Chapter 47: Birthday
Every year on Su Zhizhi’s birthday, the village celebrates her birthday.
Although she didn't remember what she did specifically for her birthday last year, she remembered that she probably ate a lot of delicious food.
Wu Yingniang said that she would prepare a fish and mutton feast for Zhizhi's birthday this year.
Grandma Qiu said that she wanted to make longevity noodles for Zhizhi, and she would roll a noodle from beginning to end into a bowl.
Hua Erniang said that she wanted to make a big pot of mushroom soup, the kind that was beautiful and non-toxic.
Su Zhizhi was looking forward to it and waited until June 20th.
She received the new clothes prepared for her by her parents.
The style is refreshing and simple, but the material is soft and loose, light and heat-dissipating. There is a wide belt around the waist with hidden buttons and thin straps sewn on it, which is convenient for hanging small items.
Su Zhizhi happily changed into new clothes:
"Dad, Mom, I like it very much!"
Hao Ren took out a small wolf-hair brush.
Hao Ren made it himself, using the best bamboo and wood from the mountains, and made it into a size that fits Zhizhi's palm. Su Zhizhi's name is also engraved on the tip of the pen.
Su Zhizhi felt it was light and delicate in her hand, and she shouted exaggeratedly:
"This is much more beautiful than the pens in the county's study."
"Knowledge goods."
Hao Ren picked up his daughter and weighed her in his hands.
Quite heavy.
If it gets any bigger, I won’t be able to hold it anymore.
"Zhizhi." Xue Che also came at this time.
Su Zhizhi jumped out of Hao Ren's arms and ran towards Xue Che:
"Ache, are you here to give me a birthday present?"
Xue Che's face was a little red from the sun, like a young man with a beautiful face wearing makeup.
He held a box in his hand and said seriously:
"Zhizhi, happy birthday."
"Thank you, Che."
Su Zhizhi started talking about her birthday a month in advance.
This made Xue Che think for a long time about what gift to give.
Su Zhizhi took the box, opened it, and saw several colorful pieces of wood inside.
There are square ones and Pythagorean ones, and when they are put together, they form a large square.
"What is this?" Su Zhizhi picked up two small pieces of wood.
"It's a seven-piece puzzle," Hao Ren explained gently. "It can be used to piece together various objects."
Xue Che picked up a few wooden boards and, in front of Su Zhizhi, pieced together a little fox:
"You can spell it this way, or this way..."
Su Zhizhi smiled: "Ache, you fight really well."
Xue Che's face turned even redder, and he pursed his lips, which couldn't help but curl up.
"But I can also fight well."
Su Zhizhi took the tangram, pondered it for a while, and finally pieced together a turtle.
Xue Che: ...Okay, you are awesome.
"Dad, Mom, Che and I are going down the mountain to pick up Qing Ning!"
Su Zhizhi invited Gu Qingning to come to Heifei Mountain to attend her birthday party, and Gu Qingning should be here by now.
"Go, pick them up the mountain, it's time for dinner." Wu Yingniang helped Su Zhizhi comb her hair.
The two flower-bud buns looked rounder than usual.
Su Zhizhi and Xue Che went down the mountain together to pick up Gu Qingning, and Abao circled in the air.
Black Bandit Mountain was remote and difficult to find, so they agreed to meet at a fork in the road near the foot of the mountain.
In the distance, a carriage was approaching.
Gu Qingning poked her head out from behind the car curtain and saw Su Zhizhi and Xue Che standing by the roadside. She waved excitedly:
"Zhizhi! Xue Che!"
The servant driving the horse stopped with a "whoa".
Gu Qingning got out of the car, and the two little girls met and hugged each other happily:
"Zhizhi, I brought you a gift."
Gu Qingning took out two pairs of cloth shoes. The soles had fine and solid stitching, and an eagle was embroidered on the uppers, looking majestic and lifelike.
"I told my mother what Abao looked like, and she embroidered it according to what I described."
Su Zhizhi took the shoes, looked up at Po in the sky, and sighed repeatedly:
“It’s embroidered like that.”
Gu Qingning was followed by two servants.
The servant dragged out two large bundles of lychees from the back of the carriage.
"The lychees on my farm are in great demand this year. They're juicy and sweet. My parents asked me to bring some over."
In summer, Lingnan lychees are sweet and delicious.
Although there are lychee trees on Black Bandit Mountain, they don't bear many fruits, unlike the two large bundles that Gu Qingning brought, which were laden with hundreds of lychees.
"If you like to eat, come to my farm next time. I have plenty more."
Gu Qingning picked a few for Su Zhizhi and Xue Che to taste.
Su Zhizhi looked at Xue Che and said, "Ah Che, try some. I heard there are no lychee trees in Chang'an."
Xue Che had eaten lychees in Chang'an and didn't like them very much.
Chang'an is thousands of miles away from Lingnan, and fresh lychees are extremely rare. One can only eat one or two at palace banquets.
It is not big in size, tastes a bit sour and astringent, and does not have much moisture.
Most people eat fried pickled lychees, which have a sweet and thick taste, but Xue Che can't eat it.
Xue Che said honestly: "I don't really like eating lychees—"
Before he finished the last word, Su Zhizhi stuffed a crystal clear and white lychee into Xue Che's mouth.
The sweet juice bursts in your mouth, the flesh is soft and elastic, and the aroma fills your mouth.
Xue Che's eyes widened and he was speechless.
He had never eaten such plump and sweet lychees!
He swallowed the flesh in shock, then picked a few more lychees himself.
Every lychee is equally lustrous and plump when peeled, and shines like agate in the sun.
It was the first time he knew that fresh lychees from Lingnan were so fresh and juicy.
“If I could eat 300 lychees a day, I would be happy to live in Lingnan forever.”①
The ancients did not deceive him!
Xue Che ate several of them before stopping, as if it was the first time he had eaten lychees in his life.
Su Zhizhi and Gu Qingning both laughed when they saw Xue Che like this.
When the group returned to the mountain, they saw that a long table had indeed been set up in the village.
Pots of dishes were brought to the table, and the aroma made people's stomachs stir.
There was a sizzling roasted leg of lamb on the table, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
In the kitchen, Grandma Qiu was cooking longevity noodles, putting a whole noodle into the delicious mutton soup and mushroom pot.
Kong Wu wrapped the fruit with clean gauze, then squeezed it hard, and the juice filled a bottle.
In such hot weather, cooking and moving tables and chairs are very hard tasks, and you will be so tired that your clothes will be soaked with sweat.
But everyone laughed happily.
Because thinking of Zhizhi makes me happy.
“Wow, it smells so good!”
Su Zhizhi was indeed very supportive. She rushed to the table and praised every dish.
“The fish smells good, the meat smells good, and the soup smells good too.”
The villagers brought a huge, intact tiger skin:
"This is everyone's birthday gift to Zhizhi."
The tiger skin is bright in color and the pattern is intact, even the tiger head is still there.
Gu Qingning was a little scared and didn't dare to look.
Su Zhizhi burst into laughter when she saw it, and pounced on it, hugging the tiger skin and rubbing against it.
"Use this tiger skin to make a blanket for Zhizhi today. It will keep you warm and comfortable in the winter."
"There's also a smaller tiger skin. I can sew a little tiger skin skirt for Zhizhi."
Everyone has planned what to do with the tiger skin.
Xue Che imagined Zhizhi wearing a tiger-skin skirt in his mind and couldn't help but curl his eyes.
Hao Ren invited everyone to the table.
"Today is Zhizhi's birthday, a big day for us at Black Bandit Mountain. Let's all toast to Zhizhi."
"I respect you."
Old Man Qin stood up holding the cup.
"I respect you."
Gu Qingning and Xue Che also stood up.
"I respect you."
Everyone stood up, holding their cups.
They were not just respecting a clever child.
What they respected was the turning point from a disaster year to a good year after Zhizhi was born.
They respect every blessing that Zhizhi brings.
Let’s celebrate the child in this desolate world who brings them smiles and warmth.
Su Zhizhi also raised the glass of juice and stood on the stool:
"Today is my birthday, the happiest day of my life. I will celebrate my birthday like this again next year."
"I want it the year after next."
"We will live like this forever."
She smiled so brightly that her eyes were full of stars.
…………
Two days later, June 22nd.
Thousands of miles away, Prince Gong’s Mansion in Chang’an.
Murong Wan was helped up from the couch by her maid, and was put on hairpins, jewelry, and a brocade gauze skirt.
The maids bowed and said in unison:
"This servant wishes the princess a happy birthday."
Seventh Prince Murong Xun strode in: "Is Wan'er awake yet?"
"Father!" Murong Wan walked over, stared at Murong Xun's hands, and asked coquettishly, "Where is Wan'er's birthday gift?"
Murong Xun smiled: "How could my father forget your birthday gift? Your favorite Southern Xinjiang Snow Warrior horse is already in the backyard."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
