Grass growing, orioles flying, everything gentle.

During those days around the New Year, Li Jin Yu caught a slight cold that wouldn’t go away despite medication. The viral flu was rampant at that time, causing companies and organizations to delay their return to work by a week. Li Jin Yu was mainly worried about infecting the old ladies, so he planned to go back to the house at Three Water Tower to isolate himself for a few days, returning on New Year’s Eve.

The villa was lively, with everyone of all ages engaging in various recreational activities they rarely played otherwise.

The old ladies and the two aunts were enthusiastically playing mahjong, not even hearing what he was saying.

Dou Ju Hua sat in her wheelchair with a blanket over her knees, a pair of reading glasses on her nose, staring at Xu Mei Lan’s tiles with intense concentration: “Oh.”

Xu Mei Lan was feeling her tiles, eyes fixed on the mahjong table, thinking he was just saying he was going out to buy groceries, casually responding: “Alright, baby, I want chrysanthemum greens. We can have a hot pot tonight. Five of ten thousand.”

The first and second aunts chimed in: “We want chrysanthemum vegetables.”

Xu Mei Lan: “Chrysanthemum vegetables are the same as chrysanthemum greens. Idiots. Three of ten thousand.”

The first aunt retorted: “They’re different, okay? Chrysanthemum greens are long, chrysanthemum vegetables are short.” Then she leisurely tossed out a four of ten thousand, obviously knowing that Ms. Mei Lan was holding a four of ten thousand. Then Ms. Mei Lan calmly picked up the two discarded tiles—the three and five of ten thousand—and said, “Eat.”

Dou Ju Hua silently took out her little notebook to record this.

So it turns out discarded tiles can still be eaten.

First aunt: “…”

Second aunt: “…”

The old man: “Hurry up and play! I want to watch Chibi Maruko-chan.”

“…”

Li Jin Yu couldn’t help but remind them: “Grandma, you should count the tiles. Playing like this, you might end up missing a tile.”

Xu Mei Lan looked completely composed: “If I eat like this two more times, nothing will be missing. I’ve got it all under control.”

“…”

During those days, Ye Meng was busy planning their post-New Year trip to Thailand—booking flights, reserving hotels, making itineraries—so busy she was at her wit’s end. So at the time, she didn’t say much either, just lying on the bed with her feet up, making notes on her iPad while saying without turning her head: “Then take good care of yourself over there, baby.”

Li Jin Yu was leaning against the door at that time, with the soft rustling of mahjong tiles behind him.

He walked over and flipped her over, supporting himself with his hands on either side of her. Ye Meng was in the middle of writing something exciting and said “Ah” twice. “Wait, wait, I haven’t finished writing yet. Phuket Island has several beaches. I’m trying to see which one is the cleanest with the most beautiful scenery.”

Li Jin Yu looked down at her deeply for a while, then lowered his head and whispered in her ear: “If you want to do it with me in the sea, I can tell you which beach is the cleanest.”

Ye Meng immediately behaved herself. Her face flushed as she was encircled by him on the bed, playing with the zipper on his chest, pulling it up and down absentmindedly. A wildfire spread in her heart, and she couldn’t help but tilt her head up to kiss him, but he turned his head to avoid it, with a lazy, triumphant air: “I have a cold, sister.”

Ye Meng pushed him, muttering: “Then why are you teasing me?”

“Is that teasing?” Li Jin Yu, supporting himself on the bed, couldn’t stop laughing. “Then you’re too easily teased.”

During those days, there were still occasional firecrackers outside the window. The small town was very quiet, and the occasional sound of firecrackers added a touch of liveliness.

On New Year’s Eve, Li Jin Yu returned to the villa.

When Li Jin Yu entered, Dou Ju Hua was teaching Ye Meng how to wrap dumplings.

Dou Ju Hua held a dumpling wrapper in one hand, gently making circles in her palm with the other: “Yes, just like that, pinch it, you need pleats. Don’t just pinch it directly, it will burst! Oh, you little fool.”

The plate was a mess, with ragged, damaged dumplings everywhere.

Xu Mei Lan couldn’t bear to watch any longer and pulled Ye Meng away, shooing her out of the kitchen, not at all polite: “Alright, alright, stop making a mess here. You’re about to ruin all the dumpling wrappers I’ve rolled. We won’t be able to eat the New Year’s Eve dinner, let alone watch the Spring Festival Gala. If I miss Shen Teng’s skit tonight because of you, I’ll kill you, I swear.”

“So you know who Shen Teng is,” Ye Meng said in surprise, her mouth hanging open.

Xu Mei Lan rolled her eyes, deftly wrapping three dumplings in quick succession. “What do you know? Comrade Shen Teng has recently become a favorite of Ju Hua and me.”

Ye Meng joked: “Then may I boldly ask, who is your all-time favorite?”

The first aunt interjected with a laugh from the side, “Your husband, of course.”

Well done, Li Jin Yu, a real lady-killer.

With the help of the lady-killer, the dumplings were wrapped exceptionally quickly. After all three pots of dumplings were ready, Xu Mei Lan asked: “Jin Yu knows how to wrap dumplings?”

Dou Ju Hua nodded, “He knows a bit of everything. In the past few years, to take care of me, he learned many things on the spot.”

Xu Mei Lan stirred the dumplings in the pot and said slowly: “Meng Meng just can’t seem to learn. This child is missing something when it comes to culinary skills.”

“It’s fine as long as Jin Yu knows how. They won’t starve in the future,” Ju Hua said.

The two old ladies exchanged a glance and smiled. Xu Mei Lan couldn’t help but say: “Ju Hua, look at how good life is now.”

On New Year’s Eve, Li Jin Yu received many red envelopes.

Ye Meng was extremely envious.

After the New Year, the two returned to the old house and stayed for a few days. During those days, Li Jin Yu’s cold still hadn’t improved, so no matter how Ye Meng hinted, Li Jin Yu wouldn’t agree. Lying on the bed, terribly annoyed, he had a habit of sleeping on his stomach, so he simply buried his entire face in the pillow, grabbed the blanket, and covered his whole head, letting out a long sigh. His voice came muffled from under the blanket. He had probably just taken cold medicine and was so drowsy he could barely keep his eyes open. His voice was full of sleepy weariness: “No. I’m tired. Please leave me alone.”

The lights in the old house were dim. From the neighboring wall came the familiar sounds of pots and pans. The plum blossoms on the wall were blooming beautifully, like a woman’s makeup, full of flirtatiousness. Ye Meng lay on her side in a mermaid pose, one hand supporting her head, the other ruffling his fluffy, soft hair: “This won’t do, Li Jin Yu.”

Li Jin Yu remained muffled and silent for a while, then stuck his hand out from under the blanket and gave her the middle finger.

Ye Meng couldn’t stop laughing. Suddenly finding his helpless yet submissive appearance utterly adorable, she crawled under the blanket, only to find that Li Jin Yu had already fallen asleep.

Ye Meng kissed him on the lips.

This is the first New Year we’re spending together. Although your mother is gone, I’ve given you my grandmother, my first aunt, second aunt, little aunt, and grandfather. I’ve also given myself to you. Do you want the moon too? I can go pick it up for you. Anyway, Li Jin Yu, Happy New Year, and may you be happy every year.

“Li Jin Yu.”

“Mm.” He responded quickly, in a drowsy, sleepy manner.

“Weren’t you asleep?”

“I was.”

“Then how did you hear me?”

“Let me say something cheesy,” he said with his eyes closed, head resting on the pillow, in a lazy tone: “Every nerve in my body belongs to you. As long as you call me, they will remind me.”

“Li Jin Yu, I love you,” Ye Meng suddenly said, looking at him without blinking.

The plum blossoms outside the window seemed to tremble lightly with his soul.

Li Jin Yu was stunned for a moment, then turned over to lie on his back, turning his head to look at her, appearing to listen attentively: “Say it again. This ear hasn’t heard it yet.”

“…Do your two ears work separately?”

“I treat them equally. I’m afraid it might go on strike later.”

“…”

This time, Ye Meng deliberately moved closer and bit his ear: “Li Jin Yu, the world loves you as much as I love you.”

“…Sister, I’m ready again. Want to do your little brother?”

“…”

That year, the clouds flew high, and the mountain flowers were especially luxuriant, blooming in clusters here and there, all over the corners of the world. That year, the spring breeze was particularly gentle, and the waves lightly lapped against the rocks. Everything was full of vitality.

Time never stops, and the story continues.

We don’t need to apologize for our past selves. Living each future day well is the greatest sincerity toward our past selves.

They remain romantic until death, and youthful until death.

Until death, they will be each other’s moon.

It’s a kind of blatant favoritism that even the Bodhisattva can’t help but accept.

No matter what, you are always my first-class person in this world.

Goodbye.