Chapter 178 New Year’s Day
As the time on the clock ticked, it was getting closer and closer to twenty-four o' Li and Jiang Lianxue raised their glasses with anticipation. Various toasting videos were already prepared on the computer screen in front of them. They could play them all at once by just pressing the space bar.
There were clearly only two people in the room, but it somehow felt a bit crowded, as if there were a lot of people.
As the time came and the numbers on the clock returned to zero, the two men's glasses clinked together, toasting with everyone on the screen across dimensions.
Lu Li smiled and looked at Jiang Lianxue, "Little Ultraman, Happy New Year!"
"Happy New Year, little monster!"
They both drank the Coke in their cups, then smiled and kissed each other.
The ancient town outside the window behind me is brightly lit and every family is living in peace and happiness.
This year's New Year's Eve, Jiang Lianxue is still planning to watch a movie.
But this time, there was someone else accompanying me.
Watching "Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf: The Ox's Courage" playing on the computer, Lu Li was not surprised at all.
“Do you watch this every New Year’s Eve?”
Jiang Lianxue, who was sitting in his arms, nodded. "One movie a year, and then watch it again. This year is the best year ever."
Watching the familiar movie plot, Lu Li felt his dusty memories slowly begin to awaken, and in an instant he seemed to have traveled back to the past.
Both of them knew the subsequent plot, but they couldn't help but continue watching.
By the time the two of them yawned and crawled into bed, two hours had passed since the new year.
Jiang Lianxue hugged Lu Li tightly and whispered softly, "I want to hear a bedtime story~"
Upon hearing this, Lu Li took out his mobile phone and opened the short video software, and a gentle female voice sounded.
"Tell me a story! Once upon a time there was a little pig..."
Jiang Lianxue blinked, "Isn't this the very popular storytelling version of Nangong Wenya? Whoever is touched will be an idiot."
Lu Li smiled and closed his eyes, "Professional matters should be left to professionals."
A few minutes later, the two stared at each other, swiping for the next storytelling video.
That night, the two of them wouldn't go to sleep until they had finished listening to all the stories.
Each story was very simple, full of cheesy love words, but Jiang Lianxue loved them and laughed foolishly while listening to them.
The next morning, the two got up early, put on black down jackets and rushed to the flower shop outside the cemetery.
Even on New Year's Day, the flower shop did not rest.
Lu Li held the bouquet of flowers for Jiang Lianxue's mother, and the two walked into the cemetery hand in hand, with white breath coming out of their mouths.
Just like before, Jiang Lianxue whispered about her experiences over the past month in front of the tomb, and Lu Li accompanied her silently.
Her eyes were slightly red, but her heart was no longer as sad as before.
Ten minutes later, Lu Li gently presented the flowers and whispered a promise to the wind.
He hugged Jiang Lianxue and stood in front of the tombstone.
Every time this time comes, the rare sadness in their lives will come over them.
If, if my mother were still alive, how happy and beautiful would she smile?
Unfortunately, there is no "if" in life and time cannot be reversed.
When Lu Li led Jiang Lianxue out of the cemetery, they both stopped at the same time.
Jiang Lianxue threw herself into his arms, tears flowing uncontrollably, "I miss my mom and grandma..." Hearing her soft sobs, Lu Li felt very distressed, but there was nothing he could do except hug her tightly.
Every time after visiting the graves, Jiang Lianxue would be depressed for the whole day, and Lu Li would patiently stay by her side to help her get through it.
People may never get used to saying goodbye, but they have to accept it.
After returning to the ancient town, Lu Li and Jiang Lianxue did not go home immediately, but bought some vegetables and fruits to find the old lady who shoped with noodles.
I knocked gently on the closed door of the noodle shop, and the old lady's voice came from the shop, "Come on! Who is it?"
Jiang Lianxue smiled and replied: "Grandma, it's me, Lianxue!"
Hearing her voice, the footsteps inside the door obviously quickened.
The door opened, revealing grandma's happy smile. "Come on, what are you bringing? Come in, it's cold outside."
Grandma smiled and led Lu Li and Jiang Lianxue into the house, indicating that they should just put their things aside.
I haven't heard her smile since she opened the door. She feels that her life has not been lived in vain because there are still people who remember her on New Year's Day.
Lu Li and Jiang Lianxue chatted with the old lady for a while. When it was time for lunch, the grandmother invited them to stay and eat together.
The two did not refuse. When they thought of the scene of an old widower eating alone on the first day of the new year, they both felt a lump in their throats.
Lu Li got up and went to the kitchen to cook. Jiang Lianxue smiled and chatted with the old lady about the interesting things that had happened in the past few months.
In her eyes, the old woman was no different from her own grandmother.
The originally dim noodle shop became much warmer and brighter because of the arrival of the two people. Heat rose from the kitchen, and the feeling of life came into being.
When Lu Li walked out of the kitchen with the food, the old man and the child were laughing so hard that they seemed to be talking about ice skating.
Grandma smiled with tears in her eyes, "It's a pity that my old arms and legs can't walk anymore, otherwise I would really go and show you my skills."
Jiang Lianxue smiled softly and said, "Just by listening to your description, grandma, I can feel your elegance when you were young."
The old lady who was praised smiled even more happily. Seeing the meal cooked by Lu Li, she couldn't help but praise him, "Little Lu's cooking skills are really great, not worse than those so-called chefs at all."
Lu Li remembered that the last time he came, the old man spoke haltingly and with some difficulty, but now he speaks very fluently and looks very good.
It seems that the best supplement for the elderly is not the elderly health care products bought on the market, but companionship.
Lu Li specially cooked a bowl of noodles because he was worried that the old man had poor teeth and couldn't chew the food.
The three of them sat around the table eating lunch, feeling as warm as a family.
Lu Li and Jiang Lianxue stayed with the old man until the afternoon before saying goodbye and leaving.
Before leaving, the two wrote down the old man's number and agreed to call him often.
Looking at the couple walking hand in hand into the ancient town, the old lady in the noodle shop showed a kind and happy smile on her face, "I didn't expect to be so lucky to meet you in the last period of my life. Maybe this is the best gift God has given me."
Compared with previous years, the Jiangnan city was very cold during this New Year's Eve.
Compared with previous years, the Jiangnan city is very warm this New Year's Eve.
Back in their little room, Jiang Lianxue couldn't wait to turn on the air conditioner. "It's so cold. I want to stay together with the quilt and not come out this week."
Lu Li exhaled, "It's a pity that there is no heating in the south, otherwise the house would be as hot as summer, making people sweat."
"So the best place to go in winter is Northeast China?"
"No, it's Hainan!"
Lu Li gave a thumbs up, as it was truly the second home for people from Northeast China.
(End of this chapter)
