Suppressing the urge in her heart, Qi Huan decided to first properly celebrate Li Shuchen's birthday.
Skipping over Li Shuchen who had already eaten the longevity noodles, she took out several self-heating hotpots from her space and distributed them among everyone as breakfast.
Outside, the rising morning sun swept away the surrounding clouds, shooting out dazzling rays of golden light. The sunlight filtered through the oiled paper on the window lattice, casting a soft glow on Li Shuchen's profile.
Qi Huan swiftly took out an instant camera from her space, snapping a photo of him with a click, slowly printing out a picture capturing his perfect side profile.
"What is this?"
Yan Qinghe was quick to snatch the photo, carefully studying it for a few moments before curiously asking, "...Ahuan, what kind of magical tool is this? How is it even clearer than a painting?"
He became excited, "Quick! Take one of my handsome face."
"Sure, I'll take one of each of you, then we'll take group photos with the birthday celebrant."
Qi Huan mischievously blinked, snatching back the photo and secretly tucking it into her waistband.
After taking solo shots, she explained how to use the instant camera to everyone and began taking group photos. When distributing the photos, she suddenly noticed that Li Shuchen maintained a half-step distance from others in the group shots, but stood closely next to her in their photo together.
Qi Huan sweetly smiled, only keeping that photo in her space while letting the others divide the rest among themselves.
She glanced at the sun, estimating it was around 10 AM, and urged, "Let's go to the restaurant and have lunch there around noon."
"Okay, let's go, go, go, I want to eat sweet and sour pork ribs!" Yan Qinghe excitedly pushed Xiu Wen and Yan Wu, who were still looking at the photos, out the door.
Behind them, Qi Huan and Li Shuchen walked side by side.
"Li Shuchen, do you have any birthday wishes?"
"Yes."
"What is it?" Qi Huan curiously looked at him.
Coincidentally, Li Shuchen also lowered his gaze to meet her eyes, his cool voice like a murmuring stream, "I wish to see the aurora on the summer solstice, and invite a young lady to view it with me."
"...Who is it?" Qi Huan feigned ignorance, still wanting to hear the answer from his own lips despite already knowing there were no other young ladies by his side.
"The one before me."
Also the one in his heart.
Li Shuchen paused, gazing up at the signboard bearing his own calligraphy, "We're here."
"That was fast?" Qi Huan's rosy lips pursed slightly as she followed him through the entrance, letting him and Yan Qinghe go up to the private room first.
She went to the kitchen, gathering all the staff.
"Da, did you buy enough pork belly like I asked?"
Da crossed his hands in front, his back slightly hunched in respect as he replied, "Rest assured, Miss. I personally selected a hundred pounds of fresh pork belly, all placed in the kitchen."
Qi Huan nodded in satisfaction, then instructed, "Da, Niu, today you two don't need to cook anything else. Focus all your efforts on assisting Tao Su in frying the sweet and sour pork ribs. We're closing the restaurant for the day and offering free sweet and sour pork ribs. There may be a larger crowd, so everyone stay calm and serve the customers in an orderly manner."
According to the meat prices in Mo County, pork belly was more popular than ribs and other meats due to being slightly more expensive at fifty cents per pound, so a hundred pounds would cost five taels of silver.
As if seeing the shining silver coins floating away, Tao Su felt her heart ache and couldn't breathe, shooting Qi Huan an accusing look, "Miss Qi, this is meat! If you still want to do a good deed, you might as well serve porridge like last time. Porridge is even more filling than meat."
The other staff also looked puzzled.
Qi Huan smiled, giving a simple explanation, "It's not just a good deed, but also promotion and blessings."
Besides, she had just received an unexpected five hundred taels of silver from Lady Mei, so spending five taels was no big deal.
Seeing her mind was made up, the staff obediently nodded in agreement, secretly thinking to themselves that their family members would also be able to come and enjoy a free serving of sweet and sour pork ribs after hearing the news, which was great.
So they worked with even more enthusiasm.
After dismissing everyone, Qi Huan asked Mr. Xu for some xuan paper and used paste to connect them into a long scroll.
At the beginning, she dipped her brush into the ink and carefully wrote stroke by stroke: Wishing Li Shuchen a happy birthday, may all blessings come your way.
She then added her own name below: Qi Huan.
After a brief thought, she dipped her thumb into the ink and pressed down at an angle on both sides, forming an intersecting heart shape.
Calling for the staff to bring out three tables arranged in a row, Qi Huan spread out the paper scroll on top and set out the ink and brushes, adjusting the position a few times.
At this moment, Mr. Xu came over to relay a message, "Miss Qi, the first batch of sweet and sour pork ribs is out of the wok. They've been wrapped in wax paper as you instructed, totaling thirty-seven servings. Shall we bring them out now?"
"Sweet and sour pork ribs are best eaten hot, so bring them all out. Also, have the staff bring another table and place it next to me to put the pork ribs on. Every person who writes on the scroll will receive a serving."
With everything prepared, the aroma of meat soon attracted a crowd of passersby. The staff maintained order in front of the tables.
"Miss Qi, looks like you're giving out charity again based on this setup?"
"Last time it was porridge, what is it this time? Should we go home and bring bowls?"
"No need." Qi Huan pointed to the baskets filled with sweet and sour pork ribs on the table and smiled, "I've already wrapped them in wax paper, one serving per person. But I need everyone's help with something - just read the sentence on the paper and sign your name, then you can collect your pork ribs."
As soon as she finished speaking, an elderly woman urgently asked, "Miss Qi, what if I can't read?"
"Yes, I can't write my name either."
Signaling for everyone to quiet down, Qi Huan patiently explained, "I'll read out the sentence on the paper for everyone to hear. It's not long, so I believe everyone can remember it. As for not being able to write, it's fine. You can do what I did and press your thumb to make a heart shape."
Mr. Xu was very thoughtful and held up a new, blank sheet of paper. Qi Huan extended her hand, demonstrating as she spoke, and pressed another heart shape with her thumb.
After speaking, she wiped her hands with a handkerchief, raised her head, and told everyone, "To save time, let's recite the sentence together. Remember, it goes: Wishing Li Shuchen a happy birthday, may all blessings come your way."
To make sure no one forgot, she repeated it twice more.
Upstairs, Li Shuchen - with his extraordinary hearing - opened the window upon catching her voice.
Leaning on the windowsill, his gaze lowered, seeing everyone else fade into dullness except for the petite girl with her hair in twin buns, wearing a green dress, who remained vibrant and radiant, as if glowing, firmly capturing his undivided attention.
Qi Huan seemed to sense it too, turning to look up at him with a sweet smile before facing the crowd again, "You can start now."
"Wishing Li Shuchen a happy birthday, may all blessings come your way!"
The well-coordinated chorus of blessings resounded continuously.
Li Shuchen's fingers tightened slightly, his eyes only fixated on that petite figure, his gaze following her every movement in an entranced daze.
Downstairs, Qi Huan was holding the ink stone, passing it to those reaching out to draw a heart shape, or offering the brush to those wishing to sign their names.
The waiters shuttled back and forth between the front and kitchen, continuously replenishing the sweet and sour pork ribs. Mr. Xu and another staff member were in charge of distributing them to everyone.
Everything proceeded in an orderly fashion.
The system also kept reminding Qi Huan in her mind, "Doing good deeds +1, Merit points +1."
"Doing good deeds +1, Merit points +1."
...
"Block."
When the last of the pork ribs were gone and the crowd dispersed, Qi Huan carefully rolled up the paper scroll and hurried over to present it to Li Shuchen.
"For you, Li Shuchen."
Seeing her bright, almond-shaped eyes brimming with sweet smiles, her radiant pupils shining like brilliant stars, Li Shuchen's heart skipped a beat, his Adam's apple bobbing.
No need to wait for the aurora to confess.
He scooped her into his embrace and swiftly carried her out through the back courtyard, heading down the alleyway towards another scenic spot etched in his memory.
