Chapter 202: Brought Home For New Year’s Eve Dinner

Crack! Pop!

Whizz~Bang!

On New Year’s Eve, an enormous firework exploded in the night sky over the banks of the Beiya River, showering the sky with a dazzling display of silver flowers that illuminated the dark night and caused ripples of light to dance across the water’s surface.

Jiang Qin stood with his hands in his pockets, leaning against a tree, the colorful sparks reflected in his eyes as he looked impossibly cool and aloof.

An occasional cold breeze blew past the riverbank, ruffling his hair, but it did nothing to disturb his calm.

Damn, he must look way cooler than Daniel Wu right now.

Maybe… just like that scene of Leslie Cheung in Once Upon a Time in Triad Society, standing by the river in a black and white scarf. No, even cooler.

“Nice one, Qin! As expected of Jizhou’s rich second generation. Do another one, how about Milan Night?”

“?????”

Qin Zi’ang had been smugly setting off fireworks by the river, but upon hearing the voice he turned around in confusion only to spot Jiang Qin applauding him. His face instantly went green with envy.

Damn it, why is this bastard here too?

I paid for these fireworks myself and he got to see them all for free. Is there no justice? No law and order?

He gestured to his lackey and moved the fireworks he had bought at great expense to the other side of the riverbank.

And sure enough, as soon as the rich boy moved, more than half the girls on the riverbank disappeared.

Jiang Qin sighed helplessly, thinking it was really no fun. You already set them off in the sky, why not let people watch? How selfish, with no concept of efficient resource sharing.

“Want some roasted sweet potatoes? They’re hot, fresh out of the oven!”

Just then, Yang Shuan and Guo Zihang emerged from the bushes on the opposite side, carrying plastic bags containing two fat, round roasted sweet potatoes.

“Since you already bought them, give me one.”

Jiang Qin took the sweet potato and stuffed it into his down jacket pocket.

The old town of Jizhou was undergoing vigorous redevelopment. Due to various fire safety regulations, the government had long ago issued a ban on setting off fireworks and firecrackers.

However, they had specifically cordoned off an area by the Beiya River for those addicted to setting off fireworks.

Since there was still some time before the New Year’s Eve dinner, Yang Shuan and Guo Zihang suggested coming to join in the fun.

Indeed, it was lively. Countless fireworks, ran into quite a few old classmates too.

“Jiang Qin!”

Jiang Qin was watching the fireworks when he suddenly saw a group of four or five people walking this way, both guys and girls. Looking closer, he realized they were high school classmates.

Hong something-or-other, Yu something-yang. The ponytailed girl behind was probably surnamed Zhao. And some Qian-something.

“Long time no see, Jiang Qin.”

“Long time no see, Hong, Yu, Zhao, Qian-something.”

Jiang Qin greeted them calmly, confidently, as if he knew their full names, not feeling guilty at all.

Zhao Lu: “Zhao?”

Kong Qianqian: “Isn’t he being overly familiar?”

Seeing the girls’ strange expressions, Jiang Qin wasn’t sure if he got the names wrong, but he didn’t think it mattered.

If you can’t even remember their names clearly, bumping into them by chance, it’s already pretty good to know “I seem to recognize her”.

“You need something?”

Hong Zhendong walked up to Jiang Qin and tapped his shoulder. “Jiang, you’ve been all over the news lately. Everyone on QQ is talking about you. At first I was confused, thinking there’s no beast named beast in our class. Then I realized, oh it’s you!”

Jiang Qin gave a cold laugh. “I’ll give you one more chance. You damn well better have something important.”

“We just wanted to ask, are you really dating Feng Nanshu? Is what they’re saying on QQ true or not?”

“Slander, pure slander. Rumors these days are getting out of hand. Even I, the person involved, had no idea.”

Hong Zhendong immediately laughed. “I knew it. How could Feng Nanshu possibly be dating anyone? Qin Zi’ang also said it was fake. Hearing you clear it up, we can rest easy.”

Zhao Lu and Kong Qianqian also couldn’t stop laughing. “I said it couldn’t be true. Who knows who started the rumor, saying you and Feng Nanshu were holding hands at the temple fair.”

“Jiang, be honest. Were you bragging after getting drunk?” Yu Yiyang winked at him.

Jiang Qin shook his head. “I don’t know. But dating is definitely impossible. Next time you hear something like this, remember to help me refute it.”

Kong Qianqian couldn’t help pouting. “Jiang Qin, you seem to have a scandal every year. Last year it was with Chu Siqi. This year you’re even dragging Feng Nanshu into it. Getting more and more outlandish. Sure you didn’t start the rumor yourself?”

Hong Zhendong coughed. “This just shows Jiang has guts. The female leads in his stories are getting prettier and prettier. He even dares to use Feng Nanshu’s name!”

“…”

Just then, there was a rustling sound from the grass behind Jiang Qin. The dry winter grass made a faint crunching noise when stepped on.

Feng Nanshu walked over in a white down jacket, the fireworks reflected in her lively eyes. The cold wind blew the soft fluff on her hat brim, gently brushing her chillingly beautiful face.

She hadn’t expected Jiang Qin to have so many people around him. She felt a little shy and flustered, but still quietly approached, peeking out from behind Jiang Qin.

“Done talking to Gao Wenhui?”

“Yes, she asked me to wish you a happy new year for her,” Feng Nanshu said softly.

Jiang Qin clicked his tongue after hearing this. “I’m the boss after all. She can’t even call to give new year’s greetings herself?”

“She said having me relay it is closer, easier to ‘ship’.”

“????”

Feng Nanshu suddenly lowered her head and reached out a small hand from her sleeve, trying to reach into Jiang Qin’s pocket, but was stopped before she could.

The next second, Jiang Qin took out the roasted sweet potato from earlier, his expression one of having narrowly escaped disaster.

“Your little hands are too strong. If I didn’t stop you, I’d definitely be infamous again tomorrow. They’d say Jiang Qin has poop in his pockets, and it’s still warm. Damn, just thinking about it scares me.”

Feng Nanshu couldn’t follow his train of thought. She spoke coldly and clearly, “Jiang Qin, I want to see the fireworks.”

Jiang Qin glanced to the south side of the riverbank. “Qin Zi’ang took the fireworks he bought and moved them east. Let’s go, I’ll take you to find him.”

“Go find him holding hands,” Feng Nanshu held out her hand, her expression aloof.

“No hand holding.”

“Gege, hold hands.”

After a moment of silence, Jiang Qin held up a finger. “It’s the new year, I’ll allow you to rebel this once.”

Feng Nanshu nodded expressionlessly. Then her little hand was firmly grasped as they chased after Qin Zi’ang.

Seeing this, Hong Zhendong, Yu Yiyang, Zhao Lu and Kong Qianqian were stunned into silence for a long while, scalps tingling, unable to speak, afraid to move. Everything they witnessed felt as surreal as the blooming fireworks in the sky.

Guo Zihang and Yang Shuan squatted on the side, eating sweet potatoes as they watched the whole thing unfold, mouths twisted wryly.

“I’ve long said about my godson, one mustn’t be too humble. Look, his humility has only led to increasingly brazen arrogance in return.”

“Well said, Guo. Got any more? Spit out a few more lines, I’m loving it.” Yang Shuan’s eyes lit up.

Guo Zihang thought for a long time. “If I knew earlier, I wouldn’t have bought roasted sweet potatoes. Should’ve gotten popcorn instead. What a shame.”

“Now that line fell flat.”

Hong Zhendong and the others had heard enough. They turned and left without a word. But after walking a few steps, a commotion broke out on the north bank of the river.

“Damn it, those are the fireworks I bought! Jiang Qin, put them down!”

“Kids shouldn’t play with these, easy to get burned. Watch uncle demonstrate how to safely set off fireworks.”

“You’re shameless! If you want fireworks, buy your own!”

“I’m a rich man. Setting off fireworks for you to watch, what are you unsatisfied with?”

“Whizz~Bang!”

Dazzling fireworks exploded in the night sky, like a shower of glittering gold dust, shimmering and eye-catching. Both sides of the riverbank were lit up as bright as day, even dyeing the water with gorgeous colors.

Feng Nanshu held a sweet potato, gazing up blankly, quietly watching the blossoming fireworks, her expression gentle and obedient.

While Qin Zi’ang stood on the riverbank, lighter in hand, looking like a little girl who had been wronged.

A while later, after the fireworks ended, Jiang Qin got a call from home urging him to come back for the New Year’s Eve dinner.

“Little rich girl, my mom’s calling me home for the New Year’s Eve meal.”

“Then I should go home too.”

“Do you have a New Year’s Eve dinner to eat?”

Feng Nanshu nodded gently. “I have food to eat.”

“Feng Nanshu, it’s only called a New Year’s Eve dinner if you eat it with family.” Jiang Qin said after some thought.

“…”

Feng Nanshu watched the distant fireworks, acting nonchalant.

Jiang Qin clicked his tongue, grasped her little hand and got in the car. The little rich girl didn’t say much the whole way, her expression as cold and clear as in their third year of high school.

Bang bang bang–

Hongrong Homes, the Jiang residence.

Yuan Youqin was directing Jiang Zhenghong in cooking dumplings and stew. Hearing the knocking, she immediately left the kitchen, her expression quite displeased.

She had originally told this brat to go buy vinegar, because the convenience store downstairs would completely close at 6. If they didn’t buy it now, they wouldn’t be able to dip dumplings until the 3rd of the lunar new year. But Jiang Qin had been out for over two hours and was only now returning.

“Did you have to go all the way to Shanxi to buy vinegar?!”

Feng Nanshu stood cutely at the door, a little flustered. “Aun… Auntie.”

Yuan Youqin paused, then put on a kind smile. “You’re Nanshu, right? Here to visit? Come in, come in. The dumplings are ready. You should have said something earlier, Auntie didn’t have a red envelope prepared for you.”

“It’s okay, I don’t need a red envelope.” Feng Nanshu waved her hand.

“How can that be? We’ll take Jiang Qin’s and give it to you later. By the way, where did Jiang Qin go?”

Just as she finished speaking, there was another knock on the door. Jiang Qin walked in, looking helpless and empty-handed. “Mom, the store downstairs closed. I didn’t get the vinegar.”

“If you didn’t get it then forget it. Go wash your hands and get ready to eat.”

“?”

The corner of Jiang Qin’s mouth twitched. He thought, if this was any other time, wouldn’t she lecture me for half an hour?