Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
âSee, you canât answer my question right away,â said Luosang gloomily. âSo I wanted to leave, to let both of us calm down for a while. If I stay in my apartment in Xia City, youâll move there, and youâll make peace between us. Junting, we both need to think about our relationship.â
âCalm down? Will we break up?â Nian Junting asked fearfully.
âIâll be waiting for your answer, and I believe that you wonât lie to me,â said Luosang in a gentle voice. âGoodbye.â
â...Goodbye.â
At New Yearâs Eve, they even forgot to say âHappy New Yearâ to each other.
Luosang walked on the street with a heavy heart. Hearing the New Yearâs countdown from someoneâs TV, Luosang walked into the movie theater. Her phone rang again, and this time, it was Chi Shengxu.
âSangsang, where are you? I just flew to Harbin. I think we can hang out together,â said Chi Shengxu.
Luosang paused for a while in surprise, then said, âWhy are you suddenly here? Werenât you in Beijing just now?â
âYeah, I donât want to be alone at New Yearâs Eve, but the day after tomorrow, I need to be in the Northeast for work. Have you forgotten about that? Flying back to Xia City will take too long, so I came to see you. What a coincidence, youâre in the Northeast, too.â Chi Shengxu laughed. âAre you going for a premiere at midnight? Lots of great films will be released on New Yearâs Day. I want to watch one, too. Buy me a ticket. Iâll be there soon.â
Luosang remembered that earlier this year, Chi Shengxu had asked her to bring him a pair of Uggs. She worried that Chi Shengxu was here specially for her, because if he was, she wouldnât know what to do.
âAlright, be quick then. But I wonât wait for you. Iâm going in now, as the movie is starting,â she said.
âAlright, Iâll be there in half an hour.â
âAlso, cover your face, donât let people recognize you,â Luosang reminded him. âI donât want to be in photographs as your rumored girlfriend.â
âHaha, I donât have the guts to be your rumored boyfriend.â
...
At half-past midnight, Chi Shengxu arrived at the theater. Luosang went to the entrance to pick him up and saw a man wearing a gauze mask, wool hat, down coat, and scarf. He had truly covered his entire body, only leaving his eyes exposed. He was holding a stuffed penguin, which looked charmingly naive. Luosang didnât recognize him until he waved at her.
âHere, your New Yearâs gift.â As Luosang came closer, Chi Shengxu threw the stuffed penguin to her and said, âSome fans gave me a pile of stuffed toys on the plane. I picked a cute one.â
Hearing that, Luosang sighed with relief. She didnât want him to give her a stuffed toy specially as a gift. She believed him, because a star could indeed receive too many gifts.
âYouâre giving your present to me. If your fans knew about this, their hearts would break.â
âI have so many stuffed toys. Itâd be a waste to throw them away.â Chi Shengxu put his hands in his pockets and said, âLetâs go and watch the movie. Itâs so chilly out here.â
Luosang nodded, then walked into the theater with him.
...
In Xia City, in the middle of the night, after watching the beautiful fireworks, Nian Xi walked out of her room with a teacup to get herself some water. When passing by the first floor, she gave a start when she saw Nian Junting sitting on a hassock on the balcony.
âBrother, itâs two oâclock in the morning. Why arenât you sleeping? Why are you sitting here? Tomorrow morning, weâll have to leave early for ancestor worship,â said Nian Xi impatiently.
âIâm thinking.â Nian Junting glanced at her, exhauted.
Nian Xi rolled her eyes and said, âAbout what? Tell me.â
âAbout my relationship. As someone in a failed relationship, are you able to give me answers?â Nian Junting doubted it.