Then he left without looking back, leaving Xu Yisen alone in the attic, feeling sad.
As the Lunar New Year approached, Xu Yisen simply gave himself an early holiday.
He had thought that living under the same roof with Qin Muni might foster some feelings, but every time he wanted to talk more with Qin Muni, she would instinctively find an excuse to avoid him.
Even Bai Wan Yun noticed the unusual tension between the two, so she planned to help her son. However, Qin Muni perceived her intentions and cleverly refused, maintaining a rational distance from Xu Yisen.
On New Year’s Eve, the family spent the whole day together, eating, walking, watching TV, chatting, playing chess; the atmosphere was very warm.
In the evening, after dinner, the family gathered in the living room to watch the Spring Festival Gala. They planned to count down the New Year together, but Grandma Xu, being older, couldn’t resist the sleepiness by eleven. She gave the prepared red envelopes to the four and then got up to go back to her room to sleep.
Mr. Xu and Bai Wan Yun wanted to spend some time together, so not long after Grandma Xu went to her room, they handed the prepared red envelopes to Qin Muni and Xu Yisen, then casually found an excuse to return to their room.
Suddenly, only Qin Muni and Xu Yisen were left in the living room.
"It’s getting late; I should go back to my room to rest too."
Before she could stand up, Xu Yisen suddenly grabbed her hand, "Let’s go to the attic to watch the fireworks for a while."
Qin Muni glanced at him, withdrew her hand, and nodded, "Okay."
Surprisingly, this time she didn’t refuse Xu Yisen.
Upon hearing her response, Xu Yisen’s face showed a gentle and beautiful smile, the corners of his thin lips curving softly.
He stood up from the sofa and followed Qin Muni out of the living room and up the stairs.
Just as they were about to reach the attic door, Qin Muni’s phone suddenly buzzed in her pocket. She took it out and saw Yuan Chengmo’s photo and name displayed on the screen, an involuntary joyful smile spreading across her face.
She looked up and said to Xu Yisen, "You go in first, I’ll take a call."
Then she turned to answer the phone.
Xu Yisen hesitated for two seconds, then reached out to open the attic door and went inside.
Moonlight poured in through several glass windows on the attic roof, casting a faint glow in the previously dark room.
Xu Yisen reached out and turned on the light, and the room brightened instantly. He quietly sat on a single sofa chair by the window, waiting for Qin Muni.
Ever since parting with Yuan Chengmo at River Village, Qin Muni hadn’t been able to contact him. Her instincts told her that something significant might have happened in the Yuan Family.
After worrying for a few days, she finally received his call, so Qin Muni was very happy. She answered the phone, her voice clear as she called out, "Senior."
"I haven’t been able to reach you these past few days. Did something happen?"
"Nothing, I’ve just been a bit busy lately."
Having known Yuan Chengmo for so many years, how could Qin Muni not detect the perfunctoriness in his words?
She thought it might be a private matter of the Yuan family that he couldn’t share, so she didn’t dwell on it. She then smiled and said, "Senior, Happy New Year."
A slightly melancholic voice came from the other end, "It’s a pity I can’t spend the New Year with you."
"The New Year is meant to be spent with family; you should spend it well with them."
Yuan Chengmo’s low laughter echoed through the phone as he teasingly asked, "Then what holiday should I spend with my junior?"
Qin Muni pondered for a while before hesitantly replying, "September 13th? G University’s opening day."