When Wen Li entered the house, her father, who was always friendly to her, frowned for the first time and said to her in a stern tone, "You still remember to come back."

Wen Li lowered her head, not daring to look at her father's expression. This was the first time he had a meal with his family since he got sick, and he must have hoped that his daughter could be with him.

She felt guilty.

Hu Huifen came over and held her hand. "Is your waist feeling better? What did the doctor say?"

Wen Li pursed her lips, not daring to tell the truth , "The doctor said it's okay, and it will be fine after two more days of injections."

Hu Huifen sighed deeply, "Don't blame your father for being angry. The whole family was having dinner, but his children were not around. When your uncle and aunt asked about it at the dinner table, he felt bad. There has been no news about your brother who is overseas, and no one knows whether he is dead or alive. And you came with them, but you didn't go to dinner, and you didn't answer the phone. Everyone is very worried about you."

Wen Li really had no way to explain, so he just lowered his head and said, "I was delayed because of something. Mom, I really didn't mean it. I'm sorry, I'm really sorry."

She felt very sad about missing the reunion dinner, but she couldn't tell Huo Yuanchen about it, so she could only take all the blame on herself.

Hu Huifen looked at her self-blaming expression, but in the end she couldn't bring herself to say any more words of blame.

"Go eat, whether you're hungry or not, eat something. Grandma specially saved some for you, saying that you didn't come. If you eat the food she saved, it will be considered a family reunion."

Wen Li looked around and asked, "Where's grandma?"

"I went to bed. I'm old now, and I don't have as much energy as I used to. I don't eat much, and I go to my room to rest as soon as I get home."

After Hu Huifen finished speaking, she reminded Wen Li, "Be gentle and don't disturb grandma."

"knew."

Wen Li felt heavy in his heart.

She overheard her aunt and mother chatting yesterday. Her aunt said that after the winter, her grandmother's energy has become worse. Sometimes she has to sleep until 11 o'clock in the afternoon and then go to bed again at two in the afternoon. She only eats one meal a day, and not much.

"If this continues, she will probably die this year. Find a chance to talk to Yongjie about it so he can be mentally prepared. He is in poor health, and your eldest brother is afraid that when mom passes away, Yongjie will be too sad and something bad will happen to him."

In the kitchen, Wen Li saw the rice her grandmother had left for her. The chicken drumstick was very clean and intact. It must have been left for her from the beginning, not someone else's leftovers. Next to it were peeled shrimps dipped in sauce and neatly arranged.

Grandma always remembered that she liked to eat shrimp and chicken legs.

With tears in her eyes, she ate up all the chicken legs and shrimps.

There was still an IV drip to be given in the afternoon. Wen Li was afraid of meeting Huo Yuanchen and An Wen again. She remembered that An Wen had said yesterday that Huo Yuanchen would also drive to the big hospital for the injection today.

When An Wen said this, there was an undisguised sense of pride and boasting in her tone.

Wen Li waited until after the New Year's Eve dinner before secretly telling Hu Huifen that he was going to get an injection.

Hu Huifen was surprised, "Didn't you go for the injection today?"

"not yet?"

Hu Huifen glared at her resentfully and asked, "Let me go with you."

"No, you stay with dad and grandma. There are not many people here. I'll go early and come back early. We can celebrate the New Year together tonight."

Hu Huifen was worried about her daughter and her husband. Only after Wen Li repeatedly assured her that everything was fine did she give up and said, "Then come back early."

"knew."

As expected, there were few people in the infusion room at around 8pm on New Year's Eve. Wen Li sat alone, as if he could hear the sound of the medicine dripping into his blood.

When the first bottle was almost finished, she received a call from Huo Yuanchen, asking her, "Where are you?"

Wen Li did not answer but asked, "Professor Huo, what do you want to talk to me about?"

The other party was silent for two seconds, and then asked her in a very calm tone, "Are you angry?"

"No."

She said this in a very cold voice, far from the charming and graceful manner she usually showed when answering his calls. It was obvious whether she was angry or not.

Huo Yuanchen didn't say anything, and only his breathing could be heard in the receiver.

After a while, he hung up the phone.

Wen Li took the IV bottle and went to the nurse to change the medicine. She was so beautiful and had a good temperament. There were so few people like her in the small county town that the nurse was impressed by her.

While changing the dressing, I casually asked her, "Why did you come so late today? Your friend asked me if he had seen you."

Wen Li was stunned for a moment, "My friend?"

"It's the couple who sat next to you yesterday. You know the guy, right?" The nurse winked at her. "He came here with his girlfriend for an injection, and asked casually if he had seen you get an injection today. But his girlfriend seemed to be very strict with him, and before I could reply, he was called away by his girlfriend."

After a pause, the nurse said with emotion, "He is so good to his girlfriend. He is handsome and gentle. How come I didn't meet such a good man?"

Wen Li smiled and went back with the IV bottle.

When she came out from the warm nurse's station, she found that the infusion room was very cold. When she touched the radiator, she found that the heating had been turned off because there were few people.

She was vain and thought down jackets were too bulky, so she only wore coats in winter. This was really painful, because even the most well-cut coat could not keep out the biting cold, not to mention that the medicine injected into her blood was also icy cold. After a while, the arm where she was receiving the infusion was so cold that she had no feeling.

Wen Li was shivering all over when she went back home. On the way, she received a group message of New Year's greetings from Zhou Ying.

She found someone to confide in for the grievances she had been pent up all night. "Honey, I'm so miserable. I'm going to get an IV drip alone on New Year's Day, and there's no heating. I'm going to freeze to death."

Zhou Ying was obviously bored at the moment, and she immediately called and asked her, "What's wrong?"

Wen Li told the whole story, and Zhou Ying helped her scold Huo Yuanchen, and she felt a little better.

Not long after she hung up the phone, Zhou Ying sent her another message, "Huo Yuanchen spent the New Year at An Wen's house."

Wen Li asked her, "How do you know?"

Zhou Ying sent her a chat message, "Didn't I teach English to An Wen's class? I don't know who added me to their class group. Just now, An Wen posted a photo of her and Huo Yuanchen celebrating the New Year together in the group."

Wen Li clicked in to take a look.

An Wen posted three photos in total. The first one was of Huo Yuanchen and her having a New Year's Eve dinner. The dishes were very rich, with Australian lobster and abalone, and a huge king crab in the middle. The two of them raised their glasses of red wine and clinked them. There was also a middle-aged woman sitting next to them. She was very close to An Wen, and her face was blurred, so her appearance could not be seen clearly. Wen Li guessed that it should be An Wen's mother.

The second photo is still taken at An Wen’s home. The living room is filled with large and small bags of gifts, among which several luxury bags with logos printed on them are placed in the most conspicuous position.

An Wen said, "The New Year gift from Professor Huo cost him a lot of money, so I'll ask for it next time."

Wen Li clicked on the third photo expressionlessly.

Huo Yuanchen and An Wen set off fireworks together, the sparks were brilliant, lighting up half of the sky. The little girl snuggled in the man's arms and looked up at him. The man covered her ears, and the two looked at each other affectionately, with happy smiles on their faces.

Wen Li couldn't help but think that Huo Yuanchen was also quite handsome when he smiled.