Her seventeen years old
Jiang Jingshu felt that everyone today was very strange, and something was very wrong with them.
During breaks, Su Xiaoyue stopped bothering her when she went to the bathroom.
After school, Xie Zhijin didn't go home with her anymore.
Even the system ignored her.
She quietly asked Su Xiaoyue's deskmate, "Do you know where Su Xiaoxiao went?"
After receiving a negative answer from her deskmate, Jiang Jingshu could only silently return to her seat.
Aside from attending classes, Jiang Jingshu could never catch Su Xiaoyue's whereabouts. Su Xiaoyue would sneak away ten minutes before the end of each get out of class and arrive late for class.
Jiang Jingshu thought to herself, "Something's fishy, there's definitely something fishy going on."
In the last class, Su Xiaoyue raised her hand again and said to the teacher, "Teacher, I have a stomachache and would like to ask for leave."
The teacher waved for her to go.
As soon as Su Xiaoyue stepped out of the classroom, Jiang Jingshu quickly raised her hand as well, "Teacher, my gastroenteritis has flared up, and I need to go to the toilet."
"What's wrong with you all?" Although the teacher was displeased, she still let Jiang Jingshu leave.
Jiang Jingshu ran out, but didn't see Su Xiaoyue. The next second, Su Xiaoyue's message came through.
Fortunately, Jiang Jingshu had secretly brought her phone with her. She found a secluded spot and turned on her phone.
"Jiang Jiang, I need your help urgently, I don't have any toilet paper."
Jiang Jingshu smiled as she read the message. Luckily, she carried her phone and some paper with her; otherwise, what would that silly girl Su Xiaoyue have done?
Jiang Jingshu replied briefly to Su Xiaoyue's message and then went to the restroom to look for her.
"I've arrived. Which stall are you in?" Upon reaching the restroom, Jiang Jingshu quickly sent a message to Jiang Jingshu.
"A woman like me will always strive to be number one."
Su Xiaoxiao's voice came from the toilet stall, and Jiang Jingshu, hearing the sound, stuffed the paper under the door.
"Did you eat something bad? You always come out to use the restroom before class," Jiang Jingshu asked her with some concern.
"It's alright, it's alright." To avoid worrying Jiang Jingshu, Su Xiaoyue quickly said, "By the way, Jiang Jiang, did you forget something?"
"What?" Jiang Jingshu felt confused. "I haven't forgotten anything. You're acting really strange today, Xiaoyue."
The bell rang, signaling the end of get out of class. Su Xiaoyue's phone rang, and she quickly said to Jiang Jingshu, "Jiang Jiang, I need to get up. Could you please go back to the classroom and get my schoolbag for me?"
Jiang Jingshu replied with an "okay," then turned to Su Xiaoyue and said, "Something's not right with you."
"No, no." The phone was still ringing when Su Xiaoyue quickly urged Jiang Jingshu to leave, and only answered the phone after making sure Jiang Jingshu had left.
"Hello. Just leave it where we agreed, someone will come and pick it up."
After hanging up the phone, Su Xiaoyue walked out of the toilet stall.
Jiang Jingshu packed Su Xiaoyue's schoolbag and was about to leave the classroom when Xie Zhijin came towards her, took Su Xiaoyue's backpack from Jiang Jingshu's hand, and also took the schoolbag that Jiang Jingshu was carrying on her shoulder.
Jiang Jingshu: ?
"Let's go together." With those words, Xie Zhijin took three bags and walked ahead.
"Wait a minute." Jiang Jingshu quickly caught up with Xie Zhijin. "You might have to wait for me. I need to give my schoolbag to Xiaoyue."
"No need," Xie Zhijin replied briefly.
"What do you mean 'no need'?" Jiang Jingshu was completely confused. As she was speaking, Xie Zhijin suddenly stopped. Jiang Jingshu didn't have time to stop and bumped into Xie Zhijin's back without warning.
"Sorry, Su Xiaoyue messaged me saying she's waiting for you at the Fortune Restaurant." Xie Zhijin explained briefly before continuing on his way.
Noticing Xie Zhijin's steps slowing, Jiang Jingshu stopped chasing him so diligently. "You texted me saying you were waiting for me? Xie Zhijin, look at what you're saying, isn't it ridiculous?"
"Why don't you believe me?" Xie Zhijin turned around, bent down slightly to look at her, "Have you really forgotten what day it is today?"
Xie Zhijin spoke with a slight upward inflection at the end, giving off a somewhat lazy vibe. "Never mind if you don't remember. Just send your uncle a WeChat message today and say you'll be home late."
Jiang Jingshu racked her brains but still couldn't figure out what day it was. "What does 'coming home late' mean? What day is it today?"
"We're just having a meal together, you'll see when we get there." Xie Zhijin seemed to be suppressing a laugh.
Jiang Jingshu could only send Jiang Yuan a WeChat message to inform him in advance.
Soon, the two arrived at the Fortune Restaurant.
Xie Zhijin led her to a private room and said to her, "You go in first, I have something to get."
"Xie Zhijin, you're not planning to sell me off, are you?" Jiang Jingshu teased, seeing Xie Zhijin acting so strangely all day.
"Your thinking is getting more and more outrageous, girl. Go inside, Su Xiaoyue is inside." Xie Zhijin smiled helplessly and handed the schoolbag he had been carrying all the way to Jiang Jingshu. "Please take these in, little birthday girl."
Jiang Jingshu had just taken the schoolbag when she heard Xie Zhijin's words and suddenly realized what he meant. She quickly called her phone to check the date.
"December 24th, the fifth day of the eleventh lunar month, Christmas Eve."
Is it your birthday?
Did she and Jiang Jingshu of this world share the same birthday?
Jiang Jingshu was stunned, and a hint of expectation suddenly appeared in her eyes.
She eagerly pushed open the door, only to be met with complete darkness.
She was a little confused, and the next second, the lights came on.
Jiang Jingshu stared blankly at all of this.
The wall was covered with balloons arranged in a heart shape, and in the center of the heart was a large number 17.
Noticing that her face was slightly damp, Jiang Jingshu wiped it with her sleeve.
The well-known song "Happy Birthday" was playing from the stereo.
She rushed over and hugged Su Xiaoyue.
It looked like it was snowing outside, and the ground was covered in a layer of white. Su Xiaoyue was held by Jiang Jingshu for a long time.
As if her negative emotions from the past few days had finally found an outlet, she released Su Xiaoyue, and the door opened once again.
Xie Zhijin walked in carrying a handful of candied hawthorns.
Jiang Jingshu rubbed her eyes and was pleasantly surprised to see the bouquet in Xie Zhijin's arms. It was a bouquet made of candied hawthorns.
Later, some classmates followed Xie Zhijin in, and everyone had prepared many gifts.
Xie Zhijin handed the bunch of candied hawthorns to Jiang Jingshu, "This is how our friendship began. Do you like them?"
Jiang Jingshu nodded and accepted the bouquet.
Su Xiaoyue pulled Jiang Jingshu aside to show her the birthday cake she had specially ordered.
She pointed to the cake and said to Jiang Jingshu, "Look, the prettiest little person here is you, and the one holding your little hand next to you is me."
Jiang Jingshu chuckled. The two little figures on the cake were playing and frolicking. She pointed to the little figure standing behind them and asked, "What about this one?"
Xie Zhijin coughed deliberately behind her.
Jiang Jingshu turned around and smiled knowingly, "Oh, I know."
There were probably ten people in the private room, but they acted like there were a hundred.
Everyone raised their glasses to wish Jiang Jingshu a happy birthday.
After the commotion subsided, everyone left.
Su Xiaoyue took Jiang Jingshu's hand and said mysteriously, "I have a gift hidden in a corner of this room. Jiang Jiang, come and find it."
Jiang Jingshu tapped Su Xiaoyue's head. "So, did Lady Xiaoyue give you any hints?"
"No." Su Xiaoyue crossed her arms and looked at Jiang Jingshu with a sly expression.
Jiang Jingshu looked around the entire private room and finally found it behind the sign with "17" on it.
She looked at the object in her hand—a glittering gold necklace—and stared at Su Xiaoyue in surprise.
Su Xiaoyue smiled and helped her put it around her neck. "Jiang Jiang, I hope your 17th birthday will be as bright and shining as this necklace."
—
After it was over, Su Xiaoyue was picked up by her family's driver early. Before leaving, she repeatedly told Xie Zhijin to make sure to take Jiang Jingshu downstairs.
The Fortune Hotel is some distance from their residential area.
Xie Zhijin looked at Jiang Jingshu and said, "It's a bit far. How about I give you a ride on my electric bike? Do you want to go for a ride?"
Jiang Jingshu nodded. Today's happiness was too sudden. Perhaps a breeze could help her come to her senses.
"Jiang Jingshu".
When Xie Zhijin called her, Jiang Jingshu responded.
"Happy birthday."
"Thank you," Jiang Jingshu said.
"Did you make a wish when you blew out the candles?" Xie Zhijin asked Jiang Jingshu from the front.
Jiang Jingshu shook her head, realizing that Xie Zhijin couldn't see her movements. She slowly said, "No." In her eyes, wishing was something ethereal and unattainable. She had prayed to Buddha countless times in the deep palace, but none of her prayers had come true.
She doesn't like making wishes; she trusts herself more than anything else.
"If you don't have one, make a wish now," Xie Zhijin's voice came. He slowed down his bike and said, "If you don't make a wish now, your birthday will be over soon."
"There's no need. Making a wish doesn't guarantee it will come true," Jiang Jingshu said.
"How will you know if you don't try?" Xie Zhijin stopped in front of a convenience store. He asked Jiang Jingshu to wait outside for a moment and went into the store.
Jiang Jingshu wanted to tell Xie Zhijin to forget about it, but Xie Zhijin was determined to leave. Before Jiang Jingshu could even speak, he had already stopped the car and headed to the convenience store. Soon, he came out with a lighter.
Xie Zhijin scratched his head a little embarrassedly. If it weren't for the late hour and the lack of cakes, he would definitely have given her another one. He said apologetically, "Sorry, there are no cakes left. This will have to do before her birthday ends."
The boy's hair was tinged with white at the ends, and Jiang Jingshu stood on tiptoe to try and straighten it for him.
Xie Zhijin watched Jiang Jingshu's movements, bent down slightly, and lowered his head.
Jiang Jingshu then realized with surprise and said, "Xie Zhijin, it's snowing."
Xie Zhijin looked at her and smiled. He pressed the lighter and gestured for Jiang Jingshu to make a wish.
Jiang Jingshu closed her eyes and clasped her hands together. "Then I hope that next birthday, Xiaoyue will still be by my side." Before she could finish speaking, she quietly opened her eyes and looked at Xie Zhijin. "And you too."
After saying that, she blew out the candle.
The next moment, she heard Xie Zhijin say, "I guarantee that your wish will come true every year."
"At the very least, I will be there for you every year on your birthday from now on."
—
At the entrance of the residential compound, Jiang Jingshu said to Xie Zhijin, "Let's stop here. It's very close to my home."
Xie Zhijin didn't respond. After returning the sweeping tram, he said, "Let's walk this section together."
"The snow is going to get heavier soon." As the snow continued to fall, Jiang Jingshu spoke slowly, watching the snowflakes drift down.
"I like snow." Xie Zhijin walked forward nonchalantly. "What building do you live in?"
"Number 7".
The two slowly walked to the downstairs of Jiang Jingshu's house. Xie Zhijin handed Jiang Jingshu the gifts that everyone had given her. Just as Jiang Jingshu was about to go upstairs, Xie Zhijin called her back.
Jiang Jingshu turned her head at the sound, and Xie Zhijin handed her an apple.
"I've been so busy wishing you a happy birthday that I forgot today is also an important day."
Jiang Jingshu looked at the apple in her hand and heard Xie Zhijin say, "Merry Christmas Eve. Your birthday is on Christmas Eve. May you always be safe and sound from now on."
"Merry Christmas Eve." Jiang Jingshu smiled and turned around, skipping and hopping upstairs.
On a snowy night, Xie Zhijin watched Jiang Jingshu leave, his gaze drifting towards the window of her house.
A moment later, a familiar figure appeared at the window. A message from Jiang Jingshu came through on the phone, seemingly accusing her. She said, "Why aren't you home yet?" followed by an angry emoji.
Xie Zhijin felt strange; he actually laughed at an emoji. After a long while, he replied, "Goodnight."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
