73. The New Year is coming soon
The year is coming to an end quickly, and we spend New Year’s Eve safely in the warm reunion at home.
The warm winter sun shone down, coating the small town in a faint golden glow. Unlike the chilly Spring Festival atmosphere of Jing City, the streets and alleys of L City were festooned with lights, brand new red lanterns and Chinese knots could be seen everywhere. The air was filled with the distinctive aroma of fireworks from firecrackers, blending with the aroma of food wafting from every household, creating a solid and warm atmosphere of everyday life.
The car stopped downstairs at Chi Jin's house. Chen Yisheng got out and pulled out several beautifully wrapped gift boxes from the trunk. Chi Jin had already been waiting at the door. Seeing his solemnity, the corners of his lips curled up: "Didn't I tell you not to go through so much trouble?"
"When visiting someone to wish them a happy new year, courtesy is essential." Chen Yisheng looked at her with a gentle yet serious gaze. He was wearing a dark cashmere coat, which diminished his professional aggression and added a touch of calmness and elegance.
Chi's mother warmly welcomed them in. As she accepted the gifts, she couldn't help but say something politely, "Glad you're here. Bringing so many things is a bit awkward." However, the smile at the corners of her eyes betrayed relief. A fruit plate had been set on the coffee table in the living room, filled with auspicious green olives, candies, and L City's typical New Year's desserts.
Dinner was a homely yet sumptuous feast. At the table, Chi's mother casually mentioned, "This year, the festive atmosphere feels stronger than in previous years. Last New Year's Eve, people in the alleys next door were imitating the Northern tradition of 'roasting sticks,' bringing in corn and cotton stalks to burn. They gathered around the fire and chatted, while the children set off small fireworks nearby. It was a lively scene."
Upon hearing this, Chi Jin and Chen Yisheng exchanged a smile. The simple and pure scene of neighbors gathering around a bonfire and praying for a prosperous new year was filled with a simple warmth.
The dinner was exceptionally lively. Chen Yisheng, his usual reserved demeanor, was now quite talkative. He didn't try to show off, but rather followed Mother Chi's lead, recounting some interesting developments in Jing City in recent years and some harmless anecdotes from the media industry. His humorous tone kept Mother Chi laughing. His eyes were sincere as he spoke, and he occasionally helped Mother Chi with her food, striking a perfect balance between approachability and respect.
The smile on Chi's mother's face remained lingering, and satisfaction was evident in her gaze towards Chen Yisheng. The atmosphere at the dinner table was relaxed and cheerful.
As the conversation got lively, they somehow drifted to their recent time at Zhongxin. Chi Jin blurted out how, to avoid being noticed, they had to pretend they were strangers even when they met in the elevator, relying only on quick eye contact to communicate.
Mother Chi's eyes widened when she heard this, and then she couldn't help but burst out laughing. She put down her chopsticks and looked at the two people sitting side by side opposite her, feeling both amused and moved: "I never thought that our Xiaojin, who looks so well-behaved, would actually have to engage in such a 'guerrilla' game with others?" She imagined her daughter being cautious and furtive in the office building, and found it both fresh and interesting.
Chi Jin felt a little embarrassed by her mother's words, her cheeks flushed slightly, and she glared at Chen Yisheng, blaming him for bringing up the topic. Chen Yisheng returned her with a smiley, helpless look, as if to say, "I didn't start this." He turned to Chi's mother and said with a hint of frank teasing, "Auntie, we were forced to do so at the time."
Mother Chi couldn't stop smiling and shook her head: "You young people..." But there was no blame in her words, only tolerance and understanding for the younger generations' little "adventure".
After dinner, Chen Yisheng magically pulled a cardboard box from the trunk of his car. Chi Jin curiously leaned over and saw a variety of fireworks neatly stacked inside: slender fairy wands, spinning tops, handheld sparklers, and several tubes of exquisite combination fireworks.
"Isn't it forbidden to set off fireworks in the city now?" Chi Jin was a little surprised. "Where did you get these?"
"I asked a friend," Chen Yisheng explained. "There's a river near the city, and there's a designated area along the riverbank where you can have your fish." A rare youthful enthusiasm flickered in his eyes. "New Year's Eve has to have some kind of ritual."
Chi Jin's heart was touched. She had never thought that someone like Chen Yisheng, who was usually so calm and steady, could actually hide such a romantic and thoughtful side.
"Shall we go and release it?"
"Of course." Chen Yisheng smiled. "Let's go now?"
The two of them said hello to Chi's mother and drove to the riverbank at the edge of the city. It was indeed a secluded place, far from the hustle and bustle of the city center. The only sounds were the gurgling water and the occasional muffled crackle of firecrackers from afar. The winter night sky was a deep, inky blue, dotted with sparse stars. The crescent moon shone faintly, casting a layer of fine silver foil over the flowing river. The riverbank was wide, and the withered reeds swayed gently in the night breeze, making a soft rustling sound.
Chen Yisheng moved the fireworks to a flat spot on the riverbank. In the crisp, cold air, his breath turned into white mist.
"Which one do you want to play first?" He looked at Chi Jin, his eyes reflecting the fragmented moonlight.
"Fairy wand!" Chi Jin said without hesitation. That was the most beautiful part of her childhood memory about the Chinese New Year.
Chen Yisheng took out a few cigarettes with a smile and lit the ends with a lighter. With a soft "hiss", dazzling golden sparks burst out instantly, as if suddenly grasping a small piece of flowing galaxy. Chi Jin took two and excitedly drew circles in the air, the light trails leaving a brief and brilliant trace in the night. Chen Yisheng also took two and stood beside her, quietly watching her joy, his eyes full of doting. The leaping sparks illuminated her smiling face, and her eyes were brighter than the stars. On this quiet riverbank, she seemed to take off all the armor she wore in the city, and turned back into the simplest, happy girl.
After playing with fairy wands, they set off a few small spinning tops that spun and spitted golden flames. Finally, Chen Yisheng placed the tube of combination fireworks in the middle of the open space and gestured for Chi Jin to stand further away.
He leaned over to light the fuse and quickly stepped back to her side.
After a brief silence, there was a sharp "whoosh!" as a streak of golden light, trailing flames, shot skyward. The moment it reached the highest point of the sky, it exploded with a bang, transforming into a dazzling shower of golden flowers that instantly illuminated the inky sky. Immediately thereafter, a second, a third... red, green, blue, a dazzling array of light burst forth one after another, like countless exotic flowers that bloomed and withered in an instant, enveloping the dark river, the swaying reeds, and the two people standing side by side, gazing upwards, all in this fleeting yet supreme brilliance. The roar echoed far across the empty riverbank before gradually fading, like an ancient echo.
Chi Jin looked up, watching the continuous stream of light rising into the sky, his heart filled with indescribable emotion. This fleeting beauty was a perfect reflection of the ups and downs and splendor they had experienced together, and also a metaphor for the future—the road ahead might still be dark, but there would always be light that would resolutely tear through the silence and bloom into their own splendor.
The last firework left a faint bluish-white mark in the sky before slowly fading away. Silence returned to the world, leaving only the increasingly thick, distinctive smell of gunpowder in the air and the subtle, still-unsettling hum in my ears.
The moment the light dimmed, before her eyes had adjusted to the darkness, Chi Jin felt Chen Yisheng's hand gently around her shoulders.
She leaned her head against him naturally. The cashmere material of the coat was soft and warm, and even through the layer of clothing, she could feel the warmth and strength of his strong arms.
"Are you cold?" he asked in a low voice, his voice particularly clear in the silent night.
"Not cold." Chi Jin shook his head. Leaning against him, he felt warm from the inside out.
The two of them snuggled quietly, gazing at the night sky, which had regained its tranquility. The crescent moon was like a hook, the stars were sparse, and the river flowed silently in the darkness, with an unchanging rhythm. The faint lights of the city on the other side shone silently like stars lost in the mortal world.
"I'll be heading back to Jing City tomorrow," Chen Yisheng said in a steady voice. "Some resignation procedures need to be completed as soon as possible. There's a lot of things I need to follow up on right away, like registering the new company, setting up the site, and setting up the team."
"Yeah." Chi Jin replied softly, "I'll be back on the fifth day of the New Year and have found a carpooling group. The selection meeting for the new issue of 'Faces' is about to start."
After a brief and warm reunion, they are about to return to the battlefield to face new and unknown challenges.
"Are you nervous?" Chen Yisheng turned his head and rubbed his chin lightly against the top of her head.
"A little," Chi Jin answered honestly. Without Zhong Xin as her "backer," it would be a lie to say she wasn't nervous. But she paused, her tone becoming firm, "but more of it is anticipation. Like you said, that's the mountain that truly belongs to me to conquer."
Chen Yisheng laughed softly and tightened his arms around her: "I knew you would say that."
"What about you?" Chi Jin looked up at him. In the darkness, he could only see his well-defined profile and deep eyes. "Starting a business is difficult. It must be very stressful, right?"
"Yeah, definitely." Chen Yisheng didn't hide it. "Starting from scratch means more hardships and greater uncertainty. But..." His voice was filled with a long-lost, high-spirited fighting spirit. "This feels good, like I've been reborn. Every step I take is for myself."
He paused, then turned to her, his eyes blazing in the dark night: "Besides, I know that no matter what I encounter, when I look back, you will be there."
Chi Jin's heart softened at these words. She reached out and clasped his fingers. "Of course. We agreed to work hard and meet at the top of the mountain."
The road ahead may not be smooth sailing. He may encounter various difficulties in his entrepreneurial journey, such as funding, market, and team coordination; while Zhong Xin may also face more complex interpersonal relationships and workplace challenges, as well as the pressure of proving her own independent value.
But they are no longer afraid.
Because they understand and support each other, and share a common goal. They are independent individuals, striving hard in their own fields; they are also close allies, relying on each other's souls, and providing each other with the most solid support and confidence. This is perhaps the best form of love: independence and interdependence.
"The new year," Chen Yisheng's voice was low and powerful, melting into the chilly night breeze, "has begun."
"Yes, it's started." Chi Jin responded softly, holding his fingers tighter.
Head to head, shoulder to shoulder, they stood on the quiet riverbank, gazing into the distance, as if they could see the magnificent future unfolding slowly before their eyes, accompanied by the sound of gurgling water.
The faint scent of fireworks lingered in the air, blending with the cool winter air to create a unique fragrance that symbolized both an end and a beginning. There was a subtle astringency of gunpowder, a subtle melancholy of parting, but more than that, an endless longing for a fresh start.
The night is gentle, the stars are surging, and there is a long road ahead.
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