Chapter 52 - Happy New Year

No one knew how much time had passed before the dazzling fireworks finally reached their peak and faded into silence. The noise died down, and everything gradually settled into quiet. For a moment, the crowd seemed to pause in that fleeting hush—then, laughter and chatter returned as people began to disperse, flowing outward like a tide.

As the deafening booms subsided, Lin Xian finally, reluctantly, lowered the hands she’d been using to cover Xiao Wanqing’s ears. Instead, she gently wrapped them around Xiao Wanqing’s slender waist. Resting her chin on Wanqing’s shoulder, she playfully poked her and murmured softly into her ear, “Aunt Xiao, Happy New Year.”

The warmth of those hands leaving her ears made Xiao Wanqing suddenly feel the chill of the night breeze. It was strangely hard to let go of that comforting warmth. She instinctively straightened up, stepping out of Lin Xian’s embrace. Turning around, her gaze gentle as flowing water, she returned Lin Xian’s smile. “Happy New Year.”

Lin Xian smiled with curved eyes and said playfully, “This is the first one, you know.”

Xiao Wanqing tilted her head slightly. “Hm?”

Lin Xian reached out and tucked Xiao Wanqing’s hand into her coat pocket, tilting her head to the side. Her eyes shimmered like starlight. “The first new year we’re spending together. There’ll be a second, and a third, and so many more to come.”

Xiao Wanqing looked at her, and her heart wavered for a beat. But then, with a sudden change of thought, the smile at the corner of her lips softened and faded slightly. Shaking her head like an elder half-teasing a younger one, she said lightly, “Once you grow up, Xianxian, you’ll find someone else you want to hold hands with to greet the new year.”

She reached out to gently fix Lin Xian’s wind-blown hair, her voice low and tender—laced with a wistfulness and sadness she herself didn’t notice. A faint, self-deprecating smile tugged at her lips. “When you grow up, you’ll forget all about this old lady…”

Lin Xian caught that fleeting sadness in her warm, clear eyes. It made her heart ache. She instinctively tightened her grip on Xiao Wanqing’s hand, just about to refute her, when Shi Man and Xia Zhijin walked over, calling out to them, “Aunt Xiao, Xianxian—we’re getting ready to head back. Are you two going too?”

Xiao Wanqing quickly tucked away her momentary melancholy and returned to her usual warm, gentle smile. She asked Lin Xian, “Shall we head back?”

Lin Xian frowned slightly and pressed her lips together, swallowing the words she hadn’t spoken. Glancing at Xiao Wanqing’s thin coat, her gaze dimmed as she nodded. “Mm, let’s go back. It’ll get even colder later—you’re not dressed warmly enough.”

Hearing this, a gentle warmth bloomed in Xiao Wanqing’s heart. She smiled and turned to call out to Wen Tong, intending to let her know they were leaving. “Wen Tong, we’re…” But she stopped mid-sentence. The spot beside her was empty—Wen Tong was nowhere to be seen.

At that moment, Xiao Wanqing finally realized Wen Tong had somehow disappeared without her noticing.

She asked Lin Xian, “Did you see where Aunt Wen went?”

Lin Xian’s eyes flickered. Thinking of that distant exchange of looks between her and Wen Tong earlier, her heart sank a little. She nodded. “When we were watching the fireworks, she suddenly turned and left. I don’t know why.”

Xiao Wanqing frowned, puzzled and a little worried. It wasn’t like Wen Tong to leave without saying anything. Did something happen? She gently pulled her hand from Lin Xian’s, pulled out her phone from her bag, and turned to Shi Man and Xia Zhijin with an apologetic smile. “Zhijin, Manman—why don’t you two head back first? Don’t wait for us.”

Xia Zhijin gave a light smile. “It’s alright. We’ll go together—we need to say goodbye to Manman’s mom anyway.” As she spoke, she pulled her phone from her bag and handed it to Shi Man.

Shi Man muttered under her breath, “Why bother? She came with her driver—she’s not even riding back with us.” Though she complained, she still took the phone and dialed Shi Jinglan’s number.

Meanwhile, Xiao Wanqing called Wen Tong. The phone rang for a long time without an answer. Just when she thought Wen Tong wouldn’t pick up, the call connected. Immediately, Xiao Wanqing spoke, voice tinged with concern, “Wen Tong, it’s me. Where are you?”

There was a pause before Wen Tong’s familiar, lazy tone floated through the line. “I got lost. Are you coming to get me?” Before Xiao Wanqing could answer, Wen Tong chuckled softly and continued in a slightly more serious tone, “I went to the restroom and ran into someone I know from work. We had some stuff to talk about, so we went back to the hotel to catch up. I figured you wouldn’t hear the phone anyway with all the fireworks, so I didn’t call you.”

Xiao Wanqing didn’t doubt her story and was immediately reassured. “Xianxian and I are heading back. Are you coming with us?”

Wen Tong hesitated for a moment on the other end of the line. Then she coughed several times in quick succession before replying in a hoarse, strained voice, “No, I already booked a room. I’m a bit tired and won’t drive back. Don’t wait for me. Be safe on the road.”

“Okay, then Xianxian and I will go first.” Xiao Wanqing paused, suddenly remembering something. Her voice softened. “It’s getting chilly—don’t stay outside too long. Be careful not to catch a cold.”

Lin Xian stood quietly beside her, listening intently. She wasn’t sure if Wen Tong would say anything else to Aunt Xiao. Hearing how tenderly Xiao Wanqing spoke to Wen Tong, she couldn’t help the sour feeling rising in her chest. She pouted slightly.

Shi Man, who had finished her call, noticed her expression. With a sly grin, she wrapped an arm around Lin Xian’s neck, leaned close, and whispered teasingly, “I smell jealousy.”

Lin Xian shot her a glare.

Xia Zhijin suddenly reached over from behind and pulled Shi Man back, gently separating the two. Her voice was warm as she said, “Don’t upset Xianxian.”

Shi Man leaned into Xia Zhijin’s arms, her lips curving into a bright smile. Her eyes sparkled with affection as she turned her head, brushing her lips lightly along Xia Zhijin’s jaw. Her tongue playfully flicked over the tender skin where her sharp chin met her pale neck, whispering breathily, “Zhijin, are you getting jealous too?”

The warm softness of that touch against her chilled skin sent a jolt through Xia Zhijin. Her whole body tensed for a moment as if a trickle of molten lava had passed over an icy mountain. Her heart melted. She kept her calm expression, steady as a mountain, and gently scolded Shi Man, “Manman, stop that.” But the blush that bloomed on her cheeks betrayed her composure.

Lin Xian stared at them with a blank expression—jealous, envious, and even more frustrated.

On the other end of the line, Xiao Wanqing’s reminder was met with silence.

She hesitated, confused, and softly called out, “Wen Tong?”

Wen Tong’s voice was soft and low as she answered, “Mm, I’m listening.” She paused for a second, then suddenly called out a little anxiously, “Xiao Wanqing…”

Xiao Wanqing perked up, waiting quietly for what would come next.

But in the end, all she heard was a gentle, “Happy New Year.”

Xiao Wanqing was caught off guard for a moment, then replied with a faint smile, a little puzzled, “Mm, Happy New Year.”

After ending the call, Lin Xian casually asked with concern, “What did Aunt Wen say?”

Xiao Wanqing took the initiative to hold Lin Xian’s hand and naturally slipped it into her coat pocket, replying, “She’s not going back.” She lifted her gaze toward Shi Man and Xia Zhijin beside her and said softly, “Let’s go.”

On the way out, the four of them chatted here and there. When another gust of wind swept by, Lin Xian suddenly stopped, unwound her scarf, adjusted its length, and shared half of it with Xiao Wanqing. She spread it out and wrapped it around a few times with practiced care. Not only did she shield Xiao Wanqing’s slender, porcelain-white neck, she even tucked in her pointed chin against the cold. With a little pout and a slight frown, she muttered with concealed concern, “I told you to wear a scarf before we left, but you insisted none matched your outfit. Style over warmth, huh? And now look—it’s freezing.”

Xiao Wanqing quietly let her fix the scarf. Through the haze of night, she gazed at the girl’s vibrant, beautiful features. Maybe it was the darkness that nurtured tenderness, but all of a sudden, she was overcome with longing—to reach out and smooth the fine creases between Lin Xian’s brows, to trace each line of her elegant yet softly feminine brows. They looked so delicate and fuzzy, probably just like her—soft and lovable.

Their eyes met. Lin Xian had the hazy feeling that Xiao Wanqing’s gaze held a glimmering softness, rippling with gentleness.

But of course—someone just had to ruin the moment.

Shi Man let out a stifled laugh and teased, “Lin Xian, don’t you look like Aunt Xiao’s little housekeeper now?”

The sudden burst of laughter snapped Xiao Wanqing out of her daze. She recalled Lin Xian’s earlier tone and couldn’t help but chuckle too.

The tender atmosphere instantly vanished.

Lin Xian watched Xiao Wanqing’s affectionate gaze turn clear and composed in a flash, and disappointment swept through her like a cold tide. She furrowed her brows, turned to glare at the culprit, and gritted her teeth. “Argh—Shi Man! I’m going to kill you!”

Shi Man ducked behind Xia Zhijin and fearlessly made a face at her. “Come on then, come on!” Her peach-blossom eyes gleamed playfully, and she turned her head to coo at Xia Zhijin, “Zhijin, I want a scarf too.”

She’d seen Xia Zhijin knitting a scarf in her free time over the past two weeks and thought she was getting a New Year’s surprise. But now, the scarf was still sitting quietly in Zhijin’s drawer, untouched and undelivered—had she forgotten?

Xia Zhijin remained as unshaken as ever, her voice cool and calm. “I’ll go with you to buy one in a couple of days.”

Shi Man bit her lip and stared at her for a moment, then huffed, let go of her hand, and stomped over to Lin Xian, latching onto her arm despite the incoming playful punches.

Xia Zhijin just saw her as throwing a childish tantrum and smiled helplessly. She walked over to Xiao Wanqing and fell into step beside her.

The streetlamps cast long shadows of the four girls. As they turned the corner, the shadows shortened, eventually blending into one…

Down by the riverside, a middle-aged man in a black suit came trotting up and bent over, presenting a silver lighter to a woman.

The woman gave him a faint look, and he quickly walked up to Wen Tong, offering her the lighter.

With a lazy, amused smile, the woman’s crimson lips curled. Her voice was low and melodious. “Returning this.”

The burned-out cigarette between her slender fingers was flicked away, and she turned with elegant poise. The sharp clack of her high heels echoed steadily on the pavement, growing softer and softer with each step.

The lingering flame on the ground was crushed without mercy, reduced to silence.

The man trailed behind, picking up the cigarette butt before quickly catching up.

The woman’s graceful figure, along with the rhythmic sound of heels, slowly faded into the night.

Wen Tong stood quietly, gazing at the icy lighter in her palm. Under the colorful lights, the engraved character “SHI” on its surface shimmered as if silver light flowed through it…