new year
Next to the paper-cutting shop is a charming little grid shop, selling aromatherapy oils, flower and herb seeds, and even offering slow mail and delivery. A wooden shelf displaying postcards takes up half the shop's wall. The owner, a slender young woman, came over and introduced the shop: "Write a postcard to your future self or to each other. Receiving something you wrote years ago will be very touching."
Xia Tong was eager to try all sorts of new and exciting things, so she immediately borrowed a pen and sat down to write a postcard: "Dear Ms. Xia Tong ten years from now, I believe that you will be happier, more joyful, and richer than me, and that the world you live in will be more developed and convenient than mine, so don't be jealous that I am younger than you!"
After finishing her work, she went to browse the other cubicle shops in the store, completely unaware that Fu Jia, who had been waiting for her, had also sat down and quickly filled out a sheet. When Fu Jia finished, he saw Xia Tong standing in front of a cubicle shop, deep in thought. He leaned closer to look and saw many small bags with cartoon designs inside, some even shaped like candies—they were incredibly cute. Xia Tong picked one up and examined it closely: "What is this?"
The cubicle shop was full of strange and unusual things; how could Fu Jia possibly know them all? Just as Xia Tong was about to ask the shopkeeper about the small bag, Fu Jia caught a glimpse of an inconspicuous advertising slogan in one of the cubicles: "Use AoTu Sports Brand, enjoy the pleasure of sex." He immediately covered Xia Tong's mouth with one hand, pointed to the advertisement with the other, and whispered in her ear, "If you really like it, I don't mind buying it and trying them on one by one tonight."
Xia Tong paused for a moment before realizing what it was, her face turning as red as an apple. Fu Jia released her, feeling great at her seemingly shy yet annoyed expression, and pinched her pink ear: "You're blushing, don't be shy, I won't laugh at you."
Xia Tong turned around and nudged him, lecturing him sternly, "What's there to be shy about? You're so naive! Next time you cover my mouth, don't cover my nose, I'm suffocating!"
Fu Jia stared in disbelief at Xia Tong's departing figure: When did our Xia Xiaotong become so... "unconventional"?
As soon as she stepped outside, Xia Tong rubbed her face with her icy hands: It was a condom! Why was it made so cute?! Luckily, she didn't ask the shopkeeper, or she would have been incredibly embarrassed.
As dusk settled, rows of red lanterns hanging along both sides of the old street lit up, and wisps of smoke from chimneys drifted away in the cold wind. If it weren't for the tourists still coming and going, one would surely think they had stepped into an era a thousand years ago.
Xia Tong kept searching for the store she mentioned in the online guide. Despite complaining of foot pain, she insisted on continuing her search. Fu Jia sighed, "What is there to be so concerned about? Let's buy it next time."
"Netizens say this place sells the world's best tofu pudding, I must buy a serving to try it."
"Don't you dislike tofu pudding?"
"Maybe it's because I've never tasted the finest tofu pudding that I haven't fallen in love with it!"
Fu Jia, who always understood her logic, didn't argue with her, but simply accompanied her as they walked back and forth. When they found the shop, it was indeed bustling with people, completely full, and there was no way to squeeze in.
Xia Tong was so excited that she wanted to buy two servings of tofu pudding to take away, and unilaterally decided that this would be her dinner that night. Fu Jia was helpless; where would they have dinner? The two of them walked one after the other, each carrying a serving of tofu pudding. Xia Tong, who had bought her favorite tofu pudding, seemed to have used up all her energy, and she had to rest after walking a few steps.
"You're so tired, I'll carry you on my back," Fu Jia said, unable to bear it.
"No, that would be too embarrassing," Xia Tong refused outright.
After walking for a while, Xia Tong started taking a break after every step.
“It’s already dark, no one will see us,” Fu Jia advised her again.
"Aren't you tired?" Xia Tong squatted by the roadside like a disheveled kitten, still clutching the cat food she had insisted on buying.
"I'm not tired," Fu Jia said, looking down at her.
"Fine, I'll just have to bear with it a little longer."
After walking a while longer, Fu Jia couldn't stand it anymore. She grabbed her and said in a very harsh tone, "You think I'm dead? You can tolerate everything? Why are you still stubbornly arguing with me like this, half-dead?"
This time, Xia Tong didn't hesitate or struggle and climbed onto his back directly; she didn't want to die on the road.
Clinging to Fu Jia's back, Xia Tong wrapped her arms around his neck, rested her chin on his shoulder, and looked at the rows of red lanterns: "Do you think people lived like this thousands of years ago?"
"Maybe!" Fu Jia didn't interrupt her fantasy.
"Then where would I be thousands of years ago? Who would I be? Would I be a lonely young lady from a noble family, or an empty concubine in the capital, or a spiritual leader who wants to change history? At the very least, I would be an incredibly lucky maid in a wealthy family. That's how it's written in novels."
Xia Tong's breath warmed Fu Jia's neck as she spoke, which made Fu Jia's heart flutter, but he still answered her question: "Thousands of years ago, you might have been just like you are now, lying on my back. You weren't some rich heiress, just my girlfriend."
Xia Tong just laughed when she heard this, then traced his face with her finger: "Fu Jia, I think you've changed a lot since you were a child, but there's one thing that has never changed."
"Which point?" Fu Jia tilted her head to look at her.
"You're so self-centered." Xia Tong pinched his ears and shook them incessantly.
"Really? I feel like I'm all about you."
"Why do you still think that I didn't even have a proper status in ancient times, and was just your girlfriend, since you put me at the center of everything?"
"Or am I your boyfriend?"
"Your skin is getting thicker and thicker."
"Thank you for your guidance."
"..."
No matter how many eras have passed by on this stone path, I believe you are with me. No matter your status, the place next to you is mine.
As dusk settled and tourists thronged the streets, the two figures were blurred into a single silhouette against the night.
===
When Xia Tong returned to the city, it was almost Chinese New Year. She was busy preparing for the holiday, hanging beautiful Chinese knots and strings of bright red chili peppers around the house, pasting "Fu" (good fortune) characters on the windows and doors, and tidying the house up clean and comfortable – truly a scene of washing away the old and welcoming the new. In previous years, Xia's mother had handled all this, but this year she clearly wasn't in the mood. Even though Xia's father hadn't helped much during previous New Years, his absence made the place feel even colder.
In previous years, Xia Tong's family would always go to her maternal grandmother's house for a reunion dinner on New Year's Eve, and then visit her paternal grandmother's house the next day. But this year, Xia Tong simply sat with her mother in front of the TV making dumplings. Xia's mother silently and attentively made dumplings, while Xia Tong could only silently roll out the dumpling wrappers. The Spring Festival Gala on TV still showed everyone beaming with joy, and firecrackers were constantly going off outside the window, filling the room with the sulfurous smell of firecrackers.
"Tongtong, are you hungry? Do you want some dumplings?" Xia's mother suddenly asked.
"Yes, we eat dumplings during Chinese New Year, don't we?" Xia Tong nodded quickly.
"You can cook as many as you want. I'm a little sleepy. When the dumplings float to the surface, don't forget to put a bowl of cold water in to cool them down." With that, Xia's mother got up and headed back to her bedroom.
"Mom, aren't you going to eat? I'll make you a bowl too." Xia Tong stood up and looked at her.
"I'm not hungry, you eat. Don't stay up late." Xia's mother went into the room without turning her head, without even turning on the lights.
Xia Tong knew beforehand that it would be a very quiet Spring Festival, but she didn't expect it to be this desolate. With the living room lights off, only the television playing and making noise made it feel like a completely different world.
After a burst of firecrackers, Xia Tong noticed the indicator light on her phone was on. She quickly picked it up and saw it was a missed call from her father from a minute ago. She harbored resentment towards Xia Xinwen, but at that moment, she desperately wanted to hear her father's voice. She stared at the phone, waiting for her father to call back. The phone's flickering light mirrored her own heart, which sank lower and lower.
She threw her phone on the coffee table and sullenly watched the comedy sketches on TV that were trying so hard to be funny; this year's sketches were absolutely terrible.
The phone rang again, its bright screen facing down, only emitting a faint light through the coffee table. Xia Tong stared at the phone for a few seconds, wanting to stubbornly refuse to answer, but then, afraid the call would be hung up on again, she immediately pounced on it and picked it up.
"Hey—" Xia Tong's voice was full of grievance.
Happy New Year, Xia Xiaotong!
Upon hearing his voice, Xia Tong immediately burst into tears, remaining silent.
"Xia Xiaotong, come downstairs quickly! I'm right downstairs!" Fu Jia's voice was filled with excitement. "What's wrong? Did you go crazy?"
Xia Tong immediately put on her clothes and ran downstairs. Fu Jia, dressed in a dark blue trench coat, stood tall and graceful in the cold wind. Under the orange-yellow lights of the community, she looked like an exquisite person in a shop window, warm and beautiful.
"Fu Jia, what brings you here?" Xia Tong asked, pulling his arm and looking up at him.
"Of course I came to play with you." Fu Jia casually tucked the hood of her clothes into her head. "I wanted to come find you earlier, but the bunch of kids at home are too annoying." He frowned as he said this. "I suspect that kids these days are taking too many hormones and have developed ADHD. They're so noisy and disruptive that I really want to take a rope and tie them all up and hang them on the door!"
Xia Tong laughed exaggeratedly when she heard this: "Do you think children are grasshoppers, tying them up?"
"And then there's my cousin's kid, he's a little devil! He led the other kids to ask me for New Year's money three times! Everyone in the family says he's like me. Was I really that annoying when I was a kid?"
As Xia Tong listened to Fu Jia's complaints, her smile gradually faded. She buried herself in Fu Jia's arms, wrapped her arms around his neck, and asked with unprecedented admiration, "Your house must be very lively, right?"
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I finally got back to school today... Phew~ I finally updated... PS: The driver was really into it today, talking on the phone while driving, and honking the horn as soon as he hung up. Driver, how lonely were you?
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