Chapter 75 Christmas Eve Do you still remember the first time we watched fireworks together...?

Christmas Eve has arrived in the blink of an eye.

These days, Zhou's mother's words, "Since you have someone you like, why not bravely fight for them and cherish each other?" have been lingering in Lin Yuwei's mind. The simple and straightforward words have a powerful allure, like a small flame quietly burning in her heart.

Yes, now that her engagement has been dissolved and her career is on track, the biggest obstacle between her and Gu Qingyan seems to have disappeared. She pondered repeatedly, and the only real problem was her mother Lin Yulan's unresolved prejudice against Gu Qingyan. But her mother's opinion shouldn't be a shackle binding her on the path to happiness.

Lin Yuwei recalled her younger self, who dared to love and hate, and those impulsive and courageous moments.

This time, she decided to listen to her heart. If Gu Qingyan confessed his feelings to her again today, she would nod, she would agree, and she would embrace the person who had stood by her side through thick and thin.

Dusk came exceptionally early outside the window. Just past six in the afternoon, it was already completely dark. Colleagues said goodbye to each other in twos and threes, and headed off to their respective appointments and reunions.

"Sister Weiwei, aren't we leaving yet? Are we waiting for someone?" Little Li, who was walking at the back, stopped and asked.

"I'm worried about traffic, so I'll leave later," Lin Yuwei said with a smile.

"Yeah, now it'll probably take an hour longer to get anywhere than usual due to traffic... Merry Christmas Eve, Sister Weiwei, I'll be going now."

"Merry Christmas Eve." Lin Yuwei watched Xiao Li's figure disappear behind the door, the smile on her face fading gently with the sound of the door closing.

The laughter and chatter faded away like the tide as her colleagues left, leaving Lin Yuwei alone in the large space. She sat in the increasingly empty studio, her fingertips unconsciously tapping the table. Outside the window, the office lights went out one by one, just like the anticipation in her heart, gradually dimming with time.

Her phone remained eerily silent.

A faint cheer came from outside the window. She looked up and saw snowflakes drifting slowly past the French windows. It was snowing; the first snow of the winter.

Lin Yuwei stood up. She was wearing a red cashmere dress, the belt accentuating her slender waist, and the delicate embroidery on the hem shimmering under the light. She had specially prepared this dress for tonight, thinking that if he invited her out, she should dress appropriately. Unfortunately, the expected invitation never arrived.

At seven o'clock, Lin Yuwei finally picked up her handbag and walked out of the building alone.

The cold wind of late December, carrying snowflakes, danced in the air above the neon-lit streets. Couples strolled along the street, girls holding bright red roses, boys carefully holding umbrellas for them. Lin Yuwei stood alone on the street, her red dress standing out starkly against the snowy night, yet also radiating loneliness.

Lin Yuwei gazed at the enormous Christmas tree on the street corner, its lights twinkling in the snow. After a while, she took out her phone, her fingers trembling slightly in the cold wind, and gently typed: "Merry Christmas Eve, still working overtime?" Snowflakes landed on the phone screen, quickly melting into tiny water droplets. She stared at the chat window, her heart suddenly pounding.

Just over ten seconds after the message was sent, the phone vibrated; it was a call from Gu Qingyan.

Lin Yuwei took a deep breath and answered the phone.

"President Lin?" Gu Qingyan's voice came through the receiver, tinged with obvious fatigue, yet also revealing an undisguised delight: "You're outside?"

Hearing the undisguised concern in his tone, Lin Yuwei felt a warmth in her heart, and her initial disappointment was instantly dispelled.

"Yeah, I just got off work. It's snowing outside." She gazed at the falling snowflakes, her voice unconsciously softening. "Would you... like to have dinner together?"

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, with only Gu Qingyan's soft breathing. She could imagine that he was probably rubbing his temples, with a thick stack of documents on his desk.

Just as Lin Yuwei thought Gu Qingyan was about to refuse, his deep, magnetic, and pleasant voice came through, carrying an almost urgent affirmation: "Okay."

Just one word, yet it instantly dispelled the unease in her heart.

“Where are you? Don’t move, I’m coming to get you right away,” he added.

"I'm at the corner downstairs from the company..."

“I know where it is,” he interrupted her, his words even faster. “It’s cold outside. Go wait in the lobby. I’ll call you when I get there.”

After hanging up the phone, Lin Yuwei held the slightly warm phone, a warm feeling rising in her heart. Gu Qingyan's quick and even eager agreement made her carefully prepared red dress and the courage she had practiced repeatedly all seem meaningful again.

She walked back to the warm lobby on the first floor of the building and looked out at the snow curtain through the glass door. There were far fewer cars on the street than when she got off work. Lin Yuwei thought that there should be no traffic jam. Sure enough, after waiting for about half an hour, Gu Qingyan's familiar black Maybach broke through the snow curtain and came to a steady stop on the side of the road in front of the door.

Lin Yuwei's phone rang, but she didn't answer it. Instead, she pushed open the door and went out. The swirling snowflakes instantly enveloped her, but she didn't care and quickly walked to her car.

The driver's side door opened, and Gu Qingyan stepped out. He was wearing a crisp, dark gray cashmere coat, and his tall figure looked exceptionally upright in the wind and snow. Snowflakes landed on his shoulders and were blown away by the wind. This scene really resembled a scene from a Korean drama. He walked around the front of the car towards her with steady steps.

As she got closer, Lin Yuwei could see the undisguised fatigue on his face. The dark circles under his eyes were particularly noticeable in the snowy light, and even the corners of his mouth had a tired curve. He had probably been too busy with work lately and hadn't had a good rest.

Gu Qingyan was stunned at that moment. Lin Yuwei's coat was slightly open, revealing a red dress underneath. The bright red color was very similar to the one he had given her many years ago.

He quickly snapped out of his daze and naturally took the bag from her hand: "Are you tired of waiting? What would you like to eat tonight?"

Lin Yuwei shook her head and smiled, "It's alright. Did you come from the company? Was there any traffic? Tonight, I'd like to grab something nearby." As she spoke, the two returned to their warm car. Lin Yuwei turned to Gu Qingyan, "After we eat, how about we go to the riverside to watch the fireworks show? It starts at nine tonight, less than two hours away."

Gu Qingyan looked at Lin Yuwei and noticed that her eyes were sparkling when she said this, which reminded him of twenty years ago when they had just met, that innocent and carefree little girl. His fingers tightened slightly on the steering wheel, and the words he originally wanted to say circled on his lips, but in the end, they turned into a gentle nod: "Okay."

The moment he said "okay," he clearly felt the person next to him brighten up. Lin Yuwei happily took out her phone to check the route: "From here to the riverbank, there's a really authentic claypot rice place by the roadside. It's perfect for this weather. How about we eat here?"

"Okay, give me the address." He took the phone, tapped the screen lightly with his fingertip, and as the car navigation began planning the route, he couldn't help but glance at her again.

The red color made Lin Yuwei even more radiant and beautiful; this color really suited her, just like back then.

The car slowly merged into the traffic. The snow was still falling. Lin Yuwei hummed a Christmas carol softly, her fingers tapping lightly on her knees. Gu Qingyan drove attentively, listening to Lin Yuwei's humming. He had been extremely tired lately, but at this moment, he felt that the tension and exhaustion from working overtime for days on end had vanished.

The car slowly rounded the bend on the snow-covered street, finally stopping in front of a small shop bathed in a warm, yellow light. The words "Warm Rice Claypot Rice" on the wooden signboard gleamed gently under the lamplight. The sausages and cured meats hanging in the window were glistening with oil, silently radiating a comforting, homey aroma in the cold air.

The proprietress, wearing an apron, was already waiting at the door. When she saw the car stop, she smiled and went up to greet them: "Are you two? Please come in."

There weren't many customers in the shop. Young people tend to prefer more elaborately decorated restaurants on Christmas Eve, so this down-to-earth little shop was quieter than usual.

Gu Qingyan took the menu and naturally handed it to Lin Yuwei. She quickly made her selection: "I've chosen, what do you want to eat?" Gu Qingyan's phone rang. He glanced at the screen and frowned slightly: "I have to take this call, the same thing as you is fine." Before he finished speaking, he had already strode out the door, his figure disappearing into the night outside.

The phone call seemed to last forever. Even after the two steaming claypot rice dishes Lin Yuwei had ordered were served, he was still standing outside the door, talking in hushed tones. The clock on the wall pointed to 8:30, and she, starving, finally picked up her chopsticks.

After she finished her meal, Gu Qingyan returned, still shivering from the cold. He glanced at the time but didn't sit down: "Let's go now, or we'll miss the fireworks show." Lin Yuwei pointed to his untouched meal: "It's okay, eat first, no rush."

Seeing her insistence, and knowing he was indeed hungry, Gu Qingyan sat down and quickly began to eat. Lin Yuwei watched him intently eating, a stark contrast to his usual self, and couldn't help but chuckle.

Gu Qingyan looked up in confusion, feeling a little embarrassed by her gaze: "Is there something on my face?"

Lin Yuwei didn't answer, but instead asked softly, "Do you remember when we first watched fireworks together?"

Is this the first time we've watched fireworks together?

Gu Qingyan certainly remembered. It was New Year's Eve when he was eight years old, his first year living with his mother at the Lin family home. The adults took them to see fireworks, and having grown up in the countryside, he had never seen anything like it. They ate dinner early and drove to the viewing area. Lin Yuwei wanted to squeeze to the front, but the adults told her to hold Gu Qingyan's hand. She turned around and gave him a helpless look: "Stay close to me."

Two small figures squeezed to the front of the crowd. When the first huge, bright yellow firework burst open in the night sky, Gu Qingyan was startled by the sudden loud noise and instinctively grabbed Lin Yuwei's hand beside her. Lin Yuwei was looking up at the colorful fireworks and laughing heartily, and didn't pull away.

That was the first time they held hands. Their cool little hands clasped tightly together under the dazzling fireworks, neither of them letting go.