Chapter 169: Happy New Year
Two months later.
The filming for “Legend of Kyushu” was already halfway through. An Qingyan had been on set the whole time and had lost a few pounds. An Jing’s scenes, on the other hand, had wrapped up half a month ago.
An Qingyan was quite concerned about the romantic progress between his brother and his friend. “How are you and my big brother not together yet? Were all those guides I sent you useless?”
“You couldn’t even make use of the little videos,” he muttered under his breath.
Lu Yuqi glanced at him calmly. “Soon.”
An Qingyan was skeptical. “Really?”
Lu Yuqi: “Really. Now hurry up and get in the car.”
“Alright, I’m heading out then. See you next year.”
“See you next year.”
Tomorrow was New Year’s Eve, and the production had given everyone a few days off to go home for the holiday. An Qingyan packed his luggage and rushed to the airport. It had been a long time since he’d been home, and he truly missed it.
It was evening by the time he arrived.
Before he even reached the door, his entire family was waiting for him outside: Father and Mother An, his big brother and second brother, and even his maternal grandparents and uncle’s family, who had come back from abroad for the holiday.
The large family was bustling with warmth and excitement.
They were all waiting for him to come home.
“Didi, your second brother missed you so much!” An Yu was the first to rush forward and give his younger brother a passionate bear hug. The others crowded around as well, and An Qingyan quickly greeted everyone.
“My dear grandson, I’ve missed you so much. Come, let grandma hug you.”
“This child looks a little thinner. Filming must have been tough, right?”
“He has lost a lot of weight. Mom made your favorite dishes, you have to eat more later.”
“Let’s not stand around out here, it’s cold. Let’s go inside.”
Everyone spoke at once, their loving and smiling gazes all focused on An Qingyan. As the youngest child in the family, and one who had only recently been found and brought back after suffering so much, he naturally received more attention and care.
“Yes, I’ll definitely eat a lot. Mom’s cooking is the best.”
A smile hung on An Qingyan’s face, but the tip of his nose tingled. In all the years past, he had never felt the warmth of a home. Familial love and romantic love were different, but they were equally important.
The next day was New Year’s Eve.
Putting up spring couplets, preparing the New Year’s Eve dinner—the entire An household was filled with a lively atmosphere. The dinner was a lavish feast, and everyone around the large table was laughing and talking.
After dinner, everyone gathered in the living room to chat, eat snacks, and watch the Spring Festival Gala.
An Qingyan spoke very little, simply watching and listening to everyone quietly. A genuine smile graced his handsome face. He was truly happy and content now.
He remembered looking forward to the New Year when he was a child.
The food would be richer, with fish and meat, and snacks he rarely got to eat. He would also receive red envelope money. Although it was a small amount, to him back then, it was a huge fortune.
As he grew older, he no longer found joy in these small things, and there was no reason to look forward to the New Year anymore. To him, it was just an ordinary day.
Other families would have joyous reunions, but he had never felt that in his old home. There were only arguments, complaints, and indifference.
Later, during the years after he debuted, he never once returned to that home for the New Year.
He would stay alone in his small apartment, boil a pot of dumplings for himself, and watch the Spring Festival Gala. At midnight, he would wish himself a Happy New Year, trying to feel a part of the festival.
But… he wasn’t happy at all.
“Yanyan, what are you thinking about? Why are your eyes red?” An Jing asked with concern.
“It’s nothing, I was just thinking about the past.”
“It’s all in the past. This is the first Spring Festival our family is spending together, so we should be happy.” An Jing peeled a satsuma and handed it to his younger brother, smiling as he said, “From now on, your days will be as sweet as this tangerine.”
An Qingyan popped the tangerine into his mouth. The sweet flavor spread through his mouth, a burst of juicy sweetness. He smiled, his eyes curving. “Mm, it really is sweet.”
“Quick, quick! One minute until midnight! Countdown, countdown!” An Yu shouted excitedly.
“Sixty, fifty-nine, fifty-eight…”
An Qingyan quietly slipped away from the lively living room and onto the balcony outside. He watched the time on his phone tick by, second by second. Just as the second hand was about to hit “12,” his phone rang.
He quickly answered it.
A man’s gentle, magnetic voice traveled through the phone’s current and into his ear. “Yanyan, Happy New Year.”
“Happy New Year!!!”
“It’s the New Year!!!”
“Dad, Mom, Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle, Auntie, gong xi fa cai, hand over the red envelopes!”
“You’re so old and still asking for red envelopes, have you no shame?”
“Where are Yanyan and An Jing…”
It was as if the sounds of the outside world had faded away, his heart completely occupied by one person. A joyful smile appeared on An Qingyan’s face as he spoke earnestly and gently, “Gu Fei, Happy New Year.”
May you have a smooth and worry-free year, and may all your wishes come true.
And… may you have me, year after year.
…
On the other side, An Jing also received a call. He stood in the courtyard, and after hearing the person on the other end say “Happy New Year,” there was silence. He chuckled and teased, “What? You call me but don’t say anything? Cat got your tongue?”
Lu Yuqi frowned in conflict. “I…”
“Happy New Year, Lu Yuqi.”
“You’ve been pursuing me for so long, and although your methods are really old-fashioned…”
Lu Yuqi: “You!”
“Let me finish. Although the methods are old-fashioned, they still worked on me, because the person pursuing me was you.” The young man on the other end froze. The man chuckled softly and said:
“Actually, when I told you to pursue me, I was just teasing you. I didn’t expect you to honestly chase after me for so long, like a little fool. But I can’t let you chase me for nothing.”
“So, now it’s my turn to confess to you.” An Jing took a deep breath, his gaze as gentle as the moonlight. He asked gently and solemnly, “Lu Yuqi, I like you. In this new year, would you be willing to be with me?”
To prevent air pollution and accidents, Nancheng had banned fireworks. But at that moment, brilliant and magnificent fireworks exploded in Lu Yuqi’s heart, crackling and setting off an earthquake in his chest.
His hand holding the phone trembled uncontrollably. Something was stuck in his throat, and he couldn’t speak. “I… I’ll reluctantly agree.”
Even though he was so moved he was on the verge of tears, Young Master Lu’s habit of saying one thing and meaning another was hard to break. But his choked voice betrayed his true feelings.
An Jing chuckled softly. “Good, I’m deeply honored.”
“I… I have to go now!”
After saying this abruptly, Lu Yuqi hurriedly hung up. His hand was still shaking. No one knew that the star he had been looking up at for so long had finally come running to him.
He couldn’t help but smile, but the corners of his eyes were red.
“Bro, what are you standing here for?”
Lu Sheng walked over, and when he saw his brother’s expression, he was stunned. “What’s wrong with you? You look so radiant and lovestruck. Whoa, why are your eyes red? Did you get so emotional on New Year’s that you cried?”
Lu Yuqi immediately put on a straight face. “I just got sand in my eye!”
Lu Sheng: “You can’t come up with a better excuse than that?!”
Just then, Gu Fei, who had just hung up his phone and was passing by, glanced over. As if seeing through everything, he interjected coolly, “Perhaps spring has arrived.”
During the New Year holiday, Butler Shen and the other servants had gone back to their hometowns. The Gu family residence was left with only Yu Qingtong and Gu Fei, mother and son. Such a large house felt empty and desolate, so Yu Qingtong had brought her son to her sister’s house for the New Year.
Lu Sheng didn’t understand. “The wind is howling. What spring?”
“What are you three doing standing outside? It’s so cold, come in,” Yu Qingwan called out.
“Here, red envelopes for you. This is Gu Fei’s.”
Gu Fei accepted it with a smile. “Thank you, Auntie.”
Yu Qingtong couldn’t help but laugh. “He’s so old now, you don’t need to give him a red envelope.”
“It’s the New Year, for good luck. All the unmarried kids get one.” At this, Yu Qingwan asked the question that elders often ask during the New Year: “Gu Fei, you’re not young anymore, it’s time to find a partner. How about your auntie introduces you to someone?”
Gu Fei: “No need, I have someone.”
Yu Qingwan was surprised. “Really? When did you find someone?” She knew her nephew well; he had always been aloof and uninterested in anything outside of work.
Yu Qingtong nodded, smiling. “It’s true.”
It was just that her future in-laws didn’t know about it yet.
“It’s great that you’ve found someone. When will you bring them back for your auntie to see?”
Gu Fei: “Soon.”
“Okay, Auntie will be waiting.” Yu Qingwan then looked at the two brothers, Lu Sheng and Lu Yuqi. “Did you two hear that? You should learn from your cousin and find a partner quickly… oh wait, Yuqi, you’re still young, no rush.”
Lu Yuqi: “…”
Just a moment ago, I already found one.
It was just past midnight, and no one had gone to bed yet. They were all gathered, chatting and eating melon seeds. Gu Fei sent a message to a distracted Lu Yuqi, who was sitting across from him:
[An family. Going?]
Lu Yuqi looked up, glanced at him, and decisively replied: [Yes!]
Then, they both stood up at the same time. Under the confused gazes of the others, they made an excuse and left.
Gu Fei was driving. Just as the car got on the highway, Lu Yuqi received a call from An Jing. He hesitated for a moment before answering. He wasn’t going to take it back, was he?
“Why did you hang up so suddenly just now? Were you shy? Aren’t you usually very brave?” An Jing teased him a little before saying, “Send me your address, I’ll come find you. I want to kiss and hug my little boyfriend.”
Lu Yuqi awkwardly rubbed the back of his head. “No need, I’m… already on my way to your place.”
An Jing: “Oh, offering yourself up on a silver platter? Aren’t you afraid I’ll eat you up?”
Although it wasn’t on speakerphone, Gu Fei, who could still hear what An Jing was saying, gripped the steering wheel tighter. He thought he could now understand how An Jing had felt back then.
It was the feeling of your own prized cabbage being eaten by a pig.
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