Chapter 107: A New Year

  In the afternoon, bursts of firecrackers began to be heard outside the ward.

  New Year's Eve is just around the corner.

  Song Jian could only lie in bed like an infant, his head slightly propped up, staring at the 55-inch LCD TV in front of him. In fact, even this slight movement would make him ache unbearably. The TV was showing various local customs for celebrating the New Year, and the program also mentioned how people celebrated Spring Festival in ancient times.

  Song Jian's mouth curled up, although this report was not true, but the content on TV still reminded him of the scene when he spent the Spring Festival in the Song Dynasty. At that time, every year on this day, it was always Xiuer's busiest time, cutting window flowers, pasting couplets, and wrapping dumplings. Song Jian would sit at his desk, writing about the events of the past year. After eating dumplings, the two of them would hold hands and walk onto the main street to watch fireworks performances, lantern festivals, and dance performances...

  As I thought about it, a tear fell down.

  "It's all in the past, my life is here," Song Jian hastily stopped his thoughts, he slightly turned his head, looking at busy Xu Si.

  Xu Si was also busy at this moment, she held a green paper cutout in her hand, stepped on a stool, and wrapped it around the lamp in the ward. The thin sweater outlined Xu Si's beautiful figure, when she stretched out her arms and bent over, Song Jian could see the plump and protruding buttocks wrapped under the pencil pants.

  Song Jian suddenly felt a little moved, he was thinking that sneaking a peek like this might be a bit shameless, but then again, this woman is his fiancée after all, not to mention looking, touching her would also be okay. Hmm, alright, can't touch her for now, but there will definitely be opportunities in the future.

  Xu Si wiped away his sweat, and the colored paper in his hand had just been arranged halfway.

  Song Jian smiled and said, "This isn't our home, why decorate it so nicely? Come on, take a break and watch some TV."

  "That won't do, this is my first time spending the Spring Festival away from home, it's got to look like a New Year's celebration," Xǔ Sī turned her head to protest to Sòng Jiàn, "What else is missing? Should we go get two lanterns to hang in the room?"

  Song Jian reluctantly said: "Goodbye then, Xu Si, what will you eat during the New Year?"

  "Hun Dun, Nian Gao, are you hungry? I'll make something for you after I finish this," Xu Si said as she wrapped the colored paper around the lamp in circles.

  "I want to eat dumplings, can you make them?" Song Jian asked. In the Great Song Dynasty, eating dumplings during the New Year was a must, but unexpectedly, after crossing over to this Jiangnan water town, they changed to eating niangao (sticky rice cake) for the New Year instead.

  "Jiaozi?" Xu Si was somewhat puzzled. "Oh, okay, let's learn to be northerners too. After I finish wrapping this one, I'll go make some for you."

  After decorating the room and turning on the lights, the room is full of colors.

  Xu Si Gu couldn't rest his feet and ran to the kitchen behind the cafeteria, asked the head chef for wonton wrappers and filling, and carried them back to the sickroom.

  "There's no jiaozi filling, only wonton filling. I don't know if it'll taste good as a jiaozi, let's just make do," Xu Si placed the dough bowl and filling on the hospital bedside table and started pinching out dumplings.

  It's also a technical job to pinch dumplings, Song Jian lay on the hospital bed, looking at Xu Si pinching the raw dumplings into meat buns, and still pinching them so seriously, he really couldn't bear to disappoint this woman. This pot of dumplings, after being cooked later, will definitely become noodle skin with meat soup.

  Just as the dumplings were wrapped, the water in the electric rice cooker next to them was boiling. The dumplings went into the pot and Xu Si let out a satisfied sigh, saying: "It's really not easy to have a New Year's Eve dinner!"

  Song Jian silently looked at Xu Si's face covered in white flour, and could only bitterly smile.

  The sky outside had darkened, and the various channels on TV were all tuning in to the New Year's Eve gala. Xu Si sat on a stool at the edge of the bed, turning her head to glance at Song Jian.

  Song Jian was also looking at Xu Si.

  "It always feels like something is off, like something is missing," Xu Si said in a low voice.

  "I understand, leaving the big family for the first time during Spring Festival, it's natural to feel like something is missing," Song Jian comforted.

  "Hmm," Xu Si nodded.

  "Come sit on the bed next to me and you won't feel lonely," said Song Jian.

  Xu Si gave Song Jian a glance, "I don't believe you at all. Ah, the dumplings are done, it's time to feed you and let you taste my cooking skills."

  Song Jian did not make a sound.

  "Huh? Where's the dumpling? Why is it all dough? Where's the filling?" Xu Si stared at the electric rice cooker, searching for the thief.

  Song Jian struggled to hold back his laughter.

  Xu Si's face turned red, she found that the dumpling filling had all turned into meat soup, and those that hadn't turned into meat soup had turned into meatballs...

  They spent New Year's Eve in the sound of firecrackers, in the two-person world of Song Jian and Xu Si. Although nothing beautiful happened that night, in their hearts, they had already truly regarded each other as their other half.

  Sometimes love comes inexplicably, and before it has turned into passion, it has already brewed and fermented into affection. Affection, what a wonderful word.

  In the following days, Song Jian practiced "Yi Jin Jing" every day, and his body slowly recovered. However, that chaotic sword energy still lingered in his abdomen, occasionally stirring up and causing Song Jian to feel like he was being cut by a knife, drenched in cold sweat.

  Xu Si stayed in the ward to take care of Song Jian, being meticulous and attentive. Although Xu Si didn't do a good job with some things like helping Song Jian use the bathroom, in other aspects, Xu Si's care for Song Jian was even more professional than that of the nurse.

  Xu Haitian had come twice, but this time Xu Haitian's attitude was very strange. The old man no longer prevented Song Jian and Xu Si from interacting like before. He only told Song Jian to learn how to make money well in the next two years. If he could pass, he would preside over the wedding for the two of them. If not, he still wouldn't allow Xu Si to marry Song Jian. Of course, at the same time, Xu Haitian also secretly warned Song Jian that before getting married, he absolutely couldn't touch his granddaughter.

  Time passed day by day, and before he knew it, the Lantern Festival had come and gone. Song Jian, who had been bedridden for over half a month, was finally able to get out of bed and walk slowly with someone's support. At least his body no longer hurt all the time.

  On the eighteenth of January, Song Jian was slowly doing his Wuji Qigong exercises in the hospital room when the door suddenly burst open and a woman wearing jeans rushed in.

  "Uncle! I heard you're disabled!" The woman shouted, her body rushing towards Song Jian.

  Song Jian was now acting extremely awkwardly. He clearly saw that the person approaching him was Xia Lin, who had just returned to school after the winter break. He muttered: "Don't... don't touch me..."

  It was too late for Song Jian to say that, as Xia Lin, who was extremely excited, directly went forward and wanted to hug Song Jian. Song Jian's legs were still unstable, and the two of them tumbled and fell onto the hospital bed.

  Song Jian's mouth was wide open, he wanted to push Xia Lin away while shouting: "What are you excited about? Ah, originally not disabled, but after your collision, I'm really becoming disabled."

  Xia Lin burst out laughing, with two tears still shining in the corners of her eyes. "I heard you were disabled and my heart ached. When I came into the ward and saw that you could still throw punches, I got excited... Ah, Uncle, where are you pushing me to?"

  Song Jian also felt that he was holding a small meat bun in his hand, but he really couldn't move his palm and said: "Get up quickly, you'll crush me to death."

  "Hmph, you've done something wrong and yet you're the first to accuse others. Just wait till my sister gets back, I won't tell her," Xia Lin still didn't intend to get up, but her cheeks had already flushed with two red clouds. She lowered her head, looking at Song Jian below her, and giggled with glee.

  Song Jian was defeated by this little kid, so he had no choice but to put down his hand and dare not push Xia Lin again, saying: "Really will be crushed to death."

  "Really?"

  Xia Lin stared at Song Jian with a pair of big eyes, looking at him with satisfaction, and the feeling of pressing on Song Jian's body was great.

  "A thousand truths, ten thousand certainties," Song Jian's eyes were painfully sincere, "will die."

  "Then you kiss me, and I won't squeeze you," Xia Lin said, her eyes full of laughter.

  "...then just crush me already."

  "Ah! You're a good one, Song Jian, I'll beat you to death, you ungrateful..."

  The door of the ward was pushed open again at this time.

  Xia Lin suddenly sat up, no longer playing with Song Jian. Song Jian also sat up and looked towards the door. A woman was standing at the door, a strange woman. However, it was very strange that Song Jian had a feeling of having seen this woman before, although he was certain that he had never met her before.

  "I am Ling Su," the woman walked over, big eyes looking at Song Jian, full of doubt.

  "Ling Su?" Song Jian was surprised. He first met Ling Su at the annual dinner party of merchants in Gusu City, where Ling Su looked ordinary at that time. Later, in the ancient tomb, Song Jian saw Ling Su again, who had shed a layer of human skin and became as beautiful as a fairy. But now, Ling Su had another completely different appearance, slightly chubby, similar to Furong's level.

  No wonder Song Jian felt that this "strange" woman was very familiar, it turned out she was also Ling Su.

  He swallowed his saliva and Song Jian said: "You've changed your skin again? This can't be your true form, right?"

  Ling Su glanced at Xia Lin, slightly puzzled, then turned back and continued to size up Song Jian, "You actually didn't die."

  "Why should I die," Song Jian struggled to sit up in bed, looking at this woman.

  "The fish intestine sword had just come out of the ancient tomb, and yet it saw fresh blood again. The evil spirit was unable to withstand it, you not only didn't die, but actually could still move," Ling Su couldn't believe his eyes.

  "What's the matter with you looking for me?" Song Jian was still curious about this martial arts doctor, "The Fish Intestine Sword has already been taken by you."

  Ling Su regained her composure, turned around and closed the door, saying: "I got it back, but the evil energy in the sword has all entered your body. The value of the Fish Intestine Sword has greatly decreased."

  "What's the use of having that evil spirit? Are you trying to kill yourself?" Song Jian felt he was really quite innocent.

  "When the evil spirit is used properly, its power is naturally sufficient. Well, I heard that you didn't die, so I came to take a look and also wanted to ask some questions," said Ling Su, taking out a book from her handbag. "I have some questions about traditional Chinese medicine that I've been unable to figure out. The last time I saw you use acupuncture, your technique was the most brilliant of any doctor I've ever seen, so I'd like to ask you about it. Of course, I'll compensate you for your trouble."

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  Sorry about not updating yesterday, something came up. This week has been all about working on my thesis, so I can only write at night. But the thesis is almost done, I'll show it to my teacher tomorrow and if it's okay, I'll have a lot of free time on Saturday and Sunday, so don't worry, I'll make up for the missing chapters.