Lin Yunsheng finally returned to a regular nine-to-five routine during the last working week of the year. Every day, Chen Jinyue pestered her to go over the travel details again—which flight to book, which hotel to stay in.
Chen Jinyue felt as though she were counting down the seconds. She had laid out her small suitcase in her room long ago, tucking a few items inside each day, slowly filling it up. By the day of their departure, every gap was perfectly packed. With a flick of her finger, the latch clicked shut—it was time to head out for the New Year.
It was strange; when she was abroad, her heart yearned for Haicheng, yet now that she was back, she constantly looked forward to leaving it.
The flight, for once, arrived on time.
The moment they landed, Chen Fang hurried toward the airport restroom to change—it was simply too hot. With the temperature at twenty-four degrees Celsius, she couldn't bear her sweater and long johns for a single second longer.
"I told you to wear less. You could have just thrown a down jacket over your shoulders," Chen Jinyue teased her mother as she accompanied her toward the restroom.
Chen Fang shot her daughter a sidelong glance and pushed her suitcase toward her, signaling for her to take it.
"Haicheng was too cold. It’s better to wear more and change once we’re here," Lin Yunsheng interjected, smoothly taking the suitcase from Chen Jinyue’s hand.
"Exactly," Chen Fang replied quickly.
The "good daughter" Lin Yunsheng had reappeared. Chen Jinyue was in a great mood and didn't feel like bickering. As they stood outside the restroom, Lin Yunsheng said, "Jinyue, for the hotel suite, you and Mom will take one bedroom, and I’ll take the other."
"Ah... why?" *Why can't I stay with you?*
"The room for you and Mom is larger," Lin Yunsheng replied, evasively avoiding the real point.
"Oh."
Chen Jinyue thought about it and decided to let it go. Two bedrooms in one suite was still better than booking two separate rooms entirely.
Once Chen Fang emerged, Lin Yunsheng went to the rental agency to pick up a car. This time, the elder sister drove while Jinyue and her mother sat in the back.
The wind in Nancheng felt like summer all year round—warm, salty, and damp against the skin. Chen Jinyue had stripped down to a single layer. She rolled down the window slightly, letting the breeze drift in; it smelled entirely of freedom.
It was six o'clock, right at sunset. Half the sky was dyed gold, and the setting sun spilled into the car, warm and bright.
They drove with their backs to the sunset. A small, round sun was reflected in the rearview mirror. Chen Jinyue turned back to look at it, watching it weave through the high-rises of Nancheng just as she was, flickering between light and shadow, breathing with the city. She looked up into the rearview mirror to find her sister's face, and Lin Yunsheng happened to be looking at her too.
In that golden, warm breeze, she stole a wink at the woman.
Sweetness.
The car drove all the way to the hotel.
The suite was exactly as Lin Yunsheng had described: two bedrooms, one large and one small. Chen Jinyue placed her and her mother's luggage in their room and then sat on the balcony chair to wait for Lin Yunsheng.
The balcony faced the sea, overlooking a stretch of the hotel's private beach. Chen Jinyue recalled the New Years of her childhood; back then, there were no such comfortable balconies or beautiful views.
"Jinyue, what time did you book the restaurant for?" Lin Yunsheng walked over, having changed her clothes. Her hands were behind her neck, trying to fasten a necklace.
"Huh? What?"
That reaction meant there was an eighty percent chance she hadn't. Lin Yunsheng looked down at her younger sister, stunned for a moment, and then laughed.
She crouched down until she was at eye level with the seated Chen Jinyue. "Help me put this on." She turned her back, waiting for Jinyue to take the two ends of the necklace.
"Oh... what time were you saying?"
"I think I forgot to remind you—Jincheng Mountain gets crowded. You have to book a table in advance."
Chen Jinyue fastened the clasp and turned her sister back around, her large eyes wide with worry. "What do we do now?"
"I'll call and ask." Lin Yunsheng stood up, found the restaurant's number on an app, and dialed.
The phone rang for over ten seconds before someone picked up. The background was a cacophony of noise.
"Hello, hi. If we come over for dinner now, is there a wait?"
"Hello, if you take a number on-site now, the wait is about three hours."
"Alright, thank you."
Lin Yunsheng hung up under her sister's gaze.
"What did they say?"
"They said they've been fully booked for a month."
"Let's find somewhere else."
"Oh." Chen Jinyue lowered her head.
Just then, their mother walked out onto the balcony.
"Oh, look at this view! It’s incredible. Yueyue, take a picture of me, come on."
Having said that, she leaned against the balcony railing and spread out her silk scarf.
Chen Jinyue took the phone to photograph her mother, her mind still stuck on the restaurant situation.
"Mom, what kind of food do you want tonight?" Lin Yunsheng asked.
"Me? Anything is fine, I'm not picky. Hey, Yueyue, do I look good like this?" Chen Fang had now wrapped the silk scarf around her head.
Lin Yunsheng watched them with a smile, leaving the space to them as she moved into the living room. She scrolled through the app, found a few other restaurants that were still open, and called to confirm. Finally, she picked one she was satisfied with.
She waited until Chen Fang had finished her photoshoot before going over to tell them they could leave.
It was also a place serving local Nancheng cuisine, but it was a small shop, not particularly popular, buried deep in the search results. Lin Yunsheng had checked several reviews and found it was a place locals loved. Since there was no queue, she chose it.
From the hotel to the restaurant, Chen Jinyue barely spoke. She was sulking with herself; she had spent two or three days planning, yet the very first item on the itinerary had gone wrong. She hadn't even thought of something so simple.
She remained gloomy during dinner. Chen Fang asked her what was wrong and if she wasn't used to Nancheng food.
She said no, all while poking at her rice with her chopsticks.
"You're dissatisfied with the place I picked, aren't you?" Lin Yunsheng teased.
"I am not." *Sister is twisting the truth.*
"If you're satisfied, eat a few more bites," Lin Yunsheng laughed. "After we eat, let's go to the beach. There's a small one nearby."
"Sure, let's go walk off the food. I definitely overate," Chen Fang said, her mood quite excellent.
Nancheng cuisine uses a lot of seafood. Even after the meal, the fresh, savory taste lingered in the mouth. The restaurant had been a great choice—delicious. Despite her unhappiness, Chen Jinyue finished two bowls of rice.
Lin Yunsheng was simply better at everything than she was.
The three of them walked toward the beach. It was an obscure little stretch of sand with few people. Chen Jinyue had her mother on her left and her sister on her right, both of them linking arms with her.
The ocean at night was actually a bit frightening. You could hear the waves crashing toward you over and over, but you couldn't see what lay on the other side. The void seemed to shroud everything.
When Chen Jinyue lived in an island city abroad, her friends would drive her to the coast late at night whenever she was in a bad mood. The sea there was different; it was bordered by cliffs. Her friend would drive the car onto a low cliff, slow down, release the accelerator, and hover their foot over the brake, letting the car idle forward. Only when the headlights could no longer hit the ground and instead fell into the abyss below the cliff would they gently step on the brake. It always left Chen Jinyue breathless with fear.
On nights like those, she would sit in the car and vent her frustrations with her friend, the seawater crashing against the stone cliffs and sending up high sprays. They wouldn't shift into reverse and head home until the windows were fogged over.
She was somewhat afraid of the sea at night.
But it was different now. With her mother and Lin Yunsheng beside her, the water was the same, but a sense of security had sprouted in her heart.
More than the midnight sea, she feared Lin Yunsheng not being by her side. Thinking this, she led the two of them toward a bench near a sparse row of streetlights.
The sun had set, but the sea breeze still held a trace of warmth. It felt slightly itchy against her face. Chen Fang took out her phone, wanting to take a selfie to send to her friends.
As far as she could remember, this was the first time the three of them had been at the beach together.
With Lin Yunsheng... it was the second time.
Lin Yunsheng took her mother's phone and raised the lens from a high angle. Chen Jinyue leaned naturally onto her sister's shoulder and gave a soft smile.
"Why are you still unhappy?" After the photo was taken, Lin Yunsheng handed the phone back to their mother and asked Jinyue.
She didn't speak.
"Even if you had called, there wouldn't have been a table. They said it was booked a month in advance."
See, Lin Yunsheng always knew everything.
"That's different."
"If I were you, I wouldn't worry about that. I'd be more worried about the third day of the New Year," Lin Yunsheng said, raising an eyebrow at her.
"The third day? What's happening then?" Chen Fang sent the photo to her group chat and joined the conversation.
"Mom, Jinyue arranged for us to go to a temple to pray on the third day," she said with a look of mock concern.
*Tsk.*
*Lin Yunsheng!*
Chen Jinyue glared at her.
"Huh? Are there even temples in Nancheng?" Chen Fang looked at her daughter with utter confusion.
"It might be too late to build one now. Sigh." Lin Yunsheng actually had the audacity to let out a fake sigh.
Chen Fang finally caught on and burst into a loud, piercing laugh.
Chen Jinyue rolled her eyes at Lin Yunsheng and leaned her head on her mother's shoulder, acting spoiled. "Oh, stop laughing already."
A crescent moon hung over the sea, its faint light shining on the three of them. No one spoke anymore.
As the waves rolled over her heart, Chen Fang became sentimental.
"Shengsheng."
"Yes?"
The sea breeze gently lifted Chen Fang's silk scarf.
"This past year hasn't been easy for you, busy with everything inside and out."
"What are you saying, Mom?" Lin Yunsheng smiled warmly.
"Having you two as my daughters... this life has been worth it."
"Mm..."
That sound came from the elder sister. Chen Jinyue remained leaning on her mother's shoulder, silent.
Chen Fang's phone rang then; it was a reply from one of her friends. she clicked it open happily. Her friend said, *“Sister Chen, you really are blessed. Your daughters are taking you out to enjoy yourself for the New Year.”*
She proudly showed the screen to Lin Yunsheng. "See? Everyone envies me."
Chen Jinyue gazed at the moon on the horizon, thinking of the view from the hotel balcony.
*Back in my childhood, there were no such comfortable balconies or beautiful views.*
This was all because of Lin Yunsheng.
She didn't have such an enviable New Year when she was little, but she had always had an enviable sister.
And Chen Fang had an enviable daughter.
She glanced sideways at Lin Yunsheng.
The moonlight settled on her face, quiet and beautiful. Her hands were braced beside her legs as she looked down at the fine sand by her feet.
Chen Jinyue reached out to find her sister's hand. Lin Yunsheng did not pull away, letting her hold it gently.
*Now, I am truly sharing this moment with Mom and Lin Yunsheng. It’s not a dream,* she thought.
She slowly wiggled her fingers, prompting her sister to look back at her.
Chen Jinyue felt as though she had waited for this moment for a long time. Her eyes were clear as autumn waters, filled with a long, lingering love. Lin Yunsheng’s silent tenderness enveloped her.
With the waves and the moon as her witnesses, this time, she really didn't want to let go.
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 秋裤 | Long johns / Thermal underwear | Common winter undergarment in China. |
| 丝巾 | Silk scarf | A stereotypical accessory for middle-aged Chinese women, often used as a prop in photos. |
| 金城山 | Jincheng Mountain | The name of the high-end restaurant in Nancheng. |
| 秋水 | Autumn waters | A literary metaphor for clear, bright, and beautiful eyes. |
| 蛾眉月 | Crescent moon | Literally "moth-eyebrow moon," referring to a very thin crescent. |
