Qiao Yushan bid farewell to Grandpa Nong and Grandma Yao.
He had a house in the village, right next door to Grandpa Nong and Grandma Yao.
Leaving the warm house, the biting cold wind slapped his face, yet his heart was warmer than ever before.
As soon as he stepped into the courtyard gate, Aunt Luo greeted him, "Young Master, zip up your jacket! Be careful not to catch a cold!"
She placed a hand warmer into Qiao Yushan's hand.
Qiao Yushan nodded slightly, smiling gratefully, "Thank you, Aunt Luo."
His smile was faint, entirely different from his demeanor during the day.
Aunt Luo, hearing his double-meaning thanks, pursed her lips and smiled, "You're welcome!"
There were no dedicated heating suppliers here; apart from Grandpa Nong and Grandma Yao, no one else could afford to install heating. Aunt Luo quickly closed the door after ushering him in, "The electric blanket is ready, and the air conditioning is turned on for you. You've always been afraid of the cold since you were little, why must you insist on returning from a tropical region!"
Her voice held a trace of complaint, but more so, it was filled with concern.
Qiao Yushan sniffled and smiled at her, "Aunt Luo, isn't this a special circumstance?"
"What special circumstance?" Aunt Luo asked knowingly.
Not receiving a response from Qiao Yushan was within expectations; he was never one for many words.
Aunt Luo looked at the hint of a smile in Qiao Yushan's eyes and felt a great sense of relief, "Have you finally made up your mind?"
"You once said you never planned to get married in this lifetime. What about now?"
Qiao Yushan entered the bedroom, clutching the hand warmer.
He stood by the window, looking at the warm lights of the house next door.
"Aunt Luo," Qiao Yushan called out softly.
"Yes?"
"I really hadn't thought about it before."
One could say that even when he realized he had fallen for Huo Rou, he hadn't considered marriage. After all, Huo Rou, with An An in tow, had ignored all the attentions around her.
He thought it was fine like that.
He didn't want to get married, and neither did she.
So, they would maintain their master-disciple relationship forever. When he got old, he would move next door to Huo Rou, and they would grow old together. Seeing her every day would be enough.
When did this thought change?
Perhaps it was when he inadvertently carved that flower fairy. Perhaps it was when he heard An An say she had found her dad. Or perhaps it was when he saw the tenderness in Huo Rou's eyes when she mentioned Qin Ningyi.
He suddenly very much wanted to get married.
To her.
"So, now you do?" Aunt Luo asked softly, as if afraid to startle him.
"Yes," Qiao Yushan nodded solemnly.
The lights next door were extinguished; Huo Rou must have taken An An back to their room to sleep.
He withdrew his gaze.
"Aunt Luo, thank you for telling me the news." He thanked Aunt Luo solemnly.
His hidden feelings had all erupted when Huo Rou disappeared from Taichuan City.
Especially when he discovered that Qin Ningyi's people were also searching for Huo Rou everywhere, his heart grew even more anxious.
This felt like an opportunity fate had left for him.
He rushed back and searched many places, even returning to Daolin Village to stake out.
But he didn't wait for her.
Just as he was filled with anxiety, Aunt Luo called him.
"You don't need to thank me, Young Master. You were the one who asked me to come here to take care of Grandpa Nong and Grandma Yao. It's my good fortune, and I want to do something for you."
Aunt Luo felt something was wrong after Huo Rou had stayed in her room reading for a week. She had experienced despair and been hurt. She felt Huo Rou was like her past self.
So, she made the call, wanting to give this poor child a new antidote, and also wanting to give her young master, whom she had watched grow up, an antidote.
Even if it was just a chance to interact?
Now, it seemed she might have done the right thing. At least Huo Rou had smiled more today, and so had the young master.
"It's just, Young Master, can you accept An An?"
This was her only concern, as her young master was so particular about his feelings that he was unwilling to touch upon them.