N-M Chapter 125 New Year's Eve - Human Recreation
Chapter 125 New Year's Eve - Human Recreation
A tall building in the distance.
He Qing stood alone by the railing, holding a pot of wine in his hand.
Tonight, the capital is brightly lit, especially the direction of the Grand Tutor's mansion, where laughter can be faintly heard carried on the wind.
He raised the wine jug and gestured towards that direction.
"Happy New Year," he said softly, though it was unclear who he was speaking to.
The wind was strong, making his clothes flutter loudly. He tilted his head back and took a swig of wine, the crimson beauty mark at the corner of his eye appearing vividly bright in the moonlight.
Footsteps sounded behind me.
"Young Master," the man in black whispered, "there's movement from He Cong's side."
He Qing did not turn around.
"Let's not talk about these things tonight."
The man in black remained silent for a moment before disappearing into the night.
He Qing continued to gaze in the direction of the Grand Tutor's residence.
The fireworks should be starting soon.
---
"Fireworks are on!"
Jiang Wan Ning's shout woke everyone in the courtyard.
The Jiang family had already prepared all sorts of fireworks, filling the entire courtyard.
The servants lit the fuses, and with a "whoosh," the first firework shot into the night sky and exploded with a "bang," scattering golden light across the heavens.
Then came the second, the third... red, green, purple, gold, and other colorful fireworks bloomed one after another, illuminating the entire night sky as bright as day.
"Wow—" Jiang Huaijin jumped down from Jiang Wan Ning's arms, tilted her head back, and stared wide-eyed. "So beautiful!"
Anar, no longer drunk, tugged at Su Qingrun's sleeve: "Look, look! That's so pretty!"
Su Qingrun stumbled as she was pulled, and looking down at her face, which was glistening in the fireworks light, a smile involuntarily curved her lips.
Xie Yu and Ashina Lie, unusually, did not bicker. They stood side by side, watching the sky filled with dazzling lights.
Jiang Jingchen put his arm around Jiang Wanning's shoulder, and the two siblings chatted and laughed.
Chu Qingzi tilted her head back, letting the light from the fireworks fall on her face, and for the first time, her usually aloof eyes shone with a dazzling light.
Su Yaoyao was standing in the crowd, engrossed in watching, when suddenly someone hugged her from behind.
The familiar scent of sandalwood enveloped her.
Xiao Chenyuan arrived unnoticed, resting his chin on her shoulder and wrapping his arms tightly around her waist.
"Your Highness?" Su Yaoyao turned around in surprise. "Are you done with your work? Aren't you supposed to be in the palace today...?"
"I miss you..." he said matter-of-factly, his voice low and slightly tinged with alcohol.
Su Yaoyao then noticed that he had also been drinking, and looked up at him: "Your Highness, you've been drinking too?"
"Mmm." Xiao Chenyuan kissed the top of her head. "You only managed to escape because you were drunk..."
He paused, his gaze falling on her face, his eyes as deep as unyielding ink.
I want to come and keep you company on New Year's Eve.
Su Yaoyao felt a sweet warmth in her heart, leaned against him, and watched the fireworks fill the sky together.
Another firework exploded, its golden light illuminating their faces.
Xiao Chenyuan suddenly lowered his head and whispered in her ear:
"Graceful".
"Um?"
"I never imagined I'd spend the New Year like this in my entire life." His voice was very soft, as if afraid of disturbing the fireworks filling the sky.
"In the past, every New Year's Eve, I would watch the palace bustling with activity, but it had nothing to do with me."
Su Yaoyao felt a pang of pain in her heart.
She knew he was telling the truth. His mother had died early, his adoptive mother was cunning, and although the emperor relied on him, there was always a distance between father and son. The position of crown prince destined him to learn loneliness from a young age.
"But this year is different." Xiao Chenyuan tightened his arms, holding her even closer. "This year, I have you."
Another firework burst open, illuminating his cool and aloof features, and the unreserved tenderness in his eyes.
"Yaoyao," he called to her.
"Um?"
"Thank you."
"What are you thanking me for?"
Xiao Chenyuan was silent for a moment, then lowered his head, buried his face in the crook of her neck, and said in a muffled voice:
"Thank you... for letting me know that living can be like this."
Su Yaoyao felt a lump in her throat.
She turned around, cupped his face in her hands, and looked at him intently.
"Xiao Chenyuan".
He was slightly taken aback—she rarely called him by his full name like that.
"Have I ever said it before," she smiled, "that I was also very happy to meet you?"
Xiao Chenyuan's Adam's apple bobbed.
"Slender and graceful..."
"And also," Su Yaoyao tiptoed and gently kissed his lips, then leaned close to his ear, her voice soft and gentle:
Happy New Year, A-Yuan.
Xiao Chenyuan trembled.
He looked at her, and for the first time, his usually aloof phoenix eyes surged with emotions that were almost out of control.
The next moment, he suddenly pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly with such force that he almost wanted to knead her into his very bones.
"Happy New Year." His voice was hoarse and trembling. "Yaoyao, Happy New Year."
Fireworks are still blooming all over the sky, dazzling and colorful.
In the distance, Anar leaned on Su Qingrun's shoulder, already asleep. Su Qingrun stood stiffly, afraid to move, her face as red as fireworks in the sky.
Jiang Wan Ning tugged at Jiang Jing Chen's sleeve, chattering away. Jiang Huai Jin, no longer sleepy, rode on Xie Yu's shoulders, waving her little hands and shouting excitedly. Ashina Lie watched from the side, looking disdainful, as if to say, "What's so fun about this?" but his eyes never left the sky.
Chu Qingzi stood alone in a corner, tilting her head back, letting the light from the fireworks fall on her face.
She smiled slightly and said something softly, but the sound of fireworks drowned out her words.
Nobody heard it.
Only she knew what she was saying—
"very nice."
High up in the distance, He Qing drank the last sip of wine from the pot and gently placed the empty pot on the railing.
He took one last look at the fireworks display, turned around, and disappeared into the night.
Her lips curved into a slight smile, and the crimson beauty mark at the corner of her eye shone like the glow of fireworks.
---
In the courtyard of the Grand Tutor's mansion, the smoke gradually thinned out, and finally, silence fell.
Everyone was still enjoying themselves, but they knew it was time to leave.
Su Yaoyao leaned against Xiao Chenyuan's chest, watching the last spark disappear into the night sky, when she suddenly remembered something.
She turned around, facing the people in the courtyard, and raised the half-bowl of wine she still had in her hand.
"Come on!" she said in a clear voice, "Let's raise a toast to everyone, taking advantage of tonight's fireworks!"
Everyone raised their bowls.
Wishing everyone peace, joy, and all the best in the new year!
"True love will prevail, and those who persevere will have their wishes fulfilled!"
Xiao Chenyuan looked at her, a smile playing on his lips, and added:
May we enjoy the spring breeze year after year.
Anar echoed, "May the winds of the grasslands blow forever!"
Xie Yu: "May there be no more war on the battlefield!"
Jiang Jingchen: "I hope there will be fewer cases at the Dali Temple!"
The wine bowls clinked together, making a crisp sound.
Su Yaoyao tilted her head back and drank it all, then, using the rim of the bowl as cover, looked at Xiao Chenyuan beside her.
He was looking at her too, his gaze incredibly tender.
She winked at him.
Then, I quietly added a sentence in my mind—
To everyone who reads this.
Happy New Year!
Author's Note: It just so happens that this book was updated on Lunar New Year's Eve, which is roughly the same time in the book's timeline. Thank you all for your support. Here's a little something for you all – Happy Lunar New Year's Eve! Wishing you a peaceful and healthy new year!