Chapter 62: New Year

Qi Qingyun arrived in the capital two days later, and she and Yu Xi spent a wonderful New Year at the Pei residence.

On New Year’s Eve, Yu Xi and Pei Wang both received two bulging red envelopes at the dinner table and exchanged auspicious blessings.

Being a special occasion, Qi Qingyun and Pei Lexin drank some wine together and talked a great deal.

Pei Lexin became drunk; one moment she was talking about the embarrassing things they did together in their youth, the next she was fiercely cursing the despicable Yu Xuelin, and then she would hug Qi Qingyun and cry, saying that she had actually missed her deeply all these years.

“Why have you been so stubborn ever since you were a child? How great would it have been if you had listened to me back then and never dated Yu Xuelin! When something went wrong, you didn’t tell me a single word! You made me think it was because I scolded you for being confused back then that you completely cut ties with me. I felt so hurt for so long! Turns out it was just debt? Even if I had to empty my entire life savings, I would have been willing to pay it off for you. At worst, enduring another twenty years of hardship would have been all!”

Heartfelt words that had been bottled up for a long time were all poured out with the help of alcohol.

Qi Qingyun had originally felt helpless and found it somewhat amusing, but hearing this, her eyes gradually turned red as well.

Yu Xi and Pei Wang exchanged a glance, leaving the dinner table in unspoken agreement.

They sat in the living room watching the Spring Festival Gala, which was better than nothing, and then Yu Xi pulled out the red envelope he had prepared long ago from his pocket.

“Xiao Wang, I wish you a bright future and success in your exams.”

Pei Wang scratched the back of his reddened neck, also pulling out a red envelope: “I prepared one for you too…”

Yu Xi was stunned, bursting into a small laugh: “How can the younger one give New Year money to the older one?”

“It’s not that much of an age difference anyway, it’s just for good luck.” Pei Wang held Yu Xi’s red envelope in one hand while stuffing his own into Yu Xi’s with the other.

Yu Xi didn’t decline, accepting it with curving, joyful eyes.

Those weren’t the only ones he received. While eating, he had felt his phone chiming constantly in his pocket. They were all sent by his friends; adding the private messages and group red envelopes together, there were over twenty of them, more than he could even tap through.

Yu Xi accepted a few small-amount ones and returned red envelopes with lucky numbers one by one, while also sending a large one in the group chat.

Sheng Yunjuan grabbed it very quickly.

【Sheng Yunjuan: I’m the very first person to receive Xiao Xi’s blessings! So happy!】

【Zhang Xingkuo: You even have to compete over this? Childish.】

【Sheng Yunjuan: You’re just salty because you didn’t manage to grab it before me. Just wait until tomorrow when I go to the Pei residence to give New Year greetings, I’ll be the first one there too.】

【Zhang Xingkuo: I’m not sleeping anymore. I’m heading over the moment it gets light.】

【Lin Shuhuai: Xiao Xi, I heard your mother is back. Can I come over to the Pei residence tomorrow to have a meal with you guys?】

【Sheng Yunjuan: Wait, on the first day of the New Year, you’re not staying with your own family?】

【Lin Shuhuai: Just fell out completely with my parents~ ^^】

【Sheng Yunjuan: …6】

【Sheng Yunjuan: It’s fine, Brother Shuhuai, you can team up with A-Shen.】

“Is what he said about falling out for real?” asked Pei Wang, who was also reading the group messages.

Yu Xi gave a dry laugh without answering.

Only he knew Lin Shuhuai’s situation with his parents best; this complete fallout was very likely true.

The others only roughly knew that Lin Shuhuai had a distant relationship with his parents, so Sheng Yunjuan didn’t take it seriously after reading it.

Yu Xi thought for a moment and sent a message.

【Yu Xi: That’s fine! A-Shen was coming over anyway, adding another set of bowls and chopsticks is no problem at all. @Lin Shuhuai】

Seeing this, Sheng Yunjuan and Zhang Xingkuo were overcome with envy, but constrained by their families, the earliest they could visit was after the second day of the New Year.

The group chat was filled with wails of agony. Yu Xi’s eyes curved softly as he looked at them, but he noticed there was still one group red envelope left uncollected—it was Gu Chuanzhou’s share.

Was he busy at the Gu family home?

“Brother Xiao Xi, let me take you outside to set off fireworks!”

Just as Yu Xi was about to ask a question in the chat, Pei Wang pulled him up, leaving him no choice but to put his phone away.

The next day, the first day of the New Year.

Meng Shen and Lin Shuhuai arrived at the door in the morning with gifts, and Pei Lexin warmly welcomed them into the house.

Yu Xi introduced them to his mother.

Qi Qingyun nodded with a gentle, blooming smile: “I remember all of it. One is the older brother whose piano playing you loved listening to as a child, and the other is the younger brother who always followed behind you to play. I just didn’t expect that Meng Shen, who looked as thin as a kitten when he was little, would grow up to be so imposing.”

Qi Qingyun and Pei Lexin tacitly refrained from asking why the two hadn’t spent the first day of the New Year at their own homes, simply giving them New Year red envelopes as if they were their own children.

When the two tried to decline, Pei Lexin said: “Aiya, no matter how old you get, you’re still children in the eyes of us aunties. Since you’ve come to give us New Year greetings, how could we not give you red envelopes? Keep them! Just consider it a thank-you for taking care of Xiao Xi on normal days.”

That entire day, the Pei residence was lively and bustling.

Lin Shuhuai and Meng Shen stayed until the evening before departing.

When Yu Xi saw them off, he stood at the doorway for a short moment, inexplicably glancing toward the direction of the Gu family villa.

Both last night and this morning, Gu Chuanzhou had sent him messages containing blessings and red envelopes, but he brushed past his family’s affairs in a single sentence.

Yu Xi knew that Gu Chuanzhou’s relationship with his family wasn’t good either, and he couldn’t help feeling somewhat worried.

“Xiao Xi,” Qi Qingyun’s voice rang out.

Qi Qingyun pulled the door shut to block out the cold air outside, pulling Yu Xi into the house, and asked in a low, smiling voice: “…He has feelings for you, doesn’t he?”

Yu Xi froze, looking at Qi Qingyun in astonishment: “Mommy…”

“Shh,” Qi Qingyun lowered her voice slightly, “At the dinner table, the way he and Xiao Gu look at you is the exact same. Of course I can tell. How about it, do you…”

Yu Xi’s face was flushed bright red: “Why are even you asking me this kind of question?”

Qi Qingyun: “Then who else asked? Have they all confessed to you? Right, with your slow personality, if they don’t lay it out on the surface, you wouldn’t even know.”

“Mommy, stop talking about it.” Yu Xi wanted to leave, but he was held firmly by her and couldn’t get away.

“Mommy won’t meddle in your romantic life. Whether you like boys or girls, Mommy will support you.” Qi Qingyun smiled softly, “Mommy is only worried that you might develop a heart of rejection toward love because of my relationship history.”

Yu Xi was startled, shaking his head vigorously: “I never thought like that.”

Qi Qingyun let out a gentle sigh of relief, as if a heavy stone had fallen from her heart: “Then that’s good.”

She looked at Yu Xi tenderly, lightly caressing his hair. “Our Xixi is bound to be happy, so Mommy hopes you can boldly try different paths in life. Mommy will always back you up.”

These final words allowed Yu Xi to sleep very soundly and peacefully that night, dreamlessly until dawn.

The second day of the New Year at the Pei residence was also very lively. Early in the morning, Zhang Xingkuo and the Sheng sisters came over to give New Year greetings.

The three bumped into each other at the door; Zhang Xingkuo and Sheng Yunjuan exchanged a glance and then rushed toward the doorway in unison, determined to take first place, nearly breaking the Pei family’s door in the process.

In addition to competing over who entered the door first, they also had to compete over New Year greeting phrases.

Like some idiom and proverb contest, the two constantly spouted good words without end, until Sheng Yunshu and Yu Xi each gave them a flick on the forehead to finally make them shut their mouths.

Pei Lexin was thoroughly amused, pulling out red envelopes: “All good, all good. Take them. Today, Auntie Pei has to take Xiao Wang back to the old ancestral home to pay New Year visits. It’s great that you’ve come; you can help me keep them company and chat.”

So Pei Lexin and Pei Wang left, while Qi Qingyun, as the elder, hosted Zhang Xingkuo and the Sheng sisters.

“Auntie Qi, you don’t need to put in so much effort. We come here so often, we’ve long been familiar with everything.” Sheng Yunjuan was naturally familiar with people, taking advantage of her outgoing personality to pull Qi Qingyun down to sit before Zhang Xingkuo could, asking about this and that.

First, she asked if Qi Qingyun was used to staying here, if she had gone out to play, and if she wanted to be a guest at her house. Then she curiously asked about Yu Xi’s childhood.

Everyone was very concerned and curious about how Yu Xi had spent those twelve years.

However, regarding this matter, Yu Xi didn’t really want his friends to know, as it would only add to their heartache, so he would always gloss over the topic vaguely.

As for Gu Chuanzhou, that was an exception.

He looked at his mother somewhat nervously, and Qi Qingyun returned a reassuring smile.

“I have photos of Xiao Xi from primary school and middle school. Do you want to take a look?”

With a single sentence, she successfully diverted the attention of the three, who all craned their necks to look at the photos on Qi Qingyun’s phone.

There weren’t many photos taken—just four or five—mostly from school activities or ID photos.

Yet even this was enough to make people excited.

Primary school Yu Xi had baby fat on his face, looking shyly at the camera.

Middle school Yu Xi stood neatly on the podium in his school uniform, holding a certificate for first place in the entire school.

High school Yu Xi participated in the high jump at the school sports meet, his lifted hem revealing a slender, supple waist.

As he grew up, the youth in the photos drew taller, his facial features becoming increasingly refined and blooming into absolute beauty, resembling a gem that had been polished to gleam with brilliance.

Sheng Yunjuan said: “This one is so cute.”

Zhang Xingkuo stared without blinking: “Auntie Qi, can you send the photos to me?”

Sheng Yunjuan immediately said: “I want them too!”

Sheng Yunshu followed suit, pulling out her phone and asking politely: “Sorry to trouble you, Auntie.”

Yu Xi watched them, scratching his ears that were itching from the heat. Having people crowd around looking at his childhood photos and chattering incessantly was bound to make him feel a bit embarrassed.

Having successfully received the photos, Sheng Yunjuan revealed a triumphant smile: “Hehehe, got a few precious treasures. Zhang Xingkuo, you’d better not let the other few know, especially Gu Chuanzhou, got it?”

Zhang Xingkuo rolled his eyes: “I’m not stupid either.”

“Speaking of which, has he not come over to give New Year greetings yet? Why is he so late today?” asked Sheng Yunjuan.

Yu Xi shook his head: “He said he would come over in a couple of days.”

Sheng Yunjuan was puzzled: “In a couple of days? Hasn’t he returned from the Gu family’s old ancestral home? When my sister and I came over from home, we saw his assistant going in. He’s definitely at home. It’s so close by, why wait two days?”

Yu Xi was taken aback: “He didn’t mention it to me.”

Sheng Yunjuan shrugged: “Then maybe he’s thinking of giving you a surprise. He’s full of tricks.”

However, even after finishing dinner, Gu Chuanzhou didn’t visit. After seeing the three off, Yu Xi thought about it, packed up some New Year goods, and told his mother he needed to step out for a bit.

“Are you worried about him?” Qi Qingyun looked at Yu Xi with a smile.

Yu Xi lowered his eyelashes, responding in a tiny voice: “…Mm, he usually doesn’t keep things from me. Something must have happened.”

Qi Qingyun then dressed him warmly in his coat, scarf, and gloves: “Then go ahead. Give Mommy a call if anything happens, and come back early.”

Holding the New Year goods, Yu Xi stepped out the door. The moment he stepped outside, he felt a light, cool flake of white land on the tip of his nose. Looking up, he saw snowflakes fluttering down from the sky.

He stared up blankly for a good while, then quickened his pace.

A wave of anxiety and urgency surged in his heart, just as it had twelve years ago when he trudged through the snow to see Gu Chuanzhou, who was locked up at home.

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