The two quarreled for a while, and dim light came through the curtains. Cheng Yaoyao laughed and panted, kicked the quilt to the ground, and had beads of sweat on his forehead: "Don't... I have a stomachache..."
Xie Zhao patted her on the back to calm her down, and asked, "Are you still making trouble?"
"Hmph." Cheng Yaoyao felt a little cold and curled up in Xie Zhao's arms.
Xie Zhao picked up the quilt and wrapped it around the two of them, then drew the curtains tightly, and the room became peacefully dark again.
Xie Zhao rested his chin on Cheng Yaoyao's head, and his rapid breathing calmed down after a long while. He whispered, "Be good and sleep for a while."
Cheng Yaoyao was so tired that he didn't have any strength left. He just stayed still for a moment, his fingers clenching Xie Zhao's vest. Xie Zhao's heartbeat was strong and steady, which made Cheng Yaoyao's nerves, which had been tense for several days, completely relax. The two of them fell asleep in each other's arms, and slept soundly and deeply.
When Cheng Yaoyao woke up again, the curtains were open, and the sunset glow and the smoky evening breeze filled the small room. Xie Zhao's slender figure was standing on a bench, repairing a light bulb.
Cheng Yaoyao lay still in the quilt, and called softly, "Xie Zhao."
"My sister is awake." Xie Zhao turned on the light bulb, and the room instantly became bright. On the table was a paper bag of Commander Kai's snacks, the thermos was full, and the clothes on the floor were picked up and hung by the bed. The small room became warm again.
Xie Zhao washed his hands, walked to the bedside, leaned over and picked up Cheng Yaoyao: "Are you hungry? I bought some snacks."
Cheng Yaoyao covered his mouth and yawned, his peach blossom eyes filled with moisture: "When did you buy it? You didn't even call me."
Xie Zhao poured out half a cup of hot water from the thermos, blew on it before handing it to Cheng Yaoyao: "I went out for a while, and I saw that you were sleeping soundly, so I didn't disturb you."
Cheng Yaoyao held the cup to warm his hands and smelled it. The boiled water in the tube building always smelled like disinfectant. Cheng Yaoyao added some spiritual spring water and took a sip.
Xie Zhao took another newspaper and spread it out, then took out the chestnut cake from the paper bag: "Fill your stomach first, we'll go out for the New Year's Eve dinner tonight."
"New Year's Eve dinner?" Cheng Yaoyao just remembered, "Tonight is New Year's Eve!"
It's been so chaotic these days that I even forgot about New Year's Eve. Cheng Yaoyao said with some guilt: "What will happen to grandma and Xiao Fei if you are not at home for the New Year? New Year's Eve is a day for the family to reunite."
Xie Zhao scooped a spoonful of cake and fed it into her mouth: "It's okay. Reunion is about the feeling, not the day. I asked Aunt Yinhua and Sister Lin Gui to look after the house, so everything will be fine."
Cheng Yaoyao tasted the sweet and sticky chestnut paste, but he still felt a little sad. There were only three people in the Xie family, and I don't know how miserable it must be for Grandma Xie and Xie Fei to spend the New Year alone at home. If I hadn't insisted on going back to Shanghai, this wouldn't have happened.
Cheng Yaoyao lowered her head and ate the cake in a disjointed manner, and she felt that the cake was no longer sweet. Xie Zhao looked at her aggrieved look, and there was a hint of heartache in his eyes.
He went out to meet with Director Xu this afternoon and settled the matter. He then learned the cause and effect of his arrest. Cheng Yaoyao actually asked Director Xu for help for her. She was so delicate, if Director Xu had any crooked thoughts, Xie Zhaojian couldn't imagine what danger she might encounter.
Cheng Yaoyao ate half a piece of cake and pushed it away. But in just a few days, Cheng Yaoyao's face became thinner and his chin became more pointed. Xie Zhao said, "You've lost weight. Have you not eaten well these days?"
"I'm worried about you, so I have no mood to eat." Cheng Yaoyao glanced at him aggrievedly. Her peach blossom eyes were naturally affectionate, and this glance could easily take a person's soul away.
Cheng Yaoyao was wearing a nightgown, with her silky hair draped over one shoulder. There were red marks on her wide neckline, and a faint scent of roses was emanating from it. Xie Zhao was moved and reached out to hug Cheng Yaoyao.
Cheng Yaoyao asked warily: "What are you doing?"
"Stay with me for a while." Xie Zhao was young and strong. He was full of energy when he woke up and couldn't help wanting to continue the unfinished business from last night.
Cheng Yaoyao saw that his eyes were like those of a hungry wolf, so he pushed Xie Zhao's face away and struggled, "I won't lie down anymore. I've been lying there for a whole day and night!"
Xie Zhao wrapped his iron arms around Cheng Yaoyao, making Cheng Yaoyao cuddle in his arms like a kitten. He just narrowed his narrow eyes and unbuttoned the thin buttons on his nightgown with his rough fingers.
"I didn't eat last night." Cheng Yaoyao changed his strategy and said aggrievedly, "I'm still hungry."
Sure enough, Xie Zhao took a deep breath and finally let go of her hand: "I'll take you out to eat."
Cheng Yaoyao quickly got up and took clothes from the suitcase. Xie Zhao saw her small suitcase and frowned, "How did you bring your luggage here?"
Cheng Yaoyao said confidently: "I have moved here for several days."
Xie Zhao's expression darkened: "Because of me?"
"No. I won't go back anyway." Cheng Yaoyao said this in a very natural tone, without any sign of being angry.
Xie Zhao remembered that when he went to get some water, the thermos was empty, as if it hadn't been filled for days. He didn't know how Cheng Yaoyao had gotten by in the past few days without him. Xie Zhao's eyes flashed with a trace of heartache, and when he was about to ask in detail, he saw Cheng Yaoyao holding a skirt happily, so he endured it.
Xie Zhao turned his back and waited for Cheng Yaoyao to change his clothes, but when he turned his head back, he couldn't take his eyes off her.
Cheng Yaoyao was wearing the pure white dress that he had given her. Her eyebrows were green without makeup, her lips were red without makeup, and she looked extremely bright and beautiful. The waist-hugging style made her figure even more graceful and elegant, and her slender waist was even more attractive. It made people want to...
Cheng Yaoyao put on his coat and took out the black coat that Xie Zhao had just bought. He said to Xie Zhao, "What are you daydreaming about? Put on your new clothes. Let's go out to celebrate the festival."
Xie Zhao shuddered, quickly dismissed the delusions in his mind, and put on his coat. The two looked at each other, both felt amazed, and their hearts were filled with infinite joy.
On New Year's Eve, the streets of Shanghai were deserted. Street lamps illuminated the long streets, but there were few pedestrians on the road, all of whom were eager to go home, carrying fish and meat snacks.
Xie Zhao and Cheng Yaoyao walked side by side, hand in hand, leisurely down the long street. In the past, when there were many people on the street, it was not so comfortable. Cheng Yaoyao childishly waved their hands together, and Xie Zhao also smiled, looking relaxed and relaxed.
New Year's Eve is a day of reunion. Everyone becomes tolerant, gentle, and cheerful, hoping for good luck and a smooth year ahead. If someone saw this beautiful couple on the road, they would just smile and nod, and say "Happy New Year" to each other.
The two of them didn't take a car, but walked all the way to the International Hotel. There was a lot of noise inside, as if all the people in Shanghai had crowded in. Xie Zhao called a waiter: "Can you give us a seat?"
The waiter smiled awkwardly and said, "Oh, it's so busy tonight that everyone has made reservations a few days in advance. If we move a seat, others will..."
The two looked at the family waiting for their seats. Old and young, their faces were full of anticipation. It was obvious that they seldom came to this event.
Cheng Yaoyao pulled Xie Zhao: "Forget it. If we eat, other people will have waited in line for nothing."
Xie Zhao said: "Aren't you hungry?"
Cheng Yaoyao smiled and said, "It's the same if we eat something else."
The two held hands and walked out of the International Hotel. On a day like today, other than the International Hotel, almost all other restaurants were closed.
The two walked for a while, and the place they walked to became more and more remote. They gradually became hungry. They looked at the lights and laughter in other people's windows and guessed like children: "What do they eat?"
Cheng Yaoyao raised his head and sniffed. The night wind was like fallen leaves in winter, cold and crisp, with a hint of sweet wine. Cheng Yaoyao smiled and said, "They finished their New Year's Eve dinner so early, they all brewed sweet osmanthus wine."
Xie Zhao said: "This year Xiao Fei also harvested some osmanthus flowers, we can do it too."
Cheng Yaoyao asked, "Did she collect the flowers from the old osmanthus tree at the west end of the village?"
"Yes." Xie Zhao said, "Red shrouded a bamboo sieve in the sun. Grandma said she could do it, but Xiao Fei refused and wanted to wait for you to come home and do it."
Cheng Yaoyao smiled, and could imagine the expression of Grandma Xie, who was very disappointed with her husband. In this way, the hidden disappointment in Cheng Yaoyao's heart disappeared, and he said proudly: "I will make some sweet osmanthus snacks. This sweet osmanthus is the best for making sweet osmanthus candy, which is beautiful and fragrant. There are also sweet osmanthus cakes, sweet osmanthus candy taro sprouts..."
As she was talking, she heard a gurgling sound. Xie Zhao's narrow eyes flashed with embarrassment, and she said, "...I only ate a steamed bun during the day."
"What should I do?" Cheng Yaoyao was just wondering when he heard the sound of a clapper.
An old man was staggering ahead, carrying a steaming shoulder pole and holding a clapper in his hand, which he knocked from time to time.
The old man smiled and cheered first: "What a beautiful young couple, why are you out here on New Year's Eve instead of going home?"
Xie Zhao's lips curled up, and he said with dignity, "Old man, what are you selling with this basket?"
The old man pointed at the gate of the steel factory next to them and said: "These wontons are ordered by the steel factory for the workers on duty!"
Xie Zhao said: "We are from other places and we can't find a restaurant for New Year's Eve. Can you please cook us a meal?"
Cheng Yaoyao also said sweetly: "Old man, your soup smells so good. I'm hungry."
Xie Zhao handed over the grain coupons and money. This was more than what he earned in the steel factory in one night. The old man smiled and said, "Okay! It's fate that we met. Come, I'll cook a bowl for you first."
There was a street lamp overhead. The old man put down the basket. On one end of the basket was a stove with boiling soup, and on the other end were bowls, chopsticks, wonton skins and meat fillings. The old man held a small bamboo stick in one hand and wrapped the wontons very quickly. A dozen wontons rolled in the boiling soup and immediately floated up and were put into a large earthenware bowl. Sprinkle some scallion and coriander on it, and the aroma was fragrant.
The aroma soon attracted the workers on duty, who came out to eat wontons. Xie Zhao and Cheng Yaoyao sat not far from them, eating hot wontons head to head. It was quite lively to hear the young workers talking and laughing while eating wontons.
The wontons were stuffed with pork, with thin skin and tender fillings, and the soup was particularly delicious, but it didn't make me feel hungry. Xie Zhao bought two pieces of bread from the old man and ate them with the soup, sweating with pleasure.
Cheng Yaoyao took out a handkerchief to wipe his sweat and joked, "You don't have a job, how can you still eat so much?"
Xie Zhao just smiled, enjoying Cheng Yaoyao's intimate gesture, but Cheng Yaoyao looked down at his tight waist and muttered: "Where did you eat?"
Xie Zhao was distracted for a moment and started coughing, with his ears turning red.
Cheng Yaoyao patted him on the back and handed him the wonton soup: "Take a sip, why are you swallowing so quickly!"
Xie Zhao drank half a bowl of wonton soup before he calmed down. With red ears, he was about to speak when he heard a "whoosh" and a firework exploded above his head.
Cheng Yaoyao looked up at the sky and said happily, "Fireworks!"
Everyone looked up at the sky, laughing and shouting, "It's twelve o'clock! The New Year is here!"
A golden firework exploded in the sky. It was not as gorgeous and grand as those in later generations, but it illuminated the night sky as bright as snow, and bloomed one after another.
Everyone in the world looked up, and at the moment when the fireworks were at their brightest, Cheng Yaoyao couldn't help but look at Xie Zhao, and met a pair of deep eyes.
"Happy New Year!"
"Happy New Year."
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