After the wedding, Qu Qingchen and Teng Yuan sent the guests off, but the two of them stayed behind. Since Qu Qingchen had time off, they decided to remain on the island for a few extra days.
They chose this island for the wedding not only because it was warm, but also because there would be a bonfire party on the beach on New Year’s Eve.
Originally, Bai Xizhou and Wen Ruqing were going to leave with everyone else, but upon hearing about the bonfire party, Bai Xizhou decided to stay an extra day.
The beach was still crowded under the night sky. Strings of lights were draped across wooden posts, and the area around the bonfire was lit up. The deep sea reflected the firelight, shimmering in waves.
The bonfire party hadn’t officially started yet, but locals dressed in traditional attire had already gathered on the beach. Their faces were painted with bright colors, and they wore floral garlands around their necks. Both adults and children sat on the sand, enjoying the food they brought.
Bai Xizhou and Wen Ruqing went back to the room to change—wearing suits didn’t fit the occasion. To better blend in with the locals, Bai Xizhou picked a flamboyant outfit for Wen Ruqing.
Normally, he would never wear something like that. But it was New Year’s Eve, so Wen Ruqing decided to indulge Bai Xizhou.
They headed to the beach together. Qu Qingchen and Teng Yuan arrived shortly after. Their flip-flops sank into the sand, still warm from the sun. Not long after the four of them reached the beach, the crowd grew restless.
Those who were sitting began standing up and gathered around the bonfire. Wen Ruqing was swept forward by the crowd. If Bai Xizhou hadn’t held his hand the entire time, they would’ve gotten separated.
People formed a circle, hand in hand, and began dancing. There were no complicated moves—just repeated steps and kicks. To the rhythm of the music, they danced together to welcome the new year.
Since they were tourists, Bai Xizhou and Wen Ruqing were naturally pushed toward the front. Some children surrounded them, handing them garlands. They exchanged a glance and bent down to let the kids place the garlands on them. But that wasn’t the end. An elderly man, also wearing flowers, approached with white paint in hand and painted their faces just like the locals.
According to local custom, when tourists wear the same makeup, they receive the blessings of the gods and will enter the new year with luck and happiness.
As midnight approached, the crowd stopped dancing and stood in place, seemingly performing a kind of ritual. Wen Ruqing followed their lead, clasped his hands together in a prayer gesture, and closed his eyes.
Nothing else happened for a while. He sneakily opened one eye to glance at Bai Xizhou and found that he wasn’t moving. He wasn’t praying like the others.
“Why aren’t you doing it?” Wen Ruqing whispered.
“They’re worshipping their gods. But I don’t believe in gods,” Bai Xizhou said, gazing up at the starry sky, his face glowing in the firelight. “I used to believe in myself. Now—I believe in you.”
At that moment, the beach was silent, save for the crackling of the bonfire. But Wen Ruqing swore he could hear the sound of a heartbeat, mingled with the fire, and he couldn’t tell whether it was his own or Bai Xizhou’s.
Wen Ruqing thought, somewhat inappropriately, that maybe one day, when they’re old, he might forget everything—but he would never forget the firelight dancing in Bai Xizhou’s eyes tonight.
As the clock struck midnight, the crowd erupted in cheers to celebrate the new year. Fireworks burst in a riot of color over the sea, their reflections painting the water in brilliant hues.
“Qingqing, Happy New Year.” Bai Xizhou grasped Wen Ruqing’s hand amid the cheers. “Please keep loving me in this new year too.”
“I love you, Bai Xizhou.”
On the first moment of the new year, Wen Ruqing gave Bai Xizhou his very first “I love you.”
A new year begins. Qu Qingchen and Teng Yuan saw Bai Xizhou and Wen Ruqing off at the airport and they returned home.
Not long after, Bai Xizhou started a new job. He was constantly on the move, working overtime frequently. Wen Ruqing’s workload was lighter, so he sometimes went to pick Bai Xizhou up after work.
Overtime at the firm was the norm. Several times when Wen Ruqing showed up, there were still plenty of people working late. Over time, their initial curiosity about him turned into familiarity.
Besides, whenever Wen Ruqing visited, he always brought free coffee for everyone. Before long, he became well-known in the office.
Before one of the trials, Bai Xizhou finally got a break. Wen Ruqing thought he would rest at home—but instead, Bai Xizhou took him out for a date.
The last time they went to an amusement park, it was to accompany Xie Yuzhu. This time, it was just the two of them. Come to think of it, despite being together for so long, they’d never really gone on a proper date.
Since it was winter, the amusement park wasn’t crowded, and they didn’t have to worry about long lines. After a few thrilling rides with Bai Xizhou, Wen Ruqing firmly refused to go on the pirate ship.
“Nope, I’m dizzy,” Wen Ruqing unwrapped his scarf and sat on a bench to rest. “You go ahead. If I get shaken again, I’m going to throw up.”
“Then we won’t do those. What do you want to do? I’ll go with you.” Bai Xizhou had somehow bought cotton candy and handed it to Wen Ruqing.
He took a bite. The sweet taste melted on his tongue and eased his nausea a bit, though he still avoided any more thrill rides.
While eating, he glanced around and spotted a photo booth nearby. He pointed to it and looked at Bai Xizhou.
They barely had any couple photos together—neither of them were the type to take pictures.
Inside the booth, there were lots of props. Wen Ruqing handed the rest of the cotton candy back to Bai Xizhou and picked out an accessory from the pile while Bai Xizhou was still eating and unaware of what was about to happen.
Wen Ruqing mischievously grabbed a pair of cat ears and placed them on Bai Xizhou’s head. Unexpectedly, the fluffy ears didn’t look out of place at all.
Especially since Bai Xizhou ate cotton candy with such elegance—he really did resemble a cat.
Wen Ruqing dragged him into the photo booth and took several pictures. Bai Xizhou let him do as he pleased. As he looked into Wen Ruqing’s eyes, his gaze gradually grew deeper.
“I’m going to print and hang these at home,” Wen Ruqing muttered while selecting the photo layout.
The amusement park had a fireworks show at night, but with so few people, it wasn’t as lively.
The wind was strong in the new city that evening. Wen Ruqing’s hands were red from the cold when they got into the car, but he still held onto the photo prints, flipping through them over and over.
“You really like them that much?” Bai Xizhou chuckled. “Your hands are all red. Aren’t you cold?”
“I like them. Not cold. They’re so cute.” Bai Xizhou looked just like a sulky kitten in those photos. Wen Ruqing couldn’t get enough.
“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Bai Xizhou started the car and headed home. “There’s a trial coming up in a few days. You can sit in—it’s open to the public. Want to come?”
Wen Ruqing was immediately distracted. He’d never seen Bai Xizhou in court before, but lawyer Chen Jia had said Bai Xizhou was incredibly charismatic in the courtroom.
“Of course I’m going!” It was a rare chance to see Lawyer Bai in action—why miss it?
Back home, just as Wen Ruqing was about to sort through the photos, Bai Xizhou scooped him up.
“You’re still too skinny,” Bai Xizhou said, carrying him into the bedroom and tossing him onto the bed before climbing on top. “I’ll have to work on that.”
His hands trailed along Wen Ruqing’s waist, gauging his size. Wen Ruqing shivered, arching into the touch.
Bai Xizhou pulled out the cat ears again—who knew from where—and stuck them on Wen Ruqing’s head. His hands held Wen Ruqing’s wrists down, making it impossible to remove them. Wen Ruqing shook his head, but the ears stayed on.
His eyes were flushed red. Bai Xizhou lifted him, placing him astride his lap.
The position wasn’t ideal.
“Qingqing, you’re more like a little cat than I am. You even scratch.” Bai Xizhou gripped his waist. “Come on, kitty—say something sweet, and I’ll let you off.”
“What do you want to hear?” Wen Ruqing gasped. “No matter what I call you, you won’t stop.”
The arrow was already on the bowstring—it had to fly. Both of them knew that well.
“Lawyer Bai.”
“Mhm, and?”
“Xizhou.”
“What else?”
“…”
His mind was already going fuzzy, but Bai Xizhou was relentless, like he wouldn’t stop until he heard the perfect title.
Wen Ruqing clung to him, breathing hotly against his ear.
“Gege… have mercy.”
Bai Xizhou only pressed harder.
“Say it again.”
“Uncle… please.”
By now, the cat ears had been lost somewhere in the chaos. Wen Ruqing’s body trembled. Through narrowed eyes, he could only see the chandelier swaying on the ceiling.
On the day of the trial, Wen Ruqing took the day off. With things quiet after the New Year, he felt bold enough to request time off. Feng Yuhua didn’t mind and approved it easily.
It was his first time in a courtroom. He followed the crowd inside and found a seat. Soon, the judge and the lawyers entered one by one.
He spotted Bai Xizhou right away—wearing a black robe, red tie, and his hair slicked back, he looked clean-cut and composed.
From start to finish, Bai Xizhou remained serious. During cross-examinations, he questioned the opposing side in an even tone, calm and composed, until they had nothing to say or got flustered.
Wen Ruqing sat in the front row and could clearly see the watch peeking out from under Bai Xizhou’s sleeve. He noticed that Bai Xizhou always unconsciously touched the watch when speaking.
It used to be the watch of his first client. Now it was the one Wen Ruqing gave him. And unless something changed, it would probably always be this one.
Since the verdict announcement wasn’t open to the public, Wen Ruqing waited outside. Soon after, Bai Xizhou exited with another lawyer.
Although they had clashed fiercely in court, they were relaxed and friendly in private—this was normal. After all, both were just fighting for their clients’ best interests.
After chatting for a bit, Bai Xizhou waved goodbye to the other lawyer and walked over to Wen Ruqing. The serious expression vanished, replaced by a familiar smile.
“So handsome, Lawyer Bai,” Wen Ruqing said, commenting on the courtroom performance.
“Thanks for the compliment. I’ll do my best to keep it up,” Bai Xizhou replied smoothly.
Exchanging lines back and forth, the two laughed and chatted all the way home.
Author’s note:
Frozen Starlight
Just two more chapters to go~
