Chapter 50: Unable to Repay

A high-pitched pig squeal pulled Ruan Mian back to reality from the beautiful scenery of snow drifting across the sky.

In just a short while, the tip of her nose exposed to the air had already turned bright red from the cold.

It was evident just how ridiculously the temperature had dropped.

If Huo Junze hadn't reminded her, she reckoned she would have been frozen quite badly.

But, the chickens and pigs she was raising were about to freeze to death!

"No, no, my pigs and my chickens, and these vegetables I planted are going to freeze to death!"

She screamed and was about to rush outside.

As a result, the force on her wrist still gripped her tightly, not letting her take even half a step out.

"Oh, what are you doing? I need to go save my livestock; it was so hard to get them to put on some fat!"

Seeing that the hens were finally able to lay plenty of eggs, too!

If they froze to death, what a pity that would be!

"Don't be anxious." Huo Junze's gaze fell on her feet, still in a pair of thin, single-layered shoes.

They were a summer style, cool and airy, not stuffy, and heat-resistant.

Although they were a style from a long time ago, their functions in every aspect were still considered quite good.

However, in this weather, if she froze, she would likely suffer for it.

"I have already prepared."

After seeing Huo Junze's "everything is under control" expression, her panicked heart settled down a little.

He walked out quickly and took a black-gold, basketball-sized sphere out of his Light Brain.

He tossed it into the sky, and a strong white light burst out from the center, stinging one's eyes so much they could hardly stay open.

Soon, the small black-gold ball was no longer visible, and a thick layer of pale golden light appeared outside the small courtyard.

It looked exactly like sunlight spilling down from the clouds in the afternoon, enveloping the entire courtyard.

It did indeed seem to be a shield.

Because the swirling snowflakes were no longer falling.

Even the temperature inside the small courtyard rose quite a bit.

As the bone-chilling cold faded, Ruan Mian felt her cheeks, which had gone numb, gradually warm up.

After being frozen, it felt even warmer.

The chickens that had been huddled in the cold regained their vitality.

The pigs, which had been squealing non-stop, also quieted down; the suitable temperature allowed them to recover.

"What is this? Is it this magical?!"

Ruan Mian ran to Huo Junze's side in a few steps, lifted her small face, and looked at him with her big eyes blinking, anticipating what he would do next.

Huo Junze only frowned, his gaze sweeping over her, his tone carrying a hint of seriousness.

"Didn't I tell you not to come out?"

As he spoke, he pulled the thick coat draped over her shoulders tight, wrapping her up completely, snug and secure.

"Go inside first; it's still a bit cold out here."

He half-hugged her shoulders with one arm and led her toward the house.

"But..."

Ruan Mian still couldn't let it go, constantly turning her head to look toward the chicken coop and the pigsty.

"Will they be okay? It still feels cold..."

"It's fine. They are actually more cold and heat resistant than you imagine, with tenacious vitality. Besides, we added a Protective Shield, so the temperature is quite suitable; they will be fine."

It was indeed very quiet in the courtyard.

Ruan Mian felt much more at ease.

Entering the house, closing the door, and turning on the heater, the temperature rose immediately, and it became warm.

Rubbing her hands together, Ruan Mian shook off the chill from her body, and her whole person relaxed.

"Here, drink some hot water to warm up."

Huo Junze handed over a cup of hot water at just the right moment; it was quite hot, but not enough to burn her hands.

He must have boiled the water before the temperature dropped.

That would explain why it was this temperature.

It made Ruan Mian's heart feel warm as well.

He really was a very considerate person!

She had discovered another merit.

Holding the cup with both hands, the warmth traveled from the cup wall, allowing her frozen fingers to regain their temperature.

After taking a sip, she spoke with slight shyness, "Thank you."

"It was no trouble at all, and besides, I used your things, so there's no need for thanks."

After saying this, he picked up the cup in his own hand and also took a sip of hot water.

Only then did Ruan Mian notice that the cups they were using seemed to be the same style, just different colors.

One was pink, and the other was pale blue.

Since ancient times, red and blue make a couple!

More importantly, it seemed she didn't have any cups in her home!

Staring at each other with wide eyes, Ruan Mian swallowed a mouthful of saliva, "This cup, did you buy it?"

Huo Junze raised an eyebrow at her.

There was a hint of nervousness in his eyes that he hadn't even noticed himself.

Even when he first took over the Huo Corporation and dealt with those old foxes, he had been full of confidence; he had never felt this kind of flustered sensation before.

"Do you not like it?"

He had searched for cups that girls liked on his Light Brain and chosen the one with the most positive reviews from the top-ranked items.

However, there was no guarantee that Ruan Mian would like it.

If she didn't like it, he would buy more, many, many more, until he found the ones she liked.

"Not at all, it's very pretty, I like it very much."

Hearing her say the word "like," Huo Junze finally truly set his mind at ease; as his gaze fell upon the corners of her lips, which were faintly curled into a smile, the corners of his own lips also involuntarily rose into a small arc.

"By the way, I'm planning to buy a house; will that Protective Shield still be usable then?"

"Are you going to buy a house?"

After asking this, Huo Junze let his gaze sweep around the surroundings, only then feeling how dull he had been.

He had come here to eat too many times, and especially after seeing so many plants, he had completely overlooked the poor living conditions she had here.

In reality, she had never been living very well.

"Of course it can; the operation is very simple. I will teach you how to operate it in a moment, though I would prefer to help you do all of this."

He spoke so very earnestly, so earnestly that Ruan Mian didn't dare to meet his sincere eyes.

Her heart inevitably skipped a beat.

"You,"

She set down the cup, her fingers constantly rubbing against it, her mind already racing with a thousand thoughts.

"Huo Junze, don't be so good to me; I don't even know how to repay you."

He was truly a bit too good—good to the point that it had exceeded the scope of being cooperative allies.

It made her feel a bit at a loss.

"Does it make you feel like it's a burden?"

Ruan Mian hadn't expected him to ask so straightforwardly; if she said it was a burden, it would make her seem ungrateful.

It would also feel like she was letting down his good intentions.

But if she lied, she would only feel even more sorry toward him.

She nodded and then shook her head, "You are too good to me; I don't know how to repay your kindness."

The feeling of owing someone a favor was never a very good one.

"Haven't you already repaid me?" His gaze fell on the stove not far away, where a small pot was keeping some cooked porridge warm.

Even the air was filled with a faint fragrance of rice.

What she had given was already far greater than what he had given.

Following his gaze, Ruan Mian saw it too and understood what he meant.

"The things you make are things I have never tasted before; I only feel that what I do is not enough, and it doesn't even compare to one ten-thousandth of what you have given."