The host’s voice came clearly from the second floor.
Sheng Qingxi followed behind Lin Ran as they walked upstairs. She instinctively hid behind him, feeling a bit embarrassed since Xie Zhen’s entire family was upstairs. It was New Year’s, and it felt awkward to just show up at someone else’s house like this.
When the hallway light turned on, Xie Zhen’s family didn’t pay much attention at first, thinking Lin Ran had gone out and was just coming back. But as soon as two sets of footsteps sounded, they all looked towards the stairwell in unison.
Lin Ran went out and brought someone back?
Where did he pick someone up on New Year’s?
Xie Zhen and Lin Yanyan exchanged a glance, and they both understood the other’s suspicion.
Could it be that Lin Ran went to Sheng’s house and stole Sheng Qingxi away on New Year’s?
Xie Zhen’s face showed horror.
Lin Yanyan was completely confused.
Xie Zhen’s parents, meanwhile, were munching on sunflower seeds, looking amused, while Xie Zhen’s brother pretended to watch TV, but his eyes kept darting towards the stairwell.
As soon as Lin Ran stepped onto the second floor, he was met with four pairs of eyes staring at him, and one person practically going cross-eyed from staring so hard.
Lin Ran, with a straight face, grabbed Sheng Qingxi from behind him. After all, there was nothing inappropriate going on between them, so why was she hiding?
Sheng Qingxi didn’t even have a chance to struggle before Lin Ran dragged her out.
She obediently greeted everyone, and during this time Lin Ran remained silent. But when she was about to greet Xie Zhen’s brother, Lin Ran suddenly interrupted, “You don’t need to bother with him. You only have one brother.”
Sheng Qingxi: “…”
She had been doing well holding it together, but after hearing Lin Ran’s words, her face uncontrollably turned red.
Sheng Qingxi quietly tugged on Lin Ran’s sleeve, signaling for him to stop talking.
When Xie Zhen’s parents heard Lin Ran’s comment, they suddenly understood everything. They quickly urged the three children watching the show to focus on the TV, then smiled warmly at Sheng Qingxi, saying, “No need to feel like a guest, Xiao Huo’s friend. Treat this like your own home.”
Sheng Qingxi softly thanked them.
Lin Ran, however, had no intention of letting her stay there with them. He had finally managed to bring her over and hadn’t even had the chance to talk to her much. There was no way he was going to leave her here.
He lazily said, “I’m back.”
Then, without caring about what they thought, he took her upstairs.
The onlookers’ gazes followed Lin Ran’s figure until he disappeared from sight, only then reluctantly pulling their attention back.
Xie Zhen’s dad nudged his chubby son, “Ah Zhen, where did Xiao Huo pick up such a pretty girl? Look at yourself, all plump. When are you going to bring me a pretty girl like that?”
Xie Zhen proudly lifted his chubby chin and retorted, “What’s wrong with me? I’m adorable! It’s just a matter of time.”
Xie Zhen’s mom rolled her eyes. She slyly asked, “Ah Zhen, what’s the relationship between Xiao Huo and that girl? She’s quite the beauty.”
Xie Zhen thought for a moment. “They’re just classmates. That girl wouldn’t like Lin Ran anyway. Brother Ran has a bad temper and is always grumpy. If I could take him on, I would’ve kicked him out long ago.”
Hearing this, Xie Zhen’s mom smacked him on the arm. “You brat! What nonsense are you spouting?”
Lin Yanyan quietly nodded from the side.
She also thought her brother had a bad temper and wasn’t very nice. But at least in front of Sister Sheng, though he was still a bit overbearing, he somewhat acted like a decent person.
Today was yet another day where Lin Yanyan worried her brother might get dumped.
After lecturing their younger son, Xie Zhen’s parents turned their attention to their eldest son. “Look at Xiao Huo! You’ve been single for over twenty years, and you’re still not worried at all?”
Xie Zhen’s brother: “…”
Lin Yanyan, with her big eyes, sat happily eating jelly, enjoying the drama.
Compared to the lively scene downstairs, Lin Ran’s room was much quieter.
Sheng Qingxi had always been the type who didn’t talk much. As for Lin Ran, considering the somewhat delicate situation of being alone with her in his room, he dared not get too bold. If he pushed things too far, it wouldn’t end well.
As soon as Sheng Qingxi entered Lin Ran’s room, her eyes landed on a small bear and tiger placed on his bedside table.
She blinked and turned her head to look at Lin Ran, who was leaning against the door, watching her. “Lin Ran, that’s my bear.”
Lin Ran lazily shifted his gaze to the worn-out bear and raised an eyebrow. “Your bear? How about you go over and smell it? See whose scent is all over that bear?”
Ignoring him, Sheng Qingxi continued to explore his room.
Lin Ran’s room was neat and tidy, but compared to his room in the villa at Chengnan Garden, this one had much more of his personal touch.
The room in the Chengnan Garden villa was like a display case, a showcase of his life. It documented his growth over time but seemed to lack any trace of his present self.
As Sheng Qingxi passed by his desk, her gaze suddenly stopped.
In the corner of the desk sat a photograph.
In the photo, Lin Ran appeared to be around five or six years old, holding Lin Yanyan’s small hand. Their mother, He Wanqiu, was crouching behind them, hugging the two children with a gentle smile on her face.
Lin Youcheng was absent from the photo.
This photo had originally been placed in the Chengnan Garden villa.
In her past life, Lin Ran had failed to escape the fire because he had gone back to grab this very photo.
Lin Ran, who had been lounging against the door with his arms crossed, saw Sheng Qingxi standing motionless in front of the desk. He straightened up and asked, “What’s wrong? What did you see?”
His winter homework was also on the desk—completely blank.
He was worried Sheng Qingxi might be displeased if she saw it.
The room was heated, and Sheng Qingxi had taken off her down jacket as soon as she entered. She was only wearing a white sweater, which made her look fragile and delicate.
Looking at the little boy in the photo, his face serious but his eyes filled with joy, Sheng Qingxi softly said, “Lin Ran, the day after tomorrow is your birthday.”
With her back to him, Lin Ran couldn’t see her expression.
But the tone of her voice made him feel uneasy.
He stepped toward her.
Lowering his eyes, his fingers twitched slightly before he gently lifted her chin and studied her face for a moment.
Sheng Qingxi looked up at him. When her gaze met the deep, intense look in the young man’s eyes, she could feel his vitality.
They were so close that if she reached out, she could hug him.
So, she reached out.
In her previous life, it was Lin Ran who had pulled her into his embrace, but in this life, Sheng Qingxi couldn’t help but hug him first when she saw him.
She would always open her arms for Lin Ran. She would always be willing to hold him.
Lin Ran raised his hand and gently patted the head resting against his chest, soothing her with a couple of light strokes before saying softly, “It’s just a birthday. It happens every year. There’s nothing special about it.”
Sheng Qingxi mumbled, “Lin Ran, I’ll go with you that day. I’ll wait for you to come out.”
Lin Ran was momentarily stunned, but only for a second before he chuckled, “You’re going to follow me around on the second day of the New Year too? Aren’t you worried your mom will be mad?”
Sheng Qingxi shook her head.
Lin Ran sighed, “Lately, you’re like a little kitten, always being so clingy. I’ll take you upstairs to watch the stars. I’ll ask that little brat Lin Yanyan to come and keep you company, and I’ll go cook you some noodles.”
Sheng Qingxi’s ears perked up, and she asked softly, “Noodles?”
Lin Ran chuckled, “How can you stay up late without eating something?”
Sheng Qingxi tightened her grip on his clothes.
…
On the top floor, in the greenhouse.
The transparent design allowed them to clearly see the vast night sky and the twinkling stars. In the distance, colorful fireworks bloomed like flowers in the sky.
Lin Yanyan and Sheng Qingxi sat together on the swing chair, heads tilted up, watching the sky.
With Lin Ran gone, Lin Yanyan finally dared to ask in a low voice, “Sister Sheng, what does it feel like to like someone? What do you feel for my brother?”
Hmm?
Hearing this, Sheng Qingxi blinked. She turned her head and asked, “Yanyan, do you have someone you like?”
She secretly wondered, Is it still Song Xingyu?
Lin Yanyan quickly let go of the swing’s ropes and put a finger to her lips, signaling for silence. She nervously glanced towards the balcony entrance, afraid that Lin Ran might suddenly appear.
Lin Yanyan pulled her gaze back and lowered her voice, “Sister Sheng, please don’t let my brother hear.”
Sheng Qingxi couldn’t help but laugh at how afraid Lin Yanyan seemed of Lin Ran. “Don’t worry, I can hear his footsteps when he comes upstairs. You don’t have to be so tense.”
Even though Sheng Qingxi reassured her, Lin Yanyan still didn’t feel at ease.
She frowned in frustration, “I don’t really know what it feels like. Sometimes I think it’s liking someone, but other times I feel like it’s just admiration. I can’t tell the difference between the two.”
In truth, Sheng Qingxi and Lin Yanyan’s experiences with love weren’t all that different.
But Sheng Qingxi had met Lin Ran. She might not know what it feels like to like just anyone, but she knew what it felt like to like Lin Ran.
“Liking someone” and “liking Lin Ran.”
Those two phrases held completely different meanings for Sheng Qingxi.
After thinking for a moment, Sheng Qingxi quietly said, “You want to see him smile, you want to hug him, you want to talk to him. You love the feeling of being in his arms, the scent of him, and you love his kisses.”
Lin Yanyan: “…”
She felt like she had just been emotionally wounded.
Lin Yanyan could bet that her brother must have done a lot of good deeds in his past life. Otherwise, how could he have met someone as beautiful, kind-hearted, and—let’s face it—blind as Sister Sheng? She must be looking at him through ten thousand filters.
This couldn’t be taken as a reference.
Lin Yanyan sighed internally.
Sister Sheng seemed so smart, but whenever she was around her brother, she turned into a fool.
Their conversation didn’t last long before Lin Ran returned, carrying two steaming bowls of seafood noodles. He hadn’t made any for himself since there wasn’t much left downstairs.
In the greenhouse, there was a small European-style round table. While the two girls ate their noodles, Lin Ran opened a skylight to let in some fresh air. Tonight, the wind was gentle, so it wasn’t too cold with the window open. Sheng Qingxi, after eating half of her large bowl, couldn’t eat any more. She looked up and secretly glanced at Lin Yanyan, who was still diligently slurping down her noodles, likely because she hadn’t eaten much for dinner.
The moment Sheng Qingxi’s chopsticks paused, Lin Ran noticed.
He knew she didn’t have a big appetite, but he still hoped she would eat a little more. He thought she would tell him outright that she couldn’t finish, but instead, she glanced at Lin Yanyan.
Lin Ran held back a laugh, staying silent. He was curious to see how long she could keep this up.
Sheng Qingxi stared at the half-full bowl in front of her, unsure of what to do. Lin Ran had specifically gone downstairs to make these noodles for them. After some thought, she decided to finish the bowl, and if necessary, she’d just walk around a bit afterward to help digest.
Just as she was about to move her chopsticks again, Lin Ran’s voice interrupted.
“Commander, I’m still hungry. Could you spare me half?”
His lazy tone had a hint of teasing.
Sheng Qingxi hesitated, glancing at her bowl. She whispered, “I’ve already eaten from it.”
Lin Ran raised an eyebrow, “It tastes better because you’ve eaten it.”
Sheng Qingxi: “…”
Across from them, Lin Yanyan let out a loud cough. She suddenly didn’t want to stay here a second longer. She had thought the damage Sheng Qingxi had inflicted on her was bad enough, but apparently, her brother was even better at it.
After catching her breath with a sip of water, Lin Yanyan quickly grabbed her bowl and made a break for it. “Brother, Sister Sheng, I’m done! I’m heading downstairs!”
With Lin Yanyan gone, only Lin Ran and Sheng Qingxi were left in the greenhouse.
Now Lin Ran had no more reservations. He stretched out his long arm, took Sheng Qingxi’s bowl, and snatched the chopsticks from her hand, finishing the remaining noodles in a few big bites. To him, it was barely half a bowl of noodle broth.
Sheng Qingxi still had a sentence stuck in her throat when Lin Ran had already finished the noodles.
After eating, he didn’t say anything. He just stared at her, his gaze strange, as if he were thinking about something odd again.
Sheng Qingxi coughed lightly and softly called his name, “Lin Ran.”
Lin Ran snapped out of his thoughts, his dark eyes falling on her face, and sighed, “I really don’t know how I’ll feed you in the future. While 2018, that little thing ate much more obediently than you and grew faster too.”
From Sheng Qingxi’s perspective, she could see Lin Ran clearly.
Behind him was the beautiful starry night, with faint, ethereal clouds in the background. Yet the light in his eyes was even brighter than the stars. He looked at her, seriously thinking about their future.
The Lin Ran standing before her now was entirely different from the Lin Ran she had first met at the beginning of the year.
Suddenly, Sheng Qingxi felt an overwhelming urge to cry.
This is how her young man should be—wild and unrestrained, yet full of hope, not just counting down cold, lifeless numbers waiting for death. She never wanted to see that lifeless, defeated version of him again.
Sheng Qingxi reached out, her clear, watery eyes gazing at Lin Ran, her voice soft and pleading as she acted spoiled: “Lin Ran, hold me.”
Lin Ran: “…”
He couldn’t avoid it after all.
…
In the warm greenhouse, vibrant flowers bloomed all around, and the air was filled with a faint fragrance.
Compared to the brightness from earlier, the room had dimmed slightly, with only a small light glowing by the door.
On the flower-entwined swing sat a person, his head bowed as he looked at the girl in his arms.
Lin Ran sat on the swing, holding Sheng Qingxi, listening to her muttering to herself for quite some time. She wasn’t talking to him; she simply wanted to speak her mind, so his response wasn’t needed.
Sheng Qingxi reached out and clutched the front of Lin Ran’s shirt.
This embrace was the same as it had been in their past life—he hadn’t changed. She couldn’t help but rub her cheek slightly against his chin, whispering, “Lin Ran, can I stay with you forever?”
She pursed her lips and added, “I want to spend New Year’s with you, every year.”
Lin Ran lowered his head slightly, his voice soft and close to her ear, “Okay, every year.”
Sheng Qingxi smiled faintly, curling up in his arms, unmoving.
Not even half an hour later, Sheng Qingxi fell asleep leaning against Lin Ran.
Lin Ran lowered his gaze and quietly watched her for a long, long time. He did nothing, simply gazing at her in silence.
It was already midnight by now, and the sound of the clock had faded, the grand fireworks slowly dying down.
A new year had arrived.
But for Lin Ran, his new life had already begun.
Not on the day of his rebirth, but the moment he met Sheng Qingxi.
The instant he met her, that was the start of his new life.