Chapter 421: The last kiss of the year

The Xia family's New Year's Eve dinner lasted until eight o'clock in the evening.

On the TV in the living room, the Spring Festival Gala had just begun.

After Qin Tian helped clean up the tableware, he said goodbye to the Xia family elders.

"Little Qin, it's still early. Come sit and watch the gala with us for a while longer!"

Grandpa Xia tried to persuade him to stay with a chuckle.

"No, Grandpa, my mom is home alone, and I want to go back to keep her company. I'll come over tomorrow morning to pay you a New Year's visit."

Qin Tian declined with a gentle smile.

"Right, right, right, I'm just an old fool!"

The old man smiled and said, "Today you should go back to keep your mom company for the New Year's vigil. Then go ahead, and be careful on the road!"

"I know!"

Qin Tian nodded with a smile.

"Brother, let me see you off!"

Xia Nuannuan said.

"No need, why see me off? It's so cold outside, just stay inside and watch the gala!"

Qin Tian shook his head and refused.

"It's fine, I'll just see you down and come right back."

"Really, no need."

"Brother-in-law, Brother-in-law, remember to prepare red envelopes tomorrow, I'm going to pay you a New Year's visit."

Xia Xue reminded him loudly.

"No problem."

Qin Tian nodded in agreement, unable to hold back a smile, then looked at the twins and deliberately raised his voice, "Anyone who pays me a New Year's visit tomorrow will get a red envelope!"

Xia Yaxin's eyes brightened, and she nodded vigorously with a faint smile.

"Who cares!"

Xia Junjie ate a segment of an orange and muttered in a low voice.

"I'm off, bye-bye, bye-bye!"

"Bye-bye, Brother-in-law, see you tomorrow!"

"See you tomorrow!"

After saying goodbye, Qin Tian turned and walked toward the entrance.

Xia Nuannuan followed him to see him out.

"You girl, red envelopes are given by elders. Why are you asking Little Qin for one?"

Xia Wenhua glared at his daughter and complained, annoyed.

"Brother-in-law is an elder, and there's no problem with him preparing red envelopes for us. Besides, let me tell you, Sister Nuannuan said Brother-in-law is very good at making money. The house they bought together in Jiangcheng was bought with money Brother-in-law earned himself."

Xia Xue covered her mouth with her hand and whispered.

"He's that capable?"

Xia Wenhua was stunned when he heard this.

He had only heard that the two children had bought a house in Jiangcheng, but he didn't know the money was earned by Qin Tian himself; he had thought it was given by his family.

"Yeah, so tomorrow, the red envelopes Brother-in-law prepares will definitely be big!"

Xia Xue had a cunning smile like a little fox on her face.

"With things like this, your brain works fast, but if you put more effort into studying, would you have done so poorly on the final exam?"

Xia Wenhua scolded his daughter with a straight face.

"You're at it again. I'm not listening, I'm not listening!"

Xia Xue covered her ears with both hands and shook her head.

Xia Wenhua was left between laughing and crying, wondering if he should prepare a few more bills for the New Year's red envelope he was giving Qin Tian tomorrow.

He couldn't let Little Qin help his daughter with tutoring and then lose out on the New Year's red envelope!

"I'm off then, don't see me off anymore."

After changing his shoes, Qin Tian said to Xia Nuannuan with a hearty smile.

"Alright, send me a message when you get home."

"Okay!"

"Brother, wait a moment!"

Xia Nuannuan suddenly called out.

Qin Tian, who had just opened the door and was about to leave, turned his head and looked at her with a puzzled expression.

Xia Nuannuan bit her lip, suddenly stepped forward, stood on tiptoes, and kissed him on the lips.

"This counts as... the last kiss of this year."

After Qin Tian was stunned for a moment, he teased her with a playful smile.

"Hurry up and go, hurry up and go!"

Xia Nuannuan pushed him out the door with a blushing face.

"Just a moment ago you didn't want me to leave, and now you're pushing me out. Sigh!"

"I did not!"

"Auntie, I'm off!"

Qin Tian suddenly called out to someone behind her.

Xia Nuannuan turned back in astonishment, only to see her mother standing not far away with a tray of cut fruit, looking at them with a smile.

"Oh, take it slow on the road!"

Su Xia said with a radiant smile.

"Alright!"

Qin Tian grinned.

Watching him wave his hand as he entered the elevator, Xia Nuannuan covered her flushed cheeks with both hands and turned to run toward her room as if fleeing.

"Auntie, what's wrong with Sister Nuannuan?"

Xia Yaxin asked in surprise.

"It's nothing, she's just shy. Come, come, come, eat some fruit."

Su Xia placed the fruit tray in front of her and called out with a beaming smile.

"Shy?"

Xia Yaxin blinked in confusion.

"Hee hee... Auntie, was it because Sister Nuannuan and Brother-in-law were kissing secretly and you saw them?"

Xia Xue took a piece of apple, took a bite, and asked with a mischievous smile.

"You're so smart."

Su Xia smiled and gave her a thumbs up.

Xia Yaxin was stunned when she heard this, and then her little face turned red too.

The New Year's Eve vigil is a traditional custom. Usually, candles are lit in the house, and the lights stay on until dawn. It is said that after doing this, the family will have abundant wealth in the coming year.

Before even walking into the house, he could hear the sound of the Spring Festival Gala playing on the TV in his mother's room.

"Mom, I'm back."

Qin Tian called out and walked to the doorway of the room.

"You're back? How was it? Nuannuan's family dinner must have been very lively today, right?"

Tang Xiuxia was cracking melon seeds, turned her head to look at her son, and asked with a smile.

"Yeah, Grandpa and Grandma, Uncle Xia and Aunt Su, plus Xia Xue's parents, her second grandfather's whole family—the whole house was full of people, very lively."

Qin Tian answered with a smile.

"Then why didn't you stay there to play a bit longer?"

Tang Xiuxia smiled, a hint of guilt flashing in the depths of her eyes.

For all these years, New Year's Eve had always been just the two of them keeping each other company, which was indeed a bit cold.

Although it was much livelier back in their hometown, they wouldn't be going back until the second day of the New Year.

And to be honest, compared to going back to their hometown and letting those villagers gossip behind their backs, the mother and son preferred to stay in Yucheng.

"I came back to keep you company."

Qin Tian sat down beside his mother and opened his palm with a smile.

Tang Xiuxia reached out, let the remaining melon seeds fall into his hand, rolled her eyes, and said, "I'm perfectly comfortable watching TV and cracking melon seeds by myself, why would I need you to keep me company!"

"Yes, yes, yes!"

Qin Tian responded with a smile, not taking it to heart, and started cracking melon seeds.

Suddenly remembering something, he took out his phone and sent a text to Xia Nuannuan, saying he had arrived home safely.

The other side replied quickly.

"Okay, are you and Auntie watching TV?"

"Mom, come, let's take a selfie together."

Qin Tian said with a smile, then put down the melon seeds in his left hand, picked up his phone with his right hand, and held it up, aiming the lens at himself and his mother.

"Wh-why do you suddenly want to take a photo?"

Tang Xiuxia felt a bit embarrassed.

"Come on!"

Qin Tian moved closer, wrapped his left arm around his mother's shoulder, tilted his head, and showed a hearty smile.

Seeing this, Tang Xiuxia had no choice but to cooperate and break into a smile.

With a click, the photo was taken.

Qin Tian took it down, looked at it, nodded with satisfaction, and sent the photo to Xia Nuannuan.

"Wow, it's taken so well. Brother, your photography skills are getting better and better."

The other side replied quickly again.

"That's a must. It's just that my mom said you were missing from the side, otherwise it would have been even better."

Qin Tian typed back with a smile.

"You brat!"

Tang Xiuxia watched him send the message, raised her hand with a smile, patted his shoulder, and said, "Send the photo to me too."

"Got it. There are also many photos taken with Nuannuan at the amusement park, do you want them?"

"Yes, yes, send them all to me." ===== CHAPTER 422 =====