Chapter 328

"Sneaking attacks is a bad habit." Xia Yan chuckled, his hands occasionally fiddling with the girl's hair, the faint fragrance he'd smelled so many times before still clear. Even in the darkness, the sensation of Hua Xin's hand on his arm lingered. "That's right, so that means someone peeping at me while I change and staring intently at my breasts is good..." "Waaah!!" Hua Xin slapped away Xia Yan's hand that had been covering her mouth, giving him a disapproving glare. "Sleep, I'm sleepy." She adjusted to a more comfortable position next to Xia Yan. She had never felt such warmth before bed; a wave of sleepiness washed over her, blurring Hua Xin consciousness. Hua Xin lay on her side beside Xia Yan, her head resting in the crook of Xia Yan neck, her body half-in his embrace. Xia Yan lay flat on his back, one arm around the girl's shoulder. Although the blanket was only the length of a single person, if two people were to share a large bed, each would only be able to cover half of it. Fortunately, they were very close, close enough to fall asleep in each other's arms. At this moment, Hua Xin felt that even without the blanket, Xia Yan could continue to provide this warmth. "Because I wanted to kiss you, I kissed you," the girl murmured softly as she succumbed to sleepiness. The next moment, just as she was about to drift off, Xia Yan whispered in her ear, "I love you, goodnight." "Goodnight." Hua Xin smiled faintly, her arms tightening around Xia Yan. For a moment, she seemed to see Xia Yan both in reality and in her dream, though she didn't hear his whisper. But whether she was leaning on him now or dreaming of him, it was undoubtedly Xia Yan. Even if Xia Yan were right beside her, she hoped to see him again in her dreams. 251. The Last Days of the New Year. Three days after Hua Xin and Xia Yan returned to their grandfather's small northern county, a day of great importance for those who had worked hard all year, arrived as scheduled. This was also their second New Year together. Compared to the bustling metropolis of Shanghai, this small northern county, where even young people rarely strolled the streets, felt much more festive. Although the population was small, colorful lanterns and red lanterns symbolizing the Spring Festival hung in the streets and alleys, and the stalls were filled with all kinds of "Fu" characters and couplets. Even without many fashionable young people, the New Year atmosphere was incredibly strong. Even though there were many elderly people living in this land, and many who planned to be buried here, there wasn't a somber, deathly atmosphere. Perhaps these two days were all they had been looking forward to all year. This year, because Hua Xin and Xia Yan had returned, their grandfather didn't celebrate the New Year with Xia Zhongshan and Xia Fen as in previous years, but stayed in their hometown. The old house, which was usually only filled with the sound of coughing, was bustling with activity from early morning. The couplets on the door, some peeling and damaged, were replaced by the young couple who woke up early in the same bed. Throughout the morning, the kitchen was a hive of activity, with pots and pans constantly in use. Various foods requiring steaming were prepared by Xia Yan, as these time-consuming processes were best done in the morning so they would only need minor adjustments for the New Year's Eve dinner. The three of them didn't eat much, so the New Year's Eve dinner was prepared with a slightly larger variety of dishes but smaller portions. However, if they accidentally made too much, it wouldn't be a problem, since Hua Xin was there. With the girl around, she could probably devour any amount of food, no matter how much, into her seemingly bottomless stomach. Yet, after eating, she didn't feel bloated like a giant stomach, making one wonder if the food she ate had fallen into another dimension. And although they were spending the New Year with Grandpa... his health hadn't been very good these past few days. The coughs became more and more frequent each day, but ordinary coughs wouldn't have been so bad. Xia Yan knew that each cough could be his grandfather's last, draining all his strength. With each cough, Xia Yan knew it might be another mouthful of blood. From his childhood memories, his grandfather had always been a chain smoker; without cigarettes, life seemed meaningless. Although Xia Yan remembered his grandfather trying to quit a few times, he never seemed to succumb to this decades-old habit. Especially after Xia Yan's parents' divorce, he was practically inseparable from cigarettes. He wished time could slow down. After returning home from the hospital after countless injections and various forms of torture, his grandfather's condition seemed significantly better; at least his eyes no longer held that pained look. Xia Yan's initial thought was that even if the chance of a cure was infinitesimally close to zero, he would try; he absolutely couldn't give up any chance of recovery, even if it only meant living a few more days... But later, he changed his mind. Standing by the hospital bed, he could never imagine that the grandfather in his memory, always head held high, seemingly oblivious to unhappiness, always finding ways to cheer him up as a child. Grandpa never seemed to cry, not even when he was injured; he only frowned. But the suppressed groans of pain on the hospital bed made Xia Yan unable to stick to his decision any longer. Until Grandpa mentioned his initial thought to Xia Yan and Xia Zhongshan again, the three words, "No treatment," sounded the same—a resigned decision. Would there be a miracle? "Buzz buzz buzz..." Suddenly, the pressure cooker whistled rapidly, the hissing of boiling steam snapping Xia Yan out of his reverie. He gently turned off the gas. A faint, unique seafood aroma wafted out. Xia Yan skillfully scooped out a large piece of braised beef; judging from its color, it was already very flavorful. He sliced off a piece; the taste was just right, neither too salty nor too bland. Xia Yan cut off the part with the alternating layers of muscle and tendon and placed it on a plate. They'd eat that for dinner, and the rest could be brought out when Xia Fen came after the first two days of the Lunar New Year. "It smells so good..." Hua Xin had somehow appeared by the kitchen door, her eyes completely captivated by the large chunks of beef Xia Yan had just braised. She stared at it intently, forgetting to take off her rubber gloves. Xia Yan picked up a slice of beef with his chopsticks and waved it at Hua Xin, who was standing not far away. "Want to try some? It's freshly made, see how it tastes." He winked, like a hunter luring a cute little animal into a trap in the woods. "Delicious! Even better than last time!" Hua Xin, faced with the temptation of the food, resolutely gave up resisting and calmly jumped into the hunter's trap, gobbling down the beef with a surprised expression. "It's probably because the seasonings were added more thoroughly this time." Xia Yan smiled as she poured out the broth from the pressure cooker, then wiped her hands and paused slightly. "Take a break. Take off your gloves and lie down for a while. We'll just have a simple lunch; dinner will be the main course." "Okay, but there's still one piece of glass that I haven't cleaned. I'll rest after I finish that."