Jiang Fuyue didn’t seem surprised at all. She picked up her phone, opened it, and sure enough, it was him—
Xie Dingyuan: “Yueyue, Happy New Year!”
Jiang Fuyue replied: “Happy New Year.”
“Are there stars outside?”
Jiang Fuyue turned on the light and glanced out the window. Heavy fog everywhere.
“No.”
“Then is the light on?”
Jiang Fuyue: “It is.”
Xie Dingyuan: “What should I do, I even envy a single lamp right now.”
She replied with a question mark.
Xie Dingyuan: “The light can keep you company, but I can’t. Sorry.”
Jiang Fuyue spoke directly: “Why does this sound a bit mushy?”
The other side replied: “……”
Then he sent over a picture. Jiang Fuyue tapped it open. A diamond lay quietly in the man’s broad palm, refracting a pale white gleam under the sunlight, caught by the camera.
Jiang Fuyue: “?”
Xie Dingyuan: “New Year’s gift. Do you like it?”
Jiang Fuyue: “Why is it a diamond again?”
The next second, Xie Dingyuan video-called her. It was daytime on his side. The man was still wearing protective gear, his face full of marks pressed out by the mask, line after line, some places even red and swollen.
“Do you not like diamonds?”
“Does your face hurt?”
They spoke at the same time.
The next second, Xie Dingyuan smiled. “It doesn’t hurt.”
Back when the virus ravaged the globe, it was far worse than this. He almost stayed in the lab twenty-four hours a day. In between, the protective suit and mask were only taken off once. His whole face was soaked from sweat, half of it inflamed, and he nearly got disfigured.
Jiang Fuyue pressed her lips together. “Hasn’t the protein recombination vaccine already come out? Why do you still need to go into the lab?”
“The later-stage clinical data needs…” Wait. “How do you know the protein recombination vaccine is out?” This was the lab’s latest result and hadn’t been announced publicly yet. It was currently in phase one clinical trials.
Jiang Fuyue pursed her lips. “The supply of inactivated vaccines in the entire region has been continuously declining. Other than making room for the protein recombination vaccine, I can’t think of any other reason.”
Xie Dingyuan was momentarily speechless.
Who knew Jiang Fuyue would continue with another shocking remark. “The reason you were on a mission in Damacheng last time was because the vaccine production line hidden in the church was contaminated, right?”
His expression froze, pupils shrinking sharply. “Yueyue, you…”
“Don’t worry. I didn’t steal any of your secrets. I just guessed by combining local news and domestic official reports.”
“……” What to do when your girlfriend is too smart? Waiting online. Quite urgent.
“Do you not like diamonds?” Xie Dingyuan pinched it between his thumb and index finger and held it up to the camera.
Jiang Fuyue said, “Didn’t you just give one last time?”
“It’s different. This one is bigger, and it’s pink.”
Jiang Fuyue looked closely. It really was pink, just very light. At first glance, it was easy to mistake it for a white diamond.
“I like it,” she said.
Xie Dingyuan broke into a smile. The inflamed areas on his face pulled slightly, stinging a bit, but his expression remained unchanged, showing no sign of it. “As long as you like it.”
“Then when will you bring it back to me? Something that hasn’t reached my hands doesn’t count as a gift.”
“Soon…” he said. In his pitch-black eyes was light overflowing, brighter than the diamond in his hand.
The call ended. Jiang Fuyue placed her phone on the bedside table and soon fell into a deep sleep.
On the other end, Xie Dingyuan sat on the base’s rampart for a long time, looking at the photo of the two of them on his phone, his brows and eyes filled with a smile.
His fingertips brushed over the girl’s smiling face on the screen as he murmured softly, “Yueyue, Happy New Year. Our second year…”
…
In the early morning, just as the sky began to lighten, the house aunt went out to buy groceries.
By the time Jiang Fuyue woke up and got up, went downstairs for breakfast, the aunt not only returned fully loaded but had also prepared breakfast for the whole family.
The first day of 2052 was milk, sandwiches, plus a fried egg.
After breakfast, Jiang Fuyue went out for a walk with the old master.
“Little Liu! Go get Yueyue a scarf! Cashmere!”
Jiang Fuyue added that she should bring the old master’s as well.
“Alright!”
Very soon, the scarves were brought over. Jiang Fuyue first wrapped one around the old master, then looped one around her own neck.
Aunt Liu was very thoughtful. She not only brought scarves, but also gloves for both of them.
After getting dressed, the grandfather and granddaughter went out.
The winter wind was dry and cold, sharp with a hint of desolation and bleakness.
The entire Imperial Capital was shrouded in hazy white fog.
Han Qishan asked about Shi Qingzhi, pretending to be casual.
Jiang Fuyue said, “Grandma is on a business trip in Country Y.”
“On a business trip even on New Year’s Day? I told her already, at her age she should stop tossing herself around, stop tossing herself around, but she just won’t listen. Look at other old ladies, even those younger than her are staying at home peacefully enjoying their later years. She’s the only one who won’t settle down…”
“And what about Old Qin? What’s wrong with him? Why didn’t he stop her? And people say he’s considerate. Considerate my *ss!”
Jiang Fuyue said, “…Grandpa Qin went with her.”
Han Qishan fell silent.
…
Han Heng woke up with a chicken-nest head, completely lacking any superstar demeanor, though that face was still good-looking.
He searched the living room and kitchen and asked Han Shen, “Where’s Yueyue? There’s no one in her room, and she’s not downstairs either. Strange…”
Han Shen shot him a cold glance. “You went into Yueyue’s room again without permission?”
Uh!
“I was just going to call her to get up… right, get up!”
Someone who slept until after ten, skipped breakfast, and went straight to lunch, going to wake someone with regular habits and a precise biological clock?
“Who would believe your nonsense!”
Han Heng: “……” Life is hard, don’t expose it. Thanks.
Just as he was about to run off to ask Aunt Liu, the old master and Jiang Fuyue came back.
Han Qishan got angry the moment he saw his just-woke-up sorry state. “You might as well be a pig!”
Han Heng pouted and muttered softly, “…Is there a pig as handsome as me?”
Jiang Fuyue: “……”
At lunch, the whole family sat together and happily ate a big meal.
In the afternoon, Han Shen and Han Ke went out. Being in the business world, they each had their own networks to socialize with, unlike Han Heng who was so idle.
Jiang Fuyue went upstairs to change clothes, tidied up a bit, and also prepared to go out. “I have an appointment with a friend. I won’t be back for dinner tonight.”
The old master nodded. “Pay attention to safety. Call if anything happens!”
…
While on the road, Jiang Fuyue dialed Ming Yu’s phone. “Happy New Year.”
There was a pause on the other end. Though he tried hard to suppress it, a bit of surprise and delight could still be heard. “Happy New Year!”
“Are you at home?”
“Yes.”
“Do you welcome me?”
“…What?” He was stunned.
Jiang Fuyue said, “I’m coming. Do you welcome me?”
“O-of course! When will you arrive? Have you had lunch? I’ll have Little Zhong go buy…”
Little Zhong was the assistant who lived next door, named Zhong Hao, who had followed Ming Yu from the northwest.
Jiang Fuyue said, “No need. I’ve eaten. About… twenty minutes.”
“Okay.”
Even so, when Jiang Fuyue arrived, there was still a burst of fragrance drifting from the kitchen.
Ming Yu sat in a wheelchair, wearing a shirt and casual pants, his hair neatly combed. A pair of special glasses rested on the bridge of his nose. He usually only dressed like this when going out.
The moment he saw her, the man’s lips curved into a smile. “I made dumplings. Beef and shrimp filling, your favorite.”
