Soon, the goose's pitiful cries echoed outside, growing weaker and weaker until they fell silent.
A life had been sacrificed to satisfy others' hunger—what a noble sacrifice. Amen.
Meanwhile, Bianca, who had narrowly escaped disaster, supported herself on her knees, gazing weakly at the snacks scattered on the floor, her eyes filled with resentment and fury.
Amid the spilled snacks, Bianca made a vow to herself, No matter what it takes, she must eat more of that goose.
Fu Lin broke the tense atmosphere by picking up a fallen chip and tossing it into his mouth. He then teased, "…If you wanna eat, just say so. Why are you acting like your ancestors or something?"
--------------------------------
As night fell, the lights of Nagazora City twinkled like stars in the darkness, as if the entire city was enveloped in a red glow, celebrating the new year.
It was the same at Fu Lin's place. Mei and Rita, who could cook, busied themselves in the kitchen, preparing for the New Year's Eve dinner.
Meanwhile, Bianca, who couldn't help, squatted by the door, holding the sparklers that Fu Lin had specially prepared. She stared intently at the tiny sparks in the darkness.
They weren't dazzling, but at least they were enough to illuminate Bianca's delicate face and the smile at the corner of her lips.
Fu Lin crossed his arms, seeing that everyone had something to do, then turned and walked upstairs, quietly placing the cat plushie he had secretly brought back on Mei's bedside.
"Mei will definitely be surprised when she sees this gift."
Then, carefully closing the door, he returned to his room to retrieve the gifts he had prepared for Bianca and Rita before heading back downstairs.
As time passed, the steaming New Year's Eve dinner was finally spread across the dining table.
Before Mei could even call out, Fu Lin and Bianca had already tossed aside their burnt-out sparklers and ran excitedly to the table. Taking in the delicious aroma in the air, their eyes sparkled with anticipation.
As Mei and Rita removed their aprons and took their seats at the table, the four of them gathered around, smiles lighting up their faces in a scene of warmth and joy.
"Can we eat now?" Seeing that no one had picked up their chopsticks yet, Bianca tightened her grip on hers, hesitated for a moment, then gently poked Fu Lin's arm and asked softly.
Fu Lin was just about to say something festive, but Bianca's poke made him forget everything on the spot. "Uh… of course, you can."
As soon as Fu Lin's voice fell, the New Year's Eve dinner officially began. Unable to wait any longer, Bianca decisively picked up a piece of goose meat and put it into her mouth with satisfaction.
Seeing Bianca focused solely on eating, Mei smiled slightly and silently picked up a piece of goose meat, bringing it to Fu Lin's lips.
"Fu Lin, I made this. Try it~"
"Fu Lin, this one tastes great too. Want to try?"
"Fu Lin, open your mouth. Ah~"
"....."
The atmosphere between Fu Lin and Mei made Bianca pause her chewing, suddenly feeling like the goose meat in her mouth had turned sour.
She somewhat regretted choosing to sit next to Fu Lin, but no matter where she sat, she would still end up next to either Mei or Fu Lin.
Rita took a small sip of her drink, glanced at Bianca's embarrassed expression, and her eyes flickered as if she was plotting something unexpected.
"Lady Bianca~" Hearing Rita call her name, Bianca looked up in confusion and saw a piece of food being offered to her. Instinctively, she opened her mouth and took it in.
Rita smiled in satisfaction.
"Mei, I can eat by myself. You should eat too." Fu Lin's mouth was already stuffed with all the food Mei had fed him. He covered his lips with both hands, his voice muffled as he spoke.
"Okay." Mei retracted her hand, her gaze lingering on the spot on her chopsticks where Fu Lin had just bitten. Her face flushed red as she picked up a small piece of fish and put it into her own mouth, closing her eyes to savor it.
As the food on the table was completely devoured, Fu Lin wiped the oil from the corner of his mouth with lingering satisfaction. Under Mei's gaze, he took out two small boxes.
"This one is for Bianca..." Bianca took the box and opened it, finding a custom-made cat pendant modeled after a certain someone. She glanced up at Fu Lin, a smile suddenly forming at the corners of her lips.
"Thank you, I really like it."
Seeing Bianca accept the gift, Fu Lin let out a silent sigh of relief. Since it was designed based on his own appearance, there was a chance it could seem a little narcissistic. If she disliked it…
Wait, no, he was this cute. How could anyone possibly dislike it? Fu Lin cleared his throat and handed the other box to Rita.
"Ahem! Next is Rita's."
"Mr. Fu Lin, I really like this gift." Rita took the box, carefully opened it a little, and upon seeing what was inside, her eyes brightened. She glanced at Bianca, who was playing with her pendant, then quickly closed the box and tucked it into her embrace.
"As long as you like it. I put a lot of thought into designing it."
Fu Lin smiled. He had chosen the gifts based on the recipients. The silver spear-wielding, charge-ready golden-haired white goose pendant—Rita would surely guess who it was modeled after. How could she not like it?
Bianca cast a curious glance at the box in Rita's arms. "Rita, what's yours?"
Rita smiled gracefully and replied, "It's the same gift as yours, Lady Bianca."
With the gifts distributed, Fu Lin took out the red envelopes he had prepared in advance and handed them to the three. "How can New Year's be complete without lucky money? It's not much, but I still have to give it."
Bianca and Rita nodded and accepted the envelopes with a smile.
Mei, however, clenched her hands and looked at the red envelope Fu Lin was handing her, then lifted her head with a pitiful expression. "Fu Lin, where's my gift..."
Fu Lin gently stroked Mei's head, his hand softly running through her hair. "I've already given it to you. You just need to find it yourself."
"I'm so full, and it's almost time. Let's go out quickly!" Fu Lin pushed open the door, stepping out with the others to gaze at the boundless night sky, eyes full of anticipation. From a distance, the countdown could be heard.
[10]
[9]
[8]
[7]
[....]
[3]
[2]
[1]
As the countdown ended, fireworks roared into the sky, piercing through the night like a dazzling waterfall, endlessly cascading down.
One after another, fireworks shot into the air, bursting into different colors like blooming flowers, instantly illuminating the darkness.
Watching the brilliant fireworks overhead, Bianca's face, however, showed no sign of a smile. She turned her head slightly toward the excited Fu Lin, hesitating before speaking, "Fu Lin, I..."