Chapter 35 - New Year Gifts (2/2)

This is the first New Year’s Eve that he will be spending with Adrian after seven years. The quake was coming. Everything would start to change. Nobody knew if this would be the last one, or if Adrian would even allow him to use his kitchen after tonight; this might be the very last meal he cooked in his life.

So, he pulled out all the skills he had, prepared the recipe plan for the afternoon, and after lunch, he began to work, finally completing his work when the sun had set.

It was only a dinner for two, but he cooked enough to fill the table; all of it were dishes that could be preserved in the fridge for a few days. After all, this was going to be a New Year’s gift. He had to make it grand.

He wondered when the celebration at Navi Military Headquarters would end.

Zhong Yan sat in the living room and went through his documents absent-mindedly. Every other minute, his eyes would peer towards the clock on his terminal.

The minutes and seconds passed, but at eight, Adrian had still not returned. Zhong Yan did not mind. Thinking about it, it would not be good for the General Commander to excuse himself early in a grand celebration such as the New Year’s.

But nine passed, then ten, and even eleven; Adrian had still not returned

At 11:30, Zhong Yan could not sit still any longer. After much hesitation, he called the reception desk of the Navi Military Command.

He never had much hopes to begin with, but he never expected the reception desk to still be operating as usual on a celebration like this. He told them his name and asked, “I would like to ask about the New Year’s celebration for the military command…is it not over yet?”

“Mr. Zhong, are you talking about the New Year’s celebration at the headquarters?” For some reason, the receptionist’s voice sounded very unsure, “It ended long ago. Everyone left after nine because we didn’t want to deprive everyone the right to celebrate with their family and friends. Of course, there may still be private celebrations happening after nine, and for that, I’m not too sure. May I ask if you need something?”

Did that mean…that Adrian was at someone’s private celebration? Was he going to countdown to the New Year’s with his “good friends”?

Zhong Yan pursed his lips, but still decided to ask, “I’m looking for your commander, can you please tell him for me?”

“The commander is not at headquarters.” After a pause, the operator finally could not help but ask, “Is he not with you?”

Zhong Yan said, “No. So he left after the party?”

The operator was surprised. “No, the commander did not attend the party today! We all thought he went home to stay with…Um, well, what I mean is, the commander is not at headquarters right now.”

After thanking the operator, Zhong Yan sat confused in the living room.

Adrian did not attend the celebration at all? So what was he doing? Why was he still not home yet?

Looking at the time, it was now 11:40. Zhong Yan gritted his teeth and found a number in his address book that he had never called.

“Hello, who is this?” That person from the other side asked.

Zhong Yan hesitated for a moment, but he asked in confusion, “Did you not save my communication number? Didn’t we exchange numbers in front of A…in front of him?”

“Zhong Yan?” Fayn was even more confused than he was. “What’re you calling me for? And don’t kid me, I deleted your number long ago. With what happened between you and Adrian back then, why would I still have the contact information of my best friend’s ex-boyfriend? That’s too inappropriate.”

Zhong Yan listened on enviously at him calling out Adrian’s name unimpeded. When he heard the final bit, he was speechless. “What ex-boy…forget it, that’s not important. I called because I wanted to ask, is he with you?”

“What? Is he not with you?”

“No…he didn’t come home.”

“What do you mean he didn’t come home?” Fayn was astonished. “He never came to headquarters at all today. Wasn’t he at home this whole time?”

He didn’t go? But Adrian went out early this morning! Zhong Yan had no clues at all. He hastily responded to Fayn and hung up the call. There was only ten minutes left until twelve.

Where did Adrian go this whole day? Even Fayn did not know his whereabouts…

Zhong Yan had not yet time to think of a reason when a dull bang sounded out from the backyard as if something large had landed on the ground. Zhong Yan could even feel the sofa he was sitting on trembling faintly.

What was that?! Did something invade the yard?

Zhong Yan jumped up and rushed to the kitchen to pull out a kitchen knife. If some armed forces really came in, a knife would actually be of no use with his physical limits, but it was better than going unarmed. Zhong Yan held the knife and carefully approached the window. He pulled open one corner of the curtain and looked outside.

Then, he saw a scene that had him dumbfounded.

Originally, the only thing between the grassland of the house and the backyard was a row of five-meter-tall trees. Not only did they provide shade, they also prevented anyone from looking into the house from the backyard, allowing more privacy; similarly, it was difficult to see what was in the backyard.

The only reason Zhong Yan could see it, was because that thing was much taller than the row of trees.

It was a big, snow-white, fluffy, floppy-eared…

Rabbit.

With a beep, someone had opened the back door with the owner’s authorization.

Adrian walked into the house, weather-beaten. He raised his wrist to look at the time: 11:59.

“Hey,” he greeted Zhong Yan who was standing like a fool with a knife in his hand, “Happy New Year.”