Chapter 71

Her mother's voice came through the phone, but Sophia Sullivan felt only suffocation.

It wasn't an editor's care for an author. It was blatant control and suppression.

"Please? Just this once?"

"Understood. I'll send it when I get home. Don't complain it's too long to read later."

Sophia quickly promised, "I'll definitely read it this time!"

...

When she arrived home, her father was on a ladder putting up Spring Festival couplets.

He looked up, adjusting them for a long time, feeling something was off.

Sophia studied them from a distance. "Dad, the left side seems crooked."

"Adjust it a bit to the right."

Isabella Sullivan parked the car and walked over, squinting. "I think it's too high. Move it down."

David Sullivan obediently shifted the couplet downward.

Isabella shook her head again. "Too low now. Move it back up."

Sophia couldn't help but laugh. "It's perfect now."

Her father climbed down from the ladder, examining them left and right, his frown deepening.

Isabella suddenly clapped her hands. "Oh no! You put them up backwards!"

The couplets in the main hall didn't match the ones outside the door at all.

Her father coughed lightly, the tips of his ears turning slightly red.

Isabella said leisurely, "You've forgotten how to put up couplets after just a holiday..."

David Sullivan: "..."

Sophia turned her face away, her shoulders trembling slightly.

...

On New Year's Eve, the house was filled with the aroma of food.

Isabella had kneaded the dough herself, making her daughter's favorite pickled cabbage dumplings.

The thin wrappers held plump fillings. Dipped in aromatic vinegar, they made one's mouth water.

David prepared a full table of New Year's dishes.

There was chicken, duck, fish, and meat. Also local specialties like braised pork and steamed dumplings.

Symbolizing abundance year after year and continuous prosperity.

At five in the afternoon, the New Year's Eve dinner began on time.

The family of three sat around the table, filled with joy.

After dinner, Sophia offered to help clean up, but her mother quickly stopped her.

"Go watch TV. Your father and I will handle this."

Her father peeked out from the kitchen. "If you're restless, go play in the yard."

Sophia still insisted on clearing the dishes.

She washed fruit, cut it up, and arranged it on a plate. She opened snacks and put them in a basket.

By seven sharp, everything was tidied up.

Firecrackers gradually began sounding outside the window.

Sophia pushed open the window. Fireworks bloomed one after another in the night sky.

She rested her chin in her hand, enjoying this moment of peace.

Her phone suddenly vibrated.

It was a New Year's greeting from Olivia Lopez.

Sophia smiled and replied with a long message.

A video call popped up immediately.

On the screen, Olivia had curls cascading over her shoulders, adorned with a pearl hair clip, looking very proper.

Sophia smiled knowingly—this girl only dressed like this around elders.

But Olivia noticed her background. "Huh? You went back home? I thought you were spending New Year's in Kyoto again."

In previous years, Sophia would have been in Kyoto with Ethan Roscente.

Victoria Roscente had never liked her.

She felt Sophia wasn't good enough for the Roscente family. She never had a pleasant expression during their meetings, let alone invited her for New Year's.

At first, Sophia had been hurt. Later, she came to accept it.

If the other person didn't welcome her, she would keep her distance.

Ethan never involved himself in this.

He didn't mediate. He didn't ask. He always remained detached.

Looking back now, all those compromises and considerations seemed like a joke.

Men don't appreciate such things. They just take them for granted.

"I missed my parents, so I came back to see them," Sophia said softly.

Olivia understood how much courage that required.

"How are your parents? Send them my regards."

"We were just talking about you at dinner."

The Sullivan couple had known Olivia was their daughter's best friend since college.

Every holiday, they had Sophia bring back local specialties for her.

Olivia still remembered Mr. Sullivan's homemade salsa fondly.

"How long are you staying this time?"

"Probably for a while. I haven't spent much time with them lately."

Olivia understood. Her attention was suddenly caught by something.

"Oh, this is interesting." She chuckled. "Isabella Langley is showing off on social media. Ethan gave her a Hermès."

Olivia didn't even remember when she had added her.

"She called it a New Year's gift. The photo included two hands in the shot,生怕别人不知道 Ethan was spending New Year's with her."

"But then Charlie Lowell immediately called them out. He asked Ethan how he got home so fast after just leaving Morning Star Law Firm."

The comments section instantly became awkward.

Olivia pursed her lips. "Getting this excited over a bag? Didn't he give you anything you wanted?"

The best part was that Ethan had also posted two minutes ago.

In the photo, a wine glass was held tilted. The background was a bedroom nightstand.

On it stood a photo of him and Sophia at Beihai Park from two years ago.

The caption was only four words: 【Drunk. Missing her.】

"Serves him right! I hope he drinks himself to death!" Olivia cursed, then suddenly stopped. "It's the New Year. Let's not talk about this."