Hunt her

The day before Yan Yan's birthday party, Yan Xu received another anonymous birthday party invitation via text message.

However, this time the protagonist is Yan Xu.

Everyone only remembers Yan Yan's birthday, but forgets Yan Xu, who shares the same lunar month and birthday as her.

It's quite surprising that this anonymous person knew this.

On Yan Xu's fifth birthday, her illegitimate younger sister was born, turning what should have been a joyous birthday into the trigger for her parents' marriage.

Her mother also hated her birthday because of this, believing that Yan Xu was born to attract mistresses.

However, it was Yan Shan who cheated, Bai Youyou who knew about the affair, and Yan Xu, who did nothing but want to celebrate his birthday, became the culprit.

From the age of five, when he could remember, to now, in his twenties, Yan Xu still can't understand it.

What did she do wrong?

What's wrong?

When Shen Yi left home in the morning, he had just woken up and his eyes were still glazed over.

He heard a noise in the bedroom, got up, and sleepily said goodbye to her.

Yan Xu also replied with "Goodbye" and went to work.

Strange, Shen Yi didn't go out last night either, so why does he seem so listless, like he hasn't slept well?

Yan Xu thought about it for a while and then stopped paying attention to it. He bought breakfast and brought it to Zhenyunxuan to eat.

Pushing open the door, Yan Xu saw Xiao Tong mopping the floor: "Good morning, Xiao Tong."

Xiao Tong put down the mop, took a gift box from the bar and handed it to her: "Happy birthday, Sister Yan Xu. Although tomorrow is your birthday, I didn't know if you would be on holiday, so I'm giving it to you a day early."

Yan Xu was surprised: "How did you know my birthday?"

The key issue is that her lunar birthday is different from the solar birthday on her ID card.

Xiaotong: "My brother-in-law told me. He said you told him when we got our marriage certificate."

It seems that this is indeed the case.

When they were filling out the forms at the Civil Affairs Bureau to get their marriage certificate, Shen Yi asked her when her birthday was, and she told him. She just didn't expect him to remember.

Yan Xu opened the gift box and took out the contents.

It is a ceramic craft product of Yunzhao County, an intangible cultural heritage, made into a statue of the God of Wealth.

Xiao Tong excitedly congratulated him: "May you have smooth sailing and good fortune, and may you be loved by someone day and night."

Yan Xu laughed out loud at her cuteness: "I've accepted the gift. I wish us all good fortune."

Hearing the commotion, Yan Zheng came out from the backyard: "Boss, you're here. I have a gift for you too."

He took out a brocade pouch from his bag, which was embroidered with the character "福" (fortune). Anyone who didn't know better would think he was receiving a red envelope for the New Year.

Yan Xu peeled it open and saw: "A peace charm."

"I went to a nearby temple yesterday to get this; it's a talisman to protect your health," Yan Zheng added. "You've been hospitalized several times before, so I wanted to give you this amulet to keep you safe and healthy, so you won't have to go to the hospital again."

This gift is very valuable.

Although it doesn't cost much money, the sentiment it contains is worth more than a thousand pieces of gold.

Yan Xu felt a warmth in her heart and said gratefully, "Thank you, I will keep it safe."

Out of the corner of her eye, Yan Xu caught a glimpse of a familiar figure. She turned her head slightly and saw that it was Brother Jingxing who had gotten up.

"Good morning, Jingxing-ge." Yan Xu greeted him. Xiao Jingxing looked sleepy. "You look like you haven't slept at all."

Just like Shen Yi.

The key point is that they are both usually early risers, and today they both felt sleepy when they woke up early, which is quite a coincidence.

Xiao Jingxing raised the back of his hand to yawn: "Good morning. I'll take you to celebrate your birthday tonight, and then I'll take you home after midnight."

"Huh?" Yan Xu was a little confused.

Xiao Tong and Yan Zheng didn't know she didn't celebrate her birthday, so it was normal for them to give her a birthday gift. But Xiao Jingxing knew she hated birthdays and still wanted to celebrate with her, which seemed a bit unusual.

Xiao Jingxing retorted, "Don't you want to celebrate your birthday with Brother Jingxing?"

"No," Yan Xu explained, "It's not about celebrating your birthday, it's that I just don't celebrate it—"

"Then it's settled." He didn't give her a chance to object.

Yan Xu couldn't bring himself to say anything discouraging to Jing Xingge: "Alright."

Perhaps it's because Jingxing has been abroad for too long and hasn't spent much time with her, so he wanted to celebrate her birthday and make her happy.

Aunt Chen was a few minutes late for work today, but she was delayed because she was making longevity peaches.

Aunt Chen handed the things to Yan Xu: "On your birthday, you have to eat longevity noodles and longevity peaches. I made these noodles by hand. I was afraid they would melt if I cooked them and then brought them over, so I had to cook them here. You can eat them later."

Ever since Yan Xu could remember, her birthdays had been filled with noise and arguments, and she had never properly celebrated that day.

This is the first time.

This is the first time I've celebrated a birthday with only blessings, happiness, and well-intentioned gifts, free from any commercial motives.

Yan Xu suppressed the warmth in her heart, not letting it flow from her eyes: "Thank you, Aunt Chen."

Aunt Chen patted her head affectionately, like a mother: "No need to thank me, the birthday girl is the most important."

Yan Xu thoroughly enjoyed the longevity noodles, finishing every last drop of the soup and all the longevity peach-shaped steamed buns.

Although she was very full, she was happy.

After arriving in Yunzhao County, she seemed to be very happy.

Today, only a few scattered customers checked into the store, and it was a very quiet day. However, the hardware store across the street remained closed.

The renovation workers didn't come today either. Could it be that Shen Yi has closed the shop?

Time ticks by, turning in circles, like the rings on a tree trunk, reminding her that another ring has been added.

At night, the stars were numerous.

Xiao Jingxing returned from outside, his hair still a little messy. He grasped Yan Xu's wrist and said, "Come on, I'll take you somewhere."

Before Yan Xu could even ask where they were going, he had already led him to an open space.

A large circle of firework tubes was placed in the middle.

"What's this?" Yan Xu looked up at Xiao Jingxing. "Did you prepare this especially for me?"

Xiao Jingxing nodded, quite satisfied with his preparations: "Didn't you say a long time ago that you wanted to see your own fireworks? I'll arrange it for you this time."

Yan Xu smiled faintly: "Thank you, Brother Jingxing."

Actually, what she wanted to say was that she already had her own fireworks display, and the Torch Festival fireworks show was something she would never forget.

Although it was a fireworks show prepared for all tourists, she had quietly made it seem like it was just for her.

Just like Shen Yi said, she should take the fireworks show as a gift from the best audience position.

Xiao Jingxing ran over and lit the fireworks, then quickly ran back.

Just ten seconds later, with a "whoosh," fireworks burst into the night sky and became shooting stars.

Dazzling and beautiful, yet fleeting, like this birthday, a beautiful and happy day that lasts only once.

Therefore, she should cherish the moment when it blooms.

The previous Torch Festival fireworks show had sponsored sponsors to buy up all the expensive fireworks available in Yunzhao County, leaving only some simple, patterned fireworks.

Fortunately, it wasn't too bad.

The fireworks lasted for a full half hour, and a thick layer of white mist rose into the sky. However, the sulfides produced after the fireworks were set off could disinfect and purify the air, which can be considered a way to make use of waste.

Xiao Jingxing finally took out the gift and said with deep emotion, "I'm sorry, Xiao Xu, for only coming back to China to find you now. If I could have returned before your grandfather passed away, would you have been spared all that...?"

He didn't want to talk about what happened next; he just felt a pang of pain in his heart.

Yan Xu simply smiled faintly: "What I'm meant to experience, I can't escape."

It's ridiculous, isn't it? In her twenties, an age when she shouldn't believe in fate, she already believes in something as ethereal as destiny.

Perhaps she deserves to bear everything she has experienced over the past ten years.

Xiao Jingxing watched her grow up. He saw her in a sorry state when she was kicked out of her home during a thunderstorm, he saw her almost faint from low blood sugar after going five days without food, and he saw her betrayed after trusting someone without hesitation.

In the past, he was always there whenever she needed him.

But when did he abandon her? Did he go abroad? Or was it this time when he returned to China...?

Yan Xu rarely confides in others because she believes that it is useless to talk to others. Not only is it useless, but she also has to bear the risk of the other person revealing her secrets.

So she became more and more withdrawn, until she locked herself in a cage she had built herself.

Others can't get in, and she can't get out.

But Xiao Jingxing was an exception; he was someone she trusted even before she had built a wall around her heart.

Yan Xu: "Brother Jingxing, I suddenly want to stay in Yunzhao County forever. I like it here."

"I understand." Who wouldn't want to stay in a city where they can be happy? He wanted to too. "But Xiao Xu, you still have your grandfather's entrustment on your shoulders. The assets he worked so hard to build cannot be wasted in your hands."

Yan Xu's maternal grandfather spent his life researching chips. Currently, almost all of China's smart machines are monopolized by his chips, with only a small number relying on imported chips.

Yan Xu lowered his head, his heart as heavy as his shoulders: "I know, I've always remembered."

Because she remembered it, she cherished her days at Zhenyunxuan.

Xiao Jingxing became serious: "Have you thought about what to do? Do you need my help? My research on artificial intelligence abroad might be able to help you."

Yan Xu didn't want to talk about work, so she changed the subject: "Let's talk about it later. Let's go back, it's late."

I glanced at the time; it was already ten o'clock.

"Okay," Xiao Jingxing said. "I was originally thinking of taking you home after midnight, when it's your birthday, so you could get some rest earlier."

Yan Xu nodded.

However, Yan Xu did not let Xiao Jingxing escort her to the apartment building.

"I live right next door, no need to see me off." Yan Xu pushed him into Zhenyun Pavilion. "Bye-bye, Brother Jingxing."

Xiao Jingxing didn't insist any further: "Okay, bye-bye, goodnight."

Yan Xu returned home laden with the birthday gifts everyone had given her.

Pushing open the door to the rented room, Yan Xu fumbled for the living room light in the dark.

"Bang!"

As the lights came on, a salute boomed across the sky.

Shen Yi was waiting for her to come back.