Sold into a ghost marriage? Four-year-old and his thuggish father go on a killing spree.

After spring arrived, the grass on the hillside turned green, and the old locust tree in the yard was covered with tender buds.

Gu Niannian is five years old.

This was the first time she had ever properly celebrated her birthday since she could remember.

Gu Yanqiu started preparing three days in advance.

He used all the work points he received from the brick kiln to exchange for two ounces of precious white flour and a small packet of brown sugar.

He shamelessly went to Aunt Wang's house and bought three eggs on credit, promising to pay her back when he received his wages next month.

On her birthday, just as dawn was breaking, Niannian woke up to a sweet fragrance.

She rubbed her eyes and saw her father, Gu Yanqiu, squatting in front of the small earthen stove, adding firewood to the firebox.

Steam was rising from the large iron pot on the stove.

"Dad, what smells so good?"

Gu Yanqiu turned around, a big smile spreading across his face, which was covered in charcoal ash.

"Our much-anticipated birthday dinner is ready!"

He lifted the lid of the pot, and a steam wafted out, carrying the aroma of flour and sweetness.

Inside the pot was a steamer of plump, white sugar triangles, with three golden poached eggs lying beside them.

In an era when every meal is cornmeal porridge, this is practically a luxury that can only be enjoyed during the Lunar New Year!

Niannian's eyes lit up instantly, and drool began to flow involuntarily.

Gu Yanqiu carried her to the small dining table and sat her down.

In the center of the table, besides the steaming hot sugar triangles and fried eggs, there was a brand new red ribbon and a pair of... somewhat strange-looking cloth shoes.

The shoe uppers were made from old clothes, with crooked stitches and one shoe being larger than the other, clearly made by a novice.

"Dad's knitting skills aren't great, so just make do with these." Gu Yanqiu scratched his head a little embarrassedly.

He spent several nights sewing this by hand, stitch by stitch, under the dim light of an oil lamp.

My fingers were pricked with needles more than a dozen times.

Niannian picked up the pair of cloth shoes; they were small and soft, still warm from her father's body.

She put her feet in; they were at least two sizes too big, and they made a "clattering" sound when she walked.

But she didn't mind at all.

She looked up at Gu Yanqiu, then suddenly opened her arms and hugged her father's calloused thighs tightly.

"Dad, this is the best gift I've ever received!"

The little girl smiled, her eyes crinkling, and her cheerful laughter filled the small house.

Gu Yanqiu's heart was instantly filled to the brim.

All the hard work and fatigue vanished at this moment.

He placed all three fried eggs into Nian Nian's bowl: "Eat up, today Nian Nian is the birthday girl, the oldest!"

Niannian shook her head and carefully used a small spoon to cut one of the largest poached eggs in half, putting one half back into her father's bowl.

"Dad eats too, Dad works hard."

Just as the father and daughter were enjoying this rare and heartwarming moment, the courtyard gate was pushed open.

Aunt Wang walked in carrying a bowl of noodles, smiling broadly, and said, "It's Niannian's birthday today, so Auntie made her a bowl of longevity noodles!"

Immediately afterwards, Cheng Tiezhu's wife, Grandma Liu, also arrived. She took out two peach shortbreads wrapped in paper from her pocket and stuffed them into Niannian's hand.

"I don't have much good stuff, just enough to sweeten the child's mouth."

Even the aunties next door brought over some vegetables they grew themselves and a few wild eggs.

The small, dilapidated house suddenly became bustling with activity.

Everyone sincerely offered their simplest blessings to this poor yet sensible child.

Gu Yanqiu's eyes reddened as she watched this scene, and she kept thanking everyone.

He knew that he and Niannian would remember these kindnesses for the rest of their lives.

As evening fell, the noise subsided.

Niannian held all the gifts she received today, counting them over and over again as if they were precious treasures.

As she was about to pack her things away, she found something wrapped in oil paper on the stone steps at the door.

She opened it out of curiosity, and inside was a children's book!

The cover features a red-faced giant riding a red horse and wielding a large sword, with three large characters written above it: "Romance of the Three Kingdoms".

The artist clearly didn't recognize the last character, so they drew a circle to represent it.

Niannian recognized it; it was the character "义" (yì).

This is the first extracurricular book she owns besides her textbooks!

She immediately guessed that it was a gift from her uncle, Gu Yandong.

Only he knew that he liked reading.

Niannian held the comic book and read it over and over again by the light of the oil lamp all night long.

Those stories of war and unwavering loyalty opened a whole new door in her small world.

This day was very ordinary; there was no cake, no candles.

But for Niannian, this was the happiest day she had in five years.

She finally has everything a "normal child" should have.

However, what she didn't know was that in the darkness not far from her courtyard wall, a pair of venomous eyes were staring intently at the warm light emanating from that dilapidated house.

"Hmph, what a waste of money's birthday, and you're making it sound like New Year's!"

Liu Cuihua spat, her eyes burning with jealousy.

"Gu Yanqiu, your good days are coming to an end!"

She turned and disappeared into the darkness, a wicked plan quietly taking shape in her mind.