Chapter 79: New Year’s Eve by the River

After returning from the North where they had spent Christmas, December was already in its final days.

The various departments within the college began to review and tally up students’ attendance for the semester, as well as arrange final exam reviews and content. As a result, Lin Hexi no longer attended classes at the Art College.

The leadership of the International College had a clear understanding of the types of students they admitted. Therefore, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the final exams at the International College were notoriously easy.

The main campus, on the other hand, was the complete opposite of the International College, with every exam, whether big or small, being quite rigorous throughout the semester.

January was the school’s exam week. Even though You Chong had excellent grades, he still spent a few days at the library before the exam week arrived.

While You Chong was reading his professional books in the library, Lin Hexi sat quietly next to him, studying English.

This sight amazed Zhou Xuan, who was sitting across from them. He privately joked about them in the dorm group chat, saying they were practically the model example of modern university dating.

Even Zhao Du and Yang Juan felt somewhat conflicted. The former even started to wonder during his free time whether he should find a top-performing girlfriend before the final exams to help motivate him to study properly.

The last few days of the month weren’t entirely spent on studying. On the final day of the month, there would be fireworks by the river and a large New Year’s Eve event at the riverside park. Two days earlier, Zhou Xuan had already asked in the dorm group chat if they wanted to go to the riverbank for the New Year’s countdown.

The other three had no objections.

Every year, fireworks are set off by the river during major holidays, and on the night of the fireworks, the traffic along the riverbank always comes to a standstill. If you want to go watch the fireworks by the river, it’s impossible to make it back to the school without a car.

Although You Chong and Zhou Xuan both had cars, even if they drove back after the New Year’s countdown, they still wouldn’t make it to the dorm before curfew.

The four of them booked river-view rooms at a hotel near the river in advance.

You Chong and Lin Hexi stayed in one room, Yang Juan and Zhao Du shared another, while Zhou Xuan stayed in a room by himself.

The New Year’s Eve happened to fall on a Saturday. The five of them drove to the hotel in the afternoon and decided to rest there for two hours before going out for dinner and watching the fireworks.

However, just lying in bed playing on their phones wasn’t much fun. Zhou Xuan found two decks of playing cards in his room and invited Yang Juan and Zhao Du to You Chong and Lin Hexi’s room to play cards.

When the three of them knocked on the door, You Chong was sitting on the bed with Lin Hexi in his arms, and Lin Hexi’s shirt had already been lifted up to his chest.

Hearing the knock on the door, Lin Hexi tried to get up to answer it, but You Chong pressed him back down onto the bed, saying, “Ignore them.”

Lin Hexi decided to ignore it.

However, the knocking outside continued persistently, with Zhou Xuan deliberately banging on the door loudly in the hallway.

Even if the two inside had planned to do something, the noise from outside completely ruined the mood.

Lin Hexi climbed off You Chong’s lap, and You Chong got up to open the door.

The moment the door opened and You Chong saw the three people standing in the hallway, with Zhou Xuan in the lead, he didn’t put on a friendly face.

The worse You Chong’s expression became, the more pleased Zhou Xuan was.

After knowing You Chong for so many years, they both ate three meals a day—no more, no less. So why was Zhou Xuan still single while You Chong had someone to hold in his arms?

With this thought in mind, Zhou Xuan raised his hand with a flourish and swaggered into the room with the other two behind him. His eyes swept over the crumpled white sheets on the large bed, and he pretended to ask innocently, “Did we interrupt anything?”

Lin Hexi, sitting on the bed, tilted his head with a faint smile and said, “Why don’t you try asking You Chong that question instead?”

Zhou Xuan pretended not to hear and dragged a chair from the balcony to sit down.

You Chong closed the door, walked over, crossed his arms, and stood in front of Zhou Xuan, asking, “What do you want?”

“Nothing much,” Zhou Xuan replied as he pulled out two decks of playing cards and tossed them onto the bed. “We’re short one player. You in?”

You Chong’s expression had already returned to normal. He sat down on the edge of the bed, poured out the two decks of cards, and turned to ask Lin Hexi, “Do you know how to play?”

Lin Hexi laughed, “I do.”

Among the five of them, only Yang Juan didn’t know how to play. He turned around, brought over a stool from the corner, and obediently sat next to Zhou Xuan to watch.

They weren’t playing for money; instead, they used punishments like sticking notes on each other or drawing turtles on their faces as a substitute.

Zhou Xuan called the front desk to have paper, pens, and other supplies sent up, and then immediately stuffed the pile into Yang Juan’s arms, assigning him a task: “You cut all this paper into strips.”

Yang Juan nodded in agreement and quietly sat beside them, head down, cutting the paper in silence.

They played a four-person version of Dou Dizhu.^[1]Dou Dizhu (斗地主) is a popular Chinese card game played with a standard deck of 54 cards, including the two jokers. It is typically played by three players, though variations exist for more … Continue reading

In the first round, Zhao Du was the landlord, while the other three were on the same team. Zhao Du couldn’t beat the three of them and quickly lost.

You Chong asked, “Turtle drawing or paper strip?”

Zhao Du responded immediately, “Paper strip.”

Zhou Xuan turned his head and instructed Yang Juan, “Stick it on him.”

Yang Juan obediently took a paper strip coated with glue and stuck it on Zhao Du’s forehead.

In the second round, You Chong was the landlord, and the three on the same team lost completely.

You Chong asked again, “Turtle drawing or paper strip?”

The three of them answered in unison, “Paper strip.”

Yang Juan took the paper strips and stuck them on each of their faces one by one.

After two rounds, only You Chong’s face remained clean. Lin Hexi took the initiative to rally Zhao Du and Zhou Xuan, smiling slyly as he declared, “Next round, let’s take him down.”

Before Zhao Du and Zhou Xuan could respond, You Chong narrowed his eyes dangerously and asked, “Take me down? Lin Hexi, whose side are you on?”

Lin Hexi lifted his chin slightly, grinning as he replied, “No boyfriends at the card table.”

You Chong was both amused and slightly exasperated, lowering his voice as he said, “Looks like you’re the one who wants to be taken down tonight.”

Lin Hexi was about to respond when Zhou Xuan heavily knocked on the table, cutting in with an emotionless tone, “Can you two save the flirting for the right occasion? Do you think we don’t exist?”

You Chong glanced at him nonchalantly and said, “The moment you raised your hand to knock on the door, you should’ve been mentally prepared for this.”

Zhou Xuan was left speechless.

As it turned out, in the third round, Lin Hexi ended up being the landlord, instantly finding himself isolated and without allies.

“Guess I spoke too soon,” he muttered softly, lifting his gaze to glance at You Chong’s profile. While everyone else was looking down at their cards, he discreetly stretched out his leg and lightly brushed against You Chong’s lower back.

Sensing the movement, You Chong, without turning his head, reached around to his lower back and caught Lin Hexi’s exposed ankle in his palm. He lifted his eyes and gave Lin Hexi a calm, fleeting glance.

Their eyes met, and Lin Hexi gave You Chong a particularly gentle smile, then blinked, silently asking, Are you going to turn against me?

You Chong immediately understood, raising his eyebrow with a subtle, unreadable expression. Since you betrayed me first, it’s only fair if I’m ruthless now, right?

Lin Hexi’s expression changed instantly, showing a face full of regret.

You Chong’s lips curved slightly, and the hand gripping Lin Hexi’s ankle tightened a bit. His thumb gently rubbed against Lin Hexi’s outer ankle, quietly hinting, What are you going to offer to bribe me?

Lin Hexi thought for a moment, then raised the cards in his hand and lightly kissed them. Though his lips touched the card, his eyes were fixed on You Chong’s lips.

He didn’t blink, his gaze unwavering.

You Chong’s eyes darkened slightly as he looked back at him. Slowly, he raised his hand and, with a subtle, ambiguous gesture, touched his own lips.

Seeing the change in You Chong’s expression, Lin Hexi figured there was a good chance it might work. A bright, mischievous smile flickered in his eyes.

Just as Lin Hexi’s hopeful thoughts were rising, You Chong lowered his hand and, without any sign of being moved, shook his head, rejecting him.

Lin Hexi’s smile froze awkwardly. Determined, he raised the stakes, casually lifting the hem of his shirt and slipping his hand inside. Using the cards to conceal his actions, he playfully and suggestively beckoned You Chong with his fingertips.

You Chong’s gaze paused briefly before a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips. Silently, he mouthed two words: “Deal.”

Both of them turned their faces away, pretending nothing had happened.

After waiting for a long time without seeing Lin Hexi play a card, Zhou Xuan and Zhao Du looked up to urge him, only to notice the subtle atmosphere between Lin Hexi and You Chong. Meanwhile, Yang Juan, sitting beside Zhou Xuan, was blushing furiously.

Zhao Du, puzzled by the sight, asked Yang Juan, “Are you feeling hot?”

His eyes quickly darted from Lin Hexi and You Chong, and Yang Juan shook his head vigorously, explaining, “No, not hot at all.”