Chapter 38: Happy New Year

Chapter 38: Happy New Year

Chen Xian had purchased an expensive ticket for the evening of the second day because flights before the New Year were almost all fully booked, and he couldn't find any early morning ones. Additionally, due to heavy fog in City C, his departure was delayed by three hours, causing him to miss New Year's Eve at the airport.

By the time he landed and left the airport, it was already past three in the morning. As soon as he landed, his family bombarded him with calls. Chen Xian knew his parents had checked his flight details, but he dared not answer, knowing that missing New Year's Eve would have worried his grandparents terribly and that his parents would likely be furious.

Seeing that it was already the first day of the New Year, he figured Zhou Liao's parents should have returned to City C by then. If there was still no response, it would indeed be concerning.

Chen Xian had initially planned to call Uncle Lin late at night to get the keys, but no one answered, and the phone was off. He thought it best not to disturb him at this hour and ended up booking a hotel room, knowing that if he went back tonight, he might not be allowed out tomorrow.

The hotel was nearly empty that night. Walking down the corridor, Chen Xian sent Zhou Liao a message wishing him a happy new year.

There was no reply.

On New Year's Eve, Qin Zhan didn't need to work.

In previous years, the New Year was always his busiest time because the service industry required extra hands, and the hourly wages were the highest of the year.

This year was different; not only did he not need to work, but he also wasn't spending it alone.

In the morning, he visited a tattoo parlor and then went to the hospital to see the elderly woman, buying some cold dishes she liked.

Neither spoke, and they sat silently in the hospital room, much like every other day. Unlike the bustling relatives visiting other patients with gifts, their side remained eerily quiet.

A neighbor patient offered Qin Zhan a box of mandarins, but he declined.

He sat there for what seemed like an eternity until the aroma of food wafted through the corridors, prompting him to stand up.

"Today is New Year's Eve."

These were his first words. The elderly woman looked at him, her lifeless eyes showing no emotion.

"Congratulations on making it through another year."

A nurse passing by to change the water wished Qin Zhan a happy new year and cheerfully stuck red 'Fu' characters on each patient's bed.

"Happy New Year, Grandma!"

The elderly woman managed a polite smile, her stiff muscles revealing deep wrinkles like layers of rock.

"Happy New Year."

"A gift for you." The nurse handed Qin Zhan a Chinese knot. "You've had a tough few years."

"Thank you."

After accepting it, Qin Zhan glanced at the elderly woman, who quickly looked away.

The hospital was perhaps the most crowded public building now. The streets were deserted, but the white fog was filled with festive red decorations.

A few vendors were still selling vegetables, waiting to finish their last bits before leaving. Qin Zhan bought some meat and fresh vegetables with the little money he had. Nearby, children skipped along holding their parents' hands, and one mother carried a baked pancake for her child.

"Where are we going for New Year's Eve?"

Qin Zhan turned to see his father patting his head.

"To Auntie's place. The adults will play mahjong and watch the Spring Festival Gala, while the kids can grab red envelopes. We can also set off firecrackers and fireworks at the village entrance."

"How many red envelopes will I get?"

"That depends on how well you behave in front of your grandparents."

"I want the new game skin!"

"If you're good during dinner, I'll buy it for you."

Watching the family walk away, Qin Zhan turned and looked through the hospital window, only coming back to reality when a car honked. He then walked away quickly.

When he returned, Zhou Liao was limping around, sweeping the floor.

Qin Zhan closed the door and placed the groceries on the counter. "What are you doing?"

"You said it was New Year's Eve this morning… New Year's Eve means cleaning, right?"

"You know how to clean."

This made Zhou Liao a bit embarrassed, though he rarely did chores and didn't want Qin Zhan to do everything alone: "Yeah…"

"You weren't feeling well."

"…I'm almost better." Zhou Liao's body wasn't hot, but his heart felt warm.

Zhou Liao had a strong constitution, and since it wasn't a cold, he had recovered by morning.

Qin Zhan didn't say more, just tied the Chinese knot given by the nurse to the bedpost, adding a touch of warmth to the cold warehouse.

For lunch, he prepared a lot of food, the most elaborate meal in years.

As the aroma filled the air, Zhou Liao's stomach growled.

"Wow, so much food."

"It's New Year's Eve."

Zhou Liao was genuinely surprised. Naturally, they couldn't finish all the food, so Qin Zhan stored the leftovers for later.

In the afternoon, Zhou Liao took a shower on his own initiative. After he finished, Qin Zhan washed both their clothes.

Seeing Zhou Liao helping with cleaning, Qin Zhan appreciated the gesture, although there wasn't much to clean due to his own meticulousness.

However, Zhou Liao still enjoyed the process. Although the warehouse was cold and impersonal, it was better than that "home" at this moment.

After dinner, while Qin Zhan was washing the dishes, Zhou Liao hesitated for a long time before finally asking, "Can we watch the Spring Festival Gala?"

"What's that?"

Zhou Liao was taken aback by the question: "It's something every household plays on New Year's Eve. You've never seen it?"

"…No."

In Qin Zhan's memories, there wasn't even a television, let alone a scene of a family sitting together. The townhouses were always dark, with only two old swaying lights hanging inside. The only sign of the New Year was when the elderly would slaughter a chicken. After eating, she would go to sleep, and he would sit in his room doing homework, listening to the noisy fireworks and laughter outside.

At such times, he would stand up with a cold face, pull the door shut, but couldn't help peeking through the crack, like a mouse, spying on others' happiness.

Later, after moving here, the New Year became one person in the hospital and the other working.

"It just gives a bit more of a New Year's feeling. Actually, I haven't watched it much either. It's fine if we can't."

Zhou Liao was telling the truth about watching the gala, but they weren't a normal family. Every New Year's Eve, he would stay in a cold house playing games, while his mother did her own things in her room, and his father usually returned on New Year's Day.

If he returned, it was only to attend various business dinners with them.

"What time does it start?"

"Eight o'clock?" Zhou Liao was surprised.

To his surprise, Qin Zhan actually agreed. After finishing the dishes, he placed the computer in front of him and searched for the live broadcast of the gala. Seeing the four hosts standing against a red backdrop, Zhou Liao felt a momentary daze; he couldn't remember how long it had been since he'd seen anyone alive besides Qin Zhan.

He knew everyone said the gala was boring, and Zhou Liao wasn't really interested in it, but when Qin Zhan sat next to him watching it, he found himself thinking that maybe what people said wasn't entirely true. Especially when those family reunion advertisements played in between, Zhou Liao almost felt like crying.

Not because he hadn't gone home, but because he was experiencing the feeling of the New Year for the first time.

He turned his head to look at Qin Zhan, who showed no change in expression but didn't seem tired either, as they watched some rather dull skits together.

Before the song "Unforgettable Tonight" began, Qin Zhan suddenly closed the laptop and stood up. When the screen went dark, Zhou Liao looked up at Qin Zhan, puzzled.

"Are you sleepy?"

"No." Qin Zhan pulled on his arm, "Let's go out."

"What do you mean?" Zhou Liao was a bit nervous, "You want to go out now?"

"You're coming with me."

"Huh?"

"To set off fireworks."

When Qin Zhan said these three words with his usual cold demeanor, Zhou Liao's jaw nearly dropped.

"I saw some being sold on the way back and bought them. Maybe you'd like to set them off."

Zhou Liao was excited and quickly stood up, his face contorting slightly from the pain.

He put on the coat Qin Zhan handed him, and as the other opened the door, the cold wind made him feel momentarily disoriented.

The real world, solid ground underfoot, and the uneven cement beside which he had just left footprints. Zhou Liao stared blankly at everything around him until Qin Zhan's light cough brought him back to reality.

Zhou Liao's steps were unsteady as he descended, still not quite used to it.

Qin Zhan took out a lighter and firecrackers from a plastic bag. In the past, he would have found it childish, but now it was different.

Zhou Liao's hands trembled as he lit the sparkler with the lighter. As it ignited, sparks flew between them, and the flickering light was the only thing illuminating their faces in the darkness.

The shadows of the two adult men were stretched and intertwined on the ground, changing with their movements under the moonlight.

Qin Zhan, who used to peek through the cracks, now made it a reality. Watching the flickering sparkler in Zhou Liao's hand, his heart felt unusually calm.

Soon, all the sparklers were burned out, but Zhou Liao seemed very excited. He wasn't sure if it was because he hadn't been outside for so long or simply because the New Year's fireworks brought him a small joy.

"There's one last one." Qin Zhan handed him a long object.

"Can we set this off? I remember they don't allow it anymore."

"Not in the city."

"Oh… right."

As they spoke, the sound of distant fireworks echoed.

Zhou Liao held the firework in his hand, and Qin Zhan helped light the fuse. In the empty field, Zhou Liao aimed the nozzle at the sky. With the tube vibrating, soon a cluster of fireworks exploded in the sky with a "bang," almost simultaneously with the distant ones.

"I've never done this before. It's pretty fun." Zhou Liao was unusually excited.

Under the night sky, the sparks fell like meteors, and though the fireworks were not large, they shone brilliantly in their eyes, illuminating the deepest darkness within.

Except for the fleeting moment.

Qin Zhan looked at the fireworks in the night sky, wondering if this was how others experienced the New Year. He touched the box in his pocket, but his phone suddenly vibrated inappropriately.

He took out his phone; it was an unfamiliar local number. Qin Zhan frowned and answered.

Amidst the sound of fireworks and Zhou Liao's smiling face, the voice on the line made him feel as if he was hearing news from another world.

"Hello, is this Qin Zhan?"

"Your grandmother jumped from the balcony and committed suicide while the neighbor was in the bathroom."

Qin Zhan's hand tightened around the phone, his knuckles turning white. He saw Zhou Liao turn around, the fireworks casting shadows that revealed the other's radiant yet content smile.

"Happy New Year, Qin Zhan."