After Rong Dai was discharged from the hospital, it took her three full days to fully recover.
When she opened her eyes and saw Huo Shao Ting beside her, a warm smile appeared on her charming face. She reached out and drew back the curtains, looking at the snow flurries outside.
"It's cold out, be careful not to catch a chill."
Huo Shao Ting didn't know why, but he opened his eyes, pulled up the quilt, and turned over to cover her properly, hugging her in his arms.
Rong Dai turned her head to look at him and said with a smile, "It's snowing outside, so the New Year must be coming soon."
"Yeah, Granny will be back soon too. She called yesterday," the man replied lazily.
Rong Dai drew back her gaze, leaning against him as she left the curtains open just a crack to watch the falling snow. A warmth filled her heart.
"Shao Ting, this is the first new year of my new life."
During those ten years in the cold palace, although she had not been deposed as Empress, she had not been granted the honor of attending the reunion feast.
For ten whole years, all she heard was of other people's new years.
Meanwhile she could only be alone in the cold, bleak palace, burning paper money for her dead clansmen to try to alleviate her guilt.
For ten whole years, she hadn't slept a single peaceful night.
She didn't know what this new year would be like.
In the past she hadn't dared to hope, but now heaven had given her this chance.
Sometimes people are like this - the greater their hopes grow, the more they will unconsciously begin to aspire to many wonderful things.
Huo Shao Ting's eyes grew profound. Her words resonated deeply with him.
Husband and wife lay in bed looking at the snowy scene, both feeling especially warm and peaceful.
The so-called tranquil times meant simply that your beloved happened to be by your side, nothing more.
Rong Dai was lost in her thoughts when she suddenly realized Huo Shao Ting's breathing had grown ragged. By the time she noticed, he had already pinned her down.
"Shao Ting, you..."
Rong Dai was furious, shooting him a coy yet angry glance with her beautiful eyes, but her heart was burning hot...
The next time Rong Dai awoke, it was already evening.
The aroma of dinner dishes wafted in from the dining room, causing her traitorous stomach to growl loudly.
She crawled out of bed, but her legs were sore and weak. She threw an irritated punch into the silken quilt but couldn't restrain the smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
"I stewed bird's nest for you, drink it first. There are two dishes left to finish," she heard Huo Shao Ting say as she emerged from the bedroom. He was wearing an apron and holding a ladle.
Rong Dai went to sit at the dining table. Looking at the steaming bird's nest before her, then back at the man bustling about in the kitchen, she couldn't help but recall her first impression of him.
He had been so cold and aloof, without the slightest hint of worldliness about him. And now for her sake he was actually wielding a ladle in the kitchen.
She took a sip of the bird's nest. Seeing the sumptuous spread on the table, her eyes grew dark.
These past few days Shao Ting had been taking care of her. Huo Mei Shu and Huo Shao Jie had occasionally sent her messages but she hadn't seen them in person.
After finishing the bird's nest, she went into the kitchen and looked at him with smiling eyes, catching from the corner of her eye ingredients that hadn't yet been put in the fridge.
"What else do you want to eat?"
He glanced up at her before she could say anything, already guessing her intention.
Rong Dai smiled softly. In a wheedling tone she quickly listed off several dish names.
Huo Shao Ting frowned, casting a hesitant glance at the dining table. He seemed about to say something but held back.
Seeing that she still didn't have her full health back, and that she rarely showed interest in eating anything these days, he nodded in acquiescence.
"Go wait on the sofa, it'll be ready soon."
As he cooked, he didn't forget to admonish Rong Dai.
Rong Dai obediently nestled into the sofa and watched him wash vegetables and cook, occasionally picking up her phone from the coffee table. She sent messages to both Huo Mei Shu and Huo Shao Jie, asking them to come eat dinner.
When Huo Mei Shu and Huo Shao Jie received her messages, they were both a little doubtful.
After all, their eldest brother was still here.
Huo Mei Shu was a bit bolder. She called Rong Dai directly.
Rong Dai took the call and spoke to her sister-in-law normally, not avoiding Huo Shao Ting.
Naturally Huo Shao Ting overheard this from the kitchen, but he didn't say anything.
After Rong Dai hung up with Huo Mei Shu, she went into the kitchen again and looked at Huo Shao Ting apprehensively, "Shao Ting, you're not mad at me for taking matters into my own hands, are you?"
Huo Shao Ting shot her an annoyed glance. "You've already told them. Now that they're on their way, can I still kick them out?"
Of course he still remembered what she'd said at the hospital that day.
And just now she had deliberately added more dishes to the menu, so he had already guessed her intention.
In any case, several days had passed since the incident. Having them over for dinner wasn't a bad idea. He would have to remind them again.
Rong Dai smiled and started rolling up her sleeves. "Let me help wash the vegetables."
Huo Shao Ting grabbed her slender arm to stop her. "You go rest."
Seeing that he was serious and stern, and that she did indeed feel a little unwell, Rong Dai didn't insist further. She obediently nestled into the sofa to watch him wash vegetables and cook.
After the phone call with Rong Dai, Huo Mei Shu also called Huo Shao Jie. The siblings confirmed repeatedly before pressing the doorbell to Rong Dai's apartment half an hour later.
These past few days, afraid that Huo Shao Ting was angry and unwilling to see her, Huo Mei Shu had gone to stay in a hotel by herself.
Rong Dai went to open the door. Seeing the apprehension on both their faces, she took out slippers for them.
"It's fine, Shao Ting made a lot of dishes on purpose."
She reassured them.
Huo Mei Shu and Huo Shao Jie simultaneously glanced toward the kitchen. Indeed they saw Huo Shao Ting still cooking in there.
"Come in first."
Seeing that they were stuck in the doorway and wouldn't enter, Rong Dai added.
The siblings exchanged a look before finally changing their shoes and coming inside.
They had just sat down when Huo Shao Ting came out of the kitchen carrying dishes. His deep gaze swept over them.
Instantly, Huo Mei Shu and Huo Shao Jie felt their scalps tingle. On instinct they stood up at the same time, like children who had done something wrong in front of a parent.
Rong Dai: "..."
Was he always like this at the Huo household?
A tyrant?
She felt a little sympathy for her sister-in-law and brother-in-law's past life.
She shot Huo Shao Ting a glare. She had invited them over to eat, not to be lectured.
Catching his wife's "decree", Huo Shao Ting's gaze softened. He withdrew his own and said, "Go wash your hands."
Then he turned and went back into the kitchen to hang up the apron he'd taken off.
Huo Shao Jie and Huo Mei Shu hurriedly went to wash their hands. When they returned and saw husband and wife already seated, they obediently went to sit down.
Rong Dai surveyed this awkward atmosphere between the three siblings and internally sighed helplessly. At this rate they wouldn't even be able to drink water, let alone eat.
She picked up her chopsticks first, then urged Huo Shao Jie and Huo Mei Shu, "Shao Jie, Mei Shu, eat."
"Thank you, sister-in-law."
The two spoke in unison.
Rong Dai looked meaningfully at Huo Shao Ting. Only then did the man pick up his chopsticks and start eating.
