Chapter 26.1

The atmosphere was filled with joy everywhere on New Year’s Eve. Su Qian received a big red envelope from her father-in-law and mother-in-law. The family had a harmonious New Year’s Eve dinner and played mahjong for a while.

To please the two elders, Su Qian deliberately lost in the game. The two elders of the Jin family were so happy that they couldn’t close their mouths. Although it was all small money, what they wanted was this atmosphere.

After midnight, the game ended, and the two elders went upstairs to rest. Su Qian lazily stretched her waist as she fiddled with her empty money bag.

“I’ve never lost so cleanly before.” She said with a laugh, without a hint of complaint.

Jin Lie handed her a cup of flower tea and smiled lightly, “I see you’re not just losing, you’re flooding.”

“No matter what, mom and dad are very happy.” Su Qian took a sip of the tea, “Shouldn’t we make them happy during the New Year?”

In the past, when she celebrated the New Year at her own home, there were not enough people to play mahjong, so they had to play “Fight the Landlord” with just the three of them. At that time, her parents would deliberately let her win to make her happy. Every time she won a lot, her parents lost money but still looked at her with indulgent faces.

Now that the roles have changed, she realized that sometimes pampering someone is also a kind of happiness. Seeing the person she likes being happy and cheerful, every smile line on his face blooming because of her, her heart is filled with joy at that moment.

Jin Lie lowered his eyes, and his gaze quietly fell on her face. Perhaps it was the deep night, or the special atmosphere of New Year’s Eve, a softness that couldn’t be spoken of sprouted in his heart.

And this wonderful feeling was brought about inadvertently by the woman in front of him.

“Are you tired?”

Su Qian shook her head, “Not only am I not tired, I’m actually quite excited.”

She thought, probably because these few days were the warmest, happiest, and most real days she had since she traveled here.

She didn’t want to sleep, hoping to keep this feeling for a little longer.

“Then let’s go out.”

“Where to?”

Jin Lie curved his lips, took the tea cup from her hand and put it on the table, “How about I give you the sky above our house?”

.

Su Qian, wearing a thick down jacket, followed Jin Lie to the backyard. She saw him take out two big boxes of fireworks from the storage box.

“Wow, there’s such a good thing, why didn’t you take it out earlier!”

She hopped over, and the ball on her hat swinging back and forth, like a lively little rabbit.

“Making dumplings, eating meals, playing mahjong, did any of you give me time to speak?”

…That’s true.

It seems that Jin Lie’s status in the family has been declining recently.

Su Qian patted his shoulder, and acting coy after gaining an advantage, “Don’t be sad, when you set off the fireworks later, I will definitely cheer for you.”

Her eyes were full of anticipation, like a child waiting for candy.

Jin Lie smiled, and his palm rubbed the wool ball on her hat, “Then thank you.”

After setting up the fireworks, Su Qian hid in the corridor covering her ears. Jin Lie lit a cigarette, took a few puffs and aimed the cigarette butt at the fuse.

Sparks splattered, and with a bang, it rushed into the sky, exploding into a dazzling display of colors. In the brilliant fireworks, Jin Lie slowly walked back with a cigarette in his mouth. The flickering light and shadow on his face made him seem particularly unreal at this moment.

Su Qian looked up at the silver tree sparks in the sky, the corner of her mouth hanging a gentle and bright curve.

“Do you like it?”

“Mm.” She turned her head, the brilliant light and shadow reflected in her clear eyes, and his figure was also in it, “Jin Lie, Happy New Year.”

“Happy New Year.”

As he spoke, he handed her a red envelope he had prepared early, “I hope everything goes well for you in the coming year.”

“I have one too.” Su Qian smiled, but didn’t take it, “I’d better not. I’ve already taken so much money from you.”

Sensing her hesitation, Jin Lie’s smile faded slightly. He pulled her hand over and put the red envelope into her palm, “This is my blessing, you can’t refuse it.”

The red envelope was very light and thin, and without guessing, she knew there was a bank card inside. Su Qian curled her fingers, but suddenly felt as if it weighed a ton.

“You’re suddenly so nice to me, if I can’t bear to leave, you’ll regret it!”

She used a relaxed tone to mask the sadness in her words. It was already February, and in two months when their contract expired, they would go their separate ways. If she remembered correctly, his white moonlight^[1]白月光 (Bái yuèguāng) = White moonlight, is a Chinese idiom, often used in internet slang. It refers to a person who is always remembered and cannot be replaced in one’s heart. should be coming back soon.

The fireworks had ended, and the pitch-black sky returned to silence. Jin Lie’s hand was in his coat pocket, loosening and tightening around the lighter.

His gaze fell on the unknown distance, and his voice was so faint as if it was almost swallowed by the darkness, “If you can’t bear to leave, then don’t leave.”

Su Qian finished yawning silently, and tears still hanging in the corners of her eyes. She only faintly heard the last two words^[2]“舍不得走，那就不要走了。” Based on the Chinese sentence of what Jin Lie said, the last two words would be “走了”, which translates to “leave” in English. So, Su Qian … Continue reading.

She couldn’t help thinking that this man really had no conscience, he didn’t even know to keep her.

After all, they had been roommates for so long.

—

Because the drama had just finished filming, Su Qian was very idle during the New Year. She didn’t have to be forced to work and was eating and waiting to die at home every day, she couldn’t be too happy.

On the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, Bai Shuangshuang, who hadn’t been seen for a long time, suddenly contacted her. The two of them arranged to meet at a French restaurant for a meal and a chat.

Bai Shuangshuang’s hair had grown long, and she had become fairer, looking much prettier at first glance.

Upon seeing Su Qian, she first gave her a joyful bear hug, then intimately linked arms with her and went to the private room.

The two chatted intermittently about recent events, and Bai Shuangshuang suddenly said, “My novel is about to start filming.”

“Congratulations!”

Not long ago, she was still depressed because she couldn’t sell the copyright, but now it was about to start filming.

Su Qian casually asked, “Who are the male and female leads?”

“The male lead is a newcomer named Chen Jing, and the female lead is an actress who isn’t very famous, named Zhang Pingting.”

Zhang Pingting?

Su Qian was slightly taken aback. In her busy daily work, she had almost forgotten about this person.

They had said they would keep in touch, but everyone has their own work and life, and the relationship gradually faded. However, as the saying goes, “Thirty years on the east bank of the river, thirty years on the west bank,” when she heard this name again, the person was about to play the female lead.

The trends in the entertainment circle change every day, and you never know when someone unremarkable by your side will suddenly become popular.

Su Qian was quite happy for Zhang Pingting, “What a coincidence, I know the actress.”

Bai Shuangshuang immediately asked, “Really? What’s she like, is her acting good?!”

Because it was really unclear, she couldn’t find any reference material at all.

Su Qian thought for a moment, her words full of meaning, “I think you can look forward to it a little.”

After all, she still had high hopes for Zhang Pingting.

With her words, Bai Shuangshuang’s heart instantly settled. The first IP adaptation was too important to her.

“Would you consider making a cameo in the drama?”

Su Qian refused with a smile, “No, I want to enjoy my holiday.”

When she said this, she didn’t expect that this “flag” would fall the next day.