't obtained a legally binding certificate. That is, a marriage certificate. So they're just boyfriend and girlfriend now? Then aren't boyfriend and girlfriend half family? Wait, how can two people with no blood relation become family? Logically, shouldn't only two people with blood ties be considered family and relatives? How can people without blood ties become family? This sudden, perplexing question caused Hua Xin's brain to freeze for a moment, but then the nervousness of meeting the parents for the first time regained its grip. "How about I just use the key..." Xia Yan suggested weakly, noticing Hua Xin's increasingly strange behavior. If they kept dawdling like this, they wouldn't be able to eat dinner tonight. "No!" "Wouldn't using the key seem too familiar?" "I know you're in a hurry, but don't rush." Hua Xin said in a low voice, like a raging Hachimi, but the hand that was about to knock remained still... "Knock knock knock." Xia Yan calmly grabbed Hua Xin's small hand and knocked on the door together. Completely oblivious to Hua Xin's dazed state, Xia Yan was still savoring the fact that the girl's hands weren't as cold as before. Her skin was still smooth and tender, but the icy chill that had always been so hard to shake off had lessened considerably. It seemed his recent food-hunting plan was proving quite effective. With some time on the weekend, Xia Yan thought Hua Xin would eventually become healthy and no longer be this tall and thin. Although Hua Xin subconsciously took a step back, thankfully Xia Yan's body was sitting behind her, providing support as if leaning on her. The soundproofing in the somewhat old neighborhood wasn't very good, so if you were close enough, you could easily hear the clattering of slippers coming from inside, approaching the door. With a creak, the door opened. Since the door opened outwards, the view was clearly limited, and Hua Xin, standing near the crack in the door, was naturally the first person seen. Xia Yan, standing behind Hua Xin, was also effectively blocked in the blind spot of the doorway. The first impression Hua Xin had of the old man before her was simply "weathered and worn." No other words seemed to adequately describe him. His eyes were deep-set, his hair completely gone, and his face etched with deep lines, yet one could still discern the resolute spirit of his youth. But his eyes were different. Eyes speak volumes. Whether one is sad, happy, lying, or feigning composure, all these shifts in mood can be seen in the eyes. Just like when she first saw Xia Yan's gentle eyes, she understood the loneliness and melancholy hidden within him. Perhaps it was at that moment that the thought, "They are probably the same kind of people," had already taken root in her mind. The old man's eyes, however, could only be described as "kind" and "gentle." Gentle, just like Xia Yan's. The old man spoke with great surprise, showing no sign of his recent serious illness: "Whose daughter are you? Did you knock on the wrong door?" "Old Zhang's third daughter next door? But I don't remember her being this pretty..." "No, you're Old Liu's granddaughter from building number four, right?! I remember he said he wanted to wish me a Happy New Year, but he's been paralyzed for a long time..." At this moment, the grandfather's unremarkable brows furrowed, as if he remembered something. "But she doesn't look like Old Liu... How could his rectangular old face have such a granddaughter..." At this moment, Hua Xin, who had prepared a perfect plan, was stunned into silence by the grandfather's unintentional praise. So pretty? Is he talking about her? Oh dear, I'm a little embarrassed... "Grandpa, this is my girlfriend, the one I told you about before, Hua Xin." Xia Yan's helpless voice came from the side, making the grandfather suddenly realize. "Come in, girl, come in quickly. You must be tired from carrying all this stuff, right? I heard from Xia Yan that you two have been dating for a year? Is Xia Yan good to you? Have you planned to get married yet? Ah, it seems a bit too early to talk about this now. You're only sophomores. Why don't you get married after graduation? Get married early and have children early. Xia Yan is capable of that, girl, don't worry..." "Ah? Ah... Ah! Ah↖?, Hmm~, Eh????" Hua Xin looked bewildered and nervous, and could only barely answer her grandfather's series of questions. She walked into the house in a daze. With a bang, just as Xia Yan was about to follow him inside, his grandfather slammed the door shut... Xia Yan paused for a moment, then picked up the key with a hint of helplessness, murmuring softly with a slight smile, "Having a granddaughter-in-law has made him forget about his grandson..." 245. The feeling of "home" that big cities can't provide is in Shanghai. It's so prosperous that anything you can imagine, and even things you can't, can be found here. If you wanted a truly luxurious meal in a small county town, it would only cost a few hundred to a little over a thousand yuan per person. The price of various items is high. But in Shanghai, this price can keep rising indefinitely, seemingly without any limit. Whether it's luxury goods or food, people always vie for and chase after increasingly unique and expensive items. Even if these things might be something an ordinary family could only acquire after years or decades of hard-earned wealth, in a city that's considered a major global metropolis, they seem insignificant. This creates a sense of oppression that naturally arises from this prosperous environment. Countless things seem so close, as if they were displayed in a shop's glass case right next to you, while you're just a wage earner making five or six thousand a month, barely enough to pay rent and avoid starvation in this big city. But the thought of "at least I'm here" and "seeing this city makes me stand tall" drives your numb self to struggle day after day. Hidden beneath the steel torrent and prosperity is countless instances of numbness and relentless effort. In contrast, small county towns in the north, though sparsely populated and with buildings far older and more dilapidated than those in big cities, are a different story.