Yvonne shot Simon a re before turning around and walking away. The yard was not very big, and
with over a dozen people squeezed in there, it felt somewhat crowded.
After Simon followed Yvonne away, Mnie suddenly realized that Eugene was sitting over there.
However, due to her obstructed line of sight and the small flower bed in between, she was not able to
see him clearly.
Her heart constricted as she wondered if Eugene had heard what was said just now.
The barbecue was lively, and the atmosphere was somewhat festive. Despite not being a big fan of
barbecue, Mnie ended up eating quite a bit thanks to Yvonne’s offerings. Yvonne handed her
another skewer, but Mnie refused, saying, “No, I can’t eat anymore.”
ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .
“This one’s for Xander. This skewer got a bit burnt,” Yvonne said, enjoying the feeling of being the
barbecue master. She was gradually taking over the role.
With a skewer of pork belly in her hand, Mnie went to look for Xander. The ce was not very big,
and most people were crowded together. Xander was standing next to the flower bed, chatting with
Oliver. Mnie approached him with the skewer.
As she neared the flower bed, there was a sudden explosion near her feet, startling Mnie. She
almost immediately jumped away. However, in the next moment, she collided with someone and heard
another explosion.
The sudden explosion was frightening. Mnie’s mind went nk, and her legs were weak. Her face
turned pale as she realized the explosions were happening right under her feet.
Since Mnie had poor eyesight to begin with, being startled like this made everything seem even
more chaotic. She felt disoriented and panicked. She could not help wanting to run forward.
Suddenly, she felt someone wrap their arms around her shoulder as they pulled her into their arms.
There was a muffled groan and a gasp in her ears.
For a while, all she could hear were the explosions and the cries of rm. ?
By the time Mnie was pulled up to her feet, her body was still weak. The sensation of gunpowder
exploding near her ears made her heart race. It was only then that she saw Xander underneath her. He
had collided with the small flower bed behind him.
The edges of the flowerbed were designed to be aesthetically pleasing, with angr and irregr
shapes. His hand looked to have been injured, with several holes burned into his sleeves. His once
pristine skin was now marred with blood from the wounds on his knuckles.
Xander was rushed to the clinic in the scenic area overnight. He had injuries of varying degrees on his
waist, hands, and elbows from the impact with the flowerbed. In addition to the injuries on his knuckles,
there were also abrasions on several other parts of his arms.
The group of young men whom Simon had brought over to the barbecue had found some firecrackers
somewhere and wanted to y a prank on him. However, one of them identally threw it near
Mnie’s feet, causing the others to follow suit.
Mnie was startled and nearly fell, almost hitting her head on the flowerbed if not for Xander’s quick
reaction. He had protected her.
Sitting by the bedside, Mnie was extremely worried. “It’s toote to go down the mountain now. Let’s
go down tomorrow and have you checked out at the hospital,”
She felt a twinge of guilt. After all, Xander would not have been injured if it were not for her.
Xander did not respond and just gazed out the window, “Look outside,” he said,
Following his gaze, Mnie saw fireworks bursting in the sky, illuminating the entire skyline,
Using his uninjured hand, Xander gently wiped away the dirt from Mnie’s face that had gotten there
during the incident. He then said, “It’s a new year, Mnie.”
At that moment, Eugene happened to enter the ward and saw Xander’s hand caressing Mnie’s face
while she looked back at him with a smile in her eyes.