Wrapping paper lay scattered on the floor in a thick layer. After all the unwrapping, everyone's enthusiasm had waned by half—no one could maintain focus on one thing for too long.
During the break, people stepped outside to smoke, while those who had been drinking indoors sported flushed cheeks.
The girls naturally gravitated toward the handsome boys, and Diao Zhiyu was no exception. A man who seemed to have stepped out of a manga had no reason not to be surrounded by admirers in real life.
He held an instruction manual, his bandages accentuating his masculine appeal. His gaze drifted through the crowd, feigning nonchalance as it lingered on Hu Xiu, his smile stiffening for a fleeting moment.
Li Ai had resolved to be the last to pick a gift. Perched on a high stool by the checkout counter, she found herself under the gaze of Xu Meng, whose face was flushed from drinking as she watched her intently.
Zhao Xiaorou was clearly in a sour mood. She had long set aside the tea set, and seeing Li Ai busy drinking with the group and chatting with Xu Meng—completely ignoring her—made her wish she could leave immediately. The only thing keeping her was waiting to see who would end up with her and Li Ai's gifts.
As for Hu Xiu, though disheartened that her gift had been taken by Pei Zhen, she consoled herself with the thought that if she could draw Diao Zhiyu's gift next, it wouldn't be a total loss.
She was so nervous she didn't dare step away to the restroom, afraid she might miss Diao Zhiyu's gift in those two minutes.
Zhao Xiaorou approached Hu Xiu: "I know what Li Ai's gift is—it's a miniature model of a room he designed that won an award before. He had two custom-made and kept one as a collection with his wife. He's giving one away to a friend."
"Then... why didn't you get it?"
"Who knows? Just bad luck. Why did they package the tea set in a square box? Trash. If Xu Meng ends up with it, I might just drop dead on the spot."
With that, she turned and left. Pei Zhen was busy typing on his phone, replying with a smile while watching everyone unwrap gifts. Noticing Hu Xiu looking at him, he seemed slightly embarrassed: "It's rare for me to take time off. I'm just reminding Lao Jin to guide the residents properly in my absence."
"Your students must be celebrating the New Year early, with their fierce taskmaster gone."
"I just hope they don't cause any casualties. I'll probably have to head back right after midnight."
"Such a Cinderella." Though she said it lightly, Hu Xiu understood this was a workaholic making an exception for her.
After replying, he slipped his phone into his pocket: "No more phone for now. Let's wait and see about my gift."
About a dozen gifts remained—except for Hu Xiu's, which had already been opened—all still hidden among the pile, turning it into a battlefield final round.
Several boxes were opened in succession: GI sunglasses, a tent, a board game set, a handheld gimbal...
Hu Xiu grew increasingly anxious as she watched only a few gifts left. Perhaps Diao Zhiyu's gift was waiting for her too.
She felt as if she were anticipating some fated answer. Piano melodies surged tumultuously in her heart—if the young people of 2018 were witnessing the final wave of urban dramas here, the year's climactic moment truly seemed reserved for her.
"Xu Meng, your turn."
Having removed her red coat in the heat, she revealed a floral-print dress underneath. Xu Meng, with her black curls and makeup-free face, had strikingly dark pupils. Her hands, weathered from years of childcare, didn't quite match her delicate features—no longer poised in elegant gestures, even when handling objects.
Halfway through unwrapping, she looked up, mouth agape in unconcealed surprise. Li Ai seemed to understand implicitly, winking with a rare, boyish grin.Someone nearby teased, "Oh my, you actually drew this grand prize. What fate—you two should just get together right here."
It was a miniature model of the architecture that won the Pritzker Prize in 2013, created by Li Ai and his wife when they were just starting out with their team. Only two such models existed in the world.
Later, they left the team together to pursue interior design. Someone once inquired about purchasing it, but Li Ai and his wife politely declined.
One of the models was sent back to his wife's hometown with her ashes, while the other remained with Li Ai. Now, giving it away might seem like just parting with a cherished collectible.
But to those close to him, it symbolized Li Ai's beginning to bid farewell to his past love.
It was as if he had been shattered and rebuilt along with "REGARD"—part of his past destroyed, making way for a new beginning.
On the surface, it might sound like he was gifting an item that belonged to his deceased wife, but those present didn't see it that way. As urban friends, they understood Li Ai's extraordinary talent and the depth of his emotions. More than ambitious career pursuits, he yearned for a simple, enduring life. This gesture was his way of telling everyone that Li Ai was learning to move on.
Zhao Xiaorou didn't receive the gift, and Hu Xiu understood that she was the most disappointed person there.
Xu Meng held the model calmly, though with a hint of unease: "Goodness, this is so precious. I don't even know how to accept it."
"It's your gift—do with it as you wish."
"Then maybe I'll display it in my shop so everyone who comes for coffee can admire it, though I'd love to keep it privately. After all, it's one of the few strokes of luck in my life."
As she said this, Zhao Xiaorou's face twisted with envy: "If you don't want it, I'll take it."
"Alright, displaying it in the shop is a great idea. I agree." Xu Meng cut her off, quickly deciding the model's fate.
Zhao Xiaorou pushed the door open and went out for a smoke. Hu Xiu stood there feeling somewhat awkward. Pei Zhen leaned close to Hu Xiu's ear and whispered that Xu Meng had recently brought her son to the hospital—acute enteritis, it seemed—and was currently quarreling and separated from her husband, taking turns caring for their child.
Li Ai had even called Pei Zhen back then, asking to help expedite her medical treatment—which complicated the emotions involved.
Xu Meng couldn't take it home because in the school district apartment they had struggled to buy, there was still a husband she hadn't divorced—and likely never would.
Adults can't easily judge right or wrong. Emotions that blur boundaries are experiences those bound by rules openly disdain but secretly envy.
If Li Ai rejected Zhao Xiaorou because of Xu Meng, Hu Xiu would also feel disdain for him.
Thinking this, Hu Xiu felt as if a light had been switched on: Li Ai was drawn to Xu Meng precisely because—there was no future.
Two people, seeing each other battered and bruised in desperate situations, instinctively drew closer, finding solace in each other in the darkness.
If dawn ever broke, Xu Meng would be like morning dew, destined to vanish under the sunlight. Without attainment, without actual actions, there would be no guilt.
But then, what did Xu Meng see Li Ai as? And when the pour-over kettle Xu Meng had prepared was taken by an unfamiliar foreign friend, she sighed helplessly, then shared a regretful, slight frown with Li Ai before meeting Hu Xiu's eyes and flashing a bright smile.
Hu Xiu's heart trembled. Those shimmering eyes weren't always calm; when secretly gazing at Li Ai, they became vivid and radiant. Though love was unattainable, immersed in long-lost affection, the woman was utterly joyful.She couldn't help but glance at Diao Zhiyu in the distance. He was drinking in the corner, and when their eyes met, his drunken gaze fixed directly on her.
At that moment, she stood beside Pei Zhen. Between their line of sight were Christmas music, wrapping paper filling the space, young people flushed with alcohol while holding gifts, and a relationship that had ended hastily without being properly resolved.
A distinctive boy dressed head-to-toe in black Yamamoto, sporting a lip ring, picked up the countdown gift box.
His expression remained unchanged as he unwrapped the gift, but Zhao Xiaorou's temper flared: "What's the meaning of this? If you don't like it, you don't have to take it."
"I can't really use this stuff anyway." Inside the box were carefully prepared items: resistance bands, rehabilitation balls, antiperspirant, trauma medicine, and a brand new set of sportswear.
Zhao Xiaorou had never imagined her gift would end up in someone else's hands. She had thought Li Ai would remember her gift and choose it first, or that Li Ai would intentionally swap for this present.
Just as the atmosphere turned awkward, Li Ai came to the rescue: "How about I give you my sculpture instead? Let's swap - I actually need your gift."
"No need, you can have it all. I want that black shirt from earlier. If we're really swapping, I'll take the shirt."
The game was interrupted rather abruptly. Pei Zhen still held the gift in his hand - not giving it to this junior would seem unchivalrous.
Before Pei Zhen could speak, Zhao Xiaorou cut in: "Isn't this about fate? Today's gifts shouldn't be swapped. If this is meant to be, then we have to accept it. I, Zhao Xiaorou, am unlucky today, and I accept that."
"As adults, we should follow the game rules. If you don't want the gift, you can sell it on second-hand platforms, but today you must take it with you."
The lip-ring boy shrugged, as if choosing not to argue with his senior. Someone turned up the music to break the awkwardness: "Only two gifts left, who hasn't opened theirs yet?"
Hu Xiu scanned the room, realizing after waiting that only she and Li Ai remained. And throughout all the gift claims, two names seemed conspicuously absent—
The last two gifts on the stage were from Pei Zhen and Diao Zhiyu.
Those who had already opened their gifts didn't particularly care about the outcome, but to Hu Xiu, this truly reserved the protagonist's moment perfectly.
Behind her, Diao Zhiyu also stood up and came forward, hands in his jeans pockets, watching Hu Xiu coldly; beside her, Pei Zhen seemed to swallow hard, his smile full of tension. Li Ai said with a laugh: "I'll give you the chance to choose first. I'll wait until last to pick up the leftovers."
One on the left, one on the right - one black, one white - seemingly obvious, yet each with a 50% chance of being wrong.
Nearly two hours had passed since the guessing game began. Hu Xiu had grown weary after spending so long guessing among the deliberately misleading boxes.
She believed she understood Diao Zhiyu well, yet remained helpless before the wrapping paper.
The excellent actor, the boy who seemed careless yet attentive, charming yet secretive, who kept her at arm's length - every reason swayed her choice.
Like walking through a dark forest, no matter how much she thought about it, the emotional ups and downs felt like constantly stumbling.
The other offered endless security and overflowing sincerity, though she'd never looked closely nor sought to understand him better - yet he was the shining island in everyone's heart.The neon lights from the neighboring shop flickered outside the glass like fireflies shimmering in a forest; inside the mirror, the blue partition curtain rippled gently under the air conditioning, soft as water in shades of blue and light blue.
As Hu Xiu walked over, there was a touch of solemnity in her steps, bending down three times as if facing a life-altering choice. Overthinking was futile—she would leave it to fate.
Subconsciously, she picked up the black box.
Behind her, Pei Zhen spun in place, overjoyed.
Only then did it dawn on her that Qin Xiaoyi’s formal stage costume was a white suit.
Diao Zhiyu smiled faintly, a hint of melancholy in his expression: “Li Ai, you really waited it out.”
“Then I won’t hold back. Honestly, any of yours would have been just as good.”
Hu Xiu and Li Ai unwrapped their gifts together. Pei Zhen’s gift was a crossbody bag—the corners of her old one were indeed worn out, and the strap, strained from carrying books, was on the verge of snapping. Diao Zhiyu’s gift was a complete set of Utada Hikaru’s albums, including all Japanese editions from her debut to the present, along with a lyric book published just at the end of the year—
She had once mentioned in passing that she was a fan of Utada Hikaru, but with little pocket money, she could only afford imported versions, and her father had thrown them all away during a move.
Both gifts left Hu Xiu stunned. Li Ai tried to smooth things over: “Pei Zhen’s bag really isn’t something I’d use. And collecting this album set couldn’t have been easy—it spans at least a decade of singles and compilations.”
“It’s alright…” Diao Zhiyu’s words grew fewer as he rubbed his nose and stuffed his hands into his pockets, his expression inscrutable.
Someone came over to clean up the wrapping paper, and Pei Zhen pulled Hu Xiu aside into a corner. Hu Xiu glanced at Zhao Xiaorou, who pressed her lips together at her—no words were needed.
Xu Meng approached Li Ai: “I’ll have to leave soon. I’ve got the kids tomorrow.”
“I’ll walk you…”
“No need, stay here with them. This mess will probably take a while to clean up.”
“It’s fine, we’re not opening until three tomorrow afternoon.” Li Ai looked at her regretfully: “I really wish you could stay and ring in the New Year together.”
“Someone would be unhappy.” He was referring to Zhao Xiaorou.
Li Ai forced a smile: “She doesn’t need me.”
In the distance, Zhao Xiaorou was already drinking with a young boy. The rebellious teen with a lip ring sat on the table, playing drinking games and arm wrestling with Zhao Xiaorou, their actions quite intimate.
Zhao Xiaorou’s voice was loud, deliberately meant to be heard: “What a glutton for punishment—you think someone’s interesting just because they’re harsh on you? Do you need a beating to behave? High schoolers should go home on time.”
“No one cares at home.” The boy unpacked a board game from nearby and started setting up the cards: “My parents probably don’t even remember having me. They’d probably prefer if I died early so they wouldn’t have to bother.”
This left Zhao Xiaorou speechless. She looked at the boy with pity and said, “If you’ve got nowhere to go, you can come home with me.”
“Buying sex? I’m expensive…”
“You little—” Zhao Xiaorou smacked him on the head several times: “Brat, I’m warning you, don’t pull that crap with Sister Zhao. Messing around under eighteen—want me to send you to juvie?”
The lip-ringed teen gasped: “Come on, I was joking. You really act like a mom—all that overflowing motherly love is annoying. But—I don’t have a mom, so maybe I’ll give it a try.”
This flirtatious exchange was audible throughout the room, especially to Li Ai. Hu Xiu helped tidy up, taking things outside, and the roast chicken needed reheating in the oven.Bending down to place the chicken in the oven, she thought she'd ask Li Ai about the wine supply after setting the five-minute timer.
As she straightened up, Hu Xiu collided with someone whose solid muscles and frame made her feel as if her organs had shifted. The familiar scent identified him as Diao Zhiyu.
An awkward silence fell between them. In the cramped space, Hu Xiu pressed against the wall while Diao Zhiyu reached for kitchen towels above her, creating an unintended kabedon-like proximity.
With breaths mingling in the narrow gap, Hu Xiu waited for him to finish. But Diao Zhiyu showed no intention of leaving after taking the paper. The dim oven light cast ambiguous shadows across their close-standing figures.
The kitchen towel twirled several times in Diao Zhiyu's hand - their only physical separation.
After just a few rotations, the trembling fingers dropped the paper roll. The thud made them lock eyes, and Hu Xiu sensed something shifting between them.
His gaze, once teasing and playful like high school desk-mates testing boundaries, now held deliberate evasion mixed with irresistible attraction. This new adult tension carried a dangerous flavor Hu Xiu recognized all too well - desire.
They'd both been drinking. They were adults. The lighting was dim. Nothing needed explaining. Anything could happen.
They seemed to deliberately let each other hear their breathing - his restrained masculine roughness, her softly controlled feminine restraint.
How exquisite refusal could be, quickly igniting another layer... forbidden beyond common sense.
The oven timer dinged. "You go first," Diao Zhiyu said. "I'll bring it out. It's hot."
Another rejection...
Emerging from the kitchen, Zhao Xiaorou called out, "Hu Xiu, why's your face so red? This board game is fascinating - phone search for evidence! Come see!"
When Diao Zhiyu followed with the roasted chicken, Zhao Xiaorou knowingly blocked Pei Zhen's view: "Dr. Pei, you look suspiciously like the murderer!"
"Impossible. This is too difficult - I'm terrible at lying."
"Hurry, thirty-second countdown!" someone reminded. Hu Xiu touched her handbag, feeling increasingly indebted to Pei Zhen for such expensive gifts.
After the final countdown, Pei Zhen needed to return to the hospital. Her heart held undeniable emptiness. Would everything be different without Diao Zhiyu?
"Five, four, three, two, one—Merry Christmas!"
Party poppers exploded around them. Startled, Hu Xiu dropped her bag. Pei Zhen steadied her as drifting ribbons floated down around them, time seeming to slow.
Ignoring the expensive gift on the floor, Pei Zhen excitedly embraced her. Perhaps the script was about to be rewritten.
Hu Xiu thought - perfect timing doesn't exist, but right now, she and Pei Zhen were being pushed into timing's most flawless moment.
"I have to go. My flight to the US is on January 17th." Amid the cheers, Pei Zhen whispered in her ear: "Three months without seeing you - the thought saddens me."
Over his shoulder, she watched Diao Zhiyu in the distance. He couldn't hear Pei Zhen's words, his eyes holding only indifference and resignation - a gaze that seemed to drown her in deep waters.Pei Zhen's words continued: "I had already thought about giving up. You didn't become radiant because of me.
But it's been a long time since I've liked a girl this intensely.
Lately... I felt I had to try once more. No one would retreat when facing someone they truly care about.
Don't see me as your superior, your colleague, don't think of me as the outstanding candidate praised by elders—I'm not that perfect.
Just see me as a man—Pei Zhen. Would you be willing to spend a little more time getting to know me in the days to come?"
To fall in love, then break up, with the sole wish that this would be the last heartbreak.
Even when experiencing the same situations repeatedly, people never stop searching, for love remains the most wondrous thing in this world.
Overcoming the pain that hadn't yet healed, Hu Xiu closed her eyes and nodded, choking back tears without letting them fall. Perhaps she wouldn't cry anymore after this.
Even if not just to escape loneliness, God, please forgive my selfishness—I so desperately want to be genuinely loved by someone, just once.
OpenNovel