TBWE Extra 6

After the big cleaning, the leftover old items were completely cleared away.

The monster at home was temporarily placated as well.

The days until New Year approached one by one. The main roads of Hai City hung Chinese knots and red lanterns on their streetlights, and large shopping malls were filled with festive red everywhere.

Chu Li walked through the dazzling shelves of the supermarket, putting whatever she saw into the shopping cart behind her.

The shopping cart piled up into a small peak.

Xi Chu pushed it, occasionally adding some seasonings not available in the kitchen. Because Chu Li had recently become fond of Spanish cuisine.

Passing by the fresh produce section, she glanced at the lively seafood and issued an order. “Seafood paella for dinner tonight.”

“Alright.” He complied readily and began selecting ingredients.

Chu Li leaned on the shopping cart, the corners of her lips slightly upturned, staring at Him.

The glass reflected the figure of a young man bending down to scoop up mussels, a black cashmere coat paired with a deep gray scarf, glasses perched on his nose bridge, reducing the inhuman aura.

He looked just like a human.

****

By the time they drove home carrying the purchased goods, the sky had already darkened.

Chu Li cradled a cup of hot flower tea, watching Xi Chu handle ingredients in the kitchen. The tentacles all stayed obediently in the shadows—the kitchen was their forbidden zone.

He had removed his coat and wore only a deep gray turtleneck sweater, sleeves rolled up to his forearms, skillfully separating the heads and tails of black tiger prawns.

The air filled with the cold, fishy scent characteristic of fresh seafood.

A thin tentacle secretly crawled out from the shadows and coiled around Chu Li’s wrist.

She glanced at the figure by the counter. He kept his eyes straight ahead, finishing with the prawns and beginning to dissect the squid, as if all his attention was concentrated on the ingredients.

The tentacle stuck damply to her skin, rubbing here and there.

Chu Li suppressed a smile at the corners of her lips, caught it with her other hand, and kneaded it casually a few times.

The upright figure stiffened, then continued cutting the squid as if nothing had happened.

The phone on the coffee table in the living room began to vibrate.

Chu Li released the tentacle and walked over to answer it.

The video call displayed Chu Ruoying’s face, with the background showing a corner of the main family’s ancient wooden building, fine snow drifting outside the door.

“Xiao Li, how have you been lately? I sent over some New Year goods—all cured meat and wild mushrooms dried at home, plus pickled bamboo shoots that Queling’s grandmother specially made for you. They should arrive the day after tomorrow.”

Chu Li sat cross-legged on the sofa. “Mm, pretty good. Thank you, Little Aunt. Please thank Queling’s grandmother for me too. This New Year… He and I won’t be coming back.”

Having just left the Chu family two months ago, with her and Xi Chu there, the clan members wouldn’t be comfortable either.

“It’s fine, young people have their own way of celebrating!” Chu Ruoying first laughed heartily, then her tone became tactful, “So you two… how are things going? Lord Nuo God, He…”

Chu Li said nothing and rotated her phone slightly.

The camera pointed at the tall figure in the open kitchen.

Xi Chu seemed to sense something and turned to look back. His gaze crossed the island counter and locked precisely onto the camera lens. Just an extremely faint glance, then he turned back to look at the seafood rice bubbling in the pot, stirring it quite normally with a spoon to prevent it from sticking to the bottom.

Chu Li turned the camera back to herself. “We’re having seafood paella tonight.”

The barely perceptible worry in Chu Ruoying’s eyes finally dispersed.

She knew well that deity’s brutal ruthlessness. Even though they had ultimately reached a state of peaceful coexistence, she still worried that Chu Li would be harmed again. Seeing this scene, her anxious heart finally settled.

“Good, good, looks really nice! I won’t keep you from dinner then. Happy New Year, Xiao Li.”

“Happy New Year, Little Aunt.”

Chu Li hung up the video call and moved toward the rich aroma, her eyes brightening slightly. “Smells so good.”

“Try the flavor.” Xi Chu picked up a prawn, peeled off the shell, and brought it to her lips.

She ate the prawn meat from his fingers, the rich, sweet taste exploding in her mouth.

“Is it good, Li Li?”

“Better than what we had at the restaurant last week!”

Xi Chu chuckled softly, leaning down slightly, his tongue sweeping away a bit of sauce on her lips.

“Mm, it is very good.”

****

Hai City had light snow for several consecutive days. After the snow stopped, Chu Li decided to visit Ming Pu and Ming Chun before the New Year.

The mountain road was covered with a layer of white frost, with the branches and leaves of evergreen trees on both sides dotted with silver-white. The small courtyard was hidden among the mountain forest, with new couplets posted on the door, adding some festive cheer.

“Knock knock.” Chu Li knocked on the front door.

“Who is it?” A clear, slightly confused voice sounded.

The door opened with a creak, revealing a young, lively face. It was Ming Chun, wearing a thick cotton coat, her hair sticking up in disarray, as if she’d just woken up.

The moment she saw who it was, her eyes immediately lit up. “Xiao Li?! Come in, come in! It’s freezing outside!”

Ming Chun pulled Chu Li inside, calling out loudly, “Master! Master! Xiao Li is here!”

The small courtyard carried a faint sandalwood scent.

Ming Pu was bending over tending to a pot of winter plum blossoms in the corner. Hearing the sound, she turned around. Three months had passed, and her black hair bun was now streaked with white, though her eyes remained peaceful and serene as she smiled and said, “You’re here, come in and warm up with a cup of hot tea.”

Chu Li froze, her nose tingling with sourness.

It was because of her that Ming Pu had damaged her cultivation and could no longer maintain her youthful appearance.

“Aunt Pu, Xiao Chun, Happy New Year. I came to report that I’m safe.” She suppressed the bitterness and handed several boxes of New Year goods to Ming Chun.

Ming Pu cooked lunch.

There were only the three of them in the small courtyard. Taoist Ming Wei had already returned to the Taoist temple in Hai City and reopened for business.

Lunch was a hot pot with wild vegetables and mountain mushrooms picked from the mountains thrown into the pot, cooked together with meat slices, then rolled in dipping sauce and eaten warm.

During the meal, Ming Chun chattered away, sharing recent lessons and interesting encounters in the mountains. Ming Pu didn’t eat much, mostly just smiling and listening, occasionally looking warmly at Chu Li, her gaze like thawing spring water, full of warmth.

After the meal, Chu Li rose to take her leave. Ming Pu accompanied her all the way outside the courtyard to the stone steps leading down the mountain.

Fine snow began to fall from the sky, drifting down like salt grains, silently landing on shoulders and hair.

Ming Pu brushed the snow from her hair and shoulders, smiling as she asked, “Where is He?”

“Waiting at the bottom of the mountain.”

Ming Pu and Xi Chu had fought fiercely before; it wouldn’t be appropriate for them to meet again, so Chu Li hadn’t let Him come.

“The path is slippery, be careful going down the mountain.” Ming Pu asked no more, smiling as she touched her face.

“I know, goodbye Aunt Pu.”

Chu Li was about to walk down the snow-covered stone steps when Ming Pu’s gentle voice sounded behind her, clear and calm:

“Li Li.”

She stopped and turned around.

In front of the vermillion courtyard gate, Ming Pu’s eyes, clear and seeing through worldly affairs, fell upon her, her smile distant and gratified. “Seeing you like this is truly wonderful. That you could… break free from the shackles and bonds of your fate, I’m very happy.”

Chu Li was stunned for a moment, then smiled as well.

Shackles, bonds… before, she had thought those heavy destinies that had bound her since birth could never be escaped, even in death.

The cold wind stirred up fine snow.

The stone steps beneath her feet were somewhat slippery. Red threads moved, clearing away the accumulated snow.

Chu Li walked down the mountain with light steps, mountain wind carrying fine snow against her face as she slowly pulled up her scarf.

Having just turned a somewhat steep bend and not gone far, she saw a figure standing lower down on the slope.

A tall figure holding a black umbrella, standing quietly there, chaotic snowflakes silently accumulating on the black umbrella surface then sliding off.

Against the gray-white backdrop of the snow, His presence was particularly clear.

Xi Chu calmly stepped forward, ascending the steps. The black umbrella tilted forward, blocking the snowflakes drifting toward her.

“Why did you come up?” Chu Li smiled slightly, “Didn’t I tell you to wait at the café?”

He naturally took Chu Li’s hand, the umbrella surface shielding them from wind and snow.

“It’s snowing, I missed you.”

These two sentences had no connection. But a monster’s longing needs no reason.

They walked on thin snow beneath their feet, the mountain path blurred by fine snow.

Looking at the presence beside her, Chu Li’s heart trembled slightly.

After breaking free from fate, a life without a predetermined path was like this mountain descent into vast snow and fog—before her eyes was only chaos, no one knew where it extended.

The unknown itself meant losing control, but it was precisely this unknown that contained the possibility named hope—the possibility of breaking free from the cage.

This was also good.

Chu Li gently squeezed that hand back.

****

The day before New Year’s Eve, Chu Li and Xi Chu drove to Guishan Cemetery in the suburbs.

The weather was rarely clear, without wind, the sky after snow particularly quiet.

Chu Li bent down and gently placed three bunches of fresh white chrysanthemums in front of the row of tombstones.

The tombstones were inlaid with photos of her parents and her sister, the black and white photos looking at visitors, all bearing smiles.

Chu Li stood before the grave, silent for a moment. The cold wind blew past, her nose tip reddening slightly.

“Mom, Dad, Sister, it’s almost New Year again, I came to see you.” Her expression was tender as she reached out to brush away the dust and dry leaf fragments from the edges of the photos, “I’m doing well now, don’t worry about me.”

Xi Chu stood a step away, his gaze remaining on Chu Li’s profile, quiet and wordless. He didn’t understand this human way of commemorating the deceased; names carved on stone held no meaning for Him.

But He could sense Chu Li’s emotions.

Chu Li’s fingers lingered for a moment on Chu You’s too-young, brilliant smiling face. Her eyes stung, then she forcefully suppressed it.

“When I was in elementary school during New Year…” she began softly, as if speaking to those in the grave, yet also to the monster beside her, “Mom and Dad would always take Xiao You and me, drive to the Bund for the countdown. She didn’t like going to the observation deck, insisted on going to the Bund itself, where it was incredibly crowded, sometimes so packed we couldn’t move.” A faint smile appeared at the corners of her lips, “Xiao You wasn’t in good health, afraid of the cold, and loved to stick her ice-cold hands into the back of my collar. Mom and Dad would squeeze us forward to get a better position, waiting for the countdown…”

“She would make New Year wishes to the fireworks.” Chu Li’s voice was soft, “I knew, every year she wished for the family’s health, and for her own health too. But…”

She didn’t finish the rest, only silently gazed at Chu You’s brilliant smile.

A warm hand touched the back of her hand, then enveloped it.

Chu Li turned her head, meeting His calm eyes, her emotions absorbed into those deep black pupils. She turned her palm over and squeezed back.

“It’s all in the past.” She smiled, “Let’s go, let’s go home for New Year.”

****

The next day, New Year’s Eve, fireworks gradually began blooming in the sky as evening approached.

Near dinnertime, Xi Chu took a cashmere coat from the closet and handed it to Chu Li.

“Li Li, let’s eat out tonight.”

Chu Li was a bit surprised. “Out? Where?” She looked up at the deepening twilight outside the window. On New Year’s Eve streets, most people were hurrying home for reunion dinner.

“Come with me.” He took her hand.

Full of questions, Chu Li changed into a thick coat and scarf and followed Him to the underground parking garage.

Xi Chu pressed the car key, and the rear door lock clicked open.

Colorful colors flooded into Chu Li’s vision.

A bouquet carrying the scent of spring, with colorful combinations.

She stood frozen in place, instinctively glancing at Him. “…This is?”

“Flowers for you.” Xi Chu’s tone was calm, as if stating an insignificant fact, but his gaze was locked on her face, not missing any change in expression.

Observing her momentary delight, He was satisfied, pushed her into the passenger seat, and started the car.

The Maybach stopped outside a Michelin-starred Spanish restaurant. Impeccably dressed waiters led them to their seats. The restaurant was decorated with a strong festive atmosphere, exquisite tableware, flickering candlelight, and tables adorned with bright red holly berries.

This restaurant tasted good, but what surprised Chu Li more was the post-dinner activity.

Xi Chu didn’t take her directly home, but produced two movie tickets—for the latest New Year blockbuster.

She was somewhat amused. This type of movie wasn’t what she liked to watch, and Xi Chu wouldn’t enjoy watching human film and television works either.

So she quickly guessed—He must have looked up guides online.

Probably dating guides, couple date guides, and the like.

But the tickets were already bought.

They both appeared in the crowded cinema.

The sweet scent of popcorn filled every bit of air, the screen showing warm and noisy plot developments, couples or families sitting intimately beside them, and children chasing and playing.

Red threads and tentacles extended in tacit agreement.

The noisy children were as if muted, all sitting properly.

Two and a half hours later, the movie ended, and the noisy crowd surged out of the theater. The New Year atmosphere was even stronger.

The car didn’t head toward home, but merged into traffic heading toward the Bund.

Xi Chu drove directly into the basement of an upscale commercial building, parking extremely close to a dedicated express elevator.

The elevator car display jumped through numbers, and the doors slid open on both sides.

Before them was a viewing terrace with extremely open views, far from the bustling crowds below, yet taking in the entire night view of lights across the river. On the building across the river, the four characters “Happy New Year” were already lit up.

The terrace had been carefully arranged, with soft lighting. A round table was placed toward the interior, with a bottle of red wine and exquisite stemware, along with a dessert tower and a snow-white satin gift box.

Near the viewing glass wall, there was also a heating device. Soft orange-red firelight danced, dispelling the bitter river wind on the terrace, forcibly carving out a warm area in the cold outdoors.

Chu Li stared in a daze for a moment, then looked up at Xi Chu.

He still looked very calm, reaching up to unfasten her scarf, naturally taking her hand and sitting down.

Cold wind swept in from across the river, but near the heater, it was as if another layer of warm barrier isolated the cold.

She tapped the gift box. “New Year’s gift?”

“Mm.” Xi Chu nodded, shadows churning in the darkness, “Li Li, open it and see.”

Ribbons fell rustling to the ground.

Inside was an entire set of expensive diamond jewelry, shimmering brilliantly in the candlelight.

Chu Li’s heart felt as if struck by countless tiny electric currents.

The deity before her who didn’t understand human nature was clumsily, with all his might, using “human” methods to respond to what she’d said the day before yesterday at the grave. Just because she’d mentioned once: as a child, she would go to the Bund with family to watch fireworks.

“You…”

The words stuck dully in her throat. Chu Li suddenly stood up, took a step forward and threw herself at Him.

Her face buried in the slightly cool coat front, her nose filled with the similar scent of laundry detergent.

“I like it, I like it very much.”

Xi Chu caught her steadily, his body silently relaxing, the restlessness that had churned in his chest all day finally completely settling.

She said she liked it.

He circled his arms around the warm, soft body in his embrace, his chin gently resting on her soft hair.

Time flowed in their embrace and the brilliant lights across the river.

The boiling voices from the riverside boulevard in the distance were faint and indistinct, like a distant tide.

Suddenly, the crowd burst into intense cheers!

“Ten!”

A huge countdown broadcast voice, quickly merging with the voices of tens of thousands of people, came like a tsunami.

“Nine!”

“Eight!”

The waves of sound grew louder and louder, echoing above the night sky.

“Seven—”

Xi Chu held Chu Li on his lap, together watching the interweaving lights and shadows of the not-too-distant Bund. Countless people looked up, holding up their phones, waiting for that moment.

“Three!”

“Two!”

The last number, countless people shouting hoarsely with excitement:

“One!!!”

Boom—! Whoosh—! Bang!!!

The night sky was instantly ignited, huge masses of brilliant, blazing colors exploding thunderously!

Gold-red, silver-white, emerald green, sapphire blue… deafening explosions continued endlessly, following in quick succession. Golden-purple interweaving flames cascaded down from the horizon.

The terrace glass hummed and vibrated, the cheers from the sea of people shooting straight into the clouds.

Against the dazzling backdrop, Xi Chu withdrew his gaze, no longer watching the grand fireworks, leaning forward slightly to press against Chu Li’s forehead.

Their noses touched, and Chu Li clearly saw herself reflected in those deep black pupils, only her.

The fireworks outside continued, the sea of people still boiling. A low voice penetrated the clamor:

“Li Li, Happy New Year.”

The clamor seemed to freeze in this moment.

Chu Li’s eyes grew hot as she smiled back. “Happy New Year.”

Soft lips pressed against His.

Xi Chu’s arms around her waist gradually tightened, deepening the kiss, responding tenderly.

The fireworks outside the terrace blazed endlessly. Their lips and tongues intertwined, their chests echoing with heartbeats in the same frequency, along with the resonance from deep in their bloodlines.

In the long years to come, this was their first New Year together.

TL/N:

“外滩” (Wàitān) literally means “the Bund.”

It’s a famous waterfront area along the Huangpu River in Shanghai, known for its colonial-era architecture and skyline view.