Chapter 154: Taking your boyfriend to New Year's Eve

On the ground floor, Miori and Asaba Kazuo are getting ready for the dinner.

"Li Xiang Dad, what do you think they're doing upstairs, it's been so long, the baby is coming ......"

"That's all you women think about all day. I see Shen Yu as a very decent man, much like me when I was young, and he won't mess around."

"It's over when you're like that, I'll give you what you want and bully me ......"

In fact, Miori was the one who was busy, but Asaba Kazuo was the one who came to cause trouble, and after a short time, he was driven out to hang the rope and swing the door.

The rope is the Chinese equivalent of the Chinese New Year couplets, made of woven straw and rope, and is also similar to the door gods we hang here.

It is the equivalent of two pots of New Year oranges, also symmetrically placed at the entrance, made of moso bamboo, pine branches and plum blossoms, and known as the "Three Friends of the Year", because these three plants remain vigorous even in the cold of winter, symbolising good fortune, and, after the Edo period, were also given the meaning of welcoming the God of Wealth.

In addition to these two items, the family also offers an auspicious object called a mirror cake, which is actually a pagoda-shaped dough of rice cakes that is used to worship the gods.

Today is the last day of 2020, is the New Year's Eve in Japan, also known as the big day, noon Li Xiang family also did not eat, eat soba noodles, in Japan is called "Nenetsu soba", similar to our New Year's custom of eating dumplings, eat rice cake dumplings, until tonight, is to eat the festival cuisine.

As Miori is a traditional housewife, she is the one who takes care of all the New Year's festivities, and every year she starts preparing for the New Year a few days before.

Miori would have, and so would Li Xiang, who would still be in the kitchen helping her mother prepare for the festival if Shen Yu hadn't come today.

Li Xiang took Shen Yu for a stroll around the house and greeted Miori on the way downstairs.

"Mum, Shen Yu and I are going to deliver New Year's cards to my uncle and his family.

"Eh? Li Xiang has a new hat! Kawaii!"

Li Xiang runs down the stairs and the little dandelion-like balls at the top of her hat twitch.

Miori squeezes the little ball of her hat and Li Xiang looks like a cute little bunny when she wears this knitted hat.

"Hehehe, Shen Yu gave it to me! Is it nice?"

"Kawaii pinch! Are you going now? Why don't you let Li Xiang's dad take you there, some live far away, just mail it in ......"

"Electric cars! Electric bikes! We want to ride electric bikes!"

"You don't know how to ride ......"

"Shen Yu will!"

Both mother and daughter spoke Japanese, and Shen Yu felt like she had stepped into a Japanese manga family, not understanding anything but Kawaii.

Soon, Li Xiang came out with a motorbike key, dragged Shen Yu outside and ran.

The afternoon was sunny, a nice day for the last day of the New Year, and the sky was a big blue and looked pleasant.

With Asaba Kazuo arranging the ropes and door pine and the red stickers to celebrate the New Year, the atmosphere of the house becomes more and more intense.

"You're going on an electric bike, huh?"

"Yes, Shen Yu will take care of me, don't worry, Daddy and Mommy!"

"Come back early then!"

"Got it, got it."

Asaba Kazuo also said to Shen Yu, "Li Xiang, silly, doesn't know the way, Shen Yu take care of her, please!"

Shen Yu hurriedly said, "Don't worry, Uncle."

"Nah, Shen Yu, here's your key!"

Li Xiang opened his hand and put the key in his hand. Shen Yu only felt that she was taking advantage of him again, as long as there was a legitimate opportunity to touch him, hug him, hold his hand and so on, Li Xiang would not miss it.

The electric bikes are parked in the courtyard next to two Nissan cars. Because of the easy access, not many people ride electric bikes on this side of the street, only occasionally Miori will ride them and go shopping in the neighbourhood.

Li Xiang doesn't know how to drive, ride a motorbike or a bicycle. She is not good at taking the bus, the underground, the plane or anything else because she is road-weary and never goes out without someone to take her with her.

In this respect, Li Xiang seems to be quite silly, but she also has the advantage of being a good judge of people, probably because she knows she is silly, so she will never go with anyone she cannot trust, and she has a strong sixth sense, so she can tell who is worthy of friendship at a glance.

This electric bike is not quite the same as the one we have at home, it is a women's style with a sky blue body and is also smaller, with fixed windproof gloves on the handlebars so that you don't get cold when you tuck your hands in during the winter.

Shen Yu rode up, already tall and looking even smaller on his electric bike.

When he got into the car, Li Xiang couldn't wait to climb into the back seat and sit there too, not wasting a second, swishing his hand into his coat pocket and then pressing his whole body against Shen Yu's back.

Li Xiang used to sit sideways on Shen Yu's motorbike, but since winter has come, she has become straddling because she can be infinitely close to Shen Yu and can pin him down, it will be very warm!!!

With Li Xiang holding his waist, Shen Yu's abs immediately tensed with electricity and he took a deep breath, his heart beating a little faster.

It's been six whole days since I gave her a lift on my motorbike!

Not only does Li Xiang miss this feeling, but Shen Yu misses it too ......

After all, on the days when she was not at home, he rode to school alone on his motorbike, always feeling uncomfortable with the empty back and shivering when the cold wind blew on the road.

"Shen Yu, your stomach is so hard!"

"Just don't touch it will you ......"

Shen Yu patted his little hands on his tummy through his coat, and Li Xiang settled down, his face pressed to his back, sniffing him freely and enjoying the warmth he brought.

"Dad, let's go!"

"Stay safe ......"

Asaba Kazuo, who was at the door posing for the door pine, looked at his daughter hanging on Shen Yu's back and thought to himself that Shen Yu's virtuous nephew was really righteous, after all, when Miori hugged him like this, he fell down at that time ......

Shen Yu had not ridden 50 metres out of the gate when Li Xiang told him to stop.

"Arrived?"

"Uh-huh."

The two men got out of the car together and rang the neighbour's doorbell.

"This is Kuta's family, Uncle Kuta is also very good with our family, we usually have frequent correspondence, to send a New Year's card."

"Oh."

Shen Yu took a stack of New Year's cards from a large pocket in the lining of his coat and found the one with the word Kuta on it.

"Is this the one?"

"Shen Yu is so clever!"

"That's silly to find, right? ......"

Shen Yu is speechless, after all, he does not know Japanese, but he does know Chinese characters.

New Year's cards are a very important ritual for the New Year in Japan, and just as Christmas is all about the lights and decorations, the New Year in Japan starts with a variety of New Year's cards, and from late December onwards postal workers are extremely busy, and post offices recruit a large number of temporary postal workers to deliver New Year's cards to people in time for the first day of the year.

This is different from sending a text message to wish a friend who has been out of touch for a long time. They believe that even if it is the end of the year, they should write a greeting card in their own handwriting to wish you a happy ending, which means that I am still thinking of you.

If some people don't even get a New Year's card, it will seem like a terrible thing to everyone and the New Year will be a total loss of atmosphere and you will feel abandoned by all your friends.

While waiting, Shen Yu also looked curiously at the neighbour's house.

There are many one-family built style houses on this side of the country, with a small yard, car parks, small two to three storey wooden buildings that look like small villas, all very elaborate, and unlike the uniform style of neighbourhood houses, most of these houses are owned by their own decorative style.

Soon, a middle-aged man with a bit of hair came out, held up his glasses, looked at the girl outside, opened the door and said enthusiastically, "It's Li Xiang! Happy New Year!"

"Happy New Year, Uncle Kuta! This is a New Year's card from my father! I wish you a safe and happy New Year and a speedy recovery for Auntie Yong Cai!"

"Thank you for the hang-ups and well wishes ......"

Shen Yu could not understand what they were saying, but he could see in the eyes of this uncle Kuta that he was touched. Kuta was talking to Li Xiang, but he could not understand either, he just thought that the New Year atmosphere of this family was far worse than that of Li Xiang's family, even the door pine was not set out and the weeds in the yard were growing a bit high.

"This is ......"

"He's my lover, he's from China, his name is Shen Yu!"

Li Xiang also took Shen Yu's hand without changing his expression and reminded him in a low voice, "This is Uncle Kuta."

"Happy New Year, Uncle Kuta, Happy New Year!" Shen Yu said that last sentence in Japanese.

Kuta looked at the young man and nodded his head a lot. He also wished Shen Yu a good New Year and said to Li Xiang, "Your boyfriend is so tall and good looking, you look very good together, work hard together and when you get married this year, Uncle Kuta will give you a wedding gift."

"Not so fast. ......"

"Li Xiang is also old enough to get married, so we must stay together!"

Li Xiang's face finally reddened and he talked to him again about Auntie Yong Cai's current situation before finally dragging Shen Yu away.

After getting into the car, the two headed to the next house to deliver their New Year's cards.

If you are not too far away from home, Li Xiang can still know your way around, after all these years.

Coming out onto the main road, Shen Yu took the habit of keeping to the right.

Li Xiang took the opportunity to scratch his stomach again and reminded him, " Shen Yu, walk on the left, you're going against the flow!"

"Does that have anything to do with you scratching my stomach?"

"I'm reminding you of that!"

Thinking about the New Year's card she had just sent, Shen Yu asked her again.

"This Uncle Kuta, did something happen to his family? He seems a bit haggard to me."

"Well, his wife is sick in hospital and is still in hospital and hasn't come back, so it's not a lively New Year."

"So... ......"

"That's why Shen Yu must take care of her body! You can't stay up late just because you're working! If you get sick, it will make the people who love you worry a lot!"

"Well ......"

Like his mother's usual nagging, but this time, Li Xiang's exhortations got Shen Yu's attention.

It will break the hearts of those who love you.

The words inexplicably poked a certain point in his heart, and feeling the warmth behind them, he hated to see Li Xiang sad.

Japanese people are more introverted, New Year's Eve is not like our custom to sit in the house for a few hours, or a large family of aunts and uncles, they are more worried about disturbing others, gifts and so on, are not so elaborate, New Year's card delivered, is the heart.

For some of the closer families, Li Xiang will also take some of her mother's handmade snacks as a gift, which is a very nice touch.

If there are small children in the family, she will take a small red envelope out of Shen Yu's coat pocket and give it to them, without Shen Yu knowing when she hid it.

"I thought you weren't married and you had to wrap a red packet too?"

"Because I'm taking Shen Yu to New Year's Eve with me, and children will be happy to receive red envelopes!"

Li Xiang smiles as he says that everyone thinks Shen Yu is his boyfriend after all, even the red packets come out of his pocket.

Li Xiang doesn't care what people think of her, most of them are her father and mother's network, but it's Shen Yu's first time meeting these friends and family, so it's not wrong to make people have a better impression of Shen Yu, after all, Shen Yu doesn't speak Japanese, so people will inevitably be a bit xenophobic, and Li Xiang doesn't want people to think he's bad, because she thinks Li Xiang didn't want people to think he was a bad person because she thought Shen Yu was super nice, so she did some of the more pleasing things in Shen Yu's name.

Shen Yu also followed her all the way, unaware that he was being a cheap boyfriend to her until now.

"Do you ever receive red packets now?" Shen Yu asks.

"No, red envelopes are usually given to primary school children and below, I haven't had one for a long time!"

Li Xiang pouted, feeling all grown up and not cute anymore.

"In our place, those who are not married get a red packet. When you go to my house for New Year's Eve this year, my mum will definitely give you a big red envelope."

"Really! How big is it?"

"Who knows? ......"

It was already five o'clock in the afternoon, and those who could deliver New Year's cards in person had done so, while those who were far away had to wait for the postman to deliver them.

"Going back?"

"There's another one, for Sae! She should be back from work."

With that, she gave Shen Yu a mysterious look, "Maybe Shen Yu will be shocked to see her!"

"Is she pretty?"

"Hmmm ......"

Li Xiang sat on the back of the motorbike, put her arm around Shen Yu's waist, put her ear behind him, listened to his heartbeat and asked him.

"So, does Shen Yu think I look good?"

"You. ......"

Shen Yu opened his mouth and said casually, "It's just a little bit pretty, nothing to be proud of."

"A tiny bit?"

"Well, sesame seeds so dinky."

Li Xiang was happy because she clearly heard -

Shen Yu's heart was beating wildly.