Chapter 243: Stepping Forward ④
Huang Yan and her family stood on their balcony watching fireworks. When they saw the unevenly spaced ‘Qiu’ characters rising into the sky, she ignored her parents and grandparents and screamed loudly. It was Li Kai! It must be Li Kai! Only Li Kai would be so romantic, just like… just like in a TV series.
She was very excited and happy, but more than that, she felt envy. Zhang Haiyang treated her very well, truly well. If she was cold, no matter how little he wore, he would take off his coat for her. When studying, he would unfailingly warm milk for her every morning and bring it to her. If she didn’t understand something and was too embarrassed to ask, he would ask the Teacher or Nie Qiu without her knowing. Zhang Haiyang was truly good, but… what girl didn’t like romance? If Zhang Haiyang could do something like this just once, she would be too excited to sleep.
Zhang Haiyang stood on the top floor and also saw the ‘Qiu’ character. Thinking that Huang Yan might also see it, he pondered for a moment, greeted his family, and returned to his own home from the rooftop. He rummaged through his room and pulled out a few romance novels, starting to read them through the night.
Nie Qiu smiled, watching the fireworks continuously rising around them. After midnight, it would be a new year. Firecrackers and fireworks sounded everywhere, along with screams. It seemed like tonight would be non-stop; this night was destined to be sleepless.
Nie Aifang looked at the distant fireworks and turned to Nie Qiu, “Qiu Qiu, do you think… the fireworks are beautiful?”
Nie Qiu nodded, “Beautiful.” Especially the display Li Kai set off.
Nie Aifang asked again, “Qiu Qiu, are you sleepy?”
Nie Qiu thought for a moment and shook her head. She had indeed wanted to sleep earlier, but now that she was awake and clear-headed, she wasn’t as sleepy.
Nie Aifang smiled, fumbled to nervously hold the hand of Nie Aiwen standing beside her, and said to Nie Qiu with a nervous smile, “Qiu Qiu, I think I should tell you.” She swallowed and looked at Nie Qiu nervously.
Nie Qiu nodded, looking at Nie Aifang and Nie Aiwen’s clasped hands, and smiled.
“I… I…” Nie Aifang wanted to speak, but found herself unable to.
Nie Aiwen tightened his grip on Nie Aifang’s hand and said to Nie Qiu with a smile, “Qiu Qiu, from this moment on, let me take care of you and your mother, okay?”
Once Nie Aiwen spoke, Nie Aifang found the words in her mouth less difficult to say. She reached out her other hand, gently placed it on Nie Qiu’s head, and stroked it softly, smiling as she said, “Qiu Qiu, your uncle is an adopted child of your maternal grandmother; he and Mom are not biological siblings. Back then, families without sons wanted to have a son, and if they couldn’t, they would adopt one. Your uncle’s biological mother had five sons and one daughter. She couldn’t afford to raise them all, so she gave away three children. Your uncle was adopted by your maternal grandmother.”
“Qiu Qiu, you’ve grown up, you’re sensible, and your grades are good. You’re Mom’s pride,” Nie Aifang continued with a smile. “Your Dad has been gone for six years. Mom… has decided to be with your uncle. You can continue to call him uncle, or you can… call him Dad. Can you?”
Nie Qiu knew that this “Can you?” was asking for her opinion. She smiled and looked at Nie Aiwen, “Dad, you’ve finally waited.” This sentence acknowledged Nie Aiwen’s presence. Nie Qiu remembered the person who had cried on her lap on the resting chair downstairs in the residential area they used to rent. At that time, Nie Aiwen, slightly tipsy, had made an advance on Nie Aifang. This man, who never seemed to cry easily, had sobbed uncontrollably under the influence of alcohol, speaking of his feelings. That affection had made her heart tremble uncontrollably. After so many years, he had waited and waited, and finally, they were together. It was worth it.
Nie Aifang and Nie Aiwen both smiled at Nie Qiu. Nie Aiwen stepped forward and put his arm around Nie Aifang’s waist. Nie Aifang held Nie Qiu’s hand. The three of them smiled and looked up at the continuing, rising fireworks. The fireworks were still beautiful, and from now on, their lives would begin a new chapter.
Nie Qiu looked at the sky. Amidst the brilliant fireworks, the starlight was not obvious, nor was it dazzling. Calling ‘Nie Aiwen’ Dad wasn’t that difficult. Compared to her father in her previous life, whom she had never met, Nie Aiwen was more in line with her imagination of a father: sensitive, deeply affectionate, gentle, and refined. He would give her money, care about her, and encourage her, but he wouldn’t let her be overly unrestrained. She had seen photos of her father from her previous life, and even seen him on financial television, but had never met him in person. He traveled the world, built his career, and started his own new family, making her a burden.
When she was very, very young, she could still call her so-called father once or twice a year, but each time, it was she who initiated the call. As she grew older and passed the age where she needed parents, she understood that apart from the debt of birth and upbringing, she had no family affection with her parents. She didn’t know whether to thank them for giving birth to her and raising her, or to hate them. She only knew that in her previous life, words like ‘parents,’ ‘Mom and Dad,’ and ‘father and mother’ were just words.
In the first year of junior high, everyone stayed at home eating delicious food, cracking sunflower seeds, and watching fireworks from the balcony at night.
Li Kai pleaded with Li Mingxue for a long time and finally got permission from his Dad. Carrying a large pile of gifts, he knocked on Nie Qiu’s door in the darkness.
Nie Qiu was just about to get some candy and fruit from inside to take to the balcony when she heard the knock. She hurried to open the door and was stunned to see Li Mingxue and Li Kai. Nie Aifang heard the knock, walked in from the balcony, and came to the doorway.
As soon as Li Mingxue saw Nie Qiu, she broke into a smile. Seeing Nie Aifang, her smile widened, “Happy New Year.”
To be honest, Nie Aifang felt awkward seeing Li Mingxue, but since they had come to pay a New Year call with gifts, there was no reason to keep them outside.
Nie Aifang smiled and led Li Mingxue into the house. While no one was paying attention, Li Kai quietly pulled Nie Qiu aside and, in the entryway where they were changing shoes, secretly slipped a piece of chocolate into Nie Qiu’s pocket, whispering, “I specifically got this for you at home. The delivery person said it’s imported from abroad, better than Dove. I took it secretly; my Dad and sister don’t know. Hide it and don’t let anyone else eat it.”
Nie Qiu was surprised but nodded. Although she didn’t think chocolate made much of a difference, seeing Li Kai’s expression, she knew this was Li Kai’s gesture. While it was a bit amusing, it still warmed her heart. She smiled and asked, “Have you eaten yet? If not, we still have chicken soup and duck soup, and bone soup too, as well as rice. I also made dumplings tonight.”
