When you grow up, you will forget about me
It was unknown how much time has passed, but the resplendent fireworks in the sky have finally bloomed to their fullest, the noise receded, and everything gradually returned to silence. The crowd seemed to have a brief moment of tranquility, and then everyone started to disperse outward, talking and laughing.
The deafening roar had passed, and Lin Xian finally reluctantly released her hands that were covering Xiao Wanqing’s ears. Instead, she lightly tapped on Xiao Wanqing’s slender waist. She rested her chin on Xiao Wanqing’s shoulder and playfully poked her, sincerely blessing her again by her ear, “Aunt Xiao, Happy New Year.”
The warm hands moved away from her earlobes, and for a moment, Xiao Wanqing felt a coolness in the night breeze, making her feel cold. She inexplicably longed for that warmth. Naturally, she stood up straight, left Lin Xian’s embrace, turned around, and gazed at Lin Xian with watery eyes, smiling back at her, “Happy New Year.”
Lin Xian arched her eyebrows and mischievously said, “This is our first year, you know.”
Xiao Wanqing, with a hint of confusion in her voice, asked, “Hmm?”
Lin Xian reached out and took Xiao Wanqing’s hand, placing it in her pocket. She tilted her head, and her eyes shimmered with sparkling stars. “The first year we’ve crossed together, ah. In the future, there will be a second year, a third year, and many, many more.”
Xiao Wanqing looked at her, and her heart rippled slightly. But then, in just a moment, her smile faded a bit. She shook her head, teasing Lin Xian like an ordinary elder teasing a younger one. “When you grow up, there will be someone else you’ll want to hold hands with on New Year’s Eve.” She gently tidied Lin Xian’s wind-blown hair, her voice soft, tinged with a hint of melancholy and sadness, and she lightly chuckled with self-mockery. “When you grow up, you’ll forget about this old auntie like me…”
Lin Xian saw a fleeting trace of melancholy in Xiao Wanqing’s warm, bright eyes, and her heart twinged. She tightened her grip on Xiao Wanqing’s hand, about to deny that she would forget, but as Shi Man and Xia Zhijin approached and called out to them, “Aunt Xiao, Xianxian, we’re ready to go back. Are you coming too?”
Xiao Wanqing shook off the inexplicable melancholy, and the warm, jade-like smile returned to her face. She asked Lin Xian, “Are we going back?”
Lin Xian furrowed her brows, pursed her lips, and swallowed the unsaid words. She glanced at Xiao Wanqing’s outfit, lowered her gaze, and agreed, “Yes, let’s go back. It will get colder later, and you’re dressed too lightly.”
Xiao Wanqing heard the words, her heart warmed, and she smiled. She was about to turn her head to Wen Tong and let her know they were ready to leave. She leaned to the side and was about to call out softly, “Wen Tong, we…” But before she could finish her sentence, Xiao Wanqing looked at the empty space beside her and found no trace of Wen Tong. Her voice trailed off.
In that moment, Xiao Wanqing realized that Wen Tong had somehow disappeared from her side.
She asked Lin Xian, “Did you see where Aunt Wen went?”
Lin Xian’s eyes flickered, and she thought about the distant gaze exchanged between her and Wen Tong just a moment ago. Her heart sank slightly. She nodded and replied, “When we were watching the fireworks just now, Aunt Wen suddenly turned and walked away for some reason.”
Xiao Wanqing furrowed her delicate eyebrows, feeling puzzled and worried. Wen Tong wasn’t the type of person to leave without saying goodbye. What could have happened? She pulled her hand away from Lin Xian’s while taking her phone out of her bag. Apologetically, she said to Shi Man and Xia Zhijin, who were waiting for her response, “Zhijin, Manman, you can go ahead without us. There’s no need to wait for us.”
Xia Zhijin smiled lightly and said, “It’s alright, let’s go together. We should also say hello to Manman’s mom.” As she spoke, she took out her phone from her bag and handed it to Shi Man.
Shi Man muttered, “Why bother telling her? She came in a chauffeur-driven car and won’t be riding with us on the way back.” Though reluctant, she still took the phone and made the call.
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Xiao Wanqing dialed Wen Tong’s phone number. The ringing went on for a while without anyone answering. Just as Xiao Wanqing thought Wen Tong wouldn’t pick up, the call connected. Immediately, Xiao Wanqing expressed her concern with a worried tone, “Wen Tong, it’s me. Where are you?”
There was a brief silence from the other end of the phone, and then Wen Tong’s usual lazy and carefree voice came through faintly, “I got lost. Do you want to come pick me up?” Before Xiao Wanqing could answer, Wen Tong chuckled softly on her own and then explained with a slightly serious tone, “I went to the restroom just now and then bumped into someone I know from work. We have some things to discuss, so we’ll talk about it in detail when we get back to the hotel. I thought you were still watching the fireworks, and you probably wouldn’t be able to hear me, so I didn’t call you earlier.”
Xiao Wanqing trusted her explanation without any doubt and immediately felt relieved. She then asked her, “Xianxian and I are getting ready to go back. Are you coming back too?”
Wen Tong pondered for a moment, uncertain of what to do. Suddenly, she coughed several times in rapid succession, her voice becoming hoarse and difficult as she replied, “Yeah, I had already booked a room earlier. I’m a bit tired, so I won’t drive back. You don’t have to wait for me. Take care on your way.”
“Alright, then Xianxian and I will go back first.” Xiao Wanqing paused for a moment, thought of something, and then kindly reminded her, “It’s getting chilly at night, so don’t stand outside for too long. Be careful not to catch a cold.”
Lin Xian had been waiting on the side, listening closely to Xiao Wanqing’s phone call. She didn’t know if Wen Tong would say anything to Aunt Xiao. Upon hearing Xiao Wanqing’s caring words to Wen Tong, a hint of sourness inexplicably emerged in her heart, and she pouted. Shi Man had already finished her call, and seeing this, she embraced Lin Xian’s neck with one hand and leaned her small face against Lin Xian’s ear, teasing her in a soft voice, “I think I smell something sour.”
Lin Xian’s eyes narrowed, and she gave Shi Man a sharp look.
Suddenly, Xia Zhijin reached out and embraced Shi Man from behind, creating some distance between Shi Man and Lin Xian. She said in a gentle tone, “Don’t tease Xianxian and make her unhappy.”
Shi Man nestled in Xia Zhijin’s embrace, and a smile appeared on her lips, curving upward. Her peach blossom eyes were filled with tenderness. Tilting her head, her rosy lips lightly brushed against Xia Zhijin’s jawline, and her mischievous tongue quickly flicked over the tender flesh where her sharp jaw met her snow-white neck. She exhaled gently, like orchids in bloom, and said, “Zhijin, are you jealous?”
The warm and soft touch spread over the icy neck, like a small stream of hot lava flowing through an iceberg. Xia Zhijin’s body slightly stiffened, and her heart melted. She held back her immovable expression, using a tender reproach to stop Shi Man, saying, “Manman, don’t tease.” A blush, more honest than her expression, gradually spread across her cheeks.
Lin Xian looked at them with numb eyes, filled with envy and jealousy, feeling even more blocked inside.
On the other end of the phone, Xiao Wanqing heard the reminder but there was no response for a long time.
Xiao Wanqing felt puzzled and hesitated as she called out, “Wen Tong?”
Wen Tong responded softly, “Yeah, I’m listening.” She paused for a second and then called out to her somewhat urgently, “Xiao Wanqing…”
Xiao Wanqing pricked up her ears, waiting silently for what she would say next.
But in the end, all she heard was a soft utterance, “Happy New Year.”
Xiao Wanqing was taken aback for a moment, and with a smile, she inexplicably replied, “Yeah, Happy New Year.”
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After hanging up the phone, Lin Xian naturally expressed her concern, “What did Aunt Wen say?”
Xiao Wanqing took the initiative to hold Lin Xian’s hand and naturally placed it in her side pocket. She replied to Lin Xian, “She’s not going back.” She raised her gaze to Shi Man and Xia Zhijin beside them and softly greeted, “Let’s go.”
As they walked out together, the four of them engaged in casual conversation. When a gust of cold wind blew, Lin Xian suddenly stopped and untied her scarf. She adjusted its length and split it in half, wrapping it around Xiao Wanqing’s neck. She skillfully arranged the scarf, not only enveloping Xiao Wanqing’s slender porcelain-white neck but also covering her exposed pointed chin. Lin Xian pouted, furrowing her brows, and affectionately chided Xiao Wanqing with a hint of concern, “I told you to wear a scarf when going out. You insisted that none of them matched your outfit, prioritizing style over warmth. And now, look how cold it is.”
Xiao Wanqing allowed her to meticulously arrange the scarf for her, and through the hazy night, she carefully observed the girl’s beautiful features. Perhaps it was the night that fostered tenderness, and suddenly, a desire arose within her. She wanted to reach out and slowly smooth out the tiny wrinkles between the girl’s eyebrows, and even wanted to delicately depict the girl’s spirited yet graceful eyebrows. Soft and fuzzy, like velvet, perhaps similar to her own soft and lovable nature.
Lin Xian locked eyes with Xiao Wanqing, and in a daze, she could sense the watery and increasingly gentle gaze in Xiao Wanqing’s eyes.
Unfortunately, someone had no sense of tact at all!
Shi Man burst into laughter with a “puchi” sound, teasing Lin Xian, “Lin Xian, do you now resemble Xiao Wanqing’s little housewife?”
Startled by the laughter, Xiao Wanqing regained her scattered focus. Upon hearing the words, she savored Lin Xian’s tone and couldn’t help but laugh as well.
The enchanting atmosphere instantly dissipated.
Lin Xian saw Xiao Wanqing’s affectionate gaze suddenly turn clear, and a sense of loss immediately spread through her body. She furrowed her brows tightly and glared at the culprit, gritting her teeth, “Ah, Shi Man, I’m going to kill you!”
Shi Man hid behind Xia Zhijin without fear and made a grimace at Lin Xian, “Come on, come on.” She fluttered her peach blossom eyes and took the opportunity to turn her head and act coquettishly towards Xia Zhijin, “Zhijin, I also want a scarf.” Two weeks ago, she had noticed Xia Zhijin spending her free time knitting scarves, thinking it was going to be a New Year surprise for her. Who would have thought that until now, that scarf still lay quietly in Xia Zhijin’s drawer, not given to her, and she wondered if Xia Zhijin had forgotten.
However, Xia Zhijin didn’t show any reaction. Her voice remained as clear as ever, “Then let’s go buy one in a couple of days.”
Shi Man bit her lip and looked at her for a while, then suddenly released her hand in a huff and ran to Lin Xian’s side, disregarding the imminent beating from Lin Xian. She embraced Lin Xian’s arm.
Xia Zhijin regarded her as having a childish temperament and smiled helplessly. She moved closer to Xiao Wanqing and walked alongside her.
The streetlights stretched their shadows, making the four of them appear elongated. As they turned the corner, their figures gradually shrank until they merged into one…
On the riverside, a middle-aged man in a black suit hurriedly approached. He bent down and handed a silver lighter to the woman.
The woman gave a faint nod, and the man swiftly walked up to Wen Tong and presented the lighter to her.
She smiled cryptically at Wen Tong, her red lips curling, her voice low and pleasant, “Returning this to you.”
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She lazily dropped the cigarette, which had burned down between her slender, onion-white fingers. Then, with elegance, she turned around, and the sound of her long, slender high heels tapping the ground echoed crisply, gradually fading away…
The unextinguished flame was ruthlessly crushed, left to extinguish in silence.
The man followed closely behind her, picking up the cigarette butt from the ground and hurrying to catch up.
The woman’s graceful figure disappeared into the night along with the sound of her footsteps.
Wen Tong silently gazed at the cold lighter in her palm. Under the colorful lights, the body of the lighter was engraved with the character “Shi,” as if liquid silver was flowing within it…
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