A kiss under the New Year's bell
Winter always arrives suddenly and fiercely in Nangang.
The winter solstice had just passed, and the cold wind already carried fine snowflakes, rustling and seeping into people's collars. Xu Ying stood under the sycamore tree at the entrance of the residential area, stamping her feet incessantly, her breath condensing into a small cloud of mist in the cold air. She looked down at her phone for the third time—5:42 PM, twelve minutes past the agreed time.
"That bastard..." she muttered under her breath, her fingers flying across the screen: [Where are you???]
The message was sent, and the chat window immediately displayed "The other party is typing...", but after waiting for a long time, Zong Heng only replied with a lazy voice message: "What's the rush? It's just around the corner."
In the background, you can also hear the roar of a sports car engine.
Xu Ying was furious. This was his first official meeting with her parents! She had been preparing for this day for a week, even spending half the day yesterday dragging her best friend to the mall to pick out clothes. And now, not only was he late, but his tone was so irritating.
"Beep—"
A piercing horn blared behind her. Xu Ying whirled around to see a black Mercedes screeching to a halt in front of her, its wheels crunching over the snow and kicking up tiny ice crystals. The window rolled down slowly, revealing Zong Heng, wearing those Ray-Ban sunglasses she hated most, a half-smile playing on his lips: "Designer Xu, getting impatient?"
"You still have the nerve to laugh!" Xu Ying yanked open the car door, letting in a blast of cold air that made her shiver. "You said you'd be there by 5:30, and it's almost—"
Before she could finish speaking, she suddenly froze.
The passenger seat was piled high with beautifully packaged gift boxes. In the topmost dark blue velvet box lay a set of Yixing teapots that her father had been talking about for a long time. Next to it were two bottles of Moutai, the vintage on the packaging making her eyelids twitch—they were probably older than her.
"You…" Xu Ying blinked, "You were late just to buy these?"
Zong Heng removed his sunglasses with one hand, revealing his signature almond-shaped eyes. He was unusually dressed today, wearing a crisp dark gray suit under a black cashmere overcoat, his tie perfectly tied. If it weren't for the small obsidian earring in his right ear, he would look like a completely different person.
"What else?" He leaned over to help her fasten her seatbelt, the scent of woody perfume mixed with a faint tobacco aroma wafting towards her. "I can't go to meet my future in-laws empty-handed."
The seatbelt clicked shut, but instead of backing away, he stole a kiss on her lips. Xu Ying hurriedly pushed him away: "Stop it! My parents can see this way from the kitchen window!"
Zong Heng chuckled softly, his fingertips brushing against her slightly flushed cheeks: "What are you afraid of? You'll get used to it sooner or later."
As the car slowly drove into the residential area, Xu Ying realized that her palms were covered in sweat. It was her own home, but she felt as nervous as if she were going to a trap.
"My dad might make things difficult for you," she whispered a warning. "One of his previous graduate students had a crush on me, and he interrogated her for three hours with 'Das Kapital' (the book of 'Das Kapital')."
Zong Heng raised an eyebrow: "So?"
"So you need to be prepared!" Xu Ying clutched at her coat button. "My mom is alright, but she's very observant. Last time I brought a colleague home for dinner, she nagged me for half a month just because they didn't offer to serve soup..."
"Xu Ying," Zong Heng suddenly interrupted her, his voice unusually serious, "I'm here to marry you, not for a job interview."
The car was parked downstairs at the apartment building. The snow was falling even harder, the swirling snowflakes like scattered diamonds under the streetlights. As Zong Heng went around to the trunk to get the gifts, Xu Ying noticed a fresh wound on the web of his right hand.
"What's wrong with your hand?" she asked, grabbing his wrist.
"I got scratched opening the bottle," Zong Heng said nonchalantly, waving his hand dismissively. "The shop owner insisted that this bottle needed a special opening method."
Xu Ying's heart suddenly softened. She had known Zong Heng for so many years and had always seen him as arrogant and domineering. When had he ever gone to such lengths for anyone?
When Xu Ying's doorbell rang, her fingers unconsciously tightened around the hem of her clothes.
Zong Heng stood outside the door, wearing a well-tailored black coat and carrying several heavy gift boxes. When his gaze fell on her face, his originally cold and stern features softened instantly.
"Nervous?" he asked in a low voice, his thumb gently brushing against her slightly cool fingertips.
Xu Ying glared at him: "Who's nervous?"
Zong Heng chuckled softly, then suddenly leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Don't worry, if your dad tries to chase me away with a broom, I'll kneel down and call him father-in-law."
"You—" She stomped on his foot in anger, but he nimbly dodged it, causing her to stumble. He then grabbed her waist to steady her.
"Throwing herself into my arms?" He raised an eyebrow.
Just as Xu Ying was about to retort, footsteps came from inside the door. She immediately jumped away from his embrace, her cheeks burning.
Mr. Xu sat in the main seat, his gaze behind his glasses sharp as a knife, never leaving Zong Heng from the moment he entered. Mrs. Xu, on the other hand, was gentle, smiling as she invited them to sit down, and even opened the red wine that Zong Heng had brought, pouring a small glass for each of them.
"What does Xiao Zong do for a living?" Xu's mother asked kindly, placing a piece of steamed fish into Zong Heng's bowl.
Zong Heng accepted the bowl with both hands: "I'm in the tech industry and currently running my own business."
“Starting a business is tough,” Xu’s mother nodded. “I heard from Yingying that your company is doing quite well?”
"Not bad, we just got Series B funding." His tone was calm, but it made Mr. Xu pause slightly with his chopsticks.
Xu Ying secretly kicked Zong Heng under the table—this guy usually acted nonchalant in front of her, but in front of her parents he acted all respectable, even bringing up terms like "Series B financing".
Zong Heng remained unfazed and even calmly placed a piece of pork rib on her plate: "Eat more, you've lost weight recently."
Xu Ying: "..."
"I heard you didn't have a good reputation in high school." Mr. Xu put down his chopsticks, his voice neither loud nor soft, but it made the air at the table freeze instantly.
Xu Ying suddenly looked up: "Dad!"
Zong Heng pressed her hand down and looked directly at Xu's father: "Yes, fighting and skipping classes have given the teachers a lot of headaches."
Mr. Xu sneered: "And now? Is it all fixed?"
"Dad!" Xu Ying cried out anxiously, "He's already—"
“I’m asking him,” Xu’s father interrupted her, his gaze still fixed on Zong Heng.
The dining table fell into a deathly silence; even Xu's mother put down her chopsticks.
Zong Heng suddenly smiled.
He leaned back, his posture relaxed, yet strangely exuding a sharp sense of pressure: "Uncle, I'm certainly not a model student. But there's one thing I'm very clear about—what I should persist in and what I should give up."
He turned to look at Xu Ying, his eyes softening instantly: "Like her."
Xu Ying's heart skipped a beat.
“Young man, don’t speak so confidently,” Xu’s father sneered. “You two separated five years ago, and now you’ve suddenly reappeared. Who knows if it’s just a passing fancy?”
Zong Heng's expression finally changed.
He put down his chopsticks, his voice low and somber: "Five years ago, I was forcibly sent abroad by my family, and all contact with them was cut off. After returning to China, I tried to contact her, but she had already moved."
Xu Ying was stunned—he had never mentioned this before.
Mr. Xu narrowed his eyes: "So now? Can you guarantee that she won't be wronged again?"
Zong Heng was silent for two seconds, then suddenly took something out of his pocket and pushed it in front of Xu's father.
It is a bank card.
“This is all my savings,” he said. “The password is Xu Ying’s birthday. If I ever let her down, you can donate this money anytime and leave me penniless.”
Xu Ying gasped, "Zong Heng, are you crazy?!"
Mr. Xu was also stunned, clearly not expecting him to pull this stunt.
Zong Heng looked at Xu Ying with a serious expression: "I'm not crazy. This is my guarantee to you, and also an explanation to your uncle and aunt."
Xu's mother took Xu Ying to the kitchen to cut fruit, leaving only Zong Heng and Xu's father in the living room.
"You think you can sway me with money?" Mr. Xu sneered.
Zong Heng shook his head: "It's not to move you, but to prove my determination to you."
Xu's father stared at him for a long time, then suddenly asked, "Do you know how to play chess?"
Zong Heng was taken aback: "I know a little."
Ten minutes later, an old man and a young boy sat in front of the Go board on the balcony. Xu's father moved the pieces swiftly, while Zong Heng played cautiously, managing to hold his own.
"His playing style is quite steady," Xu's father suddenly said, "better than I expected."
Zong Heng smiled and said, "Thank you, Uncle."
Mr. Xu snorted, "Don't be too happy yet. If I find out you've bullied Yingying..."
“You can chase me away with a broom anytime,” Zong Heng replied quickly, “I promise I won’t fight back.”
Father Xu finally smiled and placed a black piece on the board: "You brat."
In the kitchen, Xu's mother was trying to get information out of him.
"Is he usually good to you?" Xu's mother asked while washing strawberries.
Xu Ying blushed: "It's... alright."
"Not bad?" Mrs. Xu raised an eyebrow. "Then how did he know you liked the xiaolongbao from that shop in the south of the city, and even went out of his way to buy them?"
Xu Ying's eyes widened: "How did you know?"
Xu's mother smiled without saying a word and handed her a plate of sliced fruit: "Go and take it to them."
Xu Ying carried the fruit platter to the balcony and overheard her father say, "Come fishing with me next week."
Zong Heng nodded: "Definitely."
She stood there, frozen in place—what was this? Had her father been bribed so easily?
Zong Heng turned around and saw her, winked smugly, and mouthed, "Done."
Xu Ying suddenly felt that this meal wasn't so terrible after all.
The car moved slowly along the snow-covered streets. Xu Ying looked out the window at the falling snowflakes, the city lights tinged with a hazy orange-yellow hue against the snowy backdrop. She turned her head to look at Zong Heng in the driver's seat. He had one hand on the steering wheel and the other casually resting on the gearshift. His fingers were long and slender, and the black mechanical watch on his wrist gleamed coldly in the dim light of the car.
"Are you sure you want to go to the temple fair now?" Xu Ying couldn't help but ask. "It's almost midnight, and the snow is so heavy."
Zong Heng's lips curled slightly, his gaze still fixed ahead: "What, are you cold?"
"I was worried you'd be cold," she muttered softly. "Wearing so little and still trying to be brave."
Today he was only wearing a black turtleneck sweater with a dark gray overcoat, looking tall and sharp, like a male model straight out of a fashion magazine. But Xu Ying knew that this man was never afraid of the cold in winter; even in the dead of winter in high school, he would only wear a school uniform jacket and always insist on giving her his scarf.
As if sensing her inner grumbling, Zong Heng suddenly reached out and gently pinched the back of her neck with his warm fingers: "Don't worry, you won't get cold."
Xu Ying shrank her neck, her heart skipped a beat.
The car finally stopped in the parking lot near the entrance to the temple fair. The snow had lessened a bit, but the snow on the ground was still ankle-deep. As soon as Xu Ying opened the car door, she was shivered by the cold wind that rushed in.
"Wait a minute." Zong Heng called out to her, took a paper bag from the back seat, and unfolded a thick cashmere scarf—milky white, with a small cherry blossom embroidered on the edge.
Xu Ying was taken aback: "This is..."
"I saw this when I was on a business trip to Italy last month, and I thought it would suit you perfectly." He spoke casually, but his hands moved with care, wrapping the scarf around her neck round and round, and finally tying a knot gently.
The scarf was soft and warm, carrying the faint scent of cedar he wore. Xu Ying buried half her face in it and said in a muffled voice, "Thank you."
Zong Heng chuckled softly, then suddenly leaned down and whispered in her ear, "If you really want to thank me, how about I give you a kiss later?"
"Zong Heng!" She blushed and tried to push him away, but he grabbed her wrist and intertwined their fingers, stuffing them into his coat pocket.
"Let's go, or we'll miss the countdown."
The temple fair was even more lively than I had imagined.
The long street was brightly lit, with red lanterns hanging from the stalls on both sides, casting warm glows in the snowy night. The sweet aroma of roasted chestnuts, the caramelized scent of roasted sweet potatoes, and the oily fragrance of fried pastries mingled together, making one's mouth water.
Xu Ying's eyes lit up immediately.
"Which one do you want to eat?" Zong Heng looked at her bright eyes and couldn't help but squeeze her fingers.
"Candied hawthorn!" she pointed to a stall not far away, "I want the one with glutinous rice inside!"
Zong Heng raised an eyebrow: "Eating ice cream on such a cold day?"
"I want to eat." She shook his arm, her voice unconsciously carrying a hint of coquettishness.
Zong Heng's eyes darkened, and he suddenly pulled her closer to his arms: "If you keep talking like that, you can forget about eating anything else tonight."
Xu Ying immediately shut her mouth, her ear tips turning bright red.
A crowd had gathered in front of the candied hawthorn stall. Zong Heng told her to wait under the sheltered eaves while he squeezed into the crowd. Xu Ying looked at his tall figure and couldn't resist taking out her phone to secretly snap a picture.
In the video, he is looking down, selecting candied hawthorns, his profile particularly striking in the lantern light. The elderly stall owner is chatting and laughing, and he surprisingly offers a gentle smile.
Have you seen enough?
A deep voice suddenly sounded in her ear, and Xu Ying's hand trembled, almost dropping her phone. Zong Heng had returned at some point, holding two strings of crystal-clear candied hawthorns in his hand.
"Taking pictures of me without my consent?" He leaned closer, his breath brushing against her ear. "It's not free."
Xu Ying snatched the candied hawthorn and took a big bite: "Who's taking pictures of you? I'm taking pictures of the candied hawthorn..."
Before she could finish speaking, Zong Heng suddenly lowered his head and bit her hand in the spot where she had bitten before.
"Hmm, it's quite sweet." He looked at her meaningfully.
Passing through the food area, you'll find game stalls ahead. A crowd has gathered around a balloon-shooting game stall, with the biggest prize being a half-person-sized strawberry bear plush toy.
Xu Ying glanced at him a couple more times, and Zong Heng pulled her over.
"Want that one?" He pointed to the doll at the very top.
Xu Ying nodded, then shook her head: "You have to hit all the balloons to exchange them, that's too difficult..."
Zong Heng had already paid by scanning the QR code and taken the toy gun from the shopkeeper. He weighed it in his hand, then suddenly turned to her and asked, "Do you remember my target shooting score during high school military training?"
Xu Ying was taken aback.
The next second, a series of "bang bang" sounds rang out. Zong Heng's posture was perfect, his eyes sharp, and he barely paused.
All ten shots hit the target.
The stall owner was dumbfounded, and the onlookers gasped in amazement.
"Which one do you want?" Zong Heng handed the gun back and turned to ask her.
Xu Ying pointed to the ring toss stall next to her: "That cinnamon dog!"
Twenty minutes later, Xu Ying was carrying a full load of spoils: a strawberry bear, a cinnamon dog, a palm-sized knitted kitten, and even a glowing balloon.
The stall owners were on the verge of tears: "Handsome guy, please leave some food for your fellow vendors..."
Zong Heng, carrying the remaining prizes in one hand and holding her hand in the other, asked in a good mood, "Is there anything else you want?"
Xu Ying shook her head, then suddenly tiptoed and kissed him on the cheek: "That's enough, that's enough."
Zong Heng's gaze darkened, and he was about to lower his head when a cheer suddenly came from afar.
"It's almost midnight!" someone shouted.
A large crowd had already gathered around the ancient bell. Zong Heng helped Xu Ying squeeze to the front, and the electronic screen on the bell tower began its countdown:
"Ten, nine, eight..."
Xu Ying looked up at the flashing numbers, her heart beating faster and faster with each count.
"Three, two, one—Happy New Year!"
The deep tolling of bells echoed through the night sky, and countless fireworks burst overhead. Xu Ying was about to speak when Zong Heng turned her around.
"Xu Ying." His voice was deep and clear amidst the noise, "I've heard that people who kiss under the New Year's bell will stay together forever."
Snowflakes landed on his eyelashes and quickly melted. Xu Ying looked into his deep eyes and nodded gently: "Yes, I've heard of it."
Zong Heng cupped her face in his hands, his forehead resting against hers: "Shall we give it a try?"
She didn't answer, she just closed her eyes.
His lips descended, warm and soft. The surrounding crowd cheered, fireworks exploded overhead, but Xu Ying could only hear the deafening pounding of her own heart.
The kiss was light, yet lingering. As they parted, Zong Heng traced the corner of her lips with his thumb and whispered, "It's sealed. You can never take it back."
Xu Ying buried her face in his chest, listening to his equally rapid heartbeat, and whispered, "Who wants to back out?"
The distant chimes still echoed as the first snowflake of the new year landed on their clasped hands, quickly melting into a tiny water droplet.
It's like another seal stamped by fate.
The car's heater was on full blast. Xu Ying leaned against Zong Heng's shoulder, enveloped in his body heat and a faint woody scent. Outside the car window, the snow was still falling, and the glow of the streetlights cast a warm yellow hue on the glass, like melted honey.
With her eyes half-closed, her fingers unconsciously playing with the buttons on his coat, her voice soft and tired: "My parents seem to like you quite a bit."
Zong Heng chuckled softly, the vibration of his chest transmitted through their pressed shoulders: "What, are you jealous?"
"Who's jealous?" She pinched him lightly. "I just didn't expect my dad to give in so quickly."
He pinched her mischievous fingers, brought them to his lips, and kissed them: "Because I behaved well."
Xu Ying recalled how seriously he answered her father's questions at the dinner table and couldn't help but smile: "He acted quite convincingly."
"Pretending?" Zong Heng raised an eyebrow, then suddenly reached out and pinched her chin, forcing her to look up at him. "Xu Ying, I've never been pretending with you."
His gaze was so intense that Xu Ying's heart skipped a beat. She instinctively tried to dodge, but he grabbed the back of her head.
"Why are you hiding?" He stroked her lips with his thumb, his voice lowering. "Weren't you quite bold under the clock tower just now?"
Her face flushed: "That's because... the atmosphere is right."
"Oh—" he drawled, then suddenly leaned closer, "So, how's the atmosphere now?"
In the distance where their breaths mingled, Xu Ying could see the unmelted snowflakes on his eyelashes and the light in his eyes that reflected only her.
Suddenly, she no longer wanted to hide.
She reached out and grabbed his collar, tilting her head back to kiss him, mimicking his previous domineering manner, but due to her clumsy technique, she only managed to bump into his teeth.
Zong Heng let out a muffled groan, then grabbed her waist and deepened the kiss, taking the initiative.
"Xu Ying..." he called her name hoarsely between breaths, "You're finished."
"What?" she asked, still confused.
"You're not getting any sleep tonight."
Before she could react, he pulled her onto his lap. The cramped back seat made the position feel especially intimate, and Xu Ying frantically braced herself against his shoulders.
"How about we try something else?" He nibbled at her earlobe, his hand already slipping under her clothes.
Xu Ying shuddered, then suddenly remembered something and grabbed his wandering hand: "Wait! You still haven't told me what my dad talked to you about in the end?"
Zong Heng paused, narrowing his eyes: "Mentioning your father-in-law at a time like this?"
"Who's your father-in-law!" she punched him, her face flushed. "Tell me!"
He sighed, buried his head in the crook of her neck and nuzzled against her before reluctantly speaking, "He said, 'Be nicer to my daughter, or I won't be the only one coming after you.'"
Xu Ying blinked: "That's it?"
“And another thing,” Zong Heng suddenly laughed, “He said, ‘That set of purple clay teapots is fake, don’t get fooled next time.’”
Xu Ying paused for two seconds, then burst out laughing: "So the antique you specifically chose is a fake?"
Zong Heng gritted his teeth: "I'm going to tear that shop down tomorrow."
She laughed until tears streamed down her face, and he, in a fit of embarrassment and anger, pressed her down on the seat and tickled her.
"Bang!"
A muffled thud came from the roof of the car, the sound of a heavy object falling.
Zong Heng immediately shielded Xu Ying, his sharp eyes fixed on the window: "What happened?"
Xu Ying looked out the car window and saw several children hiding in the roadside bushes, laughing. One of them was holding a snowball mold.
Zong Heng, his face dark, was about to get out of the car when she stopped him: "It's the New Year, don't scare the child."
He glared at her: "They almost smashed the car."
"No one got hit." Xu Ying's eyes suddenly lit up. She rolled down the car window and waved to the children, "Want to build a snowman together?"
The children looked at each other in bewilderment, and finally, led by a little girl with pigtails, they timidly walked over.
Zong Heng sat in the car with his arms crossed, watching Xu Ying squatting in the snow chatting with the children. He suddenly remembered that in high school, she also squatted by the playground feeding stray cats.
Sunshine, snowflakes, and her dimples when she smiles.
Five years have passed, and nothing has changed.
"Uncle!" a little boy suddenly shouted through the car window, "My sister said you can do magic tricks!"
Zong Heng: "...?"
Xu Ying winked at him in the snow and mouthed, "Hey school bully, give me a little show?"
He took a deep breath, pushed open the door, and got out of the car.
Half an hour later, when Zong Heng conjured the fifth candy from playing cards, the children already idolized him. The chubby little boy who had initially thrown snowballs even asked admiringly, "Uncle, can you teach me how to fight?"
Zong Heng: "Call me brother and I'll teach you."
Xu Ying was laughing so hard she couldn't stand up straight when he pulled her into his arms: "Satisfied now?"
She tiptoed and kissed his chin: "I'm very satisfied."
On the way back, Xu Ying leaned against the car window, dozing off. Zong Heng pressed her head back onto his shoulder and heard her mumble, "Where are we going tomorrow?"
"at home."
"Um?"
He lowered his head and kissed the top of her head: "Let's do what engaged couples should do."
Xu Ying instantly snapped out of her daze, blushing as she pinched him: "Zong Heng!"
Outside the car window, the New Year's snow fell silently.
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