Chapter 64
Handmade gifts
The fallen leaves used to make the leaf lamp were picked up one by one by Jiang Fengyi during her walk with Xu Que yesterday. There was one left, which she clipped to the back of her phone case.
Making a leaf lamp is not complicated. The petioles of the collected leaves are cut off, and then AB glue is mixed in a 1:1 ratio to make a dripping resin. Finally, it is poured into a mold containing the leaves and left to stand.
All the tools and materials used were obtained with the help of the program crew.
No two leaves in the world are exactly alike, and there is no other being that so perfectly matches her mind, body, and soul. This is the most unique gift she could give to the other person.
Xu Que and the leaves are both unique.
After sitting overnight, the transparent leaf has taken shape, and the veins and textures on the leaf can be clearly seen through the colorless colloid.
The newly yellowing leaves seemed to be frozen in transparent ice, pausing the passage of time and keeping the withered and rotten leaves by their side forever.
Jiang Fengyi fixed pieces of Time Amber, inlaid with leaves, onto the lamp, which served as a lampshade with gaps around the table lamp.
The small lamp wasn't big, and she secured all the leaves by circling it a few times.
Press the switch and the light source turns on.
The transparent leaves used as lampshades reflect the atmosphere of early autumn, with the leaves hanging on them as if they were still on the branches.
The leaves were reflected on the wall, their shadows magnified. Jiang Fengyi gently turned on the lamp, and the leaves on the wall swayed in the breeze.
A lamp became a tree.
I don't know if she'll like it.
After Jiang Fengyi finished preparing the gift for Xu Que, the production team also set up the birthday banquet venue.
The room was filled with sunflowers, all stretching out their smiling faces; you could feel their radiance as soon as you opened the door.
Staff member: "The planner was having a headache, not knowing what flowers to use for the background, but we didn't expect that the sunflowers suggested by President Jiang would have such a good effect."
The room was bathed in a golden light, as if sunlight were filling the entire space.
Once everything was ready, the director notified Bai Mengran at another filming location that the filming could be accelerated.
Inside the tie-dye studio.
Bai Mengran finally stopped her lengthy explanation of the terms and said to Xu Que, "Now I will demonstrate it first."
Xu perked up and focused intently on Bai Mengran's movements. She soaked the solid-colored fabric that needed to be tie-dyed in warm water, wrung it out after a few minutes, and tied it according to the desired pattern.
Bai Mengran had already prepared the indigo dye in advance; now all she needed to do was soak the bundled cotton-padded clothes in it.
Bai Mengran gestured for Xu Que to try: "No matter how much you talk, it's better to try it out yourself."
Under her guidance, Xu successfully dyed a handkerchief with plum blossom patterns, a striped hair tie, and a long dress with cloud-dyed fabric.
Having successfully completed the task, she held the finished product in her arms and expressed her gratitude to Bai Mengran for her guidance.
The master taught very well, but it would be even better if the explanations before the practical exercises were a little more concise.
On the way back by car,
Xu asked the driver from inside the carriage.
"I want to know if Jiang Fengyi has completed her mission?"
"not yet."
"Then please drive faster, Master, and hurry back so we can still help her."
The show's driver reminded her, "Complete the task first, and a special reward will be waiting for you when you get back."
Xu subconsciously assumed that the special reward was an item or prop prepared by the production team, something she had already planned.
"After I help Jiang Fengyi complete the task, you can give me the reward. Whatever the reward is, I want to share it with Jiang Fengyi."
The staff member driving the vehicle paused for a moment before saying, "To be precise, you should be the sole recipient of this reward."
"But in a sense, you are indeed sharing this surprise."
Xu was completely confused: "Besides being a driver, are you also a philosophy teacher on the side?"
The driver didn't reveal anything further, only saying, "You'll see how accurate what I'm saying is in time."
The journey of ten minutes or so took only a short time.
Xu immediately looked for Jiang Fengyi after getting off the bus, but after searching around, he couldn't find her anywhere.
The film crew chased after her with cameras on their backs.
"Mission: Go collect the special reward first!"
The director was getting anxious off-camera, but Xu didn't go to the location she had set to collect her mission reward. How could she discover the surprise Jiang Fengyi had prepared for her step by step, according to the director's plan?
Xu insisted, "I want to wait for Jiang Fengyi to complete her mission so we can claim it together."
Helpless, the director called out to her and casually made up a story: "There is information about Jiang Fengyi's mission at the reward location. If you want to help her, you can go there first to get the clues."
"Can I just take the clues and claim the reward later?"
director:"……"
"Sure, sure." She gave Xu a definite answer, deciding to get him to the place where the birthday surprise had been prepared first.
Xu walked towards the location given by the production team, and as she walked through the corridor, she slowly realized that something was wrong.
"Could there be a mission waiting for me here too?"
Director: "There are no missions, only surprises waiting for you."
She rarely spoke the truth to Xu, but he didn't appreciate it: "Director, now that you say that, I'm even more worried about what's waiting for me."
Xu kept moving forward in his search for Jiang Fengyi.
Upon arriving at the location provided by the production team, she turned back to confirm, "Are you sure this is the place?"
Xu gently pushed open the door, and what came into view was a sea of orange. Sunflowers, one after another, were picked and moved here under the sun. Standing in front of the flowers, it seemed as if one could smell the sunshine.
Directly opposite her, a banner wishing her a happy birthday was stretched out. Below the banner were rows of life-sized roll-up banners, each featuring her image.
Xu belatedly realized that Jiang Fengyi's unusual behavior was actually due to the program team celebrating her birthday together.
The lights in the room went out in an instant, plunging Xu into complete darkness.
The pitch-black darkness, where she couldn't see her hand in front of her face, filled her with fear, but instead, a warm sense of care grew in places she couldn't see.
Were all of these prepared for me?
A surge of heat welled up in Xu's heart, the burning emotion almost melting her.
A flickering light appeared in a corner of the room, slowly moving towards her, the faint candlelight swaying with Jiang Fengyi's steps as she carried the cake.
Along with it, the popular folk song also began to play.
Happy birthday!
Happy birthday!
The notes danced along with the music.
Jiang Fengyi carried the cake she had made herself to Xu Que with both hands.
Happy birthday, Xu Que.
The flickering candlelight illuminated Jiang Fengyi's jade-like face, the dancing golden light shimmering in her pupils, and the warm yellow candlelight casting a hazy glow on her face.
Xu's eyes lit up with tears, and the passionate emotions in his chest poured out when he faced Jiang Fengyi.
"How...how did you know it was my birthday today?"
Her voice was trembling with tears when she spoke.
"They even prepared a birthday cake for me."
Someone nearby egged them on: "Stop gazing at each other so affectionately, quickly make a wish and blow out the candles."
"This cake was made for you personally by President Jiang. Try it and see how it tastes!"
"W-This is a cake you made?"
"My first attempt wasn't as refined as the cakes from the bakery."
"It's the most exquisite and beautiful cake in the world!" Xu Quezhen stared at the cake in front of her with great reverence. "I'm going to eat it all later."
"There's more here!"
Jiang Fengyi also prepared a cake for the program crew. The cake shop made it and delivered it over. Now, the staff are pushing it in front of Xu Que on a cart.
"Happy birthday! Make a wish and cut the cake!"
Facing the burning candlelight, Xu clasped his hands together and closed his eyes devoutly.
Someone asked curiously, "What did you wish for?"
"Don't say it, your wish won't come true if you say it out loud!"
Xu opened her eyes amidst the noise, her gaze following Jiang Fengyi, making it clear at a glance that the wish she had just made was related to someone else.
Jiang Fengyi reminded, "Quickly blow out the candles."
"Phew~"
A few wisps of smoke rose after the candles went out, but were dispelled by everyone's enthusiastic congratulations, and the lights that came on again shone on every warm, smiling face.
Amidst the clamor of voices, Xu turned his head to look at Jiang Fengyi.
She saw that the person she cared about only reflected her own image in their pupils.
Before even taking a bite of the cake, a sweet feeling filled my heart.
Cut the cake and serve it enthusiastically.
End of a day of fun.
Xu carefully carried the cake, which was still half full, back to her hotel room.
"I'm so happy today!"
Jiang Fengyi walked ahead and pushed open the door.
"This, this!"
Xu stood frozen at the doorway, too afraid to step into this dreamlike realm that seemed otherworldly.
The music box on the entryway shelf glowed with a warm yellow light, repeatedly playing "Happy Birthday to You~"
It was an ordinary and common gift, but it was a gift she had always dreamed of having as a child but never had.
Further inside, the room turned into a sea of orange.
Countless orange balloons, unattached, rise in search of freedom only to be blocked by the ceiling, appearing scattered throughout the suite, with square cards attached to long, thin ribbons hanging down.
Xu reached out to the balloon ribbon closest to her and flipped over the card underneath.
"This is a group photo we took yesterday!"
Xu, however, flipped through the pages, reliving the memories of their love story.
One by one, photos of the two of them were patiently hung on the ribbon, waiting for Xu to slowly flip through them.
Jiang Fengyi said, "I've prepared a gift for you."
"There are more gifts?" Xu asked incredulously. "Aren't these the gifts you prepared for me?"
Jiang Fengyi pulled her toward the coffee table.
"Your gift is here."
The leaves they picked up by hand looked as if they were frozen in transparent ice blocks, and were arranged neatly to form a unique glass lampshade.
Jiang Fengyi bent down and pressed the lamp switch.
Under the cool-toned lampshade, the apricot yellow of early autumn shines through, and the warm light shines through the clear, glass-like lampshade, spilling out between the leaves.
"I made it by hand, I hope you like it."
Jiang Fengyi pushed the leaf lamp toward Xu Que.
"This one-of-a-kind leaf lamp is for you, who is unique."
"I love so much!"
Xu expressed his excitement by embracing Jiang Fengyi.
"Thank you!"
"I really like it!"
Xu's arms, which were wrapped around Jiang Fengyi, trembled slightly, but she could not hide her joy and repeated it to Jiang Fengyi's ear again and again.
"I like it very much..."
She will remember this birthday for the rest of her life.
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