The photo showed a buffet-like spread.
He Xiaoyuan: 【?】
He Xiaoyuan: 【Are you eating at a hotel tonight?】
Lu Chen quickly replied: 【At home.】
Lu Chen: 【Many people, so we set it up like this.】
He Xiaoyuan smiled and reopened the photo. It looked like a hotel buffet, but at home—clearly, the house was very large.
He Xiaoyuan lifted his phone and snapped a picture of the lavish dinner his aunt had prepared.
Lu Chen: 【Looks delicious.】
He Xiaoyuan: 【My uncle is a chef.】
Lu Chen: 【Thumbs up.jpg】
His little uncle raised a small wine cup toward He Xiaoyuan. He Xiaoyuan, driving, didn’t drink—he poured juice instead, clinking it with his little uncle.
The little uncle asked seriously: “Got a girlfriend yet?”
He Xiaoyuan glanced at his screen, set the phone down, and shook his head: “No.”
His uncle said earnestly: “You’ve graduated and have a good job now. Time to find a girlfriend. A year or two dating, then marriage.”
He Xiaoyuan didn’t feel pressured. A simple reply sufficed: “Still early.”
His uncle: “Not early. Look, your eldest uncle already has grandchildren. Your brother is only a few years older than you. After the New Year, he’ll be 28 and has a kid.”
He Xiaoyuan wasn’t bothered by this matchmaking talk. He simply said: “My brother has a house; I don’t.”
His uncle immediately fell silent. After thinking, he nodded: “Right, the house is the real issue.”
He added: “Good thing you’re doing well, earning well. Don’t worry. When you need a down payment, we can pitch in together. You can’t afford a super-expensive place, but a three- to five-million house is doable.”
He Xiaoyuan nodded, saying nothing. In fact, he had just checked his bank account that morning—his project Meow Meow had already earned him over a million in just a few months. Money was no longer an issue for him.
Picking up his phone again, He Xiaoyuan saw the flood of New Year messages from others and a few from Lu Chen.
He sent to Lu Chen: 【Frown helpless.jpg】
He Xiaoyuan: 【Just got nagged about marriage by my uncle.】
Lu Chen: 【Did he try to set you up?】
He Xiaoyuan: 【Nope.】
Lu Chen: 【You’re still young.】
He Xiaoyuan: 【Not young anymore, okay? After the New Year, I’ll be 22.】
Recalling something Lu Chen had said before, he added: 【It’s marriage age already.】
Lu Chen sent a voice message. He Xiaoyuan lifted the phone to his ear while picking up some food with chopsticks. Lu Chen’s familiar calm, steady voice came through: “When I was 22, I was still in college. Why rush?”
He Xiaoyuan: 【Not rushing.】
He Xiaoyuan: 【Just letting you know.】
A New Year message from Yang Yun popped up next.
Yang Yun: 【Also wishing our Xiaoyuan a year of smooth projects and bonuses rolling in!】
Yang Yun: 【PS: Don’t let the big bad wolf snatch you away.】
He Xiaoyuan blinked, puzzled. He switched away from Yang Yun’s chat:
He Xiaoyuan: 【President Yang, what’s this “big bad wolf” joke?】
Yang Yun replied instantly: 【It’s the little white rabbit and the big bad wolf—referring to a big age difference.】
Yang Yun: 【Raises eyebrows.jpg】
Yang Yun: 【Got it?】
He Xiaoyuan smiled, understanding. He teased back: 【I’m not Teacher Guan, not in a research institute, and never met an APAC President.】
Just after sending it, a notification from Lu Chen appeared at the top of the screen.
He Xiaoyuan immediately thought of Lu Chen being eleven years older than him, his direct boss in the same department. He couldn’t help but laugh, drawing curious glances from those around him.
After chatting a bit with relatives, he set the phone aside.
Later, Yang Yun sent: 【I haven’t secretly transferred the young guy from business to the project team yet!】
【Undo】
Yang Yun: 【Your Teacher told me to cancel it. Frown helpless.jpg】
He Xiaoyuan chuckled: 【But Lu Chen isn’t you.】
Yang Yun: 【No more chatting. We have too much of a generation gap. I’m off to watch the Spring Festival Gala.】
Lu Chen’s message arrived with a few other greetings: 【Watching the Gala?】
He Xiaoyuan: 【Nope, I’m young—I don’t watch that.】
Lu Chen: 【…】
He Xiaoyuan held his phone, laughing to himself.
Since he had eaten early and his uncles and aunts were playing mahjong, he left before nine, bringing back leftovers his aunt and uncle had packed for him.
The portions were too much to eat alone, so he planned to share some with Lu Chen. He decided to stop by Yanlan Bay, conveniently picking up a couple of toys for Hega.
Stepping out of the elevator, he noticed the lights in his apartment were still on. Strange—he wondered if he’d forgotten to turn them off, or maybe Chen Jun or the housekeeper had come by.
He didn’t pay much attention and carried the food toward the kitchen. Nearing the dining table, he saw a large box sitting there.
He first put the food in the fridge, then inspected the box. A sticky note on the corner bore familiar, strong handwriting: For Xiaoyuan.
He laughed, realizing it was from Lu Chen. He stuck the note on the back of his hand before opening the box.
Inside, neatly folded with no creases, lay a textured blue-gray coat.
He Xiaoyuan’s smile widened—he knew Lu Chen had specially ordered this coat for him, likely as a New Year gift.
Gently running his hand over it, he picked up his phone to call Lu Chen. The call rang once, twice, three times… no answer. Probably busy, he thought, and hung up, setting the phone on the table.
Just then, a soft voice whispered right behind him: “Do you like it?”
He Xiaoyuan spun around, stunned. Lu Chen was standing there.
Wide-eyed in disbelief, he stammered: “You… you came back?”
Lu Chen wore casual home clothes, clearly having returned some time ago. He smiled warmly at the astonished young man in front of him: “Of course. I came back to celebrate the New Year with the little cat.”
He Xiaoyuan, still in shock, could barely speak.
Lu Chen reached out, fingertips brushing He Xiaoyuan’s chin: “Happy New Year’s Eve, Xiaoyuan Cat.”
His heart skipped two beats.
Even knowing Lu Chen was truly here, he couldn’t quite process it. In his mind, Lu Chen should have been at home with his family, eating a hotel-like feast.
The heartbeat he had missed seemed to travel down his arm to the back of his hand, where the sticky note still clung, making him shiver.
Lu Chen noticed the note, peeled it off, the adhesive sticking briefly to his own hand, and then looked back at He Xiaoyuan.
As the note was removed, He Xiaoyuan distinctly felt the slight tug on his skin, sending a jolt through him. His chest felt light, his heartbeat racing.
“Dazed?” Lu Chen asked with a smile.
He Xiaoyuan finally pressed his lips together and, still surprised, asked: “I thought… you were spending New Year at home?”
Lu Chen’s dark eyes fixed on He Xiaoyuan. “Once dinner’s over, of course you can leave.”
He Xiaoyuan blinked. “But tomorrow’s New Year’s Day…”
“New Year’s Day or not, it’s fine as long as we’ve gathered. Everyone’s busy with their own things, and of course I have my work too,” Lu Chen said with a smile.
He Xiaoyuan, still in mild disbelief, asked, “And then you flew back?”
Lu Chen nodded.
“So… you’re not leaving?”
Looking at the young man before him, Lu Chen said firmly: “Not leaving.”
He Xiaoyuan’s face lit up, his eyes sparkling. “Spending New Year with me?”
“Mm. With you,” Lu Chen confirmed.
He Xiaoyuan practically jumped for joy, pressing his hand to Lu Chen’s shoulder. “You really are my elder brother!”
Lu Chen chuckled at the statement.
Still caught up in his excitement, He Xiaoyuan asked without thinking, “Have you eaten tonight?”
Lu Chen teased, “Not yet.”
He Xiaoyuan realized he’d spoken impulsively but went around Lu Chen toward the kitchen, rolling up his sleeves and opening the fridge. “I brought some dishes back—want to try?”
Without a word, Lu Chen followed him into the kitchen, looping an arm around He Xiaoyuan’s shoulder and guiding him to face a certain direction.
He Xiaoyuan looked around, puzzled. At first, nothing seemed unusual. But then his eyes reached the floor-to-ceiling window, where a pile of neatly wrapped boxes of various sizes sat.
“Gifts?” He Xiaoyuan guessed.
“Gifts,” Lu Chen confirmed.
“All for me?”
“All for you.”
He Xiaoyuan’s smile couldn’t be contained. “But you already gave me the coat!”
“That coat is for tomorrow—doesn’t count as a gift,” Lu Chen said, lightly nudging him with his shoulder. “Come on, let’s open them.”
Approaching, He Xiaoyuan noticed not just gifts but also scattered blue-and-white balloons. They looked casual on the floor but were clearly arranged with care, creating a festive atmosphere.
He Xiaoyuan picked up his phone to take pictures.
Lu Chen waited nearby as he photographed, then took the phone from him, letting He Xiaoyuan take a few more shots from the window’s side.
He Xiaoyuan, previously awkward in front of a camera, had gotten used to posing from months of taking photos with banners and being photographed by Lu Chen. He knew how to present himself now—
Sitting on the floor beside the gifts, relaxed, he took several shots; gesturing toward a box, feigning surprise, he snapped more; picking up a large box to hug in his arms, he smiled for the camera.
Lu Chen documented every frame on his phone.
Once done, He Xiaoyuan stayed seated on the floor to open the gifts. Lu Chen handed him a box cutter, watching patiently.
The first box contained a pair of sneakers.
“Wow.”
He Xiaoyuan lifted the sneakers, eyes wide with delight, glancing at Lu Chen.
“You knew my shoe size?” he asked.
Lu Chen answered casually: “You left your old shoes in the elevator. I just picked one up and saw.”
Seeing the swoosh on the sneakers, He Xiaoyuan instantly recognized the brand. He slipped off a slipper and tried them on—they fit perfectly. Eyeing the trendy design, he asked Lu Chen, “Did you pick these?”
Calmly, Lu Chen said: “Hega picked them.”
He Xiaoyuan laughed, realizing he’d asked unnecessarily.
He put on the other sneaker and opened the second box: a brand-new tablet.
“Wow!”
He Xiaoyuan held it up to show Lu Chen.
The third box revealed a high-end watch.
The fourth, a plush teddy bear.
Fifth, sixth, seventh…
Lu Chen took out his phone, photographing each reaction as He Xiaoyuan unpacked.
By the time the last box was opened, the floor was full of gifts. He Xiaoyuan sat amid the pile, while Lu Chen captured the scene on video.
Switching to video, He Xiaoyuan looked up at the camera, laughing: “This is too much! Are you giving away someone else’s entire lifetime of gifts in one go?”
Lu Chen loved seeing He Xiaoyuan like this, though the phone could only capture the outward scene—it couldn’t capture the overflowing sweetness in He Xiaoyuan’s heart.
He was utterly delighted, feeling as if his chest was stuffed with honey, thoroughly enjoying every single gift.
At this moment, he didn’t consciously consider whether his happiness came from Lu Chen returning, the thoughtfulness of the presents, the intimacy they represented, or something else entirely.
Of course, he had gifts for Lu Chen too—if they could even be called gifts.
After finishing with the pile by the window, Lu Chen sat on the sofa with Hega on his lap, petting the cat.
He Xiaoyuan approached from behind, carrying a bank card.
Lu Chen looked up and noticed the card in He Xiaoyuan’s hand, frowning slightly but lifting his gaze to the young man.
He Xiaoyuan explained, “I really thought for a long time about what to give you.”
He shrugged, signaling that he couldn’t decide.
Lu Chen guessed, “So you gave me a card… letting me choose for myself?”
He Xiaoyuan nodded very seriously.
Lu Chen laughed.
He Xiaoyuan hurried to clarify, “It’s not that I’m lazy or lacking sincerity! I did think about it.” He counted off ideas one by one: “Ties, watches, cufflinks…”
“But then I realized you already have all of these, and in abundance. If I gave them to you, you probably already have them—it wouldn’t be anything special.”
Lu Chen said, “A gift’s value is in the thought, not the price.”
He Xiaoyuan replied, “That may be true, but look at what you gave me—you gave me things I don’t have, and none of them are cheap.”
Like expensive sneakers, watches, and pens for signing contracts—things he would actually use.
He Xiaoyuan continued, “So then I thought… probably no one has ever given you a salary card, right? So I decided to give you that instead.”
Lu Chen laughed at that.
He looked at the card in He Xiaoyuan’s hands and asked, “This is your salary card?”
“Yes.”
“All your salary is in it?”
He Xiaoyuan nodded.
Besides rent, buying canned food for Hega, and meals either at Lu Chen’s or at the office, he didn’t spend much—most of his money stayed in the card.
He gently tapped the card on Lu Chen’s shoulder. Knowing Lu Chen wouldn’t easily accept such a gift, he spoke in a coaxing tone: “Go ahead, spend it.”
Lu Chen didn’t respond immediately, only turned his head to look at the boy behind him.
He tapped the card again, as if urging: “Use it.”
Finally, Lu Chen asked, “How much is in it?”
He Xiaoyuan: “A little over a million.”
Year-end bonuses hadn’t been issued yet; they would come early next month.
Lu Chen said, “If there’s no place to put it, open an account and buy company stocks.”
He Xiaoyuan was speechless for a moment, then softened his tone, coaxing: “Take it. It’s not much for you anyway.”
Lu Chen thought: This boy knows full well it’s not “not much”—it’s just not much relative to him.
Lu Chen: “Aren’t you saving for a house?”
He Xiaoyuan: “I live alone. One person eating full, the household’s fine. I can still save more.”
And when it comes to spending on someone special, he didn’t think Lu Chen would use the entire card in one go.
He tapped Lu Chen’s shoulder with the card again, acting cute.
Lu Chen said, “I’ve given you all these gifts, which together don’t even reach a million. You giving me a million makes me look stingy.”
He Xiaoyuan coaxed: “The value of a gift is in the thought, not the price.”
Lu Chen turned his head to look at him: “You really trust me—you’re even giving me your salary card.”
“Of course I trust you,” He Xiaoyuan replied matter-of-factly, tapping him again.
Finally, Lu Chen took the card from He Xiaoyuan and said, “Alright, I’ll keep your salary for you.”
He Xiaoyuan immediately gave him the PIN.
Lu Chen: “If you need money, just tell me.”
He Xiaoyuan leaned against the sofa back, smiling at the joy the “gift” had brought him.
At that moment, colorful lights danced across the window.
Both of them turned to look and realized it was fireworks—New Year’s Eve fireworks by the riverside nearby.
Soon, the sofa was pulled near the window, and He Xiaoyuan and Lu Chen sat side by side, watching the fireworks.
From their high floor, near the river, the fireworks exploded right before their eyes, as if projected from a movie screen—completely different from the view on the ground, breathtakingly close and vivid.
At one point, He Xiaoyuan casually glanced at Lu Chen, only to see the brilliant light reflecting off the glass, illuminating Lu Chen’s face and highlighting his deep, sculpted features against the night’s darkness.
He Xiaoyuan couldn’t look away.
Lu Chen glanced at him; they shared a brief smile, then he turned back to the fireworks.
He Xiaoyuan’s expression softened, his dark eyes reflecting the lights, filled entirely with thoughts of Lu Chen.
That night, lying in bed, He Xiaoyuan couldn’t fall asleep right away.
He tossed and turned, remembering Lu Chen’s profile as they watched the fireworks together, and how he had suddenly appeared, lifted He Xiaoyuan’s chin, and said, “Happy New Year, Xiaoyuan Cat.”
Time quietly passed past midnight into the New Year.
Lying on his back in the dark, staring at the ceiling, He Xiaoyuan had a sudden, clear feeling that something inside him had changed—he was no longer the same as before.