Chapter 264 New Year’s Eve
During the two weeks since I sprained my ankle, I truly felt like a master.
I have someone to take care of me at home and someone to support me when I go out. Not only did I not lose weight, I even gained two kilograms. My life is so comfortable.
"It's already 2004! Your foot isn't healed yet!"
The two maids looked at Fang Wei's ankle, which no longer had any signs of injury, with suspicion on their faces.
"What are you talking about? There are still a few hours until 2004..."
"So are we going home for New Year's Day? We haven't been home for two weeks!"
"Yes, I will come back early tomorrow morning."
"Isn't your foot still healed?"
"…Well, riding a motorcycle is no problem."
"You're lying! You must be faking illness. You're clearly already well, but you're still ordering us around like slaves!"
“How could I…!”
Fang Wei felt guilty and looked away, so Xu Cailing raised her little hand and slapped his knee hard.
"Oh! It's about to break! It was almost healed! Now it's seriously injured again!"
"You're pretending! I clearly hit your knee! And it was your left knee!"
"... Do you understand that the fingers are connected to the heart? Even though I look like I'm fine, it actually hurts if I touch it."
Liu Zhiyi was the kind-hearted one. Seeing Cailing making trouble for Fang Wei again, she hurried over to stop her.
"Alright, alright...if we break him in a moment, he won't be healed."
"That's right! He still understands what I mean!"
"Zhiyi, you believe him!"
"I don't believe it."
"Then you have to speak for him."
"I want to see how long he can keep pretending."
Fang Wei: “???”
It’s not easy for me to find some reasons for you two to be close to me!
Before we knew it, it was already the last day of 2003.
Looking back on this year, many major events happened in my life. I fought hard to pass the high school entrance examination, got into the high school of my choice, and went to the Shanghai city I had always dreamed of. Cailing became a first-class athlete, Zhiyi became a columnist, and now the three of them live together.
It can be said that this year is a very meaningful year in life. Now that 2003 is about to pass, Fang Wei and the other two do not feel that their time has been wasted like the adults. Instead, they feel that this year has been particularly fulfilling and are also looking forward to the coming 2004.
The school has three days off for New Year's Day, and Cai Ling doesn't have to go to the base for training tonight. She will miss the boat home in the evening, so the three of them will spend New Year's Eve together tonight.
"It's time to eat~!"
Xu Cailing and Liu Zhiyi were busy, bringing out plates of washed ingredients from the kitchen. There was an induction cooker on the dining table. The soup in the pot had already boiled, with steam rising from it. The three of them were going to have hotpot together tonight.
"Master Fang! Do you want me to carry you over here?"
“…Here it comes!”
Fang Wei, who was sitting leisurely on the sofa, put down the notebook and pen in his hand and quickly sat down at the dining table.
On a cold winter night, there is nothing warmer and more comfortable than having hot pot.
There are beef, fish fillets, shrimps, chicken, meatballs of various colors, radishes, mushrooms, lettuce, and two pieces of bread. After you finish eating the hot pot, put the noodles into the pot. The noodles that have absorbed the soup are delicious.
"Have you prepared your dipping sauce?"
"Help us do it!"
"I want more coriander!" said Cai Ling.
"I want more chili!" Zhiyi said.
No one understands their taste better than Fang Wei. The dipping sauces he prepares for them are often better than those they make themselves.
We bought the ingredients together at the market after school. The portions were small, but there were many varieties.
There are no hot pot base packets. I make the soup myself. I put pork bones, chicken and radish into the soup first to bring out the fresh and fragrant flavor. I turn the induction cooker to the highest fire and the soup in the pot gurgles.
Fang Wei took a net spoon, transferred the beef on the plate into the spoon, and blanched it in the boiling soup for a few times. If you blanch the beef too quickly, it will be raw, and if you blanch it too long, it will be overcooked, so it is quite a test of technique.
As Fang Wei picked up the spoon and placed it on the edge of the pot, the girls on both sides happily stretched out their chopsticks to pick up a handful of food, dipped it in the seasoning in the bowl, put it into their mouths and ate it happily, nodding as they ate, with smiling eyes and brows.
“Delicious~!”
"Zhiyi, let me try the seasoning in your bowl!... Whoosh! It's so spicy!"
“(⊙o⊙)…It’s not very spicy.”
God knows how Zhiyi can eat spicy food so well. Fang Wei filled her bowl with chili peppers, which would be a 'lethal dose' for Cailing, but Zhiyi enjoyed the meal so much. If we only look at her personality and image, I'm afraid others would think she is a girl who likes light food!
After they finished eating each other's seasoning, they dipped it in Fang Wei's seasoning.
"Haha, did you find anything?"
"Why does your seasoning taste a little sweet?"
"You have a good tongue. I added sugar."
"What? No one adds sugar!"
"A little bit of sugar can make it more delicious! Do you think you can eat it?"
"Put the meatballs in quickly~ I want to eat meatballs!"
"Don't worry, you'll be full after eating the meatballs for a while. Let's blanch some fish fillets first..."
"Would you like something to drink?"
"Oh yeah, no wonder I said something was missing, Coke! Zhiyi, go get some Coke!"
"What were you writing on the sofa just now?" the girls asked curiously.
"2004 New Year's Plan." Fang Wei said as he ate, and put some meat into the bowls of the two girls.
“You’re still writing this!”
“I write every year.”
"So what did you write?"
"I won't tell you."
"I'll go get it and see!"
"Hey! Hurry up and eat!"
At the beginning of 2004, the first thing facing us was the final subject and class examinations.
This year's Spring Festival comes early, with New Year's Eve on January 21st. The school also closes early. After returning home after New Year's Day, there will be final exams next week, and then the holiday starts on the 13th. This is probably the first and most complete winter vacation in my high school career.
After this semester of study, most of the students have become clear about their future subject selection. Fang Wei, needless to say, chose science, and Liu Zhiyi naturally chose liberal arts. However, Xu Cailing's specialty class is quite special. All students choose liberal arts by default. Class 6 is also the only class in the school that will not be re-divided in the next semester. The entire class will be transformed into a liberal arts specialty class, and they will spend a complete three years of high school together.
Taking advantage of the New Year's Day holiday, the school also distributed the subject selection intention form, which required students to determine their subject selection before the final exams. Parents would then have to sign and submit it.
The three of them ate and talked. The hotpot meal took more than an hour, and they were all very full when they finished.
The diligent girls would not leave used pots and pans piled in the sink overnight. After a short rest, they would quickly clean up the leftover dishes together.
Usually on the first night of the holiday, the three of them would do their homework together, but tonight they decided to put their homework aside and go for a walk outside together.
"Hey, aren't you going to change your school uniform jackets?"
"It's alright!"
"Go change quickly, it's cold outside!"
Xu Cailing and Liu Zhiyi then went back to their room and got out thicker coats to keep warm.
Actually, it’s okay to wear school uniforms. It won’t be too cold. If you just go for a walk outside, how would it look like if three boys and girls in school uniforms were holding hands together?
"Let's go, let's go~!"
"Let's go to Xuanzhu Square to see the lanterns~!"
“Will there be fireworks tonight?”
“It might be very late then.”
"Wait!"
Xu Cailing and Liu Zhiyi surrounded Fang Wei and went downstairs together in a lively manner.
Although New Year's Day is not a traditional holiday, the festive atmosphere in the city is much stronger than that on the island. On the contrary, during the Spring Festival, the atmosphere is not as strong as that on the island.
Every New Year’s Day, there are lanterns and cultural performances in Xuanzhu Square. Around midnight, there will also be brilliant fireworks, attracting many citizens to watch.
Fang Wei got on the motorcycle. Xu Cailing held his shoulders and sat behind him. She hugged him in his down jacket. Down jackets are warm inside but cool outside in winter. It was too cold and uncomfortable when she first hugged him. It was not as comfortable as a fluffy hoodie or thick sweater. But Cailing had her own way. She put her little hands into Fang Wei's empty pockets, so she felt warm while hugging him.
When they went there, Cailing sat in the middle, and when they came back, it was Zhiyi's turn to sit in the middle. Zhiyi didn't care who went first or last, she sat right behind Cailing. Cailing's hand was in Fang Wei's pocket, so her pocket was empty, which was just enough for Zhiyi's hand.
"Hehehe... Zhiyi, stop tickling me!"
"I didn't, Cailing, you're so sensitive!"
"You're still talking about me? It's obvious that you're the most ticklish!"
The three of them were tightly packed together like a sandwich. Fang Wei zipped his shirt up to his neck, leisurely rode his motorcycle with the two girls out of the community, and drove onto the brightly lit streets on a winter night.
"Are you guys cold?"
"No!" "No!"
Cailing and Zhiyi were very warm, with Fang Wei in front of them blocking the wind, so they didn't feel cold at all.
Xuanzhu Square was not far away, and after riding for about ten minutes, Fang Wei and his two companions arrived at their destination.
After finding a place to park and lock the motorcycle, the three of them walked into the square together. The habit had become natural. Fang Wei stood between the two girls, and they put their hands in his pockets, one on the left and one on the right, to stay with his warm and thick hands, intertwining their fingers in his pockets, letting him knead and play with them warmly and softly.
When three people are close to each other, they will even cover their arms. Outsiders, at first glance, probably would not have thought that the hands in their pockets would be so shamelessly entangled.
Just imagine burying your head in the other person's chest, with the hair tips to the fingertips all filled with warm fragrance, and the cold wind blocking it with his windbreaker the second before it blows in front of you. The colder the air, the hotter the clenched palms become. In the aroma of roasted sweet potatoes, the lights under the street lamps are also shaking, and the world suddenly becomes so small that only that small pocket is left. No wonder they say they want to fall in love in winter.
Xuanzhu Square is very lively tonight, with citizens of all ages, but the majority are young men and women. Taking advantage of the New Year's Eve party and countdown fireworks, it is really a great place for a date.
It was a little after eight o'clock, so Fang Wei and the other two were considered to have arrived rather late. A lively cultural performance had already begun on the makeshift stage. The square was dotted with colorful lanterns, and the light cast a warm red glow on their faces.
"Hahaha! It feels like we're on TV!"
"That's right. Did you see the live broadcast over there..."
As a grand outdoor New Year's Day cultural performance, there are naturally local TV stations broadcasting it live here. When it first came out, the live broadcast had just begun. All of a sudden, I went from watching it on TV to watching it in person.
The performances in the show were not as rich as those in later generations. They were all performed by the city's art troupe, and there were singing segments, dancing segments, and sketch segments. Don't expect any celebrities.
However, the level of the performance was still good, with quite local characteristics. At the front of the stage sat some invited leaders and guests, and behind them were hundreds of neatly arranged red plastic chairs. If you had bought tickets, you could go in and sit and watch. If you didn't buy tickets, you could only watch from outside the venue.
Although the ticket price was not expensive, most citizens did not buy tickets. They gathered outside the fence like they were watching a performance by craftsmen at a market. When they saw a wonderful performance, they cheered and applauded together, which was quite lively.
"Over here! This place is higher!"
Fang Wei found a place with a good view and took the two girls to join in the fun.
He was tall, so he could see somewhat. Cai Ling and Zhi Yi were short, so they couldn't see as clearly as he did. They poked their heads around and watched the performance through the gaps between the crowds.
It’s not cold when there are many people. With so many people gathered together, the cold wind seems to have died down. Even if you can’t see the show clearly, you can still feel the atmosphere.
"Haha, it feels like watching a movie when I was a kid!" Cai Ling laughed. She loved to join in the fun.
"Watching movies when you were a kid?" Zhiyi blinked.
"Yes! Fang Wei, do you still remember?"
"Of course I remember."
If people born in the 1970s and 1980s have any unique childhood memories, "watching movies outdoors" is definitely one of them.
In the past, there were no mobile phones or the Internet, and very few families in the village had televisions. There was a lack of entertainment options, and the only options were watching movies, listening to storytelling artists walking the streets, or going to temple fairs. At that time, watching open-air movies was no less than celebrating a festival for children.
Generally, the villagers would get the news the day before. In the evening of the next day, two film projectionists would appear in sight pulling a cart carrying projection equipment. The old village chief would go up and hand over a cigarette with a smile. The movie would be shown on the playground of the now-closed Donghua Primary School. As the movie screen was hung up, every household would move chairs from home to reserve the spot early. After dinner, they would rush over to watch the movie, for fear of missing the movie.
The films played are all classic red-themed films, such as "Tunnel Warfare" and so on. Even if you have seen many of these films more than once, you will still be amused or moved by them.
Later, as each household gradually had a television, the activity of "movies going to the countryside" gradually became less common. Some people born in the 1990s may still have memories of it, but those born in the 2000s have no memory of it. Of course, people like Liu Zhiyi who grew up in the city have no idea about it.
"Ah, there is such a thing. Then, does it cost money to watch a movie?"
“It’s free!”
"so good!"
"But it seems like there hasn't been anyone showing movies on our island for a while... Fang Wei, are we not showing movies anymore?"
"Well, there should still be some now, but they may have gone to places where they are needed more."
“Is there any place poorer than ours?!”
“…There are plenty of them in the mountains.”
Not to mention the present time in 2004, even in another 20 years there will still be people living lives that many people cannot imagine. It’s just that in the future when the Internet is highly developed, those who can’t even use the Internet will not appear in our field of vision.
As the three were watching the performance, someone patted Fang Wei on the shoulder.
Looking back, it was the smiling Zhao Yueting.
"Mr. Zhao! Why are you here?"
"Ha, so you are allowed to come and see, but we are not allowed to?"
Zhao Yueting was traveling with someone. She was accompanied by a girl wearing glasses. She was in the same class as Liu Zhiyi and was her junior high school classmate. She had met her before when she was taking the boat home.
"Have you just arrived?" Fang Wei asked with a smile.
"We've been here since around seven! We have nothing to do at school, so why not come out and watch the show!"
"You're not lying to me, are you? You're here so early? I just walked around and didn't see you!"
"Oh, so does this count as the Nth time I saw you but you didn't see me?"
"...Then why blame me? If you had stood on the stage, I would have definitely been able to see you."
"I don't have that much talent. You can sing, right? Go sing a song."
"I'll talk to you when the TV station invites me."
"Hey! Let's go, bye!"
"Back to school?"
"No, let's go see the lanterns! There are too many people here!"
After coming over to say hello, Zhao Yueting and her friend went to the other side to see the lanterns hand in hand.
Every time, Zhao Yueting noticed him first, but he didn't notice her, which made Fang Wei feel embarrassed.
Thinking of the scenes Zhao Yueting told them about when they first met the three people, Xu Cailing and Liu Zhiyi also asked curiously: "Then, if it were us, would you be able to find us?"
"Sure it can!"
"why?"
"It means that you are the only ones in my eyes."
"Bah! Shameless!"
The girls secretly groaned, but they seemed to have heard the most satisfactory answer and felt very happy.
……
The cultural performance ended at ten o'clock, and most of the people, young and old, left the square and went home. However, the number of people in the square did not decrease, but increased instead.
Those who came were young men and women like Fang Wei and his two companions, just to wait together for the countdown to midnight and the fireworks.
If it were in the past, Fang Wei and the other two would have been unable to stay up so late, but after entering high school, they basically went to bed after eleven o'clock. In order to wait for the fireworks and countdown, Xu Cailing and Liu Zhiyi decided to wait without hesitation.
"Why are you so addicted this year?" Fang Wei said with a smile.
“It’s not that I’m addicted this year, but I didn’t have the opportunity in previous years!”
Perhaps it is these "meaningless" things in the eyes of adults that further highlight the madness of youth. Think about it, if you feel that everything is meaningless and embarrassing, how much beautiful things will you miss?
The small vendors are quite good at doing business. Taking advantage of the large flow of people tonight, many of them have come to the square to set up stalls.
When the greedy girls smelled the aroma of roasted sweet potatoes, roasted chestnuts and roasted hot dogs in the air, they couldn't help it and pulled Fang Wei to buy food.
"Wow! Boss, why are you here?" Fang Wei was surprised. Isn't the person in front of him the boss who sets up a stall in the community all day long?
"Two sweet potatoes, half a pound of chestnuts, and three grilled sausages?" The boss said with a smile. Without Fang Wei saying anything, he had already told Fang Wei and his two companions the order configuration they were used to.
"Correct!"
"Okay, take it, bro~!"
With these foods, time became less unbearable. The three of them found a step to sit down, and in the cold wind, they ate hot roasted sweet potatoes, grilled sausages and fried chestnuts together.
Taking advantage of this moment of time, Fang Wei took out his mobile phone and called Wen Susu who was far away in Shanghai.
"sister--"
"Sister Susu, have you eaten?"
Hearing the three people's laughing voices on the other end of the phone, Wen Susu, who was lying on the sofa with her legs crossed and watching TV bored, immediately perked up.
"I'm eating, what are you three doing?"
“We’re eating baked sweet potatoes!”
"We're outside!"
“We’re celebrating New Year’s Eve!”
"There will be a countdown and fireworks in a while, we'll call you, and then we'll celebrate the New Year together!"
"Hahaha, what is this? It's all nonsense..."
"Sister, it's 2004! You know that, don't you?"
"I know...it's 2004?!"
This feeling is very strange. I know it is 2004, but when someone mentions it, I suddenly feel an inexplicable sigh - what?! It has passed so fast, it is really 2004!
“The countdown has begun!”
"Ahh, I can't see!"
“We’ll read it to you!”
“10、9、8……3、2、1——！”
Young men and women in the venue counted down in unison. As the countdown on the big screen in the square ended, a loud bang was heard in the distance, followed by colorful flashes that lit up the winter night sky, and countless fireworks bloomed in the night sky.
Cailing held the cell phone between the three of them, and Fang Wei held Cailing and Zhiyi's hands, one on the left and one on the right.
"Let's celebrate New Year's together!"
"Happy New Year!"
(End of this chapter)
