Wen Niao saw Luo Jin gripping him tightly and quickly pacified him.
“Don’t be afraid, just follow me. I promise I won’t let you get hurt. There’s a step ahead, lift your foot. Alright, we’re almost there, take a turn.”
Click.
Luo Jin heard the sound of a door lock turning.
“Alright, we have reached the destination!”
Wen Niao stood on tiptoe to remove the blindfold from Luo Jin’s eyes. Luo Jin squinted against the bright light, and when he finally opened them wide, he was stunned by the scene before him.
Tang Miao and Wen Jingyu stood to the side, singing a birthday song for Luo Jin. The colorful lights of the Christmas tree ignited a spark in Luo Jin’s eyes, causing his heart to flutter gently.
Looking at everything meticulously arranged before him, Luo Jin couldn’t describe how he felt inside.
The shock and emotion left him standing in a daze.
Luo Jin had almost forgotten when his last birthday had been.
Director Song had bought him a birthday cake to celebrate when he was four years old, but as his fifth birthday approached, even the person he considered his only relative at the time had left him.
Luo Jin didn’t like celebrating birthdays because he felt his very birth was a mistake.
It had been a very long time since anyone had cheered for his arrival, and only today did he realize:
Turns out, I actually matter to someone.
His voice was slightly hoarse as he asked Wen Niao, with a hint of disbelief, what all of this meant.
“Brother Jin, isn’t it obvious enough? Today is your birthday! Did you forget? You’re turning fifteen! How do you like this birthday party?”
Knowing someone was celebrating his birthday was already enough to make Luo Jin immensely satisfied; how could he possibly ask for anything more?
“Thank you, Aunt Tang, Uncle Wen, and Niao Niao. I love it very much. Thank you all for preparing this for me.”
Luo Jin bent over and respectfully bowed to Tang Miao and Wen Jingyu.
Seeing Luo Jin act so solemn made the atmosphere turn slightly stiff.
“Alright, Brother Jin, today is your birthday. In this family, we’re all one and the same, so loosen up and don’t be so rigid. Otherwise, it looks way too stiff and boring!”
“Come, come, make a wish first, and then blow out the candles. After that, Brother Jin, you’ll officially be fifteen years old!”
Following Wen Niao’s instructions, Luo Jin closed his eyes, crossed his fingers, and made a fist.
Luo Jin opened his eyes and blew out the candles.
Surrounded by the cheers and blessings of Wen Niao, Tang Miao, and Wen Jingyu echoing in his ears, Luo Jin felt as though a clear spring had been poured into his heart.
After making a wish and blowing out the candles, it was time for the gift-opening segment.
Luo Jin was ushered by the crowd to the foot of the Christmas tree.
He reached out and selected a sky-blue gift box, slowly untying the ribbon to reveal a stack of test papers right before his eyes.
Silence. Absolute silence.
Right in the center of those test papers were printed eight bold characters: Three Years of Senior High Entrance Examination, Five Years of Mock Tests.
Wen Niao had been wondering why the air suddenly went quiet, but when he stretched out his neck for a peek:
Oh my god, bro is dumbfounded.
(￣口￣)!!
“Ahaha, I figured Xiao Jin’s foundation might be a bit weak, so he should practice more problems. I saw great reviews for this study material online.
Why are you guys making such faces? Cough, cough, although the content of this material is a bit advanced, previewing and preparing in advance is always a good thing.”
Seeing the sickly pale expressions on Wen Niao and Tang Miao’s faces, Wen Jingyu realized that the gift he picked wasn’t quite appropriate. As he spoke, his confidence gradually waned.
What should you do when you get looked down upon by your precious son and your wife?
Online wait, very urgent.
“Uh, well, it’s fine! If Xiao Jin doesn’t like this gift, let’s look at the last gift your uncle prepared for you. I think Xiao Jin will definitely be able to use this one. Now, the moment to witness a miracle arrives.”
Wen Jingyu pulled out a gift box hidden beneath the tree and unwrapped the outer packaging. Inside was a stack of notebooks: on one side were the city’s top scorer’s notes for the senior high entrance exam from the previous year, which should have been out of print, and on the other were exquisite, brand-new notebooks.
“Dad, you’re not playing fair. You didn’t even give me those out-of-print top scorer notes first, and instead gave them to Brother Jin! Hmph, am I no longer your beloved little darling?”
(ˇε ˇ)
Wen Niao was only pretending to be angry; he wasn’t petty enough to pick a fight with Luo Jin over this. Seeing that Luo Jin actually seemed to think he was throwing a tantrum, Wen Niao reined in the mischievous drama queen within his soul.
“Aiya, I’m just joking! Even if Dad really gave these notes to Brother Jin, it’s totally fine. I can read them together with Brother Jin, right? Brother Jin, don’t you think this gift is pretty good? It’ll definitely be a huge help to you.”
“Yes, it’s indeed very helpful. Thank you, Uncle Wen. You put a lot of thought into this.”
“No problem, no problem, Xiao Jin. Your Uncle Wen is a rough sort and doesn’t really understand what kids your age like. As long as you like this gift, that’s what matters.”
“Alright, alright, next up is time to open my gift! Brother Jin, I guarantee you with absolute certainty that you will love this gift one hundred percent.”
Hearing Wen Niao put it that way, Luo Jin couldn’t help but feel a budding sense of anticipation in his heart.
What kind of gift would he give? Why is he so certain I’ll like it?
Wen Niao pulled out the largest gift box of the lot and motioned for Luo Jin to open it.
The massive size of the gift made Luo Jin even more curious. With a fluttering, anxious heart, he lifted the lid of the box.
Inside the gift box, an adorable penguin plush lay in the center, surrounded by soft blue fescue grass.
Luo Jin bent down to pinch the penguin’s little wings and poke its pointed beak. Mmm.
Not only was it soft, but it was also a lot of fun to play with.
I love it!
(′ `)
“Thank you, Niao Niao. I really like it, and I’ll take good care of it.”
Luo Jin hugged the penguin and thoroughly enjoyed fluffing and petting it.
Seeing Luo Jin’s mesmerized expression, Wen Niao felt a small surge of smug satisfaction.
What child could possibly resist such a cute plush toy?
This gift choice really turned out great.
“Xiao Jin, this is a scarf and a pair of gloves Aunt Tang knitted for you by hand. I figured giving money or things like that felt a bit too tacky, and since you came to our house, you’ll never lack for those. So I made a handmade item instead. I hope you won’t mind.”
“Thank you, Aunt Tang. I will treasure them well. Sorry to trouble you, and thank you for this thoughtful gesture.”
Looking at the gifts before him, Luo Jin felt as though a warm current had been injected into his heart.
The true meaning of a gift never lies in its monetary value, but in the precious sincerity of the giver.
A cherished sentiment is harder to come by than money.
This was the luckiest experience of his entire life.
Heaven had shown him mercy, allowing him to receive the tender grace of the Wen family. There was nothing more fortunate than this.
The cake was cut into four portions and distributed to everyone.
After receiving his slice, Luo Jin took a bite with his fork. First came the sourness of the cherries and the sweetness of the cream, followed by a lingering trace of chocolate bitterness in the aftertaste, and finally ending with the rich fragrance of cherry liqueur. It was a remarkably unique texture and flavor profile.
Luo Jin couldn’t help digging out another bite and popping it into his mouth.
Seeing that Luo Jin was eating with great enjoyment, Wen Niao got up and retrieved a bottle of cherry sparkling water from the refrigerator.
Looking at the extra drink handed to him, Luo Jin felt a bit puzzled.
“Brother Jin, having Black Forest cake paired with cherry sparkling water cuts through the greasiness completely. Give it a try and you’ll see.”
After taking another bite of cake, Luo Jin took a tentative sip of the cherry sparkling water.
He closed his eyes to savor it for a moment. The palate-cleansing effect was indeed exceptional.
The two of them happily finished the cake on their plates. By the time the birthday party concluded, it was already 8:30 PM.
Returning to their respective rooms, Wen Niao finally felt his nerves, strained from a whole day of bustling about, relax as he drifted into a deep sleep.
On the other side, Luo Jin hugged the penguin doll in his arms and petted it for a long while before finally drifting off into a hazy, dream-filled slumber.