Chapter 1265: Gratitude Can Also Be Transformed into Affection

In a gazebo not far away, an elderly band was singing; there were instrumentalists, a lead singer, and a backup singer. They were very professional, and they sounded quite good.

Shi Ran sighed with emotion: "If we grow old, it would be quite nice to come to the park like this to sing and take walks."

Yun Qitian suddenly stopped in his tracks, his eyes widening: "Are you saying you want to grow old with me?"

He hadn't dared to think that far ahead; had he been thinking too little?

An unexpected surprise—had his sincerity moved his wife?

"I meant that when one is old, one should enjoy a peaceful life." She didn't answer directly.

"Hey, the ticket office is over there, let's head over."

The entire afternoon.

The couple basically spent the time on the boat chatting.

Shi Ran discovered that she and Yun Qitian had many topics to discuss: talking about the past and present, literature and poetry, history and war... He was learned and talented, and he knew an incredible amount of things.

Time slipped away quietly, and before they knew it, it was evening.

"Hey! You people on the boat, hurry and row back, we're going off duty." It was only when the park's loudspeaker shouted for the third time that the couple realized it was calling them.

"Let's go home, it's getting late," Shi Ran said.

"Alright."

The two returned and were teased by the worker at the pier: "Young people nowadays, there aren't many left who date as seriously as you two. Young people these days, they can't say a few words before they're in a rush to get a hotel room. It's too rare to see a couple who can just sit and chat properly for an entire afternoon..."

The two smiled without a word and left under the setting sun.

Two long shadows clung tightly together, shoulder to shoulder, gradually overlapping.

Since that day of boating in the park, the couple's relationship had improved significantly, but there was still no substantial progress.

There was a hurdle in Shi Ran's heart that she could never quite get past!

June 12th.

This day was Litian's birthday. Shi Youxuan called to tell Shi Ran and her husband to come back to celebrate their younger brother's birthday, and she specifically reminded them—don't forget the gift.

Litian's birthday was the most grandly celebrated among all the boys in the family.

Other people's birthdays could be skipped, but Litian's birthday had to be celebrated, and it had to be celebrated grandly.

It was like this every year.

Sheng Zihan had once been dissatisfied and protested!

He protested that his mother said one thing but did another, and was inconsistent in word and deed.

She said they were all her sons and should be treated equally, but their birthdays were much simpler than his second brother's, and sometimes there weren't even gifts.

Shi Youxuan twisted her son's ear and lectured him: "A child's birthday is a mother's day of suffering; what kind of birthday are you celebrating at your young age? When you have a birthday, I remember the suffering I went through that day! You still want me to celebrate your birthdays? Keep dreaming!"

"You have the nerve to compare yourself to your second brother? Your second brother's biological parents are gone, shouldn't we be a little better to him? Do you want to trade your own biological parents for a birthday?"

"Mom, I was wrong, I was wrong, I'll never compare myself to my second brother again..." The eloquent Sheng Zihan could only offer apologies in front of his mother.

But was it over just by apologizing?

It was not.

When Shi Ran and Yun Qitian returned, they saw Zihan watering flowers at the gate, looking miserable.

"Yo, our Zihan is so diligent today? Watering flowers? But don't just water one; you have to water the other flowers too," Shi Ran reminded him.

Zihan said listlessly: "I know I should spread the favor equally, but I'm doing it on purpose. If I water this one to death, Mom won't let me water them next time. If I water it well this time, there will be another excuse to make me do chores next time."

His mother's voice sounded from behind, very calm: "You underestimate me. If you don't water this one well, you'll learn until you do, and I won't even need to find an excuse."

Sheng Zihan:...

His sister and brother-in-law walked in smiling, leaving him alone, disheveled in the wind.

Indeed, he had underestimated her.

He had forgotten the simplest truth—ginger is spicier when it's older.

Litian didn't go out for his birthday; the house was decorated with lanterns and streamers, and the whole family had prepared gifts to celebrate Litian's birthday in a lively manner.

Zichen, who had the closest relationship with him, took the lead and acted as the head chef in the kitchen, preparing a table full of delicious dishes.

Most of them were dishes Litian liked; no one knew his tastes better than Zichen.

Shi Youxuan also continued the habit she had maintained for many years: personally boiling two eggs in the morning.

One boiled egg was rolled from head to toe to roll away bad luck.

The other was rolled from toe to head to roll out good luck and blessings continuously!

Doing it once or twice wouldn't be worth mentioning, but what was rare and commendable was that for so many years, Shi Youxuan had insisted on doing this on his birthday, never once stopping.

Sometimes she would even forget her own biological children's birthdays, and not just once.

The birthday banquet began; first came the wishing and blowing out the candles.

Litian pressed his palms together, closed his eyes to make a wish, and then everyone blew out the candles together. Today's little birthday boy divided the cake.

The first piece was given to his grandparents, then to his parents, his sister, his brother-in-law...

The last piece was for himself.

"Second brother, what wish did you just make?" Even cake couldn't stop Zihan's mouth.

Litian hesitated: "You can't say birthday wishes, right? They say if you say them out loud, they won't come true."

Zihan: "That's for when you're making the wish; of course you can say it after you've made it. Hurry up and tell me."

Litian's face turned a little red, but because his skin was dark, it wasn't very noticeable.

He still didn't say it, refusing bashfully: "No, it's embarrassing to say it in front of everyone."

Yo!

Litian, who feared nothing in heaven or on earth, actually had a moment of embarrassment?

Now it's done.

Not just Zihan, everyone joined in, persistently demanding he say what wish he had just made; he couldn't get away with not saying it.

"Fine, I'll say it."

Litian's face flushed even redder, and though he was bashful, he still said it.

The wish: I wish for Mom and Dad to be healthy, live long and happy lives, and for Mom to be forever young.

His birthday wish had nothing to do with himself at all; it was entirely blessings for his mom and dad.

Shi Youxuan was moved as she pulled her son into her arms and hugged him tightly.

Her years of devotion had not been in vain; although Litian was usually a child of few words, he understood everything in his heart.

But Zihan wouldn't have it: "That's it?"

"Yeah."

He protested: "What about me? What about me? I'm your brother; why didn't you include me even a little bit when you made your wish? Even a tiny bit would have been fine."

Litian felt even more embarrassed and apologized: "I'll include you next time; I didn't think of it this time."

"Slap!"

Shi Youxuan patted her youngest son on the head and scolded him with a smile: "You slack off when there's work to do, but you're always the first to jump in when there's something good. Have you no shame?"

With his mother coming to his rescue, Litian felt much less awkward.

"I was just joking with my second brother. You're an elder, don't always get involved in children's business," Zihan argued self-righteously.

After Litian's birthday banquet ended, Yun Qitian was dragged off by a few boys to play video games, while Shi Ran and her mother sat on the swing set in the backyard whispering to each other.

Shi Youxuan looked her daughter up and down, making Shi Ran feel a bit flustered inside.

She acted like a spoiled child: "Mom, don't look at me with that kind of gaze, it's so annoying."