The TV in the living room was showing previews of the New Year’s Eve gala, adding a bit of a festive touch to the chilly, empty house.
"What’s this?"
Li Lanying, drawn by the aroma, had already co out of her room early. She saw the table set with fiery red crayfish and a spicy and sour fish dish.
There was also a stir-fried duck, with an additional dish of boiled at slices.
There were both at and vegetables, the main courses and cold dishes were also complete. With the chicken soup being the grand finale, it was quite a traditional New Year’s Eve dinner.
"Did you make all this...?"
"Qingqing and I made it together," Jiang Nian said, then added after thinking for a bit, "Mainly Qingqing, she was a huge help."
Upon hearing this, Li Lanying couldn’t help but purse her lips.
"She can’t cook."
Just then, Li Qingrong ca out of the kitchen and glanced at her older sister.
"Then don’t eat."
"What’s wrong with eating it?" Li Lanying, in her late twenties, still liked to act cute, "I’ll just eat more."
Li Qingrong couldn’t be bothered to reply, turning around as she walked over to Jiang Nian.
"Help ... untie this apron."
"Oh, okay." Jiang Nian put down his phone, stood up, and naturally leaned in to help her untie the apron.
This scene made Li Lanying feel a twinge of discomfort.
"Ugh."
"What’s up?" Jiang Nian asked.
"When girls grow up, they can’t be kept at ho." Li Lanying picked up the chopsticks and grabbed a slice of boiled at, slurping it down.
"Huh? It’s actually quite good."
Li Qingrong ca over, just about to sit down.
Jiang Nian rubbed his chin, feeling like sothing was missing. After thinking for a mont, he took out his phone.
"Let’s take a picture first, the phone eats first."
"Always dawdling," Li Lanying complained, "Oh right, rember to send a copy after you take it."
"I don’t have you on WeChat."
"Here, scan this." Li Lanying pulled out her phone.
With a snap, the class president covered it. She glanced at Li Lanying, then turned to look at Jiang Nian.
"Just send it to ."
"Wait, Qingqing!" Li Lanying was displeased, "What do you an by this? I’m truly getting angry!"
Li Qingrong ignored her, sitting beside Jiang Nian.
"Take the picture."
"Oh, okay." Jiang Nian thought to himself, the class president truly shares sisterly love, sending the picture to Qingqing after taking it.
Li Qingrong forwarded it to her sister, a soft ding indicating it was received.
"You’re really sothing!!" Li Lanying was speechless, fiercely grabbing a shrimp, "Watch, you are this shrimp!"
"Oh." Li Qingrong was unfazed.
After a while, Li Lanying was content after eating. She forgot the earlier unpleasantness and poured a little wine for both of them.
"Co on, drink a bit."
She stood up, holding her glass.
"Yeah, today was the happiest day."
Jiang Nian took a sip, rembering he had to ride his bike later. Although he lived close, safety ca first.
"I’ll pass, Qingqing, are you drinking?"
"Yes."
Li Qingrong nodded, then took his glass, nonchalantly pouring the contents into her own glass.
Jiang Nian: "???"
Is Qingqing this frugal?
However, not being disliked is always a good thing.
Li Lanying stared blankly, looking at Jiang Nian. Then turned to look at her sister, unexpectedly lost in thought.
Is this the sister she knew?
Impossible!
"Qingqing."
"Yes." Li Qingrong turned to look at her troubleso sister, her face expressionless, "What’s up?"
"No matter who you are!" She plopped her hand on the class president’s shoulder, "Get off my sister’s body."
Li Qingrong glanced at her, not even bothering to lift her eyelids.
"Alright."
"Ahem, how about we each say a New Year’s blessing?" Jiang Nian stood up, suggesting,
When relationships are semi-familiar, it’s sotis beneficial to add a little interaction.
Semi-familiar, referring to Li Lanying.
"Okay, I’ll say sothing first." Li Lanying pondered for a mont, then squeezed out, "Five goats rise to the sky!"
With a soft clink, she clinked glasses with Jiang Nian.
"Huh?"
"What do you an, five goats?" Jiang Nian was bewildered, turning to look at her, "I think it’s Five Goats Bring Prosperity?"
"More or less."
Chicken poop, that’s quite different.
"Then I’ll say, ’Everything as you wish.’" Jiang Nian said, looking at Li Qingrong, "Qingqing, how about you?"
Just then, the sound of fireworks ca from afar.
Their attention was drawn, and they couldn’t help but look out towards the balcony.
"Fireworks, huh?"
"Where are they setting them off? Seems to be by the river."
Li Qingrong watched for a while, then picked up her wine glass and clinked it with Jiang Nian’s tea bowl, making a crisp clink.
"Peace on New Year’s Eve."
...
"I’m back!"
Jiang Nian pushed the door open and ca in, hearing the TV in the living room. The Spring Festival Gala hadn’t started yet; the house was bustling.
"You still know to co back?"
From the kitchen, Li Hongi peeked her head out to take a look.
"You’ve been out playing since morning until now. If we didn’t call you, you wouldn’t co ho for New Year’s Eve dinner; you really do worry us."
"Dinner hasn’t started yet, has it?" Jiang Nian said shalessly, half-full already, "Xu Qianqian and the others haven’t co either, right?"
"They helped in the afternoon, then went back to rest." Li Hongi rambled, saying a lot more.
Jiang Nian, not understanding, found an excuse to slip away. Seeing the couplets weren’t up yet, he knocked on the neighbor’s door.
Thud thud thud!!
"Xu Qianqian, open up."
"Stop knocking, so annoying!" Xu Qianqian, in slippers, opened the door, "Did you spend the whole day at an internet cafe?"
"Pretty much, had a blast."
"Tch."
"We’re calling you guys for dinner, they sent over as a ssenger." Jiang Nian pointed in the direction of his house’s door.
"Let’s go, don’t keep them waiting too long."
"Got it." Xu Qianqian turned towards the living room, "I’ll call Xiyun; she seems to be asleep."
Knock knock knock, Song Xiyun opened the door.
She was a bit guilty, having just played halfway through a ga. Just as it was getting intense, Jiang Nian ca over, and the ga hadn’t finished.
"What’s up?"
"Dinner ti, we’re..." Halfway through, Xu Qianqian asked, "Xiyun, why are you so sweaty?"
Song Xiyun, feeling guilty, "The air conditioning is too hot, maybe."
Finishing, she turned back to grab her phone. Hesitating for a few seconds, she also took the gaming phone with her.
"Regroup request!"
A soft ga sound startled her.
Heading out, Song Xiyun walked behind the two, glanced at the ga, and navigated her character back to the city.
Suddenly, Jiang Nian turned his head.
"Xu Qianqian, later let’s put up the couplets for both houses?"
"Alright."
Taking advantage of this, Song Xiyun found ti to finish her ga.
Only when exiting, did Jiang Nian unintentionally see it. But he reacted calmly, even smiling a bit.
Song Xiyun felt even more guilty, "..."
At the dinner table.
Five people sat around, with a table full of dishes. Such a spread that, at a glance, it seed like the food could last for at least three days.
"Cheers!!"
Firework sounds had intermittently echoed since before dinner began. In front of the TV, the Spring Festival Gala had just started.
In the small town of Zhen Nan, the sound of fireworks launching was everywhere.
"It’s not even midnight, and the fireworks are already going off," Old Jiang comnted, "Everyone must be prospering."
"Dad, every industry is developing now," Jiang Nian said, picking at his food, "Are you thinking of making a coback?"
"Nonsense, your dad never had the desire for fa," Li Hongi chid in.
Old Jiang looked around.
"I might have had ambitions before, but now... it’s all quite good. I just want to peacefully wait for retirent."
"Uh-huh....." Alexandria (Xu Qianqian) glanced around, struggling to understand.
Grownups can be hard to understand, yet sotis they’re simple.
Hmm.....
At night, 11:55, Jiang Nian ca down the stairs carrying a string of large firecrackers, fishing a lighter from his pocket.
It was a few minutes to midnight.
He casually scrolled through group ssages on his phone, the class chat was filled with identical ssages and New Year greetings.
The group chat erupted in excitent.
For students, happiness is simple; if it’s too much, there’s less joy. Small amounts, frequently applied, is more satisfying.
Midnight.
He lit the firecrackers, marking the beginning of the new year.
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