Happy New Year

The flow of people in the mall didn’t diminish as night fell. The escalators were crowded, and the line outside the restaurant had reached the elevator entrance.

After finishing her third cup of tea, Yue Qianling idled away the time by counting the people in the queue, then went to inquire about the estimated wait time at the restaurant.

After receiving a despairing estimate, Yue Qianling returned to her seat with a frown.

She might as well have stayed in school and eaten whatever she wanted.

“How about we check out other places?”

Yue Qianling pulled Yin Xue’s sleeve and said, “It will take another forty minutes here.”

Yin Xue raised her head and glanced around, furrowing her brows. “I’m afraid we won’t find a seat anywhere else, and then we’ll miss our turn here.”

She had a point.

Yue Qianling took out her phone and saw Xiao Mai’s invitation ten minutes ago. She thought for a moment and lowered her head to type.

【Glutinous Rice Twist】: I’m in line, and I’ll probably have to wait a while. How about a few rounds?

Xiao Mai didn’t reply.

【Luo Tuo】: Where are you?

【Luo Tuo】: How many people are ahead of you? Why don’t you come and eat with us? There aren’t many people here.

Yue Qianling thought that Luo Tuo had seen it wrong.

【Glutinous Rice Twist】: It’s me, not Xiao Mai!

【Luo Tuo】: I know.

As if she didn’t recognize these words, Yue Qianling read the message twice before she clearly understood the relationship between them.

Lin Xun knew she was in Jiangcheng, so he must’ve told Luo Tuo.

And Luo Tuo said this because they were also in Jiangcheng.

Before that—

Yue Qianling recalled the time when she asked Lin Xun if he was also in Jiangcheng, and he didn’t seem to deny it.

If it was true, it was too much of a coincidence.

Yue Qianling still couldn’t believe it, so she wanted to confirm it again.

【Glutinous Rice Twist】: Are you in Jiangcheng?

A few seconds later.

【School Grass】: Yes.

【Glutinous Rice Twist】: ???

【School Grass】: Why are you so surprised?

“…”

So, it was indeed true.

Her mood suddenly went back to the day of the first snowfall, and an indescribable emotion began to spread in Yue Qianling’s heart.

Astonished, she opened the photo again, this time not just looking at the hand that appeared but also at the dishes on the table and the décor of the restaurant.

She thought about how someone who seemed so far away could actually be so close, and there was even a possibility that they might have crossed paths at some point.

Thinking about it, it was quite amazing.

She didn’t reply for a long time, and Luo Tuo asked again.

【Luo Tuo】: Are you coming? We’re on the CBD side.

Yin Xue was sitting next to Yue Qianling, and of course, she couldn’t possibly go to meet an online friend.

Moreover, she thought about it, and even if it wasn’t today, even without Yin Xue, she probably… wouldn’t go, right?

But there was no definite answer in her heart.

Because she felt that she seemed to be quite curious about Lin Xun.

If they were a bit closer…

Wait, stop.

The mall was bustling with people, and countless strangers passed by her constantly.

Yue Qianling shifted her gaze away from the phone screen and looked elsewhere.

Even if they were closer, she, a twenty-year-old girl, going to meet a male online friend, seemed a bit strange.

It was fine if it were a girl.

This kind of “meeting an online friend” seemed to lose a layer of innocence when it involved “the opposite sex.”

So, Yue Qianling quickly dismissed that fleeting thought.

【Glutinous Rice Twist】: Forget it, I’m with my roommate.

【Luo Tuo】: Alright.

Putting down the phone, Luo Tuo shrugged at Gu Xun.

“Oh, she’s not coming to meet you.”

Gu Xun hadn’t looked at his phone since he had sent that message to the group. He was currently eating with his head lowered.

Hearing Luo Tuo’s words, a faint twitch appeared on his forehead, and his chewing slowed down.

After a moment, he raised his head.

“What’s with that tone?” He raised an eyebrow and said casually. “What, you’re disappointed that you couldn’t meet with a female online friend?”

Luo Tuo didn’t mind Gu Xun’s attitude and chuckled to himself, “If you’re second in the national champion of turning things around, then no one will dare to be first.”

Then he added, “But, you know, it’s normal for a young girl not to meet an online friend. It’s essential to be cautious. Who knows whether the person behind the screen is a dog. It’s fine if it’s a dog, but what if it’s a stinky man with ill intentions towards the girl? That would be dangerous.”

Gu Xun tilted his head to look at him but didn’t say anything. His eyes were cold.

Luo Tuo felt that Gu Xun was about to explode from his teasing, so he quickly continued, “But! She’s spending New Year’s Day with her roommate. Do you know what that means?”

Gu Xun replied indifferently, “It means their friendship is strong, so there won’t be any brotherly brawls for now. “

Luo Tuo curled his lips and clicked his tongue, “Why are you so violent?”

He tapped the table with his knuckles. “It means she currently doesn’t have much hope with her crush!”

As the restaurant’s resident singer took the stage, the lights gradually dimmed.

In the shadows cast on the background wall, Gu Xun’s lips subtly curled up.

“Do you want to eat or not? If not, just pay and leave.”

“What’s the rush? I rarely get a break.” Luo Tuo glanced at the singer on the stage, squinted his eyes, hummed a few lines of lyrics, and then asked, “What entertainment activities do we have planned after eating?”

Gu Xun provided a clear arrangement, “I’ll go back to the school, and you’ll go back to the hotel.”

“Seriously?” Luo Tuo frowned discontentedly. “Isn’t the New Year’s Eve fireworks show at that park in Jiangcheng very famous?’

He thought about thousands of people gathering in one place, counting down to the arrival of the new year, and watching the dazzling fireworks, his eyes filled with longing. “Are you not planning to take me there?”

Gu Xun looked at him, his face expressionless. “Guo Luo, do you think you’re very romantic?”

***

The reason why Yin Xue chose this crowded restaurant was because it was close to the Lakeside Park.

It took the two of them more than an hour in line and less than forty minutes to eat.

However, when they walked out of the mall and saw the congested traffic on the overpass not far away, they immediately felt that waiting for over an hour was worth it.

The two of them walked for less than twenty minutes and arrived at Lakeside Park. At the park’s entrance, there were various vendors with brightly lit stalls, selling sparkling headbands and all kinds of fairy wands.

Yin Xue pulled Yue Qianling into the crowd and spent over half an hour picking out some decorations and dressing herself up in a flashy manner.

The park was full of beautiful lights and decorations, making the otherwise gloomy winter night vibrant with colors.

Aside from the fireworks at midnight, the cosplay performances and singing and dancing at the lakeside park weren’t much different from other amusement parks.

Yin Xue found a spot with good lighting, took selfies with her phone for a while, and then pulled Yue Qianling over to take dozens of photos in various poses and angles.

Later on, Yue Qianling strolled around while Yin Xue focused on editing her photos.

After a while, she finally selected two that she was most satisfied with, intending to post them on her Moments.

Before posting, she handed her phone to Yue Qianling for a quick look. “I’m posting these two, okay?”

Yue Qianling glanced at them casually and replied, “Whatever.”

Yin Xue nodded and then asked, “There are still many more photos in the album. Do you want to pick a few?”

“Just send me a few. It doesn’t matter whether they’re edited or not.”

After all, she only wanted to keep these photos as a souvenir, and she had no intention of posting them on her Moments.

Over the past few years, due to her studies, campus activities, and work contacts after her internship, Yue Qianling had added quite a few people on WeChat who couldn’t be considered close friends.

Whenever she posted photos, there would be a number of guys she couldn’t even recognize by face or name who would send her private messages.

It was manageable when the chats were awkward. After two perfunctory words, she could make excuses to end them.

But when she encountered persistent individuals, blocking them was often the only solution.

As her WeChat friend list continued to grow, it became troublesome to organize her contacts into separate groups every time. Over time, Yue Qianling lost interest in posting updates on her Moments.

Throughout the year, she only posted a few words of holiday greetings.

After posting on her Moments, Yin Xue put her phone back in her bag and linked arms with Yue Qianling as they headed towards the heart of the lake.

“It seems like there’s a lantern festival this year. Let’s go take a look.”

When the two of them entered the park, it was already close to 11 o’clock. After leisurely wandering for a while, the New Year’s Eve fireworks were about to begin.

Yue Qianling and Yin Xue didn’t deliberately find their way but just followed the crowd until they unknowingly stood in a spot where they could watch the fireworks.

Being petite, the view of both girls was mostly blocked while standing amidst the crowd.

After struggling to move through the crowd, they finally found a spot on a staircase.

Once they stood on the staircase, their view became significantly wider.

Yin Xue stood on her tiptoes and scanned around aimlessly. Suddenly, she saw something and grabbed Yue Qianling’s hand.

“Look! Isn’t that Gu Xun?!”

The name “Gu Xun” was like a magical switch that as soon as Yue Qianling heard it, all her attention was focused on it.

She immediately turned around and looked in the direction Yin Xue was pointing.

The night was thick, and the lights were dazzling.

Gu Xun was wearing a black coat, standing amidst the sea of people. Although his face appeared blurry under the flickering lights, he stood a head taller than those around him. His clear and neat facial features were outstanding and easy to catch one’s eye.

In that instant, Yue Qianling’s initially ordinary mood was ignited like a fire, her eyes sparkling with the colors of the festival lights.

She finally felt excitement, not from the holiday, but from Gu Xun.

However, why was he here?

Yue Qianling pondered for a moment and suddenly felt a bit nervous. She didn’t know if he was accompanying some other girl.

Otherwise, how could a big guy like him have the leisure to come here and watch the New Year’s Eve fireworks?

“Could it be that he’s made plans with a girl?”

Yin Xue obviously shared the same thoughts as Yue Qianling.

So Yue Qianling tiptoed for a precise search, making sure that none of the girls around Gu Xun were his companions. And when she spotted the slightly chubby man she had encountered earlier in the afternoon, only then did Yue Qianling put her mind at ease.

As the clock approached midnight, the crowd on the observation deck became increasingly congested and started to move slowly toward the best vantage points.

“How about we try to squeeze through?”

Yue Qianling held Yin Xue’s hand, eager to give it a try.

Yin Xue looked at the densely packed path and clapped her hands twice. “Sure, Yue Qianling, you push forward for me. If you can make it through, I, Yin Xue will risk going to jail just to tie Gu Xun to your bed tonight.”

“…”

Blunt words but sounds logical.

Yue Qianling suppressed her impulse and obediently stood on the stairs.

But at this time, her mood was no longer the same as before. Through the sea of people, just catching a glimpse of Gu Xun from afar was enough to fill her heart with happiness that didn’t require any resonance.

At that moment, the park’s scattered faux stone speakers began playing music.

The cheerful background music brought the festive atmosphere to a climax, and the already noisy crowd gradually started to boil with excitement.

Amid the countdown of thousands of people, Yue Qianling glanced at Gu Xun from a distance.

Before she could retract her gaze, there was a loud “boom.”

The first fireworks of the New Year ascended into the sky with this loud noise, bursting into a brilliant starry sky in the vast darkness.

The cheers from the audience reached their peak at that moment, and the atmosphere showed no signs of relaxing down. Fireworks continued to launch into the sky one after another, weaving a dazzling and colorful display of light.

Almost everyone took out their phones to capture this moment, but Yue Qianling noticed that Gu Xun was just standing in place with his arms crossed. He smiled at the person next to him, then turned his head and continued to watch the fireworks. His profile was even more distinct in the contrasting halo of light.

Yue Qianling immediately took out her phone, opened the camera, and aimed it at the sky.

At the exact moment when the fireworks reached their grandest display, she pressed the capture button.

The upper half of the photo displayed the brilliant fireworks.

The lower half showed the densely packed crowd.

After taking the photo, Yue Qianling opened her social media and found that almost everyone had posted New Year’s wishes within that same minute.

She smiled and shared the photo, with a three-word caption: “Happy New Year.”

No one would notice that in this photo, among the sea of people, there was a blurry figure of Gu Xun.

And Gu Xun wouldn’t know that she had silently sent a simple blessing to him:

“*The vast ocean, always full of water. As the New Year approaches, may you always stand firm on your own legs.” (*it uses a humorous analogy, and at the same time, carries a genuine wish for stability and strength.)

Halfway through the fireworks show, Luo Tuo had been stepped on at least ten times. He finally realized that it was a mistake for two grown men to come to see this New Year’s fireworks.

Fortunately, their position wasn’t too close to the front, so it was easy to exit the crowd. In a matter of minutes, they left the throngs of people.

“I think I’ll go back to the hotel and play some games,” Luo Tuo said.

Gu Xun sneered and asked, “Was it romantic?”

“I like it, I want to do it again next time.”

Luo Tuo shamelessly smacked his lips, patted his head, and looked around looking for a restroom. “I’ll be right back.”

Gu Xun didn’t go with him and just stood there, waiting for him.

At this time, most people were watching the fireworks, so the paths were relatively empty.

Gu Xun leaned against the railing of an amusement ride and took out his phone.

The fireworks above were still in full display, with loud explosions that drowned out each other, making the place unusually quiet.

He received many New Year’s greetings on his phone. Gu Xun replied to a few messages from his relatives but quickly lost patience. He didn’t even read the rest of the messages.

He scrolled through the message list for a long time and finally found Yue Qianling’s name.

Their conversation was still from yesterday.

Gu Xun opened the chat and typed three words.

However, just before he sent the message, he looked at her profile picture and paused for a moment. Then, he clicked on her Moments.

Ten minutes ago, she had posted a picture with the same three-word caption.

Gu Xun glanced at it briefly, intending to close it. At that moment, the sky erupted in a series of fireworks.

He suddenly furrowed his brow, lowered his head, and looked at the photo again. He suddenly froze.

The night sky, the magnificent fireworks, and the angle of the photo—it all showed that she was in the same place.

As the fireworks blossomed in the sky above, Gu Xun’s emotions exploded silently, like the air that was rapidly expanding at this moment. He couldn’t grasp a clear train of thought, and he couldn’t explain why, but that strong urge to see her returned, more overwhelming than it was a few hours ago.

He focused for a moment, then abruptly put his phone away, turned around, and walked towards the observation deck.

However, after being away for a short while, the number of people on the observation deck had grown even more. Countless people were packed in as tightly as mountains and seas, and the people inside couldn’t get out, while those outside couldn’t squeeze in.

Gu Xun was trapped in the midst of this sea of people, unable to move forward or backward. So, he took out his phone and dialed her number.

During the few seconds of waiting for the call to connect, the fireworks show paused, and was preparing for the next theme.

Without the loud noise of fireworks, the surroundings felt much quieter. However, a strange restlessness welled up inside Gu Xun, making him itch with impatience.

He suddenly felt like he was a little crazy.

She didn’t want to come and meet him, so what was he doing here?

***

If not for Yin Xue’s reminder, Yue Qianling wouldn’t have noticed that her phone was vibrating.

She thought that the lead artist, who was likely working overtime, had something to discuss with her. So, she quickly took out her phone from her bag and was momentarily surprised when she saw the caller ID.

Why was he calling at this time?

Yue Qianling hesitated for a moment before answering. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

However, there was no response from the other end.

Because she was close to the fireworks, the explosions were especially loud, and the crowd noise around her reached its peak.

Yue Qianling thought that the person on the other end couldn’t hear her, so she raised her voice, “Is something wrong? It’s noisy out here. If there’s nothing, I’ll hang up.”

Still, there was no response.

The fireworks were at their grandest moment, and the sound of the crowd was like waves crashing over her ears. Yue Qianling thought he probably accidentally dialed her number because his phone was squeezed, something she often experienced. So, she was about to hang up.

As soon as her phone moved a millimeter away from her ear, she finally heard a voice from the other end.

It seemed quite noisy on his end too, but Yue Qianling clearly heard his words.

“Nothing. Happy New Year.”