Nian Ueno

"Xixi is here! Come and try them, see which filling is the best."

There were more than a dozen plates on the table, filled with plump, white dumplings.

Grandma asked the maid to prepare dumplings with various fillings.

Jiang Weixi sat down to her grandmother's right.

Just as Ji Dongxun was about to sit down to his grandmother's left, she pushed him, saying, "Go sit next to Xixi. The couple should sit together."

He had no choice but to walk around behind his grandmother and sit down next to Jiang Weixi.

The various aromas of dumplings filled the air.

Jiang Weixi was hungry and had already started eating, trying every kind of filling.

Grandma Ji watched her eat with a smile: "Xixi, what's your favorite filling?"

"They're all delicious, Grandma, I'm not picky."

"Tell Grandma what you want to eat, and she'll have the kitchen make it for you."

"Yes, thank you, Grandma."

Ji Dongxun interjected, "Grandma, I like carrot and beef filling."

Grandma Ji glanced at him and said, "I didn't ask you what you like to eat."

Grandma Ji gave him a disapproving look: "By the way, did you go the last few times I asked you to take Xixi out to play on the weekends?"

Ji Dongxun paused for a moment with his chopsticks, then picked up a round dumpling and stuffed it into his mouth, mumbling a "Mmm."

Grandma Ji could tell from the awkward atmosphere between the two that they had no contact in private.

"Xixi, has he contacted you recently?"

Grandma Ji turned to ask Jiang Weixi, who subconsciously looked at Ji Dongxun. Ji Dongxun gave her a look, telling her to figure out what to say herself.

Jiang Weixi immediately understood and lied, "Mr. Ji came to the school to have dinner with me a couple of days ago."

The name betrays everything.

Grandma Ji was not satisfied: "Xiao Xi, you're both married, why do you still call him Mr. Ji?" It doesn't sound like a married couple.

Jiang Weixi was taken aback, and asked blankly, "Then what should I call him?"

"Call him whatever you want. Don't you young people all have your own special nicknames?"

Jiang Weixi opened her mouth, but for a moment she really couldn't come up with any other name for her.

Besides "Mr. Ji," she really didn't know what else to call him.

Ji Dongxun interrupted at the right moment, diverting his grandmother's attention to other topics.

Jiang Weixi breathed a sigh of relief.

Grandma Ji directed the servants to serve dumplings to Jiang Weixi, holding her wrist and saying, "Eat more, you're too thin. Look how thin your wrist is, Grandma can hold it with one hand."

Ji Dongxun was eating with his head down when he heard this. He glanced at her fair wrist subconsciously, then looked away indifferently.

It is indeed fine.

It felt like he could break it with just a little force.

Grandma Ji then inquired about Jiang Weixi's life at school.

"Xixi, is your dorm cold? I saw online that the dorm heating is not good."

"It's alright, Grandma, I don't feel very cold."

How many people live in the dormitory?

"Including me, there are four people in total."

"With so many people, isn't it crowded?"

"It's alright, much better than many six-person or eight-person dorm rooms."

"Grandma will buy you a house near your school so you won't have to squeeze into the dorm."

Jiang Weixi opened her eyes wide, a little excited. Of course, she really wanted to own a house of her own.

It's not that I don't like living with my roommates.

Having a home of her own has always been her dream.

She glanced at Ji Dongxun out of the corner of her eye and caught his cold gaze.

Her excitement cooled down.

Mr. Ji probably didn't want her to carry too much stuff.

With such high housing prices in City A, and R University located within the Second Ring Road, it's truly a place where every inch of land is precious. Even a small apartment of 40 or 50 square meters would cost several million.

Jiang Weixi shook her head: "No need, Grandma, I'm fine living at school."

They were eating hot dumplings inside, completely unaware that light snow was falling outside.

After the meal.

Grandma Ji could tell that the couple were quite distant, so she took their hands and created an opportunity for them to bond.

"You two can stay here tonight and keep this old woman company."

Jiang Weixi glanced at Ji Dongxun furtively; he remained silent, his expression serious.

the phone is ringing.

Ji Dongxun took out his phone to answer the call, and after putting it down, he said to his grandmother, "Grandma, I have to go back to the station to take care of some things."

He glanced at Jiang Weixi and said, "How about letting Xiao Jiang keep you company tonight?"

Jiang Weixi's eyelashes drooped slightly, her gaze flickering subtly.

Little Jiang?

Is this what he calls her?

Grandma Ji looked at Jiang Weixi: "Xixi, do you have class tomorrow morning?"

Jiang Weixi nodded and answered truthfully, "There's a class in the morning."

Grandma Ji then looked at Ji Dongxun: "Then you can take Xixi back on your way."

Grandma Ji's original intention was to bring the two of them together. If Ji Dongxun wasn't here, then leaving Jiang Weixi alone would be meaningless.

This place is quite far from her school. Since she has classes in the morning, it would be better for her to go back to her dorm tonight.

Jiang Weixi and Ji Dongxun walked side by side to the door.

open the door.

Jiang Weixi exclaimed in surprise, "Wow! It's snowing!"

The first snow of this winter.

She reached out her hand and caught the snowflakes falling gently.

The hexagonal snowflake landed in her palm and melted in a second, leaving a cool, refreshing feeling.

Jiang Weixi's palms were red from the cold, but she didn't feel anything and smiled happily.

"So beautiful..."

She tilted her chin up and sighed with emotion, her eyes sparkling.

Ji Dongxun glanced at the girl, his eyes fixed on her bright smile for three seconds.

The path, the treetops, the streetlights—everything was covered in a layer of snow-white, like fine grains of salt.

Snowflakes drifted down the steps in front of the door, melting as soon as they hit the ground, leaving the area damp.

Jiang Weixi was focused on watching the snow and didn't pay attention to her footing. Before she knew it, she had slid down the steps.

"ah--"

She cried out in surprise and fell unexpectedly into the snow.

The sound startled everyone.

Grandma Ji, who was inside the house, heard it too and had her servants help her out.

"Xixi, how did you fall?"

There was a pair of leather shoes in front of Jiang Weixi; they belonged to Ji Dongxun.

Her first reaction was to cover her face.

So embarrassing.

You must look terrible right now.

How come he gets to see me in such a disheveled state?

Doesn't she care about her image?

Forget it.

Anyway, she didn't have a good image in his eyes.

Ji Dongxun looked down at her and saw her covering her face. For some reason, he felt that she was... kind of cute and silly.

Jiang Weixi struggled to stand up from the ground, a piercing pain shooting through her ankle.

I twisted my ankle.

Grandma Ji's concerned voice came from above: "Xixi, how are you? Where did you fall? Can you get up?"

Jiang Weixi looked up, her eyes brimming with tears, and said with a pitiful expression, "Grandma, I think I twisted my ankle, I can't get up."

Grandma Ji nudged Ji Dongxun: "What are you standing there for? Quickly help Xiaoxi up and carry her back inside. It's so cold outside, don't let her catch a cold."

Ji Dongxun hesitated for a moment, then bent down and squatted in front of her, his voice as cold as snow: "Get on."

Jiang Weixi smiled at Grandma Ji and quickly climbed up his neck and back from behind.