Chapter 329

"Then I'll start cooking the rice first, and then go back to my room to lie down for a while?" "Okay, but you go to the sofa, it's so cramped lying next to you." The girl complained sarcastically, but there was no real resentment in her words. After all, Grandpa had gone out to visit an old friend, and Xia Yan was preparing various things for the New Year's Eve dinner. She couldn't just watch her like that until the countdown to the New Year, could she? She might not be able to do anything else, but the good habit of cleaning that she had developed a year after her transformation was still very well preserved. Doing some housework and tidying up the house was a good thing, and she had also found some things from Xia Yan's childhood. Ignoring Xia Yan's helpless little look, she turned and walked into the living room, her eyes somewhat dazed as she looked at the little wolf acrylic keychain under Xia Yan's keys spread out on the coffee table. Ah... Xia Yan probably forgot that they had seen this when they were little. 252. Let's get engaged. The Spring Festival Gala was playing on the TV, and the family, having just finished cooking dumplings, was enjoying a rare moment of warmth. With her beloved beside her and caring elders in front of her, the house was no longer the deathly silence that had enveloped her alone. The lively and warm New Year felt almost unreal. Xia Yan's cooking was as delicious as ever, the dumplings still steaming hot. She remembered the bet she and Xia Yan had made last New Year's Eve: who could eat the coin first? Unfortunately, Xia Yan won. But even though she was drunk and passed out then, Hua Xin still suspected that Xia Yan had secretly cheated while she was asleep, since she hadn't seen it. During lunch break, Hua Xin brought up the bet again, intending to make it a regular part of their routine. It was probably a special kind of play between young lovers. So this time, the girl focused on devouring the dumplings, trying to seize the opportunity to control Xia Yan. Although she hadn't decided what she wanted Xia Yan to do, getting the magic craftsmanship first was always the right thing to do. Grandpa, who had gone out to visit neighbors and old friends that morning, seemed to be in a good mood, as if he had accomplished some task. He had prepared some of his treasured baijiu (Chinese liquor) for himself, occasionally sharing a little with Xia Yan. Hua Xin, however, was embarrassed and didn't drink, citing her tendency to get drunk easily. Just kidding... she had only drunk some alcoholic beverages before and had already passed out and fallen asleep. If it were this seemingly strong baijiu, she might sleep until the next night. Even if something happened during that time, she probably wouldn't know anything. So it was better to just eat. "Xiao Hua, Xiao Yan, how long have you two been together?" Grandpa, who had been chatting with Xia Yan, suddenly put down his small wine glass and asked the two young people with clear eyes. Hua Xin was still chewing, unable to answer immediately, and hurriedly swallowed. But Xia Yan, standing beside her, blurted out without hesitation, "A year and a half." "Yes, yes, a year and a half. In a few months, it'll be two years." After swallowing her food, Hua Xin quickly replied, her face slightly flushed. Why was she always eating whenever something like this happened...? Thinking this, Hua Xin picked up the steamed crab from her bowl again and silently sucked on the crab legs. She might very well become a big fatso by the end of the New Year here. Imagining herself as a fatso still frantically eating, the girl couldn't help but shudder, then silently lowered her head. Well, because she was sitting close to the table, her powerful weight prevented Hua Xin from seeing her belly. She'd weigh herself at the store when she got back to Shanghai to see how much weight she'd gained. She felt she'd gained at least ten pounds; could she be almost a hundred? Hua Xin hadn't really cared much about her weight before, but after realizing she was fully a woman and accepting it, she gradually became more concerned. She also realized that now that she could earn her own money, she needed to pay attention to her appearance like any other girl. After all, Hua Xin didn't want Xia Yan to become a handsome middle-aged man while she became a fading old woman. "A year and a half..." "That's not a short time. University only lasts four years. So, you two got together right after starting university?" Grandpa was quite emotional, after all, fate is truly unpredictable. The meeting of two people might be just a matter of choosing between taking the main road or a side road home, a few points less on the middle school or college entrance exams, whether to eat noodles or a meal, or it just so happens to rain on the day you want to go shopping... and so on. With so many factors, even a slight mistake could have a butterfly effect. People who were supposed to meet might not be met, people who were supposed to see might not be seen. Looking back carefully, just one wrong step could have ended a relationship that might have lasted a long time until the end. So, it's truly amazing that they were able to come together despite so many coincidences. But this also raises a question for everyone. Hua Xin and Xia Yan only just finished their first semester of sophomore year, and the second semester is starting soon. So, chronologically, wouldn't they have been together since the beginning of their university years? Young people... It took so long to get some clues from Xia Fen. If he weren't so close to death, it would probably have been even longer before he could see his granddaughter-in-law. In this life, he just wanted his family to live happily ever after. But his indulgence led his son to abandon the woman he deeply loved and his own son, who was his blood relative. This wasn't Xia Fen's fault, nor was it Xia Fen's mother's fault. He had met Xia Fen's mother; she was a very well-educated and reasonable person. Xia Zhongshan's infidelity was certainly wrong. But to some extent... it was his own fault. If Xia Zhongshan had been stricter in his upbringing, and had intervened more in his worldview and character development, perhaps Xia Yan wouldn't have lost the happy childhood he should have had, and could have grown up happily like his peers. But what's past is past; no matter how much regret or reminiscing, there's no going back. All one can do is continue to live life to the fullest. Now, Xia Yan's parents have found their own lives and happiness again, perhaps having moved on from that period and looking forward to their new family and future. But if Xia Yan hadn't met Hua Xin, he might have lived with the shadow of his childhood forever, unable to let go. So, seeing Xia Yan return home with this wonderful girl for the New Year, he, as an elder, was truly happy, genuinely happy that Xia Yan had found his happiness. Perhaps they will still have arguments, conflicts, and moments of unhappiness that lead to questioning their relationship... but they are still young. A year or so is enough time to see a person truly for themselves. He believed that Xia Yan and Hua Xin could support and forgive each other as they lived together. Because he no longer had time. "Since we have enough time, then..." "Let's get engaged!" Hua Xin and Xia Yan looked somewhat bewildered at the smiling old man before them, and solemnly put down their wine glasses.