Chapter 352: New Year's Eve

Chapter 352: Chapter 351: New Year’s Eve

The strawberry cake was sweet but not cloying, with a rich aroma of strawberries and cream. ‘Simon could definitely make a living opening a dessert shop someday,’ Joanna thought.

She voiced her thought out loud. Simon felt Joanna’s little mind was always off on flights of fancy. As he took the clothes from the washing machine to hang them up, he asked, “What do you want to eat in a bit?”

“Can I order from the menu?”

Simon nodded with restraint.

Joanna’s eyes instantly lit up, brimming with a craving for food. “In that case, I want Spicy Dry Pot, Boiled Beef in Chili Oil, Braised Pork Belly, and Flash-Fried Prawns!”

“Please?”

Resources were scarce in the mountainous region. The occasional decent meal was made with ingredients bought from town; most of the time, they ate what was available in the mountains.

Stewed pork with cabbage and glass noodles, stir-fried chicken with radish, shredded potatoes… It was all delicious at first, but after eating it for a few meals in a row, Joanna had grown tired of it. She was desperate for something heavy, oily, and spicy.

She rattled off the names of the dishes with almost no hesitation, swallowing audibly. Then, trying to be good, she took the initiative to help Simon get some hangers. When she heard him say “Okay,” she almost leaped onto him in excitement.

After all, Simon, the resident health nut, had never approved of her eating such things before.

She handed him hangers, and he put the clothes on them. They worked together in perfect sync, and in no time, the few articles of clothing were all hung up to dry.

Sunlight streamed through the glass, blanketing them in pleasant warmth. Oil began to pop in the kitchen; with a sharp SIZZLE, a rich, savory aroma wafted into the living room.

When the last dish, the Spicy Dry Pot, was brought to the table, Joanna couldn’t wait to dig in. She gobbled down one prawn after another, followed by pieces of braised pork, her mouth too full to speak clearly.

“Sho good, sho good…”

Joanna wanted to praise Simon more, but she simply didn’t have a free moment. The pleasure of a good meal was truly one of life’s greatest, and it was simply irresistible!

Joanna was eating with her head down when she felt a pinch on her cheek. She looked up with a happy smile, then immediately lowered her head and went back to chowing down.

‘Such an easy-to-please simpleton.’ Simon rubbed his fingers, a bitter taste in his mouth. She was already pitifully thin; the only place she had any flesh was her cheeks, and now he could barely pinch any of it.

The next morning, Joanna was woken up by the kitten plopping its rear end down on her. Still groggy, she blearily opened her eyes to find herself face-to-face with a pair of round, feline orbs.

Joanna: “…”

At that moment, Joanna had only one thought. ‘Thank goodness I’m not a grumpy morning person. Otherwise, I’d have to teach this 166-brand kitten a lesson!’

‘Who sits on the face of their provider?!’

The space beside her in bed was empty. Joanna stretched languidly, then paused when she caught the faint scent of ointment on her hands. She lowered her head and sniffed them again, confirming it wasn’t just her imagination.

By the end of dinner last night, she could barely keep her eyes open. Her last memory was of standing up and saying she was tired, and then… nothing after that.

Simon must have applied the ointment for her. Her face and body also felt clean and refreshed. A warmth bloomed in Joanna’s chest, and she couldn’t even be bothered to think about how embarrassing it was to have fallen asleep while eating.

She had been wearing makeup. The thought of a flustered Simon trying to remove it for her made Joanna want to laugh, and she almost swallowed a mouthful of toothpaste. After quickly finishing her morning routine, she ran into the living room. “Simon! Simon!”

…

The living room and kitchen were both empty.

Joanna pouted, a little displeased. She took out her phone to message Simon, but before she could finish typing, she heard a faint sound from the front door.

Simon had gotten up early, made breakfast, and then gone to the supermarket to buy supplies for the New Year. He didn’t have much of a festive spirit himself, but he thought Joanna would probably enjoy a lively holiday.

His hands were laden with bags. When he opened the door and saw Joanna standing in the living room, he paused for a moment.

His gaze shifted downward, and he frowned at what he saw. “Joanna, pull your pant legs down.”

Joanna was a restless sleeper, and her sky-blue cotton pajama pants had ridden up almost to her calves, revealing a stretch of pale ankle.

The temperature outside was several degrees below zero. Even with the heat on inside, her exposed skin would get cold.

Hearing Simon’s words, Joanna belatedly noticed the chill herself. Her cheeks flushed as she quickly pulled her pant legs down. Then she walked up to Simon, staring curiously at the bags in his hands. “What did you buy?”

“Why so much? Is it food?”

“No.”

“Oh…”

The interest in Joanna’s eyes immediately dimmed. Simon set the two large bags down, glanced at her, and said unhurriedly, “Window paper-cuts, Spring Festival couplets, and some other things for the New Year.”

“…”

Joanna’s heart gave a heavy thump. She stared blankly at Simon, his words echoing in her mind. It took her several seconds to ask hesitantly, “Spring Festival couplets? Window paper-cuts?”

“Mhm. I bought quite a lot. Joanie will have to help in a bit.”

Simon’s tone was casual, but Joanna couldn’t quite process it.

That phrase, “Spring Festival couplets,” seemed imbued with profound meaning. The end of one year and the start of the next, happiness, reunion, the cozy bustle of life—it was as if all of it was carried in those strips of red paper with black characters.

Joanna didn’t know what came over her, but she suddenly threw herself into Simon’s arms. She buried her face against him for a moment until he patted her on the forehead. She quickly found a good excuse for her behavior, her tone reproachful. “Why didn’t you ask me to go with you…”

“…You were still sleeping.”

“You could have woken me up, then,” Joanna pressed, refusing to let it go. “Shopping for New Year’s supplies is so much fun, and you didn’t even invite me!”

“Simon Lockwood, I’m never speaking to you again.” Joanna crossed her arms, turned her head away, and blurted out the petulant words. Simon pinched the bridge of his nose. “Want to go again this afternoon?”

It wasn’t that Joanna actually wanted to go. Hearing his offer, her heart stirred. She leaned in close to Simon, meeting his calm, deep black eyes. “Next time,” she said. “Next time, you have to invite me.”

‘Next time. Next year. Every year.’

Simon heard his own voice reply, “Mhm…”

「The 29th of the 12th lunar month, New Year’s Eve.」

After a flurry of activity, the two of them finally finished putting up the couplets and paper-cuts. Several large, red paper-cuts adorned the simple floor-to-ceiling windows, looking incredibly festive. The character for “Fortune” was also pasted on the bedroom and kitchen doors.

Simon had also bought a few zodiac animal figurines. A cartoon snake ornament looked especially derpy and cute. Joanna dangled the figurine to tease the kitten, and when the cat bit it, she ruthlessly pulled it away, lecturing it with a straight face, “Simon bought this for me, not for you.”

The kitten: “…”

“MEOW MEOW MEOW!!!”

The snow-white kitten, which had a red, fluffy ball headband perched on its head by some unknown culprit, was so angry its fur stood on end. In response, Joanna just lifted the figurine higher. “What’s all the meowing about? Acting cute won’t work on me~”

The 166-brand kitten: ‘…’ ‘Who’s acting cute with you?!’

‘How can such a shameless human exist!’ 166 was so furious it fell over backward.