Chapter 24: Birthday Party Letterhead
Chapter 24: Birthday Party Letterhead
At the beginning of autumn, "the grass turns yellow and the wild geese fly south."
The phrase “The sky is losing its summer colors, and the leaves are rustling with the sounds of autumn” officially opens the chapter of autumn without anyone noticing.
And this summer, Feng Yichen's birthday party was still held grandly under the arrangement of Feng's father.
In the past, banquet arrangements were always handled by a dedicated person, but this time the format was slightly different, and Feng Yichen put a lot of thought into the arrangements.
This was not the first time he invited Chi Shu to his birthday party, but Chi Shu was delayed during the day due to other things and was unable to attend.
The person he wanted to share with didn't come, and Feng Yichen felt lost.
Therefore, this was the first time she was invited to a birthday dinner with just the two of them.
When Chi Shu arrived at the banquet hall with the gifts, the magnificent private banquet hall had already been cleaned up.
She had only taken a few steps inside when she saw Feng Yichen striding towards her from the porch—
He was wearing a perfectly tailored satin suit, as bright as a frosty moon. The bamboo shadows, woven with Suzhou embroidery techniques, interwoven densely with dark green and light blue, flowed freely at the lapels. As he moved, the jade-carved buttons on his suit shone brilliantly under the bright crystal palace lanterns.
This outfit makes him look taller and more elegant.
Feng Yichen greeted her with a gentle and bright smile, then took her to the private room in the center of the venue.
Walking slowly behind Feng Yichen, Chi Shu's fingertips involuntarily clenched the letter behind the gift.
Feng Yichen saw that she was not in a good state, so he stopped and turned around to block her, asking with concern: "What's wrong with you? Are you feeling unwell?"
Chi Shu shook his head and forced a faint smile, "It's okay."
Feng Yichen observed the mist and thick clouds that she was trying so hard to conceal in her expression, and did not ask any more questions. He just tried his best to find topics to talk about, intending to dispel the haze that shrouded her head.
The two of them walked slowly across the hall, chatting.
Chi Shu also tried his best to distract himself from the environment of the conference hall, trying to dispel his disturbed thoughts.
The suspended stage built with holographic projection is changing its patterns, sometimes turning into a suspended ink-and-wash mountain, and sometimes transforming into a rotating Dunhuang caisson.
The outline of the flying eaves outlined by neon lights hangs on the dome, and the dynamic ink-and-wash sea of clouds created by the LED screen surges on the background wall.
The gold-sprinkled red silk hanging around is covered with prayer notes. The brush calligraphy on the notes is either vigorous or elegant, or in different styles, and they are all congratulatory words from friends and relatives.
Countless fluorescent lanterns suspended above it are projecting a message of "joy every year"...
All of this shows how lively and cheerful this birthday party is during the day.
At the same time, it also makes the moment even quieter—
Gilded palace lanterns with cloud patterns hang down from carved wooden beams, and a warm yellow halo spreads over the vermilion corridor columns. Eight double-sided Suzhou embroidery screens are embroidered with famous paintings such as "Orchid and Bamboo Cooperation", "Pine, Plum and Two Cranes", and "Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate". They are displayed on one side, dividing the hall into spaces such as "Banquet Terrace" and "Resting Pavilion".
There are also neatly stacked blind box souvenirs on the round table, with eye-catching gold-stamped national trend patterns printed on the packaging.
All of this was quite ingenious. However, Chi Shu had no intention of watching it at the moment.
When I arrived at the wing room, I saw that the gilded carved wooden door was half-open, and the gold-sprinkled palace lantern hanging on the lintel was emitting warm light.
Feng Yichen opened the door and invited Chi Shu to go in together.
Walk a few steps straight ahead, and you can see the world outside the window——
The low couch was covered with brocade cushions, above which hung a Xiangfei bamboo curtain. Nearby, a display case displayed various antiques. In the corner, a few winter plum blossoms were inserted diagonally in a crackle-patterned porcelain vase. On either side of the wall, ebony and jade-inlaid frames displayed hand-painted silk paintings of flowers and birds.
After walking across a section of antique blue brick floor, the main seat is located on the kesi carpet with interwoven patterns of pixilation and auspicious clouds in the center.
The long mahogany table is inlaid with marble and paired with an armchair with an exquisitely carved lotus pattern.
The chairs were upholstered in brocade. From the bone china cups resting on the tabletop, curls of smoke rose, lingering around the water-grown magnolias and asparagus ferns.
The two complement each other perfectly.
Chi Shu felt inexplicably more uneasy.
Feng Yichen invited Chi Shu to sit together in the main seat.
Chi Shu placed the gift in the corner of the shelf beside him. Looking at the gift and letter neatly tied together with a ribbon, he felt infinite melancholy in his heart.
Chi Shu originally thought that everyone would be together this time, so he thought it would be okay to give the letter and the gift to Feng Yichen together. It would be just ordinary among a pile of gifts and would not attract attention.
But she had never expected that there would be only the two of them sitting together for dinner, so the letter seemed to be pulling at the taut string in her mind every moment.
The two were not far apart, but for a moment they could only look at each other in silence.
Feng Yichen spoke first, "The food from the East Kitchen might be served later." He then placed a piece of snow-white Dingsheng cake with rouge dots on a butterfly-shaped blue and white porcelain plate in front of Chi Shu, "But the special tea snacks here are quite good. You can try them first."
Chi Shu turned his head upon hearing this, and saw a shorter round table inlaid with mother-of-pearl, with a Taihu stone as the base in the middle, and three layers of enameled fondant cakes stacked on it.
The food boxes with gold-painted hibiscus patterns neatly arranged around the round table are filled with different kinds of creative and exquisite Chinese-style desserts, which are paired with specially blended teas in white porcelain bowls.
Chi Shu lifted the tea in the cup and tasted it, and found that it really had a unique flavor.
But the worries in her heart also made her feel bitter.
She also seemed a little absent-minded when chatting with Feng Yichen...
By the time the incense maker had replaced the incense in the bone china cup and refilled it with incense sticks to light the lotus seal mold, the waiters in the banquet hall finally came over and served the precious dishes one by one.
Soon, all kinds of delicacies were displayed in the unique containers in the middle of the main table, and imitation Ming-style sweet white porcelain tableware was placed on both sides.
After the two had dinner together.
Feng Yichen took out candles and other items from the storage cabinet beside the table and was about to prepare for the next step.
Chi Shu immediately stood up and took it from him, then leaned over and put the birthday hat on his head. He then put the candles on the cake and lit them. Then he turned to look at him and smiled sweetly: "Feng Yichen, happy birthday to you, make a wish!"
Hearing her charming smile, Feng Yichen finally came back to his senses from her previous series of actions and stood up. His mind moved, and he couldn't help but think:
Why bother making a wish?
My wish is right before my eyes right now, real and tangible.
Hasn’t this already been achieved?
But in order not to destroy the atmosphere and sense of ceremony, Feng Yichen still closed his hands and eyes to make a wish.
As soon as he opened his eyes and blew out the candles, he turned around and saw Chi Shu standing beside him with a gift in his hand. His brows were gentle and his smile was warm: "Feng Yichen, happy birthday! May you be blessed with spring every year and always be filled with joy."
Feng Yichen's eyes flickered with surprise. He gently took the gift from Chi Shu's hand, stroking the corner of the letter with his thumb. He lowered his eyes and looked at her gently, smiling tenderly, "Thank you, I like it very much. But why did you write me such a serious letter today?"
Chi Shu smiled gently, but a bitterness gradually rose in his heart. He couldn't express the pain in his heart, so he could only pretend to be relaxed and asked, "You didn't even see what the gift was, how do you know you'd like it?"
Hearing this, Feng Yichen did not expose her abrupt change of subject, and chuckled: "I like all the gifts you gave me before, and this one is no exception."
Chi Shu pursed his lips and smiled without saying anything, but the bitterness in his heart spread irresistibly.
Feng Yichen carefully considered her expression at the moment, and after a while, he asked gently, "Can I open this gift now?"
Chi Shu nodded when he heard this, thinking that the "gift" referred to the thing in the brocade box.
Therefore, Feng Yichen untied the moon-white ice silk ribbon tied into a bow on the gift, and the brocade box and the letter were immediately separated -
On one side—a piece of lilac-colored Huanhua paper cut into a plain sheet, its seal sealed with eye-catching cinnabar ink, bearing the imprint of a half-bloomed red lotus. Gently stroking the paper with fingertips, one could feel the subtle imprint of fish scales.
On the other side - the corners of the pear wood brocade box are inlaid with silver silk clouds, and the box surface is inlaid with thin slices of green jade. The "Fuchun Mountain Residence" engraved on it emits a cold light when it moves.
Feng Yichen placed the brocade box on the round table and was about to take out the letter, but Chi Shu quickly held his hand down.
Then he heard Chi Shu's slightly anxious voice: "Wait, this letter... read it when you get home."
Feng Yichen lowered his eyes and looked at the soft hand that was gently squeezing in his hand. He thought she was embarrassed to let him read the letter in front of her, so he smiled and said to her with the intention of reassuring her, "Okay, I won't read it now."
There was a hint of coaxing a child in his tone.
When Chi Shu heard this tone, even her nervous and anxious mood was dispersed a little, and her cheeks immediately became stained with a light rouge color. The warmth also spread to her fingertips, causing her to move her fingers away immediately.
Feng Yichen looked at her again, a chuckle escaped from his chest, and he put the letter away carefully.
I picked up the brocade box beside me and opened the magnetic clasp wrapped in navy blue satin. Within the box, I saw an Oak Offshore sports watch. The watch, supported by pearl cotton, gleamed quietly against the velvet lining. The dial was an enamel-fired painting depicting a boat on the Milky Way.
I think it must be specially customized.
Feng Yichen took out his watch and extended a hand to Chi Shu: "Can you please put it on me?"
Chi Shu looked at the expectation in his eyes, stepped forward and took the watch from his hand, lowered his eyes, carefully fastened the wristband, and then helped him adjust his cuffs.
Feng Yichen lowered his eyes to look at her movements on his wrist and the thoughtful and subtle details. He felt as if a soft feather was brushing against his heart, leaving a slight tingling sensation.
He turned his wrist, his smile deepening unconsciously: "It fits very well, thank you."
The two of them tasted the cake together, and then slowly drank tea to help digest the food.
So, this birthday dinner is almost coming to an end.
Feng Yichen took Chi Shu to the exclusive parking lot. He held the gift Chi Shu gave him in one hand and pressed the car key with the other. He immediately saw a Hongqi Golden Sunflower National Gift Lanting Yayun sedan flashing its lights in the dark night. The sensor lights on both sides of the parking lot also illuminated its classic indigo blue body.
This car was one of the birthday gifts that Feng's father had been preparing for him long before Feng Yichen's birthday party, as well as the gifts for the heir who would soon take over the group's internal affairs.
After getting into the car, Chi Shu saw Feng Yichen carefully placing the letter and brocade box into the storage box.
She raised her eyes and stared at Feng Yichen's well-defined profile. Her heart felt like a mixture of emotions, and the mixed feelings in her heart were indescribable.
The fondant cake had just the right sweetness, and the lotus seed tea had a delicate aroma, but at this moment she only felt that the taste was extremely complex.
She knew clearly what Feng Yichen felt in his heart, but she was temporarily unable to respond.
But she also felt that one should not test a person's sincerity.
She had originally been unable to speak decisively to Feng Yichen, so she had to write a letter in a tactful manner. She had thought that the birthday party would be an opportunity to solemnly say goodbye, but she had never expected that they would face each other in such an awkward and embarrassing situation.
So now this extremely thin piece of letter just stayed silently in a corner of the carriage, but it kept increasing her anxiety and uneasiness.
The car had arrived outside Chi Shu's garden-style courtyard amidst the flashing neon lights.
Feng Yichen parked the car but did not unlock the door.
He turned to look at Chi Shu, who was sitting unusually quietly in the passenger seat, and asked with concern, "Chi Shu, what happened to you today? Why do you seem restless from time to time? And why were you distracted while chatting on the road just now? Can you tell me what happened?"
Chi Shu had no answer to these questions.
What should she say? How should she say it?
They were not lovers, and she couldn't just treat him as a friend. She didn't even know what identity she should have at Feng Yichen's birthday party.
Because those thoughts that cannot be hidden may be noticed by others if you are not careful.
She didn't know how to define her current relationship with Feng Yichen. Whether it was from her heart or due to some pressure, she was in a dilemma. She couldn't let go, couldn't move forward, couldn't retreat. She was too conflicted...
However, to prevent Feng Yichen from asking too much, she forced a smile and said, "I'm fine. I'm just too tired today. But it's nothing serious. Don't worry."
Feng Yichen didn't delve into the matter any further, but he couldn't rest assured. Chi Shu's unusual behavior today had been weighing on his mind. He kept trying to distract Chi Shu, but seeing her current state, it seemed to have little effect.
He put away his smile, unbuckled his seatbelt, and approached Chi Shu, his voice still gentle: "I'm sorry, I shouldn't ask so many questions. But Chi Shu, I can't help but worry about you like this. If there is any problem, you can tell me and we can solve it together, okay?"
We? Together?
As soon as he heard these words, Chi Shu's eyes instantly filled with tears. Before he even had time to look up, tears began to fall.
She and Feng Yichen have no relationship yet, but Feng Yichen still takes care of her feelings every moment.
He was clearly only less than a year older than her, yet he was so much more mature than her.
Since high school, he has been her guiding light many times, allowing her to see the light and appreciate the scenery.
But she happened to meet such a wonderful person, but she did not have the strength to stand shoulder to shoulder with him for the time being, so she could only choose to let go.
She just felt that he should also see and cherish the most beautiful scenery, instead of wasting his best years and time with her.
Feng Yichen hadn't expected Chi Shu to burst into tears so suddenly. He quickly pulled out a few tissues from the handkerchief box and gently wiped away her tears. His voice was extremely gentle: "Okay, okay~ Why are you crying all of a sudden? I'm sorry, I was too anxious."
The tears came so suddenly that Chi Shu felt a little embarrassed. When Feng Yichen wiped her tears, she subconsciously raised her hand and gently pinched his sleeve, trying her best to calm down. After a while, she forced a bright smile and said in a soft and gentle voice: "I'm better now. I'm really fine. Don't worry."
Feng Yichen let her pull at his sleeve, and his other hand rested lightly on her shoulder to comfort her, his fingertips hidden by her soft black hair.
When Chi Shu's condition finally improved, Feng Yichen took out a blind box gift from the back seat.
This is different from the gift box packaging on the table before, which shows that it was specially prepared.
Chi Shu took it, and his emotions almost burst out again.
How could she bear this?
Feng Yichen treated her so carefully, but when she was unable to respond to him, the only words she wanted to say to him were the one sentence in the letter -
I hope you all take care of yourself.
Chi Shu felt a great grief in her heart in an instant. She immediately turned her head and blinked her eyes, trying her best to hide her heart that was about to collapse. Then she said goodbye to Feng Yichen.
Feng Yichen also opened the car door and walked with her to the courtyard gate.
The two stood facing each other in the cool moonlit night, each of them speechless for a long while as they had their own thoughts.
The autumn evening breeze blew gently, swaying the hem of Chi Shu's plain silk cheongsam embroidered with magpies and holly leaves. The corners of her woolen knitted shirt, embellished with a red agate button, also swayed in the night breeze.
But now, the indigo pattern of distant mountains on the knitted thin shirt is no longer very clear in the night.
A maple leaf and reed pattern silk headband was wrapped between the loose braids of her black hair, tied with a bow at the end, and hung naturally on the side of her neck along with the soft braids.
She was clearly dressed in an extremely elegant manner, but Feng Yichen inexplicably felt that this made her appear exceptionally soft, even vaguely fragile. This inexplicably left him with a bitter and sour taste in his heart.
He thought it over again and again, and decided to speak when Chi Shu turned around and took a step. However, he changed his tone before the words came out of his mouth: "Chi Shu, I... want to hug you, is that okay?"
Chi Shu turned around when he heard the voice and looked at Feng Yichen, and unexpectedly saw the eagerness in his eyes.
She was in a trance and suddenly felt her heart wavering. Finally, she surrendered to her own heart with some difficulty. After a long silence, she nodded.
Feng Yichen was surprised and delighted, and his tender eyes were filled with sincere and deep attachment and love for Chi Shu.
He moved a step closer to Chi Shu, leaned over and held her in his arms with extra tenderness.
Then he placed one hand on the back of her head and gently stroked it, as if to comfort her, and said tenderly: "No matter what the reality is, don't be afraid, I am here, I will always be here."
These words melted into the bright moonlight and leaped into Chi Shu's ears and heart, causing ripples in her heart.
Looking over Feng Yichen's shoulder, she quietly looked at the hazy night scene around her, feeling overwhelmed with emotion, and couldn't help thinking:
Just let yourself go this time...
In the future... maybe there will never be such a time again...
This thought made Chi Shu feel overwhelmed for a moment. He slowly raised his hand and placed it on Feng Yichen's shoulder, responding to his embrace.
However, Feng Yichen's eyes trembled suddenly because of Chi Shu's action, and his heart trembled as well. Suddenly, shooting stars flashed across his eyes and gathered into rain and mist under the moonlight.
In the hazy and cool moonlight, you can vaguely see silent figures leaning against each other, and faintly hear the mournful chirping of cicadas...
——
As the ink soaked through the window lattices, Feng Yichen also sat comfortably in his study at home.
The parasol trees rustled outside the window.
A wisp of sinking incense was rising from the Xuande incense burner on the desk, and a copper lamp with dragon pattern on the side was emitting a bean-sized halo of light. However, this light seemed insignificant against the backdrop of the bright glass chandelier in the center of the ceiling. The light and shadow also swayed slightly in the wind, making the excerpt from the book "Zhaoming Wenxuan" appear bright and dark.
The pine soot ink in the She inkstone has completely spread out; but the tea in the celadon cup has already gone cold.
Feng Yichen had no intention of adding more tea. He took a sip and then carefully opened the letter Chi Shu had given him.
At this moment, if you slowly rub the paper with your fingertips, you can more clearly feel the dark fish scale patterns.
Unfolding the letter, the scent of frankincense blended with the fragrance of ink filled the air. The small calligraphy on the letter, written in pine soot ink, read:
——————
To Mr. Feng Yichen:
Good luck with your letter!
On this auspicious day, first of all, I wish you a happy birthday!
The weather today is okay, but the temperature has been getting cooler recently. I hope you take good care of yourself and don't worry about trivial matters.
I wanted to write something to express my gratitude to you, but I was too sad to write anything...
I didn't know where to begin...
As I write this letter, night falls. I get up to close the balcony window, but I accidentally catch a glimpse of a breathtaking yet strangely tranquil view:
After the sun sets completely in the west, between the dark blue sky and the ink-like mountains, patches of quiet yet brilliant halos appear on the horizon.
The combination of these elements creates an incomparably beautiful natural painting.
I want to preserve this beauty, but unfortunately, the camera cannot capture even one ten-thousandth of its true beauty.
What I want to say here is that some scenery is too beautiful to be viewed from a distance. It is not even possible to just take a picture of it, let alone to possess it.
Moreover, the long river of time flows by quickly, and the precious time flies away. This short college life is about to come to an end.
I originally thought that after experiencing the endless winters and summers in the past few years, many of the unbearable feelings had long become a thing of the past, but when I think back on the scenes along the way, my heart still can't calm down.
Sometimes I ask myself: Among the scenery along the way, are there more regrets or more beauty...
Yet, looking back, I am speechless and choked up. I still can't let go of the hesitation and indecision I felt at times.
And in this torrent of time, I have the honor of meeting you, which makes me unable to laugh it off.
It’s a pity that “the most unretainable thing in this world is the red face leaving the mirror and the flowers leaving the trees.”
Even those incredibly beautiful people can't reap the fruits of love. I don't have the confidence to possess this beauty, nor do I have the confidence to keep such a beautiful person. I feel extremely lucky to have met him!
There were originally so many things I couldn't express, but as the whispers between the pen and ink reach this point, I realize that this piece of plain paper can no longer hold so much...
May you:
So far, I have ridden my horse through the flowers and witnessed the vicissitudes of life;
This journey is full of high mountains and long rivers, and we can see the prosperity of the world.
In every paradise there are also flying reed catkins;
A free bird should fly to its mountain.
Cherish the time and love that are priceless;
Everything that matters will be in the right future.
I wish you well!
——————
The letter is signed: A farewell letter from Chi Shu in the season of cicada chirping in the west.
As Feng Yichen carefully read every word in the letter, his heart was filled with emotions.
When he read the last word and saw the signature of the letter, Feng Yichen's heart was completely stirred up, forcing him to carefully savor the other deeper meaning of the letter word by word.
If it is said that receiving the letter written by Chi Shu himself made Feng Yichen feel extremely surprised.
After reading the letter again, Feng Yichen felt as if his heart had sunk to the bottom of a valley. Looking around, he felt helpless, feeling only an endless emptiness and the echo of sorrow. He couldn't even believe his eyes, unable to figure out where he had gone wrong.
The pearly orchid he had been carefully protecting turned silently into a sharp blade on his birthday, when he was so happy that he finally didn't have to wait any longer, and it cut into his heart without warning, making him feel lonely and even more painful.
Feng Yichen smiled bitterly in disbelief and self-mockery, laughing helplessly at his own high expectations. He never thought that wishes could hurt people invisibly.
On his first two birthdays, even though Chi Shu only prepared gifts for him, he did not force her, because if he approached her rashly, he was worried that she would be timid and retreat.
But he also felt happy and joyful when he received her birthday wishes and gifts.
He was even more surprised that she agreed to come and participate this time, but he didn't expect the result to be like this.
His beloved Chi Shu gave him a very unforgettable birthday surprise on his birthday, which was more memorable than any other gift she had given him before.
No wonder she agreed to his request today, no wonder she stopped avoiding him, contrary to her usual behavior. So she had made up her mind to say goodbye to him, or to reject his feelings!
In that case, why don't she teach him how to let go?
How could he let go? She, Chi Shuquan, had already become his only exception and preference!
Thinking back to everything that had happened before, and looking at the letter again, Feng Yichen couldn't help but feel sad, but he still put the letter away carefully, and just digested these sudden and complicated emotions alone in this dark night...
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