Da Hei’s house wasn’t far from Zhazha Pavilion. Though the house itself wasn’t large, it had a spacious courtyard with a simple extension built in it, furnished with a large round table. His parents had gone to his grandmother’s house early in the morning for New Year’s celebrations. After receiving Quan Ya’s call about the incident at Xing Wu’s house, Da Hei didn’t join them.

His family had prepared plenty of dishes for the New Year. As soon as Da Hei entered, he put on an apron and started cooking, wielding the large wok ladle with surprising skill. Hua Bi and the others lounged in the living room with the TV on, waiting for food. Only now did Quan Ya find time to ask about Xing Wu’s situation from last night.

Xing Wu unwrapped a lollipop from the snack box and popped it in his mouth while chatting with Quan Ya. Noticing Qing Ye leaning against the kitchen doorway watching Da Hei cook, he glanced over several times before walking towards her. Leaning on the other side, he told her, “Da Hei’s uncle runs a small restaurant in the county town. He worked there for a while.”

No wonder Qing Ye thought his movements looked so practiced. She glanced at the lollipop in Xing Wu’s mouth and simply snatched it, putting it in her mouth.

Xing Wu raised his eyebrows with an indulgent half-smile, his gaze lingering almost imperceptibly on her lips. “What’s wrong with you?”

Qing Ye truly found it strange. Ever since last night, she kept feeling that Xing Wu’s eyes carried an electric charge. Whenever he looked at her, her heart felt like it had been struck by lightning.

With the lollipop in her mouth, she said to him, “I’m hungry.”

“Didn’t you eat what was in the bag?”

“I forgot.”

Xing Wu tapped her forehead. “Too busy running around, huh?”

Feeling embarrassed by his comment, Qing Ye ignored him and walked to the living room. Pang Hu, who was sitting nearby cracking sunflower seeds, looked up and saw Qing Ye and Xing Wu walking over one after another. Suddenly something felt off to him!

Why was the red lollipop that had been in Brother Wu’s mouth now in Qing Ye’s? He looked at Xing Wu again, confirming that his lollipop was indeed gone. Though Pang Hu couldn’t figure it out, he didn’t dare ask. He just found it strange for a moment, thinking perhaps Qing Ye had gotten hers from somewhere else and didn’t dwell on it further.

This was Qing Ye’s first New Year’s Eve dinner with a group of guys. No, more accurately, this was her first time spending New Year’s away from her family, celebrating with peers she’d only known for a few months.

The feeling was peculiar, but their liveliness soon made her forget any homesickness. Watching them drink and share interesting childhood stories, everything felt fresh and fascinating to Qing Ye, who had grown up in such a different environment.

The New Year’s Eve dinner was sumptuous. Though perhaps not as luxurious as the restaurant meals her father used to order in previous years, the taste and variety were no less impressive than those from fancy restaurants. Having not eaten all day, Qing Ye’s appetite opened up as soon as they sat down. While the others drank, she quietly ate two bowls of rice.

As the brothers got tipsy, the conversation circled back to the fire at Xing Wu’s house. Only then did Qing Ye learn that the police had visited early in the morning. The fire had damaged several neighbors’ exterior walls, and since the backyard was shared property, it inevitably involved public property damage. They hoped Xing Wu’s family would compensate for the losses.

As for the cause of the fire, there wasn’t much investigation. Fireworks weren’t prohibited here, so every New Year saw several fires of varying degrees. The police seemed quite used to such incidents and left shortly after arriving.

Since it was New Year’s Eve, to avoid spoiling everyone’s holiday, they didn’t pursue the compensation issue further, just mentioning that it would be handled after the New Year.

Qing Ye didn’t know which neighbors were seeking compensation, but there were only a few houses adjacent to Xuan Dao. At times like these, one shouldn’t expect neighbors to help each other, but at least they shouldn’t kick someone while they’re down. However, for people in this poor area, noble virtues weren’t worth a penny. When they could barely make ends meet themselves, expecting them to help others in need was just a pipe dream!

Qing Ye finally understood why Xing Wu had been so angry earlier. With such an incident, the family had no security, and as parents, they had neither ideas nor money. On New Year’s Day, not even vegetable vendors were on the streets. If Xing Wu hadn’t brought home a big bag of vegetables, they would still be wallowing in self-pity, not even considering basic survival.

Qing Ye’s mood suddenly became very heavy. She felt that too many things were weighing on Xing Wu. He had to take care of her, and his family, and deal with all these surrounding troubles. No wonder he couldn’t even find time to sleep.

Hua Bi sighed and said, “Brother Wu, what a terrible New Year this is for you!”

Xing Wu glanced at Qing Ye and replied calmly, “It’s not that bad.”

Qing Ye turned her head to meet his gaze, seeing in his deep eyes a tenderness that only she could understand. Yes, it wasn’t that bad – at least they were together now.

Huang Mao immediately exclaimed, “How is this not bad? Brother Wu, I’m not kidding, you have such a good attitude. If it were me, I’d have gone crazy by now.”

Seeing that Qing Ye quite enjoyed the braised chicken feet, Xing Wu simply moved the entire plate in front of her and said absent-mindedly, “A house can be figured out later, as long as people are safe.”

The brothers agreed, “That’s true…”

So they continued drinking and talking about old times, while Qing Ye sat beside Xing Wu, eating chicken feet and listening attentively, thoroughly enjoying their stories, unaware that sauce had stained the corner of her mouth.

Xing Wu glanced at her, pulled out a tissue, and said, “Turn your face here.”

With dirty hands, Qing Ye could only lean her face towards him. Xing Wu gently wiped the corner of her mouth.

Pang Hu didn’t know what was wrong with himself, but he kept unconsciously looking at Xing Wu and Qing Ye, feeling that something was different about them. He hadn’t felt this way before and didn’t know what was going on today.

But looking around, no one else seemed to react. They treated their actions as if they hadn’t seen anything, even the usually chatty Huang Mao did not react. Pang Hu thought his brain must be malfunctioning today.

Hua Bi asked, “Where did you stay last night?”

Xing Wu casually replied, “Got a room.” Qing Ye kept her head down in silence.

Quan Ya spoke up, “Shu Han’s moved to the county town now. Why don’t you stay at my place for a while?”

Xing Wu simply said, “No need.”

Pang Hu enthusiastically suggested, “You, you can’t keep staying in hotels, the cost would be too much. Brother Wu, why don’t you stay at my place? My bed is big enough, we can squeeze in together, you’ll save on hotel rooms.”

Quan Ya, Da Hei, and the others had more experience in life and understood when Xing Wu directly refused Quan Ya’s offer. The brothers already knew that staying there probably wasn’t convenient, and they all knew why but chose not to mention it.

But this chubby kid was so naive, suggesting that Xing Wu leave a beautiful young woman to sleep with him instead – where was his sense?

The others either lit cigarettes or poured drinks, staying silent. Huang Mao stared at Pang Hu like he was an idiot, feeling extremely anxious!

Xing Wu pulled out a cigarette with an ambiguous smile and said, “I don’t sleep with men.”

Qing Ye held her disposable cup, feeling mysteriously embarrassed.

Xing Wu lowered his head to light his cigarette, tossed the pack to Quan Ya across the table, and asked, “Where was Da Cao last night?”

Quan Ya took the pack and pulled out a cigarette: “Pulling an all-nighter at Kuang Ren with Xiao Bin’s group.”

Xing Wu slowly exhaled smoke, his expression blank as he looked at Quan Ya: “After the fifth, find time to set up a meeting with Da Cao for me.”

The table suddenly fell silent, and even Qing Ye raised her head to stare at Xing Wu. His profile was sharp and cold, showing no emotion, but it was precisely this demeanor that made Qing Ye uneasy.

Huang Mao couldn’t hold back and asked first, “Brother Wu, what do you want with Da Cao?”

With the cigarette dangling from his mouth, arm draped over the chair back and legs crossed, Xing Wu appeared casual and unrestrained, but the light in his eyes was ice-cold. Taking a deep drag of his cigarette, he said slowly, “Have a chat with him.”

Qing Ye felt her heart rate increase, that uneasy feeling growing stronger, but surrounded by people, she couldn’t probe further. She could only furrow her brows and stare intently at Xing Wu.

Sensing her gaze, Xing Wu glanced at her and smiled, as if telling her not to worry.

Quan Ya asked, “You’ve made up your mind?”

Xing Wu’s gaze remained locked on Qing Ye’s face, his lips still curved slightly, as he answered, “Since he crossed my bottom line, he should be prepared for mutual destruction. Pass this message to him.”

Under his gaze, Qing Ye’s heart continued to race. She seemed to guess what Xing Wu planned to do, but she couldn’t estimate what consequences his actions might bring.

But Xing Wu quickly changed the subject, asking Huang Mao when the driving school would open. Huang Mao was startled, “Huh? What driving school?”

Xing Wu smiled faintly, “Gone stupid?”

Huang Mao immediately responded, “The seventh.”

Xing Wu fell silent. The Spring Festival Gala was playing its usual skits on the TV in the living room, and the group in the courtyard had mostly finished eating.

Da Hei went inside and threw an envelope in front of Xing Wu, who lowered his eyes to look at it. Huang Mao and the others also gradually pulled out envelopes from their pockets and handed them to him.

Da Hei said, “It’s not much, just a small gesture from your brothers. Take it for now.”

Finally, Quan Ya pulled out a sealed black bag from his inner coat pocket and placed it in front of Xing Wu without a word.

Qing Ye hadn’t expected these seemingly penniless young men to empty their savings to support Xing Wu at this moment.

Huang Mao and Pang Hu were still students without much income, yet they had managed to give several thousand. Da Hei and Hua Bi’s envelopes were thick, likely no less than ten thousand each. As for Quan Ya, a man of few words but fierce actions, Qing Ye estimated his stack to be at least twenty or thirty thousand.

She didn’t know how Xing Wu felt at that moment, but her heart was turbulent. When Xing Wu was in his most difficult situation, these brothers stood by his side, supporting him without hesitation. Their loyalty moved her deeply.

She turned to look at Xing Wu, who kept his gaze lowered, his thick eyelashes shadowing the complex emotions in his eyes. He remained silent, and Qing Ye tactfully rose and went to the living room, giving the brothers some space to talk.

She understood that although there was nothing to hide between her and Xing Wu anymore, some moments might be more natural for him without her presence.

She sat in the living room watching the Spring Festival Gala for a while before Xing Wu called from outside, “Qing Ye, let’s go.”

She got up and zipped her down jacket as everyone started putting on their clothes to leave. Walking to Xing Wu’s side, he nudged her and said, “Say goodbye to Da Hei.”

Qing Ye politely said to Da Hei, “Thank you for the New Year’s Eve dinner. It truly was worthy of An Zi County’s top chef.”

She gave him a thumbs up, and Da Hei smiled, saying, “Come eat again tomorrow.”

Xing Wu waved his hand, “Can’t, got things to do.”

Qing Ye said to him, “Happy New Year.” From the corner of her eye, she noticed Da Hei’s envelope still on the table.

Da Hei replied, “Happy New Year. Be careful on your way back, the roads aren’t good.”

It was almost eleven when they left Da Hei’s house. Everyone parted ways at the intersection. The outdoor temperature was very low, with no sign of the snow melting. However, the night snow scene was crystalline and bright, sparkling points of light seeming to illuminate their way home.

Qing Ye walked beside Xing Wu, silently watching him. He wore a tracksuit bought hastily from a small shop that morning – he had no choice, as yesterday’s clothes were too dirty to wear. Though he wasn’t particularly fussy, he always kept himself neat and clean. This cheaply made tracksuit somehow didn’t look cheap on him, though it seemed rather thin and not very warm.

After walking for a while, Qing Ye spoke up, “You didn’t take their money?”

Xing Wu had his hands in his pockets, looking at the pale path ahead as he replied quietly, “Life isn’t easy for any of them. Especially Huang Mao and Pang Hu – where would they get money except from their families? How could I take it?”

Qing Ye fell silent. She had guessed Xing Wu wouldn’t take it. He never liked troubling others, and among these people, he was more like a spiritual pillar. Though not the oldest, they all called him “Brother” not just for his courage and charisma, but because he always considered things from their perspective, earning their unconditional support.

Seeing her deliberately walking in the thick, untrodden snow instead of the clear path, Xing Wu pulled her over saying, “Walk properly.”

Qing Ye didn’t listen, saying proudly, “I’ll walk my path, definitely not where others have walked.”

Her words sounded principled, but she just wanted to play in the snow. Xing Wu found her playfulness amusing – it seemed to be his only moment of relaxation since morning.

After a few steps, Qing Ye couldn’t help but ask, “Are you meeting Da Cao because you suspect he’s connected to the house fire?”

A cold smile curved Xing Wu’s lips: “The timing of this fire is suspicious, right before New Year’s. If it was deliberate, he must be involved. Da Cao is vindictive. After his setback at my place last time, I’ve been wondering why he stayed quiet for so long.”

“Why didn’t you tell the police this morning?”

Xing Wu glanced at her: “Tell them what? Where’s the evidence?”

Qing Ye suddenly remembered Xing Wu asking Quan Ya about Da Cao’s whereabouts last night at dinner. If he had been at the internet café all night, he would have a perfect alibi. Given the local police’s efficiency, they would probably just ask a few questions and let it go, if they bothered to investigate at all during the New Year.

She worriedly asked, “So what will you do when you meet Da Cao? What if he doesn’t admit it?”

“He doesn’t need to admit anything. When we meet, we’ll both understand.”

Qing Ye tugged at his sleeve, “I don’t want you to go.”

Xing Wu took her cold hand and put it in his pocket: “If you step back once, others will step forward. Today it’s the house, what will it be tomorrow?”

Qing Ye suddenly shivered. Although she had gathered from Quan Ya’s words that Xing Wu and Da Cao had been at odds for years, she had always thought that if Xing Wu didn’t provoke Da Cao, he wouldn’t do anything.

But for the first time, she realized how urgent their “settlement” was. Even if Xing Wu didn’t want to take this step, some things were no longer his choice. Da Cao had targeted his family, what he cared about most – he couldn’t hold back anymore.

Qing Ye suddenly felt an invisible umbrella looming over their heads, like a giant cage they couldn’t escape from. Would it end in mutual destruction as Xing Wu said?

Lost in thought, she suddenly felt herself lifted into the air, startling her. When she came to her senses, she was on Xing Wu’s back.

She leaned near his ear and asked, “Why are you carrying me?”

“Can’t you feel how damp your shoes are?”

“Oh… they got wet this afternoon, then froze…”

“…”

By the time they returned to the small hotel, Qing Ye’s feet had lost all feeling. As soon as they entered the room, Xing Wu set her on the bed and removed her shoes and socks. Her small feet were red from the cold and slightly swollen.

Xing Wu held her feet in his palms, gently massaging them. Qing Ye’s cheeks immediately turned red, and she tried to pull back shyly: “What are you doing?”

Xing Wu glanced at her shy expression and smiled, holding her ankle: “After all we’ve been through, you’re still shy with me? Don’t move, let me massage them, or you’ll suffer if you get chilblains.”

Her delicate feet were fair and proportionate, small enough for Xing Wu to hold both in one hand. To him, girls’ feet were adorably tiny.

The calluses on his fingertips made Qing Ye tremble slightly, the blush never leaving her face. Xing Wu looked up at her with half-raised eyes. She sat obediently on the bed, radiating a young woman’s clear allure, her flushed cheeks like tempting cherries.

With fewer people around now, he finally asked, “Does it still hurt? That area…”

The question only made Qing Ye more embarrassed. She shyly hugged the blanket, lowering her head to reply, “How would I know?”

“Hmm?” Xing Wu didn’t understand.

“I mean, I can’t tell.”

Xing Wu broke into a smile: “So you’re saying you need me to help you check?”

Qing Ye looked at his roguish, handsome expression, charming to the extreme, and her heart instantly melted.