SG 63

Extra 3  New Year’s Eve Dinner

The first New Year’s Eve dinner after they got together wasn’t one they spent together. Yan Anqing’s mother and stepfather had taken their son to his grandmother’s house for the family gathering. Grandma had already accepted their relationship, but there was no need to stir up trouble at such a sensitive time and put her in a difficult spot.

Last year, on New Year’s Eve, after Chu Baiyan dropped Yan Anqing off, he parked the car downstairs. Not even an hour later, Yan Anqing came rushing back down, carrying a box of frozen dumplings. They went home together, before the Spring Festival Gala even started, boiled the dumplings, and spent New Year’s Eve in their rented apartment.

This year, Yan Anqing’s mother was celebrating at her husband’s family home and wouldn’t return until the second day of the new year. Grandma specially invited Yan Anqing and Chu Baiyan to come home together. Time had passed quickly. They had been together for more than a year now, and seeing how far they’d come, Grandma felt more and more at ease.

When the doorbell rang, Grandma hurried over to open it. “Baby and Xiao Chu are here. I guessed you two would arrive around this time.” Xiao Chu had visited before, but coming over for New Year’s Eve dinner carried a different meaning.

After changing shoes, Chu Baiyan set the automatic foot bath he had brought down on the floor in the living room.

“You two come home for dinner and still spend money on gifts? Why waste it?” Grandma complained, but inside she only felt that Xiao Chu was thoughtful. She picked up a mandarin from the fruit plate and began to peel it.

“The weather’s cold. It feels better to sleep after soaking your feet in warm water. This one’s convenient. It heats up and has massage settings. You and Grandpa can use it before bed.” Chu Baiyan took the mandarin Grandma had peeled and handed him.

“Then I’ll have Grandpa use it tonight. He loves listening to audiobooks while soaking his feet. You two eat some fruit. I’ll stir-fry a couple of vegetables and then we can start dinner.” While she spoke, Grandma peeled another mandarin and gave it to Yan Anqing.

“I’ll cook.” Chu Baiyan stood up, ready to help.

“No need. Aunt Zhou already prepped most of the dishes at noon. The soup’s in the clay pot. The vegetables are all washed. I just need to throw them in and stir them a bit.” Grandma stopped him. Aunt Zhou had already prepared the long-cooking dishes like steamed pork ribs and radish beef stew before heading home that afternoon.

Soon six dishes filled the dining table. It wasn’t a big feast, but every dish had the flavor of home. Grandma ladled each of them a bowl of bamboo fungus chicken soup. Each got a drumstick.

“What’s Baby’s classmate’s name again? I forgot.” Grandpa sat at the table and looked at the young man sitting beside Yan Anqing. His face looked familiar, but he couldn’t recall the name no matter how hard he tried.

“Chu Baiyan. Chu for ‘beautiful,’ Bai for ‘white,’ and Yan for ‘flame.’” Yan Anqing answered first. He picked up a piece of bamboo fungus and put it in his mouth. He liked the taste. It was crisp and special.

“Ah right, Xiao Chu. Look at my memory. Baby’s never brought a classmate home before, and I still can’t remember this one.” Grandpa laughed heartily.

“What classmate? He’s Baby’s friend. Baby’s had his shop for two and a half years. Where would the classmates come from?” Grandma scolded him. Grandpa had been taking medication for years to control his condition. Though it had slowed the decline, the memory loss couldn’t be reversed, and it kept getting worse.

“Try this soup. I started it at noon. Aunt Zhou went to buy free-range chicken for it, and it’s been simmering all afternoon.”

“The soup’s pretty good, but the chicken leg has no flavor.” Yan Anqing took a sip and said the truth.

“If the leg had flavor, the soup would be too salty to drink.” Chu Baiyan quietly explained.

“Xiao Chu, are you still working as a ‘mermaid’ at the aquarium next year? I saw on the news that it’s dangerous.” Grandma started chatting. There were only four of them.

“Jindu Ocean Park’s management is solid. The safety measures are reliable. We always have a dive buddy in the water. If anything goes wrong, they handle it right away.”

“I signed a three-year contract with the park. When it ends, I plan to work at a training school as an instructor for ‘mermaid’ performers. A company already reached out to me. Once my contract with the aquarium ends, I can go there.”

Chu Baiyan had both a PADI Advanced and an SSI Ocean Mermaid certificate, as well as a rescue training certificate. Whether it was independent swimming, treading water, hovering, or continuous snorkeling and diver towing, he was among the best in his field.

When the head of the training organization invited him to teach, he had already been considering it. Being a “mermaid” paid fine, but it was a career that relied on youth.

“As long as you’ve thought it through, that’s good. I saw online that a lot of people go to Jindu Ocean Park just to see you.”

Since the incident with Yan Anqing online, Grandma had gotten used to watching short videos. Every time she opened Douyin, the algorithm seemed to read her mind. It kept showing her videos about “Starfish Pottery” or Chu Baiyan’s “mermaid” performances.

A few days ago, netizens even voted Chu Baiyan as the most worth-seeing “mermaid” on the entire platform, showering Xiao Chu with praise. They said he had a great figure, graceful movements, and perfect execution. Grandma couldn’t stop smiling when she saw it.

And honestly, those videos of Xiao Chu swimming through the fish and blowing heart-shaped bubbles were filmed beautifully. Every time Grandma scrolled past one, she couldn’t help watching it a few more times.

“Grandma, have you watched my videos online?” Yan Anqing asked while chewing on a chicken leg.

“Of course I have. Every single video you post, I like, comment, and share. They look like documentaries. I even asked Aunt Zhou to share them for me. She teased me, said Baby’s already famous, he doesn’t need anyone’s help.”

Grandma’s eyes curved into thin slits as she laughed. She picked up two prawns and put one each on their plates.

“This afternoon, your mom called. I told her you and Xiao Chu were coming back for dinner. She didn’t say anything. Her attitude’s softened a lot. She’s not against you two being together like before.” Grandma peeled another prawn as she spoke.

“Why would she be against them being together? I think Baby and Xiao Chu get along great.” Grandpa cut in.

“Oh you, always interrupting.” Grandma couldn’t help laughing and put the peeled prawn in his bowl.

“Don’t go back tonight. I had Aunt Zhou change your bedsheets and covers with new ones.” In previous years, Yan Anqing always spent New Year’s at home. Last year, because his mother’s family came over, he only ate a few bites before leaving without much conversation.

“Okay.” Yan Anqing nodded. It was New Year’s, so he didn’t have to film videos or make pottery, and he suddenly had a lot of free time.

After dinner, Chu Baiyan and Yan Anqing helped clear the table and wash the dishes. The family then sat on the couch to watch the Spring Festival Gala. By nine-thirty, Grandpa was already sleepy.

“This year’s gala isn’t good. I don’t recognize a single person. Just a bunch of young folks whose names I can’t even pronounce.” Grandpa complained.

“As long as the young people like it. Xiao Chu bought you a foot bath. I’ll set it up. You can soak your feet and go to bed. Let them keep watching.” Grandma carried the foot bath to the bedroom.

Grandpa didn’t immediately follow. He went into the kitchen and soon came out with two bowls of lotus root starch topped with honey.

“Drink it while it’s hot. When you get sleepy, go to bed. Don’t stay up too late.” Grandpa placed the bowls on the coffee table, satisfied, and finally went to his room.

“Grandpa’s lotus starch is the best, right?” Yan Anqing drank a sip and looked up at Chu Baiyan. His lips shone like he had put on lip gloss.

“It’s really good.” Chu Baiyan took a sip, and warmth spread through his chest.

Yan Anqing’s room was still was the same as when he was a student, cleaned every day. He had been here for meals before, but this was the first time he stayed overnight. After taking a shower and lying on the bed, he could smell the scent of sun-dried bedding. A copy of The Little Mermaid sat beside the pillow, the pages creased from being read often.

“When I was little, I often dreamed of you coming to find me.” Yan Anqing whispered as he snuggled into Chu Baiyan’s arms.

“Did we kiss in the dream?” Chu Baiyan chuckled softly.

“No.”

“Then we can now.”

Their warm lips pressed together, and they shared a long and tender kiss.