My hometown is far away in Moscow.

Chapter 200 Welcoming the Fifth Year

Hu Yi was unable to offer Xiang Nan any useful advice, and Xiang Nan lacked the courage to tell her brother such a cruel truth, whether by phone or QQ chat.

She tossed and turned all night, and the next morning she called her parents and told them the whole story, asking them to choose an opportunity to talk to Xiang Dong in person.

"My brother found out." On the last night of the year, Xiang Nan came to Hu Yi's dormitory and pulled him to a secluded spot in the corridor. "My parents were afraid of upsetting him, so they didn't dare tell him directly. They just kept hinting and warning him. Until that liar told my brother not to go to Hong Kong for Christmas, my brother was heartbroken and angry that night. He hid on the balcony and refused to eat or drink."

"Hiding on the balcony?"

"Yes, although my apartment isn't on a very high floor, it still gave my parents quite a fright," Xiang Nan recounted with lingering fear. "In the freezing cold, they stood on the balcony for half an hour before finally managing to persuade my brother to come inside and sit down. The two of them sandwiched him between them, and finally, they managed to tell him about the fake photos."

"What did Dongzi say?"

"He..." Xiang Nan slowly shook her head: "My mother said he absolutely refused to believe it, and said a lot of nasty things, saying that my parents had ulterior motives and were just making up lies to deceive him because they didn't want to spend money on him."

"Damn, this kid really doesn't know what's good for him!"

"But he was panicking after all. He cursed a few times and then turned on his computer to go online and question that person. There was no reply, and no one answered when he called. My brother kept calling until the phone was turned off, and in the end, he had no choice but to believe it."

"and then?"

"Then... he's locked himself in his room these past few days, barely leaving his bedroom except to use the bathroom, and he hasn't gone to work either. My parents bring him food every meal, and he eats a few bites when he's hungry, but he doesn't say a word." Xiang Nan's eyes reddened slightly: "Sometimes... at some point, my parents suddenly hear him shout in his room, and they can't tell if he's laughing or crying."

"He must be feeling incredibly frustrated. Tell me, Dongzi was such a good person, how did he become like this!" Hu Yi leaned against the windowsill, gazing out the window, and said in a muffled voice, "I remember the last time I saw him when I came back to China, he was in really good spirits. Although he looked a bit disheveled, he had a very positive and optimistic attitude. I never imagined he would become like this... Sigh!"

Xiang Nan leaned against the wall, her eyes lifeless: "It's all because of that liar."

The two looked at each other in silence. After a long while, Hu Yi sighed softly, "This matter has been too much of a shock for him. Let's give him some time to process it."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than Fang Qing and Li Baoqing came out of the kitchen, chatting and laughing, carrying a pot: "Hey, what are you two whispering about? Come on inside, dinner's ready!"

Tonight is the New Year's Eve dinner. Compared to this day last year, the location has changed from the vacant restaurant to Hu Yi's room, but the number of people remains the same. Although Lao Wei and Wang Shen are missing, Natasha and Li Baoqing have joined, along with Misha, who is lying to the side waiting for someone to throw her meat.

Li Baoqing was specially invited back by Hu Yi, ostensibly to help with cooking, but there was another reason behind it.

On one hand, the two brothers hadn't seen each other much this year, so tonight was a good opportunity for them to get together; on the other hand, every time they met, Li Baoqing would always inquire about Yu Feifei's recent situation, whether intentionally or unintentionally. Hu Yi found it amusing and decided to take this opportunity to let him meet Yu Feifei and ease the lingering pain of unrequited love in his heart.

A large group of people sat around in the dormitory room, making it a bit crowded, but everyone was in high spirits, drinking and chatting, exchanging their sincerest New Year's greetings, and the dinner atmosphere was very cheerful.

After several rounds of drinks, everyone at the table was a little tipsy. Li Baoqing swayed as he stood up and clapped his hands: "Brothers and sisters! Let me say a few words. Hehe, we've all been talking about wishing others well, but the new year is almost here, so why don't we think about ourselves and talk about our New Year's wishes, okay?"

"Great!" Everyone nodded in agreement. Hu Yi chuckled and let out a drunken hiccup: "You've got some skills, kid. You haven't wasted this past year in the market; your communication skills have improved."

"Of course—Old Hu, you're in charge of translating for the two beautiful ladies who don't understand Chinese." Li Baoqing habitually touched the spot on his face where the scar used to be. "Brother Fang, you're the oldest, so let's start with you. We'll take turns."

"Well, I wouldn't say I have any wishes," Fang Qing said, tapping the plate lightly with a chopstick. "But, don't laugh at me, you kids, I've been studying for my master's degree in journalism for several years now. To be honest, I haven't learned much real knowledge, but I've spent enough time in Moscow, and I hope to graduate smoothly this year—that's my New Year's wish!"

"And then?" Everyone sensed the unspoken meaning in his words and turned to look at Anna, asking in unison, "Are you planning to go back to your country?"

"I've discussed this with Anna, but we haven't decided yet." Fang Qing shook his head and smiled. "I would like to continue with my PhD, but it will definitely be harder to graduate then. Oh well, I'll stop thinking about it for now. I'll try to graduate with my master's degree first, and then we'll see how things go."

"Great!" Li Baoqing raised his glass. "Come on, let's toast Brother Fang together, wishing him to realize his dream and graduate smoothly!"

"Your turn next." Hu Yi put down his cup and turned to Anna. "Tell us your wishes for the new year!"

"Before I express my wish, I must first clarify something." Anna solemnly looked around at everyone in the room: "Last summer, the restaurant where I used to work closed down. I searched everywhere and unintentionally got a temporary job in Building 10. At the time, I never imagined that I would have the opportunity to meet all of you young friends from China, and thanks to you all, I have now unexpectedly returned to work in the same place."

Anna's words were sincere and heartfelt, bringing knowing smiles to the faces of all who heard them. She pointed to Caihua and Zhou Dali, continuing, "Fang and Anton are two people who have been very good to me; there's no need to say more. Today, as the New Year approaches, I want to thank two other people, Zhou and Cai. It is your generosity and trust that has given me a new job opportunity and a substantial income."

"Not at all, it's nothing." Zhou Dali waved his hands repeatedly, "You are very responsible in your work, and we also want to thank you."

"Yes," Caihua repeated, "we also want to thank you."

"No, I should be more grateful." Perhaps it was the effect of the alcohol, but Anna, who was usually calm and composed, trembled slightly as she spoke.

"Your wish, Anna, have you forgotten?" Seeing that she was a little agitated, Hu Yi smiled and tapped the table twice. "Tell us your wish."

(End of this chapter)