Happy New Year!

"Ten!"
"Nine!"
...
"Three!"
"Two!"
"One!"
"Happy New Year!!"

From the television came the lively sounds of singing and dancing, and almost simultaneously fireworks soared into the sky outside the window, blossoming in the endless night. The entire city was illuminated by these breathtaking bursts of light, and from above, every street below was alive with the thunderous crack of firecrackers.

Fireworks painted the sky while firecrackers echoed along the ground, each dazzling and exuberant in its own way.

The kaleidoscopic lights flickered across Ye Mian’s face as the swift wind rustled the hair beneath her hat. She leaned closer to the camera, her eyes curving in a smile as she asked, “Jiang Chen, the sky is filled with fireworks—do you see them?”

Countless fireworks bloomed behind her in a spectacle of beauty, but Jiang Chen’s gaze remained fixed on the girl’s face, not sparing a single glance for the display.

In the frame, the girl’s long hair cascaded over her shoulders, her skin fair, her smile warm and radiant. This was perhaps the most passionate winter they’d ever experienced.

Jiang Chen’s eyes were gentle, and the corners of his lips lifted. “I see them. Ye Mian, happy New Year.”

His voice was soft, not too loud nor too quiet, just enough to reach Ye Mian’s ears and make her heart clench.

“Mm, happy New Year, Jiang Chen. I hope you’ll always be happy,” Ye Mian replied, her smile growing even more brilliant as she showed a row of neat white teeth to the camera. Her fingers hovered over the power and volume buttons.

In the image, behind Jiang Chen was a world of pristine snow. It was rare to see him smile so warmly; compared to his usual distant expression, this smile was far more appealing. And behind her, a sky ablaze with fireworks—her smile was just as dazzling.

With a gentle press of her finger, the phone took a screenshot.

The moment was instantly frozen in time.

Her hand, hidden behind her back, curled into a fist, her heart glowing with a warmth as bright as firelight.

Was this her and Jiang Chen’s first photo together?

Even though they were separated by thousands of miles.

Even though it wasn’t a photo in the traditional sense.

At last, she finally had a picture with the one she liked.

She was already content.

When the fireworks gradually faded and the city returned to silence—interrupted only by the occasional crack of a firecracker—Ye Mian realized Jiang Chen had been standing outside in the cold wind for quite a while.

Her brows, fine as willow leaves, drew together in concern. “Jiang Chen, aren’t you cold?”

Jiang Chen shook his head. “I’m not cold.”

Ye Mian felt he was lying. How could he not be cold? She’d only been outside for a short while and already her fingers were stiff, even though she was bundled up.

She sniffled, pulled her hat down further, and smiled, “Well, I’m going to hang up now. Go find something to eat, okay?”

Jiang Chen nodded.

Ye Mian looked at him, reluctant, then pressed the button to end the call.

The cold wind swept across the balcony, circling a few times and dropping several degrees, making her shiver. She quickly slipped her phone into her pocket and cupped her hands around her mouth, blowing warm air onto her frozen fingers.

Her breath turned to mist and rose.

Ye Mian stepped back into the warm room.

Thinking of that photo just now, she couldn’t stop smiling. She felt as if she’d lost track of where she was, her steps light and floating, as if each tile on the floor was miles away.

She warmed her hands by the kettle, waiting for the heat to thaw her stiffened fingers, then took out her phone, navigated to the gallery, carefully cropped the screenshot of the two of them, and set it as her wallpaper.

She thought the night would end in this sweet haze, never expecting someone would ring her doorbell.

Ye Mian had just finished her shower and was about to go to bed. The sound made her especially wary; she wondered if she’d misheard.

She lived alone, and for safety, had chosen to shoulder the extra rent rather than find a roommate.

It was the holidays—no one should be visiting her.

She waited a while.

The doorbell kept ringing.

She had no choice but to slip on her slippers and quietly tiptoe to the door. She peered through the peephole and saw a man standing outside.

Ye Mian frowned, thinking to ignore him.

Suddenly, the man outside muttered, “What’s going on? No one home? Then who should I give this to?”

He seemed to make a phone call, said a few words about no one answering, then set down what he was carrying and left.

The hallway’s motion sensor lights went out.

Ye Mian listened to the footsteps fade away. After waiting a long while, certain he’d truly gone, she cautiously opened the door to see what had been left outside.

It was a black box, and beside it, a bouquet of jasmine flowers.

Ye Mian quickly brought the items inside and shut the door with a thud.

Only then did she have the mind to examine the bouquet.

It was beautifully wrapped in red paper, with white champagne roses and jasmine inside. Up close, the fragrance was intense, and nestled among the flowers was a greeting card.

On the card, four simple words were written: “Happy New Year.”

The handwriting was unfamiliar—Ye Mian couldn’t recognize it.

She turned to the black box.

Lifting the lid, she first saw a red envelope.

It was thick. Ye Mian counted the money inside in confusion.

Two thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight.

That number...

Ye Mian immediately thought of Jiang Chen.

After all, in their earlier back-and-forth, this number had become deeply etched in her memory.

She picked up the envelope. Inside the box was also a beautiful cashmere scarf. When she brushed her hand over it, it felt soft and smooth, and she imagined it would be wonderfully comfortable around her neck.

Before Ye Mian could make sense of it all, Qin Feifei called. There seemed to be a lot of people on her end, and the noise was overwhelming. She had to raise her voice.

“Mianmian? Hello? Mianmian? Can you hear me?”

Ye Mian quickly replied, “Ah, yes, I can hear you.”

Only then did Qin Feifei continue, “So, did you get the stuff?”

Glancing at the bouquet, scarf, and red envelope, Ye Mian was incredulous. “I did. Did you send these?”

Qin Feifei, huddled in the corner at home with her phone, answered, “How could it be me! I went to Secret Realm yesterday, and the staff there asked me to bring it to you. I was busy, so I called a courier to deliver it. I’ve been trying since the afternoon and only now did someone pick up the order.”

Ye Mian blinked, ignoring most of that, but catching the crucial part, “Why did you go there?”

“Didn’t we get a free meal last time? I left my number and got a membership card. They said there were two free meals, so I went again.”

Before Ye Mian could respond, someone seemed to call Qin Feifei’s name in the background.

She hurriedly said, “Mianmian, I have to go—so many relatives, I’m losing my mind. Happy New Year. Once the holidays are over, I’ll come visit you.”

Ye Mian rubbed her forehead and smiled. “Alright, thank you. Happy New Year to you too. Go on, then.”

The call ended in a burst of busy signals.

Ye Mian sighed and looked at the bouquet beside her. Even after a day, the flowers were still vibrant thanks to the moist floral foam.

If Jiang Chen hadn’t turned her down before,

She might have misunderstood again.

It wasn’t because of love.

Why was Jiang Chen so good to her? Had she saved his life in a previous life?

Thanks to:
Qi Wei Shu
Liao Girl
RK-1123 and all the lovely supporters for your generous gifts—thank you so very much, bow and shower of flowers.

Thanks also to:
Guo Wang Shu, Litter Bear, Not Alone, Lotus Wheat, Qi Wei Shu°, 9 and Mi, Xiao Zhizhi, Milk Tea is Sweet But I’m Sweeter, Min Lan, Storyline., Memories Like the First Time, .Meow, Peipei, Moved by the Moon, Book Friend 2023021439, Xiao Lin the Invincible, Game Life 254, _De, Daijin, Thesame, Yuan Pi My Little Friend, Yin Tao (emoticon) and all the lovely readers who voted monthly tickets—thank you so very much! Bow and shower of flowers.

Special thanks to Qi Wei Shu for the full set of gifts and monthly tickets~

Please, dear readers, cast more votes and leave more comments—it means so much for our little novel.

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(End of chapter)