Unbridled, Depraved

Chapter 312 New Year’s Eve

Shen Qianhe stayed in the hospital until New Year's Eve, when she was taken home by Xie Jincheng.

Actually, she didn't need to stay so long.

She felt she would be able to be discharged from the hospital on the third day.

Seeing that she had almost recovered, Xu Shuqin also felt that she could go home to recuperate. After all, the Chinese New Year was approaching, and she couldn't spend it in the hospital.

Xie Jincheng insisted on observing for a few more days.

When Shen Qianhe returned home, the house had already been decorated by the servants to create a New Year atmosphere.

At the entrance, two exquisite palace lanterns hung down, and the warm yellow light cast a swaying shadow on the bluestone floor.

On both sides of the corridor, the newly replaced vermilion carpet extends all the way to the living room.

Looking up, every carved window lattice is covered with exquisite paper-cuts, including the word "Fu", the word "Spring", and lifelike zodiac patterns.

In the center of the living room, a blooming kumquat tree is particularly eye-catching, with red envelopes and small golden bells hanging on its branches.

Cushions embroidered with auspicious patterns were neatly placed on the leather sofa, and the fruit plate on the coffee table was filled with various dried fruits, all served on red porcelain plates with gold edges.

The butler was directing people to set the tableware in the restaurant. Today, all the plain and elegant porcelain was replaced with a festive red.

Even the handrails of the stairs were wrapped with delicate red ribbons, with small gold ingots tied at intervals.

Xiao Chengzhou's family also moved here from the hotel, and the whole house became very lively.

Shen Qianhe stood at the door, a little dazed for a moment.

His fingertips unconsciously clenched the corner of his clothes, and the cashmere fabric formed tiny wrinkles in his palms.

It seemed like she hadn't celebrated the New Year like this for a long time.

Ever since her mother disappeared, every New Year's Eve in her life has been shrouded in gray.

The stronger the New Year atmosphere in the Shen family villa, the more lonely she and her sister seemed.

New Year's Eve is no longer the holiday she looks forward to most.

The huge Shen family villa was decorated with lights, but they could not illuminate the corner where she and her sister were.

She still remembers Shen Mu wearing a brand new red cheongsam with a pearl hairpin in her hair, jumping in the living room and counting her New Year's money.

She and her sister could only stay quietly in the room, listening to the laughter coming from the living room.

One New Year’s Eve was particularly cold.

She curled up in thin bedding, holding her sister who had a high fever, and the window glass was covered with thick ice.

Through the blurry ice patterns, she saw Shen Tianyou lighting expensive fireworks in the garden.

Those brilliant fireworks illuminate the night sky, but cannot shine into their cold attic.

The little sister's red face was pressed against her neck, and she said breathlessly, "Sister, when I get better, can we set off fireworks too?"

She bit her lip and nodded, tears freezing in her eyes.

Later, when I went abroad, life became simpler.

The heating in that apartment of less than 20 square meters was always intermittent, but the two sisters spent the most unforgettable New Year's Eve here.

Shen Qianhe would start budgeting carefully a month in advance and save money to buy the cake from his meager living expenses.

She always remembered the window of the corner bakery, where the Black Forest cake looked particularly tempting against the Christmas decorations.

She would carefully divide the cake she bought into two halves and leave the one with cherries for her sister.

My sister would start collecting pine branches after the first snow.

She was wearing a thin coat and carefully picking the greenest branches under the park benches and beside the trees.

When they came back, they used red wool to weave them into wreaths and hung them crookedly in front of their small windows.

On New Year's Eve, she would finish work early and go home.

Shen Qianhe cooked a simple soup using the ingredients he brought back from the restaurant where he worked.

There will be no Spring Festival Gala, no dumplings, but they will wrap themselves in the same blanket and count down to the blurry live broadcast on their laptops.

"elder sister?"

Shen Qianyu's sweet voice was like a ray of warm sunshine, gently awakening Shen Qianhe from his memories.

The little girl came running over at some point, holding a golden pendant with the word "Fu" in her hand.

"How about putting this on your and your brother-in-law's bedroom door?"

Shen Qianhe blinked his moist eyes.

She reached out and took the pendant, which was intricately carved with a lotus pattern.

Looking up, Xie Jincheng was talking to his father not far away. Noticing her gaze, he turned around and smiled at her.

At this moment, the red lanterns and window grilles in the room suddenly became warm.

Those reunion dinners that I have missed for many years, those missed New Year's money, and those fireworks that have never been lit, have all turned into heavy happiness in my palms at this moment.

She took a deep breath, the cool scent of wintersweet mixed with the aroma of dumplings wafting from the kitchen.

She took a deep breath. This is...

The taste of home.

......

In the restaurant.

The crystal chandelier cast a warm glow, and the mahogany round table was filled with exquisite dishes.

The Eight Treasure Duck in the center is glowing with an enticing sheen, surrounded by emerald shrimps, steamed sea bass, braised lion head and other New Year delicacies.

Xu Shuqin specially asked someone to prepare Shen Qianhe's favorite sweet-scented osmanthus lotus root. The crystal honey sparkled under the light.

Shen Qianyu excitedly picked up a piece of pork ribs covered with amber sauce and carefully placed it in the bowl in front of Shen Qianhe.

"Sister, try it!"

Her eyes curved into crescents. "I specifically asked the chef to add a little more honey. It's your favorite sweet taste."

Just as Shen Qianhe was about to say thank you, a sour feeling suddenly rose up his throat.

She suddenly covered her mouth and her face turned slightly pale.

"what happened?"

Xie Jincheng immediately put down his chopsticks and gently stroked her back.

Xu Shuqin quickly stood up, poured warm water into the teacup, and handed it to Shen Qianhe.

"Are you feeling sick in the stomach? Do you want some soup to warm you up first?"

Xiao Heng had already taken out his cell phone, his slender fingers hovering above the dial button: "Do you want to call a doctor?"

"I am fine."

Shen Qianhe shook his head and forced a smile: "Maybe I ate too fast just now."

Xiao Chengzhou looked concerned: "Do you want to take a break first?"

"No, Dad, I just need to take it easy."

She took the cup of water, took a sip carefully, and tried hard to suppress the discomfort.

Xu Shuqin looked at her thoughtfully, and suddenly lowered her voice: "Qianhe, you are not..."

She tapped her abdomen lightly with her well-maintained fingers, her eyes gleaming with anticipation.

Xie Jincheng interrupted immediately: "Mom, she was just discharged from the hospital not long ago, and her stomach is still recovering."

His slender fingers naturally rested on Shen Qianhe's wrist, and his fingertips gently stroked her protruding wrist bones.

Shen Qianhe only felt the tips of his ears burning, and he quickly lowered his head and used chopsticks to stir the rice in the bowl.

The snow-white rice grains were shaken slightly by her stirring, just like her heart beating wildly at the moment.

Her period has been delayed for almost three weeks. She previously thought it was because the medication she took during hospitalization had disrupted her menstrual cycle, but now she has these bouts of nausea...