My cousin, her silly dog, and I were outside enjoying the fireworks. Right as the excitement peaked, my phone started buzzing.
Glancing at the caller ID, I quickly looked around for a good spot, finally balancing my phone on a metal rack at just the right height. I smoothed down my clothes, checked myself in the screen reflection, and tapped to answer.
“Happy New Year, Youning!” I signed with a bright smile.
Zhang Youning stared intently at me, her eyes clear and wide. “It’s so dark where you are. Why aren’t you turning on a light?” she signed back.
I looked around and realized I was indeed way too far from the streetlights. Worried she wouldn’t be able to see me clearly, I turned on my phone’s flashlight and aimed it at my face. “I’m out on the street watching fireworks. What are you up to?”
“I just finished eating. I was going to come over to your place to hang out, but your door has been locked for days. I’m so bored.”
“I’m staying at my uncle’s house right now,” I explained. “I probably won’t be back for a few days.”
As she read my reply, the light in her eyes completely dimmed. Her face crumpled into a pout. “When are you coming back? I miss you.”
Miss… miss me?
Anxious not to let the mood turn gloomy, I quickly changed the subject. “They’re setting off fireworks here…they’re gorgeous! Let me show you.”
Just then, someone by the roadside lit a fresh batch. Fearing they would fizzle out before Youning could see them, I grabbed my phone and rushed over.
Youning stared fixedly at the screen, completely mesmerized by the burst of vibrant, brilliant colors.
“So pretty. I love it.”
I smiled, finding her entranced expression incredibly endearing.
But with the camera pointed away, she could no longer see my face. She looked lost. “Where did you go? I don’t want to watch the fireworks anymore. I want to see you.”
A sudden blush crept up my cheeks. Flustered, I scrambled to find a spot to prop up the phone again, making sure the camera was aimed squarely at me.
“What’s there to look at? It’s not like you haven’t seen me before,” I replied, half-amused, half-embarrassed.
She shook her head. “You. Pretty. Prettier than the fireworks.”
Before I could even formulate a response, my racing pulse spoke for itself.
I strongly suspected Zhang Youning was flirting with me, but I had absolutely no proof. Come on, girls compliment each other all the time, right? I told myself. Don’t overthink it, or you’ll look incredibly desperate.
So, I just smiled and complimented her back. “You too. You are incredibly beautiful…a completely unique kind of beautiful.”
A brilliant, radiant smile broke across her face.
“Well, well. Who are you chatting with to be smiling like that? Your grin is practically splitting your face open.”
I whirled around. My cousin had materialized behind me, and judging by her smirk, she had been watching me for a while.
I pulled her into the frame to introduce them. “This is my neighbor and very good friend, Zhang Youning.”
My cousin glanced at the screen and waved. “Hey there, gorgeous! Happy New Year!”
Youning looked utterly bewildered, offering only an awkward, polite smile.
“Sis,” I whispered, “she’s deaf.”
My cousin’s face instantly dropped. She turned and locked me in a death stare.
“Why didn’t you wait until I was dead to tell me?”
On the screen, Youning was visibly upset. Dropping her head, her fingers flew into a rapid blur of sign language: “Who is she? Why is she standing next to you?”
I rushed to soothe her. “This is my cousin. She didn’t know you couldn’t hear, so she was just saying hello. She wanted me to wish you a Happy New Year for her.”
Youning’s expression softened slightly. She looked at my cousin through the screen and managed a small, gentle smile.
“Alright, I’m going back to the fireworks now. I’ll come find you as soon as I get home in a few days.”
After a hasty explanation, I hung up the video call.
By the time we wrapped up and headed back inside, my uncle had already cleared the dining table. He was sitting on the living room sofa, staring grimly at his phone.
“Dad, we’re back,” my cousin called out.
My uncle finally looked up, his expression heavy. He walked over to help us carry our things.
Sensing his foul mood immediately, my cousin casually asked, “What’s wrong? Is Mom working late tonight and you’re missing her already?”
He shot her a look. “Don’t talk nonsense. She can go wherever she pleases.”
“Then what is it?”
“Ugh, I’m just reading the news,” my uncle said, holding his phone out to us. “A lot of young children have gone missing lately, and the police haven’t been able to find any leads. Apparently, they just found one of the kids tonight and brought them to your mom’s hospital. The child is severely injured…it looks like they might not make it. The parents are outside the hospital gates crying their hearts out. Sigh… it’s the Lunar New Year. How heartbreaking.”
My cousin seemed to recall something. “Wasn’t the first one a kid named Shao Qi? His body was found in a suburban dumpster just a couple of days after he went missing.”
“Yes!” My uncle looked surprised. “How did you know about that?”
“How could I not? It’s a massive case, everyone online is talking about it. The killer is still at large. I guess that’s why Auntie is so busy at the hospital right now.”
“Exactly,” my uncle nodded. “I’m just surprised a busy young person like you keeps up with this kind of stuff.”
My cousin pinched the bridge of her nose. “Dad… I’m literally in police academy. What did you think I was studying?”
My uncle scratched his head, laughing awkwardly. “Ah, right… well, your dad’s memory isn’t what it used to be. Alright, you two go on and have fun. I’m going to bed.”
A true family of public service; even my cousin was an officer-in-training.
I scooped up Huoguo, our massive, plump dog, and flopped onto the sofa to turn on the Spring Festival Gala. My cousin sat beside me, scrolling through her phone while popping cherries into her mouth.
I had zero interest in the television program. Finding it incredibly dull, I lasted only a few minutes before pulling out my own phone.
Having this heavy, oversized furball draped over me was incredibly warm, but she was so heavy I couldn’t even shift my legs. To make matters worse, she was fiercely clingy…every time I tried to nudge her off, she would let out a pathetic whine to guilt-trip me.
“Hey, fat dog, sit up! Let’s take a picture.”
She looked at me, her eyes filled with profound resentment.
I sighed. “Princess Huoguo, let’s sit up nice and pretty for a photo together, okay?”
“Woof!”
Works every time.
I wrapped my arms around Huoguo, leaning against her fluffy coat, and snapped a casual selfie to drop into our group chat, humorously titled “AAA Local Pig Breeding Base.”
Sheng Yitang: “Whoa, where did the dog come from?” (For some reason, it felt like she was insulting me.)
Sui Yue: “You got a dog? It’s pretty chubby.”
Me: “Not mine, it’s my cousin’s.”
Shen Leqing: “What a cute puppy! Wen Ling is really cute too.”
Sui Yue: “Ooh la la~ ‘Wen Ling is really cute too’~”
Shen Leqing: “What? I’m not wrong. Wen Ling has always been cute.”
Me: [Happy.jpg]
Shen Leqing nudged me: “Wen Ling, do you want to come over to my place in a couple of days? My uncle bought me a new gaming console, and I don’t have anyone to play with.”
While I was still thinking about it, a few more messages flashed on the screen.
Sui Yue: “Why didn’t you invite me? I want to play too!”
Shen Leqing: “Sure, come along with Wen Ling, the more the merrier. What about you, Yitang? Want to come?”
Sheng Yitang: “Can’t make it. I’m already back in my hometown, chilling on my family’s heated brick bed.”
Shen Leqing: “Fair enough. Wen Ling? Why are you quiet?”
Me: “I’m here, I’m here! When should we head over?”
Shen Leqing: “If you guys have nothing going on, you can come over tomorrow evening. You can just sleep over after we play.”
Sui Yue: “Perfect, works for me!”
I quickly chimed in: “Great, see you tomorrow night then!”
“Stay safe, text me if anything happens, and let me know when you want to come home so I can pick you up.”
I hopped out of the car, pulled my luggage onto the pavement, and waved goodbye to my cousin and Huoguo.
This was a high-end luxury villa district; the immaculate landscaping alone felt a world away from a standard residential neighborhood. Following the house numbers, I finally found Shen Leqing’s place and rang the doorbell.
Moments later, a small, dark silhouette opened the front gates and came jogging toward me with quick, excited steps.
“Happy New Year, Wen Ling! Let me grab your suitcase.” Shen Leqing beamed, opening the gate wider and taking my bag.
As I followed her inside, I was genuinely staggered by the sheer scale of the property.
The front yard looked ordinary enough from the outside, but it actually featured a sprawling front lawn, a massive backyard complete with a swimming pool, and even an open-air bar.
The interior of the villa was jaw-dropping. Setting aside the furniture that looked like it belonged in a museum, the hyper-extravagant crystal chandelier hanging above me…spanning two full stories…was bright enough to blind someone.
Shen Leqing handed my luggage to a housekeeper to carry upstairs before turning back to me. “Have you eaten yet? The chef just finished dinner. Let’s grab a bite.”
Since I hadn’t eaten much earlier, and since she was offering, I wasn’t about to pass it up. “Sure, I’m actually a bit hungry.”
I followed her into the dining room. I had expected a few standard, home-cooked dishes, but instead, I was greeted by a feast of elite culinary creations that looked fit for a state banquet.
“This… this is a bit intense, isn’t it?”
She gave an embarrassed chuckle. “Well, it is the New Year, and since you guys were coming over, I wanted it to be special.”
Right on cue, the doorbell rang again.
Shen Leqing checked the intercom screen and immediately darted outside.
Following close behind, I watched her take a suitcase from a loudly chattering Sui Yue.
“Wen Ling! It feels like it’s been forever! I missed you so much!” Sui Yue rushed forward and threw her arms around me in a tight hug.
It had literally been only a week, but I appreciated the enthusiasm. I patted her back. “Haha, Happy New Year!”
“Ladies… how about we take the hugging inside?”
Shen Leqing set the luggage down, looking at us with an amused, deadpan expression.
Sui Yue and I exchanged a grin and scurried into the house.
Within minutes, two more people joined us at the dining table. Sui Yue and I stood off to the side, exchanging glances, suddenly feeling a little out of place in such a grand setting.
Shen Leqing smiled, introducing us. “This is my uncle. And you probably remember this little guy from our video call before…my cousin.”
Sui Yue reacted instantly. “Happy New Year, Uncle!”
I followed her lead flawlessly. “Hello, Mr. Meng! Wishing you a very Happy New Year!”
Shen Leqing’s uncle was incredibly warm and welcoming. Beaming, he pulled out chairs for us to sit down…and then handed us each a red envelope.
“Oh, no, Uncle, we couldn’t possibly,” I protested politely. “We’re already imposing by staying here, we can’t take red envelopes too.”
He laughed heartily. “Nonsense! It’s the New Year, it’s for good luck. It’s just a little token, please take it.”
Unable to decline his hospitality, Sui Yue and I accepted the gifts, bowing in unison. “Thank you, Mr. Meng!”
Sitting quietly beside his father, little Meng Wuyang blinked his large, innocent eyes. Clearly starving, he looked up and asked, “Daddy, can we eat now?”
Mr. Meng nodded warmly, sliding the dishes closer to us. “Dig in, girls! Take whatever you like, just make yourselves completely at home.”