There were fewer people on the street than usual, and many shops were closed, but the atmosphere of the New Year was still apparent.
A few children were bursting firecrackers at the entrance of the alley, and they suddenly threw them at Qi Ying's feet. Before she could react, Ji Ran kicked the firecracker away and covered her ears with both hands.
She heard Ji Rang tell the children: "You want to be beaten, don't you? Throw another one to try?"
She felt so funny.
This person is also familiar with how to deal with children.
He was already fierce enough that the adults were afraid of him, so obviously the group of children quickly ran away.
He took her outside the community, patted the snowflakes off her hat, and smiled and said, "Go back."
Qi Ying looked at him holding his schoolbag, always feeling that the teenager was pretending to be relaxed. The man they met just now had a look similar to him. She guessed it was his father.
She had never known before that the conflict between him and his family had reached such a serious level.
Hearing what his father said just now, it seems that he has not been home for the New Year for a long time.
Is he always alone?
Qi Ying typed and asked him: Who will celebrate the New Year with you tomorrow?
Ji Rang laughed: "The people waiting to celebrate New Year with me are in a ten-meter long queue, don't worry about it." He patted the back of her head, "The snow is getting bigger, go back soon. I have to rush or the supermarket will close. I have to go buy some new year goods."
It's getting late, and today should be the last day the supermarket opens. Qi Ying was worried that he will miss the time, nodded, waved at him obediently, turned and walked in.
After walking a few steps, she heard him calling from behind: "Yingying."
She turned around.
The boy put his hands in his pockets, stood loosely, and laughed deeply: "Happy New Year."
She also laughed.
When she got home, Wu Yinghua was mixing noodles and making preparations for the dumplings which were to be made tomorrow. Yu Cheng was repairing the lantern that were blown out by the wind a few days ago, and Yu Zhuo lay on the sofa to play games.
The TV at home was on, noisy, lively and warm.
Wu Yinghua asked her: "Ying, would you not go to the library tomorrow? We are going to Wenhua Temple in the morning to worship our ancestors."
She nodded, washed her hands and went to the kitchen to help.
The family went to bed early that night, and Yu Cheng drove them to Wenhua Temple the next morning. The ancestors of the Yu family had set up memorial tablets in Wenhua Temple, and they came here every year to worship their ancestors. Now it has gradually become a habit.
After Qi Ying's parents passed away, Yu Cheng also set up a memorial tablet for them in the temple. They burned the joss paper, lit incense, and the lamp. It was already in the afternoon when they returned home after the worship.
Then they began to prepare New Year's Eve dinner.
Yu Zhuo was so bored that he bought a firecracker and put it on the balcony, almost scaring his mother to death. Wu Yinghua chased him at home with a rolling pin, and Yu Zhuo hid behind Qi Ying.
Yu Cheng bought Coke and added ginger to boil in it, saying that drinking it like this is good for his health. As soon as it darkened, the sumptuous New Year's Eve dinner was on the table.
Yu Cheng distributed New Year's Eve red envelopes to the two children at the dinner table. At times like the New Year, everyone tacitly didn't mention Qi Ying's parents. After eating happily, they were ready to watch the Spring Festival Gala.
The younger generation is becoming less and less interested in the current Spring Festival Gala. Yu Cheng and Wu Yinghua watched with gusto. Qi Ying and Yu Zhuo were both playing with their mobile phones.
Yue Li sent her a 13.14 red envelope and exclaimed excitedly: "Yingying, look at how many red envelopes I grabbed! I just sent you all that I grabbed, and I am added in a lot of red envelope groups! Let me pull you in!"
Qi Ying was instantly pulled into seven or eight WeChat groups.
There was something like "Haiyi High School Sophomore Group", "Haiyi Fairy Gathering Place", and "I smoke and fight but I am a good student".
The group of good students were giving out red envelopes, she clicked in to see.
The ID called Qu Xiaocui[1] said: "I want to send an exclusive red envelope to Brother Rang to express my distress for him eating instant noodles during the Chinese New Year."
Then he sent one piece by piece.
Liu Haiyang said, "Fuck you, you can't afford a piece of instant noodles seasoning. I don't think I can afford it." He sent 5.2 yuan[2], and then asked, "Brother, do you feel my love?"
Yue Li sent out an expression of lifting the table: "You grabbed my lucky red envelope and used it to send it out exclusively? No! Send it out, I want to grab it!"
Ji Rang sent out a red envelope.
Qi Ying quickly poked in and grabbed it.
Snatched ninety-nine yuan.
Ji Rang sent five hundred, and there were a dozen people in the group, Qi Ying grabbed the most.
Qu Xiaocui asked in a collapsed voice: "Who is this seven? He robbed brother of my favor!"
Yue Li: Wow Yingying, you are lucky!
Qu Xiaocui:...…Okay, I accept it.
Qi Ying sent out the ninety-nine yuan she had grabbed, and the group began a new round of red envelope grabbing.
Ji Rang sent her a message: Little idiot, if you grab it, it's yours. What else will you do?
He separately sent her a red envelope.
It had written on it: New Year's money.
She clicked on it, 199 yuan.
Ji Rang typed a series of ellipsis and said: The limit is 200.
Qi Ying could almost imagine that he had planned to send out 999 yuan with pride, but found that he could only send out 200 yuan at most.
Couldn't help but laugh.
Typed and asked him: Qu Peng said, you are eating instant noodles.
Ji Rang came back quickly: Don't listen to him, I ate sea cucumber and abalone.
Qi Ying: Are you at home?
Ji Rang: Well, watching the Spring Festival Gala, this show is not bad.
Qi Ying: Are you alone?
Ji Rang: No, friends are there.
The sound of firecrackers rang from time to time outside the window.
Qi Ying looked at the ID in the group who didn't talk much and just gave out a red envelope.
She knew he was lying to him.
He is at home alone, with no friends or family.
She felt terribly uncomfortable.
The mobile phone pushed a piece of news. At 12 o'clock in the morning, the amusement square will hold a New Year's Eve firework show. All departments have made preparations to strictly prevent fires and stampedes.
Qi Ying's fingers tightened.
She typed it for her uncle and said she wanted to go to the amusement park with her classmates and watch the firework show.
Yu Cheng refused at first. But Qi Ying repeatedly promised that her classmates would come to pick her up outside the community, and as it approached early morning, the number of people who came out for the New Year's Eve gradually increased. Yu Cheng went to the balcony and took a look. The community was brightly lit with people coming and going, and the fireworks were set off. Seeing the children with fireworks scurrying around, he only felt a little relieved.
Unable to hold up against his niece's soft pleading eyes, he nodded in response, and called Yu Zhuo: "Go to see the fireworks with your sister!"
Yu Zhuo lay on the sofa and played a game: "Don't want to go, it's so cold outside, I don't want to move. And she is with her classmates, so I won't join in the fun, there is a generation gap."
Yu Cheng slapped him a few times. Qi Ying was already dressed with a scarf around her neck, and she ran to the door to put on shoes.
Yu Cheng had to warn: "Be careful, come back early."
She nodded, opened the door and ran away.
This was the first time she lied, her heart beat so fast, she rushed downstairs, stopped a taxi, and showed the driver the address.
The streets at night were much busier than during the day.
There are young people coming out for the New Year's Eve everywhere, especially the circle near the amusement square, which is already full of people.
When she reached below Ji Rang's house, there were still seven or eight minutes before 12 o'clock in the morning.
This place was near the suburbs, so it was much quieter than the city. Carrying a big bag of things she bought halfway, she ran up all the way.
The ding of the doorbell was particularly clear in the quiet corridor.
After pressing it twice, the door lock clicked and slowly opened.
Ji Rang stared at the panting little girl outside the door, for a moment, thinking that he was dreaming.
Outside the French window behind him, a beam of firework shot straight into the sky and exploded with a bang.
At 12 o'clock in the morning, the firework show began.
Out of the TV in the room came out the joyous and excited voice of the host of the Spring Festival Gala: "Three, two, one, New Year!"
She laughed, her eyes twinkling, and she silently said to him, "Happy New Year."
Ji Rang's heart seemed to be grasped by a hand. It didn't hurt, but he was trembling all over. A sourness hit his eyes, his whole body tense, he gritted his teeth fiercely, like crazy, he pulled the girl at the door into his arms.
Hugging tightly, as if to rub her into the flesh.
She had a sweet scent that makes him feel at ease, unlike him. The whole room is smelly with the scent of instant noodles.
He forgot how long he had held her, he had never been like this before, having a feeling of unlimited greed.
She didn't struggle, she was so obedient, it was killing him.
After a long time, the firework show outside the window stopped.
He woke up from a dream, worried that everything was a dream, and suddenly released her, pressing his palm on her shoulder, looking again and again.
He poked her face and touched her head again.
It's true, she really stood in front of him.
His tightly numb body finally loosened slowly and he smiled at her. He covered up those crazy emotions and became a calm boy again.
He led her into the house.
First, he opened the window to let the instant noodles smell dissipate, and then quickly threw all the instant noodle boxes and beverage bottles on the coffee table into the trash can.
When he turned around, Qi Ying was putting the big bag she had brought over on the dining table and took it out the same way.
There were red window grilles, a pair of couplets, the fortune of Pisces embracing their tails, a pair of stowed lanterns, a box of fireworks sticks that you can hold in your hand, and a box of steaming dumplings.
Qi Ying waved at him.
Ji Rang walked over, she handed him the dumplings and said with her mouth, "Hurry up."
There was also a small packet of vinegar in the takeaway bag.
The warm yellow light from the dining room fell on the hair lying between her eyebrows, soft and beautiful.
Ji Rang took the dumplings, ate two of them, and asked her, "Have you eaten them?"
She smiled and nodded.
He also laughed, picked up one with chopsticks and fed her: "Taste, is it different from your own bag?"
She opened her mouth and took a bite, and she really tasted it seriously. There was a small crescent on the dumpling, and he put the remaining half in his mouth.
After eating the dumplings, she handed him the red window grilles and instructed him to paste them.
He was so tall that he stuck it on a suitable height without stepping on a chair. Qi Ying stood behind and signaled him to go left or right. He looked back to tease her from time to time: "This way? No? No that way? What about this way? Again? Little idiot, are you deliberately causing me trouble, or you come up and do it?"
I'll do it!
She angrily moved a chair from the dining room, stepped on it barefoot, and took the window grilles seriously.
Ji Rang stood next to her, holding her arms slightly, afraid that she would fall off.
Two figures were reflected in the glass.
It was the warmth he had never experienced before.
[1] Little cutie
[2] 52 shows love in Chinese.