Chapter 15
Jing Ciying returned to work with only two days left before the New Year holiday.
During his absence, the Huaisi deal had been finalized.
With the upcoming holiday, everyone was in a relaxed mood.
Except for Pei Songji.
But perhaps due to the festive season, he didn’t bother Jing Ciying much.
Jing Ciying enjoyed the last two days of work, a rare occurrence.
Finally, the company closed for the Lunar New Year.
Having already prepared everything at home, he went straight to the hospital, giving Aunt Liu time off. He planned to spend the holidays there.
Although his apartment was decorated for the New Year, it felt lonely being alone.
At the hospital, he could chat with his sister, the doctors, and the nurses. It was less isolating.
His aunt called every day, asking if he wanted to come home for the New Year, but he declined.
Although he didn’t go home, he sent his aunt and Ruoruo gifts and a generous red envelope, using his year-end bonus.
Ruoruo was ecstatic, calling him to thank him profusely.
It snowed on New Year’s Eve.
But the snow didn’t dampen the festive spirit. Fireworks and firecrackers filled the air, and the city was adorned with colorful decorations. Only the hospital remained unchanged, untouched by the festivities.
Jing Ciying tried to create a festive atmosphere in his sister’s room, bringing homemade dumplings and turning on the TV for the New Year’s Gala.
At 8:00 pm, the gala began.
He took out two bowls of dumplings, placing one beside his sister’s bed, and started eating while watching the show.
The performances were entertaining, the comedy skits predictable and somewhat boring. He couldn’t help but comment, even though there was no one to respond. His voice filled the room, making it feel less empty.
A nurse came in for her rounds, noticing the dumplings. “What filling is that? Smells delicious.”
“Fennel,” he replied.
“Your family likes fennel dumplings? Nice. They are good.”
“I don’t mind them, but my sister loves them. We all have different preferences, so we used to make different fillings for New Year’s. Now… it’s just fennel.”
“Your parents sound lovely. My mom never bothered. I always had to eat whatever she liked. Now you’re making me crave dumplings, but I’m on duty.”
“You can have some of these. This bowl is for my sister; I haven’t touched it.”
“No, no, my dad is bringing me some later. Let your sister have them. They smell so good, maybe they’ll even wake her up.”
A pang of sadness struck him, but he forced a smile. “I hope so.”
The nurse left, and he was alone again.
The gala continued, the comedy skits finally eliciting a few laughs from the audience. The snow outside intensified. Despite the heating, he felt cold.
He finished his dumplings, but his sister’s bowl remained untouched.
He picked up a dumpling from her bowl and ate it.
It was cold.
“No wonder you’re not eating. They’re cold.”
He put the remaining dumplings back in the thermos and went to wash the bowl.
It was a quick task.
But he lingered by the sink, reluctant to return to the room.
Although no one was setting off fireworks near the hospital, he could still hear them in the distance.
Everyone was celebrating.
Another year had passed.
Meanwhile, Pei Songji had just finished his New Year’s Eve dinner and was watching the gala with his grandparents.
He had intended to spend quality time with them, but their agenda was clear.
Their eyes were on the TV, but their conversation revolved around his romantic life.
He listened patiently, offering no response.
He knew what would happen if he told them the truth.
He had intended to address the issue before the New Year, but the Huaisi deal had demanded his full attention.
By the time he was free, it was almost New Year’s.
The Pei family was large, with many branches, and the holiday season was always busy with various events. He only had this one evening to relax with his grandparents.
Tomorrow would be filled with New Year’s greetings and activities.
His grandfather started nagging him about the blind date again. He couldn’t bear it and excused himself.
“Songji!” his grandfather called out.
“Let him be,” his grandmother said. “Let’s just enjoy the evening.”
“But you told me to talk to him!”
“I said mention it, not lecture him.”
“You…”
As his grandparents bickered, Pei Songji retreated to the terrace.
It was snowing.
The snowflakes fell softly, blanketing the world in white.
He thought of Jing Ciying.
What was he doing? He must be home, perhaps watching the gala with his family.
He suddenly wanted to hear his voice.
He considered calling him, but it seemed inappropriate to interrupt his family gathering. Besides, he couldn’t think of a good excuse to call.
He opened WeChat, seeing numerous unread messages, New Year’s greetings from friends, colleagues, and relatives.
He scrolled down, finally finding Jing Ciying.
Their work-related chat history was sparse, consisting mostly of his instructions and Jing Ciying’s confirmations. There were no personal messages.
He hadn’t noticed this before, but today, it bothered him.
As his boss, shouldn’t Jing Ciying have sent him a holiday greeting, even a generic one? Was this how one treated someone they liked? It seemed too impersonal.
He hadn’t thought much of it before, but since acknowledging his feelings, he had been subtly questioning Chu Yang about his relationship with Li Shu Yin, absorbing their love story.
He felt a pang of longing, realizing such moments had never occurred between him and Jing Ciying.
Were they too much like boss and employee? Well, they were boss and employee.
But then he realized, he had never expressed his feelings to Jing Ciying. It was natural for him to be reserved.
Perhaps he should be more proactive.
A lack of reciprocation could be discouraging.
He didn’t want this to end before it even began.
He stopped hesitating and called Jing Ciying, despite not having a good excuse.
To his surprise, Jing Ciying didn’t answer.
The automated message played.
“The number you have dialed is currently unavailable. Please try again later…”
Pei Songji: ?
