On the first day of the Lunar New Year, Chu Yi, a rising star in the mystery and suspense genre, had notable works such as *The Mask*, *Newborn*, and *Christmas Eve*. When he first appeared on the authors' wealth rankings, he topped the list with an impressive 38 million yuan in royalties...
Squatting in the bathroom while reading Chu Yi's Wikipedia entry, Xu Xing was choked by the number 38 million.
In this day and age, it seemed that even small-time internet celebrities could earn hundreds of millions a year just by running a Taobao store, singing, or telling jokes. At first glance, an established author sweeping the bestseller lists with an annual income of 38 million didn't sound too impressive.
But he was earning 38 million in royalties alone!
Li Yuanjun, not too big but somewhat of a writer herself, had written a sweet romance novel titled *The Wind Has Passed Through* while in college, which sold its film and television adaptation rights.
Though it sold for a low price, luck was on her side, and after the adaptation became a hit, she benefited immensely. The show aired, and numerous production companies rushed to acquire her intellectual property, regardless of whether her subsequent science fiction romance novels were suitable for adaptation. In no time, she became fabulously wealthy.
Li Yuanjun had published ten novels, and aside from her popular sweet romance, the rest were science fiction and fantasy romances with relatively lower online popularity. Nevertheless, her previous success meant she could still publish.
Her royalties weren't at the newbie level anymore, but after tax, a novel of around 200,000 words only netted her about 30,000 to 40,000 yuan. Assuming she managed to publish three books in a year, that meant a maximum of around 100,000 yuan in royalties.
In comparison, 38 million was an astronomical sum.
Xu Xing could hardly imagine what Chu Yi's film and television adaptation fees must be beyond that royalty income.
Xu Xing had a bachelor's degree in drama and literature, essentially a screenwriting major. While working, she was also dabbling in writing novels under Li Yuanjun's guidance to make some extra cash.
Although she hadn't yet earned any extra income, she had gained a deeper understanding of the profession of online writers.
After reading Chu Yi's Wikipedia introduction, she felt a vast gold mine waiting for her to tap into.
With that thought, she lost interest in squatting and felt she could easily write 100,000 words the moment she sat down at her computer.
What kind of fairy would spend New Year's Eve typing away if not for the chance to earn 38 million?
Remembering how Li Zhaodi had barely scraped by in her exams, while she had managed to rank in the top ten of her major, Xu Xing couldn't help but feel a sense of superiority.
She began to spiral into fantasies, inflating her ego as she squatted.
Just when she had even designed her signature in her mind, her phone vibrated unexpectedly, startling her.
Her hand twitched, and the phone slipped from her grip.
In an instant, Xu Xing's mind went blank.
She watched helplessly as the phone she had bought for 2,000 yuan slid across the tiles, threatening to plunge into the toilet. She quickly reached out and slapped it back!
—Caught it!
Unfortunately, she also accidentally pressed the call button.
The sharp pain from her palm made her frown.
Seeing an unfamiliar string of numbers, she felt a surge of anger but hadn't even begun to vent when a familiar male voice came through the line, mixed with faint electrical static. "Hello, Xu Xing."
...?
Who is this?
Xu Xing paused slightly, muttering, "Oh," momentarily not processing the situation.
"I just realized I left my wallet in my coat pocket. Can you bring it to me? I need it urgently. I'll text you the address."
Hey, you didn't even give me a chance to refuse!
A couple of days earlier, during that dinner that cost 488 yuan, Xu Xing had planned to eat silently and leave no leftovers. But just after a couple of bites, a little girl at the neighboring table suddenly threw her sauce-glazed ribs in a fit of whimsy.
One piece, two pieces, three pieces…
All perfectly landed on her off-white coat.
Xu Xing's mind was filled with expletives.
If it hadn't been for Kang Chen exuding a dangerous aura that screamed "I can take care of this without leaving a trace," and his insistence that the little girl apologize, that family would have likely dismissed it with "Kids don't know better, don't take it to heart."
In the end, an apology was made, but the stain on her coat remained stubborn. The sauce smeared across her chest made it look as if she had rolled in dirt.
Who knew if Kang Chen felt guilty for the 488 yuan dinner, but as they left the restaurant, he surprisingly handed her his coat to wear.
At the time, she had pretended to give him her phone number so he could call her to return the coat, thinking he had plenty of outerwear anyway. So when she got home, she tossed it aside without washing it, planning to return it after the New Year. She had forgotten to save his number and hadn't even considered there might be a wallet in the coat.
She should have just swallowed his money and sold his coat instead! : )
No longer squatting, Xu Xing dragged her tired legs into the bedroom and found Kang Chen's wool coat.
It still faintly smelled of bergamot. She rummaged through the pockets for a while before finally finding a short brown wallet.
To her great disappointment, the wallet contained no money, just an ID card and a bank card.
She glanced at the ID. Surprisingly, it looked like this guy had always been following the path of a "beautiful disaster" since childhood.
They say that a person's ID photo is the ultimate test of their looks; comparing it to her own ID photo, which looked like a death certificate, she felt an urge to throw Kang Chen's ID into the toilet out of frustration.
Finding no cash, Xu Xing's enthusiasm plummeted significantly. She casually opened the message to check the address Kang Chen had sent.
**Baili Rotating Restaurant.**
Suddenly, she perked up again. If she hurried, she might be able to mooch a meal off him!
However, Baili was pretty close to Jinyang Tower, and on New Year's Eve, the crowd heading to Jinyang Tower Square was likely as dense as a market full of cabbages.
After a brief thought, she decided that getting a free meal was more important.
***
Xu Xing arrived at the restaurant at 7:15 PM, just in time for dinner.
When the waiter heard she was looking for Kang Chen, he nodded slightly and gestured for her to follow. "Mr. Kang is this way; I'll take you to him."
Baili was a well-known high-end buffet restaurant in Xingcheng, with exquisite decor and an elegant atmosphere. The entire restaurant rotated 360 degrees, offering a panoramic view of the city's skyline from the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Having not been to such a place in a while, Xu Xing found herself glancing around, looking like a country bumpkin who had never seen the city.
After a while, she finally felt the weight of a gaze from a big shot. Turning her head, she found Kang Chen watching her with an expression of leisurely amusement.
Xu Xing's heart skipped a beat. She rubbed the back of her neck and feigned nonchalance, trying to look casual as she took a seat in front of him, pushing the bag containing the coat toward him.
The logo on the bag was large and prominent. Xu Xing breathed a sigh of relief. If not for Li Zhaodi's wasteful spending, she might have had to dress Kang Chen in something from a budget brand.
Kang Chen took the bag and simply grunted in acknowledgment without retrieving his wallet or even glancing at the coat.
"You said you needed it urgently?"
"Not anymore," she replied.
...?
Kang Chen showed no sign of embarrassment as he closed his notebook and casually remarked, "You haven't eaten yet, right? I'll treat you."
Eat?
Xu Xing's thoughts were immediately thrown off track.
That was a bit embarrassing, wasn't it? She chuckled a couple of times, and her instinct to refuse was overridden by her excitement. "Sure!"
Having had her fill of politeness in the past, she embraced the opportunity.
***
Kang Chen was very quiet while eating, which hadn't changed since kindergarten.
Back then, when they were in kindergarten together, lunchtime was filled with kids banging their bowls and re-enacting scenes from TV dramas, saying things like:
"Your Majesty, you must try the bean sprouts I don't like!"
"I'm the queen, you little concubine; give me the braised pork!"
Only Kang Chen remained unperturbed, eating his meal neatly. Ms. Sunflower would praise him repeatedly and reward him with paper-cut rabbits.
What Ms. Sunflower didn't know was that as soon as she turned away, Kang Chen would slyly toss the disliked carrots into her bowl.
If it weren't for the rabbits he earned, she might have thrown a few carrots back at him.
As she reminisced about those old days and glanced at herself, who was still struggling to find a place to celebrate the New Year after twenty years, Xu Xing felt a wave of nostalgia.
"Hey, Kang Chen, aren't you going home for the Spring Festival?"
Kang Chen glanced at her, his frosty eyes seemingly conveying a silent message: if you can't think of anything worthwhile to say, just keep quiet.
Realizing she had asked a rather inappropriate question, Xu Xing quickly turned her focus back to her food.
Kang Chen's family had always been wealthy, but their relationships had never been good.
Back in kindergarten, while other kids were picked up by their parents, only Kang Chen was collected by the family chauffeur in a Range Rover.
Things were likely still the same now.
"Misery loves company," she thought. After a moment's reflection, Xu Xing decided not to probe any further and simply focused on enjoying her dinner.
They spent the entire meal until 9:30 PM, and their table had rotated to face Jinyang Tower.
Jinyang Tower was a landmark in Xingcheng, built by the riverside. Every New Year's Eve, it would project a countdown and launch fireworks.
Looking out the window, the night sky of Xingcheng was dotted with twinkling lights, creating a stunning view.
Just as Xu Xing's smile was about to widen, it suddenly froze—
Whoa! So many people?! Why aren't they staying home watching the Spring Festival Gala and are out here partying?
***
After leaving Baili, the two stood by the roadside, where nearby main roads were jam-packed with traffic, and pedestrians flowed like a river.
Kang Chen asked, "How are you getting home?"
"I'll take the subway," Xu Xing replied. Suddenly, she remembered something. "Oh no, the subway won't stop at Jinyang Tower station tonight."
"..."
Xingcheng was a city that never slept. During holidays, the streets became impossibly congested. The night grew more lively, with many people who hadn't returned home for the New Year—some working diligently for triple overtime pay while others celebrated with friends to embrace the festive atmosphere.
If they were to merge categories, both Xu Xing and Kang Chen, as locals of Yongcheng, might barely fit into this crowd.
With no subway station in sight, they had no choice but to walk a station further.
Having not lived in Xingcheng for long, Xu Xing was still unfamiliar with the routes. To make matters worse, her internet was down, and the maps wouldn't load. She had to follow Kang Chen closely, stepping in his footsteps.
After walking through multiple streets and waiting for traffic lights for an hour, Xu Xing's calves started to ache. She suddenly realized: why did she think this guy would know where the subway station was?!
If she remembered correctly, they had passed the same coffee shop three times now.
Leaning against a tree to catch her breath, she patiently asked, "Kang Chen, how much farther is it?"
Kang Chen raised an eyebrow slightly, his voice gentle as it blended with the night breeze. "Just ahead."
"...?"
"I may not be very well-read, but don't try to fool me. Isn't that Jinyang Tower Square up ahead?"
Xu Xing stared in disbelief. That towering, glittering spire, surrounded by a throng of people, was clearly not the site of a subway station, even a fool could see that.
Kang Chen adjusted his glasses. "I think you might have misunderstood something. I'm actually going to Jinyang Tower Square."
"...?"
So, when she complained about not knowing where the next subway station was and he said, "You can just follow me," he didn't mean he was taking her to the subway station?
Xu Xing felt a bit dizzy with frustration. But at this point, she really didn't know where to go. With just over an hour until midnight, they were surrounded by a tide of people heading to Jinyang Tower for the countdown.
She put on a face that clearly showed she felt deceived.
Kang Chen loosened the collar of his sweater, his throat moving slightly as he spoke, his gaze dimming a bit. "Let's go get a cup of coffee."
They stopped in front of the coffee shop they had passed three times, and Kang Chen gestured for Xu Xing to join him inside.
Even on New Year's Eve, the coffee shop was doing booming business. They had to stand in line to place their orders, and even picking up their drinks required more waiting.
By the time they got their coffee and stepped outside, only fifteen minutes remained before the countdown began.
The crowd surged forward, pushing toward Jinyang Tower Square, and Xu Xing was getting frustrated by the jostling. A little voice in her head screamed: Just stay here! Squeeze for a full hundred eighty days!
At the same time, she couldn't help but feel regret: Wasn't it better to stay alive and well? Why did she come out during the holiday just to mooch a meal?
As they were swept along with the throng into Jinyang Tower Square, the giant screen was playing the annual Spring Festival Gala, and the host excitedly delivered New Year's wishes.
Xu Xing turned to look at the screen, and just as she got distracted, someone bumped into her, causing her to stagger back.
In that split second, when she thought she might fall and a stampede might ensue, she fell into a slightly cool embrace.
The crisp night air mixed with a faint scent of bergamot filled her nostrils. She looked down to see a pair of well-defined hands wrapped around her.
"—Five, four, three, two, one!"
Brilliant fireworks shot up into the sky, blooming against the darkness, transforming night into day in an instant.
Cheers and the explosive sounds of the fireworks drowned out her racing heartbeat.
As Xu Xing hesitated over whether to offer some New Year blessings, Kang Chen looked up at the sky, pondering for a moment before murmuring, "Isn't it a bit interesting to have a countdown on New Year's Eve that kills people?"
...?!
Whoa!!!