“A-Heng… right?” The girl across the table showed signs of intoxication. “If I were to give you a sincere piece of advice, would you take it to heart?”

“What?” A-Heng was dazed. The surroundings were noisy and chaotic. After being coaxed into drinking several glasses by Si Wan and Yan Xi’s old classmates, her consciousness became somewhat sluggish.

Today was a reunion of Si Wan and Yan Xi’s middle school classmates. Seeing her bored at home, Yan Xi had brought her along.

She had expected it to be awkward, but surprisingly, they were a group of sincere and lovable people. Together, drinking and chatting, there wasn’t much distance between them.

Nearby, Yan Xi and Si Wan were whispering to each other. The two were discussing something, laughing happily.

Sitting next to her was Yan Xi’s former desk mate, a beautiful and pure girl who joked with Yan Xi, showing their rock-solid friendship.

“Stay away from Yan Xi.” That girl looked at her and sighed.

“Hm?” A-Heng’s voice carried a tipsy nasal tone.

“I mean…” that girl leaned close to her ear.

“What are you telling our A-Heng, Lin Wanwan?” Yan Xi raised his glass slightly, interrupting her.

“Just telling her about your glorious middle school deeds! How you’d always dump the evidence of your misdeeds on other people’s desks, then act all innocent, causing everyone to get scolded by the head teacher countless times!” Lin Wanwan spoke with quick wit.

“You still remember such ancient history!” Yan Xi laughed. “Hey, Lin Wanwan, don’t tell me you secretly had a crush on me! Paying so much attention to me.”

“As if!” Lin Wanwan laughed and cursed.

Others laughed. “Bros, we’ve loved watching these two bicker since middle school. They’d always crack everyone up.”

“But it’s true though. Yan Xi, you shameless guy. Who was that poor soul who got blamed the most back then?” someone reminisced.

“What nonsense! Who else could it be besides Si Wan?” someone answered angrily.

Yan Xi kicked at them. “Get lost! So-and-so and so-and-so, don’t think I’m so devoted that I still remember that love letter from the school beauty back then, that was written to me…”

“Damn! We brothers fought for an entire semester over who that letter belonged to, so it was written to you! Brothers, let’s get him, eliminate this menace for the people’s sake!”

The group of boys started fighting, creating chaos and disorder, completely unrestrained.

“A-Heng, just treat it as entertainment.” Si Wan walked to A-Heng’s side and handed her a bottle of juice.

“Wen Si Wan, Si Wan, let me toast you.” Lin Wanwan stood up, her steps a bit unsteady, her cheeks unnaturally red from drinking.

“Lin Wanwan, you’re drunk.” Si Wan smiled, revealing fresh dimples.

“When an old classmate asks you to drink, are you going to or not?!” Lin Wanwan held up a beer, offering it to the youth, her eyes wide in a charming display of mock anger.

“It’s eleven o’clock.” Si Wan glanced at her watch, softening her tone. “Wanwan, if you go home drunk, your mother will worry alone.”

“What about you? Wen Si Wan, what about you?” Lin Wanwan smiled, her voice murmuring.

Si Wan frowned slightly, remaining silent.

A-Heng looked up at the sky, feeling she had heard something she shouldn’t have.

A breeze passed by, disheveling her black hair. She reached up to tuck it behind her ear, but her fingers met with a gentle coolness.

Turning, she saw Yan Xi’s smiling face. He took her hand and led her to another side, lowering his head to speak softly, “Kid, being a third wheel will make people dislike you.”

A-Heng remained silent, nodding.

In the next moment, his face lit up with a bright smile as he pulled her in front of his old classmates, wearing a proud expression. “Look, look, this is my A-Heng! Isn’t she pretty? She cooks so well, speaks so cutely, and is so interesting! What do you think, huh?”

Everyone burst out laughing. “Yan Xi, don’t choke yourself, saying such a long string of words.”

Yan Xi bared his teeth. “You uncultured lot, do you even know what eloquence means?”

“Hey, wasn’t A-Heng supposed to be Si Wan’s sister? How did she become yours?”

“Pah, she’s my daughter!”

He declared with absolute certainty.

A-Heng blushed and shouted, “Ya! Yan Xi, you’re too noisy!”

Yan Xi shut up.

Turning around with an apologetic expression: “Our A-Heng is just shy, usually she’s a very gentle good child, don’t misunderstand… Hey you, stop snickering… Yeah, I’m talking to you, Fatty, stop shaking, all your fat is jiggling.”

Everyone sweatdropped in unison.

“Our A-Heng… you must have it tough!”

A-Heng responded softly and sweetly, “Serving the people!”

Everyone burst out laughing – this kid was quite a character too.

The boy called Fatty laughed especially hard. “Yan Xi, I haven’t laughed this much since you took that year off school.”

The atmosphere suddenly became awkward.

Year off school? Who? Yan Xi?

A-Heng looked around confused. Everyone seemed to recall something, their expressions becoming somewhat strange.

But Yan Xi just smiled. “Do you remember the class beauty from next door? She was crazy about me back then, wonder how she’s doing now?”

The others laughed awkwardly, “Yeah, yeah, haven’t seen her in ages, wonder how she is. Young Master Yan, you’ve always been irresistible.”

“You’re too kind, too kind.”

Yan Xi made small talk, smiling as he led A-Heng away amid the drinking and merriment, departing with composure.

At the hotel entrance, Si Wan and Lin Wanwan were arguing about something.

“Si Wan, if this continues, you’ll be dragged down by Yan Xi, and your life will be destroyed!” The girl spoke passionately, her words resonating.

“Lin Wanwan, you don’t understand A-Xi, don’t speak nonsense.” Si Wan’s gaze turned cold.

“Someone like him is like a time bomb, you never know when he’ll explode, and when he does, you’ll get hurt.” Lin Wanwan seemed dejected, her words heavy with suppression.

Yan Xi stood at a distance, his gaze light and unfathomable.

A-Heng pressed her lips together, her voice clean and clear: “Let’s go home.”

“Don’t you want to hear the rest?” Yan Xi’s voice carried an ethereal unreality, like passing clouds.

“Eavesdropping isn’t something a gentleman should do, right?” A-Heng smiled.

Moreover, it wasn’t even their conversation to eavesdrop on, just hearsay.

“A-Heng, I took a year off school, in my third year of middle school.” Yan Xi put his hands in his pockets, glancing faintly at the two still arguing in the distance, speaking softly.

A-Heng nodded.

“Because… I got sick and stayed home recuperating for a long time. Lin Wanwan happened to see me when I was ill.” The youth’s voice was cool, his tone distant.

“I see.” A-Heng lowered her head. Under the streetlight, their two shadows stretched very long.

“Then, the doctor said this illness would recur.”

“And then?” A-Heng looked up slightly.

“Then, that’s it.” Yan Xi let out a breath, his fingertips falling gently.

“Oh.” She nodded, pondering something, frowning, then relaxing again.

“A-Heng, I know what Lin Wanwan wanted to tell you today.” Under the streetlight, among scattered passersby, he gazed into the distance, remembering something.

“What?” A-Heng smiled. She didn’t want to know.

“Yan Xi is a candy wrapped in poison, as sweet as it is toxic.” Yan Xi’s voice was unusually calm.

“How do you know?” A-Heng sniffled.

“She told me before, just now, before dinner.” Yan Xi lightly clenched his fist, bringing it to his lips, smiling slightly.

A-Heng gently rubbed her chest, unsure if something there felt uncomfortable. She thought she faintly heard the crisp sound of paper tearing.

“Why tell me?”

Yan Xi turned around, stopping in his tracks. Still with those big clear eyes, within their depths was the warm glow of streetlights. “You learned to curse from me.”

A-Heng felt embarrassed. A few days ago, Chen Juan had vividly described to Yan Xi how she had cursed that day.

“So, only I can tell you bad things about me.”

He smiled.

What a proud thing this was, worth being so solemn about.

A-Heng shook her head and smiled, admitting defeat.

In July, the weather was already very hot. Little insects swayed back and forth, accompanied by cricket chirps, making quite a lively scene.

They had planned to take a taxi home, but after emptying their pockets, they had less than ten yuan between them.

Neither of them had the habit of carrying money when going out unless for a specific purpose.

What to do?

Yan Xi clutched the crumpled few yuan, looked at the clean noodle stand ahead with its lights on, and smiled – “Come on, let’s get noodles.”

A-Heng asked doubtfully, “Is it enough?”

Yan Xi held up one finger – “Enough for one bowl.”

A-Heng nodded, wearing an I-knew-it expression – “So you’ll eat while I watch, right?”

Yan Xi’s face darkened – “Is that what you think of me? I’m a man, for heaven’s sake, sheesh!”

A-Heng laughed – “Oh? Then I’ll eat while you watch.”

The youth lost his confidence – “Let’s share.”

A-Heng smiled disapprovingly – “No way, you spray too much saliva…”

Yan Xi raged – “When have I ever sprayed saliva!!”

A-Heng stepped back, expression serious – “Right now, water molecules are dispersing with you as the center…”

The youth was embarrassed and angry – “I shouldn’t have taught you to speak proper Mandarin, you little brat, now you’re too glib!”

A-Heng wasn’t buying it, spreading her hands – “I’m self-taught, has nothing to do with you. Besides courses starting with ‘mom’ and ‘milk’, what else did you teach…”

Yan Xi threw up his hands in frustration – “Let’s eat noodles, I’m starving!!”

The noodle vendor was a young girl who looked about fourteen or fifteen.

“This girl must be child labor, right?” Yan Xi whispered to A-Heng.

“Pah! Watch what you’re saying, you’re the child labor, your whole family is child labor!” The young girl looked at him with contempt.

Yan Xi pouted – “Are you even eighteen? Show me your ID, household registration, business license, and health permit!”

“Why should I show you anything, who are you anyway!”

“Why should I tell you who I am, who are you anyway!”

“What kind of nutcase shows up in the middle of the night, are you here to cause trouble?!” The young girl was going crazy.

A-Heng stepped forward, smiling – “Little sister, one bowl of noodles, no dried shrimp, extra crispy pork.”

Then she gave Yan Xi a sideways glance.

Such a young girl, yet able to argue so vigorously – not entirely right in the head.

Yan Xi just blinked his big eyes innocently, whistling while looking at the sky.

Meanwhile, the young girl shot Yan Xi a fierce glare before turning to cook the noodles. Soon, the translucent noodles, complete with toppings, and bone broth bubbling on the side, were skillfully added to the pot.

“Smells good.” After a while, A-Heng caught the aroma of noodles wafting around and smiled.

“Not to brag, but our noodles are the best on this street.” The young girl said proudly, serving the noodles in front of A-Heng.

“That impressive? Then we need to taste them properly today.” A-Heng smiled, casually handing the spoon and chopsticks to Yan Xi.

The young girl was very observant, bringing another set of bowls and chopsticks, not forgetting to snort at Yan Xi as she left.

“Annoying, aren’t you?” A-Heng mocked.

Yan Xi used his chopsticks to wrap noodles onto the spoon, strand by strand, with a lustrous sheen.

He extended the spoon to A-Heng, speaking carelessly, “This little girl is just like Lin Wanwan when she was young, equally fierce.”

A-Heng froze for a moment before taking the spoon, unconsciously putting it in her mouth. The chewy, fragrant noodles were delicious.

He too lowered his head, slurping noodles. Under the dim light, his profile cast a faint shadow, his features somewhat unclear.

Suddenly, A-Heng felt this scene was familiar.

Ah, yes, when she first saw him at the breakfast stand in the alley, his profile had looked just like this.

Except back then, this youth’s hair was long, almost covering his neck. Now it was short and thin around his ears.

“Hey, you got soup in your hair again.” A-Heng sighed, taking out a handkerchief to wipe the broth from the strands of hair at Yan Xi’s temple.

“Long hair is troublesome.” Yan Xi raised his clean forehead, smiled, picked up a piece of crispy pork from the bowl, and held it to A-Heng’s lips – “Eat.”

A-Heng smiled, carefully taking the meat with another pair of chopsticks before daring to put it in her mouth.

“Tch, is there poison on my chopsticks?”

“…There’s saliva.”

“…”

********************************Line Break********************************

These past few days, Yan Xi had been hovering behind A-Heng like a tail, seeming to have something to say but holding back.

“Do you have something to say?” A-Heng tried to stay calm.

“Heng-heng…” A brilliant smile.

“Speak properly!” A-Heng got goosebumps all over.

“Uh… A-Heng, you should know what day it is the day after tomorrow, right?” Serious for a minute.

“What day what day, of course, it’s the day to go back to school and get our report cards!” A-Heng declared confidently.

“What? I didn’t know we were getting report cards the day after tomorrow???” Yan Xi was horrified.

A-Heng sniffled – “I remember you were tearing paper to make planes at the time.”

“This world is so cruel to me, to deliver such terrible news on such a joyous day…” Yan Xi burst into tears.

“What a joyous day! Are you getting engaged or married?” A-Heng leaned in, eyes bright.

“Pah! It’s my birthday!” Yan Xi ruffled his hair, pointing angrily – “As my daughter, how dare you not know my birthday, it breaks my heart!”

“Oh, well go be heartbroken in the living room, don’t block the kitchen, it’s too hot.” A-Heng smiled serenely.

“Heng-heng!!!” My heaven-cursed daughter Wen Heng-heng!!!!

“Get lost!”

***************************Line Break****************************************

On the day of getting report cards, which was supposedly also someone’s birthday, classmates gathered in groups, whispering.

“Hey hey, what do you think, is the great beauty Yan so melancholic today because he did poorly on exams or because of heartbreak? Brothers, place your bets! Quick quick!”

“I bet a steamed bun it’s heartbreak.”

“I bet a meat bun he did poorly!”

“A pile of candy, heartbreak!”

“Two Oreos, poor grades.”

“Let’s bet three ghost-face lollipops, definitely heartbreak, haven’t you seen the undercurrents between Yan Xi and Meat Strip?”

Meat Strip walked past in high heels, sneering – “This lady bets four ice-cold popsicles, taking all bets!”

“Bunch of heartless idiots with no perception, don’t you know it’s the demon Yan’s birthday today, did someone not give a gift…” Meat Strip was exasperated.

When saying “someone,” her phoenix eyes glanced slightly toward A-Heng.

“Oh.” Everyone scattered like birds and beasts.

Other people’s private affairs, not some historical romance, why get involved?

“A-Heng, you didn’t prepare anything?” A black cloud hung over Yan Xi’s head.

“Oh, sorry, I accidentally forgot,” A-Heng answered softly.

Xin Dayi snickered on the side.

“What are you laughing at!” Yan Xi raged.

Dayi protested – “Hmph! You’re so impressive, why don’t you yell at A-Heng, I even got you a game console, two months of allowance gone just like that!”

Yan Xi coolly retorted – “Watch your Chinese usage, you broke my game console, this is compensation, not a gift, got it?”

“So stingy.” Dayi suddenly remembered something and spoke up – “Lu Liu’s mom set up a table at the Shangri-La today, said it’s for your birthday, and asked you to come early.”

Immediately, Yan Xi’s face fell – “Not going, A-Heng made lunch.”

A-Heng spoke leisurely – “We’re out of rice at home, didn’t cook today…”

Si Wan had just gotten her report card too and came over, smiling – “Come on, Yan Xi, Auntie Lin has been preparing for several days.”

A-Heng gave Yan Xi a faint look, walking forward with Si Wan.

Yan Xi remained silent, reluctantly shuffling his feet.

At the Shangri-La, the setup was no less grand than the previous banquet, perhaps even more so.

Lin Ruomei still wore a white qipao, with red plum blossoms threaded with silver, white lustrous sea pearl earrings, gentle and noble.

“Here’s the birthday boy.” She smiled and stood up to welcome Yan Xi.

A-Heng had just lifted her left foot when Yan Xi blocked her path, smiling faintly – “Auntie Lin, thank you for the trouble today.”

Si Wan and Dayi were both somewhat surprised.

Lin Ruomei looked at Yan Xi, her peripheral vision just catching A-Heng – “It’s your birthday today, Uncle Yan went to America, I was worried you two kids couldn’t cook well at home, so I had the chef here make some dishes you like.”

Two? Yan Xi glanced at Si Wan, who mouthed – my mom said that.

Dayi looked around, smiling without humor – “Oh, Auntie Lin, you even bring bodyguards when eating.”

Lin Ruomei smiled faintly, waving her hand. The lead secretary led a group of muscular men in black suits and sunglasses out.

The scholarly-looking secretary from last time gave Yan Xi a deep look as he left.

A-Heng unconsciously lowered her gaze – Yan Xi’s left and right feet were again in that overlapping, dependent posture.

Everyone sat down, and as the servers were arranging dishes, Lin Ruomei smiled and said to Si Wan – “Look, look, A-Heng is truly a beauty in the making, her looks certainly combine the best of your parents.”

Si Wan looked at her sister, smiling – “Yes, grandfather, father, and mother all treasure her dearly.”

A-Heng smiled, oh no no, Auntie Lin you’re too kind.

The cake was brought out, Si Wan and Dayi lit the candles, and Yan Xi made a wish.

Lin Ruomei smiled with gentle fragrance – Darling, tell auntie what you wished for.

Yan Xi grabbed some cream, smashing it onto Lin Ruomei’s face, laughing wildly – “Me? I wished that before I go crazy, Yan Xi could live a few more years. Auntie Lin, what do you think of this wish?”

Si Wan and Dayi were stunned, watching helplessly as the elegant and graceful Lin Ruomei’s face was covered in cream, looking ridiculous.

“Darling, that’s not a good wish.” But Lin Ruomei smiled, gently wiping away the cream, her expression all tenderness. “You’ve always been a crazy child.”

Darling, your behavior is like that of an immature child, a clumsy prank.

Seeing Lin Ruomei wasn’t angry, Si Wan tried to suppress something fearful inside her, covering up the mistake by going along with it, grabbing cream, and starting to throw it at everyone.

Dayi was simple-minded and loved to make trouble; soon the whole private room was in chaos, cream splattered everywhere.

Yan Xi was the birthday boy, and it was a three-layer cake, so in the end, he became almost like a snowman, with cream stuck in his hair, on his face, and even his eyelashes.

A-Heng was laughing so hard she couldn’t stand straight, but Yan Xi smeared her face with the sticky sweet stuff.

The door to the private room opened, and the secretary-like man entered with a black camera.

“Xiao Chen, look at these children, what a mess they’ve made. Take a photo for them, keep it as a memory.” Lin Ruomei smiled, lighting a women’s menthol cigarette, and pointing at the group.

Xiao Chen seemed uncertain, looking at Lin Ruomei, hesitating for several seconds before speaking – “Yes, Director Lin.”

“Ah, Yan Xi, seems like it’s been ages since we took a photo together, right?” Dayi put his arm around Yan Xi’s shoulder.

Si Wan frowned slightly – “I remember A-Xi hasn’t taken photos for about two years, though he’s always taking them for others.”

Yan Xi smiled – “Two years and seven months. How should we take it?”

He stood there, melting cream dripping down, his face covered in white, except for the vague outline, like a sculpture, his features an empty pallor.

“Sitting down, okay?” He sat on the sofa, raising his head slightly, smiling – “Like this, is this okay?”

“Xiao Chen, you’ve always been good at photography, today you must take it clearly, don’t waste our Yan Xi’s good looks.” Lin Ruomei blew a smoke ring, her lips plum-colored, her eyes full of beautiful starlight.

But Xiao Chen’s hands holding the camera were trembling.

“Give it to me,” A-Heng spoke calmly, standing opposite Xiao Chen.

“What?” This man was trying to stay composed, but standing beside him, she could strongly sense his panicked breathing.

“The camera, give it to me.” She was neither smiling nor angry, neither warm nor cold, neither timid nor firm.

Xiao Chen looked at Lin Ruomei, but Lin Ruomei just smiled, with an indifferent attitude – “Let her.”

A-Heng took the camera and sighed softly through the lens. That youth, frozen small within it, left foot right foot, was stepping like this somehow more reassuring?

It must be very difficult… to be willing to use the left foot’s soul to save the right foot’s soul, yet not dare to easily trust others.

“Yan Xi, lift your head.”

The youth raised his neck with some difficulty, but what he saw wasn’t a mockingly malicious lens like a black hole.

That girl, with a smile on her thin lips, her eyes filled with strands of composure flowing far away like gentleness, casual as if it were a drop of ink dissolving bit by bit into clear water.

He was somewhat confused.

She looked into his eyes, smiling like mountains and waters of the same color – “Yan Xi, the lens, the lens, yes, look at the lens like that.”

In that instant, Yan Xi also smiled, his eyes looking back into hers.

She blinked, and clicked, pressing the shutter at the same time.

That camera was pointing at the nameplate on the three-layer cream cake – Yan Xi, Happy Birthday.

Later, when the photo was developed, A-Heng handed it to Yan Xi – Here, a late birthday gift.

Yan Xi, the mysteriously appearing Yan Xi, the Yan Xi who said strange things, the Yan Xi who would explode when others bullied her, the gentle Yan Xi who would tell her “I know,” the Yan Xi who would continue to be happy so initially didn’t want to say these four words, Yan Xi…

Happy Birthday.

This birthday gift, were you satisfied with it?

The incomplete cream cake, the blurry text due to the lens being too close, which he accidentally kept for a lifetime – would you say he was satisfied with that?