Yu Xinyan looked at the food in the net bag: "You haven’t eaten either, have you?"
He originally wanted to say he had eaten, but seeing her clear eyes filled with a smile, he nodded honestly: "I had a bun to tide me over."
Yu Xinyan stepped aside a bit: "Then come in and eat with me. There’s too much; I can’t finish it by myself."
He Jinxuan’s heart raced wildly, glancing around to make sure no one saw, and his actions were faster than his thoughts as he stepped into the courtyard.
Yu Xinyan closed the main door and then led him into the house.
He Jinxuan dared not look too much at Yu Xinyan at that moment and reminded her: "Dry your hair quickly, put on an extra layer of clothing, be careful not to catch a cold. I’ll go to the kitchen to make you some ginger sugar water and heat up the food."
After speaking, he hurried out of the room. Despite the cold weather, he broke out in a sweat from that brief moment.
By the time Yu Xinyan had wrung her hair dry and put on a jacket, He Jinxuan’s ginger sugar water was almost ready.
When she came out again, He Jinxuan had adjusted his emotions: "Wait a bit; it’s almost done."
Yu Xinyan pulled a wooden stool to sit down, but He Jinxuan stood up: "Sit by the stove; it’s warmer there."
Hearing these warm-hearted words, Yu Xinyan suddenly asked: "Brother He, why are you so good to me?"
He Jinxuan thought of his good brother Lu Haibo’s words, and suddenly looked up at her directly: "I want to be good to you."
Yu Xinyan was momentarily stunned by his answer, then laughed and continued to ask: "Why?"
He Jinxuan was a bit flustered, but thinking that if he missed this chance, he might regret it for a lifetime: "I like you, and I want to be good to you."
He kept his words simple, then looked at Yu Xinyan fixedly, heart pounding like a drum, waiting for her response.
She didn’t expect him to be so straightforward, but Yu Xinyan wasn’t angry. She briefly recalled their interactions over the past few months and felt that aside from being six years older than her, there was nothing bad to say about He Jinxuan’s character.
At least he was countless times better than the scoundrel Lyu Juncheng. Thinking about her past life’s hardships, she suddenly felt a bit sad, and considering He Jinxuan’s attentiveness, forming a family with someone like him was actually quite nice.
Seeing her remain silent, He Jinxuan was so nervous that his palms were sweating: "Don’t be nervous, just follow your own will. Rest assured, I won’t..."
Before he could finish, Yu Xinyan interrupted him: "If you don’t mind that I still have to go to university, if you’re willing to wait..."
After all, He Jinxuan was already twenty-four. In these times, a man his age would’ve likely had kids running around. Dating would surely aim towards marriage, but she just finished her college entrance exams, and getting married immediately was a bit unrealistic.
Moreover, marriage wasn’t just a matter between two people. She couldn’t marry without understanding everything else clearly, just based on him alone. The bitterness from her past life was unforgettable.
He Jinxuan, excited to the point of flailing his arms: "You agreed?"
Thinking of something, he quickly said: "I don’t mind. I know you still have to study, and I’m willing to wait for you."
Yu Xinyan didn’t expect someone usually so serious to have such a cute side and laughed outright.
He Jinxuan, holding a spoon, kept staring at Yu Xinyan, wanting to hug her but not daring to. The expression and actions were comically awkward.
Yu Xinyan reached out to press down his arm: "Brother He, you know my situation. I dislike people who are fickle, and also those who lack responsibility. Besides, I just finished my college entrance exams, so marriage is impossible for me in the short term. If you can accept that, then we can give it a try."
He Jinxuan placed the spoon on the stove, stood upright: "He Jinxuan, twenty-five, retired soldier, no bad habits, both parents alive, five siblings, family was separated recently, earning seventy-eight yuan per month, with some savings, report complete."
Yu Xinyan burst out laughing: "Who told you to say all that."
Seeing her laughter, He Jinxuan relaxed a bit: "This is my current situation. The family was divided some time ago, and for now, my parents don’t need our support. So aside from Sili and Siyan, there’s no other burden. I promise to be good to you."
Yu Xinyan saw his sincerity and nodded in agreement.
As they both wondered what to say next, Yu Xinyan pointed to the pot on the stove and changed the subject: "The ginger tea is about to boil dry."
He Jinxuan followed her finger, quickly chuckled foolishly, and removed the firewood, scooped out a small bowl, and carefully handed it over: "Have a small bowl first to ward off the chill."