Chapter 29.1

The refurbishment of Luo Rui's patisserie was finally complete just before Chinese New Year, which allowed it to air out during the holiday period. In the new year, they began the procurement of stock, soft furnishings, and recruitment. Both Lui Rui and Wen Xiaohui were so knackered that they lost a fair few catties1 in weight. They were a lot more cautious after being swindled so many times but their hard work paid off.

Juxing’s annual meeting was actually more like a farewell meal. At the annual meeting, Liu Xing and Xiao Yan announced that Juxing was going to be taken over shortly, and that it was in the process of reorganisation and integration. All staff at the studio would receive satisfactory assignments, and unless they wanted to go elsewhere, they would continue to work for the new Juxing like before. For the small-fry, the changeover of senior management wasn’t that important, and they all knew that Xiao Yan was going to take a bunch of people with her to start a new company.

Wen Xiaohui learned about these things from Shao Qun a while ago, and he had been earnestly pandering2 to Shao Qun ever since Raven left. After the reorganisation, Juxing was short of staff, and he knew that he would soon have a great development opportunity.

Liu Xing gave everyone a generous Chinese New Year red envelope3. Wen Xiaohui took the red envelope, and in the blink of an eye, he used it to buy a fur coat for his mother. When his mother received the clothes, she scolded him for wasting money whilst checking herself out in the mirror for most of the day, seemingly reluctant to take the coat off.

During the Chinese New Year period, Luo Rui and his parents went on holiday to Switzerland. Wen Xiaohui and his mother cleaned the house4, they went shopping for Chinese New Year goods, and continued to be busy up to the 29th.

On the eve of Chinese New Year, Wen Xiaohui carried a bundle of new year goods to go out.

Feng Yuehua had a face-mask on whilst she was watching TV. "Where are you going? It’s New Year's Eve."

"I’m going to deliver some gifts, I’ll be back in the afternoon." He was going to meet Luo Yi; although he couldn’t spend Chinese New Year with Luo Yi, the least he could do was to give him some tasty food.

"Come home early, there won’t be any taxis later."

"Okay."

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Wen Xiaohui was carrying bags of stuff so he struggled to open the door. He shouted into the house. "Luo Yi, come and take your stuff."

Luo Yi ran down from upstairs, and took the bags from his hands. "Why did you bring so much stuff over? How can I finish it all by myself?"

"It’s not all food." Wen Xiaohui kicked one of the bags. "Look at you. You don’t even have any Chinese New Year couplets5. It doesn’t even seem like you’re celebrating Chinese New Year."

Luo Yi’s house really didn’t look festive. It lacked people, it lacked atmosphere, and it was the same as always - lonely.

Luo Yi said faintly, "There isn’t much point in celebrating it alone."

Wen Xiaohui sighed, "Unfortunately, I can't spend New Year’s with you... But how about I come see you on the second day of the new year?"

Luo Yi smiled. "Never mind, spend it with your mother. I'm already used to it."

"Didn’t anyone spend New Year’s with you in the past?"

"Mum was sometimes around, but not it wasn’t guaranteed." Luo Yi shrugged. "It is said that the greatest significance behind New Year’s is reunion. But to me, Chinese New Year is the same as the whole community going on strike, and it’s very inconvenient."

Wen Xiaohui patted him on the shoulder. "Give me a bit more time, I’ll find an opportunity to convince my mum, and in future, we’ll be able to spend New Year’s together. No matter where you'll be working when you’re grown-up, Chinese New Year is the time for family reunions."

Luo Yi smiled and said, "I'm with my family when you're by my side. It doesn’t matter at all if it's Chinese New Year. Therefore, you should rush back and spend it with your mother."

Wen Xiaohui rolled up his sleeves, "Come on, I’ll head back after we’ve put up these couplets. I even brought over a red lantern; you have to hang up a red lantern if you live in a large villa."

They found some stools and glue, and they started to stick up the Chinese New Year couplets. Luo Yi seemed to think that it was pretty novel, and he studied the rhymes on the couplets.

"This can’t be your first time sticking up couplets?"

"It is." Luo Yi said with a smile.

Wen Xiaohui felt very upset; he was unable to call Yaya irresponsible so he could only be nicer to Luo Yi to make up for his short-changed childhood.

After sticking up the couplets and the good fortune sign6, the European solid-wood doors with decorative patterns were completely tainted by the Chinese influence, but Luo Yi was very pleased and he said that it looked festive.

"Come on, let’s hang up the lantern. It needs nails."

"Let me do it." Luo Yi climbed up the ladder.

Wen Xiaohui looked up at Luo Yi from below, and when Luo Yi lifted his hand to hammer the nail, the bottom of his sweatshirt rode up and exposed his flat and solid abs, which were accompanied by his pair of long legs that were bent. He was so good-looking that you couldn’t take your eyes off him.

Luo Yi seemed to sense something, and he suddenly looked down. Wen Xiaohui didn’t have time to divert his eyes and met Luo Yi’s gaze head on while it was suspended in mid-air.

Wen Xiaohui had a spell of anxiety.

Luo Yi smiled faintly. "Pass me one more nail please."

"Oh." Wen Xiaohui hurriedly passed it to him, but he was too rough. The thin nail directly stabbed Luo Yi’s hand.

Luo Yi retracted his finger, and he watched as a small bead of blood appeared.

"Fuck!" Wen Xiaohui said, "Come down quickly."

"It's fine, I’m nearly done."

"No, nails are really dirty. Come down first and let me disinfect it."

Luo Yi had no choice but to come down. Wen Xiaohui looked at his hand, and he felt especially distressed. Such a beautiful looking finger and he managed to take a small chunk of flesh off it. What a crime! He took out the first aid kit, and pressed a piece of cotton wool dipped in disinfectant on the wound. With a face full of remorse, he looked at Luo Yi and whispered, "I’m sorry."

Luo Yi chuckled, "It's only a surface wound. There's no need to apologise."

Wen Xiaohui grabbed his finger; he was particularly upset. He became increasingly puzzled about his own thoughts, just like how he couldn’t understand what Luo Yi was thinking.

After disinfecting, Wen Xiaohui helped him apply a plaster. As he was about to let go, Luo Yi’s finger nimbly coiled around Wen Xiaohui’s finger.

Wen Xiaohui froze on the spot. He trembled as he tilted his head upwards to look at Luo Yi.

Luo Yi also looked at him with his unfathomable eyes. Those eyes that stared at him contained indescribable emotions. He said softly, "I was lying - I don’t want you to leave. I really want to spend Chinese New Year with you."

Wen Xiaohui felt a heavy blow to his heart, and his whole body felt out of sorts.

Luo Yi’s body slowly moved closer to him. "You said that you’d always spend Chinese New Year with me, but you have your mother right now. In future if you have a boyfriend, would you still celebrate it with me?" He stared at Wen Xiaohui without blinking. "I really want to keep you by my side at all times." His face was already approaching Wen Xiaohui, and the two of them weren't even the width of a fist apart. Luo Yi lowered his eyes, which fell on Wen Xiaohui’s lips.

Wen Xiaohui’s heart started to beat like crazy, as he saw that they were about to touch. He suddenly pushed Luo Yi away.

Luo Yi didn’t expect it at all, and he almost fell off the sofa. He looked at Wen Xiaohui and his expression showed that he felt a little wronged.

Wen Xiaohui was panting heavily, with a face full of panic. "What the heck are you doing, Luo Yi?"

Luo Yi whispered as he was wringing his hands, "I was only thinking about how I could make you stay with me all the time."

Wen Xiaohui said in a loud voice, "Not in this way! Have you lost your mind? Do you think that these matters are so frivolous?"

Luo Yi looked up, his expression showed he was very distressed. "I don’t know what I should do. Do you dislike me?"

Wen Xiaohui took in his expression, and his temper immediately calmed down. He sighed loudly. "What makes you think that?"

"Because you like men."

"But I won’t fall for my jie’s son." Wen Xiaohui replied very seriously, "I know that you don’t like me in that way, you're just… You used to be too lonely so you want me to always be with you. I understand how you feel, but you shouldn’t have these thoughts in future. You’re not gay, so don’t imply that you are and don’t force yourself."

Luo Yi pursed his lips and he said in a low voice, "Then you’ll be snatched away by others."

Wen Xiaohui rubbed Luo Yi’s earlobe, and he said gently, "No one can snatch me away. My mum is my mum, my boyfriend is my boyfriend, and you are you.7 You’re one of the most important members of my family and no matter what, I’ll always be by your side."

Luo Yi nodded and he gently hugged Wen Xiaohui. "Xiaohui-ge, you’re so important to me."

Wen Xiaohui gently caressed Luo Yi’s back. "I know that. You’re really important to me too."

"You’re the only person that I trust in the entire world. Do you trust me completely?"

"Of course." Wen Xiaohui replied without hesitation.

"Mn, that's good then." Luo Yi’s arms tightened, and his gaze was as calm as water without a ripple or a wave.

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Wen Xiaohui felt ill at ease after he returned home. His greatest fear had become reality, but fortunately Luo Yi’s feelings for him ought to be relatively muddled. It couldn’t count as love, he must just be over-reliant on him and afraid of losing him. After all, Luo Yi was pretty young, and it was inevitable that he would be influenced by the man that he liked. It was the same as everyone getting the most fashionable haircut. It made him want to try it out, but he didn’t know if that’s what he actually wanted or whether it would suit him. It was Wen Xiaohui’s fault, and in future he wasn’t going to discuss men with Luo Yi again.

That evening, Wen Xiaohui and his mother went to his maternal grandma8 and grandad’s house to celebrate Chinese New Year. On the first day of the New Year, he went to visit his paternal grandma. Except for text messages wishing each other a happy new year, he and Luo Yi didn’t contact each other that frequently in the last couple of days, which was unusual. On the third day of the New Year, Wen Xiaohui used the excuse of having to accompany his paternal grandma instead of going to find Luo Yi. He thought that it would be best to let Luo Yi calm down.

When Luo Rui called him from abroad to pass on his New Year greetings, Wen Xiaohui thought about how it was an international phone call so he shouldn’t talk too much. However, he couldn’t stop himself from telling Luo Rui what had happened.

On the other end of the line, Luo Rui made a big deal out of it. He was a bit worried and he asked, "What are you going to do?"

Wen Xiaohui said irritably, "It’s hard to explain succinctly9. I’ll tell you when you’re back."

"Shit! You’re only telling me part of the gossip. Do you have any gossip ethics that would allow people to celebrate New Year10?"

Wen Xiaohui made a ‘hmph’ sound. "The goddamn rich guy who went on holiday to Switzerland deserves to have a bad new year. Gotta go."