After bustling around in the kitchen, He Yan took a moment to return to his room to charge his phone.
From the moment he woke up this morning, his phone hadn’t stopped—constant calls and endless messages. Just looking at it annoyed him. They were all copy-pasted content, and he couldn’t understand why people were so obsessed with mass-sending them.
As he went downstairs, he heard chattering voices coming from the corridor. Turning his head, he saw Nana and Wen Xue putting up couplets.
He watched for a few moments to confirm she was safe, then withdrew his gaze and headed straight toward his room.
While walking, he randomly selected a few decent-looking messages, copied them, and forwarded them to several business partners as New Year’s greetings.
When he reached his door, he put away his phone and first noticed the couplets pasted on the wall. He took a few steps back, raised his eyes, and silently read the simple blessings. Then he spotted the rabbit lantern hanging on his door. Surprised, he tilted his head and glanced at Wu Yuejiang’s door next door, confirming that only he had one while no one else did. He couldn’t help but chuckle.
He moved closer and reached out, touching the fluffy rabbit on the lantern with his calloused fingertips.
He didn’t even need to ask—he could guess who had hung it there.
It could only be Wen Xue, who loved all things fluffy.
For once, he spent a few minutes examining the small lantern. Finding the switch, he pressed it. Inside, several strings were wound with tiny blinking lights, like fireflies. It would probably shine quite brightly at night.
What was this supposed to be?
He Yan couldn’t hold back a laugh, feeling as though Wen Xue was treating him like a child.
He rubbed the rabbit with his finger, then remembered he still had things to do. Suppressing his smile, he took out his keys, opened the door, and plugged in his phone to charge. When he stepped out again, he couldn’t help but glance at the rabbit lantern a few more times.
For lunch on New Year’s Eve, the four of them made do with something simple—the real feast was reserved for the evening.
The entire day, He Yan and Wan Nian stayed in the kitchen, stewing and frying. For He Yan, this was the most exhausting and troublesome New Year’s celebration he’d ever had. In the past, when He Heng was around, the two brothers would simply buy some takeout to get by. Later, after He Yan started earning money, he’d directly call a restaurant to order a lavish meal.
Originally, he had planned to take everyone out to a restaurant, but Nana and Wan Nian had vetoed the suggestion.
Now he was filled with regret—deep regret.
Not only did he have blisters on the back of his hand from splattering oil, but he also reeked of grease and smoke.
Dusk fell.
Before the New Year’s Eve dinner, He Yan went downstairs to take a shower. Wen Xue, unaware that he had been burned, was still enthusiastically experimenting with the idle juicer Nana had left unused. She sliced oranges and apples, patiently juicing them.
A bag of oranges and apples yielded a full pitcher of juice.
By the time He Yan came back down, he was clean and refreshed, carrying the scent of soap. Wen Xue, sharp-eyed, noticed he had changed into the clothes they bought the day before and stifled a giggle. The outfit suited him well—crisp and proper.
“Time to eat!”
Two folding tables were pushed together, laden with dishes that were a feast for the eyes and nose, making everyone’s mouths water.
In the narrow room, the four of them sat together—cramped, yet wonderfully lively.
Nana stood up and poured juice into four elegant glass cups, still muttering regretfully, “It’s a shame Wen Xue can’t drink. Otherwise, we could have bought a bottle of red wine—that would have made the New Year’s atmosphere even better.”Wen Xue smiled, “Actually, don’t worry about me. You all drink alcohol—I’ll just have juice.”
“Isn’t that tempting you?” Nana said cheerfully. “Next year! Next year we’ll drink red wine together.” She looked at Wen Xue. “By this time next year, you’ll be perfectly healthy and able to drink anything!”
“Okay,” Wen Xue replied softly.
Her nose tingled with emotion. Even if it was just for the chance to clink glasses and drink red wine with them next year, she would eat well and take good care of herself throughout the coming year.
He Yan stared at Wen Xue, not paying attention to anything else. He picked up his cup and took a sip, then furrowed his brow in displeasure. “What is this?”
If he remembered correctly, he had given Nana money this morning to buy juice and drinks.
Hundreds of yuan, and she bought this mediocre stuff to appease him?
Nana straightened up immediately and retorted, “This is Wen Xue brand freshly squeezed juice!”
Wen Xue quickly put down her cup, sat up straight, and looked at He Yan. Was it because she had diluted the juice, making it less pure or not sweet enough for his taste?
He Yan’s expression paused briefly. He threw his head back and finished the drink in one go, then said lightly, “It’s actually quite tasty.”
Nana exclaimed dramatically, “Brother Yan, how do you do it? Your face is scolding someone while your mouth is praising them.”
The straightforward Wan Nian burst into loud laughter.
He Yan: “…”
Wen Xue turned away to hide her smile, rummaging through the supermarket plastic bag until she found a can of beer. When she turned back, her expression was calm as she leaned over and placed it by his hand. “Here, you can drink this.”
He Yan grabbed the beer and opened the pull-tab with one hand. Just as Wen Xue was about to focus on eating, she accidentally noticed the blisters on the back of his right hand. After staring for a few seconds, she asked urgently, “How did you hurt your hand?”
“It’s nothing.” He glanced down indifferently. “Got splashed with hot oil.”
Wen Xue pressed her lips together. “Mm.”
This minor incident seemed forgotten by everyone. By 8 o’clock sharp, they had mostly finished eating, and the Spring Festival Gala started on TV. He Yan leaned back comfortably in his chair when he noticed someone’s gaze. He turned his head and met Wen Xue’s clear eyes.
He paused. “What is it?”
“Nothing.”
She shook her head and turned to watch the gala, but couldn’t concentrate. The injury on his hand distracted her. She guessed that perhaps before she arrived, long ago, He Yan had suffered more and worse injuries—so severe that neither he nor those around him would consider these blisters worth noticing.
Nana peeled an orange, eating it in one bite. “The skits are so boring now—it’s like they’re tickling my armpits to force me to laugh.”
Wan Nian stood up to clear the table, grabbing a broom to sweep the floor.
Wen Xue wanted to help but was politely declined with a smile, so she gave up.
“How about we play cards?” Nana suggested, testing dangerous boundaries. The moment she spoke, He Yan gave her a light glance full of warning.
Wan Nian came back in, casually pulling a tissue to wipe his hands. “Cards aren’t fun. Why don’t we buy some fireworks and go out? Tomorrow there’ll be sleet, and we won’t have many clear days left.”
“Great!”
Nana jumped up from her chair. At this point, she’d do anything to avoid watching the boring Spring Festival Gala.
He Yan looked at Wen Xue, silently seeking her opinion.
Wen Xue, preoccupied with her thoughts, forced a smile and nodded.
The four turned off the lights and went out. In the quiet hallway, only Nana’s excited voice could be heard. Usually, Wen Xue would gently agree, but today she was unusually silent.Since He Yan had been drinking, the driving duty fell to Wan Nian. Nana took the passenger seat, while Wen Xue and He Yan sat in the back. The black jeep soon left the Residential Building behind. Wen Xue sat by the window, her gaze fixed intently on the passing scenery outside. Occasionally, He Yan glanced sideways but could only catch her profile.
He frowned almost imperceptibly.
Was she homesick? She seemed distracted, almost unhappy.
Wen Xue hadn’t held out much hope—on New Year’s Eve, few shops along the streets were open. As they drove, darkness stretched everywhere, and her spirits sank. Then, at a corner, she spotted the faint glow of a pharmacy sign—its door still open! She straightened abruptly, her voice rising with excitement, “Wan Nian, please pull over up ahead!”
Her sudden outburst roused He Yan, who had been resting with his eyes closed. He lifted his eyelids and asked in a low voice, “What’s going on?”
Wan Nian had already slowed down and pulled over to the curb.
Nana turned around curiously. “Wen Xue, what’s wrong?”
“I’m just going to buy something.” Wen Xue pushed the door open and stepped out. Noticing He Yan’s furrowed brow as he watched her, she smiled reassuringly. “I’ll be quick. It’s not far.”
With that, she closed the door, afraid that if she delayed even a moment, the pharmacy might close. The empty, silent street greeted her, the wind whipping through her hair as she hurried off. Inside the car, Nana rolled down her window and craned her neck to watch, muttering, “What’s she going to the pharmacy for?”
He Yan was equally puzzled. A thought flickered through his mind, but it vanished too quickly for him to grasp.
Wen Xue rushed into the pharmacy, breathless and panting.
The shop assistant, holding a lunchbox while eating and watching the hanging TV screen, looked up in surprise. “What medicine do you need?”
“B-burn ointment.”
Wen Xue pressed a hand to her chest, speaking deliberately. “From oil splatter. There are blisters on the back of my hand, two or three… What should I do?”
The assistant understood.
Burn ointment had been selling well before the New Year, with every household busy preparing festive dishes. She set down her bowl and chopsticks, deftly retrieving a tube of ointment from the counter. “For external use. Apply every four to six hours. If it’s serious, you should still see a doctor.”
“Thank you.” Wen Xue took out her wallet to pay, then added after a moment’s thought, “And a pack of cotton swabs, please.”
“That’ll be thirty-eight.”
Wen Xue declined a plastic bag, tucking the small tube of ointment and the cotton swabs into her pocket. Only then did the tension in her chest ease. She didn’t know how many injuries He Yan had endured in the past, but this time she had seen it—how could she possibly act as if nothing had happened? She couldn’t.
She believed that if she were the one burned, he wouldn’t stand by idly. He would take her to the hospital, just as he had gone through so much trouble to get her a doctor’s appointment not long ago, simply because he knew she hadn’t been sleeping well.
Stepping out of the pharmacy, she braced against the cold wind and ran even faster back to the car than she had come.
The moment she got in, Nana and He Yan asked in unison, “What did you buy?”
“Nothing much, just a small thing.” She caught her breath and replied.
Wan Nian stepped on the accelerator, resuming their search for a shop selling fireworks. Nana bent her head over her phone, looking for places where they could set them off. The car grew quiet again. He Yan continued to glance at Wen Xue from time to time, wanting to press for answers but holding back, worried he might stir sad memories.
On a day meant for family reunions, she must be missing her departed loved ones.After driving for over ten minutes, the vehicle stopped at an inconspicuous shop in the old town. Once Wan Nian and Nana got out of the car, leaving only the two of them inside, Wen Xue finally mustered the courage to speak: “Give me your hand.”
He Yan was confused, not understanding her meaning.
“The injured one,” she added.
He looked at her in astonishment, the fleeting thought from earlier returning to strike him squarely. While finding it unbelievable, a vague, indescribable emotion slowly rose in his heart. This minor burn he hadn’t paid any attention to—completely insignificant compared to injuries he’d suffered in the past—was something she actually cared about.
A few minutes later.
In the dimly lit car interior, He Yan’s right hand rested across Wen Xue’s lap. She lowered her head, carefully and gently applying medication with a cotton swab.
Was this really nothing?
Every time the cotton swab touched the blisters, she could feel his hand trembling slightly.