The sumptuous dinner began.
The meat was tender and smooth, the vegetables were crisp and delicious, and the hot soup was incredibly flavorful.
In this magical world, people commonly used knives and forks for meals, but Xu Xi preferred chopsticks. He had even carved a pair for himself.
Krisha, who initially used knives and forks, became curious after watching Xu Xi use chopsticks and decided she wanted to learn how to use them as well.
Thus, a peculiar scene unfolded in Xu Xi’s house.
While most people were joyfully spending New Year’s Eve with knives and forks, the little witch was earnestly battling with chopsticks, repeatedly fumbling and dropping her food.
She blinked blankly.
“Difficult to use…”
Krisha couldn’t understand why, after over half a month of practice, she still couldn’t master these two small wooden sticks. They were just simple tools, yet they seemed harder to control than magic.
After another ten minutes of effort, the girl finally managed to pick up her first piece of meat with the chopsticks. She exhaled as if she had achieved an ultimate goal.
To her, chopsticks were like lifelong enemies.
Not wanting the food to get cold, Krisha eventually gave up on the chopsticks and returned to her familiar knives and forks, savoring the dishes Xu Xi had prepared.
“Is it delicious?” Xu Xi asked.
“Master, it’s delicious,” Krisha replied, her eyes widening slightly in appreciation.
The clink of knives and forks against plates and the sound of teeth chewing filled the quiet room.
It was clear from her enjoyment that she truly liked Xu Xi’s cooking. But after taking the first bite, she paused and looked at Xu Xi with her empty, expectant eyes.
“Alright, I’ll eat too,” Xu Xi said, smiling as he began eating.
Under the warm light, their shadows—one large and one small—stretched diagonally across the room. The contrast between the bright light and the dark shadows was stark yet harmonious.
The New Year’s Eve dinner for just the two of them was quiet, far less lively than the celebrations in other households across the city.
But Xu Xi felt it was enough.
Wasn’t it enough to have good food and companionship?
The wind howled fiercely against the windows.
Outside, a world of snow blanketed everything.
The once vibrant courtyard, filled with blooming flowers and plants, was now buried under layers of thick snow. Even the withered tree had branches weighed down by heavy snowflakes.
Inside, Xu Xi sat with a cup of hot soup, feeling inexplicably warm. It wasn’t just the house’s steam heating; it was also the presence of the girl sitting beside him.
“It feels like home,” Xu Xi thought as he glanced at the falling snow outside.
He had poured a lot of effort into this New Year’s Eve dinner, wanting to give Krisha an unforgettable celebration. But for just two people, the four dishes and one soup were obviously too much.
Even though Krisha’s demon blood gave her a slightly larger appetite than an ordinary person, they couldn’t finish everything.
After half an hour of eating, there was still plenty of food left on the table.
Krisha stood up to clear the dishes and wash them, but Xu Xi stopped her.
“Wait, Krisha.”
“Master…?”
With a curious expression, the girl watched as Xu Xi retrieved a sea-blue necklace and a gold coin from his space ring.
He placed the necklace in her left hand and the gold coin in her right.
Her expression grew more confused.
Xu Xi explained, “In my hometown, it’s a tradition to give gifts and blessings to children when the old year ends and the new one begins.”
“So, I chose this necklace for you. I think it will suit you well, and the aquamarine beads in it can enhance your water magic.”
“As for the gold coin, it’s your New Year’s money. It symbolizes my wish for your safety and well-being.”
Xu Xi spoke gently, waiting for Krisha to accept the gifts.
But the young witch didn’t take them or refuse them. She just stood there, staring blankly at Xu Xi with her dull, empty eyes.
The room was quiet, but Krisha’s gaze was quieter still—like a fragile mirror, bright yet delicate.
This mirror had been shattered countless times, so often that even Krisha had lost count.
And today, this fragile mirror, these lifeless eyes, reflected only Xu Xi’s figure, filling her entire world.
Her throat felt dry, and after several attempts, she finally managed to speak in a trembling voice.
“Why are you… why… I want… I…”
“Do you need a reason?” Xu Xi asked softly, reaching out to gently pat her hair.
After two months of care, her once straw-like hair was now soft and smooth.
“But… but…”
Her eyes were filled with confusion.
To her, someone like her—a flawed, useless failure—didn’t deserve a gift. She was just an annoying burden meant to be discarded.
Yet here she was, illuminated by the warmth of Xu Xi’s presence, living in the light.
That alone was more than enough.
How could she expect more?
“No buts, Krisha,” Xu Xi interrupted her thoughts, his words as warm as flickering candlelight. They seemed to draw her out of her darkness, making her unconsciously want to get closer.
He continued, “In life, you don’t need to overthink things. There aren’t so many ‘whys.’”
“If you like something, accept it. If you don’t, don’t.”
“Krisha is always well-behaved and hardworking, so I like Krisha and want to give her gifts. If Krisha likes my gifts, just accept them—unless you don’t like them.”
Hearing this, Krisha quickly shook her head and clutched the necklace and gold coin tightly in her hands, expressing her love for the gifts through her actions.
“I love the gifts from Master…”
“Really? That’s great,” Xu Xi said, smiling warmly.
Though Krisha looked quiet and obedient, her expressionless face and vacant eyes still gave off a sense of fragility.
But compared to two months ago, she was much better, wasn’t she?
Xu Xi closed his eyes slightly, recalling the day he first met her.
In a filthy alley filled with sewage, a battered girl with bruises all over her body and a bloodied face had weakly stood before him, her legs trembling in fear.
Back then, Krisha had held a knife and attempted to rob him.
But what Xu Xi saw was a silent cry for help—a desperate plea hidden in her wounds, her fear, and her pain.
“Help me…”
It was a longing for someone to notice her.
A prayer for someone to rescue her from despair.
A silent cry she directed at everyone she encountered.
Xu Xi saw it. He heard it.
And that was why he had saved her.
He couldn’t walk away from the witch who was silently screaming for help.