The days flew by.

This was especially true for the senior high school students preparing for the college entrance examinations.

Winter vacation arrived in the blink of an eye. Perhaps worried that the holiday would kill their fighting spirit and let their muscles and bones become lazy, the school holiday was rather stingy, just picking out a few days for the candidates to celebrate the new year.

The Huo family was prosperous and scattered across the world. The family banquet celebrating the marriage of Huo and Chu before could not be attended by all. Those relatives who were far away and could not be contacted more than a few times a year, and the juniors who studied abroad all year round could only get together one by one during the Chinese New Year. The New Year’s Eve dinner was arranged in the manor where Lin Yao and Huo Changyu lived. After all, only the manor could entertain so many Huo family members comfortably.

In the early morning of New Year’s Eve, Ye Hongjun, Ye Ci, and Huo Tinglan arrived at the manor together. They were early, and not many other Huo family members were present, but the ones who had come were close relatives of the married couple. Ye Ci had met them before at various small family banquets, and was no stranger to them. He smiled shyly and took the initiative to say hello to those uncles and aunts.

Except for a few children who got together to play on their gaming consoles, most of these Huo family members were busy with the housekeeping team, picking some easy chores to do. Although all the chores were taken care of by a professional team, some small tasks could be done themselves in order to create a New Year’s atmosphere.

In the study, Huo Changyu was writing couplets and blessings with a brush. Huo Tinglan’s calligraphy was also good, but his handwriting was too sharp, fierce and excessive, with insufficient harmony. Writing festive words such as “Auspicious and joyful wishes for the whole family” was a little incongruous, and Lin Yao had complained about it many times. Therefore, all she could do was roll up her sleeves and grind ink for Huo Changyu.

On the other side, Ye Ci was enthusiastically helping the housekeeper seal money in red envelopes. The brand-new bright red bills with consecutive numbers were crisp and flat enough to cut one’s hand. Flicking and flipping them made a fresh sound, and just hearing it made people feel comfortable physically and mentally.

Lin Yao was practically cultivating to become an immortal, so she didn’t care about these mundane affairs, and pulled Ye Hongjun along to drink tea and nitpick things in the reception hall. During the Chinese New Year, one should always buy some new clothes and things like new year’s goods, but Lin Yao couldn’t be bothered to go out when it was cold. The managers of various luxury stores took turns to go out and deliver the goods to her home for her to choose from.

Lin Yao picked through them, looking and commenting. Ye Hongjun didn’t understand these things, so she held the cup of black tea carefully and politely, nodding and smiling along with Lin Yao.

The clinical trial in San Francisco had resulted in her miraculous recovery, and after returning to China, she had been taken care of by Huo Tinglan as if she were his biological mother. Now she had no worries about food and clothing, and had a lot of savings, but she was used to living a hard life and didn’t know how to relax. She dared not spend money, and still tended to be frugal in terms of food and clothing. Ye Ci had a clumsy mouth and couldn’t persuade her, and also didn’t know how to encourage her. This time she and Ye Ci came to the Huo residence to celebrate the new year, and she simply dressed neatly and decently. Facing a lady like Lin Yao, who had been pampered and cherished since childhood and was dressed luxuriously and bedecked with jewels, she lacked some confidence.

Lin Yao noticed this, and intended to work a new philosophy of life into Ye Hongjun.

“……Their New Year limited design this year is not bad.” Lin Yao picked up a handbag made of embossed calfskin. It had a white background and a red wintersweet^[1] pattern sketched in a European style, but it didn’t lack harmony. Those foreign designers rarely came up with Chinese-style designs that could catch the eye, but this one was elegant and unassuming, which matched Ye Hongjun’s temperament very well.

“Xiao Jun, try this bag.” Lin Yao picked up the small handbag and stuffed it into Ye Hongjun’s hands with a calm demeanor. Taking two steps back, she tilted her head to look and exclaimed softly, “Ai, it looks good. This handbag suits you well.” She turned her head and told the manager who was standing beside her, “Bring me that orange one, please.”

“This……” Ye Hongjun was slightly taken aback, and looked worried.

Seeing that she was clearly going to act polite, Lin Yao took another model with a different color and pattern. Gathering together naturally and affectionately with Ye Hongjun, she put the two handbags next to each other and said with irresistible gentleness: “You use wintersweet and I’ll use hydrangeas. This size is just right to hold red envelopes. How good this is, now we don’t have to walk around holding a stack of red envelopes. How about it? Alas, I have never had sisters and haven’t been able to match styles with someone……”

The style and application of her speech, strength wrapped in tenderness, was exactly the same as Huo Tinglan.

It could only be said that they were worthy of being mother and son.

And Ye Hongjun was as soft and easy-going as her own son, so Lin Yao was able to meticulously dress her from head to toe while she was in a daze.

She also had a traveling manicurist do a round of hand care.

It felt like sleepwalking to Ye Hongjun.

She had a good foundation, and looked naturally beautiful and youthful. Her only shortcoming was that she was less energetic after recovering from a serious illness, and was too thin. However, Lin Yao had good taste and knew how to make use of her strengths while avoiding her weaknesses. Ye Hongjun let her dress her up like this, and she immediately looked radiant. The scars that had eroded her over the years seemed to have been filled in and polished by Lin Yao’s skillful hands and expensive clothing and accessories, and at first glance, she looked like a different person. 

“New year, new atmosphere, that’s how it should be. Changing from head to toe is what the New Year is all about, don’t you think? Lao Huo said that it was unreasonable to buy, buy, buy, but look at you……”

Lin Yao took Ye Hongjun’s arm affectionately, looking for that lovey-dovey young couple to take credit. As expected, Ye Ci’s eyes reddened at the sight, and he took some group photos with Ye Hongjun in silence.

It had been a long time since he had seen Ye Hongjun so resplendent.

That Mom could still do this……was really good.

As the afternoon approached, more and more Huo family members arrived, and many of them were strangers. Huo Tinglan was afraid that Ye Ci would feel awkward, so he asked him to accompany Lin Yao and Ye Hongjun to have afternoon snacks and tea in the reception hall, and also brought the cute and sweet Napoleon short-legged cat for Ye Ci to pet.

An examinee’s vacation time was precious, so there was no need to waste energy with endless small talk. Obviously, he should be comfortable and free.

The short-legged cat knew Ye Ci, and was inexplicably familiar with him. It turned over to show Ye Ci its fluffy belly, and even pulled at Ye Ci’s wrist with his paws, beckoning him to play with it.

After delivering the cat to Ye Ci, Huo Tinglan was about to go to the front hall to entertain guests, but the hem of his clothes was tugged by Ye Ci when he turned to leave.

“Huo-shushu, wait, wait a minute.” The young man touched his chest twice with his fair hands, and didn’t wait for him to get the wrong idea, explaining quickly with red ears, “There were a few……cat hairs stuck.”

After he spoke, the surrounding air subtly went still for a few seconds.

Huo Tinglan also curled his lips in an ambiguous manner.

Ye Ci reacted slowly and belatedly.

He had little contact with Lin Yao before, because he was reserved and seldom spoke. He mainly gave respectful replies and rarely spent time together so naturally.

To put it simply……he didn’t seem to have called Huo-Tinglan in front of her very often.

He called Huo Tinglan “Shushu” with ease, which was originally fine, but when they were in the same room, he still had to call Lin Yao “Mom.” Obviously, something was wrong with this seniority.

–  This was Ye Ci’s interpretation of the subtle atmosphere just then.

However, in fact……

Tsk, tsk.

Lin Yao had a complicated look of “You youngsters know how to play.” Wanting to laugh but afraid to embarrass Ye Ci, she lowered her eyes and sipped her black tea, silently reciting the six-character mantra of, “Laughing too much will cause wrinkles,” to hold down the corners of her mouth.

It looked like he would have to change the name, Ye Ci pondered while petting the cat.

At least in front of outsiders.

But……

What should he call him?

If it was too lovey-dovey, he definitely wouldn’t be able to say it, but it must not appear distant.

Ye Ci mulled it over, and felt that the only way to find out was through trial and error.

So he could call Huo-shushu……Tinglan?

That, that was too much!

It was a very normal address, but the affection and intimacy seemed to make his heart beat harder than the previous one.

Huo Tinglan had already gone out to greet the guests. Lin Yao and Ye Hongjun were sitting on the small sofa opposite Ye Ci, each holding a cup of black tea. Two pairs of eyes quietly watched Ye Ci’s vacant expression, as if swimming around in a void, then self-consciously becoming red-faced, getting redder and redder……

“……”

What was this child thinking?

The two mothers looked at each other tacitly, pursed their lips and the same time, and couldn’t help but laugh.

The Huo family had a fixed process for celebrating the Chinese New Year. When dinnertime came in the evening, everyone would have a New Year’s Eve dinner in the banquet hall, and after the meal, the younger generation would pay New Year’s greetings and the elders would give lucky money. After these procedures were over, because Lin Yao was fond of ostentation, she would also arrange a New Year’s Eve fireworks show at the manner, planned by a professional team.

In order to avoid having the same performance every year, the theme of the fireworks show was different each time. She would usually pick a big happy event that occurred in the Huo family that year and use it as a theme. Last year, for example, Lin Yao and Huo Changyu chose the theme, “Moon Palace,”^[2] to celebrate Huo Tinglan’s cousin successfully entering the top famous school in the United States for further study. The fireworks at the finale were like an icy blue full moon slowly rising into the sky. This year, to celebrate Huo Tinglan’s marriage, they decided on the theme “Eternal Love” – the couple was older, after all, and would inevitably expose the essence of the middle-aged and elderly at certain moments. Ye Ci looked at the dancing pink heart-shaped fireworks, and was teased by Huo Tinglan’s unrestrained younger cousins. He froze in embarrassment and didn’t know where to bury his face. Suppressing a smile, Huo Tinglan pulled him into his arms and embraced him in a very possessive posture.

After watching the fireworks show, the large group of people went back to the house. The elders watched the New Years Gala, played cards, and chatted, while the juniors slipped away to entertain themselves. But at 12 o’clock in the middle of the night, they had to listen to the clock tower ringing and eat dumplings. This completed the set of traditions, and they could go back to their rooms to sleep.

As soon as he was able to, Ye Ci went back to the room to put away the New Years money. 

There were many children in the Huo family, so he had prepared a lot of money for New Year’s greetings and packed a big, thick pile of them. After New Year’s dinner, when he saw someone younger than him, he shyly handed over a red envelope. He thought he would be able to clean out his inventory, but the red envelopes he received numbered many more than what he sent. The Huo family’s rule was that married people gave red envelopes, and unmarried people received them. Marriage was used to determine whether one was “able to live independently.” Although Ye Ci was married, he was young and his temperament made people adore him, so the Huo family elders all regarded him as a child in their hearts. Huo Tinglan didn’t receive half those red envelopes, but Ye Ci’s coat pockets were bursting as he scrambled to put the red envelopes away.

Huo Tinglan picked Lin Yao and Huo Changyun’s from the pile of red envelopes, and placed the two heavy ones beside Ye Ci’s pillow, one on the left and one on the right. He wore a superstitious expression: “The New Year’s money can only bring luck when placed next to the pillow.”

His tone seemed to be teasing, but Ye Ci wasn’t paying attention. He busied himself with a red envelope that was kept separate in his coat pocket, handing it to Huo Tinglan.

The red envelope was very thick, and on the back was Ye Ci’s elegant and handsome handwriting, made with a golden signature pen. Huo Tinglan looked down and caught a few key words.

They were mostly blessings and words of love.

“You. you wait a little later, and look at it when I’m not around.” Ye Ci hurriedly withdrew the red envelope and whispered, “I will send your red envelopes in the future.”

From Ye Ci’s point of view, this had nothing to do with marriage, and were just blessings he hoped for on Huo Tinglan’s behalf.

The cash in this red envelope was from his old card, which he had earned from working and racing. Using this money to give Huo-shushu a red envelope satisfied Ye Ci’s wish – that no matter how much it was, he was making money for Huo-shushu to spend.

This successfully created some illusions of earning money to support the family.

“Thank you.” Huo Tinglan picked up the red envelope, turning his head to kiss his face. “Happy New Year, baby.”

It was quite ceremonial. Ye Ci laughed and said, “You’re welcome. Happy New Year, Huo-shushu.”

“By the way,” Huo Tinglan said in a warm voice, remembering what had happened that morning, “We may have to change the way you address me when other people are around, otherwise they might……”

“I understand.” Ye Ci nodded hastily. “They will feel that my generation is wrong.”

Huo Tinglan smiled. He would never tell people’s true thoughts to Ye Ci.

Lest he die of shame.

“What should we do? If you can’t call me “shushu” in front of other people……” Huo Tinglan smiled helplessly, as if he had suffered a disadvantage, and teased in a low voice, “How about “gege?”

“……”

Ye Ci choked up for a minute.

Although it was a similar address, he couldn’t call him this.

He pursed his lips with a flushed face, looking at Huo Tinglan silently.

Was Huo Tinglan able to transplant his own face?

“It’s better to, to go with your name,” Ye Ci said dryly. “It’s more……conventional.”

“Okay,” Huo Tinglan said softly. “Let me hear it.”

Maybe it was because Huo Tinglan’s expression was too serious, but the little things that originally weren’t a big deal made him shy and inexplicably caused his heart to hammer.

Ye Ci muttered, his shining pair of eyes as serious as Huo Tinglan’s: “Tinglan.”

Two short characters.

The voice was exactly the same as in the previous life, but with so much more in the tone, a torrent that traveled through time and space and fell into his ears again, into his heart.

In this life, it sounded even more fascinating and taboo than “shushu.” 

“Say it again.” Huo Tinglan approached and pressed against Ye Ci, causing him to stagger and fall back on the couch. Ye Ci couldn’t remain still, but obeyed and called out again.

“Good boy,” Huo Tinglan said in a hoarse voice. His love was surging and his heart was sore, in urgent need of venting. He rubbed Ye Ci’s stomach that was slightly round from New Year’s Eve dinner and asked, “Are you so full from dinner?”

Ye Ci nodded: “En, it was delicious.”

“If you want to eat dumplings in the middle of the night, can you eat them?” Huo Tinglan was kind and concerned.

It was said that growing men ate a lot, but at Ye Ci’s age, he could eat five meals, not to mention a few dumplings.

Ye Ci was puzzled, and said frankly: “I can eat. It was four hours ago, and I’ve almost digested it.”

Like a confused and upright Alpha who didn’t know how to flirt.

Huo Tinglan laughed and forced the topic back onto the right track, leaning over to kiss Ye Ci’s lips: “Accompany me for a little exercise? Doesn’t moving aid digestion?”

… … 

“Huo-shushu, lightly……”

“How can you forget, call my name……”

New Year’s Eve passed in festive jubilance.

Dawn in winter was late, and at six o’clock in the morning, the sky was still gray. A warm lamp with weak light was lit in the room, and Ye Ci was sleeping in a trance. His sense of time was confused by the light, and Ye Ci opened his eyes in a daze, then closed them again.

He could feel that Huo Tinglan was playing with him, but that was fine.

Huo Tinglan’s energy in some aspects was no less than that of a male high school student, and may be even a little more exaggerated due to his many years of abstinence……this kind of thing, being moved around while sleeping, happened occasionally.

However.

In fact, Huo Tinglan was helping Ye Ci get dressed.

He had mentioned today’s itinerary before, but Ye Ci had fallen asleep like this and obviously didn’t remember it.

On the first day of the new year, he would go to the temple to offer incense and pray with Lin Yao and Huo Changyun.

This type of thing was handled by Lin Yao in the past. Huo Tinglan was a materialist and just followed Lin Yao’s formalities, but this year he suddenly changed his nature and became more active about these things. 

Lin Yao expressed that they would leave at 6:30. Huo Tinglan would think it was unnecessary in previous years, but this time he did not refuse.

He didn’t dare to neglect anything that could be related to Ye Ci.

Ye Ci was asleep and at his mercy.

During the New Year, people liked to wear red. A few days ago, Lin Yao had asked someone to purchase a set of bright red thermal underwear for him……long underwear.

Last night, Ye Ci struggled internally with the ball of scarlet long underwear for a while. His obedient and soft nature had a tug of war with his “cool guy” side and finally lost.

He really couldn’t wear them.

Although it was close-fitting clothing that others couldn’t see, it was shameful, and if he moved too much, a section of red would show at his ankles or wrists……

This was definitely a devastating blow to an eighteen-year-old boy.

However……

If he wore it under long clothing, no one would be able to see.

The new year brought new weather, and it was normal to go out on the first day of the new year in new clothes from the inside out.

What bad thoughts could Huo-shushu have?

The corners of Huo Tinglan’s mouth curled up evilly as he unfolded the socks, passed them over Ye Ci’s feet, and stretched them upward to wrap around.

White contrasted strongly with the pure red. Perhaps Lin Yao saw that Ye Ci was so thin and accidentally bought too small a size. The fabric was tight, the fibers stretched thin, and it felt delicate and light.

It didn’t look as ridiculous as Ye Ci had worried, but……

Huo Tinglan came back to his senses and called out in a deep voice: “Baby, get up and let’s go burn incense.”

As he spoke, he patted Ye Ci gently.

Nearly a year had passed, and Ye Ci had gained more flesh compared to when he first moved into the Huo residence.

But he belonged to the category of people with a thin, tall frame. Just by looking at him, he still seemed thin, but when you patted it, it trembled with some sensuality.

“You really won’t get up?”

He patted again.

“……”

Ye Ci still stubbornly and lazily slept.

This was quite different from the Ye Ci who was terrified when Huo Tinglan helped him put on socks before.

Huo Tinglan smiled and continued to help him get dressed.

Ye Ci finally struggled to get up when he even zipped his jeans for him. He was sleepy-eyed, with strands of hair curled up here and there, like a newly-hatched chick.

“On the first day of the new year, we have to go early to offer incense. I told you a few days ago.” Huo Tinglan pinched the soft flesh of his cheek and looked down at his watch. “Your clothes are taken care of, and I’ll give you five minutes to wash your face and brush your teeth. Is that enough?”

“……It’s enough!” 

Ye Ci was stunned. Feeling himself from top to bottom, he found that he was indeed dressed. Not thinking much about it, he shook his head to wake himself up and jumped like a carp onto the floor, rushing to the bathroom to wash up.

He had slept too late on New Year’s Eve night, and had strenuous exercise before eating dumplings. Ye Ci got in the car and was still drowsy. He lay his head on Huo Tinglan’s shoulder and fell asleep with his hands falling naturally on his lap.

He had once washed dishes as a part time job in the past two years. At that time, he hadn’t finished high school and didn’t have many choices, so he was satisfied with the job. The conditions in the small restaurant were poor, but he dared not quit his job. In winter, the back kitchen was wet and cold, and the plastic gloves were useless. His hands were stuffed inside for several hours, and when they were taken off, his fingers were often red and white, swollen like ten summer radishes. After a few months of washing dishes, he fell ill as soon as winter came, and his fingers were red, painful, and itchy.

Last winter, he bought some ointment according to what he found on the internet, regardless of whether it was useful or not, and smeared it all over just to try it out. This winter, Huo Tinglan discovered the frostbite on his hands as soon as some clues appeared, and he was taken to the hospital for several rounds of treatment, and some ointment was prescribed to be applied every day. He had been cured now, but Huo Tinglan was worried that the symptoms would recur, so he watched him apply hand cream every morning and evening. Ye Ci had forgotten to apply it since he was in a hurry to go out today.

Fortunately, Huo Tinglan had previously stored a spare in the car.

In terms of these details of life, he was indeed like a thoughtful and considerate “good uncle.”

He unscrewed the tube of sweet, almond-scented hand cream, squeezed some into his palm, and then grabbed Ye Ci’s hands to apply it for him.

Ye Ci’s thin calluses from holding the handlebars of his motorcycle and doing physical labor had long since disappeared. Over the past year, not only his disposition, but even his hands had been pampered. The skin was tender and new, the joints and nails faintly pink, and the color was like a lotus flower, easily arousing an Alpha’s interest.

The two people’s fingers intertwined, and Huo Tinglan rubbed the back of Ye Ci’s hand in an almost lingering way. The moisturizing hand cream was very oily and sticky, hard to absorb, and he had applied too much. The oiled palms and the backs of his hands constantly emitted wet sounds.

The sounds were very ambiguous.

Ye Ci couldn’t maintain his feigned sleep. His eyes were half-closed as he watched Huo Tinglan apply hand cream, his face reddening.

The atmosphere was enchanting. According to his experience, Ye Ci felt that something might happen next. Subconsciously peeking from the corner of his eyes at the privacy screens in the front and rear windows, he had just confirmed when his hand was held down on the leather seat.

The metallic sound of belt buckles being undone came from below.

Ye Ci held Huo Tinglan’s wrist and said in a whisper: “There’s no, no change of clothes in the car.”

“I know.” Huo Tinglan’s lips twitched, and he knowingly took liberties. “I’ll just take a look……what are you wearing today?”

Eighteen-year-old boys would indeed become excited when they were casually teased by someone they liked.

There was a round, fingernail-sized pattern that bled out of the red. After being dressed up by Huo Tinglan, he never took the clothes off. At this moment, following Huo Tinglan’s line of sight, he was stunned.

Ye Ci’s face was red, and he pulled the belt desperately to cover up, quickly fastening it.

After a moment of silence, Huo Tinglan commented leisurely: “Baby is so festively dressed.”

“……”

Ye Ci stiffly supported his chin and looked out the window.

He remembered that he was obviously dressed in white when he went to bed last night.

To be exact, his underwear drawer was basically all white, so he didn’t even need to think about it.

Thinking back to when Huo Tinglan helped him get dressed early that morning……

Huo-shushu!!!

Was still here!!!

Huo Tinglan praised sincerely: “The little tiger is very cute.”

Because it was the Year of the Tiger, there was a little cartoon tiger printed on the front of the long underwear.

His shame doubled.

“Huo-shushu!” Ye Ci was so embarrassed and angry that he wanted to hit someone. He rushed forward and covered Huo Tinglan’s mouth, but Huo Tinglan grabbed him into his arms and bullied him.

… …

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, pilgrims gathered at the temple. The inner courtyard where the incense burner was placed was surrounded by smoke and haze, but the mild sandalwood scent was very pleasant, and didn’t make people feel like coughing.

Among all the incense sticks, the dragon head incense that Lin Yao offered was very eye-catching.

Ye Ci had never come to the temple to offer incense, but it was not a matter of not wanting to. Out of respect, he knelt down on the cushion and prayed for blessings. During this time, he pulled at the back of his down jacket in a nervous reaction, worried that if he bent down too much, he would reveal something red.

After completing a set of procedures for offering incense and praying for blessings, the group headed back home.

Before leaving, Ye Ci received a silver amulet from the priest of the monastery. It was small in size, almost half the size of his little finger. Sanskrit and lotus patterns were engraved on it, and it was said to be consecrated. In addition to the blessing of peace, it could also make one’s nature clear and increase their wisdom. Ye Ci didn’t know what the wisdom of Buddhism referred to, so he understood it in terms of improving academic performance, and was quite willing to wear it.

The amulet was strung on a red string, and there were two small silver bells for decoration. Huo Tinglan carefully wound the red string twice around Ye Ci’s wrist and tied it in place.

Those white wrists were decorated with red string and silver, and the colors made a person’s heart throb.

Huo Tinglan turned Ye Ci’s palm over, bowed his head, and kissed the inside of his wrist.

“Huo-shushu……” Ye Ci caught himself halfway and changed his words awkwardly. “Tinglan.”

“What is it, baby?” Huo Tinglan smiled.

“It seems that you, you really believe in these things.” Ye Ci watched him adjust the string and said casually, “We got up so early to burn incense.”

“It doesn’t count.” Huo Tinglan stroked the little silver pendant with his fingertips and smiled softly. “I only believe in things related to you.”

That fingertip seemed to warm his heart along with the silver pendant. Ye Ci’s eyes trembled slightly, and he rushed forward to hug Huo Tinglan.

On the first day of the new year, there were no other arrangements except for dinner, and everyone was free to move around.

Those juniors of the Huo family were trying to curry favor, and wanted to serve Ye Ci well. The young masters and young ladies raised in this sort of wealthy family that had existed for generations were well-educated and well-mannered. As he was Huo Tinglan’s spouse, they must have a good relationship with him.

It was too cold, and playing outdoor sports would be looking for abuse. At first, someone proposed to accompany Ye Ci in the manor’s indoor swimming pool. After thinking about the unreasonable possessiveness of an A+ level Alpha, he thought it might be against his best interests and gave up on the idea. A group of half-grown children discusses and discusses, and finally decided that it would be safest to ask Ye Ci to play videogames.

“What does Little Uncle usually play?” Huo Tinglan’s nephew, Huo Wenyu, was selected to compete against Ye Ci. He was a rare “unworthy descendent” in the Huo family. His grades were a mess and he played truant all day long, practicing at all times in his determination to embark upon the road of e-sports.

These ignorant children of the Huo family thought that Huo Wenyu was the first choice for “playing chess with the emperor.” He could be sure of losing or winning, and would not be noticed even when he let Ye Ci win.

“I don’t, don’t usually play games.” Ye Ci took the remote and fiddled with it.

The Huo residence had all kinds of gaming consoles, but Ye Ci barely had enough time to study and usually wasn’t in the mood to play.

“Then you can choose one at random.” Huo Wenyu said confidently, “I can play them all.”

Ye Ci flipped through the disks and smiled shyly: “Is racing okay?”

This was the latest racing masterpiece. It was said that the image quality of the scenery and the driving details were precise enough to be almost lifelike, and players could even smell the burning scent of the graphics card while playing……

“Okay, come on.” Huo Wenyu maneuvered his wrists with skill.

In the first round, Ye Ci, who worked hard to learn the buttons and joystick, was thoroughly thrashed by Huo Wenyu.

In the second round, Huo Wenyu went easy on him and was able to draw even with Ye Ci.

In the third round, Huo Wenyu realized that the situation had changed in the middle of the game and stopped letting him get ahead, but it still wasn’t a good-looking loss.

“I’m going to be serious, Little Uncle.” Huo Wenyu had gradually lost face and couldn’t care less about making Ye Ci happy, so he planned to use his full strength for this round.

After he spoke, as he tried to overtake, Ye Ci swayed from side to side in front of him in a disorienting way, knocking a row of virtual spectators into the air.

Huo Wenyu: “…….”

Huo Wenyu became excited and rolled up his sleeves: “Little Uncle, if you play with such shady tricks, I won’t hold back, ah.”

This was shady?

The corners of Ye Ci’s lips curled up, vaguely revealing the demeanor of dominating the Fengchi racetrack a year ago, and said concisely: “Don’t hold back.”

… …

Game X, European Town Circuit.

Huo Wenyu was forced by Ye Ci to go up the acceleration ramp when he shouldn’t be accelerating, and soared into the sky. The Aston Martin hung on a church spire and got stuck due to a bug.

Game X +1, Hawaiian Gulf Circuit.

Huo Wenyu was swept into the sea by Ye Ci’s fishtail drift, and had a close encounter with a great white shark.

Gam X +2……

“Little! Uncle!!!” 

Huo Wenyu’s heart-piercing wail resounded through the main building on the first day of the Lunar New Year.

The half-grown children who were onlookers had long forgotten that the reason for inviting Ye Ci to play games was to build relationships. They were youthful at heart, after all, and their intention of worming their way into friendship gradually became true worship. All of them eagerly geared themselves up. Huo Wenyu, who had lost his dreams and become stuck in the mire, fought to beat Ye Ci, from racing to fighting and shooting. The speed of Ye Ci’s brain was ridiculously fast, and no matter what he played, he became familiar with the controls and commenced the destruction of his opponent. The whole main building listened to these children make an uproar.

The group of people played from noon until dinner. Ye Ci exchanged WeChat IDs with them and agreed to chat after the college entrance examination.

He had slept too little the day before and started to feel sleepy after eating, so Ye Ci went back to the room with Huo Tinglan to rest before nine o’clock.

The short-legged cat seemed to have spotted Ye Ci. As soon as the two of them lay down, it yowled and scratched at the door. Ye Ci asked Huo Tinglan for permission and then stuffed the cat into the bed, hugging the soft, cloud-like ball as he fell asleep.

It was uncertain why, but perhaps due to the pressure of his studies, Ye Ci had a dream with a rather sad tone.

The color of the dream seemed to have been absorbed by a sponge. The saturation was low, and the scenes and sounds were chaotic, like an old-fashioned silent film. It also seemed to have salvaged some extremely old and vague memories from the depths of his ocean of consciousness.

Ye Ci only remembered when he opened his eyes in a daze.

He’d had a sad dream and couldn’t remember the details. The only clear scene occurred when he was on the verge of waking up from the dream. A big hand stretched out from somewhere, warm and powerful, dispelling the cold haze. The originally gray dream was suddenly filled with color, and the sky and earth turned brilliantly bright.

“Wu……”

Ye Ci fumbled for the phone under his pillow.

It was eight o’clock in the morning.

The short-legged cat clung to him, purring reassuringly with one soft paw resting on his chest.

Ye Ci’s movement disturbed it, and it arched its furry head coquettishly into Ye Ci’s arms.

Huo Tinglan sat by his side, leaning on a pillow and using a laptop to handle business.

“Huo-shushu……” Ye Ci arched his head against him. He had just woken up, and his words were not very articulate. “I had, had a nightmare. Give, give me a hug.”

“What did you dream about?” Huo Tinglan saved his file and put down the laptop.

“I forgot.”

He answered confidently.

“Forgot?”

Huo Tinglan laughed in spite of himself.

“I remember it was, was very bad……In the end, you caught me.”

“……En, don’t be afraid, baby.”

Huo Tinglan took Ye Ci’s hand that was tied with a red string and pulled him into his arms.

“I’m here.”

Happy warmth spread across every inch of this corner of heaven and earth.

It was another new year.

【End of Happy Chinese New Year】

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[1] Wintersweet is a flowering shrub native to China. The flowers are usually yellow with a purplish tint inside. ⮐

[2] “Moon Palace” is part of the idiom, “Plucking a branch of osmanthus from the Moon Palace,” which is a metaphor for passing the Imperial exams. ⮐

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Extra Six: The Necktie << Table of Contents >> Extra Eight: Ye Ci’s Boyfriend Power