Tanabata Cookies
"The seventh day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar is the traditional Chinese Valentine's Day, which was called Qiqiao in ancient times. Legend has it that on this day the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl will have their annual meeting..." Ling Shen looked at the push notification on his mobile phone. The calendar showed that tomorrow was Chinese Valentine's Day.
The shadows of the sycamore trees outside the window swayed gently in the evening breeze. He subconsciously stroked the edge of his phone. The cold light from the screen cast a fine shadow on his eyelashes under his eyes.
Su Nian walked out of the bathroom, wiping her hair. Steam formed a hazy mist behind her. Seeing Ling Shen's eyes cast in thought, water droplets dripping from the ends of his hair left a dark mark on the collar of his pajamas, he shook his wet head and asked, "What are you looking at?"
"Nothing, why didn't you blow-dry your hair before coming out?" Ling Shen's Adam's apple rolled slightly, and the wind he created as he stood up swept across the calendar on the table. He wrapped a dry cashmere towel around Su Nian's hair to cool it, and his fingertips carelessly brushed the red tip of his ear. "The hair dryer is in the second drawer of the sink. I just bought a silent model last week."
Su Nian felt the gentle pressure on her head, squinting in comfort. The air from the air conditioner, wrapped in the scent of jasmine, wove a gentle web between them. "Hmm, I don't want to be exposed to the air. It's too hot." The hot air she exhaled as she spoke hit Ling Shen's wrist, causing a slight shudder.
Ling Shen looked at Su Nian's contented expression in the mirror, and the corners of his mouth curled up unconsciously. Water droplets slid down the lines of the towel into his palm. He knew this person always had a tendency to get mad at little things like this—like how every time they ate hot pot, she'd always put the cilantro in his bowl, but secretly put the peeled shrimp back on her own plate.
"What are you going to do tomorrow?" When Ling Shen bent down, the collar of his shirt revealed a silver necklace on his collarbone. It was a gift from Su Nian for his birthday last year, and it was engraved with the initials of both their names.
He pretended to casually scroll through his phone screen, but held his breath as he waited for the answer.
Su Nian tilted her head and thought for a moment, the end of her hair brushing against the back of Ling Shen's hand. "Tomorrow? I'm going to the bookstore tomorrow. Li Li said there's some kind of event going on. Ha... I'm so sleepy..."
Before he finished speaking, the warmth of Ling Shen's palm spread down the back of his neck, and the gentle rubbing made his eyelids grow heavier. When his breathing became long, his eyelashes were still trembling slightly, like a butterfly resting on the morning dew.
"Good night, sweet dreams." Ling Shen tucked in the quilt, his fingertips lingering briefly on his reddened lips. Moonlight streamed through the gauze curtains onto the bedside, illuminating the open notebook beside Su Nian's pillow. The cover held a photo of them at the amusement park last year on Chinese Valentine's Day, the edges of the photo slightly curled from being rubbed.
The next day, the midday sun blazed down the asphalt road. Su Nian stood at the bookstore entrance, lost in thought as she gazed at the paper-cut magpies displayed in the window. In the reflection of the glass, couples passed by, roses in hand, their laughter as light as bubbles.
As he pushed open the carved wooden door, a bronze bell chimed. "Li Li, what activities are you planning? And what day is it today?"
Li Li, hanging ribbons between the bookshelves, nearly fell off the ladder when she heard this. She pointed at the Cowherd and Weaver Girl poster on the wall, feeling both amused and embarrassed. "Boss, today is Qixi Festival! You know that, don't you?" Rose petals fell on her shoulders, creating a striking contrast with the needlework stall behind her.
Su Nian's eyes swept over the snacks on the counter. They were filled with red bean paste, Ling Shen's favorite. A memory suddenly came back to him—last night, when Ling Shen had asked him about his plans, his knuckles had unconsciously tapped against the table, a clear sign of nervousness. He slapped his forehead, turned, and ran, ripping two buttons off his shirt.
Li Li held the rose and only said half of her words to persuade him to stay, "Boss, you...activity..."
But Su Nian has no time to care about the bookstore's activities now. He needs to prepare quickly and make sure to give Ling Shen a different Chinese Valentine's Day.
Meanwhile, a faint floral scent drifted through Ling Shen's office. Song Ze stood at the doorway, holding a bouquet of flowers, looking at the crumpled proposals and dented pencil stubs scattered across the floor. "Boss Ling, the florist has delivered the flowers."
"Oh, leave it there." Ling Shen stared at the restaurant recommendations on his phone, the screen reflecting his slightly furrowed brows.
The recommended Western restaurants cost 5,000 yuan per person, but none of them could book a view. Private movie theaters were quiet, but Su Nian hated confined spaces. He loosened his tie irritably and suddenly looked up: "Song Ze, what should I get for Ah Nian? Should I take him out for dinner or out for fun?"
Song Ze looked at his boss's rare panic, and his shoulders shook from trying to hold back his laughter. "Boss Ling, you're asking me? I'm single!"
Ling Shen frowned and looked at the assistant in front of him, then waved his hand in disdain. "Alright, come on, it's pointless to ask you. By the way, please notify everyone to leave work an hour early this afternoon and tell everyone to go celebrate the festival."
Song Ze nodded and went down to carry out Ling Shen's order.
Ling Shen was alone with his phone when suddenly an idea popped up in his mind. He slammed the table and stood up, "Yeah, I can cook for myself."
Ling Shen immediately took the car keys and left the company, bought some food and headed straight home. Meanwhile, Su Nian thought for a long time about what to give Ling Shen.
According to the news in the circle of friends on the mobile phone, Ling's father and mother went on vacation to the beach, Chang Zi was forced by her family to go on a blind date, Yu Tao and Yuan Wenzhong made an appointment to see the northern lights together, and everyone in the bookstore gathered together to eat Qiao Guo and thread a needle to pray for good luck.
Su Nian thought about it, then carried out a bunch of things from the outdoor goods store, with a mysterious smile on her face.
"A Shen, I'm back." Su Nian pushed open the door. There was a big bouquet of flowers in the living room and the food was ready in the dining room. Ling Shen was so tired that he fell asleep on the sofa without even changing his apron.
Su Nian lowered his head and sniffed. The aroma that filled his nostrils made him laugh out loud, just in time to wake up the confused Ling Shen. "Are you back?"
Su Nian nodded. Ling Shen pinched his nose bridge, and as if remembering something, he pulled Su Nian to the restaurant, where a table full of delicious food was still steaming.
"Come, sit down and try it. I haven't made it for a long time, I don't know if my skills are still there." Ling Shen smiled a little embarrassedly and handed Su Nian the chopsticks.
Su Nian, however, was very considerate and ate without even looking up, praising the food non-stop, "It's delicious."
After eating and drinking, Ling Shen breathed a sigh of relief, but Su Nian mysteriously blindfolded him and took him out.
"Don't take it off, I'll take you somewhere." Su Nian held Ling Shen's hand and walked slowly forward.
Ling Shen had never thought that Su Nian would prepare a surprise for him. Now that he was being led forward by Su Nian, he began to look forward to it.
Su Nian had already arranged everything on the rooftop: the tent, the telescope, the chairs, the colorful lights. Su Nian pulled Ling Shen to stand in the middle, then picked up the flowers and stood opposite Ling Shen. "Okay, you can pick them now."
Ling Shen raised his hand to take off the tie covering his eyes, blinked to adjust to the light again, and saw Su Nian looking at him with a smile and holding flowers.
"Happy Chinese Valentine's Day." Su Nian handed him the flowers and was held tightly in Ling Shen's arms.
Su Nian felt a little embarrassed as she took Ling Shen to sit on the chair. "I don't know what to give you, but after thinking about it, I decided that giving you a starry sky would be quite special."
Ling Shen put his arm around Su Nian's shoulders and looked at the stars twinkling in the dark sky. "I like it very much."
The evening breeze blew across the rooftop with the coolness of late summer. The colorful lights swayed gently at the edge of the tent, stretching the shadows of Ling Shen and Su Nian.
There was still some red wine in the red wine glass on the table, the starry sky in the telescope was shining brighter and brighter, and the two people lying in the tent were snuggling together, their sweet lips slowly touching each other.
"Ling Shen, happy Qixi Festival."
"Su Nian, happy Chinese Valentine's Day, and I love you."
"I love you too."
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