A Straightforward Approach

Winter break was nearly over, and the day Shen Xinde cared about most was approaching: Gu Zhuoling's birthday.

Shen Xinde had secretly started preparing half a month in advance.

At first, he spent a long time wondering what to give Gu Zhuoling. Since this was the first birthday he would spend with him, Shen Xinde didn't want to give him anything ordinary.

After thinking about it for a long time, Shen Xinde decided to create a little doll for Gu Zhuoling himself.

The doll he thought looked a lot like Gu Zhuoling was now lying safely at Shen Xinde's bedside. He wanted to make Gu Zhuoling a doll charm, the kind he could hang on his schoolbag.

Since Shen Xinde didn't know how to sew, he asked his mom for help.

He would design it himself, and his mom would make it.

Designing something was a real test of imagination and creativity, and it took a lot of time.

Only when Shen Xinde needed that time did he realize how clingy Dolly was! Whenever Dolly had a free moment, he wanted to play with him. Haohao hardly had any time to prepare the surprise.

Shen Xinde was an honest, straightforward child. He wouldn't brush Gu Zhuoling off just to prepare a little surprise for him. Gu Zhuoling was very sensitive; if Shen Xinde hid from him to prepare the gift, Gu Zhuoling would end up sprawled on his bed, bawling again.

So, the day before kindergarten started, the two of them got together to organize their little schoolbags, and Shen Xinde told him outright that he needed some personal space for a while.

"Haohao can't play with Dolly in the evenings for a while." Shen Xinde stood in front of Gu Zhuoling with his hands on his hips.

Gu Zhuoling froze. "Why, Haohao?" he asked carefully.

"Haohao has to start preparing Dolly's birthday present!" Shen Xinde folded his arms and held his head high.

Gu Zhuoling's heart began to pound when he heard that.

The closer his birthday got, the more excited Gu Zhuoling became. He wondered whether Haohao would give him a present, and what it might be.

But sometimes he also felt he shouldn't get his hopes up so high. It would be all right if Haohao didn't give him anything.

Now, hearing that Shen Xinde was going to prepare a present for him, Gu Zhuoling felt a joy he couldn't put into words. He sat on the rug with his lips pressed together, saying nothing.

Shen Xinde had held his head up for a long time without hearing Gu Zhuoling say anything, so he glanced sideways at him. "Haohao is preparing a surprise for you, so Dolly has to be good for a while, okay?"

Gu Zhuoling said nothing, just nodded over and over.

Satisfied at last, Shen Xinde cupped Gu Zhuoling's face and rewarded him with a sweet kiss.

After telling Gu Zhuoling directly, Shen Xinde had much more time in the evenings to think about how to draw and design the doll.

He had to make it up to Gu Zhuoling at kindergarten in the mornings, then rack his brains again when he got home at night. For the past few days, Shen Xinde had been sleeping like a log as soon as his head hit his kindergarten pillow at noon, and sleeping like the dead as soon as it hit his pillow at home at night.

Finally, he drew a very cute little figure that was practically a chibi version of Gu Zhuoling.

Shen Xinde gave the design to his mom and discussed how to sew the doll with her.

Then his mom got started on it.

Xia Wanqing had studied fashion design, which was helpful when it came to making dolls.

Shen Xinde also wanted a little surprise, so if you lifted the doll's hair, you could see the word "Dolly" sewn underneath in very, very tiny letters.

Finally, in early March, the day before Gu Zhuoling's birthday, a perfect little charm was born.

Shen Xinde placed it in a specially prepared box lined with white Raffia and put it on his bedside table.

As luck would have it, Gu Zhuoling's birthday fell on a Wednesday, when he had school.

Zhou Jingyi had decided that Gu Zhuoling could invite his kindergarten friends to his birthday this time, and Gu Zhuoling would invite them himself the day before.

Gu Zhuoling didn't invite many people. He mentioned Zhuang Xingye, added Jiang Nan at most, and got away with it.

When Shen Xinde saw Gu Zhuoling on Wednesday morning, he threw his arms around him and planted more than three hundred kisses all over his face.

"Happy birthday, Dolly, kiss kiss~ Happy birthday~ Dolly~"

Gu Zhuoling kept his eyes closed and let Shen Xinde finish kissing him. Only then did he blush and say thank you.

Shen Xinde was especially attached to Gu Zhuoling that day. Even on the way to kindergarten, he stayed pressed close to him as they talked.

Free time at noon was no exception.

He clung to Gu Zhuoling, showering him with birthday wishes and sweet kisses.

"Dolly, Haohao won't be going home from school with you this afternoon." When it was time for their nap, Shen Xinde stood at the classroom door and delivered the terrible news.

"Why?" Gu Zhuoling frowned slightly, a little dejected.

It was his birthday today, so why wasn't Haohao going to stay with him?

"Haohao still has a surprise." Shen Xinde patted Gu Zhuoling on the shoulder reassuringly, looking very mature. "Be good, Dolly."

Gu Zhuoling had no choice. For the sake of his surprise, he could only agree.

When Shen Xinde returned to the nap room, Jiang Nan was sitting on his bed in a daze.

"What's wrong, Nan Nan? What are you thinking about?" Shen Xinde leaned closer, a little curious.

Jiang Nan came back to his senses and grabbed Shen Xinde's arm. "Haohao, what does your brother like?"

"He likes lots of things: flowers and plants, puzzles, books."

Shen Xinde counted them off on his fingers.

"It's my first time being invited to a birthday party. I don't know what to give him." Jiang Nan frowned in distress.

"It's okay. He'll like whatever you give him." Shen Xinde said it was no big deal and told Jiang Nan not to worry.

Jiang Nan curled up under his blanket with his eyes closed, thinking through the entire nap period. At last, he came up with a perfect present.

As for Shen Xinde, when school ended, he really didn't wait for Gu Zhuoling. He slipped out of kindergarten alone and got into a private car.

"How did it go? What did Haohao tell A-Ling? Did A-Ling suspect anything?"

The person driving was none other than Ms. Zhou Jingyi.

"Haohao just told him straight: I have a surprise to prepare for Dolly, so Dolly should go home first." Shen Xinde patted his chest.

Zhou Jingyi: ...

Well, such a straightforward approach was indeed what her son liked.

Zhou Jingyi planned to make a cake for Gu Zhuoling herself. When Shen Xinde found out, he coaxed her into taking him along.

He wanted to help too.

Of course, Zhou Jingyi agreed. After discussing it, they decided to make the cake on his birthday. Kindergarten let out early anyway, so there was plenty of time.

The two chatted and laughed as the car quietly pulled away from the kindergarten gate and headed straight for the cake shop they had booked.

Meanwhile, Gu Zhuoling was still very dejected because Shen Xinde hadn't gone home with him.

He was just about to get into the car alone when, before he could turn around and close the door, a big chubby boy climbed in.

"Whew, I'm exhausted. Gu Zhuoling, you walk too fast." Zhuang Xingye successfully squeezed into the car and took a few deep breaths.

"What are you doing?" Gu Zhuoling wasn't in the mood to pay him much attention and asked offhandedly.

"We're going the same way anyway, so I figured I'd just ride home in your car. Don't worry, I, King Zhuang Xingye, have already prepared your present." Zhuang Xingye pounded his chest boldly. "It'll definitely make you happy."

"Thank you." Gu Zhuoling nodded, then turned to look at the scenery outside the window.

"You're welcome. Haohao told me at noon that you'd be lonely going home by yourself, so this king decided to keep you company. Touched, aren't you?" Zhuang Xingye didn't notice Gu Zhuoling's low spirits at all and kept talking.

But Gu Zhuoling caught the key words. After listening, he nodded again very seriously. "Touched."