Chapter 39
Since the place at home was not big enough, Zhuo Can specially rented a villa specially designed for holding parties for children.
Lu Song suggested using the empty house in his home, but Zhuo Can declined.
Although he was far from having too much money to spend, since it was the first time for him to celebrate the birthday of the little god, he hoped to do everything himself.
Because no one knows if it will be the last time.
On Saturday morning, Xiaohui, who has the best aesthetic sense, took Mianli to buy clothes.
Zhuo Can, Qi Rui and the friends they invited were setting up the venue in the villa, blowing balloons and chatting. They talked about where they planned to go for this year's annual vacation, and when Qi Rui would have a baby to visit.
The children’s party is also an excuse for the adults to take a break.
The one who arrived earlier than Mianli was Tao Yingjia.
The weather is getting warmer. The boy is not wearing a suit today. He is wearing a neat white shirt and a light blue tie. His hair is carefully groomed, his leather shoes are shiny, and he is holding a carefully wrapped gift in his hand.
People say that a child's future can be seen at the age of three. This child will definitely be a popular little gentleman in the future.
I don’t know what Mianli will be like when he grows up.
Zhuo Can became sad. Could he still see? Was he going to compete with the gods for longevity?
Tao Yingjia frowned, looked at the piles of gifts over there, then looked down at the one in his hand.
Not to mention what was inside, just the packaging took him three days to learn, and he failed countless times.
He prepared really hard for Mianli. If he was just left there... I'm afraid Mianli wouldn't even know which one was his.
The child sighed dejectedly and was about to waste his efforts when Zhuo Can stopped him.
The adult took the gift from him and said, "If you don't mind, I'll keep it for now. How about that? When we're done, I'll give your first one to Xiaoli."
Tao Yingjia's eyes lit up: "Okay! Thank you, brother!"
It wasn't big enough to fit in a backpack. Zhuo Can carefully arranged the cards to avoid damaging them.
Qi Rui came over and took a look. The card had the words "Happy Birthday" written on it in crayon.
I haven't started formally learning to write yet, so I can only copy others like I'm painting. My strokes are immature but neat.
Qi Rui asked: "Did you make such elaborate preparations for my birthday when I was a child?"
Zhuo Can smiled: "I should be thinking about how to eat two more pieces of cake."
Qi Rui said: "This little Jia Jia really likes Xiao Li."
Zhuo Can said: "Yes, at the beginning they fought in the nursery class, and I was worried that they wouldn't get along in the future."
Qi Rui smiled: "This is the rule for children to get along with each other - hey, look here."
The card is signed with “++”, which is easy to understand as it serves as the homonym of Jia Jia.
The recipient didn’t write his name, just drew a small wing.
Angel wings.
Qi Rui pointed at the rather vivid stick figure and asked: "Jia Jia, do you know what the sleeping ritual is...?"
Zhuo Can picked up the card and looked at it carefully several times, frowning.
First of all, strictly speaking, Mian Li is not an angel. No angel would have a devil's arrow-shaped tail.
Secondly, he had reminded the children of the Sleeping Ritual no less than a hundred times that magic must not be used in the nursery class and that the teachers and children must not be allowed to know His true identity.
Again, even if Jiajia knew - but Mianli doesn’t have angel wings?
Zhuo Can hesitated: "I'm not sure, right?"
Qi Rui said: "Then don't worry too much, maybe it's just because Xiaoli is as cute as a little angel in this doll's heart."
"Too."
Qi Rui patted his worried old father on the shoulder and said, "Fortunately it's not a daughter, otherwise, you would have felt a sense of crisis!"
Zhuo Can looked at Tao Yingjia who was half-sitting on the sofa with his back straight.
Although it was a bit hot, the child did not untie his tie. He looked towards the door from time to time, twiddling his fingers, looking very nervous.
It's the kind of thing where you dress up nicely, feeling both happy and nervous, just to see one person.
If it's a boy, I don't have to worry...right?
*
Today's little protagonist arrived late, and the moment she appeared, not to mention Zhuo Can and Tao Yingjia, everyone's eyes lit up.
Last time at Xiaohui's wedding, he wore a plain white robe and had flower petal-shaped wrists, looking like a pure and lovely little angel.
Today, on his "birthday", he was dressed up as a little devil.
A red base shirt, a black vest with sequins, pumpkin pants, and shoes with built-in small light strings that glow when you run.
There were a few streaks of black and red oil paint on the fair and clean little face, which looked shiny and looked like a cat's whiskers.
The angel halo on the head was naturally retracted, and replaced by fluorescent devil horns with red stripes on a black background.
The whole person transformed from holy white to the warm black and red.
He is just like a little devil.
Qi Rui remembers what his wife once said: The black and red color combination is always popular, always eye-catching, and always classic.
The devil's tail that had been hidden was now released behind his back, swinging back and forth unrestrainedly, as cheerful as his mood.
Anyway, others will just think it's a decoration or prop on the clothes.
Perhaps some parents cannot understand why they would give their children such an "ominous" metaphor, or are more superstitious and afraid that it will bring some bad omen to their children.
But for Zhuo Can, there is no such worry at all.
——After all, the sleeping ritual is the "mystery" itself.
Mian Li's appearance was truly stunning.
From the moment he entered the door, someone helped him put on his birthday crown.
Next, various balloons and ribbons appeared, and bubble machines were waiting in the wings, reflecting colorful spots of light, floating down from the sky, happily celebrating His "birthday".
However, the little god looked straight ahead, ignored all the celebrations, and looked for the keeper in the crowd with a stern face.
It wasn't until I saw Zhuo Can that I smiled for the first time that day.
Zhuo Can took Him from Xiao Hui's arms, lifted Him up high, and held the cute little devil to the background wall with "HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MIANLI" balloons on it.
All mobile phones, cameras and video cameras are pointed to freeze this moment.
Zhuo Can quietly asked amid the cheers: "Do you like it? It's your birthday."
"I like it!" The child also imitated him and whispered softly, "Li Li's first birthday - thank you Cancan."
Zhuo Can looked at Him in surprise.
As far as I can remember, Kamisama is not such a polite child.
Could it be that after spending too much time with Jia Jia, he became more and more like her?
There seems to be a saying that children will "grow up" suddenly and without any warning at a certain point.
…But isn’t three too early?
Zhuo Can found it hard to imagine what the situation would be like if Mianli became a gentle, sensible and polite gentleman like Tao Yingjia.
It’s like a little devil who does evil and commits crimes in the world, who puts away his tail, puts on a halo, and becomes a real little angel who is holy and flawless.
"Can'er, come on, give me a stick!"
Qi Rui interrupted his thoughts and shouted from the opposite side, waving his hands to direct their poses.
Zhuo Can held Him in his arms and rubbed their foreheads together like big animals and small animals expressing affection.
I hope I don't get any paint on my face.
"Cancan."
Mianli called his name amid the noisy crowd.
"Um?"
"Love you."
The child spoke softly, as if telling a secret.
Maybe one day, He will grow up and begin to learn how to disguise himself, and He will need to be a well-behaved little angel in front of others.
He thought.
But in my case, you can still be a little devil who turns the world upside down.
——Be my own little devil.
*
When it comes to birthday parties, what the little fairy looks forward to most is not the cake, nor the gifts, nor the beautifully decorated venue, nor playing games with friends.
All that Zhuo Can prepared for Him was ignored.
For example, now.
The ordered double-layer cake was distributed to all the children except the protagonist.
The gifts brought by the guests had piled up into a mountain, but Mian Li hadn't even looked at them, let alone opened them.
The uncles and brothers spent a lot of effort to decorate the wall, which is used as a background for the little girls to take selfies.
There were some children playing games, but the birthday boy was not among them.
Where is the little birthday boy?
——In the neglected and uncleaned attic of the villa.
What Mianli likes most is to find a quiet corner away from the noisy crowd and do his own things.
I don’t know if it’s because God has a novel perspective on the human world, or if the cubs are creatures that cannot be measured by ordinary logic.
Ten minutes ago.
Mianli sat on the floor, not eating the birthday cake that he had custom-made at great expense, but opening a box of his favorite caramel cookies.
Zhuo Can and the other adults were busy entertaining the guests, and only Tao Yingjia stayed with Him.
Tao Yingjia was absent-minded, looking at the mountain of gifts that was getting higher and higher over there, and then looking at Zhuo Can's backpack on the other side.
The gift he prepared for Mianli was put into Zhuocan's bag, and Zhuocan also promised to "show it to Lili first."
Now not only is Zhuo Can missing, but Mian Li also has no intention of checking on the gifts.
The child is a little lost.
He turned around and saw Mianli had already finished another box of cookies.
God doesn't gain weight, doesn't suffer from tooth decay, and doesn't suffer from malnutrition, so it doesn't matter if he consumes unhealthy snacks. It's really enviable.
My father always said that you have to fight for your own happiness.
Tao Yingjia gritted her teeth: "Do you want to..."
Mian Li raised his head with an innocent look in his eyes: "?"
Facing such a pure gaze, Tao Yingjia felt embarrassed: "Look, that's it..."
There were biscuit crumbs at the corners of Mianli's mouth: "What?"
Tao Yingjia pursed her lips: "That's right, I want to ask you..."
Jia Jia finally mustered up the courage, but was interrupted by Mian Li.
The younger one put down the cookie box and said, "Lili just found a great place!"
The words Tao Yingjia wanted to say got stuck in her throat, and she swallowed hard, "Ah...?"
He stood up quickly, grabbed Tao Yingjia's hand and ran: "Come quickly!"
The two children rushed left and right in the crowd like cannonballs, running around everywhere.
Tao Yingjia was afraid that he would be bumped by an adult: "You, you go slower!"
Mian Li didn't even turn his head: "You are stupid!"
Tao Yingjia was unconvinced: "What if I get hurt?"
"Lili won't. Only a fool would get hurt."
“…You’re the stupid one!”
The completely meaningless quarrel did not stop them. Soon, Mianli avoided the adults' sight and found the stairs leading to the treasure.
The children held hands and looked up at the deep, endless stairs.
There was no light up there, and there was a rotten, stale smell, which looked a bit scary.
At this point, there is no need to argue about who is the fool.
Who goes up first?
The two children looked at each other and then looked up.
Mianli tugged at Tao Yingjia's sleeve: "Jiajia..."
His voice was small, soft, and had a slightly nasal tone.
Those big caramel-colored eyes stared at him intently, full of dependence and expectation.
Tao Yingjia was also quite scared at first, but when Mianli called out to him and looked at him like that, he suddenly felt a sense of responsibility as a younger brother.
He mustered up his courage and stepped onto the first step.
This kicks off this reckless, young "elopement".
*
Now.
The kids walked up the stairs in fear and trepidation, and were unharmed, as if nothing supernatural had happened.
Kami-chan seemed to have completely forgotten that she was one of the ghosts and gods.
As soon as Tao Yingjia opened the attic door, she was choked by the dust in the room and sneezed several times.
He held the door open, ready to tell Mianli not to come in, but unexpectedly the smaller one bent down and slipped under his arm.
Tao Yingjia: “…”
First of all, the doll is young.
Secondly, the doll is beautiful.
Again, he is a good brother to a sister.
To sum up, Tao Yingjia always subconsciously treats Mianli as another younger sister... no, a younger brother to take care of.
But he became increasingly aware that dolls could not be treated the same way as younger brothers and sisters.
To put it mildly, Mianli is Mianli, unique.
To put it bluntly: He doesn't listen to anyone else.
Mian Li's fear had long since disappeared, and he entered the room before him. The dust also blew in his face without any distinction between high and low.
However, they failed to invade the little fairy's respiratory system - they were all blocked outside by the pale golden light shield.
This was the first time Tao Yingjia saw Him use magic.
Aren't O-Man the only ones that can glow? Why can dolls also?
The boy was stunned.
Mianli rarely listened to Zhuo Can's words. He was very well behaved and cautious in the nursery class and almost never used his supernatural powers in front of outsiders.
almost.
The little fairy caught a glimpse of the dazed expression of the person next to him, paused, and then realized that he seemed to have been exposed.
……oops.
Forget it, since I've been discovered, I'll just go with the flow and make a big move.
"Watch this." He pulled Tao Yingjia's arm and said proudly, "I'll only demonstrate it once~!"
Next, Tao Yingjia, who was four and a half years old and had been taught science and atheism, had his worldview completely overturned.
The paper crown and plastic devil horn hairpin that Mianli was wearing fell to the ground, and in their place appeared out of thin air an angel halo, the kind that only appeared on TV.
It has no support, yet it can float completely above Mian Li's head, emitting a soft and lustrous light.
Several clouds of mist rose at Mian Li's feet, gathering more and more until they formed a cloud, carrying him into the air.
Even the special effects have to be produced by the top team.
Not to mention it's true.
The child raised his hand, and a halo like water waves appeared on his wrist. The faint, sparkling light gradually spread from the bracelet until it filled the entire room.
The golden light was so bright that the two children in the sky and on the earth were bathed in the ocean of light, with their outlines glowing.
After a few seconds, the bracelet retracted its golden light, and the previously dilapidated attic, which had been in disrepair for a long time, was now brand new and spotless.
Tao Yingjia looked up and watched the whole process, and his naive knowledge was refreshed again and again.
He opened his mouth wide, and was still so shocked that he couldn't close it until Mian Li returned to the human world.
The little god holds infinite power and can change the rules, decide life and death, and call the wind and rain.
Creation and destruction are just a matter of a few seconds.
But it was the first time that I felt so proud of showing it in front of others.
After returning to the ground, his face flushed, and he took Tao Yingjia's hand and said, "Shh—don't tell anyone."
Tao Yingjia looked down at their holding hands stupidly, then looked up stupidly and nodded stupidly.
The little fairy smiled and said, "This is a secret between you and Lili."
Tao Yingjia's face turned red with excitement at being able to share secrets with the doll.
Little did he know that he had already been out of the top ten in the ranking of "knowing that Mian Li was a god".
*
The living room on the other side.
After entertaining the guests, Zhuo Can was so tired that he collapsed on the sofa.
Otakus are more or less a little bit socially anxious. He used to be most afraid of occasions like parties, but now he can take the initiative to host a nap ceremony. Not only is he not stage-frightened, but he is also quite organized.
A father should be strong.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his backpack and the zipper stretched open by the gift box, and Zhuo Can remembered his previous conversation with Tao Yingjia.
He took the gift box out of his bag and looked at it over and over again, curious about what gift Tao Yingjia had given him.
However, even children’s privacy is still privacy.
Zhuo Can put it back regretfully and took a bite of the orange ice cream on the cake.
The last piece of ice cream cake left for Lu Song was almost melted, but he still hadn't shown up.
The message I sent also fell on deaf ears. I don’t know what he is doing.
Fortunately, Mianli was busier than him and didn't notice Lulu's absence, otherwise if the child was sad, how could he comfort her?
Zhuo Can sighed and was struggling over whether to put the piece in the freezer or the refrigerator when the latecomer finally appeared at the door.
Lu Song strode over, apologizing repeatedly, "What a mistake! We didn't expect the traffic to be so bad. We had no choice but to find a random place to park and take the subway, but we ended up going the wrong way."
Before Zhuo Can heard the word "men" clearly, he first saw the person behind him.
Strictly speaking, what happened before seeing the face clearly was smelling the discordant cool fragrance amidst the sweet cake smell that filled the room.
——Behind Lu Song, Jiang Xiao, who was not on the invitation list, walked in.
The author has something to say:
I don’t know if Lili is sad or not, but Cancan is definitely sad QAQ
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