On New Year's Eve, Yun Xi stayed home with her family to make dumplings and help prepare the New Year's Eve dinner.
It has been more than six months since she came back. This was the first time that she had ever felt the real vibe of New Year's. Instead of fighting and scheming, the family all sat together and helped each other out.
She had been a little absentminded all day long. Mu Feichi had only told her that everything was going well. Although she knew that she shouldn't worry about the situation he was in, she still felt a little bit distressed that he couldn't come back for New Year's.
She finally understood how hard the lives of soldiers were. On such a cold day, they still have to be outside, pursuing criminals. They can't go home for a holiday meal. Just thinking about it made her feel sad.
After they had finished their New Year's Eve dinner, she used the excuse that she had to go study to go back to her room. The group of people downstairs gathered to play mahjong and watch the Spring Festival, Gala, on television. She wasn't interested in drinking tea and snacking and chatting.
Yun Haozhe had brought some test questions from the biology competition for her to study. Seeing how diligent he was being, even during the New Year's celebrations, Yun Xi felt somewhat impressed.
After completing three test questions in a row, they noticed that it was almost midnight. The people in their neighbourhood had the habit of counting down and setting off fireworks to welcome the new year at midnight.
Listening to the sounds of fireworks outside, she glanced at the clock on the table. It was already past midnight.
The new year has arrived. She had been in the countryside for the past few years, and the New Year celebrations there had made a deep impression on her. Although the countryside was poor, there were many much more interesting customs there.
She still remembered the events of her childhood. Although she had been bullied by the sisters Liang Xinyi and Liang Danyi, in a sense, compared to all the scheming in Jingdu, she had been happier during those years.
As the celebrations came to an end, Yun Haozhe followed his parents back to their villa. Yun Xi was wrapped in a thick cashmere coat as she stood by the window watching the bright lights outside. The red lanterns reflected the New Year's merry and lively atmosphere.
The snow outside had stopped. At the sentry post outside the compound, a black car slowly passed through.
The car slowed down as it passed by the door of the Yun family's house. Mu Feichi got out of the car quickly. The car did not stop. It turned around a corner and drove to the entrance of the courtyard.
Along the drainage pipe, dimly lit in the night, a dark figure quickly climbed onto the balcony of the third floor. He looked at the person standing by the window in the soft light of evening. A gentle smile appeared on his handsome face.
He raised his hand and knocked on the window, and the person who heard the sound suddenly turned her head. The moment she saw him, a bright smile that was more beautiful than the fireworks exploding in the night sky appeared on her face.
Yun Xi quickly ran to the balcony and opened the door to let him in. The man who had just rushed back from Y City entered the warm, dry room.
He was still wearing his camouflage uniform. His body feeling icy still, he pressed her tightly in his arms.
With her nose pressed against his hard chest, Yun Xi could smell his faint musky fragrance.
For a moment, she suddenly felt as if he was like a soldier who had just returned from the battlefield, embracing the beloved in his arms and celebrating the glory after the bloodshed and using her warmth to block out all the darkness and coldness outside.
In the early morning of the first day of the new year, he had suddenly returned and appeared in her room. She had forgotten what kind of reaction she should be showing, but raised her hands to hug him and said in a voice muffled by his arms, "Young Marshal, I wish you good luck for the new year!"
Mu Feichi chuckled. He tilted his head to kiss her on the cheek. His thin lips planted a big kiss on her warm, soft cheeks.
Then he let go of her and took out a red envelope, which was folded into several layers and already wrinkled from his pocket. He flattened it out and handed it to her. There was a soulful and affectionate look in his eyes.
"Babe, I wish you luck for the new year also."
Following tradition, he had come back just to give her a red envelope for New Year's and to give her a New Year's greeting.
Yun Xi looked down at the crumpled red envelope in her hand, then looked up at the man in front of her. She felt inexplicably distressed and touched at the same time.
He had rushed back all this way on New Year's Eve just to give her a red envelope and pay her a New Year's greeting.
This man was adorably straightforward, and the more he was like this, the more she felt attracted to him.
Gritting her teeth, she took a deep breath, and after a while, she smiled and said, "Young Marshal, why are you back? Did you catch Crocodile?"
"We're still searching for him. Didn't you say that you would give me your New Year's greetings on the first day of the Lunar New Year? I will go home and wait for you to come and give me a New Year's greeting."
"Wouldn't it be the same if I simply called you to offer you a New Year's greeting?"
"How can that be the same? I want you to come and greet me in person."
More importantly, he wanted to see her as much as possible.
This was the first New Year's they would be able to spend together since they had met. He'd missed many of the firsts in her life. Since he'd appeared in her life, he wanted to take possession of all her firsts.
To satisfy him after he'd come back all this way to listen to her New Year's greetings, Yun Xi deliberately said a few more New Year greetings, which amused Mu Feichi.
"Young Marshal, have you eaten yet? It takes at least three or four hours to get back from Y City by car and plane, right?"
"Not yet, but I missed the New Year's Eve dinner anyway, so whatever..."
"Let me cook some dumplings for you. There are dumplings downstairs, so you wait here. I will cook them for you."
"Okay." Mu Feichi nodded, watched her go out, then turned around and sat down in her chair. He flipped through her class notes on the table.
After a while, Yun Xi brought up a bowl of steaming dumplings. Mu Feichi looked at the steaming dumplings in front of him, and his eyes were moistened by their heat.
After so many years, ever since his mother had died, no one had cooked dumplings for him.
Yun Xi was the first one. She was gentle and caring, worthy of being his future wife.
The life he'd envisioned, the person he wanted to be with, was now beside him.
It was she who had made him feel that his life of risking death on the battlefield had gradually gained a different meaning.
Because he now had something to look forward to. He no longer looked upon death as going home but had become more cautious and thoughtful when dealing with events.
Now she was his pillar.
He had already put her on the same scale as the country. No matter when or where she would be an inseparable part of him.
"What are you sitting there in a daze for? Eat!" Yun Xi took a small dish of vinegar from the tray and pushed it in front of him.
"I made these dumplings. They look ugly, but they taste pretty good. I added few herbs to them. The family didn't eat them because they didn't like the taste."
"I will taste them." Lowering his head, he picked up his chopsticks and tasted her dumplings. They were indeed very special and different from what he had eaten before.
He finished the large bowl of dumplings quickly. Even after having dinner on the plane, he was sure that that food hadn't been as delicious as these dumplings had tasted in his mouth.
Yun Xi had gone down to the kitchen and cleaned up the dishes. Then she went upstairs to her room. She looked at the man who had fallen asleep in her chair.
Perhaps it was because his clothes and coat were all dirty, but he hadn't climbed into the bed as he usually did but had fallen asleep leaning back in the chair. His handsome face looked full of fatigue.
To hunt down Crocodile and let everyone celebrate New Year's with peace of mind, they probably hadn't rested for several days. As soldiers, they bore heavy responsibilities and obligations.
She sighed slightly and walked forward. Her cold little hands touched his face. Mu Feichi was always on the alert, so he woke up quickly.
"You can take off your clothes and have a good rest or go back to Mu Mansion."
It was rare that she didn't try to drive him away. Of course, Mu Feichi wouldn't be so stupid as to miss this opportunity to be with her by running back to Mu Mansion. He quickly took off his jacket and pants, picked up the quilt, and climbed into the bed.
Yun Xi looked at how eager he was to get into her bed and knew that he had been playing the pity card. She wanted to bite off her tongue.
After looking at him for a long time, she crawled into the other side of the bed and lay down. Facing away from the man behind her, her nerves tightened and she didn't dare move.
Even if she didn't move, it didn't mean that the man behind her wouldn't move.
Mu Feichi immediately approached her. He rested his chin on her shoulder and his big powerful hands clasped her slender waist.
"Honey, who are you going to pay a New Year's greeting visit to today?"
Today was the first day of the Chinese New Year. According to Jingdu's customs, most people chose this time to go out to pay their New Year greetings visits to relatives and friends.
Yun Xi's body was completely tense, and she didn't move an inch. She said in a sullen voice, "I'm going to visit the Chen family and the Jiang family to give my New Year's greetings."
"All right, but get home early. Don't stay outside for too long. I don't want to see you hanging out too long with Chen Yichen or Jiang Henglin. It's upsetting to me."
"You won't see it anyway, so what's upsetting about it?"
"I just don't like it, okay?"
"..." Fine, whatever you say...
"I'm going back to Y City tomorrow. I might be busy until I catch Crocodile. Don't run around a lot in Jingdu."
"Hmm..." Yun Xi closed her eyes and murmured.
"Wait for me to come back."
"Of course..."
He didn't know if she had fallen asleep yet, but he turned and kissed her on the neck. Then he didn't move anymore. He simply closed his eyes and hugged her to sleep.
He had been hunting down Crocodile and his group of mercenaries for several days, and none of the three special forces teams he'd taken with him had had any good rest.
Because Crocodile had entered the country again, they couldn't go home for New Year's. This account would be settled after he catches Crocodile!
...
On New Year's morning, when Yun Xi woke up, Mu Feichi was no longer by her side. She turned and glanced at the crumpled red envelope on the bedside table. She didn't open it but pulled out her safe from under the bed. She put the red envelope in the safe and locked it.
Today, she was going to visit the Jiang family and the Chen family to offer her New Year's greetings. Her second aunt had lent her a driver to take her to their homes.
Yun Xi took the medicine for the treatment of cold uterine pregnancy and various gifts and went straight to the Jiang family's home.
At the door of the Jiang family's home, the butler respectfully welcomed her into the house. As soon as she entered the living room, she saw Grandfather Jiang and Grandmother Jiang sitting there. Grandmother Jiang was still as hostile as ever. When she saw Yun Xi, she snorted coldly and turned her head away as if she didn't want to even see her.
Jiang Qilin was also there, and he couldn't help but notice her.
For this New Year's day, she was wearing a red wool beret, a red-and-white houndstooth wool coat with a large collar, and a maroon turtleneck sweater. She looked festive, charming, and alluring.
At her young age, there wasn't the slightest bit of gloominess on her vivacious face and her eyes were so clear that actually, no one could help to stare at her.
It was no wonder that the haughty Young Marshal was attracted to her. He probably wasn't the only one who was attracted to a girl like her.
"Grandpa Jiang, Happy New Year! I wish you good health and good luck for the New Year."
"Good, good! Little Yun Xi, I didn't expect you to be the first one to pay me New Year's greetings this year. Grandfather Jiang is very happy."
Grandfather Jiang took out the prepared red envelope from his coat and handed it to her while saying a few words of blessing.
Yun Xi took it politely, bowed to the old man, then politely greeted the old lady who was disdainful of her.
She treated others how others treated her.
Jiang Henglin, who had heard something was going on, came down from upstairs. When he saw Yun Xi, his facial expression suddenly became unsightly. He snorted coldly and walked over to the sofa to sit down.
Although he doesn't like this girl, she still insists on appearing in front of him. How annoying!
Jiang Henglin thought that since he had come into the room, Yun Xi would say a few words to please him, but, unexpectedly, the girl never looked at him from beginning to end.
It could even be said that she was treating him as if he were invisible. Even when Jiang Qilin spoke to her, she responded, but when Jiang Henglin was about to speak, she got up and left.
"Let me go with Miss Yun. I just happen to be going out also, so I will pay a New Year's visit to my master on the way."
Grandfather Jiang heard that he was going to pay a New Year's greeting to his comrade-in-arms. Since his son was a classmate of his, he didn't say anything further and nodded.
After leaving the Yun family's house, Yun Xi watched Jing Yi place Jiang Qilin in the car, then fold the wheelchair and put it in the trunk. She suddenly felt a little at a loss for words.
After getting in the car, she turned to look at the man in formal wear of a black wool coat and black casual suit. He looked no different from a normal person.
He was handsome, elegant, and personable. He could be said to be a suave young man. This man was capable of becoming a big shot in the business world, yet his crippled legs are his Achille's heel.
Jiang Qilin saw her staring at his legs and couldn't help but chuckle. "Miss Yun, you're still so curious about my legs?"
"Yes." Yun Xi nodded. She met Jiang Qilin's smiling eyes with a serious expression without any evasiveness.
"From the Young Marshal, I learned about the specifics of your leg injury, and I also learned about your previous rehabilitation situation. But I don't know your situation for the past two years. From your knee reflex that I noticed at the banquet, I can see that your legs aren't completely crippled. The nerves on the legs are still responsive. For example, for the knee reflex, all nerve conduction pathways from receiving stimulation to reaction, including sensory afferent nerves, nerve central effectors, etc., are connected to the spinal cord and grey matter. If neurons establish synaptic connections with motor neurons, they will trigger action potentials. There is no problem with your nerves in this regard."
Jiang Qilin narrowed his eyes. She spoke so professionally that he didn't understand her very clearly. He asked calmly, "Can Miss Yun make things clearer?"
As Jing Yi drove the car, he also pricked up his ears to listen to the conversation behind him.
"It means that it should be possible for you to recover from your leg injury, and it would be possible for you to stand up in the future. However, I need specific information about your rehabilitation during the past two years. After seeing what your program was, I can determine the specific possibility of recovery."
Mu Feichi didn't have any information about his rehabilitation during the past two years. She didn't know whether it was because he had given up hope and didn't do any more checkups or if the information had been destroyed.
If she isn't able to understand the complete situation, she can't determine how likely he is to be cured, and she can't give him any hope either.
Jiang Qilin seemed to be shocked by her words. Slightly stunned, he raised his head and said, "I haven't gone for a checkup in the past two years, so I don't know what the situation is."
Yun Xi blinked. But before she could even speak, Jiang Qilin asked eagerly, "You mean, my legs may still be able to heal? Could I still stand up?"
"Everything depends on your current examination. If you can contact your attending doctor and orthopaedic surgeon, have them do an examination, then you can show me the examination report so I can give you my detailed judgment."
"Okay, I'll take care of it!" Jiang Qilin raised his eyes to look at Jing Yi and said, "Jing Yi, contact Dr Lu. We will go over for a checkup later today."
"I'm going to the Chen family's house to pay the Old Madame a New Year's visit. You can contact me after the report comes out."
"You..." Jiang Qilin looked at her with some uncertainty. For fear that she was just saying things on a whim and didn't intend to treat his legs, he couldn't help asking, "You're sure you can cure my legs?"
"Your legs can be treated with Chinese medical acupuncture and moxibustion, but the situation all depends on your examination report. I will try my best if there is even the slightest hope."
"Okay, I see. Thank you in advance."
When it came to the Shen family's New Year's greetings, several of the Shen gentlemen were there in the living room. They were probably waiting for her to arrive, Yun Xi was taken aback to see the crowd.
The Shen family's rarely seen Second Master, Shen Ziyuan, was also there. This man was famous in the business world. In her last life, Yun Xi wanted to establish ties with him but never had the opportunity to do so.
She was in awe of how in this life, she could establish ties with a distinguished family like the Shen family.
The Old Madam made her stay for lunch at the Shen family's house. Yun Xi looked at the time and couldn't refuse. She had no other choice.
She stepped out after lunch. Shen Yichen personally sent her to the door and gave her a red envelope with a hundred yuan in it. "Yun Xi, this is a New Year red envelope for you."
"Thank you, Eldest Heir." Yun Xi looked at the plain paper, red envelope and was a little surprised.
"You don't need me to send you back home?" Shen Yichen looked at her and was reluctant to let her go back so early.
Since he was off from work because of the New Year's, Shen Yichen was feeling bored and restless. Seeing Yun Xi come to visit his family made him feel calmer.
"No, the driver's car is already at the door. I can just take the driver's car and go back."
Shen Yichen reluctantly let her get in the car and watched her drive out of the villa area. He just stood there for a long time, not wanting to move away.
Outside the villa, Jiang Qilin's car was already waiting at the door and seeing Yun XI's car driving out, he ordered Jing Yi to drive over.
After being stopped, Yun Xi looked at the car outside, then at Jing Yi, who got out of the driver's seat. She told her driver to go off without her. She then climbed into Jiang Qilin's car.
After she got in the car, Jiang Qilin handed her a kraft paper bag. "This is the inspection report that just came out. Take a look."
Yun Xi knew that he didn't want to delay even for a moment, so she quickly opened the paper bag and looked through it.
She looked at the thick pile of paper carefully. All these reports would take many weeks for ordinary people to get their hands on. Jiang Qilin got it in only a few hours. Rich people had a lot of backdoors.
The specific recovery situation was much better than she expected. Although he had given up hope and hasn't been doing any rehabilitation in the past two years, the hard work of the previous year had built a good foundation for him.
Coupled with Jing Yi's care, his leg muscles did not atrophy, so with her continued treatment, he will very likely be able to stand up!
"The situation is better than I expected. According to this inspection report, I can tell you that the chance of you being cured is 70%, but it also depends on your perseverance. I think that since Oldest Young Master Jiang has experienced so much, perseverance shouldn't be a problem for you, right?"
"As long as I can stand up, I don't care what the price is. Miss Yun. As for what you want, I can fulfil it."
Yun Xi shrugged. "I don't lack anything so far. To treat your leg, you just need to prepare everything I need."
"That is no problem. Just tell Jing Yi what you need, and he will prepare everything."
"Okay." Yun Xi asked Jing Yi for a pen and paper, then wrote down the most likely needed things one by one, and added her phone number along the way.
"This treatment might take a long time, and it also depends on how well you recover. Oldest Young Master Jiang, you might need more patience."
"After so many years, I no longer care about the length of time!"
"Alright, let's start the day after tomorrow. I don't have any plans to go out during the New Year anyway. However, I will need to travel abroad to receive an award in a week. The treatment time cannot be interrupted. You..."
"I will let Jing Yi book the plane ticket, and I will come with you."
Yun Xi thought about it for a while, then nodded. "Being away means things might get a little problematic. So you'll need to endure some trouble."
"You're the one going through the trouble!" Jiang Qilin smiled, took a red envelope from his pocket, and handed it to her, "Happy New Year!"
"Thank you, Oldest Young Master Jiang!" Everyone treated her as a child anyway and gave her new year's money, so she had no reason to refuse!