The way things developed was beyond Yun Ci’s expectations.
But then he thought of the “black and white,” and the red and white roses didn’t seem like much.
Looking at the chaotic comments on his Moments, Yun Ci said, “…We still need to take it step by step.”
However, Yu Xun said, “I think we can take the next step now.”
“?
Yu Xun: “Try liking the post.”
That made sense.
A like would show some stance.
Maybe it could lead things in another direction.
So Yun Ci liked Yu Xun’s post.
At the same time, he also received a like from Yu Xun.
[‘yx’ liked your Moments.]
It seemed that ever since they were in a relationship, every post, past and present, had his like.
Their mutual likes indeed triggered a new wave of commotion.
The initially calming situation heated up again, with comments going wild: [What’s going on?]
[Is this what college has taught them, to sarcastically like each other’s posts while bickering?]
[Don’t even mention it, they really do understand sarcasm.]
[Imagining it makes me grind my teeth in anger. There’ll definitely be a fight between them after school starts.]
[ …]
Sarcastic. Mutual likes.
Yun Ci’s mind was broadened by these terms.
“Forget it.” Yun Ci finally put away his phone. “Let’s talk about it next time.”
Yu Xun’s hand tightened around his waist, indicating the same sentiment. Disconnecting from the internet, all their grudges had nothing to do with them: “Let’s sleep.”
–
After meeting Yu Xun, the two got busy again.
As the New Year approached, the festive atmosphere grew stronger. The house was decorated with spring couplets and red ornaments, and the previously sparse kitchen was now filled with newly bought sausages and New Year goods.
Yan Yue began researching recipes.
Although Yan Yue usually handled the cooking, his culinary skills were mediocre. He could manage simple meals on regular days but not for special occasions.
Many people were returning home for the New Year, and the whole community seemed more crowded than usual.
Many children in the neighborhood gathered to play with firecrackers.
The sound of firecrackers was constant.
Before the New Year.
Yan Yue took some time to check Yun Ci’s homework. Finding no faults to criticize him for his “lack of proper activities” during the holiday, he sternly tossed the homework back to him: “Since you’re done, go help in the kitchen. Your aunt and her family are coming over for dinner today.”
Yun Ci took the notebook and tossed it onto his desk, then went to the kitchen to help.
He followed the memory of watching Yu Xun cook that day and helped make a few home-cooked dishes.
Yan Yue glanced at him a few more times, somewhat surprised: “When did you learn to do these?”
Yun Ci turned off the stove and removed his apron: “Just home-cooked dishes.”
He casually found an excuse, “Just picked it up.”
Looking at the dishes, Yan Yue’s sixth sense tingled. Their family preferred spicy food, a habit left by Yun Xiao, which was different from these dishes: “You don’t usually eat this kind of food.”
There was a knock at the door, a child’s voice calling sharply from outside, “Brother Yun Ci.”
Aunt’s family had a child who came every year.
After Yun Ci took off the apron, Yan Yue no longer cared about these irrelevant dishes, whether they were learned from TV or videos. He instructed, “Go open the door, pour water for your aunt’s family, and tell them there are snacks on the coffee table in the living room.”
The topic of the dishes was dropped.
During the New Year, many relatives would come to visit, carrying large bags, and even some of Yan Yue’s former students.
Yun Ci wore a red sweater every year at this time.
In his memory, Yun Xiao cared about this a lot. When he was young, she would dress him in red during the New Year, holding him and saying, “Wearing red in the New Year is so festive. Do you like it, Xiao Ci?”
He didn’t remember how he responded, whether he obediently agreed or childishly refused to wear it.
…
“Brother Yun Ci,” the child pulled him out of his brief reverie after entering, “let me show you the toy car my mom just bought me.”
“Let me see.”
Although Yun Ci was generally aloof, he would soften his tone as much as possible when dealing with children. He squatted down to look at the toy car, “Very cool.”
The child played with him for a while before losing patience and started running around the house.
Aunt knew about his family situation and every year would ask him a bunch of questions, especially about things Yan Yue usually overlooked: “How’s school? Do you get along well with your roommates now that you’re living in the dorms?”
Yun Ci: “It’s okay, they’re all good.”
Aunt glanced at Yan Yue, making sure he wasn’t around, and then started another topic: “Don’t listen to your dad, always saying study, study. You’re in college now, it’s time to start dating.” She asked, “Is there anyone you like at school? Or someone who likes you? It’s time to start thinking about these things.”
This family didn’t have a mother, and she was worried: “These things need to be planned early—”
Yun Ci let her talk, saying everything she wanted to say.
” …” He finally said, “There is someone I like.”
Aunt secretly supported him: “If you like someone, you need to seize the opportunity. College romance, then getting married after graduation when both have stable jobs, how wonderful.”
Afterwards.
Yun Ci thought about it for a moment. He and Yu Xun were in the same major, so they could probably work and live together in the future.
As he was thinking about this, his phone vibrated a few times.
As if by some kind of intuition, he knew without looking that it was Yu Xun.
After being busy all day, he and Yu Xun had only contacted each other briefly in the morning, exchanging a “Happy New Year” message. Now that he had some free time, Yu Xun would definitely call him on video.
Yun Ci got up and went to his room to take the video call.
When the call connected, Yun Ci saw the background of the video: a long corridor with medical staff in white coats pushing carts back and forth.
He asked, “Are you at the hospital?”
Yu Xun replied with a “Mm”: “Just came out of the ward. The situation is more stable than before. He should be able to be discharged soon.”
Yun Ci asked again, “Have you eaten?”
Yu Xun said, “I grabbed a few bites near the hospital.”
In the video, although he was discussing a rather realistic topic, his tone was as usual, speaking casually: “What, you want to invite me to eat?”
He was just speaking offhandedly.
But Yun Ci said, “Sure.”
“For the New Year’s Eve dinner tonight, I’ll sneak out early.”
On the other end of the call, Yu Xun sat in the busy hospital, and the slightly heavy feeling in his heart was dispelled by these brief words.
Yu Xun kept staring at the video camera. After a while, he suddenly asked, “Two years ago, when you posted on WeChat Moments, was it also this outfit?”
“…”
He clarified further: “The photo I saved.”
Yun Ci remembered that day outside the KTV when he accidentally saw Yu Xun’s album while flipping through his phone.
All the photos he had saved were the few Yun Ci had posted on Moments.
“…”
Yun Ci didn’t have many red clothes, only wearing them during the New Year, so he didn’t have a replacement: “It’s the same one; why?”
“No reason,” Yu Xun looked at him and said, “You look better than in the photo.”
It’s nothing.
Just that the person who used to secretly save photos.
Was now wearing the same clothes from the photos, talking to him on video.
–
On New Year’s Eve.
Having arranged to sneak out to have dinner with Yu Xun, Yun Ci made an excuse, ate a few bites casually, and then hurried out.
They agreed to meet near West High.
On the way, he and Yu Xun exchanged messages in the chat box.
Yun Ci: [Is this the place where you tutored?]
Yu Xun: [No]
Yu Xun: [It’s the place where Liu Zi sells fireworks.]
Yun Ci: [……]
After a while, the black avatar sent another message: [You don’t have to go if you don’t want to. I’ll meet him and then we can pick another place.]
Yun Ci explained that his speechlessness wasn’t because he minded or didn’t want to go: [Didn’t he fail to sell them last time?]
Yun Ci: [Still selling?]
Yun Ci: [Can he make money?]
Yu Xun: [Oh, he said he could do it this time.]
As they chatted, the bus was about to arrive at the station. Yun Ci put away his phone.
He was very familiar with the area near West High.
Although there were few students after the holidays, the area around West High still had a strong sense of life, with pedestrians everywhere on the streets.
Along the street stalls, Liu Zi’s wasn’t the only one.
Before Yun Ci could ask if Yu Xun had arrived, he saw Liu Zi with his curly hair tied up in a small ponytail, sitting in the driver’s seat of a tricycle. He had one foot on the ground, a toothpick in his mouth, and was lazily shouting, “Fireworks for sale, the New Year isn’t festive without some fireworks, buy some.”
A peer across the street looked at him, and Liu Zi glanced over, taking the initiative: “What are you looking at? Never seen someone as handsome as me selling fireworks?”
“……”
And his boyfriend was sitting in a very casual pose in the back seat of the tricycle—instead of calling it a back seat, it was actually a pile of fireworks and miscellaneous goods, squeezed in with just enough space to sit.
In this situation, Yu Xun’s posture even looked a bit cool.
Long legs, one foot on a box of miscellaneous goods.
Even though there was still some distance between them, Yu Xun lifted his eyes and almost instantly spotted him in the crowd.
Liu Zi had been shouting for a long time, and finally, the first customer came to the stall: “Welcome—” He swallowed the word “guest.”
It was the person he least wanted to see.
“What are you doing here,” Liu Zi said, “How come I run into you everywhere.”
After all, this was Yu Xun’s brother. No matter how much they fought before, now that they were dating, he had to give some face.
So, he rarely spoke to Liu Zi without a mocking tone.
Yun Ci said calmly, “Here to buy fireworks.”
Liu Zi instead became wary: “Out of all the fireworks sellers, you have to buy mine. What’s the plot?”
……
Crazy.
Yun Ci’s calmness was short-lived: “Planning to use money to humiliate you. Are you selling or not?”
Liu Zi: “Selling.”
Liu Zi, who could bend and stretch before money, said: “How much do you want.”
Yun Ci picked a few items at random. Just as he was about to pay, the person posing coolly in the back seat suddenly spoke up: “He bought three items, a total of fifty, I transferred it to you on WeChat.”
Yu Xun had his friend’s WeChat, so there was no need to scan the posted WeChat payment code again.
The payment speed was a step faster than Yun Ci.
Liu Zi: “?”
He thought to himself that Yun Ci’s stuff was paid for eagerly by his brother.
What’s going on?
But soon, his shock turned into gratitude, and he understood: “Damn, I almost didn’t catch on for a moment there. You used money to humiliate him before he could humiliate me!”
Yun Ci: “……”
Yu Xun: “……”
Liu Zi became arrogant again: “The advantage is back on our side now.”
Liu Zi was elated: “As expected of my brother, supporting me immediately.”
How to explain? Actually it’s not what you think.
A few seconds later, Yun Ci gave up explaining. He carried the bag of fireworks handed over by Liu Zi, and in his “buy and leave” eyes, not only did he not leave, but he directly got into the back seat of the tricycle, barely finding a place to step, and sat down next to his brother.
Liu Zi almost jumped up. “What do you mean?”
Yun Ci said indifferently, “I was humiliated. Can’t I settle accounts with him for a while?”
Liu Zi was about to explode.
Yu Xun glanced at him. “There’s no need for you to get involved.”
So Liu Zi sat back down.
After all, these two had fought all the way from West High to Nanyang University, so it was no longer surprising.
Liu Zi even had to admit that when Yun Ci came to buy fireworks earlier, he felt a strange sense of familiarity—familiar enemies are still familiar. And sometimes, that familiarity is the same as with familiar friends.
Moreover, tonight was New Year’s Eve, a great day. Forget it.
“I’ll let you off the hook tonight,” Liu Zi said as he sat back down.
With Liu Zi there, Yun Ci and Yu Xun sat side by side, unable to do anything intimate.
Sitting at the front of the tricycle, Liu Zi asked his brother, “Where’s your girlfriend? Shouldn’t you be spending New Year’s Eve with her?”
Yu Xun said, “I already saw them.”
Liu Zi obviously didn’t understand what those words meant. “Weren’t you in the hospital during the day? Oh, did she come to see you at the hospital?” There were no customers at the stall, so he was bored and kept talking. “Who is she? When can I meet my sister-in-law?”
Yu Xun said casually, “When school starts and we have time, they’ll meet you.”
…
Sister-in-law.
Yun Ci, sitting in the back seat, began to worry about Liu Zi’s future.
Liu Zi just assumed that Yu Xun was newly in love and the relationship was unstable, so he didn’t want to make a big introduction. This was understandable, so he quickly changed the topic. “Why isn’t anyone buying from me?”
“My only sale today was to someone with the surname Yun,” he said with strong embarrassment. “It’s really disgraceful.”
Yu Xun’s gaze was always on Yun Ci, and he responded perfunctorily, “Why don’t you try attracting customers first?”
Liu Zi: “How do I attract them?”
Yu Xun said lazily, “For example, set up a proposal scene, arrange a heart shape on the ground. Once people gather around—”
He paused for a moment, then continued, “Then tell everyone you’re selling fireworks.”
“…”
Yun Ci was somewhat shocked.
Liu Zi was also shocked, but he was convinced. “A heart shape, right? I’ll start arranging it now.”
Yun Ci, sitting next to him, couldn’t help but say, “You’re a bit overqualified to be studying law.”
Then he added in a place where Liu Zi couldn’t hear, “Boyfriend.”
Yu Xun, with his hands in his pockets, wanted to hold his hand. “Do you know whose boyfriend I am?”
On the other side, Liu Zi went all out. After arranging the heart shape, he shouted in the street, “Liu Xiaomei, I’ve liked you for a long time!”
“…”
“Who’s Liu Xiaomei?” Yun Ci asked.
Yu Xun was rarely silent for a moment.
Then he opened a certain video app and clicked on Liu Zi’s latest share, which was a movie commentary video: “Our protagonist is called Xiaomei. Let’s give her a surname, Liu Xiaomei. On this day, Liu Xiaomei was home alone…”
“…”
Yun Ci was also silent.
Yu Xun’s somewhat shameless tactic indeed attracted a large crowd.
At first, there were only two or three people, but more and more gathered, soon forming a circle.
The time was right, now.
Liu Zi cleared his throat. “Anyone want to buy—”
Before he finished speaking, a group of uniformed people approached them from a distance. “Make way! Is that a fireworks seller up ahead? Make way, we’re here to catch someone.”
The people came.
Including the urban management officers.
“Damn,” Liu Zi turned his head and shouted, “You didn’t mention this when you suggested it.”
Yu Xun: “…Forgot.”
Liu Zi: “So what do we do now?”
Yu Xun remained calm. “I taught you last time.”
Yun Ci was about to ask what he had taught, but the next second, Liu Zi quickly got on the tricycle, and Yu Xun grabbed his hand, telling him to sit tight.
“…”
The turn of events was completely unexpected.
Before leaving home, Yun Ci never imagined he would be sitting in the back seat of Liu Zi’s tricycle, “escaping” near West High.
Liu Zi pedaled in front. The tricycle was quite old, not very convenient to drive.
But his will to survive made him pedal at an amazing speed.
As he pedaled, he shouted in frustration, “Do the urban management officers not celebrate the New Year?”
“And out of so many vendors, why are they only after me? I didn’t even get to make a sale.”
“…”
“And you, Yun, why aren’t you getting off the tricycle?”
Yun Ci, in the back seat, was also a bit flustered. With no cover, the wind was blowing wildly from all directions. “If I get off, won’t I be the one caught?”
Liu Zi: “What are you afraid of? You didn’t sell anything.”
Yun Ci rarely encountered such situations. He tried to stay calm. “If I say I don’t know you, will the urban management officers believe me?”
“…”
When the incident happened suddenly, panic ensued, and his heart almost jumped out.
After Liu Zi’s shout, someone laughed first, maybe Yu Xun, then it spread infectiously, turning all the heightened emotions into suppressed laughter.
Liu Zi couldn’t help but laugh too. “Damn, this is just ridiculous.”
Yun Ci also slightly curved his lips.
Laughter echoed all the way.
After chasing them for a while, the urban management officers stopped.
But for safety’s sake, they kept moving forward, crossing a small road and entering another area.
This was the designated fireworks zone. After they entered, there was a series of “bang bang” sounds behind them, with people continuously setting off fireworks.
Fireworks soared into the sky, bursting in the black night sky.
Brilliant and colorful.
For a moment, the entire sky was illuminated by various colors.
As they drove all the way here, the three had been quiet for a while.
No one spoke.
Yun Ci was holding onto the side handle of the tricycle. Just as he was about to turn his head to look at Yu Xun, the person next to him leaned in first and whispered in his ear, “Wanna kiss?”
These words, he had said them last time too.
Yun Ci glanced at Liu Zi in front. Although Liu Zi had his back to them, who knew when he might suddenly turn around—thinking of this, Yun Ci actually felt a bit sneaky.
“Don’t worry about him,” Yu Xun’s voice was very low, piercing through the wind, reminding him, “…close your eyes, Xiao Ci.”
Yu Xun’s lips touched his.
A very gentle kiss.
The wind howled past.
The entire night sky was incredibly splendid, and all along the roadside, the sound of firecrackers could be heard.
Behind them was a grand display of fireworks.
___________
Author’s Note:
Alright, they’ve celebrated this New Year.
Liu Zi: Who has considered my feelings? I’m still pedaling!!
