At first glance, it looked like...fireworks? Star stood on the steps and didn't move forward. "What are you doing here?"

"I'll stay up with you on New Year's Eve!"

The gloom between his brows and eyes when they separated last night and at noon today was gone. Gu Qichen's brows and eyes were gentle, "Changqing, open the door!"

Star wanted to ask, "Aren't you going home?", but swallowed the words back.

Anyway, this is the only time I'll be willful!

In the future, when I stay up on New Year’s Eve, I don’t know whether I will still be in the imperial capital, and who will be around me?

Star went forward and opened the door.

Gu Qichen was wearing a dark-colored suit without even a coat.

He no longer has the iron-blooded and murderous look of the past, but has become more suave and handsome.

Watching him quietly as he carried the pile of boxes and bags in front of the door, Star locked the door and followed him in.

This is the first time Gu Qichen comes to Star's house.

After entering the door and looking around, he seemed to be familiar with the environment.

He first used plastic wrap to seal the dishes made by Aunt Sun and put them in the refrigerator. Then, he placed the portable gas stove he brought on the coffee table in the living room. "I'll make you some army hotpot later! You can eat army hotpot while watching the gala. I'll let you experience how I spent New Year's Eve over the years. It's guaranteed to be a different experience!"

I watched him take off his suit and casually throw it on the sofa in the living room, then take out an apron from the bags he brought and put it on.

Star leaned against the kitchen door with his arms folded. "Are you going to be a cook?"

Gu Qichen was stunned and turned to look at her, "Why, are you afraid that you can't be the admiral's wife?"

Star: …

Star glanced at him coldly and turned to sit on the sofa.

In just over ten minutes, the coffee table in the living room was filled with food.

There was a portable gas stove in the middle, with hot pots boiling all around.

Red beef and mutton slices.

Brown tripe meatballs.

Colorful assortment of vegetables.

There are also canned cherries and plump yellow peaches.

On TV, the party began, and festive colors of bright red and green accompanied by even more festive music filled the air.

Beside him, Gu Qichen had already filled the pot with vegetables, added water, and started cooking what he called the army pot.

Star glared at Gu Qichen, and when he said "OK", he picked up a chopstick and took a bite.

I couldn't help but frown.

There is still a difference.

It’s much more unpalatable than hotpot.

When I looked up again, I saw Gu Qichen eating it mouthful after mouthful, enjoying the delicious food.

Star lowered his head, his eyes flickering slightly.

As the eldest son of the Gu family, what delicacies from land and sea must he not have tasted?

In the past, he would not even look at such a thing, right? But since he turned 18, he could only eat it on New Year's Eve.

Feeling a little sad, Star picked up the food and started eating.

I couldn't help but think of the ten years before I returned to the imperial capital.

At that time, she was studying in Paris, and he went to Paris to see her.

She went to Milan for further studies, and he went to Milan too.

He is busy with the troupe all year round and hardly ever goes home.

I save up all my vacation days every year, and except for going back home to stay for a day or two, I spend the rest traveling abroad to accompany her.

When she returned to the imperial capital, he no longer saved up vacation time and came back whenever he had time.

Even if I come back, I may not be able to see her.

In the previous ten years, the mountains were high and the emperor was far away, and thinking that they didn't know what tomorrow would be like, the two of them were together from morning to night, like conjoined twins.

Even washing dishes can create sparks with a kiss in the kitchen.

But when they came back, they became the most familiar strangers.

Even Qin Chizhou and the others noticed that something was wrong with them.

Lu Changqing, is it worth it? Do you still want to... persist?

The pendulum in my heart was swinging back and forth, and I didn't even know when I put down my chopsticks or when Gu Qichen cleaned the table.

When Star came to her senses, Gu Qichen had already come over with a bottle of decanted red wine and sat at her feet.

(End of this chapter)