Shoutout to Kari for the commission!
The first time Zhou Shirui spent Chinese New Year at Le Cheng’s home was also during Le Cheng’s junior year.
A week in advance, they packed their luggage and returned to Le Cheng’s home.
Cao Fanqin and Le Shuhai had a habit of taking a family portrait about once every ten years. After they returned home, Zhou Shirui went out to wash the fruit while Le Cheng squatted beside the bed, taking the clothes out of his suitcase. In fact, he hadn’t brought much back because he had left most of his clothes in the wardrobe.
Cao Fanqin pushed open the door. Le Cheng was grunting as he shoved the suitcase underneath the already-packed bed. Hearing the noise, he turned his head. “Mom? What’s up?”
Cao Fanqin sat down on the edge of his bed and got straight to the point. “Chengcheng, we’re going to take a family portrait this week.”
“I know.” Le Cheng blinked.
Cao Fanqin paused for a moment before asking, “Little Zhou’s family… they’ve never taken a family portrait, have they?”
After Le Cheng’s parents had met Zhou Shirui, he had embellished the details and carefully told Cao Fanqin about Zhou Shirui’s family situation. Naturally, Cao Fanqin also knew that Zhou Shirui had a rather distant relationship with his parents.
Le Cheng nodded. “They haven’t.”
After saying this, he looked up and secretly glanced at Cao Fanqin’s expression, as though he had made some kind of decision.
“Mom, there’s something I want to discuss with you!”
“Chengcheng, there’s something Mom wants to tell you.”
The two voices rang out at the same time. Le Cheng froze for a moment.
Cao Fanqin asked, “You go first. What is it?”
Le Cheng hesitated for a moment, lowered his eyelashes, and still bravely said, “It’s just… for our family portrait this time, could Zhou Shirui come too? If that’s not possible, then could we take two pictures? One with him and one without him. That way it won’t interfere with us putting up the family photo at home. But when we take the pictures, could you not tell him that I was the one who suggested it? Just make it seem like everyone wanted it this way… Would that be okay, Mom?”
After Le Cheng finished speaking, he looked up nervously. He had thought Cao Fanqin would give it serious consideration, but unexpectedly, after a few seconds of silence, she suddenly burst out laughing.
“Aiya, our Chengcheng has really grown up.” Cao Fanqin patted the adorably dazed Le Cheng and said with a laugh, “You’ve really thought this through. You even knew to get us on board first.”
Le Cheng was embarrassed by her laughter, his face turning red. “I’ve been grown up for a long time…” He somewhat guiltily changed the subject. “Then what were you going to tell me just now?”
Cao Fanqin laughed. “What else could it be? Of course I was going to ask whether you wanted to include Little Zhou when we take the family portrait.”
Le Cheng froze. “Really?”
“Would Mom lie to you?” Cao Fanqin gave him a light smack and continued slowly, “Of course it’s true. Your dad and I discussed it. We thought that you two have been together for so long, and you’ve already met each other’s parents. You’ve even been living with him for so long. We’ve seen how good he is to you all this time, and we know he isn’t after anything else. He just wants you. Since you two can’t get legally married here in China, then let’s take a family portrait together. Once he’s in the same picture with us, we’re family.”
Le Cheng was both touched and shocked. “Mom…”
“It’s not like we haven’t thought about what would happen to the photo if you two ever disagreed and really broke up.” Cao Fanqin smiled. “But your dad and I actually don’t think that will happen. And even if we take a step back, legally married couples can still grow apart and separate. Besides, from what I can see, Little Zhou is even more devoted to you than your dad was to me back then.”
Le Cheng didn’t know how to describe what he was feeling at that moment. He simply stood up instinctively and hugged Cao Fanqin.
He had so much he wanted to say, his thoughts tangled and overflowing, but when the words reached his lips, all he could say was, “Mom… thank you. Thank you and Dad.”
“We’re family. What are you thanking us for?” Cao Fanqin patted his back. “All right, hurry up and finish packing. Fold up your clothes.”
“Okay.” Le Cheng quickly looked up. “Mom, then you go out first.”
“Mm.” Cao Fanqin agreed.
There were still the sounds of Le Shuhai and Zhou Shirui talking in the living room. Before long, their voices drew closer. Along with the sound of the door opening and footsteps, Le Cheng turned his head, only for something cool and slightly damp to touch his lips.
He lowered his eyes. It was a little cherry tomato. He opened his mouth and bit into it, and Zhou Shirui asked, “Sweet?”
Le Cheng scrunched up his face and mumbled, “Mmph… sour…!”
Zhou Shirui held out his hand. “Spit it out.”
Le Cheng quickly chewed it a couple more times and swallowed it. His face was a little red. Lowering his eyes guiltily, he muttered softly, “At my parents’ house, don’t always… do that, okay? Especially not in front of Mom and Dad. Got it?”
Zhou Shirui reached out and gently pinched the flesh of his cheek. “Do what?”
Le Cheng smacked his hand away. “Why are you asking? Just what you did just now. It makes me look like I’m… like I’m really… you know.”
He didn’t even manage to say what exactly “that” was.
Zhou Shirui leaned against the cabinet beside him and looked at him, deliberately asking in an indifferent tone, “Like a little kid, right?”
Le Cheng turned his head and glared at him, even threatening him. “Ahem, don’t say it again!”
But not only was Zhou Shirui completely unaffected by his glare, he actually looked even happier than before.
At dinner, following Le Cheng’s plan, Cao Fanqin and Le Shuhai brought up the family portrait themselves and very naturally invited Zhou Shirui to come along, reminding him to remember to dress nicely.
After showering, Le Cheng wriggled into the blankets like a little fish, then went over to hug Zhou Shirui.
He looked up at Zhou Shirui’s expression and deliberately said, “Tomorrow we’re going to take the family portrait together. Remember to wake me up.”
He put noticeable emphasis on the word “together,” as if afraid Zhou Shirui wouldn’t pick up on the hint.
Zhou Shirui heard it and couldn’t quite suppress the smile tugging at his lips. He patted Le Cheng’s back beneath the blankets. “Mm. I’ll wake you.”
Only then was Le Cheng satisfied and closed his eyes to sleep.
A lot of people nowadays chose to take family portraits themselves with a camera and have them printed afterward, but their family still kept the tradition of going to a photography studio. Everyone would stand in front of the backdrop while listening to the photographer count down from three.
They used the most traditional arrangement. Cao Fanqin and Le Shuhai sat in the middle, while the two younger men stood on either side.
Le Cheng was still a little nervous. He fussed with his bangs and asked Zhou Shirui, “Does this look good? Is it messy?”
Zhou Shirui adjusted his collar. “You look good. It’s not messy.”
Only then did Le Cheng relax and return to his position.
“Okay, good. Handsome guy on the left, give me a smile. Yes, that’s it. Move a little closer together.” The photographer directed them. “Very good. Get ready.”
“Three—”
“Two—”
“One—”
“Say cheese—!”
The camera flashed, capturing the moment. They took several photos in succession, then went over to choose their favorites. After paying an extra fee for rush processing, the photography studio developed the pictures quickly.
When they returned home, Cao Fanqin immediately put the new family portrait into a frame.
Zhou Shirui looked completely calm, but Le Cheng knew he really liked it.
The proof was that after the photo was hung up, whenever Le Cheng happened to glance over at it, he would find Zhou Shirui’s gaze lingering on it for a long time.
On New Year’s Eve, they got up early in the morning to put up the Spring Festival couplets.
Le Cheng remembered the first time he had put up a paper “Fu” character in Zhou Shirui’s apartment. He yawned and asked, “What were you thinking back then when I put that Fu character up for you?”
Before Zhou Shirui could answer, Le Cheng answered his own question. “You didn’t think I was really different, did you? Like I was so special compared with everyone else, and then you fell hopelessly in love with me?”
After saying it, he couldn’t help laughing at himself.
Zhou Shirui waited until he finished laughing. He was silent for a while, as though he were genuinely thinking about it.
Le Cheng waved a hand in front of him. “What are you thinking about? Don’t tell me it really was like that?”
“I thought you were very cute,” Zhou Shirui suddenly said.
“Huh?” Le Cheng froze slightly.
“Watching you, you were like a little sparrow.” Zhou Shirui spoke slowly. “Running around the house, talking nonstop, and insisting that I put up the Fu character together with you.”
Le Cheng looked at him suspiciously and blinked. “Why does it sound like you’re not complimenting me?”
“I am complimenting you.” Zhou Shirui lowered his eyes and pressed down the lock of hair sticking up from his forehead.
Perhaps Le Cheng had been different from other people from the very beginning. Just like how he always felt that Le Cheng was like a small animal, it was not because he thought less of him, but because he felt that such a sincere heart seemed like something that could only be seen in small animals.
There was even a period of time when Zhou Shirui, who had never believed in anything, seriously wondered after seeing a video whether Le Cheng had been a small animal in his first life before becoming human.
Le Cheng had no idea about all those twists and turns in his mind and dragged him off to put up the Spring Festival couplets.
At eight in the evening, after dinner, the whole family sat together in the living room to watch the Spring Festival Gala.
As the clock struck midnight, fireworks exploded outside with loud popping sounds, deafening.
Le Shuhai and Cao Fanqin also went downstairs to set off a string of firecrackers, while Le Cheng ran out to the balcony to watch the fireworks exploding across the sky. He turned around and called out excitedly to Zhou Shirui, “They’re so pretty! Come, come, hurry!”
Zhou Shirui got up and walked over. The sounds around his ears were noisy, with the shouts of children downstairs, the conversations of adults, the sounds of fireworks and firecrackers, and… Le Cheng’s laughter.
He had never known that this day could be so lively.
Le Cheng was right beside him, close enough to reach out and touch. In the living room were the snacks and fruits they had not finished eating, and their family photo was hanging on the wall, with his figure in it too.
The firecrackers were too loud. Le Cheng tugged at him and shouted, “It’s the New Year! Hurry up and make a wish!”
Zhou Shirui stared at him for several seconds, closed his eyes, then quickly opened them again.
Le Cheng loudly asked him again, “What did you wish for?”
Zhou Shirui’s lips moved.
Le Cheng leaned a little closer, practically curling himself into his arms. “What did you say?”
“I hope you can always be healthy and happy.” Zhou Shirui paused, then hugged him. “I hope you’ll always be with me.”
Le Cheng smiled, and Zhou Shirui asked him what he was laughing about.
“I wished for the same thing.” Le Cheng happily burrowed into his arms. “Even our wishes are so in sync!”
“So it’ll definitely come true.”
Holding him in his arms, Zhou Shirui was infected by his happiness as well and nodded. “Okay.”
It was around one in the morning when the sound of firecrackers outside finally began to die down.
They stayed up until three o’clock before they finally could not hold out any longer. Le Cheng was so sleepy that he could barely keep his eyes open, even less energetic than Cao Fanqin and Le Shuhai, and Zhou Shirui carried him off to bed.
Drowsy and dazed, Le Cheng had already washed up before they began staying up for the New Year, so things were much simpler now. Zhou Shirui reached out to undo his buttons, but Le Cheng unwillingly squirmed around and was given a light pinch on the butt.
Le Cheng let out a yelp from the pinch and buried his face in the blanket, but stopped moving. When Zhou Shirui lay down as well and reached out to pull him into his arms, Le Cheng barely opened his eyes to a slit and mumbled, “…Were you happy today?”
Le Cheng often asked him things like this, as though Zhou Shirui’s feelings were very important to him. No matter when, he was always happy and wanted to share it with him.
His heart seemed especially soft at that moment. Zhou Shirui was quiet for a moment before answering seriously, “Very happy.”
“Chengcheng,” Zhou Shirui said. “Thank you.”
Le Cheng hummed sleepily, not knowing whether he had heard clearly, and burrowed his head into Zhou Shirui’s arms before falling asleep.
The next day when he woke up, Le Cheng had not slept enough yet before he was hauled out of bed to eat dumplings.
Cao Fanqin urged him, “Eat quickly. If you’re still sleepy, go back and take a nap.”
“Your dad and I are going out to pay New Year’s visits in a little while.” Cao Fanqin ate quickly. “If someone comes knocking, remember to open the door for them.”
“Oh…” Le Cheng answered sleepily.
After breakfast, Le Shuhai was washing the dishes in the kitchen while Cao Fanqin tidied up and called out to him, “Old Le, hurry up. Why are you so slow?”
Le Cheng and Zhou Shirui were not idle either. One wiped the table while the other sorted all the candies and sunflower seeds they had bought and put them out.
“Crash!”
A sudden sound came from the kitchen. Le Shuhai had accidentally dropped a bowl onto the counter while washing dishes. Pieces of porcelain flew out and cut Zhou Shirui, who was getting something from the kitchen.
It was on the back of his hand, a very, very shallow cut. A string of tiny beads of blood emerged, making everyone freeze for a moment.
Zhou Shirui immediately said calmly, “It’s fine. Broken pieces bring peace.”
The phrase had such a strong everyday, homely feel to it. Hearing it come from him gave it a strange sort of feeling.
Le Shuhai hurriedly asked if he was okay and then swept up the broken pieces with a broom. Cao Fanqin came in with her eyes wide, but because it was the first day of the New Year, she changed her wording and asked, “Is Little Zhou okay?”
“I’m fine,” Zhou Shirui said. “It just broke the skin a little.”
“That’s good, that’s good. Broken pieces bring peace, broken pieces bring peace.” Cao Fanqin repeated the saying as well.
After cleaning up the broken pieces, they headed out. Zhou Shirui was still going to help divide up the candies, but Le Cheng grabbed his wrist and pressed him down onto the sofa.
“You don’t have to do that.” Le Cheng had him hold out his hand and put a Band-Aid on it.
It was a very ordinary design, but when Zhou Shirui raised it to look at it, he seemed to see a lively little cartoon dog in the lines.
He paused for a moment before saying, “Why do I need a Band-Aid? It’s just a little wound.”
“What do you mean? It’s bleeding and you still call it a little wound.” Le Cheng was not very pleased. Frowning, he lectured him as though he were very sensible. “Then what would count as a big wound?”
As if he were no longer the one who usually got himself into trouble.
At that moment, it was as though Zhou Shirui were also a well-cared-for little child, someone whose heart was cared for even over a tiny little injury.
Zhou Shirui said nothing and reached out to touch Le Cheng’s cheek.
Le Cheng was satisfied this time. He leaned down, gave him a quick kiss, and praised him, “Good boy.”
Good boy.
Zhou Shirui’s lips curved up involuntarily as he watched Le Cheng patter away, carrying the bag of candy and seriously dividing it up without sneaking any for himself.
He wondered which of them was actually the better-behaved one.
