"Host! Our mission is complete!"
Qiuqiu looked at the points system notification and excitedly waved it in front of Lu Shizhen.
The light shimmering around the small ball transformed into a beam of light as it moved rapidly, overflowing with excitement.
However, Lu Shizhen was not as excited about this as Qiuqiu was.
Or perhaps there's no time to get excited about this right now.
The room was filled with colorful balloons that looked somewhat childish, but they suited Lu Shizhen's taste perfectly.
The numbered balloons, tethered by ropes, swayed and counted "18," celebrating the birthday party host's coming of age.
Previously, Cheng Meiyan had put too much pressure on herself, and Lu Shizhen's mind was full of final exams, so much so that she even forgot about her own birthday.
Moreover, unlike other protagonists in transmigration novels, Lu Shizhen and the original owner seem to have no similarities other than their names; their appearances, hobbies, and special skills are all opposite.
Even their birthdays are several dozen days apart.
—Lu Shizhen's birthday is also in winter, but not at the beginning of January, but at the end of the month.
Even in the original world, Lu Shizhen had never been able to leave the hospital to celebrate a real birthday with her friends and family.
Lu Shizhen still remembers her actual eighteenth birthday.
She almost didn't live to see her first day of adulthood. The mechanical sounds of the monitoring equipment by her bedside were her birthday song, and the balloons tied to the foot of her bed were celebrating her birthday.
She seems to be forever alone.
Not just in this unfamiliar world.
Lu Shizhen never expected that she would have such a birthday party in this strange world during her lifetime.
It looked just like the party she'd seen in comic books, the kind of party she'd been dreaming about since she was a child.
There weren't many people, and there was no ostentatious flattery; those present were all her closest family and friends.
Even Aunt Sun, who usually takes care of me, and my bodyguards like Li, participated.
The light of the setting sun filled one side of the floor-to-ceiling window, and the orange glow made the winter snow seem gentle.
The dim light in the living room cast Xu Shiyue's shadow onto Lu Shizhen's shoulder, and in the light and shadow, Lu Shizhen saw a hint of expectation in the man's calm eyes.
She just asked herself if she liked it.
So, this birthday party is for her...
Looking at the birthday party venue, which was completely contrary to the way the Lu family acted, Lu Shizhen was somewhat surprised by Xu Shiyue's accurate strike.
A faint fragrance brushed away the lingering chill of the outside wind and landed on her shoulder. In a daze, Lu Shizhen felt a surge of warmth welling up in her eyes: "Thank you, I really like this surprise gift you gave me."
Xu Shiyue's eyes crinkled slightly.
Lu Shizhen's words made her feel more satisfied than all the joy she had experienced these past few days.
At this moment, Cheng Meiyan, who had been watching from the side, put her arm around Lu Shizhen's shoulder and chimed in, "Oh dear, if you like her, just like her. Why are your eyes all red?"
Lu Shizhen hadn't expected to expose herself so obviously, and she felt embarrassed.
Before she could explain, Lu Shi'en said indignantly from the side, "Sister, you're too easily satisfied. How can such a simple birthday gift move you so much?"
The little girl's tone wasn't particularly unfriendly, but her eyes were full of awkwardness.
Cheng Meiyan, however, disagreed. Before Lu Shizhen could speak, she said, "Xiao En, you're wrong about that. As long as the sentiment is there, expensive and gorgeous gifts are just decorations. Shiyue and your brother have been so busy these days, but they still didn't forget to prepare a birthday party for Zhenzhen, which is already very commendable. This sentiment is more important than any gift."
Lu Shi'en certainly understood this principle, but she was very unconvinced by Xu Shiyue's birthday gift, which moved Lu Shizhen to tears.
Perhaps out of resentment, or perhaps to vie for favor, Lu Shi'en ran to the gift table and took the gift she had prepared: "In that case, sister, quickly take a look at the gift I prepared for you and see if you like it!"
The light shone through the swaying balloons and fell on Lu Shi'en's face, making her eyes sparkle.
The little girl's enthusiasm caught Lu Shizhen off guard, and she couldn't refuse. So, under the watchful gaze of that expectant girl, she opened the gift.
The ribbon tied with a bow was pulled off, and as the wrapping paper fell, a box of beautiful, high-end oil paints appeared in front of Lu Shizhen.
Lu Shi'en, with his hands behind his back, glanced at Xu Shiyue to the side. Before Lu Shizhen could speak, he eagerly asked in a loud voice, "So, sister, do you like it?"
Lu Shizhen never expected that she would have the chance to receive such high-end and expensive paint in her lifetime. The poverty of her original world made her eyes light up: "Yes, I like it very much."
It was as if a ray of light had suddenly fallen upon Lu Shi'en's world, causing the budding anticipation on her face to bloom like a flower in full bloom.
Before she could even turn around and show off to Xu Shiyue, Cheng Meiyan looked distressed: "Oh dear, Xiao En, you've made the same one as Mom."
“Ah…” Lu Shi’en was stunned for a moment. She was only thinking about pleasing Lu Shizhen and never expected that she and her mother would choose the same gift by such a coincidence.
Despite Cheng Meiyan's relaxed tone, there was still an awkward atmosphere in the living room.
Aside from Lu Shizhen, the main person who should be most concerned about this matter is...
She stared at the gifts in Cheng Meiyan's hands, then reached out and took them too, looking like a miserly, greedy woman, and said with a smile, "Oh, what's wrong with this? The more of these things the better. I like them all!"
Cheng Meiyan originally thought that Lu Shizhen would get angry with her because of this and demand that she compensate her for something.
She was even prepared to agree to whatever the child asked for, just like usual, to appease her emotions, but to her surprise, the child hugged the duplicate gifts to her arms and accepted them happily.
Cheng Meiyan's gentle smile immediately eased a lot: "Our Zhenzhen has really come of age, that's great."
As Cheng Meiyan said this, she raised her hand and touched Lu Shizhen's head, her thin palm filled with the warmth of family.
Lu Shizhen was still somewhat unaccustomed to it, but she accepted this warmth that originally did not belong to her faster than before.
Perhaps feeling neglected by the group of women, Lu Shize walked over and handed Lu Shizhen an exquisite rectangular gift box, saying, "This is my gift, Zhenzhen."
These days, Lu Shizhen has been in frequent contact with Lu Shize, and the sense of unfamiliarity and distance she felt towards him has lessened considerably.
She watched as this person approached expressionlessly, and immediately understood his unwillingness to be left behind as a sister-obsessed individual. After accepting gifts from others, she gladly accepted his gift as well.
Whether the three of them had discussed it beforehand or not, after Cheng Meiyan and Lu Shien each gave Lu Shizhen a set of paints, Lu Shize's gift was an exceptionally exquisite set of sterling silver paintbrushes. The brown-black bristles were soft yet strong, and one touch was enough to tell that they were very valuable.
"How beautiful!" Lu Shizhen exclaimed, lightly touching the dark patterns carved on the pen.
Lu Shize, watching from the side, said, "Then use this paintbrush to paint a picture for me too."
Lu Shizhen, holding a pen, looked up at Lu Shize upon hearing this.
The person remained expressionless, but their calm voice subtly hinted at asking for the painting that both Cheng Meiyan and Lu Shien possessed.
This wasn't the first time Lu Shizhen had seen such a stark contrast in this person's image.
She thought that this was probably the meaning of family.
No matter how aloof and unapproachable you are outside, like a flower on a high mountain, you can continue to be that flower on a high mountain at home, or you can be a brother who is a little temperamental and doting on his sister, a sister who is a little doting on her brother, or a mother who is always a little frivolous.
The silver pen barrel reflected the light in different shades, and Lu Shizhen's gaze suddenly lowered.
She looked at Cheng Meiyan, Lu Shize, and Lu Shien surrounding her, enveloped in a brief moment of familial affection. But these family members who loved her with all their hearts were unaware that the original Lu Shizhen was no longer there.
She was not their sister, older sister, or daughter; she was merely a host residing in this body.
Even so, they were about to lose even their bodies.
The green light indicating mission completion didn't excite Lu Shizhen much; instead, it felt like a sword being drawn, constantly reminding her of her future.
The hardest thing to control in the world is emotion. Even though Lu Shizhen reminded herself many times that this world was just a temporary tool for her to stay in order to improve her health in the future, she found it increasingly difficult to be carefree and indifferent.
It's all Qiuqiu's fault.
The delicate paintbrush twirled in Lu Shizhen's hand, and then she pretended nothing was wrong and hid these thoughts in her heart.
His bright black eyes curved into a beautiful arc in front of everyone, and Lang Sheng agreed, "Okay, I'll give you my brother, my mother, and Xiao En's together."
It's okay if she wants to leave, but she should at least leave them with something to remember her by.
This also includes Xu Shiyue.
As the setting sun faded its last rays of color, the world was plunged into darkness.
The light shone through the floor-to-ceiling windows, making the snow-covered pine trees in the backyard look exceptionally beautiful.
After cutting the cake and finishing dinner, Cheng Meiyan, still feeling unsatisfied, organized everyone to play party games.
Lu Shize originally didn't want to play, but Cheng Meiyan, who was the referee, dragged him over and forced him to be on the same team as Lu Shien, and put on a pink birthday hat.
Lu Shizhen looked at the lively pink hair on Lu Shize's head, which was completely incompatible with his cold and gloomy temperament. She smiled very happily, crossed her legs, and swayed back and forth on the mat.
Just then, a pair of hands reached over Lu Shizhen's head.
A slightly slanted shadow enveloped her, and cool fingers touched her hair, hooking the elastic cord that held the hat in place.
The familiar touch brushed against her earlobe, which was covered with nerve endings, and Lu Shizhen immediately recognized it as Xu Shiyue's hand.
The man's movements were unhurried, while Lu Shizhen seemed to have been acupunctured, her previously restless body suddenly sitting up straight.
The slight coolness gradually turned into warmth. It was hard to say how much time had passed, and there wasn't anything particularly ambiguous about it. Xu Shiyue adjusted Lu Shizhen's hat in front of everyone, her calm demeanor carrying a sense of commonplace innocence: "It was crooked, but it's fixed now."
"Okay." Lu Shizhen didn't know how to react again, and nodded hesitantly.
It's not that she's uncomfortable with Xu Shiyue's actions; she's actually used to this kind of interaction with Xu Shiyue.
That's right, I'm just not used to doing this with Xu Shiyue in front of my brother, mother, and sister.
I don't know if it's because of the different lighting today, but there's an indescribable ambiguity amidst the bright and upright atmosphere.
It seemed as if they were afraid they would misunderstand something because of this.
"Alright, alright, let's start the game." Cheng Meiyan was the first to react, calling on the members of both teams to begin her game.
Lu Shizhen didn't know if the original owner was proficient in this kind of game, but she really knew nothing about this Monopoly-like party game.
Xu Shiyue, who is her teammate, seems to be in the same situation. She needs Cheng Meiyan to remind her what to do after rolling the dice.
The worst part is that Lu Shizhen doesn't know where Lu Shize and Lu Shien get their extremely strong competitive spirit from, wanting to win every single round.
When he faced Lu Shize, things were alright; he held back and didn't let himself lose to the point of drinking. It was Xu Shiyue...
Lu Shi'en guessed all the dice she rolled, but she couldn't guess any of them correctly. She went back and forth between dares and penalty drinks several times, and a faint blush gradually appeared on her pale face.
Lu Shizhen really didn't expect Xu Shiyue to have such a weakness, and couldn't help but think of some opportunistic ways to help her: "Let's play dare again if you lose again. Don't drink anymore, your stomach can't take it. I'll bribe my mom to let you draw a better card."
The girl's voice rang softly and cautiously in Xu Shiyue's ear, its aroma mixed with the scent of alcohol emanating from the glass, making it somewhat alluring.
Lu Shi'en saw Lu Shizhen and Xu Shiyue talking on the other side and swung the cup in his hand, making a clanging sound: "Hey, stop whispering and get ready to start. This is the last round of our duel."
The suggestive smell of alcohol was suddenly dispelled by the sound of dice being shaken, and Xu Shiyue's brows furrowed slightly in displeasure.
She looked at Lu Shi'en across from her, gently shook the cup in her hand, and said in a calm voice tinged with alcohol, "Okay."
Lu Shi'en glanced at his dice, composed himself, and said, "I won't bully you, you guess first."
Xu Shiyue glanced at the girl in front of her who wasn't good at hiding her expression, and said without hesitation, "Three ones."
Upon hearing this, Lu Shien immediately smiled and opened his cup: "Sorry, I only have one."
Lu Shizhen sighed, thinking that Xu Shiyue's calm demeanor meant that everything was settled.
Could it be that she used up all her luck in the business world?
After all, no matter what, a person's luck can't last forever...
Before she could even feel annoyed or think things through, Lu Shizhen, seeing the situation was turning against her, immediately moved closer to Cheng Meiyan while Lu Shien was still guessing the number in Xu Shiyue's hand: "Mom, I'm the birthday girl. If Xu Shiyue loses later, can we do something a little bit..."
As she said this, Lu Shizhen rubbed her hands together in a suggestive gesture towards Cheng Meiyan.
Cheng Meiyan, with an expression that said "she knows what I mean," smiled and patted Lu Shizhen's shoulder, deliberately shuffling the Truth or Dare cards in front of her.
Just as the two were discussing, Lu Shien clapped his hands triumphantly.
As if seeking revenge for their first encounter, she said smugly to Xu Shiyue sitting opposite her, "So, I'm still the one who understands probability better."
"Is that so?" Xu Shiyue asked softly, her tone unreadable, as she turned to look at the dare card that Cheng Meiyan had handed her.
The girl's fingers moved calmly across the fan-shaped deck of cards, and Cheng Meiyan's eyes flickered with the movement of her fingers.
Finally, she watched as Xu Shiyue drew the card she had prepared, just as she had hoped. After receiving the card from Xu Shiyue, she couldn't help but show a satisfied expression on her face: "Then please kiss your teammate for no less than twenty seconds! The kiss must be above the neck!"
Lu Shizhen sat slowly to the side, seemingly lost in thought, and took a sip of water, nodding in agreement with Cheng Meiyan's words.
Thankfully it was just a kiss, not some kind of extreme adventure...
Wait, honey...
A kiss?!
Finally realizing what was about to happen, Lu Shizhen was completely stunned.
Didn't we agree to release the water?
How could Xu Shiyue have drawn such a card...?
Lu Shizhen turned to look at Cheng Meiyan in disbelief, only to see Cheng Meiyan watching her and Xu Shiyue with a smile in her eyes.
Lu Shi'en reacted even more strongly to these words than Lu Shizhen, immediately standing up to protest: "How could Mom have such a grand adventure! Isn't that too much! How could she do that! I think it would be better to..."
Cheng Meiyan, however, acted as if she were being very fair and interrupted Lu Shien's protest with her hand: "Minors are not allowed to participate in the following adventures, so they have no right to speak!"
Then she waved the card in her hand at Xu Shiyue, who had drawn it: "Shiyue, you'd better be true to your word, okay?"
Whether she was genuinely serious enough to adhere to the rules even in games, or for some other reason, Xu Shiyue calmly nodded to Cheng Meiyan after hearing her words: "Mm."
The sound of her body turning made a slight friction noise in the quiet living room. Lu Shizhen saw that Xu Shiyue had indeed silently turned towards her.
She knew what was about to happen, but her throat felt constricted, and her hands, which were hanging limply on the carpet, slowly tightened.
The shadows on the wall were barely visible, and the delicate fragrance of wine mingled with the scent touched Lu Shizhen's lips.
Whether it was Xu Shiyue who was drunk or Lu Shizhen herself, the absurd idea from the New Year popped into Lu Shizhen's head again. In a daze, she actually hoped that the lips that had once touched underwater could really fall again.
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