EOD Chapter54

[About the Spring Cleaning]

To Lu Zhao, the year-end spring cleaning wasn’t anything ceremonial; after all, he called a housekeeper to clean the house almost every week. But to Zhou Zefeng, it was a perfect opportunity to enhance their relationship, so he stopped Lu Zhao, who was currently calling the housekeeping company.

Lu Zhao stared at him with a suspicious gaze. Zhou Zefeng quickly waved his hands and said, “I just want to do housework with you, I absolutely don’t want to see you wearing an apron or anything.”

In the end, Zhou Zefeng stripped to the waist, put on an apron, and cleaned the house, while Lu Zhao sat on the sofa with a glass of red wine, admiring his physique.

[About Buying New Year Goods]

Lu Zhao’s aggressive consumerism was the same as always. As soon as he arrived at the supermarket, he was like a tornado destroying a parking lot; the chocolate, Wang Wang gift packs, pineapple cakes, potato chips, and cookies on the shelves by the entrance were all swept into the shopping cart.

Lu Zhao never hesitated or pondered when buying things; it took him only 0.5 seconds to judge, “I want this.”

However, this time Zhou Zefeng didn’t stop him and even became an accomplice, buying a bunch of random items, which left Lu Zhao feeling puzzled.

Zhou Zefeng swiped his card and said, “I recently collaborated with a brand to shoot a set of commercials and made some money.”

This time it was Lu Zhao’s turn to feel embarrassed. He explained, “You must find it strange too, right? Actually, we wouldn’t even finish eating all of this in half a year. But for things I didn’t have when I was a child, I always want to compensate myself now that I’ve grown up. I always feel that it only feels like the New Year when New Year goods are piled up all over the table.”

Zhou Zefeng: “We can finish them! I exercise a lot and consume a lot; I’m a big eater!”

A month later, every member of the swimming team and every colleague in the neurology department received a bag of snacks.

Before the head nurse could even speak, Lu Zhao explained, “This is a small gift for everyone. I hope you all have a smooth year ahead at work.”

On the other side, the swimming team manager teased, “Did your wife buy too much?”

Zhou Zefeng shook his head, “It’s because I couldn’t finish it all.”

[About New Year’s Eve]

One year, New Year’s Eve was spent on an airplane.

Since they had spent every New Year’s together, Zhou Zefeng persuaded Lu Zhao not to stay dutifully at home this year and instead celebrate the holiday with him in another city, to which Lu Zhao reluctantly agreed.

Everything had been planned well, and they were supposed to arrive there in the afternoon. However, the flight was delayed, and they waited at the airport for several hours. By the time they boarded the plane, it was already 11:30 PM.

Exhausted, Lu Zhao leaned against Zhou Zefeng’s shoulder with his eyes half-close to rest. A Spring Festival Gala comedy sketch was playing on the plane, and the surrounding passengers were thoroughly amused. Zhou Zefeng lowered his head, feeling deeply frustrated as he sank into thought.

Lu Zhao: “We’ll probably be counting down to midnight on the plane this year.”

Zhou Zefeng was unhappy, “Yeah. The New Year atmosphere you wanted is gone.”

Lu Zhao: “Don’t you think it’s very romantic?”

Zhou Zefeng: “Huh?”

Lu Zhao: “Look out the window.”

Zhou Zefeng looked out of the window. Under the shroud of night, thousands of households were brightly lit, connecting the territories separated by rivers, lakes, and seas. The scattered, starry lights connected into lines, and then converged into a spectacular, magnificent expanse, shining brilliantly in Zhou Zefeng’s eyes.

Lu Zhao: “The New Year atmosphere isn’t about where you are; it’s about who you’re with. Whether I’m sitting on the sofa watching the Spring Festival Gala with you or admiring the night view from a plane, it all feels the same.”

Zhou Zefeng: “I’m gonna cry.”

Lu Zhao grew excited, “Hurry up and cry, I love to watch it.”

In the early morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, they landed in a place where it wouldn’t snow. Zhou Zefeng took off his down jacket and drew the curtains of the ocean-view room to welcome their brand-new year.