Chapter 32 I want to cook a meal to thank Grandma and him.
At 1 p.m., Huo Nanchen finished his morning clinic hours. During the lunch break, he drove Lin Xili home first.
"Dr. Huo, is it alright to go to the guesthouse? I want to see my grandmother." Lin Xili asked as she got into the passenger seat and fastened her seatbelt.
She wanted to share this good news with Grandma Huo.
"Okay." Huo Nanchen nodded slightly and then started the car.
The car stopped in front of the Blue Snowflake B&B courtyard. Lin Xili unbuckled her seatbelt but did not get out of the car immediately.
She turned her head and looked at Huo Nanchen in the driver's seat. A bright and radiant smile graced her face.
That smile, as if shedding a heavy burden, was pure joy from the bottom of her heart.
"Dr. Huo, thank you." Her voice was light and full of gratitude. "I'm really better now."
Huo Nanchen paused slightly as he was about to shift gears. He turned his head and his gaze fell on her face.
This was the first time he had seen Lin Xili smile, a smile so unreserved and without any gloom.
Those light brown eyes, which had once been veiled in mist, were now sparkling, like gems washed by a stream, shimmering with captivating brilliance.
Her whole being became more vibrant and tender because of that smile.
She is no longer the shadow that cowers in her protective shell; she is no longer aloof and distant.
Huo Nanchen stared at her for a few seconds, a very faint ripple passing through his deep eyes, which he himself did not notice.
But he quickly looked away and simply nodded: "Okay. Go back and get some rest."
Lin Xili pushed open the car door and walked briskly towards the fence gate.
Huo Nanchen watched her graceful figure disappear through the door.
He shifted gears again, turned the car around, and drove straight back to the health center without stopping.
As soon as Lin Xili entered the door, she saw Grandma Huo sitting in a rocking chair in the living room, picking vegetables.
"Grandma!" Lin Xili exclaimed excitedly.
She walked a few steps to Grandma Huo, reached out her hands, and hugged the old woman tightly.
Hug Grandma, who has always given her warmth and care.
Grandma Huo was taken aback by this sudden display of affection, but then a loving smile blossomed on her face.
She gently patted Lin Xili's back: "Oh my, why is our Xili so happy today?"
"Grandma, I'm all better!"
Lin Xili loosened his embrace, looked into his grandmother's eyes, and said earnestly:
"The test results are in, and all the values are normal. I haven't developed hypothyroidism. Dr. Huo said my hyperthyroidism is cured!"
"Really? That's wonderful, that's wonderful!" Grandma Huo's eyes welled up with tears upon hearing this.
Wrinkled hands reached out and tightly grasped Lin Xili's hands.
"Grandma knew you'd get better. That kid Nan Chen has a lot of other flaws, but he's got a knack for treating this kind of illness!"
“However,” Lin Xili added, recalling the doctor’s instructions, “Dr. Huo said that I can’t eat seafood for the next three months to consolidate the treatment.”
"If you can't eat it, you can't eat it. Your health is the most important thing." Grandma Huo patted the back of her hand to comfort her. "As long as you get better, that's more important than anything else."
Grandma Huo was genuinely happy for herself, and Lin Xili felt a warm current almost overflowing in her heart.
In this home, she felt a long-lost sense of pure love.
"Grandma, today...can you teach me how to cook a meal?"
"Huh?" Grandma Huo was stunned again, not quite understanding.
For the past month, she had taken Huo Nanchen and her grandmother's care for granted, while she had never fulfilled her duties as a wife. She sincerely cooked a meal to express her gratitude to Huo Nanchen and her grandmother.
“For the past few months, you and Dr. Huo have been taking care of me and cooking for me. Now that I'm better, I'd like to cook a meal myself to thank you, and also... thank him.”
She said "thank you" with a slight blush on her cheeks.
The "he" in question naturally refers to Huo Nanchen.
Grandma Huo was taken aback when she saw the rare shyness on her face, but then a brighter smile appeared on her face.
"Okay, okay!" Grandma Huo readily agreed. "Grandma will teach you. What do you want to learn?"
"Just...just some simple home-style dishes will do. I...I don't know anything, so I'll start by learning the simplest things."
She simply wanted to express her gratitude and didn't want to seem too ulterior motive, especially not to make Huo Nanchen think she had ulterior motives, thus avoiding any unnecessary misunderstandings.
"Okay, home-cooked food is good!"
Grandma Huo smiled and took Lin Xili's hand, leading her towards the kitchen.
"Let's start with washing and chopping vegetables. Grandma will pass on all my skills to you today!"
In the kitchen, sunlight streamed in through the window, illuminating the gleaming stovetop.
Lin Xili put on the apron that her grandmother had found, and her grandmother stood beside her, patiently instructing her.
"These green vegetables, you have to break them like this, look, along this grain..."
"The potato shreds need to be cut evenly for them to taste good when stir-fried. You need to use this kind of force with your wrist..."
"The meat slices should be cut against the grain, and marinated with some cornstarch to make them tender..."
Lin Xili was very focused on learning. Her hands, which were used to holding a scalpel quickly and accurately, seemed a little stiff and unresponsive when holding a kitchen knife.
The potato shreds were cut unevenly, and the meat slices were also of varying thicknesses.
But she didn't get annoyed at all, and tried again and again, with fine beads of sweat appearing on her forehead.
Grandma Huo watched from the side, her eyes full of love and satisfaction.
She wasn't looking at Lin Xili's clumsy knife skills.
What she saw was the precious sentiment of wanting to express gratitude.
"Yes, yes, that's it. Take your time. No rush..."
"Wow, this slice is great!"
"Sprinkle the salt like this, evenly..."
The kitchen was filled with Grandma Huo's gentle instructions, the sound of running water, and the sound of chopping vegetables.
Occasionally, Lin Xili would let out a soft exhale when she made a small improvement.
The sound carried a sense of accomplishment.
Lin Xili looked at the ingredients on the counter. They weren't perfect after she had processed them with her own hands, but she felt a sense of satisfaction.
This was a completely different sense of accomplishment than when she completed an autopsy.
It's more down-to-earth and full of the warmth of life; she's trying to integrate into the home that gave her a new life in her own way.
The evening glow began to paint the sky red.
Several seemingly ordinary home-style dishes, though made with heartfelt care, were finally placed on the table.
Stir-fried seasonal vegetables, garlic sprouts with sliced pork, and scrambled eggs with tomatoes.
There was also a pot of winter melon meatball soup bubbling away.
Lin Xili took off her apron, looked at the table full of food, and breathed a sigh of relief.
I'm both nervous and excited.
She didn't know how Huo Nanchen would react when he returned and saw this meal.
But she knew this was an important step she had taken, a crucial step toward a new life.
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