Chapter 3: A New Year’s Eve Confession

Taishan City, New Year’s Eve, 1999.

“Mu Ze!”

At the dining table, his uncle, seated beside Zhong Mu Ze, lifted the wine bottle and poured a small measure into Zhong Mu Ze’s glass.

“You’re old enough to drink now, aren’t you? Come on, let’s have a toast together!”

“Though I’m still a few months shy of eighteen, it’s perfectly fine,” Zhong Mu Ze replied with a smile, raising his glass.

He stood alongside his parents and relatives, clinking glasses, drinking, and offering well wishes.

“May the new year bring good health and prosperity to all.”

Although Zhong Mu Ze wasn’t much of a drinker and didn’t particularly enjoy alcohol, this was, after all, a New Year’s Eve dinner.

Thus, with a slight frown, he managed to sip down the small amount in his glass over several attempts.

“Mu Ze, I hear you’re planning to apply to the Academy of Fine Arts?”

“Yes.”

Zhong Mu Ze nodded.

His uncle, seemingly a little tipsy, spoke a couple of octaves louder than usual.

“So, do you feel confident about getting in?”

“Absolutely.”

“Haha, excellent,” his uncle chuckled, patting Zhong Mu Ze’s shoulder.

“A great painter, that’s wonderful! Respectable!”

Zhong Mu Ze’s mother took his empty wine glass and filled it with orange juice instead.

“It’s all thanks to Xiao Yao’s excellent guidance.

Once you get into the Academy, you mustn’t forget her kindness.”

“About that… I haven’t actually told Mom and Dad yet…” Zhong Mu Ze pushed up his glasses, deliberating for a moment before speaking.

“Xiao Yao and I… are together.”

As he had anticipated, his words instantly drew the gaze of everyone at the dining table.

“Together…?” Zhong Mu Ze’s mother exclaimed in surprise.

“Since when?!”

“About a month ago.”

“Why didn’t you tell us sooner?”

“……I was a bit embarrassed.” A flush crept onto Zhong Mu Ze’s face.

He picked up his juice, taking a sip.

“Didn’t you disapprove of me dating in high school?”

His father set down his chopsticks, speaking earnestly.

“While that’s true… if the person is Yu Yao, that child… then we fully support it.”

“Indeed, we only opposed your high school dating because we feared you might be led astray and your studies would suffer.

But Xiao Yao is different; she’s beautiful, excels academically, and she’s even your art teacher…

Honestly, your mother has long considered her half a daughter-in-law already…”

“So… you agree?”

“Agree? How could we not agree?”

“Thank you, Mom and Dad…” Zhong Mu Ze smiled, then raised his juice-filled glass.

“Let’s toast again.”

The relatives all caught on, smiling and raising their glasses to clink them across the table, offering their blessings.

“May you two live a long and harmonious life together!”

“Mm-hm.”

Zhong Mu Ze nodded, draining the juice from his glass, and then addressed his parents.

“By the way, after dinner, Yu Yao and I are going out to watch the fireworks.”

“Aren’t you watching the Spring Festival Gala?” his father asked.

“Why don’t we invite Xiao Yao and her family over to celebrate with us…?”

“Dad, I know you’re eager,” Zhong Mu Ze said, “but a family meeting like that would be a bit premature.

We’re not yet at the age for marriage talks.”

“Well… alright then.”

“Then I’ll get ready to leave.”

“Wait…” His mother reached out and pressed Zhong Mu Ze’s shoulder.

“Tonight… try not to stay out overnight…

And if you absolutely must stay out! Make sure to be safe—”

“Alright! Mom, please don’t say another word!”

Having such words spoken by his mother in front of all their relatives, even the usually composed Zhong Mu Ze couldn’t help but feel flustered, prompting him to interrupt her.

“Ugh… why are you even more anxious than Dad…? I’m heading out now.”

Zhong Mu Ze rose, donned the brown overcoat hanging on his chair, politely bade farewell to his relatives, and then excused himself from the table.

He exited the house, unlocked his bicycle, wheeled it down the stairwell, and then mounted it, cycling towards their agreed meeting spot.

Along the way, fireworks continuously soared into the sky, erupting with thunderous roars that briefly illuminated the starry expanse.

Zhong Mu Ze looked up, silently imprinting the celestial beauty into his memory.

‘Tomorrow, I’ll paint these fireworks.’

‘Then give them to her as a gift…’

‘Wait!’

Zhong Mu Ze abruptly slammed on his bicycle brakes.

‘I forgot to prepare her New Year’s gift.’

A wave of distress immediately washed over Zhong Mu Ze.

‘With New Year’s approaching, there had been too many chores around the house requiring his help, and in the hustle and bustle, the New Year’s gift had completely slipped his mind…’

‘He had left at seven o’clock, with their meeting time set for seven-thirty.

This meant he had roughly half an hour remaining.

Subtracting the ten minutes needed to get there, he was left with twenty minutes to procure a gift.’

‘I need to hurry!’

He once again pressed down on the pedals, cycling like the wind towards the Taishan Commercial Street.

****

“Hah… hah—”

Zhong Mu Ze gasped for breath, stopping his bicycle in the Taishan Park plaza.

He quickly locked it, then snatched the gift from the bike basket and dashed into Taishan Park.

Taishan Park, situated on high ground and expansive in area, offered numerous ideal spots for both setting off and viewing fireworks.

Zhong Mu Ze and Yu Yao had chosen a secluded, flat patch of grass deep within the park.

He had sprinted the entire way, nearly exhausting himself to the point of collapse.

Finally arriving at their designated spot, he saw a beautiful figure gracefully seated on the grass beneath the moonlight.

She was a breathtaking, flawless beauty; the serene moonlight, the lush foliage, and the distant glow of fireworks in the sky—all served merely as her backdrop.

In Zhong Mu Ze’s eyes, at this moment, Yu Yao was the sole embodiment of the word ‘beauty’.

Yu Yao noticed Zhong Mu Ze’s arrival.

She turned her head, her eyes narrowing into their usual warm smile as she waved to him.

“I’m sorry… I’m late…”

“It’s alright, it’s alright,” Yu Yao said, watching Zhong Mu Ze settle onto the grass beside her.

“Though I did get a little sleepy waiting.”

“…I’m really sorry!” Zhong Mu Ze apologized between ragged breaths.

“I forgot to get you a gift, so I spent some time rushing to the commercial street…”

As he spoke, he placed the half-human-sized gift before Yu Yao.

“It’s a doll… you can use it as a pillow…”

“Oh, wow!”

Yu Yao tore open the packaging, then immediately hugged the half-human-sized bear doll to her chest.

“Thank you, Mu Ze!”

She buried her face in the doll, letting out a muffled laugh.

“But now that I have this pillow, I feel even sleepier, sigh.”

“You truly are as fond of sleeping as ever.”

“Not true,” Yu Yao shook her head, then, still hugging the bear doll, she lay down on her side, resting her head on Zhong Mu Ze’s lap with a gentle smile.

“My favorite is you, Mu Ze.”

“…!”

Zhong Mu Ze was utterly floored by Yu Yao’s words.

His face flushed, and he quietly turned his head away.

“Is that so… Mm, I… I am too…”

His voice grew softer and softer, until it was barely audible.

“Speaking of which, I also have a New Year’s gift for you.”

“Wh-what?”

“Look at me first.”

Zhong Mu Ze lowered his gaze.

“Mmm—”

*Pop*—

In the sky, the fireworks burst into a brilliant display, illuminating the profiles of the two figures pressed closely together.

It was a long moment before they slowly parted.

“Yu-Yu Yao?!”

“That’s your New Year’s gift.”

Yu Yao smiled, gently tapping Zhong Mu Ze’s lips, where the shared warmth of their kiss still lingered.

“Happy New Year.”

“…H-Happy New Year…”

****