New Year’s Eve
“Then, what kind of person can be my daddy?”
Ji Jingxing was suddenly stunned. In that moment, her mind flashed with the face of Song Yichen, and even the brows and eyes of Song Yuhang crossed her thoughts, eventually focusing on a pair of smiling eyes.
The sunlight fell on her white coat.
Ji Jingxing felt an indescribable emotion in her heart. She thought, perhaps Lin Yan was right, maybe she had indeed been single for too long.
She didn’t truly like Song Yuhang; it was just that she cherished the companionship and warmth she provided.
But then again, who doesn’t love companionship and warmth?
She prided herself on maintaining her purity and integrity, being upright and refined. At the company, she never engaged in gossip and kept a distance from the men who showed her favors, thinking this would keep her above the common fray. Little did she realize, she still couldn’t avoid worldly dust.
What she considered being out of the ordinary was actually not much cleverer than Lin Yan’s approach.
Xiaowei saw her mother not responding and gently shook her sleeve.
Ji Jingxing squatted down and touched her daughter’s head: “Mommy is sorry for letting Xiaowei grow up without a father’s love all this time. Actually, mommy doesn’t have any specific requirements for your daddy’s candidate. I just hope that if there really is such a person, he would be trustworthy and dependable, and that he would always, always be good to Xiaowei.”
Ji Weiyi was still young and didn’t quite understand the bitter smile that lingered on her mother’s lips. She only sensed that her mother was a bit sad, so she also held up her mother’s face, saying in her baby voice.
“Mommy, I was wrong. I won’t mention daddy anymore. Actually, it’s okay without him. Things are good as they are now. I will always be with mommy.”
As the two continued to walk, the streetlights elongated their shadows far and long.
“But mommy is so busy, I can’t pick you up from school on time…”
“It’s okay, I’ll wait at school for mommy, or grandma to pick me up. I won’t run around.”
“But during the winter and summer breaks, you still have to attend enrichment classes…” Ji Jingxing said, feeling increasingly guilty.
“But my classmates are all envious of me. I can do calligraphy, play the piano, dance, and sing…”
Ji Weiyi said this as she let go of her mother’s hand, hopping and skipping ahead of her, performing the nursery rhyme she had just learned that day, looking like a true little angel under the streetlights.
As the end of the year approached, red lanterns were hung up and down the streets, and the festive atmosphere thickened.
Song Yuhang and Lin Yan also had a rare few days of peaceful life.
Every day, they would go to work one after another, come home to cook after work, go for a walk after dinner, curl up on the sofa to watch TV for a while, and then it would be time for their routine exercise.
At first, Lin Yan found the taste for the first time and thought it was quite good, but over time, she couldn’t wait to kick her off the bed. However, the other person was just getting a taste for it and was on a roll, inevitably needing to go for three to five rounds until both were exhausted.
She had no energy left to think about anything else and would fall asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.
Upon waking up that day, Song Yuhang set about cutting paper-cuts for window decoration, trying her hand at this craft for the first time. The shapes turned out to be crooked and wonky as they were pasted on.
Lin Yan looked on incredulously: “What is that?”
Her counterpart turned around excitedly: “It’s a fish, can’t you see?”
“…”
Lin Yan’s mouth twitched involuntarily; she really couldn’t tell. It didn’t look like a fish, nor like a dragon – instead, it bore a closer resemblance to a centipede.
Not having the heart to dampen her enthusiasm, Lin Yan still silently tolerated her as she pasted the oddly shaped red paper onto her own floor-to-ceiling windows.
“Does it look good?”
“…Yes, it looks good.”
“Let’s go, let’s go, it’s time for work!” Fearing that she would ask that dreaded question “Where does it look good?”
Lin Yan hastily pulled her out of the villa’s grand doorway and shoved her into the car.
The day before Chinese New Year’s Eve, it’s customary to have a dinner gathering after work.
A group of people sat in the private room of a hotpot restaurant, clinking glasses and engaging in cheerful conversation, which filled the air. Lin Yan was exceptionally allowed to drink a few more glasses than usual.
As the clock struck midnight, glass cups were clinked together, and everyone shouted in unison.
“Happy New Year!”
“Bang—pop,” fireworks soared outside the window into the sky, painting a look of joy on every face.
For Duan Cheng, this was his first year of internship at the Jiangcheng Municipal Bureau, and it was a year filled with numerous disasters and difficulties.
Fortunately, he made it through.
For Fang Xin, it was a year of getting to know a supervisor who was stern in appearance but warm-hearted, and a lovely younger brother. Although the future was uncertain, for now, having people around was the best outcome.
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Zheng Chengrui looked at the comrades horsing around him and took the initiative to clink glasses with Duan Cheng: “Come on, I’ll drink to you first.”
The clear sound of glass clinking rang out. Duan Cheng was taken aback and clearly saw a glimmer of moisture behind the lenses on Old Zheng’s glasses. But by the time he tried to take a closer look, it had already disappeared.
He had no choice but to also lift his glass and drink it all in one gulp: “Cheers.”
Lin Yan and Song Yuhang had long been distracted, their bodies present but their minds far away. Lin Yan, fearing she would drink too much and break out in a rash, and Song Yuhang, eager to head home early for some intimate time together.
After all, with so many people around, they feared she might feel embarrassed.
Once the gathering was over, the two of them called a designated driver and went straight home. Before getting in the car, they didn’t forget to remind the other three.
“Don’t forget, first day of the lunar month, see you at the airport at twelve noon.”
“Got it.”
The group waved them off, watching as Lin Yan’s car disappeared at the end of the street corner.
Back at home, Song Yuhang leaned on the sofa to sober up, watching her move in and out of the walk-in closet, fluttering back and forth like a peacock.
At one point, she picked up a dress.
“Does this look good?”
Song Yuhang, belching from the alcohol, nodded: “It looks good.”
Lin Yan then picked up a trench coat, “Is this suitable to wear?”
Without waiting for an answer, she dived back into the pile of clothes.
“No, no, this is too plain; for the New Year, one should wear something more dazzling.”
“This won’t do either, it’s too revealing; after all, I’m going to meet the parents.”
“How about this one? This is even worse, so out-of-date, it’s last year’s style, isn’t it?”
……
Song Yuhang, with a helpless smile, staggered to her feet and walked over to embrace her waist, resting her head on her shoulder.
“We’re going to see my mom, not entering a beauty contest. It’s fine to wear anything casual. Besides…”
She let out a burp of alcohol, nuzzling into her neck once more.
“Belch… I think… you look best… wearing nothing.”
“Get lost!” Lin Yan roared, flinging a clothes hanger in her direction.
The next morning, a rare day off from work, Song Yuhang woke up early as usual.
Lin Yan, in a lazy drawl, tugged at the hem of her clothes: “Where are you off to?”
She turned back and pressed a kiss to Lin Yan’s forehead. “I’m going to paste couplets, then go out to buy some stuff. Aren’t we having dinner at my place tonight?”
Lin Yan murmured incoherently, and Song Yuhang held her tenderly for a moment longer before letting go. Watching her get dressed and leave, Song Yuhang turned around and headed straight to the diamond ring counter. It seemed the mall was also preparing to close, thankfully she arrived early.
Song Yuhang felt a secret thrill as she took out the still-warm piece of paper from her chest and handed it to the sales clerk.
“Hello, I’m here to pick up the custom-made ring.”
A small velvet box was handed to her, and upon opening it, her heart swelled with joy, her lips unable to suppress a smile. She tried on the slightly larger ring—it fit perfectly.
The smaller one would wait until tomorrow when they arrived at Saipan Island, where she would propose to Lin Yan.
Song Yuhang carefully took the ring off her right hand, placed it back into the box with great care, and slipped it into the pocket near her heart inside her coat. After thanking the sales clerk, she hurried off.
She still needed to go to the supermarket to buy some stuff, to prevent Lin Yan from sensing anything amiss.
By the time she returned to the parking lot, laden with gifts big and small, a shadowy figure skulked away from her car.
She ran over to check and found that the person had slipped away faster than a rabbit.
Someone had keyed a long scratch on the door of Lin Yan’s red car.
“Damn it, what an unlucky year,” muttered Song Yuhang as she set her things on the hood. She tugged at the car door—locked tight.
She breathed a sigh of relief, pressed the key fob, bent down to pull open the car door, and checked to see if anything inside had been stolen. Fortunately, everything was still there.
She stepped back out, picked up the gifts, and stuffed them into the trunk, brimming with complex, hard-to-express emotions. She contemplated how she would explain this to Lin Yan.
That evening, Lin Yan, with a stroke of her pen, decided to let the matter slide under one condition: that she must not resist her subsequently.
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With no alternatives, Song Yuhang was forced to sign what she deemed a humiliating ‘treaty,’ stripping her of her rights and dignity.
After all, they were going to meet the parents, and seeing the long scratch on the car door was still somewhat embarrassing.
Lin Yan called someone to tow away the damaged car for repair and, at the same time, replaced it with a new, less flashy, and more low-key white Audi.
Song Yuhang watched in astonishment as she switched cars as easily as one would change clothes; that scrapped BMW M series at the bottom of the sea was worth at least a million in the market.
Lin Yan raised an eyebrow, whistled, and walked over, lightly lifting Song Yuhang’s chin while looking down at her in her high heels.
“Happy now? You’ve snagged yourself a rich lady.”
Song Yuhang opened the car door for her and bowed slightly, “Rich lady, after you, please.”
Upon arriving at the Song residence, Mother Song had already prepared two pairs of brand new slippers at the door, waiting for them.
They were not the kind for guests, but rather those fluffy, warm cotton slippers for winter days.
Song Yuhang took them down from the shoe rack for her and said, “Mom, we’re back.”
Hearing the noise at the door, Mother Song wiped her hands on her apron and emerged from the kitchen, only to pause in surprise.
Her daughter, who had always been so proud and lofty, was squatting down, gently massaging another woman’s ankle. Though her words were of complaint, her tone was soft and tender.
“You’re told not to wear high heels, look, your feet hurt again, don’t they?”
Lin Yan was leaning on her shoulder, standing with a slightly flushed face, she muttered in a low voice, “It’s only to make a good impression on Auntie…”
Perhaps because she had been standing for too long, the lovey-dovey couple was finally snapped back to reality.
Lin Yan swiftly stood upright, a polite smile spreading across her face: “Hello, Auntie.”
Her cheeks were still flushed, and her eyes clearly dared not meet her gaze, showing a shyness similar to that of a newlywed bride.
Today, she was dressed in a way that was sure to be endearing, wearing a white turtleneck sweater paired with a camel-colored skirt, her long legs and slender waist accentuating her graceful figure.
Dangling from one ear was a long tassel earring, worn on only one side, which was delicately fashionable without being overly complicated.
The white sweater made her already fair complexion even more porcelain and luminous, and the touch of rosiness added because of it made her look even more bright and enchanting.
Except for being too thin, this girl just looked delightful to the eye.
Seeing Mother Song appraising her, Lin Yan’s face was almost stiff with smiling, always feeling that something was amiss, until her gaze fell upon her own cross-body bag slung over Song Yuhang’s shoulder, which she promptly snatched away.
“Hehehe…”
It’s good that the two kids have such a strong relationship.
Mother Song couldn’t help but let out a laugh: “Please sit down, sit down. Look at this, I haven’t even finished setting up. There are sunflower seeds, peanuts, candies, and fruits on the table. You guys go ahead and nibble on something first.”
The room was warm, so Song Yuhang put down her things, took off her coat, and removed her scarf to wash her hands.
As soon as she entered the kitchen door, a wave of the fragrance of braised meat hit her.
Her cravings were through the roof.
“Mom, what delicious food have you made today?”
Mother Song gave her a sideways glance, yet she still fished out a piece of cooked beef from the bubbling stew pot, placed it on the chopping board, and chopped it into small pieces before placing them into a bowl.
“Go on, let Yanyan have a taste. You said you were coming back but didn’t give a heads up, everything’s still not ready, and mom hasn’t even changed her clothes, dressed like this…”
For convenience while cooking, Mother Song had her silvery hair wrapped in a headscarf, donning an old dress, and tied with an apron.
Song Yuhang snickered and took a piece for herself, only to be burned and start touching her ear reflexively.
“Mom, don’t worry, she won’t mind it,” she said. “Besides, Yanyan also bought new clothes for you.”
“Didn’t I say not to buy anything? Disobedient again…”
Before Mother Song could continue her scolding, Song Yuhang had already grabbed the bowl and, like greasing her feet with oil, slipped away.
Using her chopsticks to cool it down before handing it over to Lin Yanyan, she coaxed, “Ah—try this, it’s the braised beef my mom made.”
“Mmm, delicious.”
The beef was stewed to a tender mushiness, flavorful, with a hint of spice and a lingering aftertaste of spices just right.
Lin Yan contentedly narrowed her eyes.
Song Yuhang handed her the chopsticks: “Then you eat first; I’ll go help in the kitchen so we can start the meal sooner.”
“Okay.” Lin Yan responded and also prepared to stand up.
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“How about I go too?”
“No need, no need, our family doesn’t have a tradition of making the new bride do any work.”
Lin Yanyan’s face turned slightly red, murmuring, “Who’s the new bride? It was agreed that tonight I would be on top…”
Song Yuhang pinched her nose and, without waiting for her to finish, had already run off.
“Just this once, I’ll indulge you.”
To prevent the cooking fumes from drifting into the living room, the kitchen door was closed again.
Lin Yan sat down once more, just as she picked up a piece of meat and was about to put it into her mouth, the doorbell rang.
She dabbed the corner of her mouth with a napkin and ran to open the door: “Coming, coming!”
As the door opened, their eyes met.
The smile on Lin Yan’s face faded a bit—a family member who is bound to visit sooner or later will inevitably come.
Ji Jingxing was holding her child, silently observing her wearing Song Yuhang’s slippers.
Those slippers were bought during a shopping trip with Mother Song a couple of days ago; they had bought two pairs.
“Miss Lin, may I ask if we can come in?”
Lin Yan pressed her lips tightly together, silently making way for them.
LP: Juicy family drama