The Yan family's rule for night watch is that they can go to bed before midnight, but they must get up at midnight. Before fireworks were banned, their family tradition was to set off firecrackers at midnight. After the ban, they changed to only setting off small fireworks, in short, retaining the sense of ritual.
Yan Yan is responsible for buying small fireworks for his family every year. Unlike his parents who only look at the size and ask about the price when buying fireworks, he will carefully look at the effect pictures and search for buyers' shows before buying. Due to the ban on fireworks, the market for large fireworks has shrunk sharply, while the small fireworks on the market have become more and more diverse. While others play with fairy wands, Yan Yan plays with the most novel ones of the year.
Therefore, every year after midnight on the New Year’s Eve in the community, the children from the neighborhood would wait for him downstairs to see what new styles he had this year.
This year, Zhuang Yiyun celebrated the New Year at their home, so naturally, someone else was in charge of setting off the fireworks. Previously, it was Yan Yan and Yan Ximing, but this time, Yan Ximing, who had just been taught by his wife, quickly handed the task over to the two children, and then the couple went to sleep.
Zhuang Yiyun followed Yan Yan downstairs. Yan Yan kept a distance from him from the moment the door closed. He stood diagonally across from him in the elevator and rushed forward after getting off the stairs, wishing to get rid of him. Because he had interrupted and agreed to live in Yan's house, Yan Yan got angry and confronted him openly and secretly all night. Zhuang Yiyun was not annoyed, and followed him at a leisurely pace, looking calm and composed.
As soon as Yan Yan walked out of the unit door, the children waiting downstairs in his house rushed up to him. From little kids to teenagers, they all vied to call him "Brother Yanyan".
"Come on! I'll take you to set off the fireworks!" As soon as Yan Yan saw them, he didn't bother to be angry with Zhuang Yiyun. He handed the bag of fireworks in his hand to the tallest boy inside and said coolly.
With one call, a group of people formed a circle downstairs. The young man who received the bag helped Yan Yan and began to show off the bag of small fireworks.
There were windmills that were spinning bigger and bigger, and little bees that could fly "fireflies" all over the sky. The children were so happy watching them that they kept clapping and shouting.
"Happy New Year, good luck and prosperity."
Yan Yan said that all the children around him followed him in reciting, just like a child king. His love for life is so touching, and his attitude towards life is completely different from Zhuang Yiyun. Zhuang Yiyun's life is only about studying and working, challenging more difficult topics, and achieving higher scientific research achievements, but every little thing Yan Yan faces every day is colorful.
Zhuang Yiyun stood behind the crowd and watched him. When he was surrounded by fireworks, he wanted to become the sparks that surrounded him. Looking at his unbridled smile, he made a decision on the first day of the new year.
He was determined to pluck this wild rose and water it with his own hands. To do this, he had to break all the shackles and disguises and bring the most authentic soul to him. Hopefully, he would not hate him.
Their fireworks hadn't been set off for long when the security guard rushed over and drove all the kids home. Yan Yan also ran away, and Zhuang Yiyun chased him and asked him what happened.
"I often play tricks. One time I played tricks and ran away. The next day I ran into law enforcement and the property was fined. After that, they kept an eye on me every year."
"Then you still let it go?"
"The guy who just brought the bag to me is the son of the property company manager. They are just pretending. Can't we have some fun during the New Year?" Yan Yan smiled.