In Sanya, the people arranged by Lu Zhuonian were already waiting at the airport.
The Lu family is a large and traditional family, with complicated rules and procedures to follow during the New Year. Lu Zhuonian himself had to spend the New Year in Beijing before he could come, but the team that served him had arrived in Sanya early to wait.
The moment he stepped off the plane, a small entourage swarmed around him — someone took his luggage, another offered water, and someone else held an umbrella overhead. Surrounded on all sides, Chen Zemian suddenly found himself at the center of attention, getting his first real taste of what it felt like to be treated like a young master.
The driver stepped forward and opened the door with practiced ease, offering a polite gesture as he invited Yan Luo and Chen Zemian into the car.
The hotel was still the same five-star luxury hotel Chen Zemian had booked, but the ordinary double room had been upgraded to two sea-view suites. When the balcony door was opened, a private beach stretched out before them.
It was a pity that Chen Zemian couldn’t swim.
But it was still destined to be a perfect vacation.
The clear sky and blue sea met at the horizon. A gentle breeze blew, and the waves moved back and forth under the pull of the tide, creating a soothing and rhythmic white noise.
Tall, lush coconut trees dotted the white sand. Beneath a large parasol sat a soft, ergonomic lounge sofa. A round table nearby held various tropical fruits and drinks.
Once Chen Zemian lay down, he didn’t want to move.
He completely emptied his mind and enjoyed the leisure and comfort of the holiday.
He slept until sunset. When he woke up, the sky was ablaze with brilliant hues, and the golden-red sunset reflected on the sea. The world was awash in light and warmth.
The tide was rising, and seagulls circled overhead.
For some reason, Chen Zemian suddenly wanted to call Lu Zhuonian. In fact, he should have called him after getting off the plane — they had agreed beforehand to report their safe arrival in Sanya.
But Chen Zemian had been a bit airsick. After sleeping on the plane, he’d woken up with a sharp pain in his ears and head, so he hadn’t called. Instead, he’d asked Yan Luo to inform Lu Zhuonian that they had arrived.
Lu Zhuonian hadn’t called him either.
It had been five and a half hours since they landed, and his phone had no unread messages. Not only had Lu Zhuonian not reached out, but even Xiao Kesong and Liu Yuebo hadn’t asked whether he’d arrived.
What kind of friends are these?
Annoyed, Chen Zemian turned off his phone screen.
Although people say that you’re quickly forgotten when you leave, this was too fast.
It didn’t matter. Once he recovered, he would return to Beijing and take back everything that belonged to him.
As he turned over and stood up to stretch, he saw a furry little head poking out from behind a green-covered fence, sneaking peeks at him.
It was Yan Luo.
Chen Zemian couldn’t help but laugh and called out, “Xiao Yan Luo.”
Yan Luo’s eyes lit up. He leaned on the fence and shouted, “Brother Chen, you’re awake! Do you still have a headache? I bought you some medicine.”
Chen Zemian raised his hand and tossed over the room’s key card. “Come over here and talk.”
Yan Luo stretched out his hand like a cat catching a ball, catching the key with a “whoosh,” then proudly announced, “I can flip over!”
Chen Zemian warned, “The fence has sharp points. It’ll prick your butt.”
Yan Luo held the room card in his mouth and lightly flipped over the fence, not using his butt as a fulcrum at all. He landed in a half-squat on the beach, looking as graceful as a movie star.
After leaving Beijing, Yan Luo had become noticeably more lively, finally displaying the youthful energy of a sixteen- or seventeen-year-old high school student.
Before, he always wore a cold expression and seemed constantly on edge, as if expecting an attack from behind at any moment.
The new, unfamiliar environment had helped him fully relax.
There was no Yan family here — no relatives, nor enemies. No one knew him, his past, or what he’d been through. He no longer had to worry about being stared at or gossiped about when he showed his agility or ability to leap over walls. No more guessing or judgment.
Yan Luo took two quick steps and trotted over to Chen Zemian. He pulled out the headache medicine from his pocket and handed it over like a prized treasure. “Young Master Lu said this helps with airsickness. He wanted to send someone to bring it, but I checked for a nearby pharmacy and didn’t want to bother him.”
Chen Zemian took the medicine. “You went out and bought it yourself?”
Yan Luo nodded slightly, subtly puffing up his chest.
Even though he didn’t say anything, his meaning was clear:
Yes, I don’t like talking to people, but I still went out to buy medicine for you in an unfamiliar place. It’s no big deal. Of course, it would be nice if you noticed and realized that I care about you. I’m not asking for praise — but if you insist, I’ll accept it.
“Wow, you’re really amazing,” Chen Zemian said, holding the bottle and ruffling Yan Luo’s hair. “The dialect here in Hainan is hard to understand.”
Yan Luo said proudly, “I can understand any dialect quickly.”
Chen Zemian was surprised. “How come? Some dialects sound like a foreign language to me. Did you secretly download voice packs?”
Yan Luo unconsciously twisted the corner of his shirt and said, “The people I was with when I was a kid — they went everywhere, north and south. I heard them often and just understood.”
Even if he didn’t understand, he had to find a way. Those people were extremely cruel and didn’t have the patience to repeat themselves. If he reacted a little too slowly, a slap or punch would follow.
The worst time was when someone kicked him, breaking his ribs and likely damaging his internal organs. He vomited blood and had a fever. They thought he was a burden and nearly buried him alive. He had to kowtow and promise he’d recover and steal more to make up for it — only then did he survive.
Yan Luo had never told anyone about these things, except the police in charge of the case. And he certainly wouldn’t tell Chen Zemian.
Stealing wasn’t something to be proud of. He didn’t want Chen Zemian to know about the bad things he’d done.
But even without being told, Chen Zemian could more or less guess.
He didn’t continue the topic. Instead, he picked up his phone, lay back in the lounge chair, and called Yan Luo over. “Come look at food recommendations with me. Let’s decide what to eat tonight.”
Yan Luo climbed into the chair too.
The two squeezed together, heads almost touching, staring at the phone screen.
Yan Luo liked this kind of closeness. It made him feel safe. Even though Lu Zhuonian had arranged a separate room for him at the shooting range, he still preferred sleeping in the duty room, where the surveillance cameras covered every corner, and the narrow beds with bunk beds gave him a sense of security.
Chen Zemian understood Yan Luo’s “cat-like” habits.
Whenever Yan Luo was upset or anxious, snuggling close would quickly calm him down.
This time was no exception. After browsing only two restaurants, Yan Luo’s tense back began to relax.
“Huangliu old duck, pork tripe and chicken soup, hot pot skewers, Wenchang chicken, fish pot, and hot spring goose — all of these are good dinner options.”
Yan Luo carefully picked a few places. “Brother Chen, which one do you want?”
Chen Zemian added all of them to his favorites. “We’ll be here for a while, so let’s eat at every single one.”
Yan Luo liked the phrase “for a while” and couldn’t help but smile, his eyes curling up. “Yeah.”
As it started to get dark, Chen Zemian said, “Let’s go eat. Grab a jacket from your room, and I’ll go wash my face.”
Yan Luo nodded sensibly. “Still have a headache? I’m not very hungry. If you’re not feeling well, we can go later.”
Chen Zemian put the medicine bottle in his pocket. “It doesn’t hurt anymore, and I’ve got medicine just in case.”
Yan Luo turned to leave. “Then I’ll inform Lu Shao.”
As he disappeared around the corner of the terrace, Chen Zemian went inside and saw Yan Luo fretting over how to report to Lu Zhuonian. Amused, Chen Zemian said, “Where we go and what we eat — do such trivial things really need reporting?”
Yan Luo replied, “We still have to send the location to Lu Shao when we get there.”
Chen Zemian raised his eyebrows. “Send the location? Does he think I’ll lose you?”
Yan Luo said, “Not impossible. I’ve enabled location sharing with Lu Shao. He can see my location. If you can’t find me, you can ask him.”
Chen Zemian declared, “That’s absolutely impossible.”
Two and a half hours later, the “impossible” happened.
Jiefang Road Pedestrian Street was bustling with a surging crowd that easily separated them.
Standing on the edge of a flower bed, Chen Zemian held up his phone and scanned the crowd. His head was spinning. To preserve his reliable image in Yan Luo’s eyes, he didn’t call him — he called Lu Zhuonian instead.
On the third ring, Lu Zhuonian’s voice came through. “Chen Zemian, you really never show up for no reason.”
“…”
Chen Zemian said, slightly embarrassed, “I haven’t even told you what happened yet.”
But Lu Zhuonian, as if blessed with clairvoyance, could already see through the situation from three thousand kilometers away. “What else could it be? You’re on Jiefang 2nd Road, the busiest street in Sanya, and Yan Luo’s location hasn’t moved for ten minutes.”
Chen Zemian was shocked. “Why hasn’t his location changed?”
Lu Zhuonian replied calmly, “Because I told him that if he ever got separated from you, he should find a spot and stay put. That way, you wouldn’t be searching for each other endlessly, passing by face to face eighty thousand times.”
Chen Zemian tried to defend himself. “It was just an accident this time — I was watching him really closely.”
But Lu Zhuonian knew all too well the limits of Chen Zemian’s attention span. He had already anticipated this outcome and prepared an emergency plan in advance. As soon as he received the call, he sent Yan Luo’s location to Chen Zemian’s phone.
Chen Zemian opened the location sharing function on his phone, pointed in various directions, then sighed. “Turns out this kind of thing really is useful. Yan Luo and I should turn it on too.”
Lu Zhuonian replied, “You can’t. Your phones use incompatible operating systems. Real-time location sharing doesn’t work between them.”
Chen Zemian suddenly realized, “No wonder Yan Luo didn’t enable it with me… Oh right, don’t tell him I got lost. He’s already lacking a sense of security. If he finds out how easily I lost track of him, he might not trust me in the future.”
Lu Zhuonian said succinctly, “He’s already noticed you’re missing.”
Chen Zemian responded confidently, “It’s fine. I’ll find him. I’ll make it look like everything’s under control.”
Lu Zhuonian silently admired Chen Zemian’s optimism.
Chen Zemian looked around and hesitantly said, “I think I should go right.”
Lu Zhuonian laughed. “Chen Zemian, I can’t see where you are. I don’t know what direction that is.”
Chen Zemian immediately sent his location and turned on his rear camera to show Lu Zhuonian the surrounding area.
On Lu Zhuonian’s screen, there was no sign of Chen Zemian himself — just crowds, storefronts, signage, and treetops.
It was enough. From the scenery alone, Lu Zhuonian could tell where he was.
He spoke with calm authority. “Alright, I know where you are.”
Chen Zemian asked, “So, which way should I go?”
Lu Zhuonian paused for half a second. “First, get down from the flower bed.”
Chen Zemian: “…”
*****
To prove he wasn’t someone who only showed up when there was a problem, Chen Zemian began “checking in” with Lu Zhuonian on a regular schedule.
After finding Yan Luo, he immediately contacted the game studio’s programmer and asked them to write a mini-program that would automatically send hourly WeChat messages to Lu Zhuonian saying, “I’m at XXX now.” If he stayed at a crowded scenic spot or restaurant for more than half an hour, the program would also automatically share his location. It was impressively smart.
Chen Zemian had one goal: flood Lu Zhuonian with so many check-ins that he couldn’t tease him the next time they talked.
However, Lu Zhuonian, ever perceptive, began to suspect something by the third message. The real Chen Zemian was like a wild cat — turn away for a second and he’d vanish. Sending three updates in two hours? Impossible.
Though Chen Zemian could seem like a robot sometimes, these messages were too robotic.
Still, since he was receiving regular updates, Lu Zhuonian didn’t complain. In fact, he decided to play along. Between his many responsibilities, he used his computer to write a simple AI reply bot to handle Chen Zemian’s automated messages.
The next afternoon, after leaving a restaurant, Chen Zemian looked at his phone and immediately grew suspicious. Every message he sent was met with perfectly timed, context-aware replies — almost like a travel AI.
This guy really wrote a program to counter mine?! Using tech against me?
Not to be outdone, Chen Zemian’s competitive spirit flared. He immediately called the studio’s programmer, saying, “Hey, someone’s AI reply bot is better than yours. Feels like they’re looking down on our tech.”
The programmer, outraged, left a table full of relatives behind and fired up his computer — holiday be damned.
Half an hour later, he sent over the upgraded mini-program and introduced it proudly:
“Boss, this version can not only send updates, but also connect to your phone’s usage data. It’ll automatically send ‘good morning’ and ‘good night’ based on screen activity, share your taxi rides, your recently played music, liked short videos, and even your browsing history.”
Chen Zemian paused. “Uh… maybe skip the browsing history.”
“Okay, no browsing history. What about the liked videos?”
“I don’t usually like videos, maybe just a few academic ones. That’s fine.”
“Got it. Sending it now.”
Chen Zemian was amazed. This new “bootlicker” software was practically built to show off to the boss without him lifting a finger. While marveling at how technology was changing his life, he bound the mini-program to Lu Zhuonian’s WeChat and prepared for a long-term tech war.
*****
At 9 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, a lively bonfire party kicked off on the beach.
Yan Luo met a new friend — a high school student on vacation with his family. Unable to connect with the older and younger relatives around him, the boy instantly bonded with Yan Luo. Within thirty minutes, they were acting like lifelong friends.
Meanwhile, Chen Zemian—whose mindset didn’t quite align with the typical teen of today—wasn’t fond of crowds. He lounged in a hammock some distance away, lazily scrolling through his phone, content to observe from afar.
Laughter, cheering, and the rhythm of the waves blended together, sounding muffled and dreamlike — like being separated from the world by a layer of frosted glass.
The bright moon hung over the sea, and a damp, salty breeze blew in. The tide of voices surged and receded like the waves themselves.
The world was both noisy and peaceful.
There was both movement and stillness — a strange, indescribable sensation, but an incredibly comfortable one. It felt like drifting through life in an elegant, carefree way.
The second-generation kids began a red envelope game. The minimum red packet was 188 yuan, and everyone scrambled to get lucky money and start the new year right.
Chen Zemian received a private message from Xiao Kesong, who was complaining about family drama in Beijing.
【Xiao Kesong: Every year it’s the same during Chinese New Year. I’m so bored I want to fly to Sanya and hang out with you.】
They chatted for several pages until Xiao Kesong asked:
【Xiao Kesong: By the way, how’s the weather there? Still coughing?]】
【Chen Zemian: Not really. In Beijing, my nose and throat were dry every morning. It’s been much better here.】
【Xiao Kesong: Was your headache from airsickness or acclimatization?】
【Chen Zemian: Probably airsickness. Wait — how’d you know I had a headache?】
【Xiao Kesong: Zhuonian told me. You got to Sanya yesterday. I wanted to call, but he said you weren’t feeling well and told us not to bother you.】
【Chen Zemian: Ohhh… I thought you’d all forgotten about me. Thought maybe you had new little brothers already.】
【Xiao Kesong: 😅 I wanted to call. Blame Zhuonian.】
Before Chen Zemian could reply, another message came:
【Xiao Kesong: Gotta go! My uncle just punched my third uncle!!】
The Xiao family was clearly very festive.
Who knew Xiao Qiwu had such a strong right hook?
*****
At 11:59, the countdown lit up on the massive LED screen.
Chen Zemian had already scheduled his New Year’s greetings through the mini-program, which would automatically send out blessings to his selected friends at midnight. With nothing to worry about, he continued playing his mobile game.
Then, suddenly — network error.
A call came in.
Switching to Wi-Fi, Chen Zemian put on his headphones and answered, “Hello?”
A soft voice came through. “Happy New Year, Chen Zhe.”
“Happy New Year, happy New Year!” Chen Zemian was caught off guard but pleasantly surprised. “You’re the first person to call me tonight.”
Shen Qingwan chuckled. “It’s not even midnight yet. I called early on purpose. I figured you’d be too busy taking calls later, and I wouldn’t get through.”
“How could that happen?” Chen Zemian said with a smile.
Her voice was gentle. “I heard from Yan Luo that you went to Sanya. How is it there?”
“It’s nice,” Chen Zemian said. “Mostly because the weather’s good.”
Shen Qingwan laughed lightly. “That’s great. My dad isn’t home this year, so my mom and I went to my grandma’s. She heard you helped me out, and now insists I bring you some of her homemade loquat paste. I’ll drop it off at the shooting range when you’re back.”
Chen Zemian replied, “Okay, loquat paste sounds delicious.”
Shen Qingwan softly explained how to eat the loquat paste. You can drink it with water, take a tablespoon and press it under your tongue every morning, or boil it with pear water, apple water, or hawthorn water, which can help relieve coughs.
As Shen Qingwan whispered softly, the countdown to zero entered its last ten seconds.
Everyone on the beach followed the numbers on the LED screen.
[Nine, eight, seven, six…]
The crowd shouted. Chen Zemian couldn’t hear Shen Qingwan’s words clearly, so he took two steps into the room. The moment he turned around, an idea flashed in his mind, and he suddenly felt something was wrong.
Wait, wait, wait, wait.
Grandma Shen Qingwan’s loquat paste??? In the original book, shouldn’t this have been given to Lu Zhuonian? Why is it given to me?
This is not right.
In a trance, the countdown and the crowd’s shouting sounded behind Chen Zemian.
[Four, three, two, one…]
Amid the background noise, Chen Zemian realized something.
At this moment, the New Year arrived as scheduled.
At midnight, another call suddenly came in on the phone.
Thank God this call was really timely. Chen Zemian didn’t know what to say.
The New Year’s bell rang, and fireworks bloomed over the coast.
The light poured down like a waterfall, like stars falling into the sea.
Chen Zemian was in no mood to appreciate the beautiful scenery. He didn’t even have time to see who called him and hurriedly said goodbye to Shen Qingwan: “Well, someone called me again. It may be something urgent. I’ll hang up first. Bye.”
Shen Qingwan sighed softly, her voice sounding a little sad and resentful.
Chen Zemian was startled, hung up the phone with superb speed, and answered another call at the same time.
Because he was too nervous, he was more like a machine. He opened his mouth and said, “Hello, who are you looking for?”
Lu Zhuonian paused and said with a smile, “Hello, I’m looking for Chen Zemian.”
Hearing Lu Zhuonian’s voice, Chen Zemian calmed down for no apparent reason.
Before Lu Zhuonian could question him, he complained, “Why did you call me just now?”
Lu Zhuonian was silent for half a second. “Because it’s only 0 o’clock now.”
Chen Zemian said, “Oh,” relaxed his back, and leaned back on the sofa, looking at the fireworks rising outside the window.
It was as if the sky was full of stars. The grand prosperity was fleeting, one after another, and there was an indescribable emptiness in the splendor.
For some reason, although he was in the midst of the hustle and bustle, Chen Zemian suddenly felt a little bored.
Until Lu Zhuonian’s voice sounded in his ears. “Who were you talking to just now?”
Chen Zemian came back to his senses. “Shen Qingwan.”
Lu Zhuonian was not surprised to hear this name. “You sounded so panicked just now. Did she say something to you?”
Chen Zemian was a little worried. “She haven’t had time to say it yet, but I’m afraid she will. Fortunately, you called me, otherwise she would have said something she shouldn’t during the New Year, which would hurt her heart.”
Lu Zhuonian’s tone was emotionless as he said indifferently, “You are quite sympathetic to women.”
“Lu Zhuonian,” Chen Zemian sighed, “don’t tease me.”
“Hard not to,” Lu Zhuonian replied without missing a beat.
“Why?”
Lu Zhuonian looked at him and said simply, “Because you are really funny.”
Chen Zemian didn’t expect the plot to go off track before it even started. His mind was in a mess, and he started to talk nonsense. He turned on the automatic attack and retorted, “It’s not as fun as you.”
Lu Zhuonian pondered. “Really? Then when are you coming to play?”
“???????” Chen Zemian glanced at the screen of his mobile phone and began to suspect that the person on the other side who was calling him was also an AI. How could he be just like a human machine, talking nonsense as soon as he opened his mouth?
“Are you Lu Zhuonian himself?” Chen Zemian couldn’t help asking. “It can’t be an automated voice chatbot, are you?”
“Not everyone’s like you, Chen Zemian,” Lu Zhuonian replied coolly.
Chen Zemian said with a guilty conscience, “What do you mean, like me? Why can’t I understand what you’re saying?”
Lu Zhuonian said, “Look at WeChat.”
Chen Zemian opened WeChat and found that the applet had automatically sent Lu Zhuonian a “Goodnight” message at 10:30.
“…”
The AI applet was exposed because it didn’t understand the Chinese custom of staying up on New Year’s Eve.
Chen Zemian had no way to argue. “Okay, I admit I used the mini program. Then how do you prove that you are a real person?”
Lu Zhuonian asked back, “How do you want me to prove it?”
Chen Zemian didn’t know either, and he discussed seriously with Lu Zhuonian for a while, ‘How can humans prove that they are not AI?’
His work in his previous life was closely related to the Internet, and he had some insights into artificial intelligence. The first company founded by Lu Zhuonian in the original book studied artificial intelligence, and the two of them got along very well in this regard.
It’s just that talking about these professional things is always boring, especially when Lu Zhuonian speaks in a calm, unhurried tone, like listening to an evening news broadcast — it sounds particularly reassuring.
Chen Zemian closed his eyes.
Lu Zhuonian could hear Chen Zemian’s breathing getting heavier and paused for a moment. “Are you sleepy?”
“No, I’m just a little tired.” Chen Zemian opened his eyes and asked Lu Zhuonian, “By the way, what did you call me about?”
Lu Zhuonian said, “Nothing.”
Chen Zemian woke up a little and shook his head. “Well, I thought you were here to send New Year’s greetings.”
Lu Zhuonian’s tone was calm and steady. “Didn’t someone send you one?”
Chen Zemian said, “Then I’ll send you one.”
Lu Zhuonian’s voice gave no indication of whether he was happy or angry, but he just said plainly, “No need, your mini program has already automatically sent it to me at 0 o’clock.”
“…”
Thinking of Lu Zhuonian’s concern about the mini program, Chen Zemian couldn’t help laughing.
Lu Zhuonian asked him, “What are you laughing at?”
Chen Zemian stood up and walked onto the terrace, looking at the distant sea. “I didn’t expect that Lu Shao was so busy, but he still couldn’t forget this little thing.”
The fireworks show outside the house had not stopped yet. The cold flames of the afterglow and the sea were connected, stretching for thousands of miles, shining brightly.
The flickering light fell on Chen Zemian’s eyelashes, making him blink.
Lu Zhuonian asked Chen Zemian, “Did you have fun in Sanya?”
Chen Zemian replied that he was very happy, then took off one of his headphones, raised his hand into the wind, and let Lu Zhuonian listen to the sound of fireworks. “Did you hear it? Someone is setting off fireworks here.”
The fireworks started at midnight and had not ended yet.
With the sea and sky reflecting each other, the area within a radius of dozens of miles was as bright as day.
The scattered light was endless, illuminating half of the bay.
Chen Zemian couldn’t help but sigh. “I think those streamers are just like banknotes — they burn up in a flash. I just heard someone say that a fireworks show of this scale would cost at least 15 million.”
Lu Zhuonian asked, “Is it beautiful?”
Chen Zemian replied, “It is very beautiful. I’ll record a short video for you.”
Lu Zhuonian watched the video and said, “Not bad.”
Chen Zemian watched the fireworks for a while and felt a little sleepy. He complained unconsciously to Lu Zhuonian, “It’s good, but I don’t know when it will end.”
Lu Zhuonian laughed. “When do you want it to end?”
Chen Zemian yawned and said without thinking, “It’s better to be now.”
As soon as his voice fell, the whole world seemed to press the pause button and suddenly became quiet.
Chen Zemian was slightly startled and subconsciously turned his head to look out the window.
The fireworks show had stopped.
Outside the window, the crescent moon hung thousands of miles away, and its clear light illuminated the vast sky.
The embers of the last firework had not yet dissipated, and the pure white moonlight sprinkled on the boundless sea. The sparkling waves fell like a silver mirror, reflecting the remaining light for thousands of miles.
In an instant, the sea waves were gentle, and the world was silent.
Lu Zhuonian’s shallow breathing in the headphones became the only sound in the world.
Lu Zhuonian’s voice was gentler than the waves.
“Chen Zemian, I wish you a happy new year.”
*****
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Damn 😫.
Get urself a man like Lu Zhounian.