Chapter 61 Happy Birthday, My Boyfriend
Jiang Tinghan couldn't sit still any longer, so she ran to the kitchen to ask if anyone needed help.
Dragon Mom: "Tinghan, you've come at the right time. You can take this noodle out first. Zhilong likes this noodle, but I don't know if you like it. I didn't put any chili in it though. Don't idols have to protect their voices and stuff?"
Jiang Tinghan nodded quickly: "Yes, thank you, Auntie, you're so thoughtful."
Kwon Ji-yong had already handed Eden over to his brother-in-law with a cool and aloof expression, and then shamelessly clung to him.
"Ah...it smells so good."
Jiang Tinghan turned around and glanced at him, gesturing for him to take back his portion.
Kwon Ji-yong drawled out a sentence in Chinese: "Okay~"
"The smell of cooking oil in here is too strong, get out quickly, get out quickly."
The young couple were kicked out of the kitchen by Daenerys Targaryen, who then placed the noodles on the dining table and tidied up the table.
Kwon Ji-yong smiled at her, propping his chin up with his hand: "I'm only doing this because of you, Ting Han. Normally, my mom would just tell me to order takeout."
Jiang Tinghan: "Then you should be grateful and finish your noodles."
Kwon Ji-yong smiled and said, "Yes, I will enjoy it to the fullest."
Jiang Tinghan couldn't help but feel intimidated when she saw how red the soup in Quan Zhilong's bowl was. How could anyone eat something so spicy? Even from a distance, she could almost feel the spiciness.
"Smoking, drinking, and eating such spicy food, Oppa, your voice must be really strained."
Kwon Ji-yong took a big bite of noodles, chewed and swallowed: "I guess so. I do like strong smells, but I also drink a lot of things to soothe my throat..."
"It's really delicious, would you like to try some?" He picked up a mouthful of noodles, garnished with scallions and beef, which looked quite tempting.
Jiang Tinghan's curiosity was piqued, so she pushed the bowl forward a little.
Kwon Ji-yong continued to promote the product, saying, "This is a taste you'll never forget for the rest of your life."
Jiang Tinghan actually ate it. The fiery taste immediately burst from the tip of his tongue. When he swallowed it with difficulty, the spiciness burned his throat, and after coughing a few times, it got even worse.
Kwon Ji-yong had anticipated this and thoughtfully offered him water.
Jiang Tinghan took several sips to suppress the feeling, but her ears were burning. She frowned, somewhat regretting, "I shouldn't have believed that bad man's words."
It has a very industrially produced spiciness; I don't know what kind of ghost pepper it contains.
Kwon Ji-yong continued eating with relish, raising an eyebrow and a mischievous smile playing on his lips: "That's because you don't know how to appreciate it, baby. Once you eat more, you'll be able to savor its deliciousness."
Jiang Tinghan politely declined, saying, "You should enjoy this good fortune yourself."
The two were indeed hungry and finished the whole bowl of noodles. Kwon Ji-yong skillfully tidied up the table, took the bowl to the kitchen to wash it, and put it back in its place.
Kwon Da-mi observed Kwon Ji-yong's actions with a hint of satisfaction; it seemed he hadn't lost his gentlemanly demeanor.
The young master, who never lifts a finger, performed these actions so naturally. It seems they often eat at home together. Ah, how sweet!
Having eaten two meals from noon to evening, Kwon Ji-yong's phone was filled with countless photos of Jiang Tinghan, Eden, and his parents and sister. Because he had to drive, he didn't drink a drop of alcohol today, while Jiang Tinghan drank quite a bit of the red wine his brother-in-law brought.
She has a high alcohol tolerance and is quite sober now. She can clearly feel Kwon Ji-yong's hand affectionately on her shoulder as he puts his arm around her to say goodbye to her family and they leave the house.
Kwon Ji-yong tightened his arms around her, bringing their heads almost touching. He wasn't wearing makeup, and when he squinted, his puppy-dog eyes became even more prominent, making him look very young. His movements were like a playful puppy rubbing against his girlfriend's face.
"My friends want to celebrate my birthday. Do you want to come home with me?"
Jiang Tinghan reached out and touched his stomach, then mischievously poked it: "Can you still eat?"
"It's so itchy." Kwon Ji-yong grabbed Jiang Tinghan's hand, letting out a low laugh that seemed to vibrate in his eardrums.
"It's just eating cake and drinking alcohol, of course I can eat it."
He placed a gentle kiss on the fair cheek in front of him: "Go on, I ordered a birthday cake for you."
Jiang Tinghan's dark eyelashes trembled, casting a small shadow under her eyes, making her look somewhat surprised: "Me?"
"Mmm." Kwon Ji-yong seemed to want more kisses, leaving another sticky peck, his eyes filled with a gentle moonlight: "I promised to celebrate your birthday again."
"Okay, but I need to be back by 1 p.m. at the latest." Jiang Tinghan didn't want Quan Zhilong's preparations to go to waste.
Kwon Ji-yong smiled and gave a perfect salute: "I guarantee I'll be in your room by 1 a.m.."
As soon as he got into the car, the feeling of motion sickness mixed with the aftereffects of the alcohol surged up. Jiang Tinghan leaned against the car window, rubbed his head, and quickly closed his eyes to rest.
Even when Kwon Ji-yong played "Always You" in the car, she didn't react much, still tilting her head and keeping her eyes closed.
Kwon Ji-yong stopped at the red light and turned to look at her sleeping face. The necklace on her chest was thrown aside. Her face, neck, legs, and arms under her rolled-up sleeves were all the same white, as if she had only been bathed in moonlight and had never seen the sun. But when she opened her eyes, the radiance inside was more dazzling than the sunlight.
Only then did he realize that Jiang Tinghan would hug something while sleeping, and now she was tightly hugging both of their bags.
Ah... it would be nice to keep watching like this.
"We're here." Kwon Ji-yong unbuckled his seatbelt and gently nudged Jiang Tinghan's shoulder.
Jiang Tinghan groggily opened his eyes, his consciousness gradually returning: "Okay...okay."
While she was unbuckling her seatbelt, Kwon Ji-yong had already opened the door for her, and very gentlemanly bent down and reached out his hand.
What's going on now?
Jiang Tinghan couldn't help but smile, and her mind became clearer. She got out of the car with Quan Zhilong's hand.
Their hands, which had been touching, became clasped together. Kwon Ji-yong locked the car and took Jiang Tinghan back to another home.
His friends had almost arrived, so Kwon Ji-yong changed into something more comfortable, all in black. He could have just walked around in a black short-sleeved shirt and shorts at home, but since there were quite a few people around, he put on a robe-like jacket... which made him look even more relaxed.
While he was fiddling around, Jiang Tinghan idly petted the cat and dog, then raised his voice and said, "Oppa, should we lock Haha up later?"
Kwon Ji-yong's voice drifted from inside the room, filled with impatience: "Turn it off now."
Jiang Tinghan took a can of dog food and lured Haha into the toy room while it was eating. She closed the door while it was eating the food and even thoughtfully locked it with a key.
"Woo woo!" Only twenty seconds later, Haha, who had already devoured the can of food at lightning speed, let out a reluctant cry. However, the can was full of its favorite toys, especially the first edition of the Zoa doll designed by Kwon Ji-yong that had not yet been released, which was its favorite.
Originally, this Zoa doll, like Haha, was a gift belonging to Jiang Tinghan that was first stored at Quan Zhilong's house. However, this unfilial son snatched it away when Quan Zhilong wasn't paying attention, and there was no way to snatch it back from his dog's mouth. Helpless, the young couple could only treat this doll as Haha's dog toy.
"Knock knock." Jiang Tinghan, who was cuddling and petting the real Zoa on the sofa, heard the knocking. Kwon Jiyong opened the door and began to tidy up the house, which had been messed up by the energetic husky at lightning speed. "Tinghan, open the door for me."
"Okay." Jiang Tinghan put down the kitten and, seeing that Kwon Ji-yong's friends weren't nervous, calmly opened the door.
Great, I don't recognize any of them, but their outfits are all very unique, so they must be people in the fashion industry.
Compared to her composure, her friends looked much more shocked, and for a moment they even wondered if they had gone to the wrong place.
But yes, this is indeed Kwon Ji-yong's house.
They carefully examined Jiang Tinghan and confirmed that they were not mistaken; this was Coldy, who was currently riding high, casually following trends, and becoming incredibly popular.
It's normal for Kwon Ji-yong to have close female friends, but I didn't expect him to be close to Coldy, a junior colleague.
"Please come in." As soon as Jiang Tinghan finished speaking, the owner of the house came over to greet him, and naturally put his hand on Jiang Tinghan's shoulder.
Kwon Ji-yong has had many close interactions with female friends, but he always appears more gentlemanly. Now, however, he's so close that there's no gap between them, with his hand hanging down in front of the girl's chest, suggesting an unusually intimate relationship.
Amidst the shocked expressions on his friends' faces, he calmly replied, "Long time no see."
This is definitely not a normal friendship, is it?
Friends couldn't help but recall the photo of the girl that Kwon Ji-yong had posted before; yes, there was another female relative they didn't know about.
...Could it be Coldy?!
G-Dragon, why are you now targeting young people?
"Happy birthday, Gyeong!" Friends and family members sent him gifts.
"Thank you. I'm already very happy that you came." Kwon Ji-yong's tone was as gentle as a spring breeze.
Friends smiled and said, "After all, it's your birthday, so a birthday present is a must."
It just feels like... their good friend seems to be hugging his girlfriend even tighter.
Jiang Tinghan waited until they finished exchanging pleasantries before speaking: "Hello."
"Hello, hello, is this Coldy? You're really beautiful!" Kwon Ji-yong's friend was just as enthusiastic as he was.
“Yes, Naomuyeboda.” Kwon Jiyong chimed in with a smile.
Jiang Tinghan glanced at Quan Zhilong. She didn't know him at all. Wasn't he going to introduce her?
Kwon Ji-yong received a pleading look from his adorable girlfriend, and began to briefly introduce his friend. They shook hands, and that was it.
Jiang Tinghan finally understood: which brand in the fashion industry this was, which designer this was, which exhibition manager this was, and there were also models, actors, it was practically a huge gathering of industry connections, there were also Japanese, black and European friends, and he wondered which big shot this was, there were more people than Jiang Tinghan had imagined.
She's developing social anxiety; she thought it was just a few close friends in the literal sense, but Kwon Ji-yong has way too many friends—more than a dozen in total.
Finally, someone Jiang Tinghan knew arrived: Lee Soo-hyuk, an actor.
"This is Soo-hyuk-ssi, and this is..." Kwon Ji-yong hadn't even said her name when he already smiled, "...my girlfriend, Jung-han."
"Hello, Coldy." Lee Soo-hyuk was also surprised, but his expression remained relatively calm.
"Hello, hello, senior," Jiang Tinghan replied politely.
Kwon Ji-yong likes lively atmospheres, but she prefers quiet and would rather be alone with him. She feels a little uncomfortable in this kind of setting, but she knows there will be many more such occasions in the future, so she might as well consider it a rehearsal.
"Cake." Lee Soo-hyuk held up the cake in his hand. "This shop is really far away; it's not on my way at all."
"Come on—" Kwon Ji-yong took the cake. "Soo-hyuk, if you don't have time to pick up the cake for your girlfriend's birthday next time, I won't mind running the errand."
Lee Soo-hyuk smiled and said, "Let's forget about it."
Instead of greeting the guests, he pulled Jiang Tinghan to the dining table, as if creating a private world for the two of them.
The cake packaging was torn open, revealing an ice-blue color, like a glacier. Layers of cream covered the center, resembling snow-capped mountains, while pink and white chocolate peaches adorned the mountainside. The wine Jiang Tinghan had given Quan Zhilong was peach-flavored. Colorful frosting sprinkled on the cream surface looked like vibrant fireworks. A silver snake coiled on the base, surrounded by blooming white daisies, beneath which were snowflake patterns.
This cake is made up of two people's shared memories and floral patterns that represent them.
Jiang Tinghan was speechless for a moment, unsure of what to say. He tried to speak several times before finally saying sincerely, "Thank you, Oppa."
That spicy noodle dish will be an unforgettable taste for her, and this night will be an unforgettable memory for her.
She gently hugged Kwon Ji-yong, the scent of cream and his familiar perfume lingering around her nose, along with the aroma of freshly opened red wine, all blending together to create a very unique fragrance.
Rich, deep, and sweet, just like Kwon Ji-yong himself.
Kwon Ji-yong raised his hand and gently touched the emerald necklace on her chest, whispering in her ear, "Happy birthday."
Jiang Tinghan's tightly pursed lips suddenly relaxed, turning into a smile: "Happy birthday, my boyfriend."
“Ah,” Kwon Ji-yong pondered the difference between the two sentences, and then said, “I want to say it again, happy birthday my baby!”
This competitive spirit always comes at the most inopportune times, then makes Jiang Tinghan laugh.
She took a box out of the coat that looked like a mint chocolate, grabbed Kwon Ji-yong's hand, and placed it in his palm, which was obviously much bigger than hers.
"Another birthday gift."
The exquisite box features the Van Cleef & Arpels logo. The brand originated from a beautiful marriage: a young lady from a gem-making family and a jeweler's son got married.
Kwon Ji-yong carefully opened the box and saw two necklaces in the same box. One was a rose gold diamond pendant with diamonds arranged in the shape of a snowflake, while rose gold outlined the shape and filled the gaps. The other was a gold diamond pendant in the shape of a butterfly, with densely packed diamonds on the butterfly's wings.
Although it can't compare to the gemstone jewelry that Kwon Ji-yong wears for hundreds of thousands, the snowflake is 80,000 and the butterfly is 130,000, which is still quite original.
She knew that Kwon Ji-yong would definitely like daisies the most, but she didn't have the connections to quickly customize this kind of jewelry, so she could only choose a ready-made one first. She also drew a daisy on the base of the jewelry box, as if the petals were in full bloom and revealing two necklaces.
She chose the butterfly because Kwon Ji-yong liked it, and the snowflake because... the shape was seducing her. When Jiang Tinghan saw this necklace, she deeply understood how Kwon Ji-yong felt when he saw the daisy, and the price was just right, starting with 8, it was destiny.
“They’re all women’s styles, but I don’t think Oppa will mind.” Jiang Tinghan looked at the man in the world who was the best at deconstructing women’s clothing into his own style.
"Of course not." Kwon Ji-yong looked at the two necklaces as if they were some kind of treasure, and they were indeed treasures.
He flashed an excited smile: "Help me put it on."
Jiang Tinghan guessed his thoughts: "Wear both?"
Kwon Ji-yong nodded, his dog-like eyes sparkling: "Yes."
Jiang Tinghan walked around behind Quan Zhilong, picked up a necklace, pressed down with her fingertips to fasten it, and took in the golden necklace and angel tattoo.
She put on another pair and helped Kwon Ji-yong straighten his collar and hair.
I initially thought that wearing two diamond necklaces together would be too flashy, but when Kwon Ji-yong wore them, they actually suited him very well. I noticed his face more; you had to look closely to see that he was wearing a sparkling diamond necklace. No wonder he's a chicken.
“Oppa, your hair is so long now.” Jiang Tinghan brushed aside the stray hairs on Kwon Ji-yong’s forehead. “It’s almost covering your eyes.”
"Yes, a little." Kwon Ji-yong looked up and touched his hair. "Do you have a headband?"
Jiang Tinghan glanced at his friends who had already started their drinking party: "Are you sure?"
Kwon Ji-yong: "What does it matter? We're all friends."
Jiang Tinghan put a headband on him, revealing his smooth forehead, which made him look much more refreshing and gave him a very down-to-earth handsome look.
After their time together ended, Kwon Ji-yong pulled Jiang Tinghan into the crowd. Someone had turned off the living room lights, leaving only a dim lamp, and the house instantly transformed into a nightclub.
Soojoo filled their glasses: "Our birthday boy/girl has finally finished his sweet nothings with you two, shouldn't you have a drink first?"
"Yeah, yeah, you've left us hanging here for so long, you must be thirsty from talking so much, you need to have a drink to moisten your throat." The others chimed in with laughter.
"Okay, okay." Kwon Ji-yong picked up his glass, then turned to look at his girlfriend and whispered, "You don't have to drink if you don't want to. They were just joking."
"It's alright," Jiang Tinghan said gracefully, raising her glass to lightly clink with Kwon Ji-yong's, the sound crisp and clear. "This wine looks delicious."
The two finished their small glass of wine, and their friends cheered.
The alcohol stimulated the brain, and the atmosphere became increasingly heated, with laughter, applause, and the clinking of glasses all intertwined.
No one knows who suggested it first, but everyone ended up playing drinking games without really understanding what was going on.
The game is simple: you just call out numbers, but you have to clap when you get to numbers containing 3, 6, or 9. If you lose, you have to drink.
Everyone around had been drinking for several rounds, but Jiang Tinghan never made a mistake, while Quan Zhilong next to him only drank a few glasses of wine.
"Hey!" A friend was the first to notice something was wrong. "G-Dragon shouldn't sit with Coldy, right? I think Coldy will remind G-Dragon."
Every time it was Kwon Ji-yong's turn to call out "three, six, nine," Jiang Tinghan would gently pat his leg. At this time, all he had to do was clap his hands. As long as he didn't run ahead with his mouth, he could pass the test smoothly.
"Oh? That won't do, G-Dragon, come sit over here with us."
Kwon Ji-yong, looking like he was about to cheat, still reluctantly wrapped his arm around Jiang Tinghan's waist: "It's my birthday today, can I choose where I sit?"
He was Jiang Tinghan's heavy dependency and could not leave Jiang Tinghan for even a moment.
Jiang Tinghan downed the wine in front of him as punishment: "Soo-hyuk-ssi, let's switch seats."
Kwon Ji-yong could only watch helplessly as his thighs slipped away from him. In the following ten minutes, he lost many times. The more he drank, the less his brain worked, creating a vicious cycle where he lost more and more until he finally couldn't drink anymore and had to stop.
He turned his head and saw Jiang Tinghan smiling again, and felt a little helpless.
I really enjoy seeing him get his comeuppance.
Finally, it's time for the essential part of a birthday celebration—singing the birthday song!
Kwon Ji-yong said many times that he didn't need it, but his friends' enthusiasm didn't diminish at all. The snow mountain cake and another large strawberry cake were placed together, with candles numbered "8", "1", and "8" inserted.
Jiang Tinghan lit the candles for him, then took Quan Zhilong's phone and, seeing that only Quan Zhilong was sitting on the sofa in the frame, pressed the record button.
As her friends clapped and sang "Happy Birthday," laughing and singing, Jiang Tinghan remained silent, diligently acting as the photographer.
"Happy birthday, happy birthday!"
Kwon Ji-yong looked at the group of people standing around him. He couldn't hold back his laughter when he heard the first sentence. He then looked at Jiang Tinghan, who was filming seriously, and burst out laughing.
He muttered "Ah..." as he shyly collapsed onto the sofa, trying to cover himself with his robe to escape the awkward situation, revealing the cross tattoo on his calf.
After singing the birthday song, the party ended, and only Quan Zhilong and Jiang Tinghan, along with two cats and a dog, remained at home.
Kwon Ji-yong breathed a sigh of relief: "Honey, let me call the driver to take you home."
Jiang Tinghan returned his phone to him, looking somewhat hesitant: "Actually... there's another surprise."
Kwon Ji-yong immediately sat up straight, his mind becoming much clearer.
What is it?
Jiang Tinghan took off the knitted cardigan she had been wearing all day.
Kwon Ji-yong: "!"
No way? Now?
In that instant of his wandering thoughts, the line of black tattoos, still red and swollen, on his snow-white back came into view.
A string of cursive English words, "Live with abandon. Die with a kiss," clung to her left shoulder like a dark spider web, a combination of pure snow and words of desire—somewhat sexy, yet the reddened parts evoked a sense of heartache.
Kwon Ji-yong suddenly realized why he had been wearing a strapless top and a coat all day – it was to cover this up.
But this location...
He put his arm around Jiang Tinghan's shoulder so many times today, but Jiang Tinghan didn't say a word.
Kwon Ji-yong immediately felt deeply ashamed.
Oh no, he didn't even notice!
Jiang Tinghan: "I've been thinking about it..."
She swallowed back the words, "I shouldn't take the civil service exam, since I earn much more than a civil servant these days," and continued, "No matter what happens in the future, as long as we are happy now, that's enough."
The inscription on Kwon Ji-yong's right shoulder reads "Too fast to live too young to die." This means that time flies by too quickly, and one could die young at any moment, so one should cherish the present moment even more.
The meaning of her left shoulder tattoo is "live life to the fullest, die with a kiss goodbye." It means that whatever you do, as long as you enjoy yourself, that's fine. It's a kind of correspondence, but it also reflects her true feelings these days.
After being together for several months, Jiang Tinghan couldn't just let things slide with her enthusiasm. She thought a lot about what to do when they went public, what to do about their age difference, and whether they should take things further and truly aim to be together for life...
Many questions don't have answers until that time comes, so she thought, let the future worry about these things, and just enjoy the present.
"Die with a kiss" represents a hope that when life ends, one can leave with love and contentment, like a gentle kiss, signifying a life without regrets, and also subtly reflecting her romantic and artistic sensibilities.
Of course, getting a tattoo was a decision made after much consideration, and she even reported it to her company. She did some research and found that there are female K-pop idols with tattoos, and she herself doesn't follow the innocent, naive image. Even if she gets a tattoo, it's a way of expressing her attitude.
She even specifically chose a nice font. She would stare intently at the tattoo artist after each part of the design was completed, and she would break down if the tattoo was ugly. She couldn't accept that an ugly tattoo existed on her body, just like a quality inspection stamp.
Just like Jiang Tinghan when she first saw the cake, Kwon Ji-yong was somewhat speechless.
After a long silence, he finally said, "What should I do? I feel like crying."
What a happy birthday! I had friends, family, and Tinghan.
When a sentence is pierced into flesh and blood, its meaning is completely different.
"Go ahead and cry, after all, we'll have to be more careful and it'll be more difficult for us to go out on dates in the future." Jiang Tinghan still had the mood to joke.
"Who gets such a long tattoo on their first try? Are you a pabo?" Kwon Ji-yong reached out and carefully touched the area that wasn't red.
“That makes a lot of sense,” Jiang Tinghan said, scratching Kwon Ji-yong’s chin as if teasing a cat. “Then Oppa, you should cry a little, so that the suffering I endured with the tattoo will seem more worthwhile.”
Then she was shocked to find that Kwon Ji-yong's eyes were indeed red.
He still had his pride and didn't want Jiang Tinghan to see him crying, so he deliberately chose his girlfriend's clean right shoulder, buried his face in it, and silently shed tears.
He wants to change the tattoo on his back shoulder to "Too happy not to shed tears".
I was so happy that I couldn't hold back my tears.
Jiang Tinghan experienced the most helplessness in her life today. What should she do if she made someone cry?
She helped Kwon Ji-yong up. He didn't look too disheveled, just a little wet at the corners of his eyes and a glistening tear stain on his face, making him look somewhat vulnerable.
For some reason, it excited her, especially when she saw the tears on her eyelashes. Her already bright eyes were covered with a different kind of light, and her temperament became even softer.
She seems to quite enjoy watching men cry.
Jiang Tinghan leaned in and kissed Quan Zhilong's lips, coaxing him softly, "That's enough, don't cry anymore."
Kwon Ji-yong stubbornly denied it: "No, what crying? I didn't cry."
Jiang Tinghan kissed his lips again: "Oppa, if your lips could always be like this, they would definitely be worth a lot of money."
Kwon Ji-yong immediately burst into laughter through his tears, leaned closer, and deliberately wiped his tears on Jiang Tinghan's face: "When will this topic be over?"
He used his worthless mouth to give Jiang Tinghan a lingering kiss, the taste of tears and wine mixed together.
Jiang Tinghan had lost count of how many different kisses they had shared, as if they wanted to savor every flavor in the world through kisses, each one unforgettable.
She ultimately couldn't get back at 1 a.m., and it was already the next day when she returned. She really didn't dare to think back to yesterday, and she couldn't imagine that the birthday song could be used in this way.
Men are really vengeful.
At the same time, Kwon Ji-yong's account was also updated with a video celebrating his birthday.
The filter was the familiar black and white, only showing that there was a cake in front of you, but you couldn't see the specific pattern or shape at all. There was a bottle of wine with "818" printed on it nearby.
But the two diamond necklaces on his chest were very dazzling.
As for the background music, it's another melody that fans have never heard before!
-----------------------
Author's note: I have a feeling that I'm gradually being corrupted by that blond guy.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com