More than an hour later, Qiu Shan called them to eat, and Shen Yanlang and Duan Xu went downstairs together.
Duan Xu's family doesn't have the habit of throwing big birthday parties. They just cook a nice meal together and buy a birthday cake, that's enough for them.
So it was just the four of them celebrating Duan Xu's birthday. Because he was happy, Duan Hu opened a bottle of wine and asked Shen Yanlang to drink with him.
Shen Yanlang had a decent alcohol tolerance, so he drank some with Duan Hu.
The family ate and chatted in a harmonious atmosphere, with laughter frequently heard.
Shen Yanlang was somewhat moved by this scene. Although there were few of them, it was a warm and cozy place, like a home.
It's not that his family is bad, it's just that his dad is quite busy, and his mom usually takes care of him and his brother. However, it's rare for the family to have a meal together on a holiday or birthday.
Because most of their birthdays involve parties, becoming social occasions for a wider circle of friends, rather than just family.
After the meal, Shen Yanlang took the initiative to clear the dishes, and Qiu Shan didn't stand on ceremony and let him do it.
In the afternoon, Duan Hu and Qiu Shan rested and packed their luggage in their room. In the evening, they let Duan Xu and Shen Yanlang go out to eat on their own, and the two of them didn't interfere.
It was seven o'clock in the evening. The sun had already set, but the light was still there, still bright and still hot.
Shen Yanlang and Duan Xu took a taxi to a high-end Western restaurant and booked a private room.
One side of the private room features a floor-to-ceiling window, allowing those inside to see out but those outside to not see in. Standing in front of the window, you can see the traffic outside and the neon lights gradually coming on.
"What would you like to eat?" Shen Yanlang and Duan Xu sat on the same side, looking at the menu together.
Duan Xu was lost in thought because Shen Yanlang's hands were so beautiful—fair, slender, and with distinct knuckles. The engagement ring on his middle finger reminded him of some bittersweet memories.
"Um?"
Shen Yanlang glanced sideways and saw him staring at his hand. He couldn't help but chuckle. He wanted to say something, but seeing the waiter was there, he didn't open his mouth. Instead, he silently thought to himself.
[Xuxu, what indescribable thing are you thinking about?]
[Should I give it to you with my hand... or with my hand...?]
Duan Xu snapped back to reality, first glancing at the waiter, who was smiling and showed no unusual expression, before realizing that Shen Yanlang was speaking in his mind.
He touched the tip of his nose sheepishly, then pointed to the pasta and said, "I want to eat this."
"Hmm." Shen Yanlang looked up at the waiter, who immediately made a note of it.
They then ordered a steak and other items, and finally, a small cake.
"Just a taste is enough; don't eat too much," Shen Yanlang said.
Duan Xu nodded and requested, "Then there must be a candle, even just one will do."
It needs to be done with a lot of ceremony, otherwise it doesn't feel like a birthday celebration.
"Okay." Shen Yanlang stood up, asked the waiter to go out with him, gave him some specific instructions, and then came back in.
After waiting a while, the dishes were served one after another, and Shen Yanlang and Duan Xu ate and chatted.
"I'm coming back on the 20th for a high school reunion," Duan Xu said.
Shen Yanlang paused slightly, then continued cutting the steak. "Can I bring my partner?"
"I can, but aren't you very busy?" Duan Xu said after swallowing.
Shen Yanlang quickly assessed the situation and said, "This project is small and doesn't have a long timeframe. It's almost finished now, so I'm not that busy."
"So, are you coming with me?" Duan Xu blinked.
Shen Yanlang turned to look at him, feeding him a slice of steak, and asked, "Do you want me to go?"
"Of course I want to!" Duan Xu took Duan Xu bite, then quickly said the next sentence, chewing rapidly like a little hamster. After finally swallowing, he said, "Let them see how handsome my boyfriend is!"
Shen Yanlang was charmed by Duan Xu's cuteness again, and his smile deepened. "Okay, then I'll go with you."
Duan Xu took a sip of his drink. "Are you sure it won't take up your time?"
"It's just time for dinner, it won't take up much time," Shen Yanlang said, shaking his head slightly.
Duan Xu nodded, "That's perfect. They're actually going to karaoke this afternoon, but I don't want to go. I'll just say we're going to eat."
"Hmm." Shen Yanlang thought for a moment and then said, "Xuxu, why don't we stay at your place for the next few days and go back to City A after the gathering?"
Duan Xu, "Okay, that way we won't have to run back and forth."
Only three days passed, but the round trip alone could have wasted a lot of time.
After agreeing on the terms, Shen Yanlang took out his phone and sent a message to the driver.
[Have Uncle Liu bring over a set of the matching outfits Auntie bought, so we can wear them to the party.]
"Uh..." Duan Xu turned to look at him, "Is it really that heinous?"
Shen Yanlang raised an eyebrow slightly, noticing a bit of sauce on Duan Xu's lips. He bent down and licked it off before saying, "It's not that I'm heartless, it's just in case."
Duan Xu froze, staring blankly at Shen Yanlang. It took him a long time to react, and a long-lost shyness welled up in his heart. "You, what are you doing? How could you, how could you..." lick it off with your tongue?
Such an action was very natural to Shen Yanlang; he assumed Duan Xu was used to it too, but he was wrong...
"You've done everything, why are you still shy about this?" Shen Yanlang said with a light laugh.
Duan Xu glared at him, "That, that's different."
"What's different?" Shen Yanlang asked.
Duan Xu thought for a long time, unable to find the right words, and could only say, "Anyway, it's different."
"Okay," Shen Yanlang agreed. "Want some more?"
"That's about enough." Duan Xu patted his stomach. "I'm about 70-80% full."
Shen Yanlang then wiped his mouth with a napkin, saying, "Then let's not eat anymore. Let's go see the night view, and we'll have cake later."
"Mmm." Duan Xu nodded obediently.
After wiping their mouths, Duan Xu and Shen Yanlang got up together and went to the floor-to-ceiling window. It was already dark, and the neon lights of the surrounding buildings were shining brightly, creating a dazzling night scene together with the car lights on the road.
This is a perfect moment for a kiss.
[Xuxu, shall we kiss?]
Shen Yanlang glanced sideways at Duan Xu's lips, silently asking him a question.
Duan Xu turned to look at him, winked and smiled, and took the initiative to move closer.
Shen Yanlang lowered his head and met Duan Xu's lips halfway down the path, then gently rubbed and sucked.
They've kissed countless times, but each kiss brings a heart-fluttering feeling, just like the first time, unforgettable.
The two kissed for a long time, until Duan Xu felt his lips were a little swollen, then he pushed Shen Yanlang, saying, "We're going to eat cake later, we can't kiss anymore."
Shen Yanlang chuckled, "How can cake taste as good as you?"
"You're being a pervert again!" Duan Xu's glare was becoming less and less intimidating.
Shen Yanlang said, "I can't control myself."
Duan Xu: "..."
After admiring the night view for a while, Shen Yanlang asked the waiter to bring out a cake.