The handwriting reflected the person.
When Zhou Wan saw the writing on the paper, Lu Xixiao’s image surfaced in her mind.
The young man was unrestrained and carefree, living as if life were a game—proud and untamable, like a distant star beyond reach no matter how far she stretched her arms.
Yet it was this very boy who had written on the paper—Wanwan.
Lu Xixiao had never called her that before.
This was the first time.
Wanwan.
In the past, when her father pretended to be Santa Claus and prepared gifts for her, he would also write "Wanwan" on the paper.
Zhou Wan stared at the paper for a long time before finally letting out a soft laugh.
After laughing for a while, a sudden ache rose in her nose, and an indescribable bitterness washed over her, nearly overwhelming her.
She stood where she was, head lowered, pressing the heels of her palms firmly against her eyelids.
Once her emotions had settled, her expression returned to normal.
Pushing her bicycle inside, Zhou Wan called Lu Xixiao.
The phone rang several times without an answer. Listening to the ringing on the other end, it took her a moment to remember that Lu Xixiao had only just fallen asleep.
Just as she was about to hang up, the call connected.
“Hello?” His voice was hoarse, clearly still half-asleep and tinged with irritation.
“Did I wake you?” Zhou Wan asked softly.
He didn’t answer, only asked, “What’s up?”
“Nothing.” Zhou Wan rested her fingers on the bicycle handlebars, tracing the outline of the bell back and forth. “Thank you for the gift. I really like it.”
“You saw it.” He chuckled hoarsely. “I thought you wouldn’t notice until tonight.”
Zhou Wan felt deeply moved but, at this moment, didn’t know how to express it.
Lu Xixiao sat up in bed, took a sip of water, and finally felt his throat ease up a bit.
“What, didn’t think it was Santa Claus this time?” he teased.
Zhou Wan pressed her lips together. “I’m not that silly. I’m not a kid anymore.”
“Zhou Wan, there really is no Santa Claus in this world.”
His voice was low, yet it brought a sense of comfort to the listener. “But I’m here.”
I’m here, so I’ll make your wishes come true.
We’re not living in a fairy tale. We can no longer believe in fairy tales.
But I’m willing to create the illusion of one for you, so that for a moment, you can return to the carefree past.
In the following days, Zhou Wan occasionally went home early to take care of her Grandma, and sometimes had dinner with Lu Xixiao.
He started coming to school more frequently. Sometimes he still slept in, arriving only in the afternoon, and would leave with Zhou Wan after her Physics Competition sessions ended.
Zhou Wan made time every day to tutor him on the material she had taught before. When Lu Xixiao was tired, he listened half-heartedly; when he was more awake, he cooperated better and even completed the homework she assigned him.
Before they knew it, it was December 31st.
The last day of the year.
It happened to be a Friday.
By evening, the students had lost all interest in studying. They were busy making plans for where to celebrate the New Year, talking about a newly opened hotpot restaurant that was supposedly amazing.
Gu Meng turned around. “Wanwan, they said they’re going to West Bridge to watch the fireworks tonight. Want to come?”
“I have something to do today, so I can’t go.”
“What is it?” Gu Meng blinked. “Oh—are you going with Lu Xixiao?”
Nearby, Jiang Yan’s fingers paused on his pen.
Zhou Wan smiled. “No, I’m taking my Grandma to the hospital for a follow-up appointment.”
“Alright then.” Though a little disappointed, Gu Meng didn’t press further and instead asked, “Jiang Yan, are you going?”"I'm not going either," Jiang Yan said. "I'm having dinner with my dad tonight."
Gu Meng pouted. "It's New Year's Eve—what's so fun about eating with your dad?"
Gu Meng turned back listlessly. After a moment's hesitation, Zhou Wan leaned over and asked quietly, "Is it... Lu Zhongyue?"
"Yeah."
"Just the two of you?"
Jiang Yan paused before answering, "I'm not sure either."
Zhou Wan turned back and stared at the test papers on the desk for a while before pulling out her phone to message Lu Xixiao.
[Zhou Wan: Do you have plans tonight?]
[6: No.]
[6: What's up?]
Earlier, Lu Xixiao had asked about her evening plans, and Zhou Wan told him she needed to accompany her grandma to the hospital.
Zhou Wan pressed her cheek against the cool desktop, closed her eyes, let out a soft sigh, and replied: [Nothing much.]
The New Year holiday came with piles of homework. Zhou Wan didn't ask Lu Xixiao to wait for her after school. After the Physics Competition training ended, she hoisted her heavy backpack and walked out with Jiang Yan.
Just outside the teaching building, she spotted a black car parked at the entrance.
Her steps faltered abruptly. "I need to go back to the classroom."
Jiang Yan asked, "What's wrong?"
"I forgot some test papers. I'll go get them."
"Oh," Jiang Yan said. "Should I go ahead then?"
"Yeah."
Zhou Wan turned back into the teaching building, watching as Jiang Yan approached the black car.
Lu Zhongyue stepped out of the vehicle, smiling as he took Jiang Yan's backpack. He tilted his head to ask a few caring questions, appearing like any good father in the world.
Zhou Wan found it laughable.
He had ruined his lawful wife and young daughter, his son had completely severed ties with him, yet here he was pretending to be a good father.
If he genuinely cared about Jiang Yan, that would be one thing, but he actually had no ability to bring Jiang Yan back into the Lu family.
Only after the car drove away did Zhou Wan emerge.
Her bicycle was the only one left in the bike shed. Zhou Wan retrieved it and rode home.
...
The winter hospital was filled with many infants and children, their cries echoing throughout the vast hall.
By the time Zhou Wan finished accompanying her grandma through the check-up, the sky had long turned dark.
Fortunately, the examination results showed nothing seriously wrong, and Zhou Wan finally felt relieved.
"Grandma," Zhou Wan said, "what would you like to eat? I'll go buy something."
"Don't waste money like that. We can just eat whatever's simple," Grandma replied.
Zhou Wan smiled. "It's the last day of the year—we should eat something nice."
"Wanwan, would you like dumplings?" Grandma suggested. "We still have some dumpling wrappers in the fridge. Shall we make dumplings?"
"Sounds good," Zhou Wan said, her eyes curving into smiles. "But are you feeling well enough?"
"It's not heavy work—we can sit while wrapping them. Besides, didn't the doctor say Grandma's health is still quite good?"
Zhou Wan initially planned to go to the market alone to buy some pork and cabbage for the filling, but Grandma insisted on coming along, saying the extra walking would count as exercise.
So the two went together to the market to buy some meat and vegetables.
Back home, Zhou Wan chopped the filling while Grandma prepared the dumpling wrappers.
They had made dumplings like this before, so they got the hang of it quickly.
Zhou Wan's dumplings were each small and delicate, with beautifully pleated edges.
As they wrapped the dumplings, they chatted casually, filling an entire large plate. Grandma cooked a portion of them, storing the rest in plastic containers in the freezer for future breakfasts.
Soon, the dumplings floated to the surface of the boiling water. She scooped them out into bowls.
Zhou Wan prepared a small bowl of dipping sauce and tasted one.
Grandma asked, "How is it?"She puffed out her cheeks and smiled. "It's delicious."
"Eat more if you like it." Grandma smiled along. "Gaining some weight will strengthen your immune system."
"My immune system is already great—I haven't gotten sick at all this winter."
After finishing the dumplings, Zhou Wan cleared the bowls and chopsticks, then sat in the living room and turned on the TV.
She rarely watched television, so Grandma found it a bit novel and asked why she was watching today.
Zhou Wan replied, "I'm keeping you company today."
"Why bother keeping an old woman like me company?" Grandma chuckled. "On a day like today, shouldn't your classmates be hanging out together?"
"Yeah, I heard there's a fireworks show at West Bridge today. It seems they all went to see it."
"You should go too. Why spend every day with Grandma?" Grandma patted Zhou Wan's head. "You see me every day after school—you're always by my side."
At that moment, Zhou Wan opened her social media feed.
The first post was from Jiang Yan, who had just shared a photo.
It was taken in a Western restaurant—the dishes were exquisite, the lighting soft, and a glimpse of Lu Zhongyue's gray suit was visible in the upper part of the frame.
Someone had commented below, saying his dad really knew how to celebrate New Year's with style, noting that the per-person cost at that restaurant was several thousand.
Zhou Wan lowered her gaze.
She exited the social media feed and sent a message to Lu Xixiao.
[Zhou Wan: What are you up to?]
Lu Xixiao sent back a photo.
In the dim setting, a row of liquor bottles was visible, with blue spotlights sweeping across.
He was probably at a bar.
[6: With Jiang Fan and the others.]
Before she could reply, Lu Xixiao called.
Zhou Wan paused. "Grandma, I need to take a call."
She went back to her bedroom before answering, speaking softly, "Hello?"
It was noisy on Lu Xixiao's end—thumping music and chaotic chatter nearly drowning out his casual laughter. "Have you eaten?"
"Just finished."
"What did you have?"
"Dumplings. Homemade."
He raised an eyebrow. "You know how to make dumplings?"
"It's simple. As long as they don't fall apart in the water, it's fine." Zhou Wan asked, "What about you?"
"Going to eat later."
Zhou Wan glanced at the time—it was already past nine in the evening. "Don't drink too much, or your stomach will hurt."
Lu Xixiao chuckled. "Got it."
After a pause, Zhou Wan said softly, "Lu Xixiao."
"Yeah?"
"Happy New Year."
He hesitated.
Only for a second, but amid the noisy background on the call, that one-second pause felt infinitely drawn out, making the silence heavy.
"Yeah." Lu Xixiao's voice still carried that familiar, lazy amusement. "Happy New Year, Wanwan."
After hanging up, that one second of silence from him lingered in Zhou Wan's mind.
It was as if he hadn't even known it was December 31st—or simply didn't care.
Such holidays held no meaning for him.
Day after day, he lived the same way.
He immersed himself in the clamor of revelry, spending each day amid noise and excitement.
But he remained detached from the bustle—his heart cold, his eyes calm, never truly part of it all.
...
Zhou Wan walked out of the bedroom. Grandma asked, "Who were you talking to?"
She lowered her head, unable to meet Grandma's gaze. "Just a classmate."
Grandma smiled gently. "Were they inviting you to hang out?"
"No, we were just chatting." Zhou Wan sat back down on the sofa, watching the TV drama playing—a seventy-episode family ethics series.Her gaze was fixed on the TV, but she couldn’t take in anything she saw or heard.
Grandma watched her quietly from the side, a knowing smile on her face. "Wanwan, go hang out with your classmates. Friends are important too. Since you’re off tomorrow, you can keep me company then."
Zhou Wan hesitated for a moment, then looked up and met her grandmother’s smiling eyes.
"Well—" Blushing with guilt, Zhou Wan said, "I’ll just go out for a bit and come back soon."
"Mm, go ahead." Grandma patted her head. "Wear a scarf so you don’t catch a cold."
After changing and wrapping the scarf around her neck, Zhou Wan headed to the door but turned back. She took a box of dumplings from the fridge, boiled them, packed them back into the container, stuffed it into her bag, and hurried out.
It wasn’t until she was on the bus that Zhou Wan remembered to send Lu Xixiao a message.
[Zhou Wan: I’m on my way to see you now.]
[Zhou Wan: Is that okay?]
[6: Weren’t you supposed to take your grandma to the hospital?]
[Zhou Wan: We already went.]
[6: I’ll come find you.]
[Zhou Wan: I’m already on the bus. Wait for me there a bit.]
[6: Alright.]
The streets were congested today, and the bus moved slowly, braking frequently. Zhou Wan kept lurching forward with the momentum, and by the end, she was feeling a bit carsick and nauseous.
She opened the window, and the cold wind blew in, finally easing the queasiness.
Forty minutes later, she finally arrived.
Zhou Wan got off the bus. The bar was right across the street.
From afar, she spotted Lu Xixiao standing by the entrance, leaning lazily against the wall with a cigarette in his mouth. He was playing on his phone, the screen’s glow reflecting off his tall, sharp nose, giving him a crisp, clean-cut look.
Zhou Wan watched him quietly for a moment, then ran toward him.
Hearing her footsteps, Lu Xixiao looked up and smiled when he saw her.
The girl was bundled up in a thick down jacket, wrapped tightly in a red scarf that covered her delicate chin. Her face, flushed and pale from the cold wind, looked like a piece of soft, chewy candy.
"What made you come all of a sudden?" Lu Xixiao asked.
Zhou Wan didn’t really know why she had suddenly decided to come find him.
Her cheeks were flushed red from the cold, and the tip of her nose was pink. Instead of answering his question, she said, "Why did you wait outside for me? Aren’t you cold?"
"Couldn’t be bothered to stay inside alone."
"Did they go home already?"
Lu Xixiao stubbed out his cigarette. "Jiang Fan had something at home. The others aren’t close, so I didn’t feel like hanging out with them."
Zhou Wan paused, then felt relieved that she had come.
Otherwise, Lu Xixiao would have spent the last day of the year alone.
Lu Xixiao reached out and touched her cheek lightly, his tone calm. "Where to?"
"You haven’t had dinner yet, right?"
"No."
Zhou Wan tightened her grip on her backpack strap.
She had acted on impulse when she left home, thinking that eating dumplings on New Year’s Eve would feel more like a family celebration. But she had overlooked how picky Lu Xixiao was about food. The dumplings had long gone cold on the way, and he definitely wouldn’t want to eat them.
"Is there anything you’d like to eat?" Zhou Wan asked.
Lu Xixiao raised an eyebrow. "Didn’t you already eat?"
"I can go with you."
"Forget it. I’m not hungry. We can eat later."
Zhou Wan frowned, about to say that skipping meals wasn’t good for his stomach, when Lu Xixiao spoke again. "Where do you want to go for New Year’s?"
"My classmates said there’ll be fireworks at West Bridge today."
There were plenty of food options there anyway, so they could grab something to eat.
"Let’s go then."
He said it calmly, as if he had no particular excitement for the holiday atmosphere and was only going along to accompany Zhou Wan.
West Bridge was quite far from where they were, so Lu Xixiao hailed a taxi.Approaching West Bridge, the streets noticeably filled with more people and vehicles. The distant bridge shimmered with lights, red lanterns hanging from the streetlamps.
Their taxi was stuck in gridlocked traffic when the driver turned and said, "Hey man, maybe you two should get off here. It's way too congested, and the fare to the bridge won't be cheap."
Lu Xixiao acknowledged, paid, and got out of the car with Zhou Wan.
He wore a black jacket with what appeared to be just one layer underneath. Zhou Wan asked, "Aren't you cold?"
He glanced down at her. "No."
Zhou Wan didn't quite believe him.
How could he not be cold dressed so lightly?
She slipped her hand out from her long sleeves and took hold of his.
Surprisingly, it wasn't cold at all—in fact, it felt even warmer than hers.
Lu Xixiao raised an eyebrow, a low, magnetic chuckle escaping his throat as he looked at her teasingly. "Zhou Wan, you're quite something."
Zhou Wan paused, instinctively looking up at him.
Under his playful, suggestive gaze, she couldn't help but blush, explaining, "I just wanted to see if your hands were cold."
"Oh." He nodded leisurely. "Is that so?"
Zhou Wan had told the truth, but with his teasing, it suddenly sounded like a clumsy excuse.
"..."
Knowing she was no match for him, Zhou Wan simply averted her eyes and stopped talking.
"Angry?"
"No," she mumbled softly.
Lu Xixiao chuckled again. "So, are my hands cold?"
"Warmer than mine."
"Really?" He drew out the word, teasing her wickedly, his expression utterly roguish. Then he reached out, lifted her sleeve, and said, "Let me check."
Like peeling an orange, he gently freed her hand from her down jacket sleeve, took it, and tucked it into his pocket.
Zhou Wan was taken aback.
She instinctively turned to look at Lu Xixiao.
He was tall and long-legged, forcing her to tilt her head up to see him.
From her angle, the boy's profile was sharp and clean as he gazed at the distant river and bridge. His bone structure was so striking it seemed almost divinely crafted, one corner of his mouth lifted in a mischievous grin.
Zhou Wan's heart skipped a beat, then began to race wildly.
Her hand remained in his pocket, held firmly, and she didn't pull away, letting him keep it there.
Soon, the warmth of her palm matched his.
The street was bustling with people, mostly young, all heading toward West Bridge.
Tonight's fireworks show had been heavily promoted, drawing an unusually large and crowded audience.
After walking for a while, they could see the bridge swarming with people, packed shoulder to shoulder. Zhou Wan glanced around and spotted vendors selling snacks.
"Are you hungry?" she asked Lu Xixiao again.
"No."
Knowing he kept irregular hours—sometimes waking up in the afternoon—she suspected he might not have eaten anything all day. Zhou Wan decided on her own to get him something to fill his stomach.
"Let's go check that out," she said, pointing to a stall selling chicken-wing-wrapped rice.
Lu Xixiao walked over. "What do you want?"
"Honey-glazed chicken-wing-wrapped rice," Zhou Wan said slowly. "But the portion is huge. It'd be such a waste if I can't finish it. Will you share it with me?"
Lu Xixiao hummed in agreement, bought one portion of chicken-wing-wrapped rice, and also got her a pearl milk tea.
"Aren't you having any?" Zhou Wan asked.
"I don't like this stuff."
Zhou Wan held the milk tea while Lu Xixiao carried the chicken-wing-wrapped rice. When they turned to find a seat, they realized all the plastic tables and chairs outside were already occupied, with no spots left to sit.Lu Xixiao glanced around and led her to a nearby set of steps.
The area was dimly lit and sparsely populated.
It felt like a natural barrier separated them—on one side, lively clamor; on the other, tranquil darkness.
He took off his jacket and tossed it onto the steps, then guided Zhou Wan to sit down. Unpacking the box of chicken-wing-wrapped rice, he handed her a pair of chopsticks.
Zhou Wan sipped her milk tea and said, "I'll eat later. You go ahead."
Lu Xixiao chuckled, giving her a knowing look. "Trying to set me up, huh?"
Zhou Wan paused, blinking as she feigned ignorance. "What do you mean?"
He didn’t call her out. Instead, he broke open the disposable chopsticks, peeled back the chicken wing skin, and took a bite of the rice.
It wasn’t good—undercooked. After a few bites, he set it aside.
Zhou Wan glanced at him. "Not tasty?"
"Nope."
"Then... do you want to buy something else?"
"No need."
The nearby stalls all served similar fare, and Lu Xixiao wasn’t used to it.
Zhou Wan pouted slightly but said nothing more, lowering her head to continue drinking her milk tea.
The warm tea spread through her, making her whole body feel cozy.
Suddenly, Lu Xixiao asked, "What’s in your bag?"
She had placed her bag by her feet, and the dumpling container inside was partially visible.
Zhou Wan hesitated, letting out a soft "Ah," but Lu Xixiao had already bent down to retrieve the box of dumplings, raising an eyebrow.
A little embarrassed, she explained, "I was afraid you might get hungry, so I brought these for you."
"You made them?"
"Mostly me, but Grandma helped with some."
Lu Xixiao opened the container and picked up his chopsticks to grab one. Zhou Wan quickly stopped him. "Don’t eat them—they’re cold now. They won’t taste good."
He popped a dumpling into his mouth anyway.
They were indeed cold, the wrappers a bit tough, but the filling was flavorful and generously stuffed.
Zhou Wan watched his expression. "Are they edible?"
Chewing the dumpling skin, he replied, "A bit more edible than that chicken-wing rice."
His tone was reluctant.
Yet, Lu Xixiao proceeded to finish the entire box, one dumpling after another.
Zhou Wan was self-aware—she knew her dumplings were just average at best, nothing extraordinary, let alone when they were cold.
She hadn’t expected him to eat them all.
"Let’s go," Lu Xixiao stood up. "The fireworks will start soon."
Zhou Wan followed him toward the bridge, eventually finding a good spot by the river with an open view, perfect for watching the display.
Leaning against the riverbank railing, she noticed out of the corner of her eye Lu Xixiao pressing a hand to his stomach, his brow slightly furrowed.
Probably from eating too many cold dumplings—they must have upset his stomach.
Unable to hold back, Zhou Wan lowered her head and chuckled softly.
"What’s so funny?" Lu Xixiao asked.
Not daring to tell him the truth, she simply smiled at him.
The girl’s eyes sparkled, her smile radiant. Zhou Wan usually had a gentle, unassuming purity, but in that moment, she was strikingly vivid. Lu Xixiao gazed at her, his heart calming, his Adam’s apple bobbing.
She said with a smile, "Lu Xixiao, it’s almost the New Year."
"Yeah." Unconsciously, a smile touched his lips too. "Got any New Year’s wishes?"
"Are you going to play Santa Claus again?"
"I’ll be your boyfriend."
That’s right—Santa Claus isn’t real.
But Lu Xixiao is.
Just like he said, there really is no Santa Claus in this world.
But I’m here.Zhou Wan's eyes sparkled with deepening mirth, but as if suddenly recalling something, the curve of her lips stiffened and the smile faded slightly.
"No need." Zhou Wan said softly, "I'm already very happy now."
...
Suddenly, a cheer erupted from the crowd.
"Wow—!"
Hundreds of fireworks shot into the sky simultaneously, illuminating the entire night, then blooming and fading in the darkness.
Like a romanticism tinged with tragedy—countless fireworks ascended, countless fireworks bloomed, countless fireworks faded, disappearing into the horizon, yet immediately after, other beams followed relentlessly, rising, blooming, fading.
Zhou Wan tilted her head back, watching intently without blinking.
"Lu Xixiao." Her eyes sparkled. "Look quickly."
Amidst the cheers and exclamations, Lu Xixiao took Zhou Wan's hand again.
Zhou Wan paused, turned to look at him, and after a moment, gave him a radiant smile.
In that smile, Lu Xixiao felt a numbness wash over his entire body, an electric current crawling up from his tailbone, while his temples throbbed as if pricked by needles.
Zhou Wan's smile curved her eyes into crescent moons: "So beautiful."
Lu Xixiao watched her, unable to look away.
He just kept watching.
While thousands around them looked up at the sky, only he was watching Zhou Wan.
The brilliant fireworks cast shifting colors across Zhou Wan's face.
After a long while, he lowered his eyes and smiled softly: "Mm."
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