Chapter 103 Living the New Year in Tong'an

Before heading to the milk tea shop, the two sat in the waiting room of the Huawi Technology Building and took out the coconut milk taro ice cream. Yu Jingchen controlled the use of the spoon, ignoring the hunger in Fu Yanle's eyes.

“…Hey,” Fu Yanle said, “share some with me.”

Yu Jingchen coldly refused: "You are not worthy."

“Yes, yes, I’m a simp!” After saying that, Fu Yanle lowered his head, bit the edge of the packaging box, and forced down a big gulp of iced coconut milk.

Yu Jingchen quickly handed him the spoon. "So you were planning to steal my portion? You kept your promise and still get a second serving. It's a classic case of burying your head in the sand."

“We’re truly soulmates; you’re like a maggot in my stomach.” Fu Yanle happily fed Yu Jingchen a bite of taro. “Look, I gave you the big chunk, but I still love you very much!”

Yu Jingchen swallowed the taro and said, "Am I a maggot in your stomach? So your true form is an old-fashioned outhouse, right?"

"If I weren't eating, I would have lectured you a thousand times over." Fu Yanle swallowed a bellyful of knowledge, then greedily ate several more bites of ice cream before handing it to Yu Jingchen. "Hurry up and eat, I need to go online and order lottery numbers."

Yu Jingchen said, "Can I only order once? What if I don't win?"

"If I don't win the lottery, I'll just get a VIP card and use my prestigious membership to claim a couple's mug." Fu Yanle sighed. "Please remember one fact: I'm rich."

Yu Jingchen smiled and shook his head, quickly finishing the half bowl of dessert.

"Alright!" Fu Yanle stood up. "Let's go!"

The two followed the internal passage of the Huawei Building straight to the park opposite the south gate. They found the newly opened milk tea shop according to a map and then walked on a red carpet into the shop.

It's dinnertime now, and the new store is booming. There are about 50/50 singles and 50/50 couples. Fu Yanle quickly pulled Yu Jingchen to queue in the couples' lane, clasped his hands together, and muttered, "May I be blessed with good fortune and become the only one of my kind."

Yu Jingchen reached out and pressed down Fu Yanle's hat, then pinched his own mask.

At this moment, a girl came over, first glancing at Yu Jingchen's exposed eyebrows and eyes, then looking up and down at Fu Yanle's red strawberry knitted hat and the couple's ring on his hand, and finally sniffing the faint scent of rose wine in the air.

Finally, she whispered, "It's you guys, isn't it?"

Fu Yanle blew a breath of magical energy into his palm and whispered, "So what if it is?"

"What do you say!" the girl said in a low, barely audible voice. "There are so many people here, aren't you being a bit too arrogant? If this gets photographed and posted online, the paparazzi will come right away."

"Afraid? I'll take them down one by one." Fu Yanle waved his hand. "Don't worry about it. Hurry up and get in line. Don't even think about cutting in line."

The girl was furious and exasperated: "How the hell am I, a single dog, supposed to cut in line for couples?"

"Oh." Fu Yanle held Yu Jingchen's hand and said sweetly, "Hehe."

"..." The girl rolled her eyes and pointed to the seats not far away, "Those are all your fans."

Fu Yanle counted them, there were about ten or so. "Sure enough, those with good taste play together, hehe."

“We’re meeting up offline in the same city. I’m in a good mood today, so we’re meeting up to share our happiness. We’re also going to have barbecue later,” the girl said. “I have a college roommate who’s a huge hater of yours. Every time you’re trending on social media, we’d sit across from each other in bed with our phones, and she’d relentlessly criticize you while I’d fight back fiercely for you. But human joys and sorrows aren’t shared. Today is my day of celebration, but it’s also the day she passed away.”

Oh, Lin Qingtong's fans.

Fu Yanle said, "Did you pay the bill? If not, I'll treat you to drinks."

"It's not our turn yet," the girl refused. "But it's alright, we feel bad using your money."

Fu Yanle said, "It's okay, I have plenty of money."

The girl smiled, "Okay!"

Fu Yanle reached out and directed, "Go to the singles line next door and queue up. I'll scan your code to pay for you later."

The girl said, "Okay! Thank you, brother." She then bowed to Yu Jingchen, "Thank you, brother-in-law!"

Yu Jingchen said gently, "You're welcome."

Wow, that sound... The girl touched her tingling ears, her face now showing a slit mouth hidden behind her mask.

The girl darted to the back of the line, while Fu Yanle and Yu Jingchen were a little ahead. From her perspective, she could see that Fu Yanle and Yu Jingchen were very close together, and Yu Jingchen's hand was constantly gripping Fu Yanle's hem, while Fu Yanle habitually rested the back of her head on Yu Jingchen's shoulder.

They depend on each other, and are so close.

The girl's eyes lit up as she watched. She was one of Fu Yanle's first fans. Back then, Fu Yanle became an overnight sensation on Xuandu TV, attracting a large number of fans who admired his looks, and she was one of them. She liked Fu Yanle's good looks, and admired his always flamboyant confidence, pure frankness, and lack of scheming or cunning that came with commercialism. He was always straightforward and passionate, with the purest likes and dislikes.

Over the years, Fu Yanle has endured a lot of inexplicable slander and abuse. Perhaps he himself doesn't care because he is insightful and strong enough, but as a fan, she couldn't simply ignore all those harsh words. Confident in her own judgment, she has never believed the various rumors online and has always steadfastly defended Fu Yanle. Because, to some extent, Fu Yanle is not only someone she admires and likes, but also her ideal life, something sacred and serious.

Fu Yanle was young and exceptionally handsome; his every word and action easily captivated hearts. She had been a devoted fan, both as a girlfriend and a wife, for a time, but only verbally; she never crossed any lines in her heart. She knew clearly that she and Fu Yanle were from different worlds, and her fantasies and expectations had no basis. She rationally hoped that Fu Yanle could find happiness.

Now, her wish has come true.

Fu Yanle was always a passionate rose, and Yu Jingchen became the soil that belonged only to him, providing him with nourishment and a sense of security while also embracing his freedom to the fullest extent. Day or night, they could always look into each other's eyes.

Fu Yanle finally got to the front of the line. He took out his raffle number and said, "I want the red and blue couple's mugs!"

The waitress taking our order: ...Although you have a nice voice and look like a handsome guy, you can't be so arrogant!

"According to the event requirements, only couples who actually purchase a couple's package and kiss on the spot can have their lottery number activated and enter the lottery loop—"

Before the shop assistant could finish speaking, Fu Yanle took off his mask and turned his head away.

Yu Jingchen lowered his head obediently.

Fu Yanle kissed Yu Jingchen's forehead, then pulled down Yu Jingchen's mask and kissed him on the lips. He then turned his head and asked, "Is it okay now?"

The shop assistant and the people queuing behind them gasped simultaneously, "Fu—"

"Pay!" Fu Yanle put on his mask and opened the payment code.

Yu Jingchen put on his mask, ignoring the stares and gasps of astonishment around him.

"...Fu Fu, please pay..." The shop assistant's fingers trembled as she took the order. "Please, please scan the code!"

"Okay, all done scanning." Fu Yanle looked at her expectantly. "I want the red and blue couple's mugs!"

The shop assistant, who was a working-class person on one side and a loyal fan of Fu Yanle's looks on the other, truly tasted the bitterness of pain at that moment!

"...We need to do a lucky draw, please wait a moment." She scanned Fu Yanle's lucky draw code, and four large words appeared on the screen above: Thank you for participating!

"Huh?" Fu Yanle scratched his head. He really wasn't lucky enough to be a lucky person.

The clerk gave a polite smile: "I'm sorry, your number didn't win, but I—" would like to use one of my friend's slots to give you one as a gift!

“But I can get a VIP card,” Fu Yanle said generously. “The event rules say: new members get a 12% discount and can get a set of couple mugs without buying milk tea, right?”

The shop assistant swallowed the rest of her sentence, thinking to herself, why should a poor woman like her pity a rich person? This business opportunity was practically handed to her; not taking it would make her a fool.

"Sure!" The shop assistant eagerly processed Fu Yanle's VIP card, then took down the couple's mug that Fu Yanle had been longing for, handed it to him, and said, "Wishing you both a happy Valentine's Day in advance, and may you be happy forever!"

"Thank you." Yu Jingchen took the cup and put his arm around Fu Yanle, leaving the group.

The girl on the other side: "Hello, money!"

Fu Money quickly rushed over and offered his payment QR code.

"I haven't ordered yet. We just came to try it out, anything is fine with us." The girl scratched her head. "Xiao Fu, why don't you order for us? You can inject 100% sweetness from the outside to make the milk tea even sweeter!"

Fu Yanle's romanticism was killed. "Wouldn't that just be sickeningly sweet?"

Girl: Get lost!

Fu Yanle glanced at the screen above. "It's very simple. Just order the white peach rose cake puff. It has a pink base, blue cake puffs as a layer, pink and white peaches embedded, and rose petals as decoration. It's fresh and sweet, perfect for Valentine's Day!"

But we're single! The girl roared inwardly, glancing at the screen: Medium 39, Large 45, the most expensive one in this store.

As expected of you, Fu Qian.

Fu Yanle asked, "How many of you are there? Can you drink it iced?"

The girl quickly replied, "Seventeen. There are three more squatting outside; they're all ice warriors."

"Seventeen white peach rose cake puffs, large, no ice, otherwise the happier I am today, the more I'll cry." Fu Yanle paid and turned to the girl, saying, "Click on the payment code."

"Huh?" The girl clicked on it blankly.

Fu Yanle glanced at it and said as he typed, "Since we've run into each other, I'll pay the bill today."

Her phone vibrated slightly. The girl looked down and saw she had received a transfer of 10,000 yuan. She was completely bewildered. "No, no, no, what is this?!"

"Aren't we going to eat barbecue?" Fu Yanle glanced at her questioningly. "If there's too much, take care of it yourself; if there's too little, make up for it yourself. Bye."

"Huh?" The girl stretched out her hand, "Not later—"

Fine, you're paying the bill, but even if they were pigs, they couldn't eat that much!

Fu Yanle had already squeezed out of the store and left with Yu Jingchen.

"Ah, I'm in a really good mood." Fu Yanle turned to face Yu Jingchen and stepped back. "When we get back, we'll put this set of cups in the bedroom and start using them. If they break, we'll come back and get new ones. I'm a VIP, after all!"

Yu Jingchen laughed and said, "So you signed up for the card and topped it up not for the milk tea, but for the cup?"

“That’s right.” Fu Yanle spread his arms and spun around. “How many sets of couple items have we had? Rings, watches, ceramic figurines… wow, I can’t even count them all.”

“There will be more in the future.” Yu Jingchen looked at him, “but the biggest couple’s item will only be one type, and it will never change.”

Fu Yanle tilted his head. "What is it?"

“It’s us,” Yu Jingchen said.

Fu Yanle paused for a moment, then laughed. He ran forward a short distance, then turned around and opened his arms, the hem of his clothes billowing in the wind, his hair blowing forward and obscuring half of his face.

The park was bustling with noise, and the people passing by and standing around became blurry white shadows, naturally blending into the air, leaving Yu Jingchen with only Fu Yanle in sight.

They followed the signs to the deepest part of the park, where there was a wishing altar. Wishing altars seemed to be a common type of structure; some people used them as a way to express their hopes, trying to overcome all difficulties and easily achieve their wishes with a few coins. Fu Yanle didn't imagine its function to be so magical, but he still went to the small shop to exchange two coins and gave one to Yu Jingchen.

"Why only two?" Yu Jingchen asked. "Are you so confident you can hit it on the first try?"

Fu Yanle raised an eyebrow, "That's right!"

"What if you don't win?"

"I can hit the pot every time I throw arrows, how can I miss from this distance?" Fu Yanle curled his lip. "Stop talking nonsense. I'll count to three, two, one, and we'll throw together. Whoever misses has to kowtow and apologize. Three—two—one!"

As soon as they finished speaking, the two of them simultaneously raised their arms and tossed out coins. Almost at the same time, the coins landed on the top wishing altar, splashing water.

Fu Yanle said with a smile, "See? I'm awesome."

Yu Jingchen smiled and gently rubbed his face, then led him along the stone path. They would go for walks in the evenings when they had free time, but they mostly stayed near their home and rarely went to the park. Along the way, they saw elderly couples or single people, young people jogging, and children laughing and playing—a very ordinary scene, a lively and mundane existence.

They were just an ordinary couple.

"Brother, look!" Fu Yanle pointed into the distance, where the sunset painted half the sky, and the optical illusion made it look like a thin orange-red blanket covering the end of the lush forest.

“The setting sun is beautiful, with a spring mist reflecting on half of the sky.” Yu Jingchen’s gaze swept across the distant sunset and settled on Fu Yanle’s smiling face. “It is indeed very beautiful.”

Fu Yanle reached out and touched the distant sunset, then reached out and grabbed Yu Jingchen, who was right in front of him, and said with a smile, "Are you using an object to describe me, praising me with ancient poetry?"

“You can’t borrow someone else’s poem to praise Lele,” Yu Jingchen said seriously. “I want to write one myself and give it to Lele as a confession poem.”

Fu Yanle quickly covered his ear with one hand, "No, no, I'm already getting shy!" After saying that, he curled up his hand, exposing half of his ear, and his half-face turned to the side showed his eagerness.

"The beautiful Lele is right in front of me."

Yu Jingchen rested his chin on Fu Yanle's shoulder, gently but forcefully prying open Fu Yanle's unconsciously clenched fingers, interlocking their fingers so that the two rings were next to each other.

"A handful of spring's heart shines on the willow bank."

The willows by the roadside are sprouting new buds, their green shadows swaying in the breeze, contrasting warmly with the orange-red hues in the distance, creating a sense of transition between spring and autumn.

I wish to spend the rest of my life with you in peace.

Yu Jingchen kissed the redness at the corner of Fu Yanle's eye.

"The clouds and sky here take care of us."

[End of article]

Author's Note:

"Where the setting sun slants its way, a patch of spring mist reflects half its glow." (From Bai Juyi's "Four Quatrains on the High Pavilion at the New Residence of Attendant Yuan Ba")