As night fell, the incandescent lights dispelled the darkness, occasionally accompanied by bursts of loud firecrackers that echoed across the land.

Chu's mother arranged the firecrackers in a heart shape, carefully lit the fuse, and as the firecrackers exploded, she stood inside the heart, arms outstretched, spinning around. Amidst the firecracker explosions, Chu's mother's voice rang out: "Ahhhhh..."

In the end, Chu's mother successfully made herself dizzy, unable to distinguish east from west.

In the living room, the Chu family members sat around a table. Chu Fang's grandfather sat at the head of the table and said slowly, "In the new year, I wish Yi Yi's grades will improve every day, and I wish Xiao Fang will marry Xiao Zhong as soon as possible, so that the Chu family will have another member and continue to grow."

Chu's mother craned her neck: "Dad, what about me? What do you want to wish me well?"

"Um... what kind of blessing do you want?"

"I want to live for a thousand years."

"... ..." Grandpa Chu Fang twitched the corner of his mouth.

If you live for a thousand years, then who has to live a shorter life?

This is a question worth studying.

Grandpa Chu thought for a moment, realizing he was getting old and wouldn't live much longer. Even if he shortened his lifespan, it shouldn't be by much. He then wished Chu's mother a thousand years of life.

The Chu family was reunited in harmony.

As night deepened, he lit the fireworks he had bought, which burst into bloom in the night sky, dazzling and brilliant.

"Wow... ..., so beautiful!" Mother Chu looked at the night sky, covered her face, and looked on with anticipation and fantasy. "I really want to stuff myself into that firework tube and shoot myself into the sky."

Chu's father: "... ..."

Chu Fang: "..."

Grandma Chu stroked the back of her daughter's head: "That won't do."

"Oh~~~" Chu's mother's voice trailed off, sounding somewhat sullen, but she quickly put it aside and became excited by the brilliant fireworks.

Chu Yi took pictures of the fireworks and sent them to Zhou Qiong, who was far away in Shanghai.

[Chu Yi: Happy Chinese New Year, Qiongqiong! How was your time in Shanghai?]

Zhou Qiong sent a New Year's red envelope.

[Zhou Qiong: Happy New Year! I'm very happy.]

Chu Yi then opened the red envelope, which contained 666 yuan.

Shanghai remains incredibly bustling, with the air thick with the festive spirit of the Lunar New Year.

Zhonghai Mingyuan.

Today is New Year's Eve, and we have a day off. Zhou Qiong and Lu Linhong went home early and bought a lot of things to decorate the house with a festive New Year atmosphere.

The two sat in the living room, with a hot pot on the table. Rich, bubbling beef tallow filled the air, and the aroma of the hot pot permeated the entire house.

The two of them ate hotpot while enjoying the night view outside.

"Qiongqiong".

"Um."

How did you spend Chinese New Year in the past?

“Yes, we spent our time together when my grandparents were alive.” Zhou Qiong seemed to be lost in memories. “Back then, my family was very poor and could only rely on my grandfather’s retirement pension to make a living. It was about two thousand yuan. The most important meal in my life was during the Spring Festival. So I was very excited and happy about the Spring Festival.”

Zhou Qiong quickly snapped out of her reverie and asked in return, "And you?"

“Me?” Lu Linhong pointed to herself.

“Yes.” Zhou Qiong asked, “You’re not going home for the New Year; you’re working with me. What do your family think?”

Upon hearing this, Lu Linhong poked at her bowl with her chopsticks, pursed her lips, and said, "Perhaps they will be very happy."

She let out a breath to calm herself down and continued, "If I had a choice, I hope I wouldn't be a girl. Being a boy might be more in line with my parents' expectations."

Lu Linhong's family favored sons over daughters. Her mother had several daughters, and when Lu Linhong was in college, her mother suddenly gave birth to a younger brother. All the attention in the family was focused on that brother, while Lu Linhong was considered dispensable.

She said she was going to work in Shanghai, and her parents didn't ask her to come home for a family reunion, letting her live her own life outside.

The two of them ate hotpot until late at night, then left home hand in hand and headed to the location in Shanghai where fireworks were to be set off.

Soon we arrived at a square, where many people had gathered to celebrate the New Year. City government staff lit fireworks, which then burst into the night sky.

"My dearest, the fireworks in the sky represent my heart, my boundless love for you. Since meeting you, I've felt like I've reached the end of my life..."

Lu Linhong frowned slightly when she heard a familiar voice. Turning her head, she saw her ex-boyfriend with his arm around a girl's shoulder, gazing at her tenderly.

Zhou Qiong also saw it; that ex-boyfriend was the neighbor who dumped Lu Linhong that night at Zhonghai Mingyuan when she started college.

It was during that encounter that Zhou Qiong and Lu Linhong became friends.

Lu Linhong walked slowly closer, her voice tinged with surprise: "Oh, isn't this Zhuang Qixiang? Long time no see. By the way, is your AIDS treatment complete? Oh, I told you, it's nothing, you don't need to worry so much."

Lu Linhong's shrill voice pierced the ears of the surrounding crowd, drawing their attention. In an instant, they moved away from Zhuang Qixiang, while Zhuang Qixiang's female companion's face contorted in shock and pallor. She quickly moved away from Zhuang Qixiang, desperately trying to escape the crowd and disappear into the distance.

"Lu Linhong, are you sick?" Zhuang Qixiang frowned.

"This is the consequence of you dumping me!" Lu Linhong said, chin held high, extremely smug.

Immediately, Lu Linhong took Zhou Qiong's arm and headed towards Zhonghai Mingyuan, while Zhuang Qixiang followed behind, grumbling and complaining about Lu Linhong all the way.

Zhuang Qixiang paused for a moment after seeing the two women enter Zhonghai Mingyuan, then asked security guard Brother Liu, "How were they allowed into the community?"

“Young Master Zhuang, those two are also residents of the community,” Brother Liu said, bowing.

Zhuang Qixiang thought for a moment, then spread his hands and said, "Fine, I guess I'm just unlucky."

I originally intended to get revenge on Lu Linhong, but since we live in the same neighborhood, I decided to give up on that plan.

After all, those who can live in this community are all either rich or powerful. Even if Lu Linhong did not live here on her own merits, there is no need for him to provoke her.

"Hahaha..." Lu Linhong's laughter echoed through the Zhonghai Mingyuan residential complex. "That scumbag deserved it!"

Zhou Qiong looked at the woman with a faint smile on her face, but said nothing.