novelraw Chapter 707 - 687 Anning Ah
Chapter 707 - 687 Anning Ah
New Year’s Eve arrived in no time!
Beiman also placed great importance on the family reunion during New Year’s Eve. The doctor’s family invited them to celebrate together, but both Xie Jue and Lan Ningzhen refused. Xie Jue didn’t particularly enjoy lively gatherings, especially since New Year’s Eve was about reuniting with family; celebrating it with strangers only made the merriment more bittersweet.
Lan Ningzhen had a strong sense of ceremony. She asked them for a pot and spent half the day by the icy river, chiseling through ice and fishing. After much effort, she managed to catch two fish and hurried back before nightfall. She gave one to the doctor and kept the other to share with Xie Jue. Holding the fish, she made a bubbling pot of fresh fish soup with a touch of medicinal herbs and mushrooms. Once the soup was ready, Xie Jue couldn’t help but notice her hands, red and swollen to the point of near deformation. Anger welled up inside him. "Are you crazy? Running out in the dead of winter to catch fish—does satisfying your appetite matter that much?"
Even though she got scolded, Lan Ningzhen was in high spirits. Most of the injuries on Xie Jue’s face had healed, and he hadn’t been out in the cold wind recently, but his appetite was still poor. Being confined in such a small space with no fresh food wasn’t helping. The beef and lamb were only fresh for two meals; the rest were either pickled or air-dried, which Xie Jue absolutely disliked—and truth be told, Lan Ningzhen didn’t enjoy them much either. The two of them had been eating less as a result, prompting Lan Ningzhen to come up with the idea of fishing for something fresh to improve their meals. On New Year’s Eve, she wanted nothing more than a warm, hearty meal.
"You haven’t had much of an appetite these past few days, and today is New Year’s Eve. You need a good meal. These minor injuries are nothing; they’ll heal after a couple of days!" Lan Ningzhen, unconcerned, grabbed the ointment to apply it, but Xie Jue snatched it away from her, furious. He poured the ointment out, rubbed it between his palms to warm it, and roughly pulled her hand over to apply it himself.
Lan Ningzhen was genuinely startled by his sudden care, left momentarily speechless. "..."
Xie Jue sat silently, his cheeks flushed red with anger, unwilling to say another word to her. He understood Lan Ningzhen well enough; she had gone out in the bitter cold mostly because he hadn’t been eating properly. Yet, braving the icy wilderness for one meal was simply not worth the risk.
Lan Ningzhen, however, felt a cozy warmth in her chest. The only thing she regretted was her own thick skin—her hands weren’t swollen enough to evoke proper sympathy. She was the type to feign humility while reveling in her gains. "With Mr. Helian’s concern, this injury is absolutely worth it!"
Xie Jue, still angry, was tempted to smash her head with the bottle but refrained because she was a woman. Instead, he turned cold and dismissive. "Do it yourself!"
"Alright then!" Lan Ningzhen’s hands truly looked rather unsightly, but she didn’t care. Soon, the fish soup was ready. Despite his anger, Xie Jue took a sip of the piping hot broth. The warm, fresh taste instantly soothed him, making him feel like everything had been worth it. His fury melted away.
After savoring the flavorful fish soup, Lan Ningzhen added more water, sliced up the remaining meat and tossed it into the pot. She poured Xie Jue some wine as well—only half a bowl, knowing full well that he had a low tolerance. "Mr. Helian, today is New Year’s Eve. It’s the first one we’ve spent together. Anning wishes you peace and safety for many years to come."
Xie Jue couldn’t ignore such warm sentiments, especially coming from someone genuinely kind like Lan Ningzhen. He raised his cup and clinked it with hers. "I wish Miss Lan peace and safety for many years and a long life free from worry."
The atmosphere between the two softened, rare warmth replacing their usual tension. Lan Ningzhen was unusually well-behaved that night, refraining from teasing Xie Jue. She seemed content to quietly keep him company and simply enjoy the holiday together.
"Mr. Helian, we’ve known each other for quite some time now, and we’ve even shared the same bed for days. Yet, you still refer to me as Miss Lan—it feels far too distant." Lan Ningzhen blinked at him playfully. "You can call me Anning!"