Chapter 110 On New Year's Eve, he returned!
"Yueyue! I'm here!"
Yang Yiyi had two long, shiny braids, wore a fashionable blue jumpsuit, and carried two bulging net bags. Her voice preceded her arrival.
Su Yue stared wide-eyed in surprise at her best friend who had suddenly appeared before her.
"Yiyi? What brings you here? Shouldn't you be home for the New Year?"
"Going home?! My mom has been hoping I'd get married soon, I'm not going back to listen to her nagging!" Yang Yiyi put her things on the stone table and gave Su Yue a big bear hug.
"I've taken leave from the troupe. This year, I'm sticking with you for Chinese New Year! Let's stay up late together and eat dumplings. How fun is that!"
She hugged Su Yue and whispered something in her ear.
Surrounded by her friend's warm body and familiar scent, Su Yue's loneliness and heaviness that had been weighing on her heart for days were instantly dispelled.
A surge of warmth welled up from the bottom of her heart, making her eyes feel hot.
"Fine, you're sticking with me now, I'll take care of you!" Su Yue laughed and punched her lightly.
With my best friend by my side during the Lunar New Year, this holiday season doesn't seem so hard to get through.
The courtyard was filled with laughter and joy once again.
Yang Yiyi's arrival was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, instantly creating ripples in Su Yue's courtyard.
The two of them worked together to thoroughly clean the house, and then found red paper among the New Year's gifts that the mother-in-law had sent, cut out pretty window decorations, and pasted them on the glass.
Two festive red lanterns were also hung under the eaves of the courtyard.
Yang Yiyi kept talking as she worked, just like a chattering lark.
She recounted the amusing incidents that had recently occurred in the performing arts troupe to Su Yue in a vivid and engaging manner, like a stand-up comedy routine.
"Su Yueyue, you didn't see it, our Instructor Yun is a complete blockhead!"
Yang Yiyi imitated Yun Mu, putting on a stern face, lowering her voice, and coldly scanning the crowd.
"'Everyone, get ready! Five kilometers of armed cross-country running, no food for those who don't finish!' Tsk tsk, that aura could freeze you into an icicle!"
Her lifelike imitation made Su Yue burst into laughter.
"But what about in private?"
Yang Yiyi changed the subject, a mischievous smile appearing on her face.
"All I did was ask him after training, 'Instructor, was my movement correct?' His ears turned bright red instantly! His eyes darted around, and after a long pause, he squeezed out a '...not bad,' and then turned and walked away faster than anyone else!"
Do you think he might have a crush on me?
Yang Yiyi leaned closer and asked, winking at her.
Looking at her smug yet shy expression, Su Yue felt her gloom completely dissipate.
"I think it's very interesting."
The companionship of a best friend is the best medicine to heal everything.
New Year's Eve arrived quickly.
Zhang Huilan had already given a strict order that Su Yue must take Yang Yiyi back to the old house for the New Year's Eve dinner.
The Gu family's old house was brightly lit and filled with a festive atmosphere.
The whole family sat together, the table laden with a sumptuous feast, and Gu Zhengfeng even opened a bottle of fine wine.
Seeing Su Yue's bright smile return and her chatting and laughing with Yang Yiyi, Zhang Huilan finally felt relieved.
During the meal, Yang Yiyi quietly leaned close to Su Yue's ear and whispered something in her ear.
"Yueyue, I have a secret to tell you."
"When I took leave from the troupe the day before yesterday, I ran into Yun Mu at the entrance."
"He...he actually spoke to me first!"
A suspicious blush appeared on Yang Yiyi's cheeks.
He asked me, 'How are you going to spend the New Year?'
“I told him I was coming to spend the New Year with him, and he just said ‘Oh,’ and then added, ‘Well… be careful.’”
As Yang Yiyi spoke, she couldn't help but smile sweetly and touched her burning cheeks with the back of her hand.
"Do you think this counts as him caring about me?"
Su Yue smiled and nodded as she looked at her friend's lovestruck expression.
"Yes, of course it counts. This is the most considerate thing your Instructor Yun could ever say."
The New Year's Eve dinner was a lively and joyful affair.
After the meal, Zhang Huilan wanted the two girls to stay at the old house, but Yang Yiyi insisted on accompanying Su Yue back to the small courtyard.
"Don't worry, Auntie, I'm with Yueyue! We promised to stay up all night together!"
Unable to persuade them otherwise, Zhang Huilan had no choice but to have her bodyguard drive the two of them back.
Returning to the familiar courtyard, the noise subsided, and the world quieted down once more.
After Yang Yiyi finished washing up, she occupied the room next door, and soon the sound of even breathing could be heard.
Su Yue sat on the edge of the bed, looking at her friend's sleeping profile, her heart filled with gratitude.
On this day of family reunion, I'm so glad she was there for me, otherwise it wouldn't have been so hard to get through.
Outside the window, sporadic firecrackers could be heard, signaling the imminent ringing of the New Year's bells.
Su Yue, however, could not fall asleep.
She put on a coat, walked to the window alone, and opened it.
The cold winter night wind, carrying the salty, damp scent of the sea, swept over her, instantly sobering her up.
Her gaze drifted into the distance, beyond the layers of rooftops in the residential compound, to the vast, dark sea.
Gu Beichen, where are you now?
How are you?
She pulled out the slightly wrinkled wedding photo from under her pillow.
In the photo, he is wearing a crisp military uniform, looking heroic and extraordinary, with deep eyes looking at the camera, but a hint of gentleness on his lips.
Su Yue reached out her finger and gently stroked his handsome face.
From their first encounter on the train to their current married life, scenes flashed rapidly through my mind.
His clumsiness, his gentleness, his domineering nature, his deep affection...
This man is etched into her very bones, becoming the most important part of her life.
As I thought about it, my eyes started to feel hot, and my vision gradually blurred.
"Gu Beichen, you big liar..."
"You promised to spend my first New Year with me..."
She murmured to herself, and a warm tear slipped uncontrollably down her cheek, landing on the photograph.
Just then.
"Squeak—"
A very faint sound came from the courtyard gate.
Immediately afterwards, a steady, yet somewhat hesitant sound of footsteps echoed in the quiet courtyard.
It's not a hallucination!
Su Yue's heart skipped a beat, and all the blood rushed to her head!
She stood up abruptly, and because the movement was so sudden, the chair tipped backward with a thud.
But she couldn't care less about that anymore.
She stared intently at the direction of the courtyard gate, her breath catching in her throat.
Under the hazy moonlight, a tall, familiar figure, yet exuding endless weariness, was walking slowly and laboriously toward the door.
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