DCTMOAS Chapter 47

New Year’s Eve was destined never to stay quiet. The sweet, childish voices and bursts of laughter and footsteps drifted through the long alleys outside the courtyard house.

“Gege, slow down! Wait for me!”

“Hurry up!”

During these all-night vigils, the ones most excited were always these little ones.

In the past couple of years, the city had banned fireworks entirely, so the kids lost one of their classic pastimes. Instead, they ran through the snow-covered alleys, carrying all sorts of lanterns, giggling and shrieking — but their joy hadn’t diminished one bit.

Jin Heng happened to be passing through the corridor. Hearing those gleeful sounds, he couldn’t help but poke his head out for a look.

The kids, seemingly drawn by something fun, raced past the gate like a gust of wind. Old Jin recognized them — they were the grandkids from the neighbor’s place. He purposely put on a stern face to tease them:

“Hey! Did you greet me for the New Year yet?”

The kids obediently stopped, tilting up their rosy, frost-pink faces to call out:

“Ah— Uncle-Grandpa, Happy New Year!”

“Uncle-Grandpa, Happy New Year!”

Old Jin asked them a couple of casual questions, then chuckled as he handed out red envelopes, reminding them:

“Don’t run too fast. Go on, have fun.”

“Thank you, Uncle-Grandpa!”

If it weren’t for these lively little shadows scurrying around together, you’d hardly notice how many kids had been born in this alley these past few years.

Uncle-Grandpa… they sure said it sweetly.

Old Jin crossed his arms, leaning against the doorway, lost in thought for a moment before heading back into the courtyard.

Inside the art studio — undisturbed by anyone — Chu Cheng was still fiddling with his phone. He’d spent quite a while scrolling through rental ads, but just as he expected, there was nothing useful at all.

It looked like there was no avoiding an early return.

He switched back to his WeChat chat list, about to message Teacher Yu, when his uncle’s voice suddenly called from outside.

“Xiao Cheng—”

Chu Cheng’s hand shook, accidentally tapping the “rolling on the floor” emoji. He hurried to delete it.

Before he could type something new, the voice came again:

“Where’d you run off to? Come try the dumplings I just cooked.”

“Hey, coming!” Chu Cheng had no choice but to pocket his phone and get up to head out.

The night deepened. His parents had already gone back to their room to rest — only Old Jin stayed in the small living room. The pot of dumplings had just finished boiling, sending up warm steam and a comforting aroma.

Chu Cheng sat down at the table to keep his uncle company, scooping out two small bowls of dumplings. But his mind was still caught up with the landlord’s lease termination, so his movements were distracted and absentminded.

“Ahem—” His uncle glanced at him, covering his mouth with a fist as he cleared his throat. His voice came out deep and slow:
“Back when you were little, every New Year’s Eve you were pulling me this way and that, always wanting to do something, never letting go of my hand. Now I have to call you several times just to get you to show up. Guess it’s true — kids grow up, and they drift away from us.”

“It’s not like that.” Chu Cheng gave a soft laugh, gently refuting him.

But thinking about it carefully, maybe his uncle wasn’t wrong. Maybe it really was just growing up — he didn’t look forward to the New Year the way he used to. Instead, he was busy and scattered, exhausted even when he hadn’t done much at all.

If he were still that kid, by this hour he’d already be dressed in new clothes, pockets stuffed full of candy and snacks, pestering his uncle to take him outside to light fireworks or see the ice lanterns.

His uncle stared at Chu Cheng’s gentle face and let out a serious tsk of lament:

“I’m getting old.”

Chu Cheng suddenly heard the faint trace of bitterness in his uncle’s voice. He paused, halfway through pouring vinegar into a small dish, and felt a twinge of guilt inside.

His uncle had no partner, no children of his own. At his age, it was inevitable to feel lonely during family reunions like this. Chu Cheng had been doted on by him since childhood — he really ought to be more attentive, to repay that care and show a bit more filial piety.

Thinking this, he pushed the dipping dish over and said from the heart.

“Uncle, you’re still young — don’t always say that. Don’t worry, I’ll definitely make more time to keep you company.”

“You’ve misunderstood me.” His uncle’s expression grew more solemn.

Seeing his nephew really didn’t get it, Old Jin just laid it bare:

“I mean, I’m getting old, so you can’t cling to me like you did when you were a kid. It’s time you learned to stand on your own and find someone who’ll spend New Year’s with you every year.”

The topic turned so abruptly that Chu Cheng let out a confused sound from his throat:

“Huh?”

His uncle pressed on.

“I may not have had a harmonious marriage like your parents, but at least I’ve got a bit of money — I won’t be living my final years in misery. But you — you’re already on a career path that’s a dead end for getting rich. If your love life’s half-baked too, and you don’t even have a competent kid of your own, what will you do when you’re old? You gonna inherit my spot in the nursing home? Look at the neighbors’ kids your age.”

Chu Cheng gave a helpless laugh:

“Uncle, they’re all older than me. I’ll only be 23 after this New Year—”

“23 isn’t so young anymore. Shao Ji from next door was already bringing his girlfriend home at your age.” Old Jin had always suspected his nephew was a bit… slow in this department.

After all, other people’s kids were already having heart-flutters and crushes back in middle school. TV dramas always had those plotlines where a kid got busted for puppy love, the school called the parents, and they didn’t dare tell Mom and Dad, so they dragged the uncle to smooth things over.

Old Jin dreamed of having that heroic uncle moment — but it never happened. Clearly, he’d been left behind at the starting line.

The TV in the other room was still on, playing the lively Spring Festival Gala, but neither of them paid any attention — it was just background noise for the meal.

Chu Cheng kept his head down, eating his dumplings in silence.

His uncle brought up the earlier topic again:

“Everything in life should be a fair exchange, a balance of give and take. You can’t just watch me handing out red envelopes to all the neighborhood kids with nothing coming back in.”

“You’re not exactly short on cash…” Fresh out of college and already being nagged about dating — Chu Cheng really didn’t want to pick up this thread.

“Since you put it like that, then I’ll use money to solve it. Think of it as helping me fulfill a New Year’s wish.” Old Jin put down his chopsticks, looking completely serious.
“I’ll put up thirty million — you find the time this year to at least try to date someone.”

“Pfft—” Chu Cheng choked on a mouthful of aged vinegar.

Uncle Jin calmly pulled a tissue from the box and handed it to him:

“Young man, earning your keep through your own labor is nothing to be ashamed of.”

Chu Cheng was exasperated and amused all at once. After clearing his throat and steadying his breath, he teased back:

“Aren’t you afraid I’ll fake it — go out and hire someone with that money?”

His uncle wiped his mouth, stood up, and wagged his finger at him:

“I’m worried you wouldn’t even earn that money if it was lying on the table. Clear rules — no haggling later. Bring someone in front of me and kiss them for one minute, fake or not, I’d still enjoy the show. Handle it however you want.”

Watching his uncle lay down such outrageous terms, Chu Cheng’s mouth twitched.

So this is the kind of wicked humor you “Diamond Bachelor” types are into, huh?

By the time they’d finished the New Year’s Eve dumplings, it was nearly midnight. Chu Cheng cleaned up the dishes in the front room, getting ready to turn in for the night.

His phone suddenly buzzed — it was a voice call from Yu Siting.

Chu Cheng actually had something he wanted to discuss too, so he picked up and greeted him first:

“Happy New Year.”

But Yu Siting wasn’t satisfied at all. He shot back,

“Is that all? Just those four words?”

“What else should I say?” Chu Cheng was honestly puzzled.

“I saw you typing for a good half hour — from the moment it said ‘Typing…’ until now. Teacher Chu, weren’t you supposed to be writing me a sweet little essay full of New Year wishes? I figured if I didn’t call, you’d tire yourself out.”

The sigh that came through the phone was deep and low, that sexy voice of his carrying so much presence. His biting sarcasm always hit the same way — whether it was in person or over the line, you could never find a good comeback.

Chu Cheng suddenly remembered the sticker he’d retracted earlier and let out an awkward laugh:

“I was having dumplings with my uncle to keep watch for the New Year.”

Yu Siting’s tone turned a bit sour:

“I’ve been waiting so long my dried lily flowers have gone cold.”

“Sorry! I didn’t think you’d even notice,” Chu Cheng said. Then he mentioned how he’d seen Lu Yan’s airport photos on Moments the day before:
“Did you all go on a trip?”

Yu Siting gave a little hum of agreement:

“They can’t stand staying home during the Spring Festival, so for years now we’ve spent New Year’s Eve somewhere else.”

The Yu family’s four members were all that kind of free-spirited bunch — no wonder they didn’t stick to the usual holiday routine.

“So, why were you trying to reach me?” Yu Siting asked, remembering that lingering “Typing…” from earlier.

Chu Cheng finally told him about the landlord needing to sell the house in an emergency:

“He asked us to move out as soon as possible. So I won’t make it to the Lantern Festival — I’ll have to go back early and sort it out. Otherwise it’ll be a mess later.”

“When are you planning to leave?”

“Probably the third or fourth day of the New Year.”

Yu Siting paused for a moment:

“That’s cutting it close. I might not be able to make it in time.”

“Don’t worry about it — you should just enjoy your trip,” Chu Cheng quickly said, trying to wave him off.
“Besides, my uncle’s got to head out for work after the holidays. I can just hitch a ride with him.”

Yu Siting seemed lost in thought and didn’t respond right away.

From the start of the call, Chu Cheng had noticed the background noise on his end was pretty loud. He asked, puzzled:

“Are you outside right now? It sounds kind of noisy.”

“Yeah,” Yu Siting explained. After dinner, Lu Yan had dragged him out to hang around — they’d been wandering for ages and were just about to head back to the hotel.

As strict as he might be, Teacher Yu always spoiled his eldest son rotten. He usually wore that look of impatient reluctance on his face — but in the end, he’d give in to every demand.

Chu Cheng chuckled knowingly:

“Well, you guys should hurry back. I’m about to head to my room and play games anyway.”

“No other plans?” Yu Siting knew this night owl’s habits well, but he hadn’t expected him to be this casual on New Year’s Eve.

Chu Cheng felt a bit sheepish:

“I did think about going to the plaza to soak up some New Year’s spirit, but I didn’t want to get stuck in the crowd — so I got lazy.”

On the other end of the line, Yu Siting paused mid-step, turning to glance back at the jam-packed street behind him.

“Anyway, you won’t be able to sleep for a while. How about this — in about fifteen minutes, let’s do a video call?”

Chu Cheng glanced at his phone screen — the time he suggested would hit just before the New Year countdown. He didn’t think much of it and said:

“Sure.”

“Then I’ll hang up for now.”

“Bye-bye.”

Yu Siting pocketed his phone, his gaze deep and unreadable as he looked at his nephew walking beside him. It was rare for him to take the initiative:

“Anywhere else you want to go?”

“Of course there is. But I don’t even have to think about it — you’d definitely say it’s too rowdy and refuse to go.” Lu Yan twirled the glow stick he’d just bought from a street vendor, answering absentmindedly.

“Then let’s make a deal.”

“Hm?”

Yu Siting raised a hand and pointed toward the distant skyline where the crowds surged thickest around the brightly lit TV tower:

“I’ll take you there now — but in exchange, we’ll cut this trip a few days short and fly back to Tingzhou early. Deal?”

Lu Yan blinked, caught off guard.
What kind of trick was this? He’d never pulled this one before.

---

There were only a few minutes left until the lunar New Year arrived. Chu Cheng lay sprawled on his bed, half-dozing, conserving his energy — until his phone buzzed again.

He lazily rolled over and hit accept:

“Teacher Yu, what are you—”

Whoosh. Boom—

A burst of fireworks exploded unexpectedly, cutting him off mid-sentence. Chu Cheng’s eyes widened as he stared at his screen. The video image jolted for a moment, then steadied as someone lifted the camera and pointed it at the night sky.

One cluster of sparks after another shot up, trailing golden tails into the sky before blooming into a scatter of starbursts, slowly drifting down right in the center of the frame.

It was the New Year’s Eve fireworks show.

Chu Cheng sat up straight, eyes bright, tapping to enlarge the screen.

At that moment, there was no doubt the phone’s owner was standing at the best vantage point, using his height to claim the perfect angle.

The fireworks bloomed denser and wilder overhead, rolling like waves of golden wheat across the autumn fields, surging against the vast cold night.

Through the speaker came gasps and murmurs of awe. Even though Chu Cheng was just sitting on his own bed, watching through a phone lens, he could feel the grandeur and warmth of being there in person.

Teacher Yu had always been someone who hated crowds and noise. Chu Cheng couldn’t even picture how he managed to stand in the crush of people and still capture such a steady, vivid shot.

Time slipped by — on the clocktower opposite the TV tower, the countdown began. As the numbers ticked down — nineteen, eighteen, seven — wave after wave of fireworks lit up the darkness: sometimes gentle as scattered stars, sometimes dazzling as wildfire blazing across the night.

Chu Cheng stared at each breathtaking frame on the screen, completely unwilling to blink, afraid he’d miss a second of its beauty.

When midnight struck, the moment twelve o’clock arrived, cheers of celebration rose up around the observation deck by the TV tower. People snapped photos, shouted in excitement, hugged each other tight, exchanging blessings and joy…

Yu Siting had been livestreaming the fireworks for quite a while. It wasn’t until then that he finally flipped the camera around, letting his handsome face come into view.

The thunderous fireworks and the bustling crowd were deafening; on Chu Cheng’s side of the phone, he couldn’t hear Yu Siting’s voice at all — he could only guess the words from the way those lips moved.

He seemed to be saying:

“Teacher Chu, Happy New Year.”

Overwhelmed by that silent yet fierce wave of emotion, Chu Cheng responded with a bright, radiant smile:

“Happy New Year to you too, Teacher Yu!”

---

Author’s Note:

Lu Yan: “Uncle, say it again — who did you say you brought me to see?”