Happy New Year

Shen Xinde quickly grew accustomed to life at his grandparents' house. He had so much fun every day that he didn't want to leave, and at night he lay on his bed talking to Gu Zhuoling on the phone. Life was wonderfully comfortable.

The closer Spring Festival drew, the stronger the festive atmosphere became.

Shen Qiming was a self-made man who had started his own business when he was young and worked his way up, step by step, to where he was today. Though Grandpa and Grandma Shen weren't enormously wealthy, they were well-off.

As they grew older, the couple had moved back to a small city for a slower life. They bought a house with a little courtyard, where they grew flowers and vegetables.

When Shen Xinde woke up that day, he saw his grandparents directing his dad as he put up Spring Festival couplets.

"Grandpa! Grandma!" Shen Xinde greeted them, then came over with a cheerful grin.

Grandpa and Grandma Shen adored their lovable little grandson. Seeing that Shen Xinde was awake, Grandpa Shen smiled so broadly that the wrinkles on his face deepened. He picked Shen Xinde up and said, "Haohao, Grandpa bought you lots of fireworks. Shall we set them off together tonight?"

Of course Shen Xinde agreed, clapping his hands with delight.

He circled the pile of beautiful fireworks several times. Still unable to express how happy he was, he wanted to find someone to share it with.

And so, for once, Gu Zhuoling received a call from Shen Xinde at noon.

Shen Xinde squatted beside the fireworks and started talking as soon as the call connected. "Dolly! Grandpa bought Haohao lots of fireworks! Can Haohao show you the fireworks tonight?"

Gu Zhuoling was reading just then. Hearing this, he closed his book and quietly listened to Shen Xinde.

"Sure."

"Did Dolly buy fireworks?" Shen Xinde asked.

"No."

Gu Zhuoling didn't have much of an idea what Spring Festival was. He only knew it meant a new year, because in the past, his mom and dad had always stayed for a day or two before going back to work.

Or a few relatives would come to pay New Year's visits, but few of them seemed to mean well.

"Then Dolly, go buy some, quick. We'll set off fireworks together tonight!" Shen Xinde said, knitting his little brows in displeasure.

"Okay, I'll ask Mom to take me to buy some." Listening to Shen Xinde's soft voice, Gu Zhuoling could picture him looking like a young master, arms folded and poking someone's shoulder as he gave orders with perfect confidence. He couldn't help laughing.

Only then was Shen Xinde satisfied. "Go on, go on. Haohao will call you again tonight."

After hanging up, Gu Zhuoling glanced at the book in his hands, set it aside, climbed down from the sofa, and went downstairs to find Zhou Jingyi.

When he reached the ground floor, no one seemed to be home, but the front door was open. Gu Zhuoling followed the sound of voices.

It was Zhou Jingyi and Gu Ruize.

Gu Ruize was standing on a stool while Zhou Jingyi directed him as he put up the couplets. When she saw her son, Zhou Jingyi hurriedly called to him, "Come see if your dad has put them up crooked."

It was the first time Gu Zhuoling had seen his home decorated with a touch of Spring Festival. The bright red couplets were going up neatly on either side of the front door.

Gu Zhuoling watched his dad slowly press one of the couplets against the door, then pursed his lips. "Too high."

"A little lower. Your son says this side is too high again!" Zhou Jingyi immediately instructed.

Gu Ruize obediently moved it down a little.

The couplets were almost finished; only the horizontal banner remained.

Only then did Gu Zhuoling look up and tug on the corner of Zhou Jingyi's clothes. "Mom, can I buy some fireworks?"

Zhou Jingyi paused, then looked as though she'd suddenly remembered. "Oh, I was wondering what I'd forgotten to buy! Of course you can, A-Ling. We'll go buy fireworks together this afternoon and pick up some groceries while we're at it. Mom's cooking herself today. Look forward to it!"

Gu Zhuoling's expression stiffened a little.

Buying fireworks and groceries was fine.

But Zhou Jingyi was going to cook herself...

Shen Xinde probably didn't even know that, the day before their two families had first eaten together, Zhou Jingyi had wanted to try cooking. Gu Zhuoling and Gu Ruize had been her guinea pigs.

The taste had been enough to make even the usually expressionless Gu Ruize's face scrunch up.

One bite, and you were far from the land of the living and close to the underworld.

"I'm not really looking forward to it." Gu Zhuoling hesitated for two seconds before deciding to speak his mind.

After he said that, even the air seemed to pause for two seconds. Then Gu Zhuoling heard his dad, who had his back to him as he put up the banner, snort with laughter.

Zhou Jingyi immediately shot a dagger-filled glare at Gu Ruize's forehead.

Then she coughed awkwardly twice. "Ahem, well, your dad can cook, and your mom will help him."

Well, it was true. On such a wonderful day, it would be a disaster if they really ended up in the hospital.

Gu Zhuoling nodded in agreement.

Great, big, big, big, big, big brother, don't kill me.

Over at Shen Xinde's, there were no deadly weapons. After a lovely meal with his family, everyone rested for a while before getting an early start on the New Year's Eve dinner.

Everyone in the Shen family could cook. Each person had a clearly assigned job, and the kitchen was a hive of activity.

Shen Xinde wanted to take part, so Xia Wanqing gave him the job of washing vegetables. All he had to do was squat in the little courtyard and wash the vegetables in the basin.

Shen Xinde happily accepted the task and got to work with a huff and a puff.

Night fell, and the cooking fumes in the kitchen finally cleared. Dish after dish of delicious food was set on the table, the Spring Festival Gala began playing on TV, and firecrackers started going off now and then outside.

Shen Xinde borrowed his mom's phone, took a picture of the New Year's Eve dinner, and sent it to Zhou Jingyi.

He added, "Uncle, Auntie, Dolly, this is the New Year's Eve dinner Haohao made~ Haohao washed the vegetables! Have you eaten yet? Happy New Year!"

Shen Xinde loved every dish on the table. Once he sat down, he ate with wild abandon.

Ribs from Grandpa? Eat! Crab meat from Grandma? Eat! Rice cakes from Dad? Eat! Greens from Mom? Eat, eat, eat!

By the end of the meal, Shen Xinde's belly was round as a ball. Finally, the family raised a toast, and Shen Xinde couldn't eat another bite.

Grandpa and Grandma Shen took two thick red envelopes from their pockets and handed them to him. "Haohao~ Here! Red envelopes! Happy New Year!"

Shen Xinde hurriedly pushed himself up from his chair and accepted the envelopes with both hands. Smiling sweetly, he said, "Thank you, Grandpa and Grandma! Happy New Year! Stay healthy!"

Father and Mother Shen also took the opportunity to give him their red envelopes.

With a big round belly and four thick red envelopes to show for it, Shen Xinde was overjoyed.

Grandpa Shen kept his promise and took Shen Xinde to the courtyard to set off fireworks.

Because Shen Xinde was so little, the adults weren't comfortable letting him light the fireworks himself, so he could only stay in the audience. That was fine too. Shen Xinde hurriedly used Xia Wanqing's phone to make a video call to Zhou Jingyi.

Gu Zhuoling answered.

Gu Zhuoling had finished eating too and was standing in the front courtyard with his mom and dad beside him. They were also getting ready to set off fireworks.

The two families wished each other a happy New Year over the phone.

Grandpa Shen was just about to light the fireworks on the ground. Shen Xinde hurriedly called out to Gu Zhuoling and pointed the camera at his grandpa.

The fuse caught with a hiss, then raced into the depths of the paper tube like a slender snake of fire. All at once, everything fell silent. Even the wind held its breath, and the darkness swallowed every sound, color, and breath of air like a heavy curtain.

Then, in an instant, a tremendous bang exploded. A ball of searing white light broke free, and countless sparks of gold and red, blue and purple, and emerald blue burst overhead, like the Milky Way pouring down from the sky. They danced wildly, expanding and chasing one another, before shattering at their highest point into a skyful of falling stars, burning countless brilliant holes in the night.

The dazzling fireworks were reflected in Gu Zhuoling's eyes. Amid the commotion, he heard Shen Xinde shout, "Dolly! Happy New Year!!"

Happy New Year, my Haohao.

Gu Zhuoling's voice was so quiet that Shen Xinde couldn't hear him at all, so he turned the camera around to face himself.

In Shen Xinde's eyes, Gu Zhuoling could see the fireworks blooming in the sky. They were beautiful and dazzling.

"What did you say, Dolly?" Shen Xinde shouted.

Perhaps caught up in the atmosphere, Gu Zhuoling couldn't help raising his voice too. "Haohao! Happy New Year!"