ABOES 96: New Year’s Eve

In the blink of an eye, it was New Year’s Eve.

The entire Chi family got up early. After getting dressed, Chi Yunxing was called downstairs by Chi Xiwen to help put up Spring Festival couplets.

According to Chi Xiwen, when they were young, every year during the New Year, the whole family would put up the couplets together. Since the Chi family’s villa was large, it wasn’t easy to put couplets on every door, so besides Grandma Chi and Tan Yao, the three men of the family would all join in.

The three of them worked the entire morning before managing to paste couplets throughout the entire house.

After lunch, the Duan family arrived with gifts in tow.

Because of what had happened the past couple of days, Chi Yunxing and Duan Zhiyan hadn’t seen each other again until now. Upon meeting, they both caught a glimpse of longing in each other’s eyes.

Taking advantage of the others going into the house, the two of them deliberately lagged behind, secretly holding hands.

The familiar scent on Duan Zhiyan’s body drifted into Chi Yunxing’s nose, and Yunxing’s gaze fell on the man’s lips and suddenly, he had the urge to kiss him.

Just as Chi Yunxing was seriously considering sneaking a kiss, Chi Xiwen’s voice called from ahead, “Yunxing.”

Chi Yunxing froze, then quickly turned his head and answered calmly, “What is it, Ge?”

Chi Xiwen turned and immediately saw their joined hands. He glared at Duan Zhiyan before speaking to Chi Yunxing in a softened tone, “Come inside. It’s cold out.”

Chi Yunxing smiled and responded, then pulled Duan Zhiyan into the house with him.

Duan Yu had taken a couple of days to rest, and though his sprained foot was slightly better, he still walked slowly. Even he had made it inside already, while the sticky little couple were still out there. The others inside couldn’t help looking at them with a trace of amusement.

Especially Grandma Chi, who chuckled and said, “You two haven’t even been apart for a few days, and already it’s like a lifetime?”

Chi Yunxing heard that just as he stepped inside, and his fair face flushed instantly.

Duan Zhiyan, on the other hand, was composed and openly admitted, “Yes. I think it’s been more than just a few lifetimes.”

Yu Qiu and Duan Yu both laughed out loud.

Chi Ling’s face didn’t look great, but he didn’t say anything.

The only one to openly show his dissatisfaction was Chi Xiwen, who snorted heavily.

Thankfully, the house was warm. If this had been outside in the cold, you might’ve seen him breathing out visible puffs of steam.

Grandma Chi glanced at him and couldn’t be bothered to argue with someone ruining the mood.

After being teased by Grandma Chi in front of both families, Chi Yunxing really was embarrassed this time and immediately pulled his hand out of Duan Zhiyan’s grasp.

A faint smile flickered in Duan Zhiyan’s eyes. He leaned closer and whispered, “You’ll have to get used to it.”

After all, there would only be more moments like this in the future.

Even though Yunxing knew what he said made sense, he still shot him a disapproving glare.

Inside, with the heating on, Chi Yunxing wore only a cream-colored sweater that matched his skin tone almost perfectly. When he glared, it was like a fluffy little kitten baring its teeth. Not intimidating at all—if anything, it made people want to reach out and scoop him up, teasing him until he surrendered.

Duan Zhiyan couldn’t help the itch in his chest, but with so many people around, he forced himself to hold back.

That didn’t mean he was going to let Chi Yunxing off the hook, though. He was just planning to properly “get back at him” later, in private.

Unaware of Duan Zhiyan’s inner thoughts, Chi Yunxing had already gone back to chatting and laughing with Yu Qiu.

Sensing Duan Zhiyan’s gaze, Chi Yunxing even threw him a bright smile.

Duan Zhiyan’s eyes darkened slightly, and he quietly inhaled, telling himself to hold on a bit longer.

Yu Qiu really liked Chi Yunxing and ever since finding out he was going to be her son-in-law, she liked him even more, making no attempt to hide it.

The day before, she had spent a whole day preparing gifts for Chi Yunxing.

From heirloom jade bangles and rings to all kinds of jewelry—she even brought along several of her most treasured gemstones.

Each gift was more precious than the last. Chi Yunxing was at a loss, holding them all in his hands and glancing helplessly at Duan Zhiyan.

Duan Zhiyan smiled and said, “Just take them, Yunxing. If you don’t, my mom will talk my ear off about it every single day.”

Yu Qiu gave her son a glare. “You talk too much!”

Chi Yunxing looked even more flustered and turned to Tan Yao for help.

Tan Yao exchanged a glance with Chi Ling and smiled at Yunxing. “Accept them, Yunxing. It’s your Aunt Yu and Uncle Duan’s heartfelt gesture.”

Since Tan Yao had said so, Chi Yunxing could no longer decline and accepted everything.

There were too many gifts from Yu Qiu to leave them all in the living room, so Duan Zhiyan got up to carry them upstairs.

Chi Yunxing was also holding several large bags.

Chi Xiwen stood up when he saw this. “Let me—”

Before he could finish, Grandma Chi poked her cane out to block his way. “What are you butting in for? There’s an elevator. What are you, a billion-watt lightbulb?”

Chi Yunxing paused mid-step.

Duan Zhiyan burst into laughter.

Chi Xiwen’s face shifted through multiple expressions before finally letting out a long, helpless sigh. “Grandma—”

Grandma Chi shouted even louder, “Hey! I can hear you, I’m not deaf!”

The rest of the room erupted into laughter.

Duan Zhiyan pressed the elevator button, first setting down his own load, then taking the bags from Chi Yunxing and pulling him inside.

Chi Yunxing’s pale hands were already marked with red lines from carrying everything.

Duan Zhiyan frowned, leaned down, and placed a light kiss on his palm. “No more carrying things like this.”

Chi Yunxing’s hand tingled from the kiss. He smiled and replied, “I’m not that delicate.”

The elevator arrived on the second floor. Duan Zhiyan let him out first, then picked up all the gift bags again. As he leaned in, he whispered in his ear, “You may not be delicate, but I hate seeing you carry them. Is that okay?”

Chi Yunxing’s ears turned red, and he shot him a glare.

Duan Zhiyan, who had been itching with desire downstairs, now felt like there were ants crawling over his heart.

He licked his lips—it still wasn’t enough.

Unable to bear it, he sped up and headed straight for Chi Yunxing’s room.

Chi Yunxing followed without offering to help anymore.

Duan Zhiyan entered Yunxing’s room with practiced ease and stored all the gifts in the walk-in closet.

Chi Yunxing trailed behind him, and before he could follow into the closet, he was pulled into Duan Zhiyan’s arms.

He froze slightly. “Zhi—”

But his words were smothered by a hungry kiss.

The urgent, heated kiss landed densely over his lips, wiping out any attempt to speak. Their tongues tangled, the sensation electric and addictive. It made tears well up in the corners of Chi Yunxing’s eyes.

Even though it had only been two days since Duan Zhiyan returned, for people in love, that already felt like a long time.

As their lips met again and again, Yunxing’s brain grew more and more foggy. Before he even realized it, he was lying in Duan Zhiyan’s arms.

When he finally came back to himself, teary-eyed and lips swollen, he hoarsely asked, “Are my lips swollen?”

Duan Zhiyan glanced down at his lips and hesitated before coughing softly, clearly guilty.

Chi Yunxing let out a grunt and quickly climbed off him, stomping barefoot into the bathroom.

Watching him go, Duan Zhiyan started racking his brain for a cover-up, but before he could think of anything—

“DUAN ZHIYAN!!”

Chi Yunxing rarely ever called him by full name.

Duan Zhiyan immediately jumped up and rushed to the bathroom, panicked. “What happened?!”

He found Chi Yunxing standing in front of the mirror, eyes red, lips swollen, finger pointing at his neck in utter indignation. “How could you leave a mark here?!”

Following his gaze, Duan Zhiyan spotted a glaringly obvious hickey just beneath Chi Yunxing’s jaw.

For once, Duan Zhiyan went speechless.

After a moment, he said, “I think… when you stopped me from kissing you, I just… picked a random spot…”

His face flushed slightly, and he turned away.

Chi Yunxing didn’t care about the reasoning. He stomped his foot. “We still have to go downstairs!”

It was New Year’s Eve—they still had to stay up and watch the gala! How could he go down there with a hickey like that?

Duan Zhiyan rubbed his nose. “Why don’t you wear a scarf? Or maybe you have a high-neck sweater?”

He knew he was in the wrong and went to rummage through Yunxing’s closet but after searching for a while, he still couldn’t find anything suitable.

The mark was high, just below the jawline, making it difficult to cover with normal clothes.

In the end, Yunxing had no choice but to wrap a scarf around his neck.

Before heading downstairs, he stared at himself in the mirror for a long moment and asked anxiously, “Will this work?”

Duan Zhiyan thought of all the sharp-eyed people downstairs, then said with a completely straight face, “Absolutely.”

Only then did Yunxing breathe a little easier and follow him down.

Ever since Chi Yunxing came back home, everyone’s attention had been on him. Now, after just a short trip upstairs, he came down wearing a scarf?

It was obviously suspicious.

Everyone tacitly chose not to say anything, knowing how easily embarrassed Yunxing got.

Even Chi Xiwen only threw Duan Zhiyan a couple of dissatisfied glares.

Even Duan Yu pretended not to notice anything strange.

With no one questioning him, Yunxing finally relaxed a bit.

He’s still angry at Duan Zhiyan for getting out of hand earlier so he deliberately sat next to Chi Xiwen, putting distance between them.

Duan Zhiyan didn’t mind. The table had some fresh lychees. He went to the kitchen, brought back a plate, peeled a whole bunch of lychees, then offered the full plate to Chi Yunxing.

Chi Yunxing had just eaten one when a hand darted in from the side. Chi Xiwen took a lychee, popped it in his mouth, and smirked triumphantly at Duan Zhiyan.

Duan Zhiyan pretended not to see the provocation.

Grandma Chi saw and jabbed Chi Xiwen with her cane. “Childish.”

Chi Xiwen spat out the seed without guilt—he was childish, so what?

The others smiled without saying a word.

Seeing the time was almost up, Tan Yao and Yu Qiu headed into the kitchen.

Chi Yunxing went in to help, but not long after, both women chased him and Duan Zhiyan out.

Though Yunxing was helpful, Duan Zhiyan definitely wasn’t.

Yu Qiu shooed them both out. “Go have fun or go be in love or something. Just don’t come in here!”

She slammed the kitchen door.

Tan Yao’s laughter rang out from behind it.

Chi Yunxing’s ears turned a little red. He followed Duan Zhiyan back to the living room to accompany Grandma Chi.

The sun was out, and Grandma Chi wanted to take a walk in the courtyard.

The moment they stepped out, they saw Duan Yu and Chi Ling playing chess.

Grandma Chi stopped and, for some reason, her eyes turned slightly wet.

Before anyone could notice, she forced a smile and said, “Now it really feels like New Year again.”

Yunxing blinked. “Hm?”

She patted his hand. “After your parents’ divorce, Duan Zhiyan’s family stopped coming over during the New Year. Those years felt cold. This year, it’s lively again—just like it used to be.”

Yunxing felt a pang in his heart. He swallowed down the bitterness and smiled. “Don’t worry, Grandma. Every New Year from now on will be just as lively.”

She beamed. “Of course it will!”

The three strolled around the courtyard for a bit. Chi Xiwen, out of nowhere, tossed a pop-it at Duan Zhiyan’s feet.

Bang! A firecracker exploded.

Before Duan Zhiyan could curse, Grandma Chi scolded loudly, “Chi Xiwen! Are you trying to blow up your own grandmother?!”

“I wasn’t even close to you!” Chi Xiwen retorted.

Grandma Chi didn’t care. She was firmly on Duan Zhiyan’s side.

Yunxing laughed so hard that tears welled in his eyes.

Chi Xiwen grew annoyed and tried to get back at Duan Zhiyan. Soon, the courtyard erupted into a three-way war: Chi Yunxing and Duan Zhiyan versus Chi Xiwen.

The pop-its weren’t dangerous, there’s no sparks even if they hit someone. The three had a blast, not even noticing when Yunxing’s scarf slipped off.

Overwhelmed by the two-on-one, Chi Xiwen finally gave up. “I’m done! You guys are bullying me!”

Chi Yunxing, ready to toss another one, paused and laughed. “Ge, you started it!”

“I wasn’t bullying you, I was bullying Duan Zhiyan! You ungrateful little brat, just ganging up on me with him—wait, Yunxing, what’s on your neck?”