Pei Nian's wounds are healing day by day, and her body is recovering day by day.
This small village is quiet and peaceful, as if it were isolated from the world. Although it is close to the central city, it does not have the hustle and bustle and strife of the metropolis.
Pei Nian liked the atmosphere here. She often sat in the courtyard watching the wildflowers grow freely, taking a long breath, and listening to the birds sing.
Every time it was mealtime, Huo Jingnan would come and call her on time.
When Pei Nian first saw Huo Jingnan prepare a delicious and visually appealing four-dish-and-one-soup meal, her usually calm face revealed an expression of utter astonishment.
"How is it?" Huo Jingnan hadn't even taken off his apron yet when he was already showing off in front of her, "Try it, it will absolutely change your taste buds!"
"How could you do this? I thought..."
"Did you think I was like those two young masters? That I could blow up the kitchen?" Huo Jingnan laughed.
Last time at the Lu family's house, he deliberately cut the potato shreds that way just so as not to upset Huo Junyu.
"When I first joined the army, I was assigned to the mess hall. Frying, boiling, and cooking were all basic skills!"
Pei Nian stared blankly at him. As soon as he got closer, she could smell the cooking fumes on him.
I don't know who said it, but men are cuter when they're cooking than when they're smoking.
She understood now.
What woman wouldn't want to spend her life with a man as down-to-earth as him?
Besides, those hands of his are for holding sniper rifles...
Pei Nian's face flushed slightly, but the tiny ripples in her heart were like wrinkles on clothes; as soon as they appeared, she smoothed them out with a hot iron.
That evening, Huo Jingnan cooked dinner again and called her back from her daze in the yard.
Pei Nian's legs are still not very nimble, so Huo Jingnan has been carrying her on his back whenever they go out or come in.
Today, he carried her back into the house as usual and carefully placed her on the seat.
"I made fried lotus root cakes," Huo Jingnan said with a smile. "They're fresh lotus roots that the auntie at the edge of the village brought over! Try some."
Pei Nian pursed her lips slightly.
Huo Jingnan was an outgoing person. During his stay in the village, he not only took care of her but also helped the villagers with chores from time to time. As a result, the uncles and aunts here all liked him very much.
Pei Nian remembered that one day, the old lady at the village entrance seemed to want to introduce her daughter to him...
She suddenly felt a little awkward, like she had a sour plum stuck in her throat. She took a bite of the lotus root sandwich, but didn't taste any fresh lotus root fragrance; instead, her mouth was full of vinegar.
She abruptly put down her chopsticks and stared at Huo Jingnan.
Huo Jingnan, feeling her gaze, dropped the lotus root slice he had just picked up into the plate with a thud, and stared back at her with wide eyes.
"W-what's wrong?"
Pei Nian stared at him for a long time, then squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth: "Too sour, not tasty."
Huo Jingnan looked at it honestly, then burst out laughing without a care in the world: "This dish of vinegar is for you to eat with dumplings! Who told you to dip the lotus root slices in it? Hahaha..."
He looked up and met Pei Nian's gaze, instantly stopping his laughter.
Pei Nian looked down and realized she had indeed acted crazy. Why did she put the lotus root slices in the vinegar dish?
"Um...why don't you try something else?" Huo Jingnan pushed the dumplings toward her in a conciliatory manner, and said with a smile, "I originally wanted to make you some crab roe shumai, but crabs are considered very cold in traditional Chinese medicine, and your injuries haven't healed yet, so try to avoid seafood...I'll definitely make it for you when you're better!"
Pei Nian glanced at him, then looked at the plate of dumplings.
She remembered that Huo Jingnan didn't know how to make dumpling filling.
But that auntie at the village entrance knows how! And her daughter knows even better!
And so the faint taste of sour plum in her heart began to ferment little by little...
Huo Jingnan was at a loss because of her cold face. Was there not a single dish on the table that suited her taste?
Thinking it over, he put down his chopsticks and sat there obediently, without moving an inch.
"Pei... Pei Nian." He chuckled, preparing to change the subject, "Right, let's talk about your injury... Why are you so sure it was Cheng Suyue who had someone do it?"
Pei Nian remained expressionless. "She's the most suspicious."
"Just because she once peeked into Uncle Ashan's study?"
"Yes," Pei Nian replied calmly, "and she thinks I'm abnormal. Someone who thinks others are abnormal must have something abnormal about them too!"
"This..." Huo Jingnan was both amused and exasperated.
This is the first time I've heard this logic, but it seems to make some sense.
“However, Pei Nian, forgive my bluntness,” he said, “I didn’t learn your kind of logic in the army. Usually, we think that when everyone thinks someone is abnormal, that person is the abnormal one.”
"But you don't belong to this category at all. Because in everyone's eyes, neither you nor Cheng Suyue are quite normal."
"Oh?" Pei Nian raised an eyebrow. "Are you trying to reason with me?"
"I'm just giving you an analysis..." Huo Jingnan hadn't finished speaking when he met her gaze and immediately changed his words, "Of course, my analysis is definitely wrong. I've been in the army for many years, after all... the knowledge I learned in the army is different from my experience in daily life."
“Yes, that’s good to know.” Pei Nian said, looking down. “Actually, many people think I’m abnormal, but I don’t care. I just want to follow my own heart…”
"Is your heart... filled with the Lu family?" Huo Jingnan asked tentatively. "Or rather, is your heart filled with Xiaoyouzi?"
"Yes," she answered decisively.
"Why?"
Pei Nian lowered her eyelids and remained silent.
"Could you tell me about it? I'm quite curious too." Huo Jingnan smiled. "What's your connection with the Lu family? On Xiaoyouzi's wedding day, you were practically inseparable from her, protecting her like a bodyguard! Even Junyu would be jealous!"
Pei Nian remained silent, picked up a dumpling, dipped it in vinegar, and stuffed it into her mouth.
The filling is actually quite good...
As Pei Nian ate her dumplings, she imagined Huo Jingnan chatting and laughing with the aunt's daughter in the kitchen while they were mixing dumpling filling.
Huo Jingnan, on the other hand, was unaware of her rich inner world and was simply trying to ingratiate himself by talking to her a few more words.
When the topic of how well she treats Xiaoyouzi came up, he kept asking why.
"Why? Pei Nian, why?"
Pei Nian got annoyed, and the jealousy in her heart and mouth started to ferment together. She retorted sharply, "What do you mean 'why'? I like her, okay?!"
Huo Jingnan was stunned, and the food in his mouth suddenly lost its flavor...
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