Chapter 331

A warm family was a scene I could never have imagined before. If it weren't just her alone at home, but other family members happily celebrating the New Year together, making New Year's wishes, sitting around the table sharing stories, achievements, and both sad and happy moments... it would be almost impossible. That's what I thought when I was alone in that Little Black, and that's what I felt when I met Hua Shanming, who couldn't even remember her true gender from childhood and was surprised to find out she was a girl. Happiness seemed like a word I could never connect with, like the look of disgust and avoidance from my own parents during my school days. On the way, I wondered what Xia Yan's grandfather would be like, but from Xia Yan's description, it was easy to see him as a kind and humorous old man, not at all rigid or old-fashioned. And that's exactly what happened after we met. Xia Yan's grandfather was very kind and treated her well, as if he had truly become her grandfather, even though they had never met or spoken a word to each other before, and knew nothing about each other. Today, Xia Yan was cooking when her grandfather went out to visit some old friends, saying he wanted to pay New Year's visits and see them. As an excellent, hardworking, and capable person, she absolutely couldn't just idly play on her phone. So she decided to tidy up the house properly. When her grandfather returned, he seemed very happy and told her with great concern that she didn't need to clean so much, since he was the only one living with these Hua Hua. I was glad that I could see that her grandfather genuinely cared about her, and wasn't just saying polite words. At the New Year's Eve dinner, Xia Yan's cooking was very delicious. The thought, "Being with Xia Yan means I won't have to worry about not having good food," kept popping into my mind every time I tasted the dishes. The dumplings the three of them made together were also delicious, with a three-delicacy filling. Hmm... I wanted to eat a few more. But something her grandfather said surprised both her and Xia Yan. "Engagement?" The word immediately popped into my mind, but I couldn't quite grasp it. It wasn't that it was too early; they weren't finished elementary school, hadn't found jobs, and might not even be able to afford baby formula... Okay, I'd been thinking about so many things, but when I came to my senses, it didn't seem like such a big deal. Let alone engagement, even getting married now wouldn't be a problem. But I felt Xia Yan probably wasn't ready yet. His stubbornness and tendency to act tough meant he'd only propose after everything was settled and he had a stable life, right? After all, he'd always been so calm and mature. But honestly, if you like someone, just be together. What's the point of thinking so much? But engagement is an explanation for Xia Yan and me, and also for Grandpa. From this moment on, we're family, not just boyfriend and girlfriend. That's what I think, and I'm sure Xia Yan thinks the same way. You can tell from the way he held my hand. Heh, although he seemed calm on the surface, the shyness and anticipation of a young man was obvious without me even looking. Then Grandpa downed the remaining liquor in the small cup in one gulp, seemingly happy as if he had accomplished some mission. He then took out a small box containing a beautiful, delicate jade bracelet. Having only ever seen cheap, low-quality items from Pinduoduo or street vendors, I could immediately tell the quality and value of this bracelet. "I absolutely cannot accept such an expensive gift." Realizing the value of the jade bracelet, I immediately panicked and wanted to refuse, as it seemed she was unworthy of such a valuable item. But Grandpa said that the bracelet was left to Xia Yan's grandmother when she was still alive. After seeing her son grow up, the old lady's only wish was to see her grandson and granddaughter-in-law. It seems that as people get older, they all want to see their descendants happy. Under Xia Yan and Grandpa's strong insistence, I accepted it. If I didn't accept such sincerity, wouldn't I seem too inconsiderate? (It wasn't because the bracelet was really beautiful or the right size for my wrist.) That night, I wore it on our couple's bracelet and showed it off to Xia Yan for a long time. He said very seriously that he would buy me a very beautiful ring in the future. But the ring doesn't matter, I just want you to always be safe and sound by my side. January 31st. Today is the third day of the Lunar New Year. Xia Fen was brought over by Xia Yan's father around noon. It was the first time I saw this man Xia Zhongshan. He actually looks a lot like Xia Yan, but he has a kind of temperament that Xia Yan doesn't have. Is this the mark of time? In comparison, I still prefer Xia Yan. There's really nothing to say about a man who cheats and abandons his wife and children. I didn't talk to him, and I didn't have a chance to talk. Xia Yan did the same. Xia Fen's mother is very beautiful, with the temperament of a noblewoman, making you feel that you're not from her class. Xia Yan and I greeted her. Grandpa said a few words to them at the door, seemingly about Xia Yan and Xia Fen. I didn't want to be an eavesdropper, so I didn't eavesdrop. Then Xia Zhongshan left. It was the first time I appeared in front of Xia Fen as her "sister-in-law," and it seemed very different from when we were colleagues at the cat cafe. I was practically bursting with embarrassment, and Xia Fen kept calling me "pretty sister-in-law -law" and "beautiful sister-in-law -law"! Grandpa and Xia Yan were both home, and those mischievous glints in their eyes were definitely on purpose! Absolutely!!! Xia Fen brought me lots of delicious snacks; this younger sister, only a year younger than us and who was my colleague for a while, really knows me well. I much preferred these unfamiliar snacks to those useless pieces of jewelry. Grandpa seemed especially happy tonight. His grandson, granddaughter-in-law, and granddaughter were all there. He'd also met his son and second daughter-in-law during the day, and he told us for a long time about his and Grandma's past, and the funny things that happened when he was in the army. Xia Fen seemed to have heard Grandpa's stories about his time in the army many times before. At first, she wasn't very interested, but then she got excited when she heard about Grandpa and Grandma's love story. Well, that's understandable; after all, a young woman this age should have some romantic fantasies. Wow... Grandma was a performing arts soldier in a cultural troupe; she was incredibly talented at dancing and singing. Even after she left the military, she was still invited to perform. What an amazing person! But unexpectedly, Grandpa fell in love at first sight and pursued her for over half a year before she was finally moved by his sincerity and they got together. Xia Fen said Grandma only agreed because Grandpa kept bothering her. Grandpa glared at her and said it was because she was good enough. Xia Yan and I laughed happily. February 1st, the beginning of spring. Grandpa passed away, and Xia Yan cried very sadly. It was the first time I had ever seen him cry so sadly. I felt sorry for him. 255. A self-narration by a Xia Yan. My name is Xia Yan. My name is difficult to write. I always struggle with writing my name during exams. When I was in elementary school... no, or rather, when I was in kindergarten, my teacher once said that I was very "introverted" and "unsociable". This was during a conversation between teachers.