Qiao Anchen thought about it carefully for a moment, then shook his head in reply.
"No, I think coffee is better."
"Hmph." Chu Yi snatched his milk tea cup back from his hand.
Qiao Anchen was surprised for two seconds, then thought she was being far too stingy.
He had only taken one sip of her milk tea.
New Year's Day comes not long after Christmas. In previous years, I spent New Year's Day with Cheng Li and a group of other friends.
But this year is different; she is now married.
Given Mr. Qiao's past performance, Chu Yi dared not have any expectations of him, and instead asked him about his plans for New Year's Day several days in advance.
Of course, he had no plan at all.
Chu Yi lay on the bed, shoulder to shoulder with him, counting on her fingers.
"Usually, Cheng Li and I would go to Star Century Plaza to countdown to the New Year with everyone. We've also gone to Green Water Island to watch fireworks, or we'd rent a private room on the rooftop of a hotel and party all night with friends. Of course—"
Chu Yi changed the subject, "These were all arranged by Cheng Li. She prefers a lively atmosphere, while I prefer something quieter with fewer people. But New Year's Eve always needs a little bit of ritual, after all, it's a new year."
She looked up at Qiao Anchen, her eyes wide, her face full of feigned expectation, "What do you think?"
Qiao Anchen put down his Kindle, pondered for a moment, and then turned his gaze to her face.
"Yes, you're right."
So, which way do you prefer to ring in the new year?
"How did you live before?" Chu Yi suddenly remembered to ask.
Qiao Anchen paused for a moment, then slowly said, "I'm not working overtime, I'm just eating something casually at home by myself, I haven't been doing much."
...It probably was never even done.
As expected, I felt a bit sentimental at the first day of the semester. Oh well.
She reached out and patted Qiao Anchen's shoulder gently.
"Then let's go to Star Century Plaza. People who are celebrating New Year's Eve for the first time will feel the atmosphere better there."
A strange feeling welled up in Qiao Anchen's heart. He felt as if he had received a kind of care from an elder.
It was cold on New Year's Day, but everyone's hearts were warm. Star Century Plaza was as lively as ever, with crowds of people. The Star Tower, not far away, still stood tall and majestic, like a bullet soaring into the sky.
This building is a landmark in Lancheng. At night, it lights up with various colors, resembling a beautiful lighthouse.
During major holidays, the exterior of the building can display any font, making it a must-see for every fan. There have been numerous reports of fans spending huge sums of money to book the Xingzi Building for an entire night to display unique declarations of love for their idols.
By this time, it was completely dark. In the night sky, the Xingzi Building was displaying a dazzling light show, and many people had gathered in the square, all looking up at it.
There's one hour left until New Year's Eve.
Chu Yi and Qiao Anchen were both dressed in many layers, including coats, down jackets, scarves, and hats. Even so, when walking with Qiao Anchen, some people were always attracted by his aura and couldn't help but cast their gazes at him.
Qiao Anchen is tall and has long legs. Today, he is unusually not wearing a suit. He is wearing a black workwear down jacket over a sweater and a shirt. The down jacket has a large hood with soft, thick fur on it. His chin is buried in a gray wool scarf. His handsome eyebrows and eyes are calm, with a hint of asceticism in his eyes.
They looked like celebrities straight out of a Korean drama, and with a petite girl by their side, their couple look made them even more eye-catching.
"Are you cold?" Qiao Anchen asked her from the steps, and Chu Yi shook her head.
The two had just come out of the restaurant, where the heating was on full blast, and they hadn't felt the cold outside yet.
There are many attractions and unique shops next to Xingzi Building. It was still early, so everyone was strolling around the area.
Chu Yi's hand was held by Qiao Anchen and placed in the pocket of his down jacket. The two of them rarely had such a relaxing moment of leisure, and they sat side by side, killing time together.
Wandering through the brightly lit streets, surrounded by unfamiliar crowds, Chu Yi strolled around aimlessly until they passed a bookstore, at which point their activity came to an end.
Qiao Anchen plunged inside and couldn't get out.
As the New Year's bells rang, the faint sounds of fireworks exploding could be heard, and a commotion began to rise outside. Chu Yi forcefully dragged Qiao Anchen out of the bookstore, who was already carrying a whole bag of books.
The square was at least twice as crowded as before. The two of them managed to find a good viewpoint, and the sky above them was ablaze with colorful lights.
The fireworks and light show lasted for more than ten minutes, and finally, a huge and eye-catching number appeared in the center of the Xingzi Building.
Amidst the cheers of everyone, a warm and unified countdown echoed in our ears. Just like the numbers changing before our eyes, time was slowly moving forward. The old year was about to pass, and a new life was about to begin.
"10, 9, 8..."
"3, 2, 1—"
As the last number was counted, screams and cheers erupted from the crowd.
"Happy New Year!--"
Amidst the bustling crowd, friends embraced, couples kissed under the dazzling night sky, and those who liked each other smiled at one another.
Coincidentally, there was a couple on either side of Chu Yi, their young and happy faces close together, kissing each other's lips without any hesitation.
Chu Yi looked up at Qiao Anchen, just as he looked down. Their eyes met, and in each other's eyes they saw the blooming fireworks, reflecting colorful light.
It was only after the first day of the Lunar New Year that she realized that Qiao Anchen had never kissed her except in bed.
“Qiao Anchen…” she said softly, her words sounding somewhat unreal amidst a series of thumping sounds.
Can you kiss me?
A hint of surprise flashed across Qiao Anchen's face. He was an extremely traditional person, and he felt that these intimate things should be done at home, or perhaps used to set the mood when preparing to do something.
His gaze shifted unnaturally around him, then returned to Chu Yi's face after a few seconds. When he met her earnest and focused eyes, all the chaotic thoughts in his mind vanished instantly.
It seems that nothing matters anymore.
He simply wanted to kiss her.
Qiao Anchen lowered his head and touched her lips, which were as soft and warm as ever, with a hint of fruity scent.
As if bewitched, he bit her lips and gently took a sip.
Their arms tightened around each other, their bodies pressed closer and closer, until Chu Yi was completely enveloped in his embrace.
She tilted her head back, her neck gradually aching. The fireworks continued, drawing everyone's attention and giving them a sense of peace that made them carefree.
In this way, no one will notice them.
The night breeze was cool, ruffling Qiao Anchen's hair. The burning heat in his blood slowly cooled down. He calmed his breathing and hugged the person in his arms even tighter.
"...Your heart is beating very fast." Chu Yi buried her face in his chest, her voice muffled. Qiao Anchen didn't move, his gaze fixed ahead as he answered.
"Yes." He looked down at the top of Chu Yi's head.
“I feel it’s very different outside.”
"Aren't you embarrassed?" Chu Yi lifted her head from his chest, her eyes watery and her lips very red. It was the kind of natural red that comes from being completely moisturized without any makeup, very alluring and ambiguous.
Qiao Anchen's eyes darkened slightly, and his voice became a little hoarse, deep and pleasant.
"Well, let's go back next time and do these things at home."
Chu Yi frowned, a look of confusion on his face.
Don't you like it?
"Hmm." Qiao Anchen nodded without hesitation. A few more times like this, and he'd probably spontaneously combust on the spot.
Chu Yi was a little disappointed, but she quickly recovered. After all, tonight was already an unforgettable night that she could store in her beautiful memories.
She was very content.
After New Year's Eve, their daily lives remained unchanged. Qiao Anchen still left early and returned late, and their days were flat and uneventful, as simple as plain water, bland and tasteless.
At the dinner table, Chu Yi and Qiao Anchen chatted briefly about the menu for the next few days, then said nothing more and went to bed to rest.
She recently started watching a Japanese anime, and the interactions between the male and female protagonists were very sweet and adorable. Whenever she saw an exciting part, she would cover her lips and roll around in bed laughing. At this time, Qiao Anchen would look away, glance at her for no apparent reason, and then look away again.
Chu Yi didn't understand any of the majors he was involved in. She had read a few pages of books with him before, and she recognized all the words, but she didn't know what they meant when put together.
She stared at it for a long time, then finally gave up struggling and became engrossed in the superficial temptations of the world while holding her phone.
The two lay together, completely immersed in their own separate mental worlds, oblivious to each other, and the night passed quietly, just like every other night before.
It seems that uneventful days always pass quickly. Around the time of the Lunar New Year, classmates and friends from other places came back one after another.
Zhu Ziqing once said something in his essay "Winter" that has since been widely circulated among netizens.
— "From then on, my hometown only had winter and summer, and no more spring and autumn."
This phrase was also used by the students around him in the first year of junior high school to make fun of themselves.
Lancheng is a very peaceful small city with no modern industrial pillars or much room for development. Compared to first-tier cities, it's like night and day.
Almost every year, fresh graduates flock to bustling metropolises with unwavering courage. Some settle down and establish themselves, while others drift aimlessly, only having the opportunity to return home and visit their hometowns during the winter.
In the first year of junior high, they would organize a class reunion every year. But as the years after graduation passed, some things faded away quietly. Later, they would always say they wanted to organize one, but they never succeeded.
As the Spring Festival approaches, the classmate group, which had been dormant for a whole year, has become active again. This year, they seem to have reflected on their actions and decided to be decisive. The class monitor and a few enthusiastic members quickly finalized the time for the class reunion in the group. It's all up to them: come if you can, don't come if you can't. They're no longer going to compromise like they did last year, which ended up with nothing going on.
Strangely enough, as a result, everyone attended in good order, and there were fewer absentees than in previous years.
Originally, classmates were allowed to bring their families to class reunions, but due to the large number of people getting married in the past two years, these reunions have almost become family gatherings. In response to public opinion, a new rule has been introduced.
Family members cannot be brought this year.
Chu Yi breathed a sigh of relief when she saw it, because then she wouldn't have to be questioned anymore.
"Oh, why didn't your husband come with you?"
Of course not.
First year of junior high school doesn't want to turn a happy class reunion into a sad one.
Given Qiao Anchen's personality, he probably wouldn't stay at her class reunion for more than two minutes before saying goodbye and leaving.
It had been two or three years since we last met, and my classmates had all changed a lot. The girl who was so carefree and independent in my memory had suddenly become a mother, and the little girl who always said she didn't want to grow up had gotten married. Looking back, it seemed that only Cheng Li was still a single aristocrat.
Fortunately, she wasn't there today, otherwise she would definitely have become the center of attention.
During this New Year's holiday, Cheng Li accompanied her boyfriend on a business trip to Japan. The two were inseparable, which made Chu Yi both jealous and resentful.
As this topic came up, everyone started talking about traveling with their husbands, reminiscing about where they went for their honeymoons, and how they make plans to visit several places together every year.
"My husband and I went to the Maldives. We had just graduated and didn't have much money, so we just looked up some must-go honeymoon destinations online and went."
“We went to Japan because I’ve always dreamed of going to Japan to see the cherry blossoms, and then soaking in a hot spring while drinking sake. So he went with me.” Another female classmate said with a sweet smile.