Si Chengyou said that Chinese New Year is meant to be spent with important people.
So Shen Yue prepared plenty of things early on with Si Chengyou and carried them back to Building 7, planning to spend the holiday there with those from Building 14.
Building 14 was fine since he had stayed in the same country as Shen Yue before and knew what Chinese New Year was.
Mo Aman and Aisi were very curious, not only continuously looking at and asking about the Spring Festival couplets Shen Yue had brought, but they almost tore apart the carefully made window decorations.
"If any of the things I brought back get damaged, you two are sleeping outside Building 7 tonight."
Only then did the two settle down and start pasting the couplets according to Shen Yue’s instructions.
Shen Yue stood to the side, helping them distinguish which was the top line and which was the bottom line.
To Aisi and Mo Aman, the two sheets of paper for the couplet were completely indistinguishable. Shen Yue was afraid they would randomly paste them and violate so-called taboos.
Building 14 was also watching from the side when he suddenly realized the calligraphy style of his couplet was different from the others’.
He moved closer to Shen Yue and asked uncertainly, “Did...did you write this?”
Shen Yue’s eyes fell upon the couplet Building 14 was holding. “Yes, I wrote it.”
With his back facing Shen Yue, Mo Aman didn’t see the look in her eyes and assumed his was also written by her. He was instantly delighted.
Ahhhhhhh, the boss wrote this! I’m keeping it forever!
Only Building 14 understood what Shen Yue meant, his ears turning slightly red. “Thank you.”
Shen Yue tilted her head. “Do you know how to paste them? This is the top line, this is the bottom line.”
Building 14 nodded and also went to paste his.
Seeing that Aisi and Mo Aman were fine, Shen Yue pasted her own as well.
Top line: Flowers blossom in springtime’s embrace
Bottom line: Birds sing freely songs of love
These were written by Si Chengyou in regular script.
As Shen Yue was putting up her couplet, she suddenly thought of how Si Chengyou seemed a bit off today. Usually no matter how many private thoughts he had he could hide them well, but today’s Si Chengyou was a bit absent-minded.
Shen Yue looked again at Building 14 and decided to wrap dumplings together first before deciding whether or not to go find Si Chengyou.
The dumpling filling was crab roe, flown in specially per Shen Yue’s request.
Her principle was that she would never eat local seafood from the Broken-Winged Land.
Aisi was no stranger to needlework in his daily life. He learned to wrap dumplings very quickly, even inventing his own better-looking shape.
Mo Aman’s were a complete mess.
Building 14 was not skilled enough, stuffing them to near bursting.
As for Shen Yue, she chose to steal the fruits of their labor.
"Aisi, give me the ones you wrapped." Shen Yue stretched out her hand. Aisi froze before reluctantly handing over his chrysanthemum-shaped, triangular, willow leaf-shaped, crescent, and rose-shaped dumplings wrapped in various shapes.
Shen Yue took them and praised, "Yours do look the best."
Just one line was enough to reignite the other two’s competitive spirit. Aisi instantly cheered up and continued wrapping enthusiastically.
Shen Yue held the dumplings and looked at the three people before her. She suddenly said, “I’m stepping out for a bit, I’ll be right back.”
Building 14 paused briefly before swallowing his words, “Alright, we’ll be here waiting for you.”
Aisi grew more vigorous in his wrapping, “I’m going to have new dumplings for the boss when she gets back.”
“Boss, call me anytime if you need anything!” Mo Aman called out while still wrestling with the dumplings.
Shen Yue nodded and, taking the dumplings Aisi had just wrapped, left Building 7 and headed straight for Building 5.
Over the past year Shen Yue had come and gone freely from Building 5. Her presence no longer caused any waves among the Building 5 population.
At most, upon accidentally meeting her gaze, they would give a “Hello Boss Shen Yue”. There were no other shows of pomp and circumstance and no one would specially notify Si Chengyou that Shen Yue had arrived.
So currently there was an unspoken rule in Building 5 that Shen Yue could come and go as she pleased.
And so Si Chengyou missed the chance to cover things up ahead of time.
When Shen Yue reached the 36th floor, she discovered that although it was only 8 PM, all the lights on Si Chengyou’s floor were already off, leaving only the always-on hallway lights piercing through the darkness.
Also, the lingering sandalwood scent that was usually present on the 36th floor had now been replaced by another, more pungent odor.
The smell of alcohol.
After a brief ponder, Shen Yue followed her instincts and did not turn on any of the lights. Instead she soundlessly traced the drifting smell back to its origin.
Si Chengyou’s bedroom.
The bedroom was unlocked but also unlit. As Shen Yue approached the door, in the dim moonlight she saw a man sitting by the bay window who looked as if he might shatter with a touch.
Si Chengyou’s slightly long hair was usually tied up neatly, but now it hung freely, paired with the wine in his hand, the picture of decadence.
This was a side of Si Chengyou that he had never shown anyone before, and also the true Si Chengyou that Shen Yue had always wanted to know.
Without any hesitation Shen Yue strode forward and turned on the light in Si Chengyou’s room.
Light instantly swallowed up the darkness, temporarily obscuring Si Chengyou’s vision.
His free hand unconsciously went up to shield his eyes. After they had adjusted to the brightness he put it back down.
When Shen Yue’s shadow appeared on the window, he was not too surprised. After all, at this time the only person who could show up here other than her was no one.
But Si Chengyou was still a bit astonished. He had thought that today Shen Yue would spend a fairly warm night with those people from Building 7 instead of coming here.
Si Chengyou set down the wine in his hand and tidied his sleeve, not looking at Shen Yue as he gazed out the window. “Why did you come over? I can’t tell you any stories today.”
Shen Yue took two more steps forward before discovering that not only was there the smell of alcohol in the room, there was also the scent of blood hidden beneath it.
“Si Chengyou, what are you doing?” Shen Yue continued forward but was berated by Si Chengyou.
This was the first time Si Chengyou had spoken to Shen Yue with such intense personal emotion.
“Go back to Building 7! Didn’t I tell you to spend New Year’s Eve with important people?”
Shen Yue’s footsteps paused. She had already discovered the source of the bloody smell: Si Chengyou’s left hand that he was currently hiding.
Not bothering with Si Chengyou’s wishes or struggles, in just a few quick steps Shen Yue strode forward and grabbed his left hand.
Only then did Shen Yue realize that the seemingly flawless Si Chengyou was pathetically weak up close.
His struggles didn’t even have enough strength for her to easily restrain him. Though of course, it was also possible this was due to her year of training with Aisi.
In any case, Shen Yue had the fleeting sense that she was forcing herself upon a gentlewoman before quickly dismissing that thought.
She briskly pushed up Si Chengyou’s sleeve, only to discover that his left arm was densely covered in scars and wounds.
Some of the wounds had already healed while some were still oozing blood.
For an instant Shen Yue didn’t know what to feel. She asked, “So this is the real you that’s always hidden away?”
Si Chengyou did not reply or struggle anymore. He simply hid his face in his disheveled hair and faced the window.
Shen Yue waited for a while without seeing him react. She directly reached out and pinched Si Chengyou’s chin, turning his face toward her.
She was met with Si Chengyou’s flushed cheeks and red-rimmed eyes, tears clinging to his long lashes and hovering on his pale skin, refusing to fall.
