—Where is your supervisor Xu right now?
Ji Feng asked the question in a flat, uninflected tone, as if casually inquiring without any real intention of finding out her location or going to look for her.
"She's in a banquet hall on the second floor," Lu Xiaoyan answered truthfully.
"Second floor, banquet hall?" Ji Feng frowned slightly, pondering as he asked, "Is there an event there today?"
There was indeed no official event scheduled. The banquet hall had been borrowed by Xu Miyu from the Food and Beverage Department. Worried that Ji Feng's frown indicated displeasure, Lu Xiaoyan quickly explained: "N-No! There's no official event. It's just a small gathering Mi Yu organized herself—she borrowed the space and paid for it out of her own pocket. Mi Yu said she'd settle the venue fees with the Food and Beverage Department after the New Year holiday, treating it as her personal rental of the banquet hall. Don't worry, Boss, Mi Yu—ah, I mean Supervisor Xu—would never take advantage of your hotel for free!"
She went on in a fluster to explain who was attending the small banquet hall gathering and why Xu Miyu had decided to host this event for them, celebrating New Year's Eve together.
Ji Feng looked down at the young attendant before him.
Had it only been a few days? Xu Miyu had already won over people's hearts to this extent. He had merely frowned out of habit, and her subordinate immediately jumped to her defense with an elaborate explanation, as if afraid he—the petty-minded boss—would be displeased.
Ji Feng let out a derisive laugh and said, "It's just sitting empty anyway. It's my hotel—I'm not worried about someone taking advantage of such a small thing."
After speaking, he turned and walked toward the elevator bank.
Lu Xiaoyan breathed a long sigh of relief behind him.
She couldn't help feeling there had been a very deliberate emphasis in Ji Feng's reply. He had stressed "my" hotel heavily, contrasting sharply with her earlier use of "your" hotel, creating an unmistakable tone of sarcasm. It seemed as if he were mocking her for meddling and presuming him to be petty...
Lu Xiaoyan patted her chest.
Though the boss was incredibly handsome, his intimidating presence was overwhelming. Thank goodness he had left. She felt that if Ji Feng had stayed even one minute longer, she might have been suffocated by the pressure.
Thinking about it, Mi Yu was truly remarkable. She appeared soft, gentle, and good-natured—seemingly unable to handle pressure—yet she possessed the greatest resilience and endurance. She was the only one who could face Ji Feng without fear or subservience, never feeling suffocated or overwhelmed.
While waiting outside the elevator, Ji Feng had firmly decided to go straight back to the penthouse.
But when the elevator doors opened and he stepped inside, turning to face outward, his thoughts seemed to turn in another direction as well.
His finger directly pressed the number 2 button.
The elevator started moving and soon stopped. He had arrived on the second floor.
The entire second floor was quiet, making the faint sounds leaking from the occupied banquet hall—despite its soundproofing—particularly noticeable.
Ji Feng followed the sounds.
The closer he got, the clearer the sounds became. When he reached the banquet hall entrance, he paused.
He raised his hand and gently pushed the door. As if understanding human intention, the door silently opened a wide crack, revealing a glimpse inside.
The sounds instantly grew much louder than before, bustling and lively, rushing through the crack to greet him.
Ji Feng stood outside the door, peering through the wide crack into the banquet hall.Inside was a room full of women, some with children. They gathered around two round tables in the banquet hall, where dumplings, melon seeds, peanuts, fruits, and drinks were laid out.
The women ate dumplings, melon seeds, peanuts, and fruits while watching the Spring Festival Gala projected onto a screen at the front of the banquet hall.
Ji Feng recalled what the young front desk attendant had told him downstairs: due to backward customs in some rural areas, divorced women were not allowed to return home for the New Year, so many had checked into the hotel. Upon learning this, Xu Miyu felt it was too bleak for them to spend the holiday alone. She bought ingredients and snacks with her own money, prepared the filling, and made dumplings herself. She also decorated a small banquet hall with paper garlands, pasted the character "fortune", and laid out red tablecloths. Then she contacted the solo female guests and those with children, inviting them to gather in the banquet hall to watch the Spring Festival Gala, eat dumplings, and celebrate the New Year’s Eve together.
Ji Feng looked around the banquet hall. There was no trace of self-pity among the divorced women; instead, everyone appeared joyful, warm, and harmonious.
In the banquet hall, children chased each other around the two round tables. In their playfulness, someone must have kicked or bumped into something, causing the projected Spring Festival Gala to suddenly go black.
The women gasped in alarm. It was almost midnight, and the hosts on TV were about to lead the nation in the New Year’s countdown. Just as the crucial moment approached, the broadcast was interrupted.
The women immediately began searching for Xu Miyu.
Ji Feng’s gaze followed theirs, seeking out that woman.
She was finally spotted in a corner, comforting a middle-aged woman.
Everyone urged her to quickly figure out what had gone wrong and whether they could still watch the countdown before midnight.
Xu Miyu promptly identified the issue.
A child had stepped on the power cord connected to the projector mounted overhead.
To reconnect it, someone would have to stand on a chair.
Without hesitation, Xu Miyu volunteered to climb up and fix the plug.
She brought over a chair, stood on it nimbly, and raised her arms to plug the cord back into the projector.
But her hands fell just short of reaching it. She strained onto her tiptoes and stretched her arms as far as she could.
Her top rode up, revealing a sliver of her waist.
Ji Feng narrowed his eyes at that glimpse of slender waist, as if struck by a blinding light.
That pale, supple waist not only stung the eyes but also pierced the heart—it made one’s heartbeat quicken.
His Adam’s apple moved unconsciously.
The next moment, the woman on the chair finally managed to plug the cord back in.
The Spring Festival Gala resumed on the large screen, to everyone’s relief.
The women cheered joyfully.
Xu Miyu laughed along with them, lowering her arms.
Perhaps letting her guard down, her foot slipped, and she began to tumble off the chair.
But several women nearby steadied her firmly, ensuring she landed safely on the ground.Ji Feng silently breathed a sigh of relief. Lowering his gaze, he unexpectedly discovered his hand gripping the banquet hall door handle tightly, his entire body poised in a preparatory stance to charge inside.
What would he have done if he rushed in? Catch her?
Ji Feng let out a scoffing laugh, unsure whether he was mocking the idea or himself for having it.
The child who had just kicked the power cord, causing the plug to come loose, was being pulled aside by his mother for a scolding.
The child began to cry, his face contorted and unattractive. Ji Feng was repulsed by the sight of the child's snot and tears, almost turning around to head back to the penthouse.
Just then, Xu Miyu walked over.
With a smile, she gently persuaded the child's mother, insisting it was nothing more than a small accident and not proof that the child was mischievous or ill-behaved.
The mother's anger subsided, but the child continued to cry incessantly, snot threatening to drip into his mouth.
Ji Feng watched the two trails of snot with utter disgust and growing anxiety.
If the snot really dripped into his mouth... it would be a disaster, just thinking about it was nauseating.
Was he really going to stand there and watch it happen?
He decided to turn and leave.
But before he could, he saw Xu Miyu pull out a tissue, crouch down, and without any sign of disgust, wipe away the child's tears and snot.
After cleaning him up, she patted his grubby little face, her smile unbearably kind and gentle, coaxing him to stop crying.
The child, however, kept on crying, his noisy sobs sounding like a croaking frog, grating on the nerves.
Anyone crying that loudly deserved to have a sock stuffed in their mouth to restore peace and quiet.
Ji Feng couldn't understand how such an ugly-crying child could evoke so much patience from Xu Miyu.
He saw her suddenly adopt a mysterious expression, piquing the child's curiosity. The child sniffled and stopped his noise to watch her intently.
Then she slipped both hands into the pockets on either side of her clothes.
When she withdrew them, her hands were clenched into fists. She asked the child to guess which fist held the candy.
The child sniffled and pointed to Xu Miyu's left hand. She opened it to reveal a piece of chocolate shaped like a gold ingot.
She praised him, "So clever, you guessed it right away!" The compliment made the child forget his tears.
She handed the chocolate to the child, who took it and broke into a happy grin, his face still wet with tears as he chirped, "Thank you, Auntie!"
His grin revealed a mouthful of missing teeth.
So ugly.
Ji Feng frowned in distaste.
Yet he couldn't help but feel that the child's hideous smile was somehow innocent and sincere.
He watched as Xu Miyu opened her other hand, revealing another gold ingot chocolate.
She gave it to the little boy and nodded toward his mother standing nearby, saying, "Mom works hard taking care of you all by herself, right? Since it's New Year's, you should make her happy, shouldn't you?"
The boy understandingly took the chocolate and offered it to his mother. The mother's eyes instantly reddened, and she crouched down to hug her child tightly.
Xu Miyu watched them and smiled.
Her smile was warm and gentle, joyful and radiant.
Ji Feng stood at the door, watching Xu Miyu's smile through the wide crack.
For a moment, he felt as if he were sinking into something.
Fortunately, the countdown of the real world pulled him out of that terrifying sense of unreality.On the large screen, the hosts of the Spring Festival Gala were counting down in unison with raised voices: Ten, nine, eight, seven...
The women in the banquet hall joined in the countdown: Six, five, four...
The children, caught up in the excitement, chimed in with their high-pitched voices, happily counting down: Three, two, one...
After the final second, everyone—those on the screen and those outside it, adults and children alike—cheered and shouted with joy and abandon: Happy New Year!
Ji Feng stood at the doorway and smiled.
Happy New Year.
He said it to the people in the room as well.
It turned out this New Year could still bring happiness.
In a group of divorced women who might have been pitied, he saw the warmth and joy of the New Year.
Ji Feng did not disturb the New Year's celebration of the women in the banquet hall.
After gently closing the door to the banquet hall, he quietly returned to the top floor.
He entered his room and sat down on the sofa.
Though he was completely still, it felt strangely as if something inside him was rushing through his blood and bones, stirring up what could be called "excitement."
He was puzzled. He had merely observed the New Year's joy of a group of divorced women—what was there to be excited about?
Annoyed, he stood up and paced around the suite.
As if guided by something, he walked toward the room used as a storage space.
He remembered that it held many, many gifts sent by others.
In the banquet hall, after midnight passed, the gala continued.
Apart from a few children who couldn't stay awake and were carried away by their mothers, the rest remained, still watching the Spring Festival Gala together in high spirits, planning to stay until the song "Unforgettable Tonight" was sung before dispersing.
Xu Miyu continued watching the gala with everyone. Soon, there was a knock at the banquet hall door. She told the others to keep watching and went to check.
Stepping outside, she saw a young staff member from the hotel's administrative department on duty. Xu Miyu recognized him—they usually called each other "Sister Xu" and "Xiao Yu."
Xiao Yu was holding a large box, which appeared to be a New Year's gift box.
Xiao Yu said to Xu Miyu, "Sister Xu, this is for you."
Xu Miyu looked surprised. "For me? Who sent it?"
Xiao Yu looked at her and said, "It's from President Ji."
Xu Miyu was even more astonished. "President Ji?"
Xiao Yu explained, "President Ji said he knew you were celebrating the New Year and watching the Spring Festival Gala with a group of divorced ladies in the banquet hall, so he sent this gift box to add to the festivities."
As Xu Miyu took the large gift box, her hands felt its weight, and her heart stirred.
She said to Xiao Yu, "Thank you, Xiao Yu. Please also convey our thanks—from everyone in this room—to President Ji!"
Xiao Yu smiled and said he would pass on the message to President Ji, then left.
Xu Miyu carried the gift box into the room, opened it, and shared the array of high-end gifts with everyone.
Everyone was delighted.
Seeing their happiness, Xu Miyu felt happy too.
But when it came to her turn, the gifts in the box had all been taken by others, leaving only an empty box.
Not wanting to dampen the mood, she smiled and said she had already taken her gift.
Only when no one was looking did she feel a slight regret. She had almost had a New Year's gift too.But she thought, it didn't matter. Having spent the New Year without loneliness like this was already very good.
Suddenly it occurred to her that Ji Feng actually knew she was here watching the Spring Festival Gala with others, and had even sent someone to deliver a large gift box to liven things up.
That usually cold and arrogant Ji Feng, so skilled at sarcasm and disdain.
He had actually noticed what she was doing...
Xu Miyu quickly stopped the waves of emotion surging in her heart. If she let this emotion spread unchecked, she didn't know where it might lead.
After watching the Spring Festival Gala for a while longer, "Unforgettable Tonight" began to play.
The sound of this song marked the complete end of the Spring Festival Gala, and the crowd in the banquet hall should disperse.
These people had originally thought they would have to lie alone in their rooms, spending this Spring Festival cold and lonely. They never expected to ultimately welcome the New Year in such a warm and lively gathering.
Therefore, everyone was very grateful to Xu Miyu. After the party ended, no one rushed back to their rooms; instead, they all competed to help Xu Miyu clean up the banquet hall.
Many hands make light work, and soon the banquet hall was restored to its original tidy state.
There was just a bit of trash left that needed to be bagged and disposed of. Xu Miyu felt she could handle it alone, so she worked hard to "chase" everyone else back to their rooms to rest.
It took some effort, but she finally managed to send everyone away. The solidarity and kindness among women were always hard to refuse and intensely warm.
As those women gradually returned to their rooms, only Xu Miyu remained in the banquet hall.
When there were many people around, she hadn't felt anything particular, but now in the empty large room, her sense of loss and regret became magnified.
Xu Miyu felt indeed a bit lost and regrettable in her heart. She had almost received a New Year's gift.
She bent down to tidy up the trash and prepared to leave when someone knocked on the banquet hall door again.
Xu Miyu went to see who it was and was surprised to find it was still Xiao Yu.
This time, he was holding a small box, and it was impossible to tell what was inside.
Xiao Yu handed the small box to Xu Miyu: "Here, Sister Xu."
Puzzled, Xu Miyu took it and asked: "What is this? Who asked you to deliver it this time?"
Xiao Yu scratched his head and said: "Still Manager Ji."
"Manager Ji?" Xu Miyu felt the box in her arms seemed to transmit a pounding heartbeat.
"Yes, Manager Ji. He just called me up again, stood at the suite door to give it to me, and told me to quickly bring it down to you. Oh, and he said this is specifically for you. He was afraid that if it came down earlier with the other gift box, you might mix it with the other items and give it away to others, so he told me to deliver it separately now."
"Ah, also, Manager Ji asked me to pass on a message." Xiao Yu conveyed to Xu Miyu: "He said Happy New Year!"
Holding the box, Xu Miyu smiled very, very happily, her smile so radiant that Xiao Yu was somewhat stunned.
"Happy New Year!" she said to Xiao Yu, and through Xiao Yu, to Ji Feng.
After Xiao Yu left, Xu Miyu walked back into the banquet hall and quickly unwrapped the box.
The moment she opened the box, she froze.
It was chocolate.
It was actually chocolate! It was her favorite chocolate.
Xu Miyu closed the box again and held it in her arms.
She smiled, her eyes growing warm and moist.
She had thought there would be no New Year's gift.
Unexpectedly, in this homeless New Year, at the very last moment, she could still receive a New Year's gift that she loved.She hugged the box to her chest, lowered her head, and whispered softly, "Thank you."
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, Xu Miyu returned to her dormitory to rest after finishing her night shift.
Ji Feng knew that Xu Miyu needed rest after her night shift. On this New Year's Day, he surprisingly chose not to cause any trouble, instead enduring the unbearable hunger and loneliness alone.
By the second day, his mother, Feng Xuelan, called early in the morning. Over the phone, she had resumed her gentle and refined demeanor as a noblewoman. She asked him to come home for a meal.
Ji Feng hesitated at first. No matter how frustrated he was with his mother's lack of resolve, she was still his mother. But just as he was about to relent and agree, he heard his mother say, "Zhichun is here, waiting for you to come back. I’ve also invited your father so he can meet Zhichun properly."
In that instant, Ji Feng’s hesitation vanished completely. His mother was still trying to set him up with a woman he had explicitly stated was unsuitable, all in an attempt to salvage her own failing marriage.
Without a second thought, Ji Feng refused his mother, saying he had other plans and couldn’t come home. Fearing that Jiang Zhichun might take it upon herself to visit him at the hotel, he made sure to pass a message through his mother: he was currently out of town and wouldn’t be returning to Xing City for the rest of the New Year holidays.
After hanging up, irritation and hunger fed off each other inside him, pushing him to the brink of tolerance.
The thought of smashing everything in the room flashed through his mind. But he quickly calmed down. If he were to vent his emotions in such a way, how would he be any different from the mother he so despised for her lack of resolve?
He steadied himself.
The irritation was manageable, but the hunger was unbearable. Chef Xu had gone home for the New Year and wouldn’t be back for several days. The tasteless meals he’d endured at the hotel the day before had been more than enough.
Picking up the phone he had just tossed aside, he dialed Xu Miyu’s number with a sense of utter desperation.
After a few rings, Xu Miyu’s voice came through, calm and unhurried.
"Boss Ji," she greeted him first, then offered her wishes, "Happy New Year!" followed by a thank you, "Thank you for the New Year gift." Finally, she asked, "Is there something you need?"
Listening to her string of short sentences, Ji Feng unexpectedly felt his mood gradually settle. He responded with a composed "Hmm," then asked, "Are you busy today?"
Xu Miyu answered crisply and decisively, "Yes, I am."
Ji Feng was taken aback, as if subconsciously he had assumed she would have nothing to do unless he needed her.
"When are you busy?" he pressed.
"In the evening," Xu Miyu replied.
"Then come to the hotel during the day," Ji Feng said immediately.
"Ah?" Xu Miyu paused, "Go to the hotel? For what?"
"Cook," Ji Feng blurted out, "...for me." After a brief pause, he quickly added, "I won’t let you do it for free. I’ll pay you ten times your daily wage."
"..." Xu Miyu hesitated, then tentatively struggled, "Can I not go? Will... I lose my job because of this?"
Ji Feng’s voice, though stiff, seemed to carry a hint of pleading and vulnerability: "You won’t lose your job, but I might starve to death."
Xu Miyu sighed.After hanging up the phone, she thought about how touched she had been by yesterday's chocolate, and how Ji Feng had used the harshest tone in the world to essentially apologize. She still got up and went to the hotel.
On the way, she couldn't help mentally scolding herself. Everyone said she had changed and grown, so why was she still unable to resist when someone apologized? Even if it was such an awkward apology.
She hadn't actually lied to Ji Feng—she really did have plans that evening. Today, the second day of the Lunar New Year, was actually her birthday. Growing up at home, no one ever remembered to celebrate her birthday. Even though she and Xu Mibao were twins born on the same day, and even though Xu Mibao's birthday was always lavishly celebrated every year, their parents never thought to include her. She truly lived up to her childhood nickname—she was the superfluous one.
After getting married, Nie Yucheng had celebrated her birthday for a few years. But Nie Yucheng was now her ex-husband. She had thought this year's birthday would revert to how it was during her childhood—lost among the 365 ordinary days of the year, passing by without a trace.
Unexpectedly, Li Qiaoqi actually remembered her birthday.
The day before New Year's Eve, when Li Qiaoqi called to say she planned to celebrate her birthday on the second day of the new year, Xu Miyu was completely stunned.
Those connected by blood had forgotten the day she came into this world, while someone she hadn't been in touch with for a long time actually remembered.
She was deeply moved, but Li Qiaoqi said, "Don't be touched—I didn't deliberately remember. It's just that your birthday is so easy to remember, it suddenly occurred to me."
Xu Miyu remained grateful for Li Qiaoqi's sudden recollection.
Li Qiaoqi also told Xu Miyu: "You got married right after graduation and cut off contact with all our classmates after that. You don't know this, but everyone actually gathers at my place every year for a reunion. This year I'll contact them and set the reunion for the evening of the second day of the new year—we'll all celebrate your birthday together!"
Xu Miyu felt both grateful and happy. For the past six years, she had lived isolated in their small two-person home, burning herself out for that little family, willing to sacrifice everything. She had lost all her social connections for that small family. Now she was truly thankful to Li Qiaoqi for pulling her back into the circle of relationships.
So no matter what happened during the day, nothing could stop her from attending the gathering that evening. That gathering held in the name of her birthday.
Xu Miyu arrived at the hotel penthouse and went straight to the suite's kitchen without a word.
With deft hands, she quickly prepared four home-style dishes. By the time she finished making a soup, the rice in the cooker announced its fragrant completion.
She brought the dishes out and set them before Ji Feng.
Ji Feng's face, elongated by hunger, finally shortened somewhat upon seeing the four dishes and soup.
He began eating with complete disregard for anyone else, his posture elegant as always, demonstrating his good manners. Only the result was like a whirlwind sweeping away remnants—by the time he put down his bowl and chopsticks, only a tiny bit of soup remained at the bottom, while all the other plates and bowls had been completely cleaned out.
Looking at the empty plates and bowls, Xu Miyu felt inexplicably pleased.
As a cook, seeing a diner so thoroughly enjoy the food she prepared brought a pleasant sense of satisfaction.
Lunch was thus solved for Ji Feng. Now there was still dinner to consider.
Thinking that she had plans in the evening and couldn't stay to cook for Ji Feng, Xu Miyu simply took the empty bowls and plates back to the kitchen and started preparing dinner in advance.
She cooked two dishes that wouldn't lose their flavor when reheated, then washed the rice and put it in the cooker, setting the timer for the evening meal.After getting everything ready, she walked to the living room and told Ji Feng, who was lounging on the sofa with his legs crossed while fiddling with his tablet, "Mr. Ji, I’ve prepared your dinner in advance. The rice will cook automatically on a timer, and you just need to heat the two dishes in the microwave before eating."
Ji Feng was hunched over his tablet, harvesting crops and planting seeds. Xu Miyu now knew that this activity, which could hardly be called a game, was something Ji Feng had persisted with every single day for ten years without interruption.
Sometimes she didn’t know whether to admire Ji Feng’s perseverance or marvel at how utterly boring he could be.
Only after planting the last plot of land did Ji Feng slowly lift his eyes to look at Xu Miyu.
"Got it," he replied.
Then the two of them stared at each other, as if each had something to say, yet neither spoke.
Xu Miyu wanted to say, "If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave," but under Ji Feng’s gaze, she couldn’t bring herself to say it.
Ji Feng wanted to casually ask what exactly she had to do that evening, but he couldn’t quite strike the right tone of nonchalance, so he remained silent as well.
And so they stared at each other, the mutual gaze gradually turning into an awkward standoff.
Finally, the awkward silence, which seemed about to gather cobwebs, was broken by the ringtone of Ji Feng’s phone.
Ji Feng glanced at the phone beside him. The caller ID showed it was his mother, Feng Xuelan, calling.
He frowned and didn’t answer.
Xu Miyu noticed that as the phone rang, Ji Feng’s expression visibly shifted. An aura of bad mood seemed to cling to his form, wrapping around him like something tangible.
The phone rang for a while, unanswered, and then fell silent.
But almost immediately, it started ringing again, stubbornly and relentlessly.
Xu Miyu saw that not only had Ji Feng’s expression soured, but his brow was also tightly furrowed.
After taking a deep breath, he finally answered the call.
Feng Xuelan’s voice came through the receiver, trying to negotiate: "Son, I know you’re out of town, and I’m not forcing you to come back. Today is the second day of the lunar new year, the day married women return to their parents’ homes. I no longer have a parents’ home to return to—the only family I have now is with your father and you. Son, can you try to understand how I feel? Could you call your dad and ask him to come back and keep me company?" After a pause, her voice trembled with emotion. "We can’t let that bitch outside have her way, letting your dad accompany her back to her parents’ home, can we?"
Ji Feng took a deep breath and said to Feng Xuelan, "I won’t make that call."
With that, he hung up, tossed the phone onto the sofa, and flung it far away.
When would his mother finally wake up? When would she understand that this rotten marriage wasn’t worth her jealousy and scheming? When would she find some self-respect and stop using her son as a tool to deal with her cheating husband?
Ji Feng was in a terrible mood, his emotions in turmoil. At that moment, he wanted to smash everything in sight, to tear the world around him to shreds.
He grabbed a water glass and hurled it to the floor in a fit of rage. After shattering the glass, he was about to kick the coffee table.
Then he heard a sharp intake of breath.
Turning toward the sound, he saw Xu Miyu standing to the side, her eyes wide as she stared at him. In her gaze was a trace of fear and wariness he hadn’t seen in a long time—the same look she had when they first met.
She seemed frightened by the person he had just become.
That thought flashed through his mind, and suddenly, Ji Feng calmed down. He lowered his foot, leaving the coffee table untouched.
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