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As it turns out, Meng Zhiling's tomato hot pot was pretty good.
It's sweet and sour, and very appetizing, making your stomach rumble.
Jiang Huali's dining table was a square stone slab table, with prepared ingredients laid out on it. A hot pot stove was placed in the center, and she and Meng Zhiling sat facing each other.
Steam rose and the aroma of food filled the air.
The system secretly flew to Jiang Huali's side, drooling and saying greedily, "I really want to try your human food too."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Huali reached out and secretly moved her plate.
Seeing her movement, the system displayed a series of question marks above its head, asking in confusion: "Why are you moving so far?"
Jiang Huali suppressed a laugh: [I'm afraid your drool will get on my plate.]
system:【? 】
Is there no justice left?!
Since the system came into her life, Jiang Huali has often been amused.
Simply put, these mechanical products are sometimes adorably silly.
Meng Zhiling was cooking beef when he noticed Jiang Huali's eyes crinkling and her lips pursed in a smile. He asked, "What are you laughing at?"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Huali said, "I thought of something funny."
The system's existence is a secret. Imagine if one day someone told you that she actually traveled through time to do a mission, would you think you're crazy or the other person is crazy?
She changed the subject: "Don't you have a dog? If you come to my place for the New Year, who will keep it company?"
Meng Zhiling smiled and didn't press further, replying, "You mean Sprite? My sister found it before, but she still has to go to school, and her family doesn't agree to her having a pet, so she gave it to me."
“She will take Sprite back for a few days during the Chinese New Year.”
Sprite had been a stray for who knows how long when it was found. Meng Chu and her classmates found it on the roadside when they went out to play. Its fur was dirty, matted and yellowed, and it smelled terrible. It was so thin that it was just skin and bones.
Meng Chu's family is very strict, and her father especially hates cats and dogs. If she were to pick up a dirty dog from the roadside and bring it home, she would probably get a severe scolding.
But its big black eyes stared straight at Meng Chu, and she couldn't bear it, so she took the dirty little dog to the vet, and after the check-up, she secretly took it home.
The consequence, of course, was that she got a good scolding, but luckily she had a cousin.
"If you want to see Sprite, why don't you come visit me after the New Year?"
Meng Zhiling scooped up the cooked beef and put some into Jiang Huali's bowl.
Jiang Huali replied, "Okay."
She suggested, "How about the second day of the Lunar New Year?"
Jiang Huali picked up the beef and placed it in the dipping sauce bowl.
The dipping sauce has a moderate level of spiciness. Dipping a slice of tender beef in it is a great pleasure for the taste buds, and the taste goes straight to the stomach.
Meng Zhiling nodded: "Okay, I'll come pick you up then."
Of course, you can't have a hot pot meal without drinks. Although there were two adults eating, they didn't drink alcohol, but only took some drinks they bought at the supermarket earlier that day.
Orange juice, Sprite, soda water.
Neither Jiang Huali nor Meng Zhiling are fond of drinking.
Jiang Huali was uninterested in and disliked smoking and drinking.
Meng Zhiling is a disciplined person who does not indulge in alcohol, which makes people lose their senses. He usually only drinks a little when socializing.
The two chatted and ate, and before they knew it, time had passed.
Most of the time, Meng Zhiling was busy cooking the ingredients, while Jiang Huali focused on eating.
They bought a lot of ingredients, and they ate their fill.
The remaining uncooked ingredients are stored in the refrigerator and will be used for stir-frying another day.
The system could only watch helplessly, looking utterly pathetic.
It wondered again, why can't the system eat?
After dinner, the two cleaned up the mess together.
Jiang Huali carried plates and wiped the table, while Meng Zhiling was responsible for washing the dishes.
Jiang Huali stood to the side watching the other person wash the dishes, and said to the system in her mind: "It feels pretty good to have someone wash the dishes."
"Perhaps there's something else in the human world called a dishwasher," the system said.
Jiang Huali said thoughtfully, "You're right."
The system asked again: [Host, would you date Meng Zhiling?]
Jiang Huali found it somewhat amusing. "You're so concerned about my love life?"
【Yes, yes!】The system nodded vigorously.
Jiang Huali only gave a vague answer: "Perhaps."
...
After everything was tidied up, the two went to wash up separately.
Jiang Huali smelled strongly of hot pot and had also gotten a lot of dust on her body while cleaning today.
She said to Meng Zhiling, "I've already put new shampoo and shower gel in the guest bathroom, and disposable bath towels are in the cabinet. Take them yourself."
Meng Zhiling had previously said she would come to spend New Year's Eve with her, so she bought new toiletries on short notice.
The original owner was always alone, and there was nothing prepared in the house for guests.
Meng Zhiling nodded, "Okay."
Meng Zhiling walked into the guest bathroom. It was small but very clean, with some toiletries on the shelves.
He took the shower gel from the bottle, carefully examined the brand, and secretly memorized it, planning to replace it with his own when he got back.
If the system knew what he was thinking, it would definitely laugh out loud, because it was the system that accompanied Jiang Huali to the supermarket to buy these things.
Jiang Huali's number one rule when buying things: the price must be reasonable.
In short, buy whichever is cheaper.
Jiang Huali went into her room and took a shower in the master bathroom.
After taking a shower, she put on a fluffy nightgown, stood in front of the mirror, haphazardly dried her hair, and picked up the hairdryer to blow-dry her head a couple of times.
Okay, that's about it. Anyway, it's still early, and my hair will dry on its own.
Jiang Huali put down the hair dryer with satisfaction.
Walking into the living room, Meng Zhiling was sitting on the sofa, wearing ordinary black and gray loungewear. His long legs were bent between the sofa and the coffee table, and he was watching the Spring Festival Gala with a remote control in his hand.
Hearing her footsteps, Meng Zhiling turned around and was first attracted by the fluffy pajamas she was wearing.
So cute, I really want to pat her head.
Meng Zhiling then noticed her half-wet hair and said gently, "Would you like to dry your hair first? It's cold."
He still remembered how Jiang Huali caught a cold while filming before, and now that it's winter, being sick is even more unpleasant.
Jiang Huali paused, stared at the other person for two seconds, and wanted to refuse, but in the end she gave in and reluctantly turned back to her room to dry her hair.
Jiang Huali dried her hair and sat down on the sofa.
Meng Zhiling, afraid that she would think he was disciplining her, explained, "I didn't mean to lecture you, I was just worried that you might get sick."
Jiang Huali is not a child anymore, and she won't get angry over such a small thing. She just simply doesn't like blow-drying her hair.
The two sat down together to watch the Spring Festival Gala, drinking beverages, eating fruit, chatting, and occasionally scrolling through their phones.
People started sending red envelopes in the crew's work group, and Jiang Huali grabbed a few.
She had unexpectedly good luck tonight.
She was the luckiest player several times.
Some unlucky people tagged Jiang Huali in the group, saying that whoever had the best luck would be the next to send a red envelope.
Jiang Huali was not stingy either; she sent out several red envelopes in the group, which were snapped up in less than two seconds.
Yun Xin sent Jiang Huali a red envelope via WeChat private message.
Happy New Year, Little Pear!
Jiang Huali also sent a red envelope in return.
【Happy New Year. 】
Yunxin knew a little about Jiang Huali's family situation and knew that Jiang Huali lived alone.
Yunxin asked with concern, "Who are you spending the New Year with?"
Yun Xin went back to her hometown for the Chinese New Year; otherwise, she would definitely have gone to find Jiang Huali.
Jiang Huali replied: 【With a friend.】
Yunxin couldn't help but be a little curious about this "friend," but she didn't ask too many questions.
She just said she would go find Jiang Huali to play when she got back.
Meng Zhiling's phone was also vibrating incessantly; it would probably be overflowing with messages if she opened it.
He glanced at them casually; some were work groups, and others were messages from family and friends.
He replied to each one.
A friend invited him to a family gathering on the first day of the Lunar New Year. [I haven't seen you lately, what have you been up to? Uncle Meng said you didn't fly abroad to visit them, and you haven't come to see us either.]
Meng Zhiling agreed, simply saying, "I have something to do."
Cheng Liu: [What's up? It's not that lousy job of yours again, is it? Is work more important than friends?]
Meng Zhiling: [No.]
Cheng Liu scoffed at this, saying, "Are you perhaps having feelings for someone?"
Meng Zhiling: 【…Hmm.】
Process flow: [?]
When did this happen? Well, you didn't even tell me!
Cheng Liu couldn't help but find it strange. It was a rare sight indeed. He had never seen his blockhead brother ever show any signs of enlightenment.
Meng Zhiling didn't reply to him again. Cheng Liu was extremely curious and scratched his head. Finally, he posted it in his childhood friends' group, asking everyone to join him in scratching their heads.
The countdown to the Spring Festival Gala on TV is in its final ten seconds.
Ten, nine, eight... one.
As midnight struck, a tremendous burst of fireworks erupted outside, and dazzling displays of light illuminated the entire city.
Meng Zhiling pulled out a red envelope from somewhere, handed it to Jiang Huali, and said, "Happy New Year."
Jiang Huali took it and also took out a red envelope she had prepared in advance, replying, "Happy New Year."
After spending the night together to celebrate the New Year, the two went back to their respective rooms to rest.
The system's exclusive little nest is on Jiang Huali's bedside table; it's a simple little bed made up of a cushion and a small blanket.
It doesn't usually hide in Jiang Huali's mind; instead, it prefers to take the form of a small ball of light.
It's funny, actually the system likes to sleep under a blanket, just like a person.
The system lay in its nest, and Jiang Huali took out a small red envelope and placed it under its pillow, saying, "Happy New Year."
Her tone was gentle: "This is your New Year's money."
The system exclaimed in surprise, "I have one too?"
“Even little kids have them.” Jiang Huali touched it.
The system was overjoyed, turning completely red as if it were drunk, and fell asleep contentedly with the red envelopes as its pillow.
Jiang Huali turned off the light, and sleepiness washed over her as she drifted off into a deep dream.
In the room separated by a wall, Meng Zhiling lay on the bed, listening to the faint sounds of fireworks outside, and found herself unable to sleep for a while.
The blanket I was covered with was fluffy and soft, with the lingering scent of laundry detergent and the smell of sunshine.
This is their first New Year together.
There will be many years to come.
Meng Zhiling thought.
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