APCF – Chapter 113 New Year

Various rumors, both true and false, circulated for half a month before finally dying down. However, the two people at the center of the storm acted as if nothing had happened, rarely appearing in public—whether online or in front of the cameras.

Bo Ye was busy setting up his own studio. His contract with Noah had always been more of a formality than anything, and with its expiration approaching, he had no intention of renewing it. Noah’s little boss, Qi, wholeheartedly supported this decision. In real life, he had always hoped his idol could be freer and not bound by external constraints. Unfortunately, he didn’t live to see Bo Ye establish his studio, having died in a car accident and transmigrated into this novel. Now, at least, he could say his dream had come true.

As for himself, he was preoccupied with filming Grey Trajectory. The storyline had reached its later stages, where the truth behind the human trafficking case was gradually being uncovered. As expected from the title, the overall tone of the production had become oppressively gray and heavy. But then, Liang Xiaolong’s brain disease was cured, the criminals were brought to justice, and his biological and adoptive parents finally reconciled.

With sorrow followed by joy, his emotions were constantly being pulled between extremes. Apart from acting, he spent most of his time adjusting his mindset, leaving little energy to engage with fans online.

Half a month passed like this, and soon, the streets were adorned with red lanterns. Shopping malls and supermarkets were filled with housewives carrying bags of New Year’s goods—signs that the holiday was fast approaching.

Although the cast and director weren’t big names, they all had families to return to. Seeing that filming was progressing well, Director Zhou granted everyone a seven-day break, from New Year’s Eve to the sixth day of the new year.

On the evening of the 29th, Qi Xingchen dragged his suitcase off the plane. After finally getting through the fans and reporters who had come to greet him, he saw his entire family waiting to pick him up. His nose immediately tingled with emotion.

Qi Yujie quickly wrapped a scarf around his neck, complaining as she did so, “What kind of crappy production is this? Can’t they feed you properly? Look how thin you’ve gotten—your cheeks are practically caving in!”

Dad Qi furrowed his brows. “Yunxiao, after the New Year, invest some money into Xingxing’s drama.”

Qi Yunxiao signaled the driver to start the car and said, “Dad, we’ve already invested over twenty million since filming began.”

Qi Xingchen: “…”

No wonder Director Zhou never scolded him.

Dad Qi scoffed, “Twenty million, and he still hasn’t gained a few pounds? Clearly, the money wasn’t spent properly. Arrange for someone to look into it.”

The Qi family had one fundamental principle: There’s no problem in this world that money can’t solve. If there is, it just means you haven’t spent enough.

Qi Xingchen was speechless for a moment, but after a mix of sweet-talking and persuading, he finally convinced his father to drop the matter.

By the time they got home, it was past 9 PM. After chatting briefly with his family, Qi Xingchen took a thorough bath, preparing to celebrate his first Lunar New Year in this alternate world.

On New Year’s Eve morning, he woke up with the sunrise and excitedly ran outside to complete the youngest sibling’s traditional task—putting up the Spring Festival couplets.

The Qi estate had three large outer gates, two automated gates at the front and back of the villa, plus additional doors for the stables, garden, greenhouse, and so on—more than ten in total. By the time he finished decorating them all, he wiped the sweat from his forehead and headed to the kitchen to help Zhang Ayi and Qi Yujie prepare the holiday feast.

The family’s chefs and servants had gone home for the holiday, leaving only Zhang Ayi, who had no children of her own, to celebrate with them. She was getting older and couldn’t handle cooking everything by herself, so in previous years, Qi Yunxiao had arranged for hotel-catered meals. This time, Qi Xingchen stopped him.

He wanted to personally cook a New Year’s dinner for his family.

With a well-stocked kitchen and Zhang Ayi and Qi Yujie assisting him, he worked efficiently. Still, by the time everything was ready, it was already late afternoon.

Since this was the most important festival of the year, drinking was a must. Dad Qi declared that the children could drink freely, so the family ate, drank, laughed, and enjoyed the festivities. Before they knew it, it was time for the New Year’s greetings.

As a background character’s family in the original novel, the Qi family didn’t have an overly complicated social network. The only relative they needed to greet in person was Qi Jiaze’s father—the original protagonist’s biological uncle.

After a brief phone call and sending a few New Year’s messages to directors and actors he had worked with, Qi Xingchen finally had time to contact his boyfriend.

Xingxing: [Busy all day, finally free now. Have you finished your New Year’s Eve dinner?]

Moon: [Yeah, just finished. I’m making dumplings with my mom.]

Xingxing: [😨😨 You know how to make dumplings?!]

Moon: [She’s making them. I’m just keeping her company and chatting.]

Qi Xingchen:

I knew it. There’s no way Young Master Bai could master such an advanced skill.

Moon: [Do you like dumplings?]

Xingxing: [As long as they’re not celery-filled, I like them all.]

The little fanboy was never picky about food—except for water caltrops. This was the first time Bo Ye had heard him say he disliked something. He silently noted it down and continued typing.

Moon: [Then I’ll learn to make dumplings.]

Xingxing: [No, no!! I can make them! I’ll do it in the future!!]

As soon as he sent that, Qi Xingchen suddenly realized his wording was problematic.

Right now, he and Bo Ye rarely got to see each other. Even when they did, it was always at a hotel. Making dumplings required a well-equipped kitchen at home.

The way he phrased it made it sound like he and Bo Ye would be living together.

Qi Xingchen hurried to clarify.

Xingxing: [Besides, buying flour and meat to a hotel seems weird. If we want dumplings, we can just order delivery.]

Moon: [No need to buy anything. I have flour and meat at home.]

His home?

What did that mean?

Qi Xingchen was momentarily confused.

Seeing that his little fanboy hadn’t replied for a long time, Bo Ye reread his own message and realized it was unclear. He explained:

Moon: [When I said ‘home,’ I meant my own place, not my parents’ house. You don’t have to worry.]

Xingxing: […Your own place?]

Moon: [Yeah, I have furnished homes in a few cities. When the time comes, you can just move in. I’ll have all your daily necessities prepared in advance.]

This time, Qi Xingchen didn’t reply for a long while again. Bo Ye sighed at his own impatience.

Moon: [If you don’t want to live together, I can just learn how to make them first and cook for you when there’s an opportunity.]

Qi Xingchen: !!!

How could he not want to live with Bo Ye?! He was just… a little in disbelief.

Afraid Bo Ye might really think he was unwilling, Qi Xingchen immediately abandoned his TV, ignored his juice, and forgot about the candy in his hand. He lowered his head, his fingers flying over his screen.

Xingxing: [I DO!!! I WANT TO!!!]

Seeing the screen filled with exclamation marks, Bo Ye couldn’t help but laugh.

Moon: [Alright, I’ll have a housekeeper tidy up. Once you wrap filming, you can move in anytime.]

Xingxing: [But… can we really live together?]

Moon: [Of course we can. We’re already public, you dummy.]

The happiness was so sudden that Qi Xingchen just stared at the screen, grinning like an idiot.

At that moment, Bo Ye suddenly remembered something.

Moon: [By the way, are you free on the third day of the New Year?]

Xingxing: [Yeah, why?]

Moon: [My parents want to meet you.]

After a pause, Bo Ye added:

Moon: [They don’t mean any harm. They’re just eager to see what their ‘other son’ looks like.]

Moon: [If you don’t want to, or if you’d rather stay with your family, that’s totally fine. They can wait.]

Moon: [I didn’t scare you, did I? Sorry, they’ve always wanted another child, so when they found out I was dating, they got really excited and kept asking about you.]

Moon: [But they respect your decision. Whatever works best for you.]

Bo Ye rarely sent so many messages in a row. Qi Xingchen could tell how much he cared and respected him just from these continuous texts.

Over two months ago, Bo Ye had already mentioned bringing him home to meet his parents. Back then, Qi Xingchen was afraid they wouldn’t accept a same-sex relationship, so he never agreed.

But now, how could he bear to reject Bo Ye?

Xingxing: [Okay, I’ll come on the third.]

Moon: [OK. I’ll book your flight.]

Bo Ye’s parents lived in the capital of the neighboring province. After finalizing the date and airport arrangements, the Spring Festival Gala hosts had already begun the New Year’s countdown.

Seeing that his father, brother, and sister were all focused on the TV, Qi Xingchen put his phone down and joined them in the countdown.

“Five, four, three…”

As the clock struck midnight, his family turned to him in unison and said, “Xingxing, Happy New Year!”

“Dad, Brother, Sister, Happy New Year!” Qi Xingchen’s eyes crinkled with joy.

Then, once again in unison, they said, “Xingxing, stay right there and don’t move!”

With that, they all ran off at once.

Qi Xingchen: “???”

What were they up to?

But Xingxing was a good boy. If his dad told him not to move, he wouldn’t move.

Thinking he hadn’t interacted with fans in a while, he figured he should post something before his Weibo turned into a ghost town. He pulled out his phone, pondered for a moment, and typed a message.

Qi Xingchen: [Wishing all Starlights a Happy New Year! Wishing you peace and prosperity ❤️]

His fan base was much larger than before. As soon as he posted it, the comments skyrocketed past a hundred.

Just as he was about to check what the fans were saying, a small hand holding a red envelope suddenly appeared in front of him, blocking his view.

Qi Yujie grinned. “Xingxing, here’s your lucky money.”

Right after, Qi Yunxiao walked over and handed him another red envelope. “Xingxing, here’s your lucky money.”

Seeing his kids beat him to it, Dad Qi panicked. He practically flew down the stairs in two strides.

“Xingxing, here’s your lucky money!”

Qi Xingchen

He was already in his twenties—was he even qualified to receive lucky money?

The Qi family’s money didn’t just fall from the sky, and he didn’t want his family to keep spending on him. Luckily, the three red envelopes in front of him looked thin, probably just a few hundred each, so he accepted them.

However, when he opened the first red envelope, things didn’t seem as simple as he thought. Inside wasn’t cash… but a bank card.

Opening the second red envelope—another bank card.

The third one—yet another bank card.

All three were the same type: Private Wealth Diamond Cards from different banks.

From what Qi Xingchen knew, upgrading a card to a Private Wealth Diamond Card wasn’t as simple as depositing a few million—it required at least three million to even qualify.

This amount of lucky money was way too much. He was about to ask them to exchange it for just a few thousand in cash—just a token gesture would be enough.

But before he could speak, Dad Qi shot a glare at Qi Yujie and said, “Why did you all copy me?”

“How was I supposed to know you’d give a card too?” Qi Yujie grumbled. “Blame Big Brother for not discussing it with us first.”

Qi Yunxiao felt completely wronged. “I already said last month that I wanted to give Xingxing more money this year. You should’ve guessed what I’d give, right?”

Dad Qi snorted. “Do you think I have time to listen to you babble all day?”

Qi Yujie sighed, “Exactly. And besides—”

Seeing that his family was about to escalate into a full-blown argument, turning what was supposed to be a simple lucky money exchange into a shouting match, Qi Xingchen’s head was about to explode. He quickly tucked away the three cards and flashed a sweet smile.

“Thank you, Dad, Big Brother, and Sister for the lucky money! I love it all!”

The arguing finally settled down.

As the gold-medal mediator, Qi Xingchen successfully defused the conflict, then rolled up his sleeves and headed to the kitchen to boil dumplings.

On the way, his phone buzzed twice with a long vibration. He assumed it was just New Year’s greetings from his carrier, so he ignored it.

It wasn’t until the dumplings were in the pot and he was waiting for the first round of cool water to be added that he remembered he hadn’t checked his comments earlier.

Opening Weibo, he was pleasantly surprised to find that just three minutes ago, Bo Ye had posted a New Year’s message too.

Bo Ye: Wishing all Night Skies and Starlights a Happy New Year! May you be safe and well. ❤️

The format and emoji were exactly the same as his own—except Bo Ye added two extra words.

For the first time, he was subtly flaunting their relationship in public.

Qi Xingchen’s face flushed red.

Biting his lip, he scrolled down to the comments:

[Ohh, Night Bro is already trying to win favor with the in-laws, huh?]

[Do you guys smell that? That’s the sour stink of love.]

[It’s New Year’s and you’re still out here making us single folks suffer?! Have some shame!] 

[Exactly how much does Night Bro love Little Seven? He’s even using a heart emoji! [picks nose]]

Qi Xingchen burst out laughing at the last one.

Bo Ye really had never used such a “soft” emoji before.

After checking Bo Ye’s comments, he went back to his own. The Night Skies and Starlights were completely mixed together—it was impossible to tell them apart.

[The spring breeze whispered to me in my dreams: The first thing it will do upon arriving in the human world is kiss your face. The second is to dye the branches and flowers green. Happy New Year, Qi Xingchen! May your career soar high! ——Bo Ye Galaxy Fan Club]

[The world is chaotic and war-torn, but you alone make time feel long and peaceful. Happy New Year, Qi Xingchen! May all your wishes come true. ——Bo Ye Wildfire Fan Club]

[Damn, the in-laws are TOO good at poetic flattery. Why do I suddenly feel honored to be a part of this fandom?]

Bo Ye’s fan clubs added up to hundreds or thousands, and the two biggest ones, Galaxy and Wildfire, were leading the way. Qi Xingchen thought: No surprise there—every true Night Sky is an expert at flowery praise.

Take himself, for example—he had already mastered the art of rainbow-flattery to perfection.

Feeling smug, he continued scrolling:

[Did you guys see Night Bro’s post? So thoughtful! As a mom fan, I kinda want to approve this marriage now.]

[Have some dignity, Mom Fans! Are you really this easy to buy off with one post?! More importantly—how much lucky money did Night Bro give Xingxing?! If it’s not enough, we Sister Fans won’t approve!]

[Agreed. You can’t just woo our Xingxing with words—you need to show real action!]

[Uh… with how cold and aloof Night Bro is, he might not have given any lucky money at all.]

Bo Ye’s lucky money…?

Qi Xingchen froze.

He hadn’t even noticed.

Switching to WeChat, he scrolled up. The last message Bo Ye had sent him was a New Year’s emoji, followed by… nothing.

No red envelope, no WeChat transfer—nothing.

Bo Ye really hadn’t given him lucky money.

At first, Qi Xingchen hadn’t cared. But after reading his fans’ comments and seeing the completely empty chat history, he suddenly felt a little disappointed.

The dumplings boiled for the first time, and he absentmindedly poured in some cool water. As he finished pouring a whole pot, he suddenly remembered the unread messages from earlier.

With a tiny bit of hope, he opened his texts.

00:00:01, Bo Ye has transferred 5…

Qi Xingchen: “!!!”

AHHHH!! BO YE SENT HIM LUCKY MONEY!!!

Overcome by the urge to prove it to his fans, he didn’t even bother checking the amount. He quickly censored the sensitive details with Meitu, uploaded the screenshot, and set the post to “fans only.”

Qi Xingchen: Thank you, Night Bro, for the lucky money~ ❤️ [Image]

His fans, eager to verify the “sincerity” of Bo Ye’s gift, immediately zoomed in on the numbers.

Ones, tens, hundreds, thousands…

5,201,314 yuan.

5.2 million yuan.

(5201314 = “I Love You Forever” in Chinese homophones.)

Starlights: Oh. Okay. We approve of this marriage. 🙂

_{When can someone give me millions or even thousands in lucky money? Anyway, Happy New Year to XingXing and his Moon. And you guys have rest of good year too.}