As soon as Ti Xiao asked the question, his heart clenched with nervousness.
His fingers instinctively tightened around the bag of chips in his hands.
The supermarket’s background music switched to a festive New Year’s song. Ti Xiao looked up at Xiao Yao, unaware that his eyes were full of expectation.
“I’ll probably spend New Year’s alone.”
Xiao Yao shrugged and let out a bitter smile.
“Pretty pathetic, huh?”
Victory without a single battle.
That was what Ti Xiao felt like he had just achieved.
But he still had to act like he didn’t care, so he carefully asked, “Not spending it with your family? Like Xiao Yu and Naomi?”
“Nah.”
Xiao Yao shook his head and placed a can of coconut milk into the cart.
“I’m used to being alone.”
Then, he asked back, “What about you? You’re spending it with your family, right?”
Ti Xiao quickly looked away.
“I’m spending it alone too.”
“They all went on vacation,” he said, pretending to be casual.
“A single guy like me would just be in the way.”
To cover up his nerves, he randomly grabbed something off the shelf and tossed it into the cart.
Then, as if it was just a passing thought, he said:
“Hmm… want to spend it together then?”
“Since we’re both lonely souls, might as well team up.”
Since we’re both single dogs, might as well be a pair.
“Sure.”
Xiao Yao agreed without hesitation, smiling.
“I was hoping to spend it with you anyway.”
Holy crap.
MOM, I’M LOSING MY MIND.
WHY TEASE ME IF YOU’RE NOT GONNA MARRY ME?!
At that moment, Ti Xiao’s face turned redder than the supermarket’s lanterns.
“Why are you blushing?”
Xiao Yao asked, even though he knew exactly why.
“H-hungry. I’m hungry.”
Ti Xiao panicked, grabbed something random, threw it in the cart, and rushed forward.
“Let’s go home.”
“Wait.”
Xiao Yao called after him.
“Why did you just put chili sauce in the cart?”
Ti Xiao: “……”
Mission accomplished.
Ti Xiao was in a great mood, already daydreaming about their cozy New Year’s together.
Feeling generous, he even offered to do the dishes.
After confirming three times that Ti Xiao wouldn’t break anything, Xiao Yao finally handed him an apron.
“Do I look that incapable of taking care of myself?”
Ti Xiao huffed, squirting dish soap onto a plate.
“You kind of do.”
Xiao Yao casually threw out that comment before walking out of the kitchen.
A moment later, he returned with two tickets in hand.
“There’s an art exhibit in two days. Want to go?”
It really was two days from now.
A painting exhibition at the Xuancheng Art Museum.
At first, Ti Xiao thought it was just some free event.
But the moment he saw the ticket price, he sucked in a sharp breath.
“Where the hell did you get these?”
Unlike regular museums and galleries, the Xuancheng Art Museum wasn’t open to the public.
It was exclusively used by the Artists’ Association and Xuancheng’s renowned painters, making these tickets near impossible to get.
“From my family.”
Xiao Yao said it so casually, as if he was just holding two pieces of paper.
“Damn you, capitalism.”
Ti Xiao wiped his hands and took the tickets.
“Alright, let’s go. Maybe I’ll even see my professor’s paintings.”
Ti Xiao had majored in oil painting in college.
His professor was a senior faculty member at the art academy and one of Xuancheng’s most famous artists.
Back in school, his professor took great care of him, offering lots of guidance and mentorship.
If English was Xiao Yao’s domain,
Then this—this was Ti Xiao’s battlefield.
He could even smell the faint scent of turpentine in the air—his element.
“This is Neoclassical style.”
Ti Xiao pointed at a painting, leaning in to whisper an explanation to Xiao Yao.
“Looks pretty nice.”
Xiao Yao might not understand much about art, but he listened attentively.
Watching Ti Xiao excitedly wander from painting to painting, Xiao Yao couldn’t help but feel his mood lift too.
Just then, the sound of a piano ringtone rang out.
Seeing the caller ID, Xiao Yao’s eyes lit up.
“You go ahead and look around, I’ll take this call.”
Ti Xiao nodded and continued browsing.
At the entrance, he had noticed his professor’s name on the exhibition board.
Now, he wanted to find his teacher’s painting.
“Ah, found it!”
Ti Xiao stopped in front of a portrait.
It depicted a woman in profile.
Her facial features were gentle, like flowing water and distant mountains.
Her eyes were narrow and delicate, with a single teardrop mole resting at the corner.
The entire painting occupied an entire wall, framed in intricately carved solid wood.
A spotlight shone down from above, casting the beauty in a soft glow.
Ti Xiao stood there for a while, gazing at his mentor’s work.
Back in college, he had always excelled in his major, and Professor Sheng Xiao had greatly admired him.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Ti Xiao was his favorite student.
The professor had even tried to persuade him to stay for a master’s program.
But, unfortunately…
Ti Xiao’s English was hopeless.
Realizing that two years had passed since he last visited his teacher, Ti Xiao suddenly felt a bit guilty.
Luckily, he still had his professor’s contact information, so he sent him a quick message before continuing to explore the exhibition.
“I might go visit my college professor in a few days,” Ti Xiao mentioned casually over dinner.
“It’s pretty far by subway, so I probably won’t be home for dinner that night.”
His professor had already replied, saying that the art academy was on break and that Ti Xiao could visit his home instead.
“Oh?”
Xiao Yao looked up.
“I’m visiting my grandparents in a few days too.”
“No big deal, just letting you know.”
Ti Xiao quickly lowered his head and shoveled rice into his mouth.
Since both of them were spending the holiday alone, they had decided to celebrate together.
Just a few days ago, they had even planned the New Year’s Eve dinner menu, full of Ti Xiao’s favorite dishes.
But… this is moving fast, huh?
It almost felt like married life already.
Even though neither of them had confessed yet, somehow, they had already fallen into a domestic routine.
Wait.
The one pinching my face, hugging me, kissing me—wasn’t that Xiao Yao?!
Or did someone possess him?!
He had even bet with Ti Jiji that he’d be in a relationship before the New Year.
But now?
There were only two weeks left before the holiday, and still—nothing.
Sighing internally, Ti Xiao gloomily poked at his food.
That was when Xiao Yao suddenly said—
“Come with me to the dealership tomorrow to pick up my car.”
“Car?”
Ti Xiao blinked in confusion.
“I forgot to tell you.”
Xiao Yao had already finished eating, casually placing his bowl and chopsticks aside.
“I’m buying a car. It’ll make traveling easier.”
Truth was, the idea had only just occurred to him.
When he heard Ti Xiao complaining about the long subway ride and coming home late, he suddenly thought—
Why not just get a car?
Although Ti Xiao could drive anything, he had never actually gotten his license.
So he knew nothing about cars.
He just nodded and thought—
Not only is it convenient for traveling, but it’s also great for car sex.
But the next day, when he sat in the passenger seat and saw the logo on the steering wheel…
Ti Xiao couldn’t help but wonder—
Is this guy really just an English teacher??
Do teachers make this much money??
Does his school need an art teacher?
A few days later, it was time for both of them to leave for their respective visits.
That morning, Ti Xiao carefully wrapped his painting—a bird’s-eye view of the city—in kraft paper.
The painting was completely dry, and he planned to gift it to his professor along with some health supplements as a New Year’s gift.
The weather was bitterly cold.
The northern wind howled, making the bare trees creak and rattle.
The weather forecast even warned that it might snow soon.
Xiao Yao had already started the car and turned on the heater.
But instead of getting in, Ti Xiao walked around to the front and gave the hood a few light taps.
Xiao Yao was puzzled.
“What are you doing?”
Then—
“Meow!”
Two tiny tabby cats darted out from under the car and bolted away.
Satisfied, Ti Xiao finally got in.
“Before you start driving, always knock on the hood,” he explained.
“Cars are warm in the winter. Sometimes, cats sleep inside.”
Then, in a quieter voice, he added—
“Little Purring’s mom died like that.”
That was how he ended up rescuing the poor kitten and taking it back to his dorm.
Sitting in the back seat, holding his painting,
Ti Xiao continued chatting to himself.
From the driver’s seat, Xiao Yao watched him in the rearview mirror.
And slowly—
his lips curled into a smile.
“Drop me off at Line 3,” Ti Xiao said.
“That way, I’ll have one less transfer.”
Xiao Yao asked, “Which district are you going to?”
“Hang on.”
Ti Xiao checked his messages.
“Pigeon District.”
Xiao Yao froze.
“Which street?”
“Uh… Gugu Road.”
Ti Xiao replied honestly, not noticing Xiao Yao’s reaction.
“Wouldn’t happen to be Gugu Apartments, would it?”
Xiao Yao asked offhandedly.
His grandparents lived in that very neighborhood.
Ti Xiao glanced at his phone again.
“…It actually is.”
He looked up, only to see Xiao Yao’s shoulders shaking.
“What’s so funny?”
“Nothing.”
Xiao Yao put on his sunglasses and started the car.
“We’re going together. I’m headed there too.”
Now, it was Ti Xiao’s turn to be stunned.
What are the chances?!
The residential complex was quite old and no longer had any available parking spaces. Xiao Yao left Ti Xiao at the entrance and went to find a parking spot himself.
“If you’re coming out, send me a message,” Xiao Yao said before rolling up the window. “Just wait for me here.”
“Alright,” Ti Xiao replied, then followed the address his professor had given him.
It took a long time before someone finally opened the door, but it wasn’t his professor, Sheng Xiao—it was his professor’s wife.
The elderly lady had a full head of silver hair but still looked full of energy. When she smiled, the wrinkles on her face weren’t very noticeable. A brief moment of surprise flashed across her face when she saw Ti Xiao. “Oh, it’s Ti Xiao? Come in quickly. Your professor is working on a piece inside.”
“Hello, Professor Du,” Ti Xiao raised his voice and greeted respectfully.
Du Liyue was also a professor at Xuancheng Academy of Fine Arts. Unlike her husband, she specialized in traditional Chinese painting, particularly meticulous gongbi-style works. Ti Xiao had even taken a Chinese painting elective in college.
This was his first time visiting his professor’s home. The modest three-bedroom apartment was filled with an artistic atmosphere, carrying the scent of ink and turpentine. The walls were adorned with paintings by the elderly couple.
“Oh, you’re here,” Sheng Xiao said, holding an oil paintbrush in his hand. “Come take a look at this color combination for me.”
Ti Xiao quickly set his things down and walked over. “Maybe try making it a bit cooler?”
“Let me see,” Sheng Xiao said, mixing in a hint of light gray-blue.
“Professor, this is something I painted a while ago.” Ti Xiao unwrapped his carefully packed painting and placed it in front of Sheng Xiao. “What do you think?”
“Oh, isn’t this our oil painting institute?” Sheng Xiao adjusted his glasses and leaned in for a closer look. “Not bad, not bad. You haven’t lost your touch after all this time.”
As the mentor and student were discussing painting techniques, the doorbell rang. Without looking up from mixing his colors, Sheng Xiao said, “Your Professor Du’s hearing isn’t great. Can you get the door?”
As Ti Xiao walked toward the entrance, he wondered—was another student visiting the professor today? Or was it a guest? Would it still be appropriate for him to stay?
With these thoughts running through his mind, he turned the handle and opened the door—only to freeze in place.
Standing outside was someone he hadn’t expected at all.
And the person outside the door, upon seeing him, was just as stunned.
