Chapter 107 Happy Birthday

He ran into Lu Jiunian, who had changed his clothes, and threw himself into his arms. Then, he explained in an anxious voice, "Shi Er has a fever, so I didn't take him out today. Please don't scold him."

Shi Nianzhi looked at Lu Jiunian. Although this man usually wore white shirts, today he always gave people the feeling of being meticulously groomed.

Shi Nian looked the man in front of her up and down and noticed that his cufflinks were different from usual; they were now rose gold with valuable pink diamonds embedded in them.

He also noticed a faint scent of perfume on him.

She still gives off that noble and unapproachable feeling, but the more she is like that, the more Shi Nianzhi becomes obsessed with her.

Are you going out in a bit?

"Yes, having dinner with family."

Shi Nianzhi said, "Ah, then I'll go change my clothes."

"Need not."

"What?"

Lu Jiunian was going to take him and his family out to dinner. Apart from the wedding day, he had never actually paid a proper visit to Lu Jiunian's parents.

Remembering something, Shi Nianzhi said, "Why didn't you say so earlier? I wasn't prepared. It's too late to buy now, but I brought some local specialties from home and two chickens from the backyard, which I can take to my parents."

Shi Nianzhi felt that it wouldn't be right to go empty-handed, so bringing something was a token of his appreciation.

The saying goes, "A small gift carries great meaning."

Lu Jiunian remained silent. "Dinner has already been prepared in the kitchen. You can eat at home."

Shi Nianzhi froze, then belatedly realized, "Aren't you taking me with you?"

Reuniting with parents, but not with him?

Shi Nianzhi gave a bleak smile and spread his hands. "Am I not presentable enough?"

"no."

"You've always thought I'm not presentable, haven't you?"

Shi Nianzhi looked up at Lu Jiunian, slowly released the hand that was gripping Lu Jiunian's arm, lowered his head with pain in his eyes, and made way for Lu Jiunian.

Seeing Shi Nianzhi like this, Lu Jiunian felt inexplicably irritated.

But in the end, he simply said, "Think what you want."

He seemed impatient, as if even an explanation was superfluous.

As Lu Jiunian walked past Nianzhi, he left without looking back.

Shi Nianzhi stood in the corridor, her face as if all the blood had been drained from her, turning deathly pale in an instant.

All the joy he felt the moment he saw Lu Jiunian vanished instantly, replaced by hurt. His heart ached as if it had been slashed with a knife, drawing blood.

After standing there for a long time, Shi Nianzhi forced a smile and curled her lips into a smile.

When Aunt Zhang called him, he pretended to be nonchalant and went downstairs to eat quietly.

After finishing his meal, he called Shi Dazhuang.

"dad."

"Nianzhi, today is the Mid-Autumn Festival. Did you eat mooncakes? You spent it with President Lu's family, right? I hope I didn't do anything impolite."

Shi Nianzhi felt a pang of pain in her heart, but then tried to sound lighthearted, saying, "Dad, he's away on a business trip, so I didn't spend the holiday with him. But even though I'm spending it alone, the mooncakes are delicious! I also sent some mooncakes to you and Mom; did you receive them?"

"Got it! Your mom and I just ate it. How's your grades going? Remember to pay attention in class and don't just think about playing all day..."

When Shi Nianzhi listened to Shi Dazhuang nagging him, he felt a sense of satisfaction in his heart.

He looked down and picked at the SpongeBob SquarePants on his pajama pants with his fingers, waiting for Dazhuang to finish his rambling.

He then said, "I know, I will try my best. Once I find a good job, I will bring you and Mom to live in the city."

"Oh dear, your mother and I are getting old, and we've gotten used to living here. You don't need to worry about us, just focus on doing well."

"Then I'll bring you over to play, Dad. When I have money, I'll build a new house back home."

"That would be fine. The roof of our old house is in bad shape and we're always patching it up. When you have the money, build a new house for your parents so they can enjoy your blessings. Let your mom say a few words to you; she's been waiting for you for a long time."

Shi Dazhuang didn't stand on ceremony. Hearing Shi Nianzhi say that, he felt a sense of pride, like, "Wow, my son has made something of himself."

"Okay, sure."

"Nianzhi, have you eaten yet? Look how round the moon is tonight."

Shi Nianzhi drew back the curtains, looked up at the bright moon in the sky, and nodded. "Yes, it's very beautiful."

Suddenly, Shi Nianzhi longed for the bright moon over his hometown, and for the days when he could sit at a table with his parents, eating under a dim lamplight while listening to the chirping of insects.

Just as she was about to hang up, Li Zhi suddenly said, "Nianzhi, tomorrow is your birthday. Happy birthday! Remember to eat longevity noodles. Try to stay up less late and get some rest."

"Okay, Mom too, don't work too hard."

As soon as the call ended, Shi Nianzhi's eyes suddenly welled up with tears.

He wiped his eyes with his hand, his hand covered in tears.

Shi Nianzhi played games past midnight. He used to look forward to his birthday because he thought Lu Jiunian would give him a surprise.

But now that day has come, he suddenly feels a sense of loss.

Lu Jiunian didn't come back either. They ate dinner from evening until late at night, so it seemed he didn't plan to come back.

Shi Nianzhi stared at his phone, a lonely thought creeping into his mind:

If Lu Jiunian sends him a simple birthday greeting, just four words like "Happy Birthday," he won't be angry with him anymore.

But when we got to 2 a.m., there was nothing there.

Shi Nianzhi eventually fell asleep.

He woke up the next day.

Mrs. Zhang didn't know it was his birthday, nor did she receive any last-minute notification, so she didn't prepare a cake.

Shi Nianzhi secluded himself in his study, much like he usually did on vacation.

He just talks much less.

He was hoping Lu Jiunian would return that evening, but by eight o'clock, not only had he not returned, but there had been no word from him at all.

Shi Nianzhi finally couldn't resist and cautiously made a phone call to Lu Jiunian.

Gu Yuanyuan answered the phone. "Little country bumpkin?"

"how......"

"Why can't it be me? Are you looking for Lu Jiunian?"

"I......."

"You don't know yet? My uncle has woken up."

Gu Yuanyuan's arrogant and domineering voice struck Shi Nianzhi's mind like a thunderclap.

This left Shi Nianzhi's mind blank. His eyes darted left and right, quickly concealing a hint of tears.

Even if he's not very bright, he seems to have figured it out.

Why didn't Lu Jiunian take him with him last night, and why isn't he coming back today?

"What, Lu Jiunian hasn't sent you back to your run-down little mountain village to feed the pigs yet? Judging from your appearance, you still don't know? Your information is so bad that I have to tell you. You are truly a complete waste."

When Gu Yuanyuan started to criticize Nianzhi, he didn't hold back at all. Especially now that his uncle had woken up, Gu Yuanyuan became even more emboldened and unrestrained.

Shi Nianzhi bit his lip hard, and after tasting the blood, he glared at Yuan Yuan and said fiercely, "You're lying."

Gu Yuanyuan must be lying to him. How could a person in a vegetative state possibly wake up?

When I last visited him at the hospital, he was still asleep and unconscious. How could he have woken up in such a short time?

Yes, Gu Yuanyuan, it must be Gu Yuanyuan lying to him.

Gu Yuanyuan laughed smugly, her voice filled with sarcasm and disdain for Shi Nianzhi:

"Why would I lie to you? Lu Jiunian's phone is on the table. Do you know where he is?"

"......"

Shi Nianzhi had a premonition of something he didn't want to hear.

But Gu Yuanyuan didn't give him a chance before she spoke:

“My uncle was weak after waking up. He helped my uncle to the bathroom. Otherwise, how would I have gotten his private phone? Don’t you think about what kind of person Lu Jiunian is?”

Shi Nianzhi felt a lump in her throat, and the words that came out were choked with emotion: "You're lying!"

It seemed that the more he said those three words, the more false Gu Yuanyuan's words would become.

The hand that wasn't holding the phone had nails digging into its palm, but the pain couldn't bring him to his senses.

Gu Yuanyuan scoffed and said disdainfully, "Shi Nianzhi, I told you long ago that you have to pay back what you steal from someone else. I told you to get lost but you didn't. Now, just wait to be kicked out."

Shi Nianzhi's voice was so confused and helpless for the first time, "Gu Yuanyuan, you must be lying to me."

Today is his birthday.

Why tell him such a cruel and bloody truth on his birthday?

"You don't believe me? Then come and see for yourself. They're really something, going in there for so long and still not coming out. Are they doing something in there? It's so annoying, I've been eating dog food (a Chinese slang term for witnessing public displays of affection) every day these past few days."

Gu Yuanyuan's harsh tone seemed so deliberate.

Finally, he told Shi Nianzhi the address and floor of the private hospital and then hung up the phone.

Shi Nianzhi's eyes reddened, and his fingers trembled slightly as he held his phone.

Then, as if he had been stimulated by something, he rushed downstairs desperately.

He wanted to find Aunt Zhang and asked the driver to take him there.

He ran into Shi Er, who had just come out to eat after his fever subsided. Seeing that Shi Er looked anxious and pale, Shi Er immediately grabbed him and asked, "What's wrong?"

Shi Nianzhi grabbed Shi Er as if he had grasped a lifeline, and he held Shi Er's arm tightly.

"Shi Er, can you drive?"

"meeting."

"Then take me somewhere."

Shi Nianzhi gave the address of the private hospital, and Shi Er's expression turned serious. "Is there something wrong with you?"

He touched Shi Nianzhi's head and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that it wasn't burning hot.

Shi Nianzhi almost burst into tears. He shook his head and said, "I'm not sick. I want to go find him."

He was going to find Lu Jiunian.

He wanted to ask him if he didn't want him anymore.

Shi Er nodded. "I'll go get the car. Wait for me at the door. It's a bit chilly, so wear another layer."

"It's okay, I'm not cold."

Shi Er draped the coat over Shi Nianzhi's shoulders, but Shi Nianzhi suddenly realized, "I don't need it. You've just recovered from your cold, so you should wear it."

"Wear it."

Shi Er left.

Shi Nianzhi stood at the door wrapped in a coat, his tears seemingly unstoppable, and he blinked frantically.

When a person is most hurt, even the smallest bit of warmth can evoke such feelings of both感动 (moved) and 悲伤 (sorrow).

Private hospital.

Shi Nianzhi sat in the car, put on a black mask, and placed his hand on the door handle. He didn't have the courage to open the car door for a long time.

Shi Er turned and glanced at Shi Nianzhi, "Is the person you're looking for Third Master?"

Shi Nianzhi remained silent, while Shi Er quietly stayed by his side.

After a long while, Shi Nianzhi gripped her phone tightly. "I want to call him again."