After dinner, it was time to invite the new year.
The fireplace was burning in the main hall. The television was on, and the Spring Festival Gala was playing.
Yan Zhengchen, Gong Lu, Shen Liao, and Gu Xia gathered around a table of mahjong.
Chi Jiao was sitting on the sofa watching television with a little rabbit pillow in her arms. Beside her sat Quan Jue, Liu Ruhua, and Ou Zhenglin.
Chi Yexi still had work to do. He had a live broadcast to do, so he went back to his room temporarily.
Suddenly…
Quan Jue’s phone rang.
He took it out and looked at the caller ID. It was an unknown number.
“I’m going out to take this call,” Quan Jue whispered into Chi Jiao’s ear.
Chi Jiao nodded.
Quan Jue walked out with his phone. The cold night breeze immediately blew on his face.
After he picked up the call, a hoarse male voice came from the other end.
“It’s me.”
The voice belonged to Quan Jingzhou.
“What’s the matter?” Quan Jue asked coldly.
On the other end of the line, Quan Jingzhou seemed to be pricked by Quan Jue’s coldness. After a few seconds of silence, he asked, “You followed that young lady back to Mount Li?”
“You’re investigating me again?” Quan Jue sounded impatient.
“I’m just concerned about you. You’re my son,” Quan Jingzhou said slowly.
Quan Jue snorted in disdain.
“Alright, I’m not calling to argue with you. Is anyone with you right now?” Quan Jingzhou asked.
“Just say what you have to say.”
“Your mom might still be alive.” Quan Jingzhou’s deep voice came from the other end.
Quan Jue tightened his grip on the phone as his pupils contracted.
Quan Jingzhou couldn’t see Quan Jue’s reaction, either. He sighed and said, “I know you’ve always hated me for abandoning you and your mother, but I really had no choice back then. If you want to know what’s going on with your mother, give me a call after you return from Mount Li. We’ll talk in detail when we meet. This matter is rather complicated, and I can’t explain it over the phone.”
Quan Jue was silent for a moment before giving a faint sound of acknowledgment.
After hanging up, he turned to look at the window behind him.
The curtains were not drawn. Through the window, he could see the others in the room.
This New Year’s Eve was the most lively one he had ever had.
Every holiday had been a torture to him since he was old enough to be sensible.
When the woman he should have called his mother was still alive, she would be like a lunatic during festivals. She would go crazy at home, smashing things and cursing everyone who had wronged her, including him.
Whenever her illness acted up, he would no longer be her biological son but her enemy.
Later, when she was in a car accident, he saw with his own eyes that she had been declared dead by the doctor and that she had been sent to the funeral home.
She had given him love and endless pain. He should have forgotten about her a long time ago, but after so many years, she had been like a thorn in his heart that he could not remove.
Now, Quan Jingzhou was telling him that the woman was still alive?
Compared to those distant memories, tonight seemed like a dream.
But he had to wake up eventually.
The coldness and cruelty of reality still followed him, never leaving.
Quan Jue stood outside the door for a while before returning to the house.
He had just sat down on the sofa when a White Rabbit candy was stuffed into his mouth.
It was from Chi Jiao.
“Brother Quan, is it sweet?” Chi Jiao smiled as she looked at Quan Jue. Her dark eyes curved into crescents.
Quan Jue nodded slowly.
It was really sweet.
The sweetness of her smile reached his heart.
Fortunately, she was still by his side after he had woken up from this dream.