On New Year’s Eve, Mai Dong was busy as usual. According to tradition, the family gathered at Xianghe Garden for the New Year’s Eve dinner.
All the aunts and uncles were present, with some relatives coming from other provinces or even abroad. This year, there was an “interesting twist” – there was no holiday on New Year’s Eve. The family group chat was lively in the afternoon. Mai Dong’s cousin was lamenting in the group chat. She had planned to take a day off, but her colleagues were more forward-thinking. With only four people left in the project team on New Year’s Eve, her request for leave was denied by the team leader.
Suisui Jie: “I can’t believe this! Who works on New Year’s Eve? Why do they get to have the day off while I’m stuck working!”
Suisui Jie: “Hahaha, don’t mind me, I love working the most! Working is great! I’m the company’s dog!”
Eldest Aunt: “Hahaha, there’s nothing wrong with young people working more.”
Suisui Jie: “Eldest Aunt, don’t you feel sorry for me at all?”
Eldest Brother: “Stop talking about it. I’m working today too. No one is allowed to take leave. Bitter tears.”
Mai Dong: “[Comforting]”
Suisui Jie: “Still, Mai-zi is the best. Going to school is really good, let me go back to university!”
Grandpa: “Everyone’s working, but our Mai-zi is the best in our family. He’s willing to stay with this old man for Chinese New Year.”
Big brother: “Are you trying to force me to give out red envelopes with that remark!”
Mai Dong grabbed his phone and snatched several rounds of red envelopes. His older brothers and sisters all have good jobs, and each red envelope they sent out was the maximum amount of two hundred yuan. Mai Dong seemed to have exceptionally good luck this year. He became the lucky winner several times with the red envelopes, ending up with four or five hundred yuan after multiple rounds.
He smiled with curved eyes and secretly transferred the money he grabbed to Yan Xuming, making it an even amount, totaling 5201五二零 wǔ èr líng, which sounds very close to the words 我爱你 wǒ ài nǐ. (I love you) yuan.
Yan Xuming declined the transfer and sent a question mark.
Perfect Boyfriend: “?”
Perfect Boyfriend: “Playing the sugar daddy game?”
Mai-zi: “…These are the red envelopes I grabbed today! Sharing them with you!”
A few seconds later, Yan Xuming transferred 5,200 yuan, which made Mai Dong want to laugh.
He declined as well and sent a message to Yan Xuming.
Mai-zi: “You’re so childish.”
Perfect Boyfriend: “Got it, the young master looks down on my little money.”
Mai-zi: “Then you accept my transfer first!”
Perfect boyfriend: “What if you don’t accept it after I do?”
Mai-zi: “Whoever doesn’t accept is the puppy, okay?”
Perfect Boyfriend: “Fine, you first.”
Mai Dong clicked to accept the transfer, and 5,200 yuan was entered into his WeChat balance. The next second, a message from Yan Xuming popped up.
Perfect Boyfriend: “Woof.”
Xianghe Garden was the most expensive restaurant in town, always bustling during festivals, and private rooms needed to be booked well in advance. Around five o’clock, Mai Dong’s family drove to Xianghe Garden. Old Mai was an old friend of the restaurant’s owner, so Mai Dong went with him to greet his uncle first.
The owner’s last name was Zeng, and he had a wild and uninhibited hairstyle, being bald. He wore a string of expensive-looking bracelets on his wrist and a black faux fur coat in the middle of winter, making him look like a real underworld boss. Every time Mai Dong saw him, he felt nervous and dared not say much, only managing a dry “Hello, Uncle Zeng.”
When Mai Dong was younger, Uncle Zeng didn’t pay much attention to his emotional issues. But this year, Mai Dong was probably old enough to start dating, so Uncle Zeng specifically asked if he had a significant other. Mai Dong was stumped by this question and looked to Old Mai for help.
Old Mai snorted and joined in, “Let the young folks figure out their own affairs. What are we living for in this lifetime, you say? It’s all about making the kids happy and healthy growing up. I don’t have too many ideas about it. As long as he’s happy, that’s all that matters.”
Being astute individuals in society, once the conversation reached this point, regardless of what hidden meanings might be behind it, Uncle Zeng knew to drop the topic. He warmly dr4p3d his arm around Old Mai’s shoulder and led him inside. Mai Dong followed behind, feeling warm inside.
This year, Grandpa suggested that Mai Dong be in charge of ordering from the menu, claiming it was to help Mai Dong develop. He said, “Xiao Mai, ordering dishes is also a skill, you know? You have to know what each person at the table likes or dislikes. And in the future, when you go out to order, you have to know what dishes are needed for different occasions, and what dishes must not be ordered. You have to have a good understanding of all this.”
Mai Dong listened nervously. Just as he was about to refuse this task, Grandpa whispered to him, “That’s for them to hear. Don’t listen to that nonsense. You order what you want to eat, regardless of whether they like it or not. Just go.”
Mai Dong inexplicably accepted this good task. He remembered last year when his aunt ordered a dish of spicy pig intestines, which Mai Dong couldn’t eat, and Grandpa scolded him for it. He wasn’t sure if Grandpa letting him order was because of that incident. Could Grandpa really have remembered it for a whole year over such a small matter?
Their family relationships were all good, and the atmosphere at the dinner table was harmonious. With several adults working in different fields and having high levels of education, they discussed recent developments or challenges in their respective fields, offering comments and insights to each other. Before they knew it, time had flown by.
When Mai Dong was younger, he didn’t like eating the New Year’s Eve dinner. Back then, he was too young to understand the adults’ conversations and wasn’t interested in listening. He would fill his stomach early but couldn’t easily leave the table due to politeness. This year, whether it was because he was a few years older or because of a change in mindset, he found himself sitting quietly and listening attentively throughout the meal.
His phone screen lit up several times, revealing messages from Yan Xuming asking if they should set off fireworks together tonight. Mai Dong didn’t reply, feeling conflicted.
Of course, he really wanted to set off fireworks with Yan Xuming, but in previous years, it had always been his family driving to a more secluded location to set them off. Would it be impolite to suggest a solo outing with Yan Xuming this year? But he also didn’t want to refuse Yan Xuming in any way, so caught up in his thoughts that he didn’t even hear his uncle calling his name twice.
It wasn’t until Madam Du patted Mai Dong on the shoulder that he snapped out of it.
His uncle sat on the other side of the table. “What’s wrong? Our Mai-zi has something on his mind.”
Mai Dong shyly shook his head. “Nothing, I just zoned out for a moment.”
His uncle asked, “How’s school lately? You’re in your second year, right?”
Mai Dong nodded. “Yes, just finished the first semester of my sophomore year. Everything’s going well at school.”
His uncle asked a few more routine questions, and after they finished chatting, Madam Dy leaned over and quietly asked Mai Dong, “Is something wrong?”
Mai Dong didn’t know how to respond, hesitating for a moment before saying, “No…”
Madam Du glanced at him. “Do you want to spend tonight with Xiao Yan?”
Mai Dong’s eyes widened in surprise, feeling a bit embarrassed. “…Um, is that okay?”
Madam Du smiled, “Why ask me about your own affairs?”
Mai Dong immediately smiled and affectionately linked arms with Madam Du, “Thanks, Mom!”
Madam Du patted him, “How old are you, ah?.” Then she asked, “Are you coming home tonight?”
Mai Dong hesitated for a moment, his ears turning red uncontrollably. He stuttered, “Of-Of course, we’re just, uh, setting off fireworks together, nothing else!”
Madam Du nodded calmly, “I was just asking, I didn’t say anything else.”
Mai Dong hurriedly shut up, not daring to say anything else.
After a moment, Madam Du added, “It’s fine if you’re not coming home. You’re all grown up now, your dad and I aren’t worried about you.”
Mai Dong simply wanted to crawl under the table in embarrassment. “I’m coming home!!!”
The dinner ended after nine o’clock, and everyone went home to welcome the New Year.
As society advances, the New Year’s atmosphere becomes less intense. Mai Dong’s family doesn’t live in a big city. Although there are regulations regarding fireworks and firecrackers, as long as they are set off away from the downtown area, there’s hardly anyone to enforce them.
Moreover, in the countryside or outskirts, fireworks are allowed. So, if they had time and mood, the family would drive to the outskirts to set off fireworks and welcome the New Year.
Mai Dong still remembered when he was young, around six or seven in the evening on New Year’s Eve, as soon as the dumplings were cooked, the sound of firecrackers filled the air. Firecrackers and fireworks would continue from six or seven in the evening until one in the morning, with children running around with sparklers in every street and alley.
But now, the streets after nine o’clock seemed somewhat deserted.
Yan Xuming arrived after ten o’clock. Mai Dong’s house was in a villa area, and outside vehicles were not allowed in. After giving his boyfriend a call, Yan Xuming waited outside the community. Ten minutes later, two red packets were stuck to the car window.
Yan Xuming smiled as he opened the car door, and those two red packets were handed to him. Mai Dong couldn’t contain his excitement, “Happy New Year, Yan Xuming!”
Yan Xuming looked at the two red packets. “What’s this?”
Mai Dong quickly got into the passenger seat. The car’s heater warmed him up, dispelling the chill from his body. He fastened his seatbelt before answering, “I also have some. This is for you, a New Year’s money!”
Yan Xuming didn’t take it. Instead, he took out another red packet from beside him. “What a coincidence, my parents gave you a red envelope.”
Mai Dong’s eyes widened in surprise. “Ai? Do they know you’re out with me ah?”
Yan Xuming sighed slightly. “Not coming home on New Year’s Eve and staying out all night, isn’t it obvious?”
Mai Dong fell silent for a moment, probably recalling Madam Du’s question about whether he would come home. He cleared his throat awkwardly and shifted his gaze left and right, “Staying out all night…”
Yan Xuming didn’t know if he was teasing him intentionally and explained, “It means staying out past midnight to set off fireworks.”
Mai Dong breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh, oh!”
The destination was an hour’s drive away. Mai Dong sat and opened the red packets, surprised to find some with odd amounts and some with round amounts, totaling 11111 yuan.
Mai Dong asked, “Is there any significance to this?”
Yan Xuming replied, “One in a million.”
Mai Dong’s heart skipped a beat. He remembered the last time Yan Xuming met Old Mai, saying that his family hadn’t fully accepted yet. It had only been a few days, yet he received such a significant red packet. It was evident that Yan Xuming had put in a lot of effort.
Although both families were not lacking in money and this amount wasn’t much and can be easily given away, it was the thought that counted the most.
Mai Dong carefully kept the red packets and held the two red packets he gave Yan Xuming, saying cautiously, “You actually got a bit shortchanged oh. The total here is ten thousand yuan. Let me tell you a secret: Originally, both my parents were going to give you one, but my dad heard that I was going out with you tonight and was upset, so my mom gave double and even specially wrapped two packets, pretending they were from my dad.”
Yan Xuming chuckled, “Thanks to my future in-laws.”
Mai Dong lightly tapped him, “Stop joking around!”
Jie Jie: Sorry for the late updates for this week! Missed the whole week sched :blobsweats:
Actually, for the past 2-3 (?) weeks, we’ve been having power outages every night till the wee hours of the night! So, I had so many days where I only had an hour of sleep because I still had work. I did mention before that my laptop broke-to add, it’s specifically the screen- and that I’m only translating on my phone. So, without electricity, I couldn’t connect it to my monitor and couldn’t open it :blobcry:
Anyway, thanks for reading my short rant :blobmelt: hopefully, no more power outages again or I’m gonna die. It’s so hot!! :googlefire:
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