Stripping away the word “monkey” from Ge Jiabao’s sentence, his words were actually spot-on.
Last year in the dead of night, Shen Siyang had indeed squatted on the tree in Sang Xiaoshi’s courtyard.
To be precise, it wasn’t just last year.
Over the past ten years, on every single one of Sang Xiaoshi’s birthdays, he would arrive ahead of time and squat up on that tree.
It all started in his very first year arriving in this world.
Sang Xiaoshi’s birthday was in mid-September. By then, three months had passed since Luo Qifeng had been arrested.
During those three months, Sang Xiaoshi ate well, slept well, and was taken good care of every day. Smiles appeared on his face with increasing frequency, and he finally took on the carefree demeanor unique to children his age.
Yet, on the day right before his birthday.
When Shen Siyang walked out the door with him to go to school in the morning, the kid was happy as could be. But when he came home from school in the evening, he had turned into a droopy, wilted little flower.
When Shen Siyang asked him what was wrong, he wouldn’t say a word.
In fact, after being asked a few times, Shen Siyang could even see tears brimming in the child’s eyes.
Terrified that asking one more question would make the kid burst into tears on the spot, Shen Siyang didn’t dare utter another word.
However, after lying on his bed in his room late at night, the more Shen Siyang thought about it, the more off it felt.
Sang Xiaoshi was indeed a sensitive and emotionally reserved child, but whenever he faced Shen Siyang, he answered every question without fail.
Shen Siyang couldn’t figure out what could possibly make Sang Xiaoshi so sad that he couldn’t speak to him about it.
Tossing and turning, unable to sleep as midnight approached.
Realizing that the next day was Sang Xiaoshi’s birthday, Shen Siyang simply got out of bed and headed over to Sang Xiaoshi’s home.
Only when he reached the yard did Shen Siyang realize he didn’t have the key to the front door.
The key that had been made for him back then had already been returned to Sang Xiaoshi shortly after Luo Qifeng was taken away.
Shen Siyang stood in the courtyard and checked the time: 11:55 PM.
Glancing away from his watch, he looked up at the window of Sang Xiaoshi’s bedroom.
It was cracked open slightly.
Shen Siyang retracted his gaze, and after a moment’s pause, he looked toward the tree right in front of the window.
To be completely honest—he had been an insanely good tree climber as a child.
Two minutes later, Shen Siyang was sitting securely on a thick branch near Sang Xiaoshi’s window that could comfortably support his weight.
He looked down at his watch, waiting until the final minute to open the window.
His original plan was to climb inside after opening the window, gently pinch Sang Xiaoshi’s cheek, and see if he was sound asleep.
If he was fast asleep and didn’t react, he would leave a note saying “Happy Birthday” and take his leave.
If he woke up, he would say “Happy Birthday” to his face.
Who could have predicted that man proposes, but God disposes?
The moment he pulled open the window, he locked eyes with Sang Xiaoshi, who was inside the room.
Sang Xiaoshi wasn’t asleep at all. He sat wide awake on his bed, looking in astonishment at Shen Siyang, who had suddenly materialized outside his window.
The two of them stared at each other in silence for half a minute.
Seeing that the time on his watch had just ticked past midnight, Shen Siyang put aside everything else and simply called out to the kid inside while sitting up on the tree: “Happy Birthday!”
Although he never found out what made Sang Xiaoshi so sad, the moment he said “Happy Birthday,” the sadness vanished from the child.
Those beautiful eyes shone with a light brighter than ever before.
Looking at him, Sang Xiaoshi broke into a smile.
The following year, on Sang Xiaoshi’s birthday, Shen Siyang asked him what gift he wanted.
Without thinking twice, the child looked at him with utmost seriousness and said, “I just want to see Brother Siyang.”
For the next several years, Shen Siyang stopped bothering to ask altogether. Whenever the time came every year, he would climb up the tree outside Sang Xiaoshi’s house.
He had been climbing that tree for ten whole years.
Shen Siyang clapped his hands softly and adjusted his seat on the branch to stay balanced.
A branch that had been difficult to wrap his arms around as a child was now something he barely dared to shift around on, terrified that a sudden movement might snap a limb.
Once settled, Shen Siyang checked his watch: 11:55 PM.
Just as he was about to wait for the final minute to open the window like previous years, the window opened on its own right in front of his eyes.
Shen Siyang met the gaze of Sang Xiaoshi, who was standing by the window, and chuckled: “It’s not time yet.”
The main overhead light in Sang Xiaoshi’s room wasn’t on—only a small desk lamp illuminated the space.
The dim, faint glow enveloped the two of them, carving out a secret world that belonged to them alone.
With his back to the light, a gentle halo radiated around Sang Xiaoshi, softening the contours of his face extraordinarily.
“It’s hot this year, and there are lots of mosquitoes in the tree,” he said, leaning slightly out the window and extending a hand to Shen Siyang. “Come inside first.”
Seeing this, Shen Siyang didn’t argue. He placed his hand on Sang Xiaoshi’s extended palm, intending to pull himself inside.
Suddenly, Sang Xiaoshi spoke up again: “Brother Siyang, let me carry you in.”
Shen Siyang froze.
Before he could react, he looked up and caught the gentle smile on Sang Xiaoshi’s face. Instinctively, he released Sang Xiaoshi’s hand and wrapped his arms around his neck instead.
Feeling Shen Siyang’s arms loop around his neck, Sang Xiaoshi stiffened for a fraction of a second.
Recovering moments later, the smile in his eyes grew ever softer. He lowered both hands, cupped Shen Siyang’s waist, and lifted him straight into the room.
It was the very first time Shen Siyang had ever been carried by Sang Xiaoshi like this.
When his feet touched the floor, his face felt inexplicably warm.
Uncharacteristically not knowing where to look, he lowered his head and began staring intently at his wristwatch.
Two minutes until midnight.
Why are there still two minutes left?
What should we do during these two minutes?
After saying ‘Happy Birthday’, should I stay over at his place like last year, or go back to my own house?
Last year was only because it happened to fall on a Friday.
So, going back to my own home is better?
“Brother Siyang.”
But what if Xiaoshi asks me to stay?
If he asks, I definitely won’t be able to refuse.
“Brother Siyang?”
Then maybe I should just sleep over at Xiaoshi’s.
“Brother Siyang, what are you thinking about?”
Seeing a hand waving gently before his eyes, Shen Siyang snapped back to reality.
Snapping out of his thoughts, he happened to catch the hour hand hitting midnight. He quickly blurted out, “Happy Birthday!”
Because he was in a hurry, he didn’t control his volume, and Sang Xiaoshi was visibly startled.
Immediately after, however, Sang Xiaoshi smiled again—a smile so tender and fulfilled and replied in a soft voice, “My birthday is very happy. Thank you, Brother Siyang.”
Shen Siyang felt a bit strange tonight.
He had watched Sang Xiaoshi’s smiles for ten whole years; he had seen every kind of smile Sang Xiaoshi could possibly make.
In all those ten years, there had never been a single time where he didn’t dare to look at Sang Xiaoshi’s smile.
Tonight was the first time.
He wasn’t sure if it was just his imagination, but he felt that Sang Xiaoshi’s smile tonight was uniquely gentle and lingering.
Averting his gaze from Sang Xiaoshi, he stared aimlessly at the neat, folded quilt on the large bed, searching for a topic: “Now you can tell me what birthday gift you want, right?”
He received no reply for a long time.
Shen Siyang had no choice but to look back at Sang Xiaoshi.
Upon doing so, he realized that the smile on Sang Xiaoshi’s face had faded at some unknown point.
The corners of his lips were still slightly turned up, but his expression carried a mix of seriousness and nervousness.
Recalling their conversation from that night, Shen Siyang assumed Sang Xiaoshi was troubled by what he had said about money. He immediately laughed and said, “I was joking that night! My piggy bank isn’t the only place I save money. Feel free to speak up—no matter how expensive it is, Brother can afford it for you.”
Sang Xiaoshi still didn’t say a word, and the nervousness in his eyes grew even more apparent.
Shen Siyang was overwhelmed with curiosity by his reaction: “How expensive could it be to make our Xiaoshi this hesitant to speak?”
Sang Xiaoshi replied earnestly: “Very expensive.”
Shen Siyang chuckled and reached out to pat his shoulder: “No matter how expensive, you don’t need to be so nervous. From childhood until now, has there ever been a request of yours I haven’t agreed to?”
Just as he was about to pull his hand back after speaking, Sang Xiaoshi suddenly grabbed hold of it.
Both of their palms were astonishingly, burning hot.
The room fell into a brief silence.
While Shen Siyang waited for Sang Xiaoshi’s reply, he inadvertently noticed that Sang Xiaoshi’s ears were so red they looked as if they were about to bleed.
A realization flashed through his mind.
Their eyes met, and they spoke almost at the exact same time:
“Ge Jiabao has a girlfriend, he can’t bring you happiness!”
“Brother Siyang, can I court you?”
Shen Siyang: “?”
Sang Xiaoshi: “??”