Chi Nuan didn’t see Yue Yun with him and didn’t dare speak rashly. She held Little Wutong and watched from the side.
Chi Qingchuan stood and began packing clothes simply—his own, Little Wutong’s, along with milk powder, toys, diapers, and the like. When Chi Nuan asked what he was doing, he said, “Yunyun went back to her mom’s for the New Year. Nuannuan, pack up too. We’re going together.”
Chi Nuan’s instinct told her she shouldn’t go; she wouldn’t be welcome. She shook her head. “I have school on the seventh. Lots of homework to do. You stay with Sister-in-law a few more days. I won’t go.”
Chi Qingchuan’s brows furrowed deeply. Seeing this, Chi Nuan hurried to say, “I can take care of myself.”
She fetched Little Wutong’s travel blanket, wrapped him up, and saw Chi Qingchuan downstairs. He opened the car door and placed Little Wutong into the infant carrier fixed on the seat.
The car belonged to Mr. Ji, and the carrier was a gift from him too. Originally, that New Year’s Eve, Mr. Ji and his fiancée had invited Chi Qingchuan’s family for a dinner gathering.
After settling Little Wutong, Chi Qingchuan said to Chi Nuan, “Brother didn’t handle things well and made you worry instead. Sorry.”
Chi Nuan patted his shoulder. “Hang in there, Brother.”
After seeing off Chi Qingchuan and Little Wutong, starting from three or four in the afternoon, Chi Nuan busied herself preparing a solitary New Year’s Eve dinner. She made several dishes meticulously, plated them, took photos, and sent them to Chi Qingchuan to prove she was taking good care of herself.
Chi Qingchuan sent her a red envelope: “Happy birthday in advance.”
Chi Nuan accepted it and fired off several grateful, funny emojis.
Chi Qingchuan: “Haha.”
Chi Nuan turned on the TV, soaking in the national festive atmosphere, and ate her lonely dinner.
She didn’t want to do homework or think about anything. After eating, she curled up on the sofa, mind blank, watching the Spring Festival Gala.
Her phone buzzed frequently after eight, messages popping up one after another—all New Year greetings. Chi Nuan typed “Happy New Year” and replied to each.
After replying, Chi Nuan clutched her phone and returned to her room. She leaned against the door, standing still for a moment, then opened WeChat and tapped Gu Ningzi’s avatar.
She forwarded the New Year’s message she’d copied from Zhou Damao to Gu Ningzi—even carelessly leaving in the last line, “Chen Si sends her New Year wishes.”
Making it look like a casual, insincere group message.
Xu Dan @’d Chi Nuan and Zhao Jingjing in the dorm group: “A-Wen sent red envelopes! Everyone come grab them~”
Chi Nuan entered the group. Xue Wen was saying, “I’ll treat you all to dinner after the New Year.”
Xu Dan responded enthusiastically. Chi Nuan stayed silent and lay on her bed fully clothed.
Firecrackers and fireworks boomed endlessly outside the window. Chi Nuan lay in the dark, silently counting from 1 to 100 over and over. She didn’t know how many rounds or to what number when her phone rang.
Gu Ningzi’s call.
Chi Nuan jumped off the bed, opened her room door, and went to the living room.
The gala on TV was at a song-and-dance segment, the screen awash in colors. Amid the cheerful background, Chi Nuan answered.
She said nothing. Neither did Gu Ningzi.
Chi Nuan irritably turned off the TV.
The living room fell instantly silent. Chi Nuan heard Gu Ningzi’s breathing on the other end. After a long while—
“Do you regret it?” Gu Ningzi asked her.
Raking up the past, Chi Nuan’s voice scraped her dry throat. She whispered back, “What do you mean? Regret being with you, or regret breaking up?”
After that question, the phone went predictably quiet again.
Chi Nuan hugged a pillow, staring straight ahead.
Gu Ningzi: “…Do you miss me?”
The second hand ticked onward, circle after circle. Chi Nuan stayed silent. Getting no answer, Gu Ningzi hung up.
As she’d told Little Wutong, after the call ended, Chi Nuan murmured repeatedly to herself, “I don’t regret it,” to convince herself.
Without the AC on, the house was cold. Chi Nuan sipped hot water; the steam made tears well in her eyes. She knew this might be Gu Ningzi’s last chance to her.
But she’d given it up.
How many times could one trample a person’s true heart? For someone as proud and aloof as Gu Ningzi?
…
On the first day of the New Year, the Chi family had no relatives to visit, so Chi Nuan grabbed a bag of candies and snacks and gave them out to kids in the neighborhood. Once she’d given out most, she went home to review her lessons.
Chi Nuan’s study plan for herself remained rigorous. By the time she felt hungry, it was already two or three in the afternoon. She cooked a bowl of fermented glutinous rice dumplings—the rice wine a gift to Chi Qingchuan, with a strong kick. Warm in her belly, sweat broke out all over within minutes, her cheeks and ear tips flushed red, her steps beginning to float.
The feeling wasn’t bad, not uncomfortable. Chi Nuan returned to her room and lay down, dizzy and hazy, vaguely sensing someone knocking. She lay on the bed with eyes closed, listening carefully—yes, knocks at the door.
Chi Nuan got up, wobbly, and peered through the peephole.
!!!
The alcohol haze scattered. Chi Nuan stumbled into the bathroom, smoothed her messy hair, splashed cold water on her face to sober up quickly.
Adjusting her breathing, she opened the door.
Gu Ningzi.
Silence inside and out.
The next second, Gu Ningzi cupped Chi Nuan’s faintly flushed face from the bit of alcohol and kissed her fiercely!
“Mm…” Chi Nuan involuntarily stepped back, trying to break free. Their steps tangled; Gu Ningzi shut the door. Chi Nuan was pressed against it, her teeth parted, and deeply kissed.
