Hearing such heartfelt words from him made my heart bloom like a field of flowers.
Just as I was reveling in the moment, Chen Qiao Luo added, “I know it might be too soon for you to accept me now, but I can wait. No matter how long it takes, I’ll wait for you to fall in love with me. If a year isn’t enough, then two years. If two years aren’t enough, then ten years. And if ten years aren’t enough, then a lifetime. No matter what, I believe you’ll come to me eventually.”
This confession touched me even more deeply than the last. Looking at Chen Qiao Luo’s face so close to mine, I wanted to respond, but the words got stuck in my throat. I was too cautious, too afraid that what I felt for him was mere friendship, not true love.
Seeing me hesitate, Chen Qiao Luo leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on my forehead.
He said, “Yun Hao, see you at school tomorrow.”
* * *
After that, Chen Qiao Luo began reappearing in my life. In the days leading up to the New Year, he, Li Zi, Tong Xiao Tian, and I often met at the milk tea shop near school to study. As the college entrance exams approached, the atmosphere at school grew increasingly tense. Even the winter holiday didn’t begin until the day before New Year’s Eve.
This year was different from the past—Auntie Shen had officially moved in with us. On New Year’s Eve, she woke me up early to go grocery shopping and pick out couplets. When we returned, we cleaned the house together. Her fussing and chatter gave me a long-lost sense of motherly care, and I gladly listened to her as she spoke.
Before dinner, Li Zi called to wish me a happy New Year, her cheerful voice as lively as ever.
That evening, Auntie Shen prepared a feast, filling the table with dishes. For once, it wasn’t just Dad and me spending a quiet, lonely holiday together.
After eating our fill, Dad and I sat on the couch to watch the Spring Festival Gala, while Auntie Shen busied herself alone in the kitchen.
This sense of family togetherness touched me so deeply that I felt on the verge of tears. Such scenes had only ever existed in my dreams, and I never imagined they could one day become a reality.
At around eleven, my phone rang. It was Chen Qiao Luo. The moment I answered, I heard him say, “Zhu Yun Hao, there’s a fireworks display at Times Square tonight for the New Year’s countdown. Want to come with me to watch it?”
“Sure,” I replied without hesitation. “Where are you? I’ll come find you.”
“No need. I’m downstairs at your building.”
Hearing that, I got up from the couch and walked to the window. Looking down, I saw him standing there in a bright red padded jacket. Sensing my gaze, he looked up and smiled, calling out, “Come down. I’ll wait for you.”
After hanging up, Dad turned to me, having overheard part of the conversation, and asked, “Sweetheart, are you heading out?”
“Yeah, a classmate invited me.”
“Alright, just be careful and come back early,” he said.
Auntie Shen chimed in, “Call your dad when you’re on your way back, and he’ll come pick you up. It’s New Year’s Eve, and it’s not entirely safe for a girl to be out alone. Understand?”
“Yes, yes,” I replied, echoing her words. After changing into warmer clothes, I stepped out of my room and said with a grin, “Dad, Auntie Shen, I’m off. You two enjoy your time together!”
“You cheeky girl…” Auntie Shen said with a mock scold, but I was already out the door. The cold hallway wind slipped into my collar, making me shiver.
Downstairs, Chen Qiao Luo was standing with his head lowered, lost in thought. When he saw me, he smiled and said, “Let’s go.”
* * *
Every New Year’s Eve, Times Square in A City holds a massive countdown event, drawing tens of thousands of people. When I was little, Dad and Mom once brought me here, but after Mom left us, I hadn’t returned for New Year’s Eve since.
By the time we arrived, the square was packed with people holding sky lanterns in their hands.
Glancing at a nearby vendor, Chen Qiao Luo said, “Let’s get some too.”
I nodded as he paid for two lanterns and two pens.
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