Counting carefully, it had been many years since Gu Qichi had a good New Year.

After graduation, it wasn’t that he hadn’t returned to the Gu family for the New Year, but rather than calling it celebrating the New Year, it was more like a massive vanity fair full of false pleasantries.

Usually around this time, Gu Chengtian would take him, Gu Yuning, Gu Yuan’an, and Geng Tingxun to attend New Year celebration banquets hosted by socialites, using the opportunity to rope in investments.

As the “face” of the Gu family, Gu Qichi had to constantly wear a mask of fake smiles, which was truly nauseating.

So later on, Gu Qichi simply made up excuses, saying he couldn’t go back.

He holed up alone in that tiny apartment with A’Ci sitting beside him. The silver-shaded cat would obediently wag its tail at him. Gu Qichi would place a giant fish in its food bowl, along with various snacks A’Ci liked, serving as A’Ci’s New Year’s Eve dinner.

His own meal wasn’t nearly as grand. Since everyone had gone home for the holidays, takeout was hard to order. Too lazy to trouble others, Gu Qichi would simply boil himself a plain bowl of noodles.

On New Year’s Day, he would turn on the TV just like that. On the small table in front of the sofa sat his noodles and some snacks he usually wasn’t allowed to eat, while A’Ci quietly squatted aside, eating its fish.

The Spring Festival Gala broadcasted noisily, and the fireworks outside the window were dazzling.

The shattering fine sparks scattered from the sky like passing stars, brilliant and magnificent.

Gu Qichi would turn on every light in the apartment. According to Spring Festival customs, these lights would stay on for the entire night.

Approaching midnight, as the TV hosts counted down second by second, Gu Qichi would act rarely childish, holding his breath to count along with them. Once midnight passed, he would lean against the floor-to-ceiling window to admire the grandest firework display of the night.

But this year was different. This year, he had Bo Yu and Bo Yu’s family accompanying him.

Gu Qichi helped bring out a handful of chopsticks from the kitchen. Blinded for a moment by the bright lights, he slightly narrowed his eyes.

At the dining table, Ji Zhaozhao held her little pig spoon and waved at Gu Qichi.

Ji Zhaozhao: “Chi-chi! Come quick! Grandma m-made da wittle fishies!”

Gu Qichi pursed his lips into a smile and walked over quickly.

When he was first signed by Wen Xi, she had also taken him back to her family’s home once. Wen Xi’s parents were both amiable and kind, but Gu Qichi still found it somewhat difficult to blend in; he felt like an out-of-place outsider.

But this time, Gu Qichi genuinely felt that Bo Yu’s family was also his family.

He really liked it here.

Bo Yu stood up to take the chopsticks from his hands, pulled out a chair for him, and let him sit down before distributing the tableware to everyone at the table.

The dishes on the table were a feast for the eyes, overflowing with mouth-watering aromas.

The braised fish’s skin was fried to a golden crisp, then simmered slowly for hours to absorb the broth; the Buddha Jumps Over the Wall soup was a golden hue with a light layer of oil floating on top, letting out the rich, savory fragrance unique to seafood; fresh shrimp, scallops, oysters, and abalones were placed in the center, steamed to retain their original sweetness…

The moment Gu Qichi sat down, he saw the dishes placed right in front of him.

They were all his favorites.

His eyelashes fluttered lightly. He tilted his face up to look at Bo Yu sitting beside him, feeling as if a warm current was flowing through his heart.

Bo Yu sat on his left, and Ji Zhaozhao on his right. Right in front of her was a plate of cola chicken wings made specifically for Ji Zhaozhao. The wings had a few slits cut into them to let the flavor seep in better. The meat was stewed until soft and tender, the sauce reduced to a deep crimson glaze that shimmered with a crystalline, oily sheen.

Zhaozhao tried hard to reach out her hand to grab the plate of chicken wings but grew distressed because her arms were too short. Pouting her lips, she stared eagerly at Gu Qichi.

Ruan Xian sat at the head of the table, directly opposite Gu Qichi.

Earlier in the evening, she and Bo Song had changed their clothes. She wore a custom handmade qipao that perfectly hugged her figure. Gu Qichi knew nothing about tailoring qipaos, but even he could tell that the ones they wore were exceptionally valuable, exuding a steady, understated luxury.

Watching Ji Zhaozhao act spoiled with Gu Qichi, and then looking at everyone seated around the table, Ruan Xian felt incredibly gratified.

A happy family, joyous and harmonious.

Wasn’t this exactly what she had yearned to see all these years?

“Xiao Chi, I’m not too familiar with your tastes. I asked Bo Yu in advance and made these dishes according to your preferences. Try them and see if they suit your appetite.”

Gu Qichi pursed his lips and thanked her. Ji Zhaozhao pulled her hand back, staring eagerly at her grandmother.

The little munchkin’s eyes were wide and round, her gaze moist and bright, with red lips and white teeth. She had two small hair buns tied tightly with red strings, looking strikingly pretty.

Ruan Xian was amused by her and continued, “Alright, don’t just stare, everyone dig in.”

“Our Zhaozhao is starving.”

The soda in the glass cups bubbled and fizzed. Everyone raised their glasses together. The glass walls let out a crisp clinking sound as they touched, the soda inside gently swaying with faint popping noises.

But that sound was soon drowned out by other voices. Everyone wore wide, beaming smiles, their eyes curving as they said in unison:

“Happy New Year!”

“Happy New Year!”

…

The dumplings were brought out in the last twenty minutes before midnight.

The plump white wrappers enfolded all sorts of fillings. In three of them, coins were hidden.

A one-jiao, a five-jiao, and a one-yuan coin.

Ji Zhaozhao was small, so when everyone gathered to make dumplings earlier, she fussed until she got to make two herself.

They were already quite ugly to begin with, and once they hit the pot, they turned into wrinkled, mushy lumps.

Her strawberry-patterned bowl was piled high with these ugly dumplings. Yet, the little munchkin herself was quite satisfied, eating them heartily one bite at a time.

A’Ci had also been carried into the living room by Bo Yu. Just like every year in the past, Gu Qichi held his small bowl with A’Ci sitting obediently beside him eating cat food, only this year, Bo Yu was by his side too.

He felt a bit dazed.

Clack. With a crisp sound, a silver coin hit the edge of the bowl, the chrysanthemum pattern on it refracting a shiny gleam.

Gu Qichi was the first to find a coin.

Feeling a bit of novelty, he wiped the coin clean and held it in his hand. Just as he was about to examine it closely, Bo Yu leaned in and praised him softly, “Baby, you’re amazing.”

Shoving her spoon into her mouth, Ji Zhaozhao parroted him, mumbling her praise: “Chi-chi ‘mazing!”

Both the adult and the child were being very supportive.

A’Ci paused its eating to join the fun, rubbing against Gu Qichi’s trouser leg as if praising him too.

“Meow~”

…

In the final few minutes approaching midnight, Gu Qichi and Bo Yu went out to the courtyard together.

Outside, they couldn’t hear the Spring Festival Gala’s countdown, and large fireworks were banned on the mountain. Gu Qichi couldn’t understand what exactly Bo Yu had dragged him out here for.

The temperature was too low. He covered his ears and puffed out a cloud of white mist.

The next second, a sparkler suddenly appeared in Bo Yu’s hand.

Cupping his hand to block the wind, the lighter’s faint flame radiated a scorching, intense light in the pitch-black night.

The flame approached the sparkler, and crackling fireworks burst before their eyes.

It was clearly very small, but it was more dazzling than any fireworks he had ever seen.

The hazy light cast a shallow shadow over Bo Yu’s face. His features were deep, and a faint smile reflected in his eyes, making him look like a soul-stealing male siren.

The midnight bell rang, and Bo Yu’s blessing followed immediately—

“Gu Qichi, Happy New Year. May everything go smoothly for you.”

…………
…………
…………

After the New Year, Gu Qichi was brought back home by Bo Yu, where he stayed indoors for five whole days.

Perhaps he had stoked the fire a bit too much that day, because Bo Yu was dead set on punishing Gu Qichi this time. Over these five days, they forcefully used up the entire pile of condoms they had bought at the supermarket previously.

Bo Yu even went out to buy new ones.

Durex.

Extra large, ultra-thin, strawberry flavored.

Gu Qichi: “…”

For five whole days, Gu Qichi never even left the bed.

He was forced to act out the few fanfictions that Bo Yu liked the most, and was even coerced into repeating the dialogue word for word.

Gu Qichi: “:)”

How was this fanfiction? The fanfictions were practically coming alive with Gu Qichi, all turning into reality until he was half-dead.

Towards the end, for the sake of this ‘great literary art’, Gu Qichi’s calves cramped so badly he couldn’t walk on his own at all, and he completely passed out in bed for days.

After these few days, the show I Will Accompany You to the End aired as scheduled. It fired the first successful shot of the new year on satellite TV, achieving outstanding ratings and even breaking the network’s variety show viewership records.

Especially when the segment of Bo Yu celebrating Gu Qichi’s birthday aired, the ratings skyrocketed to their absolute peak. “Fengqi” and “Qichi Star” instantly became trending buzzwords that broke out of their usual fan circles.

Back on New Year’s Eve, Bo Yu was ruthlessly mocked by certain fandom “passersby” over the unmasking of his YUCHI alt account.

But on the day the show aired, crushed under the weight of absolute financial dominance, no one could say no to Bo Yu.

Seriously, who could reject a man who draws for you, gifts you a star, and even launches a satellite into the universe just for you?!!

This was so damn absurd it was beyond novels bleeding into reality—what author would even dare to write a plot like this?

Following the broadcast of this episode, the rerun rights to I Will Accompany You to the End were fiercely contested by three other TV stations, and he instantly earned the title of “Ratings Lucky Star.”

Major brands came knocking on his door in droves. Even a certain blue-blood luxury brand that Wen Xi had long coveted extended an olive branch to Gu Qichi on its own initiative, making Wen Xi nearly scream in front of her entire family.

What did she say?! What did she say?!

She said Gu Qichi was definitely going to be famous!!!

The kind of famous that turns the world upside down!!!

Luo Qianqian had also calmed down over the past few days. As long as she didn’t expose her alternate account, no one would know that she was the user [A Million Times for Yuchi].

She even grew bold enough to forward Gu Qichi a post from a marketing account and passersby praising Bo Yu.

The likes and forwards below it had broken the six-figure mark, and the comment section was astonishingly lively:

[Spring Night’s Happy Rain]: Oh my god, I take back what I said before about Bo Yu being a goofy domineering CEO. He is the most badass CEO in the world.

[every time]: Bo Yu is seriously so smooth. When Fengqi appeared, even I wanted to cry, let alone Gu Qichi.

[Did Yu-Qin-Gu-Zong Do It Today]: Is no one paying attention to the preview after the show?!! Bo Yu said he and Xiao Chi met a long time ago!!!

[Did Yu-Qin-Gu-Zong Do It Today]: In other words, when Xiao Chi joked in the livestream last time that Bo Yu secretly liked him, it might actually be true!!! [Going crazy] [Going crazy] Yearning for only you, searching for traces of you from beginning to end all these years—how is this not ship-worthy?! I’m shipping them like crazy!

[i want to follow you]: I’m shipping this so hard I’m out of breath [Inhaling Oxygen.jpg]. Where else are we gonna find a brother-in-law as good as this for our Yu-zi, he truly treats Gu Qichi with all his heart.

[Super Sweet Strawberry Mochi]: You are the lonely star flickering in the vast cosmos, and I am Fengqi, existing solely to guard you. [Crying] Who did this romance to death? It romanced me to death. [Crying]

[Fengqi Chiyu]: Before, I couldn’t understand why Yu Sheng was screaming like a banshee in the preview. Now I totally get it. If it were me, I’d go crazy too.

[Come To My Side]: My sister is one of the staff members in charge of the Fengqi satellite. She said Bo Yu specifically requested they set up an exclusive communication channel just for him and Gu Qichi… I mean, just savor that. Savor the details. [Eating Melon]

[66 Smooth Sailing]: Sisters, I found a rumor dropped by a blogger. Bo Yu and Gu Qichi’s recording is in Northern Europe. She said Bo Yu is going to propose to Gu Qichi in Northern Europe…

Hm?

Propose???

Aren’t they already married?!