There were other staff members at the lost and found, and the milk tea next to her was given to her by another staff member.

After recovering, thanks to the efforts of Qin Yan, Aunt Lan, and everyone in the Sandalwood Palace, Yun Nuan successfully gained weight. At this moment, the two soft mounds on her cheeks became more and more obvious, making people unable to resist the urge to pinch them.

So when she saw the two staff members staring at her face, Qin Yan quickly came over, interrupted their gaze, and explained her purpose.

Yun Nuan waved lazily, "Hi, Qin Yan."

There was only one bite left on the small cake beside her. She glanced at it and handed it to Qin Yan.

"This is the last bite of the cake, here you go!"

Qin Yan knew perfectly well what the last bite meant. For Yun Nuan, it was like handing over the most important thing to her, and food was of paramount importance to her.

A staff member quickly handed over the large cake, saying, "No need, no need, we have more here. Yunnuan can have some more if she wants."

Their tone was exactly like coaxing a child, and Qin Yan had only ever seen that doting look in their eyes when company executives spoke to their grandchildren in a high-pitched voice.

"Thank you, I've finished eating. I'll just give mine to Qin Yan."

Qin Yan couldn't help but curl up his lips, his eyes full of smugness. Then, under the gaze of the two staff members, he reached out and pinched her cheek. It was indeed chubby and felt very nice.

Seeing the envious and resentful looks from the two staff members, he felt an indescribable joy, almost wanting to stand with his hands on his hips and shout...

"Aren't you envious? Mine is!"

Yun Nuan took the two boxes of chocolates she had just bought from the cart and handed them to the staff.

"Thank you so much! These are the chocolates I bought, they're super delicious! You should try some too, Auntie, Happy New Year!"

These two boxes of chocolates cost a lot of money, but she is always generous to those who are kind to her. Even if she only eats a small piece of cake and milk tea, she will give them her own gift.

The cart contained her groceries after she paid the bill; luckily, they were stuck in her pants, otherwise she really would have had to abandon the cart and run away.

The two aunties exclaimed "Oh my, oh my!" repeatedly, praising Yun Nuan for being so well-behaved and polite. They even returned the gifts, saying that Yun Nuan had said a lot that it was a waste of money to give them the gifts, and that the milk tea and cake were not as expensive as this chocolate, not to mention that Yun Nuan had given each of them a box!

Yun Nuan couldn't argue with the two of them, so she looked at Qin Yan pitifully, trying to get his help. Qin Yan was quite pleased with this, and then spoke to the two of them.

"Thank you for your hospitality earlier. Yun Nuan isn't feeling well and can't eat too much chocolate. These were originally meant to be returned, but she secretly took them with her. If she ate them back, she'd definitely have to go back to the hospital, so it would be a waste to take them back."

Wishing you both a Happy New Year in advance. This small gift is nothing more than a token of my appreciation.

Yun Nuan nodded frantically behind Qin Yan. Qin Yan was right. Taking it back would be a waste. She had just wanted to buy the chocolates on her way out.

Upon hearing the explanation, the two staff members somewhat embarrassedly put the package away. Their eyes, however, couldn't help but linger on Yun Nuan's face; they really wanted to pinch her cheeks.

Qin Yan's eyes darkened, and he subtly blocked their view before pulling the cart and leaving with Yun Nuan.

---------------------

Old Master Qin called Qin Yan a week in advance, but Qin Yan didn't answer even though he saw the call. He knew exactly what the other party was up to.

Speaking of which, it was the old man who pushed Qin Yan's parents to get married. If it weren't for him, the two of them wouldn't have been such a resentful couple for so many years.

This year, all Old Master Qin wanted was for Qin Yan to return to the old house for the Spring Festival. After his car accident last year, Old Master Qin had not allowed him to return to the old house.

Moreover, the Qin family members all harbored their own ulterior motives. Some of them had pursued official careers, and their relationship with Qin Yan was more like a matter of mutual benefit. He didn't want Yun Nuan to get involved in these troublesome matters.

All he wants this year is for the two of them to have a nice New Year.

So this year he simply gave everyone in the Sandalwood Palace a holiday to go home for the Chinese New Year. He was thinking that when Yun Nuan went to study at S University, he would buy another apartment next to S University, and then the two of them could live a life of their own.

This year's New Year is also a good opportunity to get used to life as a couple in advance, and the thought of this gives him a lot of motivation.

----------

On New Year's Eve, after hanging up all the little trinkets Yun Nuan had bought, he started preparing dinner. The open kitchen meant that Yun Nuan could see him as soon as she turned her head.

He was wearing a casual beige coat with a black scarf around his neck, his hair falling to his eyebrows. His sleeves were rolled up, revealing prominent veins in his arms and clearly defined muscle lines. His long, slender fingers were holding a kitchen knife and making incisions on a fish.

Yun Nuan abandoned the television that was on and stared intently at him, leaning against the back of the sofa, completely absorbed in the moment, her eyes sparkling.

"Qin Yan, you're amazing!" Her praise was genuine, but her gaze lingered more on the fish, wondering what kind of fish Qin Yan would make.

"Qin Yan, let me wash the vegetables for you, it'll be faster that way." She finally couldn't resist and ran to the island counter in her cotton shoes to say this.

He raised his eyes and chuckled.

"The TV is on, go play! I'll call you when dinner is ready."

Yun Nuan, unwilling to give up, jogged inside and pointed to the side dishes, asking again.

"I can do all of these things. Let me wash them for you."

Qin Yan placed the fish on a plate, then washed and dried his hands. He lifted her onto the island counter, bringing their eyes level. He gently curved his handsome peach blossom eyes, then nibbled on her earlobe and spoke softly.

"I don't want you to do it yourself. I'm saving your energy. There will be plenty of time for you to do it tonight."

Yun Nuan's body stiffened, and that dense, tingling sensation rose again, causing her neck to involuntarily flush pink. She was already an adult who understood some things, and she immediately grasped Qin Yan's meaning.

Her big, round eyes glared at him. "You pervert! I was just trying to help you, you...you..."

She couldn't finish a sentence and just stared blankly at Qin Yan. Without saying a word, Qin Yan kissed her lips, leaving her even more speechless. She could only hug him tightly.

When Yun Nuan returned to the sofa, her eyes were already brimming with spring-like joy. This time, she obediently watched Qin Yan begin cooking, her movements practiced and skillful, whether it was chopping vegetables or stir-frying them.

Those years abroad were truly tough; otherwise, this pampered young master, who could have lived a life of luxury, would now be proficient in everything from flipping a ladle to washing dishes.