His heart brimmed with warmth and hope in his care for Bai Yaoyao.

After Bai Yaoyao walked into the kitchen, the smile on her face faded a little. She sighed as she could sense Duan Yanhao's happiness.

He did not express his feelings usually, and his face was always grim. However, whenever he looked at her, the stony expression on his face would soften considerably, and the sharp look in his eyes would twinkle with a gentle glow as well.

These were things she could not ignore.

Duan Yanhao helped her slowly walk out of her past. That was why his care for her was something she could not ignore at all.

She had been hurt so badly back then. It was only under his care and influence that she was able to find the courage to get back on her feet again.

She yearned for the warmth he gave her, but there were various reasons that prevented her from loving him with all her heart.

These were things that Bai Yaoyao could not explain in detail to Duan Yanhao. She did not want to make it obvious either, lest it would make him upset.

Both of them had been emotionally hurt in the past, so they would not be able to take another blow.

Bai Yaoyao was very careful when she was making the soup, as though she was doing a very important task. She prepared the green beans, rice, peanuts, and various other ingredients carefully and made sure they were exceptionally clean.

She thought that she should do a little something for Duan Yanhao before the New Year.

When the soup was cooked, Bai Yaoyao started making dumplings.

When she was almost done, Duan Yanhao walked into the kitchen. Seeing that she had been busying herself for so long, his expression s.h.i.+fted. He went up to hug her and said, "Why didn't you tell me that you're going to make dumplings too?"

Bai Yaoyao glanced at the pot full of steamed dumplings and replied in a low voice, "It's not hard at all. You were always the one making dumplings for me before. You did so much for me, so I want to make some dumplings for you today. You're not allowed to interfere or help me with this."

Duan Yanhao was deeply touched. However, he still felt that he and Bai Yaoyao lacked something in their relations.h.i.+p. He tried his best to wrap his head around it, but he could not figure it out.

At that moment, the only thing he knew what to do was to hug Bai Yaoyao.

He was a soldier, so he was a man of few words. He did not know how to tell Bai Yaoyao about what he was going to do, so he hoped that hugging her like this would let her know of his feelings for her.

Bai Yaoyao understood. However, it was precisely because she understood him that made her feel even more emotional.

She did not want to put him in a difficult position in the Duan family because of her. She heard it all. Duan Yanhao's grandfather told Duan Yanhao that he must go back home for the New Year.

She would feel reproachful and guilty if Duan Yanhao were to fall out with his grandfather because of her.

It was precisely because Duan Yanhao was good to her and showered her with warmth and care that she did not want to make things difficult for him.

Even though Bai Yaoyao concealed her emotions well, Duan Yanhao could still sense that something was amiss. He gently asked, "Yaoyao, what's wrong? Why do I feel like you're unhappy?"

"Who said I'm unhappy? After dealing with that mother and daughter duo, I just want to focus on making dumplings for you. Go and do what you need to do. I can manage on my own."

"Next time, be it cooking meals or housework, let me do it if the servants aren't called in."

"Then what am I supposed to do?"

"You just need to stay by my side."

Bai Yaoyao's lips curved up into a smile. She said in a gentle voice, "If I just watch you busy yourself around without helping, won't I become a pampered girl?"

Duan Yanhao said without hesitation, "I will willingly indulge you!"

Bai Yaoyao's heart trembled. The frozen wounds in her heart were beginning to melt bit by bit. In the end, they melted into puddles of water, generating ripples that moved her deeply.

She felt a bittersweet feeling in her heart when she heard this. How nice it was. She finally heard someone say such words to her. It was very, very heartwarming.