New Year’s Eve.
The sunlight was warm, melting the thin layer of snow, leaving the ground damp with moisture.
Magic City was mostly empty, the roads were no longer blocked that day, and the expressway around the city finally lived up to its name.
Yan Yibing had to go to Guangzhou with his parents to celebrate the Chinese New Year with his grandmother.
Last year, they stayed in Magic City and celebrated with his maternal grandmother’s family. This year, according to the agreement, they were supposed to visit his paternal grandmother.
This time, he couldn’t bring Han Mo along. No matter what excuse he used, even if he came out to his parents on the spot, they might not accept taking Han Mo with them immediately.
This seemed to be the first time in nearly a year that he and Han Mo were separated by distance.
They didn’t drive; instead, they chose to take a plane.
Before leaving, Yan Yibing remained calm and relaxed.
After all, it was only for four or five days, not a long separation, and they usually saw each other almost every day. There was no need to be overly sentimental.
Han Mo suggested seeing Yan Yibing off at the airport.
But it was also strange to see them off, so Han Mo came up with a reason and told Yan Yibing’s parents that he needed to visit his mother’s hometown. Since they had flights on the same day and at similar times, they could leave together.
Yan Yibing’s parents didn’t suspect a thing and gladly accepted the explanation, warmly inviting Han Mo to join them and save the taxi fare.
That day, Papa Yan drove, and the four of them headed straight to Pudong Airport.
While sitting in the car, Yan Yibing remained calm, leaning lazily against the seat, lightly tapping his knee with his fingers, leisurely gazing out the window.
On the other hand, Han Mo kept talking.
Han Mo: “Master, if you have time during the New Year, let’s duo together.”
Yan Yibing: “Sure, just let me know when you’re training, don’t sneak around practicing on your own.”
Han Mo chuckled, “Okay, if Master is willing, I’ll bring you along during my rigorous training sessions.”
Yan Yibing: “…”
Han Mo was confident that Yan Yibing couldn’t keep up with Prince’s training intensity anymore.
This made Yan Yibing annoyed because he really couldn’t keep up. After all, he was an old man stepping out of the professional arena. How could he compete with a nineteen-year-old kid?
Han Mo: “Don’t forget to bring back some Guangzhou specialties for me. I’ve never been there.”
Yan Yibing: “There are so many delicious foods there, especially the morning tea, which is exquisite. The roast goose and barbecue pork are also delicious. I like rice noodle rolls too. I used to eat them a lot when I was a kid. Each restaurant has a different flavor. I’ll take you there next time.”
Han Mo: “Okay, I’ll definitely like what Master likes.”
Yan Yibing pondered for a moment. Han Mo’s words were subtly sweet, and he glanced nervously at his parents, but fortunately, they didn’t notice anything.
In fact, Han Mo was from the northern region and didn’t know much about southern snacks.
When he was six or seven years old, Han Tang started thinking about doing business, but he failed repeatedly.
By the time he was eight or nine, Han Tang finally figured it out and moved the whole family to Magic City to start a new career.
Not long after they arrived in Magic City, Han Tang realized that finding a rich woman could save him twenty years of hard work. So, he gladly had an affair, leaving Han Mo and his mother in the city.
At that time, Han Mo was already studying here. Bei Jingzhu thought that the educational resources in the big city were better, so she didn’t go back to her hometown, struggling to support Han Mo alone.
Han Mo: “Guangdong must be warmer, much more comfortable than Magic City.”
Although Magic City’s temperature was generally okay most of the time, there were still one or two months when it was impossible to survive without air conditioning and electric heaters.
Yan Yibing: “Definitely much more comfortable. It’s only cold for a week a year, and you only need to wear a light jacket. Most of the time in winter, a long-sleeved shirt is enough.”
Han Mo: “Yeah, watch out for temperature differences and don’t catch a cold. We need to prepare for the global competition after the New Year.”
Han Mo: “Drink less alcohol during the New Year. You cause too much trouble when you’re drunk.”
Yan Yibing: “Nonsense, slander, defamation. I have excellent alcohol tolerance.”
Han Mo: “I have a recording.”
Yan Yibing: “…”
He remembered the embarrassing recording of him saying he wanted to be Han Mo’s sister.
It was kind of funny to think about.
He used to think that Han Mo recorded it to embarrass him, to hold leverage against him.
Later, he found out that on every quiet and lonely night, Han Mo needed that recording to numb himself and find comfort.
Han Mo didn’t record it with malicious intent. It was purely blind admiration for his idol, wanting to preserve every moment of affection.
It was both funny and a little heartbreaking.
During the drive, they arrived at the airport quickly.
Yan Yibing’s father was a very organized person.
He wouldn’t spend most of his time at the airport, nor would he do things like arriving an hour early to prepare for unforeseen events.
The so-called unforeseen circumstances were naturally of extremely low probability.
He would plan his time reasonably based on the weather and road conditions of the day, striving to neither hurry nor waste any of the ten minutes he could work.
Over the years, the benefits he gained far outweighed the losses. His time was worth more than a few plane tickets, especially since he always bought full-price tickets, which could be changed or refunded at any time.
Therefore, when the car stopped at the airport parking lot, and they smoothly reached the boarding gate via the escalator, there were still forty minutes left before the flight took off.
The New Year gifts had been sent by express delivery. They only brought two small suitcases containing clothes for the next few days, no need to check in, just go through the VIP channel for check-in.
Yan Yibing and Han Mo didn’t have much time to bid farewell.
Han Mo hadn’t bought a ticket at all, so he made up an excuse about the check-in not starting yet and watched Yan Yibing pass through security.
Handing his ticket to the staff, Yan Yibing took off his coat and glanced back.
Han Mo stood there quietly, waving to him.
It was this wave that suddenly made Yan Yibing reluctant to leave.
The sadness of impending separation, absent throughout the journey, surged at this moment.
Perhaps it was the mechanical airport announcements that woke him up, or maybe it was the narrow security checkpoint that made him feel suffocated.
He knew that unless Han Mo also had a ticket, this checkpoint would completely separate them.
He couldn’t go out, and Han Mo couldn’t come in.
The glass at the security checkpoint was frosted. Even as he took off his clothes, they remained in the box. With just a turn, he could no longer see Han Mo.
So close, yet out of sight.
Yan Yibing felt a strong discomfort, even an impulse to ask Han Mo to buy a ticket and join him.
But this flight had already stopped selling tickets, and check-in would soon be closed.
Yan Yibing couldn’t help but look back repeatedly, his brow furrowed, his chest feeling as if it had been soaked in vinegar.
Sour and damp.
He finally understood why couples in TV dramas could cry and act so melodramatic at airports and train stations, hugging and kissing.
Turns out, he could feel this emotion too.
Love really was a killer.
There were people waiting behind him, so Yan Yibing had to move forward.
He could no longer see Han Mo at all.
But he had a gut feeling that Han Mo hadn’t left and was still waiting there.
Putting on his clothes, picking up his luggage, he silently followed his parents to the airport lounge.
But he felt empty inside, unable to muster a smile.
The most inhumane aspect of Pudong Airport was its vast space. Sometimes, in order to catch a flight, you had to walk a long way, and the escalators occasionally malfunctioned.
Yan Yibing and his parents dragged their luggage to Gate D13, where ticket checking had already begun.
He quickly boarded the plane, sat in his seat, tore open the packaging, put on the headphones provided by the plane, and turned on the small TV to listen to music.
Yan Yibing’s parents sat in front, chatting peacefully.
At first, Yan Yibing’s mother couldn’t find her seatbelt, so Yan Yibing’s father naturally leaned over to help her fasten it, then called the flight attendant to bring his wife a glass of orange juice.
As Yan Yibing’s mother sipped the orange juice, she softly called out “husband.”
Although Yan Yibing wore headphones, the quality of the headphones on the plane was average, and sound leaked from all directions, so he was still tormented by his parents.
After all passengers had boarded, the flight attendant reminded everyone to switch their phones and electronic devices to flight mode.
Yan Yibing’s music suddenly stopped, and the safety instructions began playing on the plane.
He quickly removed his headphones and, while the flight attendant checked phones for the last time, sent a WeChat message to Han Mo.
【Yan Yibing: Buy the available flight and come to Guangzhou.】
After sending the message, he waited another minute or two before reluctantly switching his phone to flight mode.
Soon, the plane took off, and he couldn’t receive any replies from Han Mo.
It was a moment of impulse.
He didn’t know what Han Mo would do.
Buying a ticket at the last minute would definitely be difficult.
During the Spring Festival travel rush, their tickets were bought months in advance.
Yan Yibing looked out the window and felt a bit regretful.
He shouldn’t have given Han Mo such a dilemma.
Yan Yibing closed his eyes, unable to sleep the whole way.
As soon as the plane landed at Baiyun Airport, he quickly turned on his phone and continuously refreshed WeChat.
It was the first time he found the speed of his phone switching from flight mode annoying.
Finally, he got a signal.
He saw Han Mo’s reply.
It was just one word: “Okay.”
Knowing that he might not be able to buy plane or train tickets, but seeing this word, Yan Yibing felt relieved.
He had once thought that being apart for four or five days wasn’t a big deal.
But on the plane, he suddenly realized.
With his wealth and skill in gaming, why should he be separated from his Little Beast for five days?
He was willing to do anything impulsive.
Yan Yibing, sneaking behind his parents, started calling Han Mo.
A few seconds later, the call connected.
Han Mo: ” Did you land?”
Yan Yibing: “Do you have a ticket?”
Han Mo was silent for a moment and then slowly said, “Today’s flights are sold out, but there’s one on the first day of the Lunar New Year.”
Yan Yibing: “Then…” He didn’t have the heart to let Han Mo go through the trouble.
He would be back in Magic City on the morning of the fifth day of the Lunar New Year.
Han Mo: “I bought a ticket for the first day, but does Master really have time to accompany me? Aren’t you going to be with your family?”
Yan Yibing: “Late at night, I do. My family has a regular schedule, they go to bed around ten, and they don’t even watch the Spring Festival Gala all the way through.”
Han Mo pretended to be aggrieved: “So Master just wants me to warm the bed?”
Yan Yibing was amused by him, and the pent-up emotions along the way vanished.
He joked, “Yes, I’ve fallen in love with your body, will you come?”
Han Mo chuckled, his laughter deep and pleasant, and Yan Yibing could almost imagine him holding his phone, lips pursed in a smile.
Han Mo: “I’m coming. I just love warming Master’s bed.”
Yan Yibing’s mother turned back in confusion, “What are you doing? Hurry up and catch up.”
Yan Yibing looked up and replied, “My package is arriving.”
Yan Yibing’s mother frowned, “We’re not home these days, what package are you talking about?”
Yan Yibing: “Something I ordered last minute.”
Yan Yibing’s mother sighed, “Really, I’ll contact the property management to pick it up for you.”
Yan Yibing quickly said, “No need, I changed the address.”
On the other end of the phone, Han Mo raised an eyebrow and lowered his voice, “A package, bedding?”
Yan Yibing finally felt like he had teased Han Mo successfully for once. Just as he was about to bask in his achievement, he heard Han Mo’s meaningful words, “Okay, this product is guaranteed in quality, no refunds without reason, I hope Master makes good use of it.”
Make good use… of it?
Yan Yibing pressed his lips together, trying hard to brush away any inappropriate thoughts, but the side effects of watching too many adult films were that certain images couldn’t be controlled from slipping into his mind. Then, successfully, he blushed.
Author’s Message:
Buyer Yan Yibing decided to return the goods after trying them for one night, but the seller Han Mo refused and added a tube of anti-inflammatory ointment as a gift.
Thank you for reading! 
Hope you enjoy the rest of your day 🍀
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