On New Year’s Eve, Lin Yu woke up early but felt too lazy to get out of bed. He sat at the head of the bed, scrolling through social media.
Wu Yu had posted a picture with his new boyfriend, with a tropical beach in the background. His new boyfriend was a dark-skinned, white-socked athlete, even more muscular than the last one—he looked like he could punch a gorilla to death.
Mi Lan had curled her hair and posted a nine-grid selfie with the caption: “Another year of being 18.”
Liang Zhi commented, “Aren’t you turning 30 this year?”
A few seconds later, the comment disappeared.
Liang Zhi then commented again, “Weird, my comment vanished.”
Mi Lan replied with a middle finger emoji, and shortly after, both comments disappeared once more.
Liu Yuwen posted a picture of himself working overtime at the office. One of the photos showed a New Year event at an art museum, with a group of handsome and beautiful models dressed in traditional Chinese clothing posing in the museum hall.
Standing in the center was Zhu Lan, wearing a light blue robe, dressed like a scholarly gentleman. Though his face showed reluctance, he still obediently posed for the shot.
Lin Yu went through, liking posts one by one. Without realizing it, his elbow nudged Lu Ziqing’s head.
Lu Ziqing, eyes still closed, instinctively reached out and wrapped his arms around Lin Yu’s waist. “…Why are you up so early?”
“It’s already past nine. We still need to put up the Spring Festival couplets.”
“Sleep a little longer,” Lu Ziqing mumbled, burying his head in Lin Yu’s chest. “I only fell asleep at midnight last night. I’m exhausted.”
After being smacked to the floor last night, Lu Ziqing had been unwilling to accept defeat. He had dragged Lin Yu into bed and refused to let him go, keeping him up until the early hours.
Lin Yu was tired too, but his work schedule had ingrained an unshakable biological clock in him—he automatically woke up at seven, more punctual than an alarm clock.
As he patted Lu Ziqing’s fluffy head, it felt like he was petting a warm little puppy. He couldn’t resist ruffling his hair a few more times.
“Mm,” Lu Ziqing murmured, eyes still closed. “I know I’m adorable, but baby, if you keep petting me like this, I might not be able to hold back and do bad things again.”
Lin Yu retracted his hand. “Then I won’t touch you.”
“Wait, I was joking!” Lu Ziqing immediately pulled Lin Yu’s hand back and placed it on his head again, muttering, “Haven’t you heard? Petting a dog on New Year’s brings good luck—
Pet a dog’s head, and you’ll have no worries all year.
Pet a dog’s mouth, and life will go smoothly.
Pet a dog’s back, and you’ll gain wealth and prosperity.”
After having his head petted, Lu Ziqing then guided Lin Yu’s hand to his lips, gently biting his fingertips.
Lin Yu felt a ticklish sensation on his fingers and pulled back. “Where did you even hear these weird sayings?”
“This is the Dog Bible. You need to memorize it thoroughly, or the little dog will be sad.”
They lazed around in bed for a while until Lu Ziqing’s phone suddenly buzzed with a message.
“Ugh,” Lu Ziqing groaned, sitting up reluctantly. “Who the hell places a rush order on New Year’s Day?”
Lin Yu leaned over to look.
It was indeed a rush order from an unfamiliar number, requesting delivery by the end of February.
Even stranger was the ring they were requesting: it had to be round yet square, black yet white, red yet green, and resemble both a dragon and a snake—while also symbolizing both love and family.
Lu Ziqing frowned slightly.
Lin Yu: “Must be a prank. There’s no such ring in the world.”
“More precisely,” Lu Ziqing said as he decisively opened WeChat and made a video call to Xu Yunyi, “whoever pulled this prank is incredibly bored.”
Xu Yunyi picked up quickly. He seemed to be hiding in a stairwell, the space behind him pitch black.
“You want to buy a ring?” Lu Ziqing said. “Do I look like a ring to you?”
Xu Yunyi chuckled and admitted that his brother had dragged him to a gathering early in the morning, and he was bored out of his mind, so he placed the order just to mess with Lu Ziqing.
“Please stop interrupting our time alone, thanks,” Lu Ziqing said. “Don’t you have a wife of your own?”
Xu Yunyi pinched his voice into a whiny tone: “I’m still a little kid!”
Lu Ziqing made a gagging face.
Xu Yunyi: “Besides, who says I have to find a wife? Hm? Why can’t I get myself a rich, capable, and handsome husband instead?! If I had a husband like that, I wouldn’t have to work, wouldn’t have to deal with annoying people, wouldn’t even have to attend boring family gatherings during the New Year. Heh heh…”
Lu Ziqing: “Oh. Best of luck to you.”
Just as Xu Yunyi was about to continue, a hand suddenly reached into the frame and snatched his phone away.
“You want a husband that badly? I’ll tell Dad, and we’ll start arranging blind dates for you after the New Year.”
The voice was cold. The hand gripping the phone had long, slender fingers, the knuckles sharp.
“No, no, I was just joking, Ge—”
Xu Yunyi pleaded for mercy, and then the call abruptly ended.
Lu Ziqing shook his head and tossed his phone aside.
Lin Yu had already gotten out of bed, dressed, and freshened up. He was at the doorway, putting up Spring Festival couplets.
They had bought them at the mall a few days ago. The golden-red banners bore the words: “New Year brings prosperity and fortune, the festive season ushers in joy and good luck.”
“Not very original,” Lu Ziqing commented, arms crossed.
Lin Yu: “Then you come up with one.”
Lu Ziqing: “Hmm… Hmm…”
Lin Yu smirked. “Try not to burst a blood vessel thinking so hard.”
“You’re getting cruder with your words,” Lu Ziqing said. “Though, I must admit, I love it.”
“Got a couplet yet?”
“Got it,” Lu Ziqing said. “My baby and I celebrated the New Year, happiness and joy lasted all night.”
Lin Yu: “…”
“Or this—My baby truly loves me, so together our blessings overflow.”
“Enough, that’s enough,” Lin Yu said. “Go get the glue.”
“But didn’t you already put them up?”
Lin Yu pinched his lips shut. “To glue your mouth shut so you’ll stop spouting nonsense all day.”
They were still messing around when footsteps sounded from downstairs.
Lin Rui walked up with a blank face, her expression strange, as if in a daze.
“Rui Rui? You went out this early?” Lin Yu had assumed she had been holed up in her room all morning, just like the past few days.
Lin Rui snapped out of it. “…I went to see Mo Jing.”
Lin Yu and Lu Ziqing exchanged a glance.
“He wanted to talk to you?”
Lin Rui closed the door, took a deep breath, and still seemed a little disoriented. “He called me downstairs early this morning, said he had something to tell me. And then—then, he confessed to me.”
Lin Yu feigned surprise. “And then?”
Lin Rui: “I told him I have a boyfriend. Then he started crying, saying he knew I’d never like him. Who would ever like a frail, sickly alpha who’s always falling ill? And then he cried some more.”
Lin Yu: “…”
“He cries so damn much,” Lin Rui said, irritated. “And while he was crying, I accidentally answered a call from Dong Jing—oh, that’s my boyfriend. Mo Jing was rambling incoherently, and Dong Jing heard everything. Now he thinks I have a secret lover and is threatening to break up with me.”
“Mo Jing must have had his brain slammed in a door, because he even made things worse. He said he didn’t mind being the third party in my relationship, as long as I’d occasionally turn back and glance at him.”
“Why are all these guys such drama queens? It’s ridiculous.” Lin Rui shut off her phone. “Whoever ruins my New Year will become my mortal enemy.”
With that, she stormed off to play video games.
Lu Ziqing was in awe. “Your sister is a force of nature. How old is she, and she’s already got guys eating out of her hand like puppies?”
Lin Yu: “Actually, lots of girls like her too. Back in middle school, there were girls fighting every weekend to take her out for desserts and roller skating.”
Lu Ziqing: “Guess it runs in the family—natural-born heartthrobs.”
Lin Yu: “It’s not that exaggerated…”
“Doesn’t matter what your sister is like—you can only have me as your one and only puppy,” Lu Ziqing said, grabbing Lin Yu’s hand and intertwining their fingers. “If any stray dog tries to lick your hand outside, kick them away.”
…….
That afternoon, Lin Yu’s parents closed the supermarket early to come home and prepare the New Year’s Eve dinner.
Lu Ziqing and Lin Yu spent the whole afternoon playing cards with the neighbors. Eventually, Lin Rui got bored of gaming and joined in, acting as a strategist. Despite their efforts, they ended up losing ten yuan in the end.
Lu Ziqing felt like he’d had victory in his grasp. Lin Rui insisted she had heroically turned the tide and prevented them from a crushing defeat. Neither side was willing to back down, arguing endlessly, until Lin Yu flicked both of them on the forehead to settle it.
As evening approached, Lu Ziqing’s mother called him via video chat.
She was wearing a stunning red backless dress, the ocean a deep blue behind her. The golden hues of the resort exuded luxury and relaxation. On the table were platters of seafood and colorful fruit juices.
After exchanging a few words with her son, she called for her husband to come over.
Lu Zhaolin, however, remained with his back turned, grumbling, “I’m eating seafood right now. If I don’t eat it soon, it won’t be fresh anymore.”
Madam Tong lightly smacked his back. “It’ll only take a moment! You can’t spare even a few seconds to talk to your son?”
After multiple nudges, Lu Zhaolin finally, albeit reluctantly, turned around.
Lu Ziqing smoothly pulled Lin Yu into the frame. “Happy New Year’s Eve, Dad.”
Lu Zhaolin sniffed awkwardly when he saw Lin Yu.
Clearly, he was reminded of the last time Lin Yu exposed his stash of medicine.
But given the festive atmosphere, he could only mumble, “…Happy New Year’s Eve.”
Because his tone wasn’t sincere or enthusiastic enough, Lu Zqing’s grandfather, who was eating steak beside him, gave him a tap on the forehead.
Grandmother grinned and reminded Lu Ziqing to be diligent at his in-laws’ house—help out more, say more auspicious words, and the elders would like him more.
Lu Ziqing agreed to everything.
…..
“Kids, dinner is ready—”
Mr. Lin called out from the kitchen.
“Coming!” Lin Yu responded, grabbing Lu Ziqing’s hand. “Let’s go eat.”
Outside the window, the night sky was pitch black.
The bright moon hung high, and the twinkling lights from thousands of homes shimmered like stars.
