Chapter 286 - 261: Catching Up
Chapter 286: Chapter 261: Catching Up
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, anyone who wanted red envelopes had to scramble to get up early and run around making New Year’s visits to grab them. So, even though Xiao Man had set her alarm for five o’clock sharp, she had gone to bed too late the previous night. It felt like she had only just dozed off when she heard a clamor of cheerful noise and laughter from downstairs—car horns honking, New Year’s greetings being shouted, and firecrackers and fireworks popping and crackling all over the place. She figured it wasn’t just the Gu family crowd; kids from other relatives and friends’ families must have arrived too.
Xiao Man scrambled out of bed, folded her quilt, and ran to the bathroom to wash up and comb her hair. Her new clothes were already laid out on her bedside table, so all she had to do was slip them on. This time, she absolutely couldn’t let them block her at her bedroom door like last year. Being caught sleeping in on the first day of the New Year—according to superstition, it meant you’d fall behind in everything you did for the entire year!
Thankfully, just as Xiao Man reached the top of the stairs, she saw Hao Hao running over from the other end of the hallway. The brother and sister held hands as they walked down, shouting to the crowd in the living room below, "Happy New Year! Wishing you wealth and prosperity!"
A wave of laughter rose from downstairs. A girl in a red woolen coat ran over, calling out, "Happy New Year!" It was Pang Xiaoji; she had come as promised. Xiao Man smiled and squeezed her hand, while Hao Hao was more concerned about her red envelopes. "Did you get any?"
"I sure did!" Pang Xiaoji pulled several red envelopes from her pocket and waved them around, her face alight with excitement. "Your family is so generous this year! Every single adult is giving them out. I managed to snag five! Cheng Yaji is here too. She went to call her friends and tell them to hurry over and get some!"
Xiao Man was speechless. ’You can do that?’
Hao Hao pulled Xiao Man along to give New Year’s greetings to their grandparents, Grandpa and Grandma, and their eldest uncle. They received a handful of red envelopes from each, stuffing them into their pockets. The red corners peeking out were a festive and satisfying sight to behold.
The group of children making New Year’s visits this year was huge. One contingent was in the living room, drinking water and eating melon seeds, fruit, and pastries to recharge, while another was out in the yard setting off firecrackers and playing with fireworks. A rough count put their number at over twenty.
Hao Hao was dragged into the yard by Gu Shaoqin to set off fireworks, so Xiao Man stood on the porch with Pang Xiaoji and a few other girls she had just met, chatting while they watched. Gu Shaoling was there too, though she was standing by the iron gate with a tall girl instead of coming inside. The tall girl wore her hair down over her shoulders, a snowflake-patterned tweed trench coat, straight-leg trousers, and stiletto heels. Even from behind, she looked graceful, beautiful, and exceptionally elegant. Xiao Man asked Pang Xiaoji who it was. Pang Xiaoji laughed. "Who else would Gu Shaoling refuse to leave for a second? It’s Sister Jun Ran, of course! Sister Jun Ran turned nineteen this year, so she’s too embarrassed to accept red envelopes. She ran outside right after greeting Grandpa Tang and Grandma Tang. Gu Shaoling followed her, so she didn’t get any red envelopes either!"
Xiao Man hadn’t expected someone with Gu Shaoling’s spoiled and prideful temper to be so loyal, willing to forsake red envelopes just to keep a friend company. ’Still, this must be one of those friendships that transcends age, right?’ she thought.
As she was looking out into the yard, she heard several girls beside her call out simultaneously in sweet, delicate voices, "Brother Shaozhen, Brother Shaolian, Brother Shaojin!"
Xiao Man turned her head and, sure enough, saw three handsome, elegant young men striding out of the living room. Each possessed an extraordinary air. They all wore thin woolen trench coats of different styles and colors, paired with uniformly gleaming black leather shoes. ’If they just added wide-brimmed hats,’ she thought, ’they could be extras in *Shanghai Beach*.’
Zheng Shaojin was as gentle as jade, looking kind and approachable even without a smile. Gu Shaozhen’s smile was like a spring breeze, and he was always gentle with girls. Only Zheng Shaolian, who had seemed to change a bit in Wancheng, had reverted to his prickly temper upon returning to Beijing. He wore a stiff expression, as if someone owed him a huge debt and refused to pay. He didn’t even respond when the girls greeted him. Instead, he simply pulled Xiao Man to one side, preventing Gu Shaozhen from getting near her.
But Xiao Man was no longer the easy target she’d been when they first met. She dodged away, refusing to be fought over like a basketball between the two of them. She then casually asked Zheng Shaojin, "Where’s Brother Shaojun? You guys couldn’t find him?"
Zheng Shaojin smiled and replied, "Cousin Shaojun is upstairs. He’s been on the phone all morning but should be down in a bit!"
"Oh, really? So busy even during the holiday?" As Xiao Man spoke, she sensed someone approaching. She turned her head and saw Jun Ran and Gu Shaoling.
Jun Ran politely greeted Zheng Shaojin and the other two men before turning to Xiao Man with a smile. Her voice was soft and melodious. "Manman, Happy New Year!"
That newscaster-perfect voice was so lovely it made Gu Shaoling’s sound shrill by comparison. "Tang Manman, Happy New Year! You slept in again! You weren’t even downstairs when I got here!"
Xiao Man really didn’t want to acknowledge her existence, but for the sake of the holiday, she stopped herself from rolling her eyes. First, she smiled at Jun Ran. "Happy New Year! I wish you success in your work and hope all your dreams come true this year, Sister Jun Ran!"
Then she turned to Gu Shaoling with a single reply: "Happy New Year! May you grow up big and strong!"
Gu Shaoling raised a hand to swat her but was blocked by Zheng Shaolian.
Jun Ran’s smile was sweet. "Thank you! And I wish you progress in your studies and improvement every day, Manman!"
In the middle of this harmonious exchange of pleasantries, Gu Shaojun finally emerged.
He wasn’t in his military uniform. Instead, he’d changed into a short, black woolen overcoat with a turned-down collar, a dark plaid wool scarf, corduroy trousers, and black leather shoes. Clothes really do make the man. The outfit swept away the resolute, tough aura of a soldier, lending him a warm, scholarly elegance. If he walked a little more leisurely and grew out his buzz cut, you could probably convince people he was a university professor or lecturer.
No one would mistake him for a student, because his bearing and temperament were all wrong for it. Though he wasn’t old, his presence was far too powerful. Students simply don’t carry that kind of Suppression.
The area fell silent in an instant. Xiao Man subconsciously glanced at the other girls. With one notable exception, they were all staring blankly, not a single one making a sound.
’What’s going on?’ Xiao Man wondered. ’Is Gu Shaojun less charming than those other three?’
Pang Xiaoji leaned close to Xiao Man’s ear and whispered, "That’s Gu Shaoling’s oldest brother. I heard he joined the army when he was only fifteen. I only really got to know him this year myself. He’s a combat hero, you know! He’s even been on TV!"
"So they don’t know him either?" Xiao Man asked, gesturing toward the other girls.
"Yeah, some of them might have met him when they were kids, but who remembers that far back? Still, all the brothers in that family look pretty similar..."
While the two were whispering, Gu Shaojun had already walked over. The moment he stopped, Gu Shaoling latched onto his arm, shaking it coquettishly while complaining that her big brother hadn’t come home last night and had made her wait so long this morning. Jun Ran also stepped directly in front of Gu Shaojun, cutting off Xiao Man and the other girls. With a gentle smile and a hint of shy affection, she wished Gu Shaojun a happy new year. Her voice was soft and saccharine, like lukewarm water with too much sugar dissolved in it.
Gu Shaojun was clearly very familiar with Jun Ran. He smiled and wished her a happy new year, and they exchanged a few pleasantries. Gu Shaoling started pulling Gu Shaojun toward home. Jun Ran, still smiling, said their last meeting had been too brief and that they had to catch up properly today. She began to walk along, as if to casually take Gu Shaojun’s other arm. But Gu Shaojun pivoted slightly, deftly avoiding her reach. He stretched out a long arm and plucked Xiao Man from Zheng Shaolian’s side.