Before she knew it, the first half of the school year was over, and the new year had arrived. Shen Mianmian didn’t know her birthday, only that after this year passed, she would be seventeen years old. This year had been the happiest days of her life across two lifetimes.
Because she had completely severed ties with the Shen family, it also meant that she would have to spend the New Year alone. Aunt Liu wanted to invite Shen Mianmian over for the holiday, but after thinking about Zhou Lanfang’s temperament, she gave up the idea. Still feeling sorry for Shen Mianmian, she made her a pair of new cotton shoes.
He Nan had returned to Beijing around the middle of the twelfth lunar month and had been out of touch ever since. Presumably, he would also be spending the New Year in Beijing.
Lu Siyuan had been thinking about the New Year celebrations even before the holidays began, and he asked Shen Mianmian to spend them at his house. After hesitating briefly, she agreed.
Xiu Min also invited Shen Mianmian to celebrate the New Year together, but since she had already promised Lu Siyuan, she declined the offer. There were only Lu Siyuan’s great-grandfather and Lu Siyuan himself in the Lu family, so it would be more comfortable for her to go there.
On the twenty-ninth of the year, Lu Siyuan specifically drove a bullock cart into town to pick her up. Shen Mianmian tidied up the sanitation at home, put on the military coat that He Nan had given her, and as she stepped out of the house with Lu Siyuan, she saw the door opposite suddenly opened from the inside. He Nan’s tall figure stood upright in the doorway.
Seeing the two of them carrying things, he lifted an eyebrow and asked indifferently, "Planning to go out?"
"Yeah." Shen Mianmian’s eyes involuntarily squinted upon seeing him, "Big Brother He, when did you come back?"
"I arrived last night."
He Nan answered indifferently.
Seeing He Nan, Lu Siyuan felt an uneasy premonition, fearing it would come true. He hurriedly bade farewell to He Nan, "Big Brother He, I’ve come to take Mianmian to my house for the New Year. My grandpa is waiting at home for us to have lunch, so we’ll be going now."
"Mhmm." He Nan nodded slightly, indicating a response to Lu Siyuan’s words.
Lu Siyuan was pleased and just as he was about to help Shen Mianmian close the door and take her away, he heard Shen Mianmian ask, "Big Brother He, are you going out as well?" Follow current ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs on 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵※𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮※𝓷𝓮𝓽
"Not going out," He Nan responded briefly, pausing for a moment before adding, "I was going to ask if you had any hot water, but since you’re in a hurry, never mind."
After saying that, he was about to close the door and enter the house.
Only then did Shen Mianmian notice that he was holding a teacup. She quickly said, "We’re not in a hurry. I’ll pour you some hot water."
Putting the things in her hands at the doorway, she took the teacup from him and turned back into the house. He Nan stepped in following her, both of them completely ignoring Lu Siyuan’s presence.
Lu Siyuan, so frustrated his hair was nearly smoking, followed reluctantly behind them, grumbling, "Shen Mianmian, make it quick. Look at the weather, it might snow if we’re late."
"How long does pouring tea take?" Shen Mianmian retorted impatiently and then filled the teacup, handing it back to He Nan.
He Nan didn’t hurry off; he took a sip of tea from the teacup, then with his other hand formed a fist, covering his mouth to cough.
It was the first time Shen Mianmian had seen him cough like that. With the recent cold weather and his long drive, she asked with concern, "Big Brother He, why are you coughing so severely?"
"Isn’t a little cough normal? What’s there to make a fuss about?" Lu Siyuan said.
At that moment, He Nan mildly replied, "It’s nothing, just a slight cold."
Hearing this, Lu Siyuan added, "I get colds all the time, just drink more hot water and it’ll be fine. If it’s really bad, go to the hospital and get some medicine, sleep it off and it’ll all be gone."