The hustle and bustle of the 30th day of the twelfth lunar month still seemed to be ringing in my ears, the deafening sound of firecrackers, the never-ending singing and dancing at the evening parties on TV, the laughter and joy that the servants deliberately created but still seemed empty and false...all sank into silence with the stroke of midnight.
New Year's Day, early morning.
The lead-gray sky hung low, shrouding the entire Qin family manor in a cold silence.
The sporadic snow that fell last night did not accumulate, leaving only a thin layer of fine silver on the withered yellow lawn, dark green cedar branches and the edges of the cold stone steps.
The cold wind, carrying the lingering smell of gunpowder and the bleakness of winter, blew across the courtyard, making a whimpering sound.
The huge floor-to-ceiling windows of the main house kept out the cold, but the emptiness and coldness that penetrated deep into the bone marrow and belonged to the house itself were more biting than the cold wind outside.
Qin Yuheng woke up very early.
In other words, he hardly slept all night.
My heart was beating fast and hard in my chest, like a restless little beast, banging against my ribs.
The secret warmth that had been nurtured since New Year's Eve in the warm greenhouse with a glass of milk, a brief handshake and a promise of a gift did not subside with time.
Instead, it fermented and expanded in the silent dawn, turning into an almost scorching, unplaceable expectation and... uneasiness.
He walked barefoot on the thick and soft carpet in the bedroom and walked silently to the huge floor-to-ceiling window.
Outside the window is a cold, gray world. The carefully trimmed dead branches in the courtyard sway in the cold wind, adding a bit of desolation.
His gaze did not linger, but passed through the cold glass, across the empty courtyard, and went straight to the other side of the main house - the direction of Qin Yuzheng's study.
The heavy, dark curtains were tightly closed, blocking any possibility of prying eyes. But Qin Yuheng knew that his brother must have gotten up.
He is like a precise and tireless machine, with a biological clock that is terrifyingly accurate.
At this moment, he might be sitting behind that large desk, processing those documents that he would never finish reading, or overlooking this cold kingdom through the one-way glass.
When Qin Yuheng thought of his brother, his heart beat faster, and he even felt a little dizzy.
He subconsciously raised his hand and touched his left chest, as if to suppress the restless little beast.
Through the soft silk pajamas, my fingertips could clearly feel the vigorous beating of my heart. This heartbeat was the drumbeat that existed for that person.
He took a deep breath, and the cold air seemed to carry a hint of his brother's cool scent.
He forced himself to turn around and stop looking at the closed study curtains. His gaze fell on the beautifully wrapped rectangular gift box in the corner of the bedroom, which he had already touched countless times.
Inside the box was the "Christmas gift" he had prepared for the entire winter but never had the courage to give.
At this moment, it became the source of all his courage on the first day of the new year.
Time crawls slowly in the anxious waiting.
Qin Yuheng paced silently in the room like a prisoner awaiting the final judgment, sometimes fixing his hair and collar in front of the mirror, which did not need to be fixed (he had not changed out of his pajamas yet), and sometimes biting his nails nervously.
The sunlight struggled to penetrate the thick clouds, sparingly shedding a few faint rays of light, casting blurry spots on the ground.
Finally, when the old floor clock in the living room struck nine melodious and cold chimes, Qin Yuheng stood still as if he had received some kind of instruction to act.
He rushed to the cloakroom and changed into a brand new, wrinkle-free dark gray cashmere sweater and matching trousers at almost combat speed.
He then faced the mirror and carefully smoothed down the few unruly strands of hair on his forehead (though they soon curled up playfully again). Finally, he carefully picked up the rectangular gift box, his fingertips turning slightly white from the pressure.
He looked at himself in the mirror, his eyes bright and even a little desperate, and silently mouthed: "Come on!"
Then, he held the box as if it were the most precious and fragile item in the world, and walked out of his room barefoot, quietly but with a clear purpose.
He walked through the empty and cold living room, where his own heartbeat echoed, and stopped in front of the heavy walnut door of Qin Yuzheng's study.
His heart was beating so loudly in his chest that he suspected anyone on the other side of the door could hear it.
He held his breath and listened. There was silence inside the door, only the faint hum of the heating system.
He raised his hand, his knuckles hovering a few centimeters from the door for a few seconds.
In the end, he knocked gently, with an almost pious caution.
“Knock, knock, knock.”
Three soft sounds were heard, as clear as thunder in the silent corridor.
There was no immediate response.
Qin Yuheng's heart instantly jumped into his throat! His fingertips felt cold. Had he disturbed his brother? Was he in an important video conference? Did he... not want to be disturbed at all?
Just when he was about to flee, a low and calm voice without any emotion came from inside the door:
"Enter."
Like the sound of nature!
Qin Yuheng immediately opened the door. A calming scent, a mixture of the cool fragrance of cedar, fine paper, and ink, washed over him. It was so familiar that it instantly put him at ease.
The light in the study was bright and soft. Outside the huge French windows was a gray sky and a courtyard covered with light snow, while inside the room was warm as spring.
Qin Yuzheng was indeed sitting behind a large desk, with documents spread out in front of him and a platinum pen in his hand.
He was wearing a dark grey turtleneck cashmere sweater of the same colour as Qin Yuheng's, but with a colder, harder texture. His cuffs were rolled up to his forearms, revealing his sleek wrists and the understated watch.
My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It will be even more exciting later!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
