Happy New Year
The thirtieth day of the twelfth lunar month, Lunar New Year's Eve.
The sky over the northern city was overcast all day. It rarely snows in the south, and everyone thought they wouldn't see heavy snow this year either. But in the evening, snowflakes began to flutter down and fall on the icy ground, quickly piling up all over the ground.
Many people spontaneously began shoveling snow at their doorways, creating a wide passageway for cars to enter and exit. Children eagerly engaged in snowball fights and built snowmen.
This winter is cold, but not too cold. The occasional sound of firecrackers adds a touch of festive cheer to the chilly air.
Warm, bright light shone from the windows of every household, where the sounds of knives and chopping boards clattered, oil sizzled, and laughter filled the air.
At Sister Jin's house, the noise was so loud it almost lifted the roof off.
The kitchen is the main battlefield. Sister Jin, wearing an apron with a big red "Fu" character printed on it, looks like a general commanding with confidence. On the stove, braised pork is simmering and boiling, and in the pot, fragrant eight-treasure rice is steaming.
Qi Shuo, dressed in simple home clothes with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, quietly assisted from the side.
Washing vegetables, chopping ingredients, and handing out seasonings—his movements weren't exactly skillful, but he was extremely focused and attentive. The rising steam blurred the hard contours of his face, adding a rare touch of gentleness.
"Xiao Shuo, pass me that scallion."
"Um."
"Soy sauce, yes, that kind."
"Give."
Occasionally, Sister Jin would casually chat about funny things that happened at school, such as which student made a fool of themselves or which colleague bought a new car.
Qi Shuo mostly listened, occasionally offering a brief response. This kind of ordinary, down-to-earth conversation was as precious to him as a dream.
"Xiao Shuo," Sister Jin suddenly stopped stir-frying, turned her head, and looked at Qi Shuo, who was carefully peeling garlic, with a smile on her lips. Her tone was casual but carried a subtle seriousness, "Are you... happy this year?"
Qi Shuo's fingers, which were peeling garlic, paused.
He looked up and met Sister Jin's smiling yet concerned gaze.
The warm light from the kitchen fell into his eyes, as if melting away the ice and snow that had remained unmelted for years.
He was silent for a few seconds, then a clear, warm smile slowly curved his lips upward, and he answered softly but with absolute certainty, "Yes, I'm happy."
Sister Jin smiled, the fine lines at the corners of her eyes smoothing out. She didn't say anything more, simply turning back to continue stirring the vegetables in the pan, her voice light and satisfied: "As long as you're happy! Next year will be even better! Trust me!"
"Yes, I believe you."
Outside the main gate, however, was a completely different, bustling scene. Xiao Jue and Qin Zhou were in charge of hanging large red lanterns and pasting Spring Festival couplets. Xiao Jue, being tall, was in charge of pasting them, while Qin Zhou stood below, hands on his hips, chattering away as he gave instructions.
"A little to the left! A little higher! Oh no, it's crooked! Brother Xiao Jue, are you even capable?!"
"Oh dear, the character '福' (fortune/blessing) should be pasted upside down! It means 'fortune' is 'upside down'!"
"This couplet has the first line on the right and the second line on the left! Don't put it up backwards!"
Qin Zhou's voice was bright and crisp, like firecrackers, echoing in the corridor.
Xiao Jue was sweating profusely from being directed by him, holding a brush covered in paste in his hand. He turned around and glared at him helplessly: "Little ancestor, can you be quiet for once? Why don't you come up and stick it on yourself?"
Qin Zhou immediately shrank back, grinning, and said, "I'm just acting as your commander-in-chief! The capable should do more, the capable should do more!"
Just as Xiao Jue was about to lose his temper with this kid's nagging, Qin Zhou's cell phone suddenly rang. It was Song Yungui's special ringtone.
Qin Zhou seemed to have a switch flipped, instantly throwing his "commander-in-chief" responsibilities to the winds. His eyes lit up, and he quickly said to Xiao Jue, "Brother Xiao Jue, you can do it! I believe in you!"
Then, like a nimble rabbit, she darted back into the house. Even through the door, her voice on the phone was so sweet and cloying: "Hello? Song Yungui, why are you calling me all of a sudden? You don't miss me, do you? Have you had your New Year's Eve dinner yet? I haven't, but it'll be soon..."
Left alone in the cold wind, Xiao Jue looked at the half-pasted "Fu" character in his hand, then at the tightly closed door, and finally could only shake his head with a wry smile, resignedly continuing to finish the rest of the project.
Night fell completely, and the city lights began to twinkle. The dining table at home was already laden with a dazzling array of dishes. The braised pork belly was glistening and tempting, the steamed fish symbolized abundance year after year, the dumplings were round like gold ingots, and there were also various stir-fries, cold dishes, and soups—a feast so plentiful that it was almost impossible to display them all.
Four people sat around a table, with the lively Spring Festival Gala playing on the TV, accompanied by festive and noisy background music.
Apart from Qin Zhou, who had a large bottle of iced tea in front of him, the other three had Jin Jie's treasured red wine in their glasses.
"Come on! Let's toast to the first time our family has celebrated the New Year together so neatly!" Sister Jin raised her glass first, her face beaming with happiness.
"Happy New Year!"
Happy New Year, Sister Jin!
"Happy New Year, Brother Shuo and Brother Xiao Jue!"
The glasses clinked together with a crisp sound. Qin Zhou looked at the tempting red wine, then at the dark brown iced tea in his own glass, and pouted dejectedly: "Why can't I drink alcohol...?"
Sister Jin flicked his forehead: "What are you doing drinking alcohol when you're underage! Drink your beverage! Don't you like it? Drink more."
Qin Zhou sighed and took a big gulp of iced tea in a fit of pique. Although it was his favorite drink, he felt it lacked a sense of "adult" ritual at this moment.
The atmosphere at the dinner table was lively. Sister Jin told interesting stories from school, Qin Zhou chattered about class gossip and ball games, and Xiao Jue occasionally cracked a joke, talking about the bizarre cases the law firm had encountered, which made everyone laugh.
Qi Shuo remained quiet, but listened attentively with a faint smile always on his lips. They talked about embarrassing moments from the past, troubles at work, and vague hopes for the future.
"Hey, tell me, what are your thoughts and goals for the new year? You can have any daydreams you like, I promise I won't laugh at you." Sister Jin put down her chopsticks, looked at the three young men at the table, and spoke encouragingly.
Qin Zhou was the first to raise his hand: "Me! I want to make it to the finals of the National High School Basketball League! And... um... keep my grades in the top ten of the grade!" After he finished speaking, he secretly glanced at Qi Shuo.
Jin Jie scoffed: "Alright, I'm not worried about next year's basketball tournament, but I'm afraid you'll put all your mind on the basketball tournament and ruin the results. Qin Zhou, if you don't let me get the prize money, I'll confiscate your phone."
"No, no, Sister Jin, I promise I'll study hard and try to do well on both sides. Look, after Brother Shuo tutored me in English, my English improved by more than ten points, right? Trust me!"
Sister Jin reached out and patted his head, her face full of smiles: "Okay, I believe in you! So, Xiao Jue, what are your goals?"
Xiao Jue smiled and said in a steady tone, "I hope the cases I have on hand go smoothly, um... I hope to make more money." As he spoke, his gaze inadvertently swept over Qi Shuo.
When it was Qi Shuo's turn, he paused for a moment before saying softly, "Work hard and live a peaceful life."
It was simple, yet it carried all his hopes.
Sister Jin nodded in satisfaction: "All good! Safety and health are the most important! Come on, eat your food, this fish won't taste good if it gets cold!"
Laughter and cheers almost overflowed from the window, mingling with the sporadic sounds of firecrackers and fireworks outside.
After finishing our meal, we cleaned up the dishes together, and the four of us snuggled up on the sofa to watch the Spring Festival Gala.
The skits and song and dance performances may not be particularly spectacular, but the atmosphere of family members sitting together and sharing time is the best part of the New Year's spirit. Qin Zhou leaned back on the sofa, his eyelids began to droop, his head nodding little by little, and finally he fell asleep on Qi Shuo's shoulder.
Qi Shuo adjusted his position to make him more comfortable and then took the blanket next to him to cover him up.
Xiao Jue and Sister Jin exchanged a smile and continued watching TV, enjoying the peace and quiet.
As the clock struck midnight and the TV presenter began the countdown, Qin Zhou jolted awake, grabbed his phone in a panic, and muttered, "Oh no! I almost missed it! Song Yungui is definitely waiting for me!"
Sister Jin chuckled and slapped his head: "Look at you, so pathetic!"
Qi Shuo and Xiao Jue shook their heads helplessly, both seeing a knowing smile in each other's eyes.
"Ten, nine, eight, seven..." A deafening counting sound came from the television.
Qin Zhou's call had already connected. He lowered his voice into the receiver, unable to hide his excitement: "Song Yungui! Song Yungui! The countdown has begun!"
"Three, two, one—!"
"Happy New Year--!"
Cheers erupted simultaneously both on and off the television. Qin Zhou shouted into the phone, "Song Yungui! Happy New Year! Sister Jin, Happy New Year! Brother Shuo, Brother Xiao Jue, Happy New Year!"
Sister Jin laughed and said loudly, "Happy New Year, kids!"
Xiao Jue and Qi Shuo spoke at the same time, their voices blending into the happy commotion: "Happy New Year!"
However, outside this door that isolates the cold and darkness outside, a person is standing quietly at this moment.
The motion-activated lights in the hallway had long been turned off, with only a sliver of warm light shining through the crack in the door, outlining a thin, lonely figure.
Tan Huaiyu didn't know how long he had been standing there. Like a thief, he greedily, yet with endless bitterness, eavesdropped on the laughter and joy coming from inside the door—a laughter and joy he could never reach. Each sound of that merriment felt like a fine needle, gently pricking his heart.
As the countdown cheers and "Happy New Year" wishes rang out clearly, his long eyelashes trembled. He slowly squatted down and held out a beautifully wrapped little gift box—inside was an expensive fountain pen he had bought with money he had earned from his part-time job. He hadn't used the Tan family's money; he was afraid Qi Shuo wouldn't want it.
He remembered that Qi Shuo used to write very well—he placed the handwriting gently and carefully on the doormat, as if placing a fragile dream.
He looked up at the closed door, which let in warm light, and his lips moved silently. In a whisper, only he could hear, he murmured:
"Happy New Year, Qi Shuo."
After speaking, he stood up, took one last look at the door, turned around, and slowly walked down the stairs. His footsteps echoed in the empty, cold stairwell, light and slow, filled with a heaviness and loneliness that seemed out of place for his age.
Inside the door, there is warm light, laughter, and the happiness of reunion.
Outside the door, there was darkness, desolation, and a solitary New Year.
The snow seems to be falling quite heavily.
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