A birthday at year's end

A week had passed since she mailed out her manuscript, but there was still no news.

Although Teacher Cheng had said she would be notified by phone or email if it was accepted, Pu Yu still went to the school mailroom every day to check.

But there was never anything.

Gradually, she stopped holding out much hope and threw herself into writing a new piece.

If this one didn't make it, then the next one would, or the one after that. Something would get accepted eventually.

Then came Thursday afternoon's physics class.

Cheng Siyi suddenly appeared at the classroom door.

"Pu Yu, come here for a moment."

Pu Yu's heart tightened. She instinctively assumed her manuscript had been rejected, which must have been why Teacher Cheng looked so serious.

She stood and walked out under her classmates' curious gazes.

The corridor was quiet. Cheng Siyi led her to the turn in the stairwell before turning around and pulling her into a hug, her voice brimming with unmistakable delight:

"It was accepted! Yu! Your piece was accepted!"

Pu Yu froze, her mind going completely blank. "R-really? Was it the magazine?"

"There's still no word from the magazine, but my classmate at the newspaper got back to me!" Cheng Siyi said excitedly. "She said the editor-in-chief loved your essay. Your writing is still a little unpolished, but the emotion is so sincere and moving. It happens to fit the theme of their end-of-month supplement, so they've decided to rush it into next Friday's Nanhua Daily supplement!"

"The newspaper?!"

"Yes! And they're paying you for it!" Cheng Siyi smiled and stroked her hair, her voice gentle. "They'll send a contributor's copy and a payment slip soon. I gave them the school's address, so they should arrive before the end of the month."

Pu Yu's eyes reddened instantly.

She could earn her own money now.

She was no longer a burden who only knew how to spend other people's money.

"Don't cry." Seeing her like this tugged at Cheng Siyi's heart. "Pu Yu, you really are wonderful. Keep writing. There will be more opportunities in the future."

"I will." Pu Yu nodded hard, her voice choked with tears. "Thank you, Teacher Cheng. Sorry for the trouble..."

"Congratulations, our little writer!"

"Go back to class now, before your physics teacher gets upset."

Cheng Siyi had meant to wait until class was over, but she simply couldn't contain herself.

So she had put on a serious expression and called Pu Yu outside.

Her eyes a little red, Pu Yu returned to the classroom with her head lowered the whole way.

She had barely sat down when a low voice came from beside her:

"Did Cheng Siyi scold you?"

Pu Yu turned to find Yuan Su frowning at her, a faint, almost imperceptible chill in his eyes.

It was as though a single nod from her would send him storming out to confront the teacher.

"No." Pu Yu quickly shook her head and sniffled. "Of course not. Teacher Cheng is so nice."

"Then why are you crying?"

Yuan Su stared at the faint redness around her eyes, his frown deepening.

"Who bullied you?"

"No one bullied me, either."

Seeing how worried he was, Pu Yu couldn't help letting out a little laugh. The tears clinging to her lashes rolled down her cheeks.

"I'm not crying. I'm happy."

Then she added, "Really happy."

Yuan Su paused. As he watched the smile bloom across her face, the chill in his eyes faded, replaced by a trace of confusion.

"You cry like this when you're happy?" he asked.

Pu Yu blinked and tucked the secret back into her heart.

She wanted to wait until the newspaper and payment slip arrived, then surprise him.

So she tilted her head and said with an air of mystery, "It's a secret."

Yuan Su watched her for two seconds. When he saw that she really wasn't going to tell him, he stopped asking.

Before she knew it, December 31 had arrived.

The last day of the year was also Pu Yu's birthday.

She hadn't actually mentioned it to anyone. Even Xu Suiran didn't know.

When she got up that morning, Pu Yu went to help in the kitchen as usual, only to find a steaming bowl of longevity noodles on the table.

Two golden fried eggs rested on top, sprinkled with finely chopped scallions. There were even a few drops of sesame oil, a rare treat usually considered too precious to use.

"What's the occasion today, Grandma?"

Pu Yu asked despite knowing the answer, looking at her with bright eyes.

Li Suhua's gaze flickered. She picked up a cloth and scrubbed the already spotless table, her tone stiff. "What occasion? Isn't New Year's Day coming up? The eggs have been sitting around too long. I didn't want them going bad. Hurry up and eat. Don't waste food."

Holding back a smile, Pu Yu lowered her head and took a big mouthful of broth. Its warmth slid down her throat into her stomach, leaving her pleasantly warm.

"Thank you, Grandma. The noodles are really, really delicious!"

"Even food won't keep your mouth shut." Li Suhua turned away, but her eyes were gentle. "Finish up and get to school. Don't be late."

All day, Pu Yu felt as though she were floating on clouds.

Even the bleak, bare branches outside the window seemed to have blossomed in her eyes.

During a break between classes, she rested her head on her desk and gazed at the gray sky outside, quietly composing that day's diary entry in her mind.

*[Mom, today is December 31.*

Eighteen years ago today, you spent a whole day and night in pain in the delivery room before bringing me into this world. Later, you always told me it was pouring outside when I was born, but the moment you saw me, all the pain felt worth it.

Mom, did you know?

Ever since you became a star, that day even my father had forgotten, that day I thought no one would ever remember again...

Grandma remembered, even though we aren't related by blood.

Maybe this bowl of noodles wasn't just made for me. Maybe it was made for you, too.

Grandma loves you so much, and she loves me, too...

*If you saw this from heaven, you'd be happy, too, wouldn't you?]*

The bell rang, marking the end of evening study hall.

Xu Suiran caught Pu Yu's hand with a mysterious air. "Yu, come with me!"

"Where are we going?" Pu Yu asked, bewildered as Xu Suiran tugged her along.

"You'll know when we get there!"

Xu Suiran pulled her into a jog down two streets, finally stopping outside the little cake shop at the eastern end of town. Several exquisite display cakes sat behind the glass, gleaming invitingly beneath the warm yellow lights.

"Could we have the tiramisu we ordered?" Xu Suiran called, clearly familiar with the place.

The woman behind the counter smiled and brought out a pretty little box. "It's been ready for ages. I've been keeping it for you."

Pu Yu watched Xu Suiran pay and pick up the cake, utterly dazed.

"Sui Sui, how did you..."

"How did I know it was someone's birthday today?" Xu Suiran winked at her, her round almond-shaped eyes full of smug mischief. "I'm a master fortune-teller. A little calculation on my fingers, and I knew."

"You're lying." Pu Yu was touched, but she still murmured a protest.

"All right, all right. I'll stop teasing you."

They walked side by side beneath the dim yellow streetlights. Xu Suiran linked arms with her, sounding cheerful and pleased with herself. "Actually, when you first transferred here, I helped the class representative deliver our Chinese homework and happened to glance at the student records. I remember thinking, how could a girl this pretty even have her birthday on such a special day? The very last day of the year! Saying goodbye to the old and welcoming the new. It's so meaningful."

As she spoke, she stopped and handed Pu Yu the cake box, then pulled an elegant, long gift box from her schoolbag as if performing a magic trick.

"And this! Open it and see if you like it!"

Pu Yu accepted it in a daze and opened it.

A black fountain pen lay nestled in the dark blue velvet box, with a white leather notebook beside it.

"This is too expensive..."

"Who cares about expensive?" Xu Suiran interrupted. "I saw on TV that real, famous writers all use fountain pens to write their manuscripts. It looks so stylish!"

She leaned closer to Pu Yu and said with a grin, "When you become a famous writer, remember to give me your very first autograph. Then this gift will have paid for itself."

Looking at the weighty gift in her hands, Pu Yu suddenly felt her eyes burn.

She sniffled, laughing through her tears. "Then I... I can sign it for you right now. Would you like that?"

"Not now!" Xu Suiran lifted her chin with playful haughtiness. "I'm going to wait until you're a real, famous writer. Then I'll stand in a really long line at your book signing and proudly tell your readers-I believed in you when you were only seventeen!"