Chapter 89 Welcome, little friend, to my twenty-sixth birthday!
A slender finger touched the switch, and the ceiling instantly emitted a bright white light. The two people and two dogs in the living room all closed their eyes slightly.
"Uncle Dan, let's cut the cake." In her opinion, the birthday celebration wasn't complete until the cake was cut.
Dan An smiled and took the knife from Gu Zhaodi's hand, then cut off the first piece of cake.
"Eat up." The man placed the cake in front of the girl, his eyelids slightly lowered as he looked at her.
"Thank you, Uncle Dan." The girl took a bite of the cake; thankfully, it wasn't too sweet, so Uncle Dan should be able to handle it.
"Oh, right, this is my birthday present for you." Gu Zhaodi put down the cake and picked up the small gift box from the sofa.
Dan Anwen raised an eyebrow slightly. There was another gift?
The man opened the gift box himself. Inside was a black tie clip, with gold lines engraved on the long decorative strip. The design was simple yet dignified.
The girl observed that the man didn't like wearing cufflinks, but he always wore a tie clip on his tie, which made him look dignified and gentlemanly.
"I hope everything goes well for you, Uncle Dan." The girl gestured for the man to look at the back of his tie clip.
The gift was embossed with a few small words. She had been planning it for a month in advance, drawing the design herself and having it custom-made at a specialized shop. It took her a full half month to complete.
"Thank you for your blessing, little friend." Dan Anwen suppressed a smile, his dark brown pupils carefully examining the gleaming black and gold tie clip in his palm.
The next day, a black and gold tie clip appeared on his tie. He even spent the morning looking at countless ties to match it, finally finding one that he was somewhat satisfied with.
"Assistant Liu, do you notice any changes in me today?" Dan Anwen asked, leaning back in her leather office chair with a smile on her lips.
Looking at the smile on the president's lips, Liu Lei felt a chill run down his spine. Had the president encountered a ghost?
And is this something a prominent figure would say?
While inwardly cursing, the dutiful Liu Lei carefully observed Dan Anwen.
It seems like nothing has changed, right?
Wait a minute, Liu Lei noticed the man's exquisite cufflinks on his wrist, which he had worn to make his tie clip look more formal.
"President, are you wearing cufflinks today?" Liu Lei asked nervously, with a strange feeling that the answer was wrong.
Sure enough, the reserved man pressed the tip of his tongue against his chin and said in a low voice, "You have no taste."
Liu Lei felt like a million horses were galloping through his heart, and he wanted to cry but couldn't.
If I guess wrong, it means I have no vision. Mr. President, your requirements seem a bit too strict.
Driven by the prospect of a well-paying job, Liu Lei humbly inquired, "So, what changes have you undergone, President?"
When Dan An heard him ask, he replied in a good mood, "I'm wearing the tie clip that a child gave me today."
After saying that, the smile in his eyes deepened, as if he was remembering the birthday surprise last night.
After finishing a piece of cake, Gu Zhaodi felt as if she had forgotten something at the door.
I glanced at Guoguo and Tangtang, who were munching on small meat strips on the ground, and a sudden inspiration struck me.
"Uncle Dan, wait a moment." The girl hurriedly ran towards the door.
The man looked suspicious and followed him a few steps away.
In the courtyard, Gu Zhaodi brought up the longevity noodles that had been left out in the cold wind for most of the day, looking annoyed.
She said she felt like she had forgotten something. Apparently, when she came in, she was afraid that Guoguo and Tangtang would smell the noodles and bark, attracting the man upstairs.
She wouldn't go so far as to put longevity noodles on the table in the yard.
Dan Anwen followed closely behind and saw the girl carrying a thermos, looking regretful.
"What's wrong?" The man's gentle voice rang in the girl's ear.
With a helpless and apologetic expression, Gu Zhaodi said, "I'm sorry, the longevity noodles have all mushy."
The longevity noodles were made by her at Guan Xiang's house, and after more than half an hour in the cold wind, they had almost clumped together.
The moonlight was soft and gentle, and the light of the crescent moon fell on the man's handsome face. His eyes were slightly lowered, and a soft voice came from deep in his throat, "Even if it's lumpy, it's still edible."
Dan Anwen took the thermos from the girl's hand and led her into the house.
He brought out bowls and chopsticks, and then poured out the longevity noodles, which were still warm, from the thermos.
Just as the girl had guessed, the noodles had clumped together, and all the broth had been absorbed by the noodles. Only the golden fried egg looked decent.
"Uncle Dan, it might not taste good anymore," Gu Zhaodi kindly reminded the man as he prepared to pick up his chopsticks.
After thinking for a moment, she said, "How about I make another bowl?"
Dan Anwen shook his head slightly, a faint smile on his lips, "The child's kindness should not be wasted."
Seeing the man eating the ill-formed noodles with gusto, the girl felt a warm glow in her heart; there are always people in the world who cherish your feelings.
She thought this might be the worst-tasting noodles Uncle Dan had ever eaten.
After all, during the time I spent with him, although he didn't pay much attention to his appetite, the dishes he usually served were delicious.
After taking a few bites, Dan Anwen said in a low voice, "The longevity noodles made by the child are delicious."
Her earnest expression almost brought tears to the girl's eyes. In the past, she had always made longevity noodles for her family members' birthdays, but no one had ever praised the noodles for being delicious.
Dan Anwen had already eaten dinner, and this bowl of longevity noodles was actually a bit filling, but he still drank every last drop of the soup.
Seeing the man stand up and walk with a slightly stiff posture, Gu Zhaodi realized that he must have eaten too much; she had forgotten that he had eaten.
"Uncle Dan, this birthday surprise doesn't seem very nice." The girl scratched her hair.
Dan Anwen turned around and patted the girl's head. "The surprise was great, I liked it too. Would you like to go for a walk with me?"
"Uncle Dan, it's 9:30 now. Are you sure you want to go for a walk?" The girl glanced at the clock on the wall.
Winter has arrived, and the cold wind howls through the air. At this time of day, only security patrol personnel are patrolling outside the villa area.
"What I mean is, how about we go for a walk on the top floor of the villa?" The man smiled.
The rooftop terrace of the villa was transformed into a stargazing spot because of the girl's arrival. A glass enclosure surrounded the terrace, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.
A swing chair entwined with vines, a soft and comfortable sofa, a small snack cabinet, and a full set of stargazing equipment.
Once on the rooftop terrace, the two did their own thing. The girl used binoculars to look at the dazzling night sky, and sometimes when she saw something special, she would call the man to come and see it with her.
After finishing his meal, the man immediately started typing on the keyboard.
Dan Anwen raised his hand and glanced at his watch. "Little friend, you should go to sleep."
"I can't sleep. I want to wait until midnight to wish you a happy birthday and welcome your twenty-sixth birthday," Gu Zhaodi said slowly, lying on the soft recliner.
Seeing the girl looking drowsy but still thinking about wishing him a happy birthday at midnight, the man smiled.
"So you care so much about rituals?" Dan Anwen asked the girl softly.
Gu Zhaodi became increasingly drowsy and didn't know what the man beside her was saying, so she nodded haphazardly.
Dan Anwen seemed to be deep in thought, his light brown eyes fixed on the girl's slightly long eyelashes and half-closed eyes.
When drowsiness struck, it was not the girl's weak willpower that could resist it. In the end, she could not overcome the intense sleepiness and closed her eyes.
After slightly increasing the temperature of the air conditioner, the man took out a small blanket and covered the girl with it, then sat beside her and looked at the night sky.
Just before midnight, Dan Anwen gently shook the sleeping girl awake.
It wasn't that he insisted on hearing the child say "Happy Birthday at midnight," but rather that he was afraid the child, when she woke up the next day, would regret not having sent that blessing while she was asleep the night before.
Gu Zhaodi was gently shaken awake. She vaguely remembered what had happened before she went to sleep, and her half-closed eyes widened instantly.
"Uncle Dan, I..." Before the girl could finish speaking with a heavy nasal tone, Dan Anwen slightly curled the corners of his lips and said, "The time hasn't expired yet, there are still five minutes left."
The girl felt relieved; thankfully, she hadn't missed it.
For the next five minutes, she fought off her sleepiness and, at the moment the time on her phone changed, said to the man, "Uncle Dan, happy birthday, and happy 26th birthday."
After saying that, he yawned sleepily and closed his already slightly drowsy eyes.
Dan Anwen's deep, slightly magnetic voice slowly rang in the girl's ears, "Welcome, little friend, to my twenty-sixth year."
The girl responded unconsciously in her sleep, and the man chuckled for a moment after hearing it.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
