"Listening to her 10 sentences beats listening to your grandma's one," Yan Hang said. "And they didn't ask why I came up here with you for New Year's. I really hate answering those kinds of questions."

Chu Yi laughed: "Oh, tomorrow she'll definitely tell you ghost stories."

"I'm not scared of ghosts," Yan Hang scoffed. "An old lady's ghost stories is to scare little pups."

"Sure," Chu Yi laughed, lying down in bed.

Maybe because he was tired, he started snoring shortly after lying down. But to his surprise, Yan Hang beside him seemed to fall asleep even faster. While he was still conscious, Yan Hang's breathing had already slowed.

Chu Yi turned over and lightly placed his arm around Yan Hang's waist, falling soundly asleep.

This was probably the first time in his life he had felt excited about New Year's. He woke up before it was even light out.

Feeling an empty space beside him when he reached out, Chu Yi suddenly opened his eyes wide - Yan Hang wasn't in bed?!

He hurriedly got dressed and went out. Grandma was busy in the living room. Seeing him run out, she pointed up: "Your 5-star is up there with your grandpa."

"Oh." Chu Yi went out onto the terrace.

The terrace had already been covered with plastic film by grandfather, as though it was a greenhouse. When he went up, grandfather was explaining his flowers and plants to Yan Hang.

"When this blooms in early spring," grandfather said with a proud face, "it's a sea of red, extremely beautiful."

"Mm," Yan Hang turned his head, pretending to look at the flowers beside him, and yawned, "Are the flowers big?"

"As big as a bowl. Many people in this building grow them, but mine are the biggest." Grandfather said.

"Impressive," Yan Hang nodded, and when he saw Chu Yi, he smiled, "Morning."

"Grandpa is showing off, his flowers again," Chu Yi said with a smile, standing next to Yan Hang and asking very quietly, "Why are you up so, early?"

"I got up to use the bathroom," Yan Hang also said softly, "I ran into your grandfather, and I guess he thought I was up for the day, so he brought me here."

"Did you get to, use the bathroom?" Chu Yi quickly asked.

"I did. You think I could hold it until now?" Yan Hang clicked his tongue.

The terrace flower-viewing activity ended quickly as grandmother came up to call grandfather down to help with the meal.

"Really, I'll do it." Yan Hang said.

"Can you make dumplings?" Grandma asked.

"Anything you can name, whether Chinese or Western cuisine," Yan Hang said, "I can make it all."

"Oh my," Grandma looked at Chu Yi, "Is that true?"

"It's true," Chu Yi nodded, and after grandmother left, he looked at Yan Hang again, "Really?"s

“That’s a lie,” Yan Hang laughed. “When I brag, I make it sound just as convincing as the truth.”

However, the dumplings were not a lie. He had seen Yan Hang make dumplings skillfully on New Year’s Eve.

When Yan Hang started kneading the dough, Grandma pointed at him and said, “Oh, you really know what you’re doing.”

“I can do it too,” Chu Yi said.

“Then why don’t you give it a try?” Yan Hang looked at him.

“I was just casually, saying it,” Chu Yi said.

There weren't many rules for New Year's Eve at his grandfather and grandmother's house. They ate the dumplings whenever they were ready, and after eating, they would sleep until just before dinner, preparing a bit for staying up late at night.

Yan Hang and Chu Yi didn't have such sleeping habits. After staying in the room for a while, Chu Yi took Yan Hang out.

They wandered back and forth along the main streets of the small town, with Chu Yi showing Yan Hang all the places he used to love going to as a child.

The sky had darkened a bit, and guessing that grandfather and grandmother had woken up, they started heading back.

"There aren't many, streets to stroll here," Chu Yi said, "Isn't it, boring to just wander, around like this?"

"Not at all. I quite like these small towns," Yan Hang stretched his arms, "Not far from the city, quiet but not too isolated."

"I like it too," Chu Yi smiled, "In the past, I used to, look forward to coming here for, New Year's."

"Will I be getting New Year's money later?" Yan Hang rubbed his hands together.

"Yes, but not, too much." Chu Yi also rubbed his hands.

"It doesn't matter, I just want to receive proper New Year's money once," Yan Hang said, "The New Year's money from my dad and Old Cui was always very improper."

Chu Yi didn't speak, just laughed for a long time.

"Really, it's just..." Yan Hang smiled and turned his head, but suddenly paused. On New Year's Eve at this time in a small town, the street was basically empty except for the two of them, but he caught a glimpse of someone in his peripheral vision, "Every time they gave it, it was like a joke."

When he looked in that direction, there was no one there anymore. Between two already closed shops, in a narrow alley, he couldn't see any figure.

But Yan Hang knew there must have been someone there just now.

And his first judgment was that it was Chu Yi's father.

Yan Hang didn't tell Chu Yi about this. He couldn't be 100% certain it was Chu Yi's father, he couldn't even be 100% certain there was actually someone there.

He also didn't want to affect Chu Yi's mood again and again during the New Year.

When they returned to grandfather and grandmother's house, grandmother was already busy in the kitchen.

Yan Hang forcibly took over the stove, quickly rearranging the various ingredients grandmother had prepared, and started cooking.

"He's mixed everything up," grandmother whispered to grandfather at the kitchen door, "It's too trendy, I can't understand it. I don't know if it will be edible."

"You just can't accept it," grandfather said with a laugh.

"I've been cooking for decades, how could I accept a child this young?" grandmother said, "Look at Chu Yi, is he someone who can cook?"

"Well, he's not Chu Yi," grandfather said.

Yan Hang had always been quick at cooking. Grandmother had already started the stewed dishes earlier, and the stir-fries weren't difficult to make. In no time, several dishes were served on the table.

"It really does... look quite presentable, these dishes, look," grandfather said.

"This child wasn't boasting after all?" Grandma stood by the table.

Chu Yi was very proud. After sitting down, he poured wine for everyone and raised his glass.

"May everything be well," Grandma said.

"Everything is well!" Grandpa said.

Yan Hang saw tears suddenly welling up in the eyes of the two elderly people.

"Everything is well," he glanced out the window, "Look at Chu Yi, he's grown into a fine young man."

"Yes," Grandpa wiped his eyes and said with a smile, "Time flies."

After drinking a few sips of wine and the elderly couple's emotions had calmed a bit, Yan Hang was about to find a topic to chat about when Grandma, sitting opposite him, suddenly said with a mysterious face: "5-star, let Grandma tell you a ghost story."

"Huh?" Yan Hang was taken aback.

"It's a tradition," Chu Yi said with a smile.

"Did you go out for a stroll today?" Grandma asked.

"Yes," Yan Hang nodded.

"Did he take you to the back street, the one with the temple?" Grandma's expression changed, showing a bit of fear.

"We went... I think," Yan Hang looked at her, "There was a temple..."

"Did you look inside?" Grandma immediately asked again, lowering her voice, "If you looked inside, you might feel like someone is behind you..."

Yan Hang's back inexplicably started to feel cold due to Grandma's expression and voice.

Grandma pressed on in a low voice: "Pulling your hair..."

Yan Hang suddenly felt as if the hair on the back of his head moved slightly, as if blown by the wind. His heart started racing, and he couldn't control this instinctive terror.

"Ah!" he shouted, straightening his back abruptly and turning his head.

He saw grandfather's hand raised behind him.

Grandpa and Grandma both burst into laughter, and Chu Yi grabbed his hand, rubbing it while laughing.

"All the unhappiness of this year has been scared away," Grandma looked at him with a smile, "Next year will be a happy year."

"Ah," Yan Hang was stunned for a moment, then started laughing along.