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In the blink of an eye, it’s already the end of the year. With all the work for the new pond, and some eventful happenings, we didn’t realize the new year was coming soon. Since living in Yucun, our new year celebration has been more serene. There aren't many festive celebrations like in the city. Though that doesn’t mean Pangzi would sit down, watching the night change into a whole new day, new year without any celebration. A week ago, he told me to tell Wang Meng to buy us some fireworks. We would stay in the house we built instead of the village house. Just the four of us, with the addition of Xue Daobao.
Today is New year eve. The village chief hosts a dinner gathering in the evening, everyone is free to come. We could also bring our own foods to share. We attend and mingle, toast and laugh–when I say ‘we’ I mean mostly me and Pangzi, Xiaoge would just stick around, and keep his silence. Filling our stomach with delicious foods and delicacies. Then around eleven past we decide to go back, leaving the still ongoing crowd. The three of us prefer to welcome the new year on our own.
When we arrived in Xilaiman, Xue Daobao was sitting on the porch waiting for us. All prepared with wine, a gift from one of our acquaintances, and a bucket of water, to extinguish the fireworks later. Pangzi walks into the house, and comes out minutes later with a box of fireworks we bought. When the packet arrived, it happened that the village chief was in Xilaiman, since Wang Meng bought enough to last until the next new year, we ended up giving him three big fireworks and dozens of small ones.
Just half an hour before the countdown the sky lights up with colorful sparks, taking turns one after another. Fifteen minutes later, when the fireworks slowly went down in number, we set off ours. Pangzi and Xue Dabao do the work while I sit back on the porch with Xiaoge. The sky once again became colorful. It’s quite a sight. I lean back on one of my hands while sipping my wine. Stealing a glance at the ever silent person beside me, Xiaoge is also watching the sky, still with a blank expression on his face.
Pangzi comes to us, hands over two sparkles each for me and for Xiaoge. We take it, watch as he lit it, and start to burn. Throwing out countless sparks. The more I watch, the more it makes me happy. I look at Xiaoge who is watching his sparkles intently. Still, feeling my gaze on him, he turns to look at me. I smile. Wide and delighted, knows he always returns it with a smile of his own.
Afterward Xue Dabao sits with us on the porch. A step lower from me and Xiaoge. He suddenly asks me. “Laoban, do you have any goals this year?”
“Goal?” I echo.
“Hum, you built a house before, then this year it’s a pond, I wonder what will be your goal next year.”
It’s Pangzi who answered the question. “He will build an ancestral tomb for the three of us.”
“Pang-ye!” Xue Dabao cries out “It will be new year soon, don’t say word like tomb, so unlucky.”
Pangzi, of course, merely laughs at that. “Ha! If merely saying tomb is unlucky, the three of us would never be able to stand here with you.”
“Si, Pangzi. Xiaoge and I have our ancestral tomb on our own. You better find one for yourself.”
“Tianzhen! We’ve been going through thick and cold together and now you want to exclude me?”
“Or, how about becoming my first son, that way you can enter my ancestral tomb.” I answered him with a smirk.
“Heii, I would rather become Xiaoge’s son than yours, plus the age is just right.” Pangzi winks at Xiaoge, who simply regards him with a blank stare.
“Huh, Zhang Laoban is the youngest among you. How come the age is right?” Xue Dabao said.
I snort at his words. After all, this guy doesn’t know Xiaoge’s real age. He probably wouldn't believe it if he knew.
I had spent a decade running after one goal, and I had fulfilled it. Now, I have him with me. I don't have any more goals. Building this house and the pond were never my goal. They were simply my impulsiveness. I just want the three of us to spend the rest of our time, as nicely and peacefully as it could be, here in Yucun.
Once again, I turned to look at my right side. Xiaoge was sitting much closer than before. One of his hands slips behind me while his eyes are staring at the sky. Suddenly, I hear Pangzi starting to countdown.
“6.. 5.. 4..”
Then Xue Dabao joined him, “3.. 2..”
“Wu Xie,” A deep voice sounds close in my ear. Together with the sound of fireworks in the sky, I hear shouts and a whisper, “happy new year!” Then he kisses me. Our first, on the first day of a new year.