Harbor
After the Little New Year, Baiyi went to the supermarket and flower market with her grandmother and Aunt Sun almost every day to buy New Year's goods. Her grandfather's students also often came to deliver some flowers, fruits, and pastries.
She didn't have time to go to the villa, but Aunt Wu often video-called her to ask what kind of New Year decorations she bought for her home, whether she preferred "May all your wishes come true" or "May you have plenty of fish every year" for the hanging ornaments, and even whether she should paste "happiness" or "fortune" on the window decorations.
She glanced at the camera and saw Aunt Wu holding the character "喜" (happiness). Her heart skipped a beat, and she suggested that they put up the character "福" (fortune) instead. Aunt Wu smiled and agreed.
Zhong Yunxi still calls or texts her frequently, but she doesn't always respond, often saying she's busy to brush him off.
Zhong Yunxi knew perfectly well that she was just lazy and often didn't bother to appease him. He would occasionally feel disappointed, but he would quickly let it go. His indulgence of Bai Yi was so great that he could quickly adjust his emotions.
The day before New Year's Eve, he finally got through to her on the phone around 10 p.m. He had just returned from a business dinner and hadn't drunk too much, but he had two glasses of red wine and two glasses of white wine, so he was still a little tipsy.
The housekeeper left a few days ago. After returning home, he wanted to eat something hot, but he was too lazy to cook, so he took a slice of frozen pizza from the refrigerator and put it in the microwave.
Seeing that his room was empty and deserted, without even a hint of New Year's atmosphere, Bai Yi felt sorry for him and couldn't help but ask him comfortingly, "When are you coming back tomorrow? There will be good food when you come back."
Zhong Yunxi was eating at the dining table. In the shot, Bai Yi was lying on her side on the bed, with half of her face covered by the blanket, only her eyes were visible.
"I'll go back after lunch, and I should be there before 3 p.m. Have you put up the couplets yet? If not, I'll put them up when I get back tomorrow."
When Bai Yi heard that he was going to come back to put up couplets, his eyes crinkled with a smile. "No, Senior Brother He and Yu Shiyuan were originally going to come, but I'll call them tomorrow morning and tell them not to come."
Zhong Yunxi moved the phone stand closer and asked her, "After having New Year's Eve dinner with your grandparents and staying up all night, how about coming home with me?"
Bai Yi narrowed his eyes. "I can let you stay in my bedroom for one night. My bed is 1.8 meters long."
After saying that, she rolled over on the bed and turned to lie on her other side.
Zhong Yunxi laughed, licked his lips, and leaned closer to the screen: "Are you sure? Aren't you afraid of disturbing Grandpa and Grandma with all that activity at night?"
Bai Yi: ...
"You're not allowed to think like that."
Zhong Yunxi's smile widened: "Living in your bedroom, the two of us discussing poetry, songs, and philosophy of life under the covers on New Year's Eve? Do you think I have that kind of level of understanding?"
Bai Yi's pupils dilated in shock. She slammed her phone face down on the pillow and cursed him, "Shameless."
"Sweetie, don't block the camera." He said with a smile.
Bai Yi picked up her phone again: "I'm not talking to you anymore, I'm going to sleep."
"Come closer and kiss me."
Bai Yi ignored him and hung up.
After being angry for three minutes, I sent him another message: [Kiss]
Zhong Yunxi asked: Are you angry? Don't you usually like to send three emojis in a row? Why did you only send me one today?
Bai Yi was speechless; why bother with such a trivial matter?
A few minutes later, she sent another message: [kiss][kiss][kiss]
Zhong Yunxi: Received
Who is this person, replying to his wife's kiss with "received"?
Before going to bed, Zhong Yunxi sent her many kisses and roses, but she didn't reply.
But the next morning, before she was even awake, Zhong Yunxi called her. She answered quickly and asked him what he wanted.
On his way to the old house, Zhong Yunxi was surprised that she answered the phone so quickly today, her tone soft and gentle, as if she was very happy.
Perhaps it's because today is Lunar New Year's Eve, a holiday filled with the warmth and happiness of family reunion.
Zhong Yunxi wished her a Happy New Year.
She squinted, peeked out from under the covers at the bright sunlight streaming through the curtains, then pulled the covers back over herself, stretched, and said, "Okay, come back early this afternoon."
Zhong Yunxi is going back to Xiangcheng today, and she actually misses him a little.
Zhong Yunxi heard her rustling and tossing under the covers. "If you're sleepy, just sleep a little longer. I don't want to wake you, but I wanted to say my first blessing of the day to you."
Bai Yi smiled and wished him a Happy New Year, emphasizing that he was not allowed to say he had received it.
Zhong Yunxi smiled. "No wonder you didn't reply to me yesterday. Was it because of that 'received' message?"
Bai Yi snorted, and Zhong Yunxi said he would reply with kisses in return, to which she smiled and hummed softly.
Zhong Yunxi didn't hang up the phone until he arrived at the old house.
As soon as they got out of the car, Shi Yan was clearing fallen leaves from the small flowerbed in the yard. Seeing Zhong Yunxi's beaming face, he asked him, "Brother, are you feeling quite pleased with yourself after your trip back to Xiangcheng?"
Zhong Yunxi pulled out a red envelope and tossed it to Shi Yan. Shi Yan caught it, weighed it in his hand, and found it to be quite thick. He instantly transformed into a well-behaved younger brother: "Brother, Happy New Year! May you and your wife have a long and happy marriage."
As soon as I entered the house, the old man was having breakfast. Grandma knew that there was nothing at his place, so she called him last night after he had a social engagement and asked him to come over for breakfast today.
During the meal, Grandma started assigning them tasks, asking him and Shi Yan to put up couplets. He nodded in agreement, thinking it would be a good opportunity to practice and get familiar with the task, as he would also be putting up couplets when he returned to Xiangcheng in the afternoon.
Shi Qi arrived after breakfast; her clothes, shoes, and bags were the result of her recent shopping spree at various luxury brand stores with Zhong Yunxi's money.
Seeing her dressed up in her finest attire, Zhong Yunxi suddenly lost the desire to give her a red envelope.
However, Zhong Yunxi's red envelope is the part that Shi Qi looks forward to the most every year during the Spring Festival. As soon as she entered the door, Shi Yan held up a red envelope and winked at her.
Shi Qi sat down next to Zhong Yunxi, took his arm, and called him "brother" in a drawn-out tone.
Zhong Yunxi glanced at her. "Last time you sent me a screenshot of your chat history with your sister-in-law, saying what you would say to your grandparents?"
Shi Qi quickly remembered, "About the drone, speak up for her."
Zhong Yunxi nodded: "Then we'll see how you perform today."
This means that whether you perform well or not is directly linked to receiving a red envelope (cash reward).
Shi Qi: ...
stinking capitalists.
The whole family was busy in the morning. My uncle was busy in the kitchen, my aunt and grandmother were arranging flowers and decorating, my grandfather was writing couplets, Zhong Yunxi and Shi Yan were putting up couplets, and the nanny cleaned every nook and cranny of the house again.
As lunchtime approached, everything was tidied up, and Shi Qi sat next to her grandfather, peeling pine nuts for him while they waited for lunch.
"Grandpa, I called my sister-in-law yesterday, and she asked me to send her greetings to you and wish you good health and a happy new year."
When Grandpa heard Shi Qi's words, he went to see Zhong Yunxi first, and was naturally dissatisfied: "It's the first year of your marriage, and you don't even come back to the capital to see your family."
Zhong Yunxi was still worried. Even if he settled in Xiangcheng in the future, he would inevitably have to return to Beijing for holidays. He didn't want Bai Yi to come back because his family was not satisfied with her, especially his maternal grandparents.
Shi Qi whispered to her grandfather, "It's all because of my brother. It seems like they're about to get divorced. She definitely doesn't want to come to Beijing."
Grandpa asked with a "Hmm?" what was going on.
Shi Qi pulled her grandfather into the study. "Grandpa, it seems my brother is having an affair with another woman, and my sister-in-law found out."
Grandpa: ?
Shi Qi embellished the story and vividly recounted the information she had gathered from Xue Meng about Wen Ying and Si Jian Pharmaceuticals to her grandfather.
“Grandpa, look at my sister-in-law, she’s so quiet and delicate. My brother was a fraud in the first place, and now he’s suspected of cheating on me. Who can tolerate him? I bet his relatives and friends on his side will all be cursing our family.”
Grandpa sat in the chair, too angry to speak for a long time.
"Are the two of them okay now?"
Shih Chi laughed and said, "It seems not. My brother is still trying to coax me. If it were me, I definitely wouldn't be able to coax him. I would definitely divorce him."
Grandfather: ...
As soon as the two went downstairs to the restaurant, the grandfather saw Zhong Yunxi and angrily pointed at him, yelling, "You can still sit still? What are you eating? Go back to Xiangcheng!"
Zhong Yunxi was taken aback by the scolding, then smiled helplessly and glanced at Shi Qi: "What rumors have you spread about me now?"
Grandpa almost picked up his cane to hit him again: "What did you do? And you're complaining about others spreading rumors?"
Shi Qi pressed on her grandfather's cane and said with a smile, "Brother, Grandpa has already spoken, so you definitely won't be able to eat this meal."
Zhong Yunxi walked into the living room, picked up his coat, gave his elders New Year's greetings, and left the old house.
As the car drove out of the yard, Shi Qi caught two red envelopes that flew out of the car window and put them in her pocket with satisfaction.
Zhong Yunxi landed in Xiangcheng more than two hours later. When he got home, Bai Yi was still taking a nap.
This morning, he called Aunt Wu and, according to the custom of Xiangcheng, delivered some handmade pastries, fruits, fresh shrimp and fish to her door on New Year's Eve.
Seeing him return at this time, his grandmother hurriedly asked him, "Xiao Yi said you were having dinner with your family in Beijing and wouldn't arrive until after 3 PM. Did you eat anything for lunch?"
He laughed and said, "They told me to come earlier."
Grandma asked Aunt Sun to make him something to eat, pointed to Bai Yi's bedroom, and smiled indulgently: "She's still sleeping. She got up a little early today and took Paopao to the supermarket. She's sleepy again after lunch. There are so many trivial things to do at home during the New Year. We can't rely on her for anything."
Zhong Yunxi helped his grandmother pack her things. "It's alright. She has to stay up tonight to celebrate the New Year, so let her get some more sleep. By the way, Grandma, after midnight, I'll take Xiaoyi back to the villa and prepare some New Year's gifts for her to open."
The old man was already very satisfied that the two of them could spend the Spring Festival in Xiangcheng and have New Year's Eve dinner with them.
Grandma nodded: "Tomorrow is the first day of the Lunar New Year. Remember to come over for lunch."
"good."
After dinner, Zhong Yunxi went to Bai Yi's bedroom. The blackout curtains were tightly drawn, and the room was dimly lit with almost no visibility. She peeked out with her head exposed, her hair disheveled. Zhong Yunxi went over and pulled the blankets aside to reveal her face. He smiled, leaned down and kissed her, then squeezed her hand before going out to put up the Spring Festival couplets.
When Bai Yi woke up, Zhong Yunxi had almost finished putting up the Spring Festival couplets.
She stood at the bedroom door, watching Zhong Yunxi carrying Spring Festival couplets and adhesive tape, and smiled at her, "You can sleep until almost four o'clock during your afternoon nap. I was counting on you to help me and Grandma put up the Spring Festival couplets."
Bai Yi: ...
"When did you get back? Why didn't you call me?"
"When you just fell asleep."
Bai Yi knew that putting up Spring Festival couplets was the last thing to do on New Year's Eve. She pulled Zhong Yunxi aside and whispered, "I need to go back and put on makeup, change my clothes, and then come back for New Year's Eve dinner."
Zhong Yunxi was stunned. He never expected Bai Yi to say that. They would go back to their home, dress up in their finest clothes, and come back as a newlywed couple to celebrate the New Year with their elders.
His eyes flickered slightly, and he wanted to lower his head to kiss her, but his grandmother came out of the kitchen and said, "Isn't there a paper-cut of a bountiful harvest? Look for it, it's perfect to stick in the kitchen."
He took her hand and whispered, "Okay." Then he went to help his grandmother find paper cuttings.
The couple went back to the villa after the Spring Festival couplets and paper-cut window decorations were pasted up in all the rooms of the house.
As soon as Bai Yi got out of the car, he jogged into the house and went upstairs. Zhong Yunxi followed him with long strides, saying, "What's the rush?"
Bai Yi glanced back at him: "It's Chinese New Year, I want to put on some nice makeup, it'll take me a while."
Zhong Yunxi chuckled and pulled her close, pinning her against the bedroom door. "How slow?"
Bai Yi hugged his waist and said with a smile, "About an hour."
Zhong Yunxi glanced at his watch and smiled, "Then there's not much time left."
But there's always time for a kiss.
Zhong Yunxi lowered his head and bit her lips, gently sucking and grinding them. Later, his tongue violently swept over every part of her mouth, leaving only her rapid breathing and the sound of dripping water in her throat.
Bai Yi nudged him, saying she needed to put on makeup and didn't have time.
Zhong Yunxi released her, but then gave her a hard kiss on the side of her neck, leaving a hickey.
Bai Yi raised her hand to cover it, glaring at him: "Don't bite here."
My grandparents will see me when I get home tonight.
Zhong Yunxi stroked it with his fingertips: "Oh, then let's go somewhere else tonight."
Bai Yi didn't want to talk to him anymore and went to her dressing table.
He sat beside her, smiling as he watched her play with the bottles and jars. As Bai Yi used concealer to cover up the hickeys little by little, Zhong Yunxi took the small tube from her hand and said, "You don't need this."
Bai Yi nudged him with her elbow: "Aren't you annoying?"
The clothes were picked out for her by Zhong Yunxi, and she paired them with the malachite belt that her grandmother had given her.
Zhong Yunxi looked at her waist, cupped his hands around it, and said with a smile that it looked good.
When she went back for the New Year's Eve dinner, as soon as she entered the door, her grandmother looked at her and said, "You are so beautiful and elegant, and you are so precious." Behind her, Zhong Yunxi was handsome and dignified. She smiled and said to her grandfather, "Come and see our little girl."
Grandpa peeked over and said with a smile, "Come here, Grandpa will give you a red envelope and this year's lucky charm."
Bai Yi's favorite thing is the blessing slips her grandfather writes for her every year. They are small sheets of gold-flecked paper, filled with auspicious words written in delicate calligraphy. There are many of them, as thick as a red envelope.
Zhong Yunxi also had one this year.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
