Xie Jue thought of his family and felt a bit melancholic. Lan Ningzhen, on the other hand, didn't seem to feel the slightest sadness about not being able to spend the new year at home. She chirped away, talking to Xie Jue, while he suppressed the longing in his heart and forced himself to focus on his book. Feeling bored, Lan Ningzhen picked up the jade and began carving. She truly didn't know how to carve, clumsily grinding the jade with her knife, almost injuring herself several times. Xie Jue hesitated to say something, his attention divided between his book and her carving. Inevitably, Lan Ningzhen nicked herself, yet she didn't cry out in pain—she seemed used to it. After applying medicine and wrapping her finger, she continued carving. This time, having learned her lesson, she wrapped all her fingers, though it made them less nimble, it spared her from further injuries.
"What are you carving?" Xie Jue asked casually.
