Chapter 36
(Parallel universe - their third year after graduating from university)
The first rays of morning sunlight peeked through the gap in the curtains, playfully landing on Lü Xiaoyan's eyelids. Before he was fully awake, he felt the person in his arms wriggling gently like a restless kitten.
Qiu Yayu was already awake, her round eyes fixed on him. Seeing him awake, she immediately smiled, a mischievous yet sweet smile playing on her lips. She leaned closer, nuzzling his chin with her nose, her voice soft and sleepy:
Happy birthday, my big baby!
Lu Xiaoyan's heart melted instantly at the sound of that "baby." He tightened his arms around her waist, pulling her closer, and lowered his head to place a kiss, still warm from the morning sun, on her forehead.
"Mmm," he responded softly, an uncontrollable smile playing on his lips. His work had shed some of his youthful aloofness, giving him a more mature and composed demeanor, but in her presence, his unique tenderness and indulgence remained unchanged.
"Get up, get up!" Qiu Yayu excitedly wriggled out of his arms, jumped off the bed, and ran barefoot to the living room. "There's a surprise!"
Lü Xiaoyan smiled helplessly yet indulgently, and got up as well. Walking into the living room, she saw a simple breakfast already laid out on the dining table—perfectly fried sunny-side-up eggs, toasted bread slices, and two steaming glasses of milk. In the center of the table sat a gift box wrapped… well, very much in Qiu Yayu's style. The wrapping paper was crumpled, the ribbon tied crookedly, but the colors were unusually bright and lively, full of her essence.
"Eat first! No peeking at the gifts!" she commanded, hands on her hips, feigning fierceness, but her eyes gleamed with anticipation.
He obediently sat down and ate the breakfast she had made (though it didn't look very appealing, it tasted surprisingly good). He watched her flit around him like a busy little sparrow, chattering on about how to celebrate his birthday.
"How about we go to that newly opened art museum this morning? I heard there's a fantastic exhibition!"
"I've already booked a restaurant for lunch! It's the Japanese restaurant you like!"
"This afternoon... um, this afternoon is a secret!"
"Tonight... hehe, let's go home and have cake! I ordered your favorite chocolate hazelnut flavor!"
She chattered away, filling the room with life and warmth because of her presence. Lü Xiaoyan listened quietly, occasionally nodding and saying "okay," his gaze always gently fixed on her. He felt this was the best birthday gift—she was by his side, her smile radiant, planning a future with him.
After finishing breakfast, urged on by her impatient voice, Lü Xiaoyan began to unwrap the "exquisitely" packaged gift.
Unwrapping the layers of packaging paper, inside was a custom-made camera bag. It wasn't from a particularly expensive brand, but the workmanship was exquisite, and the compartments were very well-designed. Most importantly, on the front of the bag, a small, simple camera image was embroidered in silk thread, with two crooked letters next to it: "L & Q".
"How is it? How is it?" Qiu Yayu looked at him nervously. "I noticed that your old bag is all frayed! I specially chose this compartment; it can hold a lot of filters and batteries! And also, this embroidery is a design I drew myself and had the embroidered by the craftsman. Isn't it cute?"
Lü Xiaoyan stroked the small embroidery, her heart melting completely. He was always focused on the world in front of the camera and rarely paid attention to the details of his equipment, but she noticed it carefully and, in her own unique way, etched her mark onto his everyday gear.
"I like it very much." He looked up at her, his eyes deep and earnest. "I like it very much. Thank you, baby."
He rarely called her "baby," usually only using it when he was emotional or particularly touched. Sure enough, upon hearing this, Qiu Yayu's cheeks immediately flushed red, but she forced a calm expression and said, "Hmph, if you like it, that's good! From now on, when you carry it out for photos, it'll be like I'm with you!"
He smiled, reached out and pulled her into his arms, sealing her words with a gentle kiss.
The day's itinerary proceeded perfectly according to Qiu Yayu's plan.
At the art museum, she linked arms with him, offering all sorts of wildly imaginative "insights" at the abstract paintings, making him chuckle. He patiently explained some composition and color techniques to her, and although she knew he was right, she would still deliberately argue, enjoying his helpless yet indulgent gaze.
At the Japanese restaurant, she snatched the last piece of salmon belly from him, and when he raised an eyebrow and looked over, she smiled and dipped it in soy sauce and fed it to him.
The afternoon's "secret activity" turned out to be a visit to a handmade pottery workshop. The two of them, their hands and faces covered in clay, clumsily tried to make a mug. Qiu Yayu's mug was crooked and uneven, with an abstract drawing on it—supposedly of what he had photographed; Lü Xiaoyan's was more neat, with a small sycamore leaf carved on the side. Finally, seeing each other's disheveled state, they burst into laughter in the pottery workshop.
When he got home that night, he lit the birthday candles, and as she sang "Happy Birthday" off-key, he made a wish and blew out the candles.
My wish is simple, yet also greedy: I hope she will be by my side for every birthday from now on.
As they cut the cake, she mischievously smeared some cream on his nose. He grabbed her wrist and flicked the cream onto her forehead. Amidst the playful banter, not much cake was eaten, but a sweet atmosphere filled the entire space.
It was late at night, and Qiu Yayu had fallen asleep in his arms, a faint, contented smile on her face. Lü Xiaoyan gently laid her down, covered her with the blanket, and lowered his head to place a tender kiss on her smooth forehead.
Moonlight, like quicksilver, poured into the bedroom, gently enveloping the two sleeping in each other's arms.
Looking at the sleeping face in his arms, he felt his heart filled with an unprecedented and abundant happiness.
Happy birthday.
Yes, because of you, every day of my life is filled with joy worth celebrating.
"Goodnight, my baby," he whispered in her ear.
"Mmm..." She smacked her lips unconsciously in her dream, snuggling even deeper into his arms.
Outside the window, the night breeze is gentle, and the Milky Way is silent. And their story, in this parallel universe, continues to unfold, moving towards happiness.
---
As the morning light fully filled the bedroom, Qiu Yayu was already like a fully charged little animal, energetically beginning to implement her "special birthday plan." She pressed him down in front of the dressing table—although the table was basically covered with her bottles and jars—determined to give him a "limited-edition handsome birthday look."
Lü Xiaoyan felt somewhat helpless, but seeing her serious expression as she held the comb and hair wax as if facing a formidable enemy, he obediently sat down and let her do as she pleased. Her fingertips gently ran through his hair, carrying her unique, sweet and warm scent—a blend of sunshine and a faint fruity fragrance. Occasionally, she would clumsily tug at a strand or two of hair, and she would immediately apologize nervously, then become even more careful.
"Alright!" she finally announced, handing him a small mirror and asking for praise with sparkling eyes.
In the mirror, his hairstyle wasn't much different from usual, except that she had carefully styled his bangs to create a slightly tousled texture, making him look much more energetic than when he just casually styled them. He nodded and honestly commented, "Yeah, it looks great."
Qiu Yayu immediately raised her little face triumphantly, like a cat that had just been stroked and pampered: "Of course! Don't you even know who did it!"
As they left, she naturally reached out and intertwined her fingers with his. Her palms were soft and warm, nestled firmly between his fingers, as if they had always been there.
On the way to the art museum, they passed a flower shop. Qiu Yayu suddenly stopped and looked at a bunch of blooming champagne roses in the window, her eyes showing her delight.
Following her gaze, Lü Xiaoyan patted her pocket and prepared to go inside.
She stopped him, shook her head, pointed to a small, vibrant potted plant with thick, lush green leaves, and said with a smile, "Don't want that (rose), let's buy this! We can put it on the windowsill of your darkroom to absorb 'poisonous gas,' and it's very easy to care for, just like me!"
Finally, they left the flower shop carrying a small potted plant called the "Tree of Life." She held the pot carefully, as if it were a rare treasure, muttering to herself about what to name it.
While viewing the exhibition at the art museum, she became much quieter than before, no longer chattering away. She would linger in front of a piece for a long time, then quietly tug at his sleeve and whisper, "Senior, look at the lighting here, doesn't it look a bit like your 'Street Scene' series from last time?" Or she would point to a bold clash of colors and exclaim softly, "This color combination is so bold, yet so wonderful!"
He discovered that, through years of exposure, her eye for art had become increasingly keen, and she could even offer some remarkably insightful observations. He patiently and quietly conversed with her, enjoying the pleasure of this resonance of souls. Occasionally, passersby cast envious glances at the good-looking young couple, whispering amongst themselves about art.
The Japanese restaurant where she had lunch was quiet and peaceful. She insisted on saying "Happy Birthday" to the waiter in broken Japanese (although her pronunciation was strange, it made the waiter laugh kindly), and then presented him with a palm-sized matcha daifuku with a mini candle sticking out of it, insisting that he blow on it again to say "Happy Birthday Cake".
"The ceremony must be meaningful!" she said confidently.
The afternoon pottery experience was even more chaotic. She was flustered and clumsy, ignoring the mud splattered on her nose, completely absorbed in battling the unruly lump of clay in her hands. While Lü Xiaoyan had already begun to shape a cup, hers was still a hopeless mess. Seeing her pouting, he put down his work, walked behind her, and placed his large hand over her small, mud-covered hands. Together, he guided her, feeling the rhythm of the potter's wheel, slowly shaping the clay in his palm.
"Wow! It's a success!" When she looked at the cup that had finally taken shape under her (and his) hands, although it was still a little crooked, she was so excited that she almost jumped up and turned around to give him a kiss on the cheek with mud splatters on it.
When they got home in the evening, they were both exhausted, but their moods were like cotton wool soaked in the sun, fluffy and warm. He sat on the sofa to rest, while Qiu Yayu went into the kitchen and mysteriously started fiddling with something.
After a while, she brought out two glasses of strangely colored... liquid? One was a rich chocolate color, and the other was a pale milky white, with a few whole blueberries floating on top.
"Ta-da! Special birthday drinks!" Her eyes lit up like stars. "This one is called 'Light in the Darkroom,' and it's yours! This one is called 'Autumn Whispers,' and it's mine! Try them!"
Looking at her expectant eyes, Lü Xiaoyan picked up the "Light in the Darkroom" and took a sip. It was warm chocolate milk with a hint of mint syrup, creating a surprisingly rich and layered flavor that was sweet but not cloying.
"It tastes good," he affirmed.
She immediately beamed with joy, holding her "Autumn Whispers" (which he later learned was honey milk mixed with a little blueberry jam) and sipping it slowly, swinging her toes and squinting her eyes contentedly.
As night deepened, having eaten and drunk their fill, the two snuggled on the sofa to watch a lighthearted and funny movie. At the funny parts, she laughed so hard she nearly fell over in his arms, her hair tickling his chin. He held her with one arm to prevent her from laughing too hard, while his other hand gently stroked her hair.
He couldn't remember what the movie was about. He only remembered that the person in his arms was warm, her laughter was sweet, and the air was filled with the lingering sweet smell of cake and her pleasant scent.
This is probably the most concrete form of happiness.
Before going to sleep, Qiu Yayu magically produced another small USB drive and put it in his hand.
"This is my last birthday present!" she said mysteriously. "You can see it after I fall asleep!"
When she heard her even, deep breathing beside her, Lü Xiaoyan gently got up, went to the study, and inserted the USB drive into the computer.
Inside was a folder named "Inside and Outside the Lens: Continued". Opening it revealed short videos and some photos.
The video is shaky and the image quality is not professional; it was clearly filmed secretly with her phone.
There is a focused profile of him working in the darkroom, outlined by the red light;
There's the image of him, dazed and sleepy, when he's awakened by the morning sunlight;
There are moments when he eats something delicious and his eyes squint slightly in satisfaction;
There was the tender, questioning look in his eyes when he was walking down the street and unintentionally turned back to look for her…
There were also recordings she made of his occasional indistinct murmurs in his sleep, his deep laughter, and even his seemingly serious yet undisguised concern when he scolded her for not eating properly.
The photos were taken by her, capturing little moments of their lives—the succulents they grew together on the balcony, the shopping cart overflowing when they went to the supermarket, their wet shoulders when they shared an umbrella in the rain, his back as he carried heavy equipment on a trip…
Each video and each photo is accompanied by her handwritten (scanned) witty annotations:
"The senior student at work is super handsome!"
"Oh dear, you were caught on camera looking like you haven't woken up yet!"
"Look how hungry he is!"
"Hehe, he's looking for me!"
"She looks fierce, but I like it!"
As Lü Xiaoyan looked at these moments, recorded from her perspective and which he himself had never noticed, his heart was completely overwhelmed by a surging, burning emotion.
She was like a ray of light, not only illuminating his life but also preserving for him these ordinary yet incredibly precious pieces of evidence about "love" from her unique perspective.
He returned to the bedroom and, in the dim light of the nightlight, gazed at her peaceful sleeping face. He leaned down and, very gently, placed a kiss on her lips, as light as a feather brushing against them.
"Thank you," he whispered, his voice brimming with affection. "Thank you for the gift, thank you... for being there."
As if sensing something in her sleep, the corners of her mouth curved upwards into a gentle arc.
Outside the window, the moonlight was like water, and all was quiet.
This birthday, because of her, every moment was illuminated, filled with concrete happiness that will warm countless years to come.
Happy birthday.
My baby.
---
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