We also stopped at a stationery store and a bookstore along the way and bought some gifts.
Upon arriving at the Rainbow Bridge Welfare Home, each child received a cake, two books, and a set of stationery.
The elevator has been installed, and there are wheelchairs available. The little girls and boys on the fifth floor can now go downstairs by themselves. The little girls on the fifth floor are especially happy to see Yan Heqing, and they talk more around him.
" Brother Yan, the cake is so delicious!"
" Brother Yan, is today your birthday?"
" Brother Yan, is that a dolphin?"
" Brother Yan, I don't recognize this character..."
After an afternoon, Yan Heqing and Lu Lin were about to leave. It was hot, so the orphanage's bicycle shed had been moved to the backyard. Lu Lin went to get the car first.
Just as Yan Heqing was about to step down the stairs, a little girl suddenly tugged at his clothes.
" Brother Yan," her eyes sparkled, "Can you do me a favor?"
Yan Heqing crouched down to look her in the eye. "Okay."
The little girl took out her cake from behind her back and carefully handed it to Yan Heqing. "Grandpa Dean said that Uncle Lu installed our elevator, and I wanted to give him a cake to thank him!"
Yan Heqing's eyes softened. He did not refuse the little girl's thanks. When you are truly grateful to someone, it is sweeter to receive a gift than this cake.
"Okay." He smiled slightly. "I'll definitely deliver it."
The little girl's eyes crinkled into crescent moons with joy, "Thank you, brother!"
The little girl wheeled herself away, and Yan Heqing watched her enter the elevator before carrying the cake down the steps.
Lu Lin hadn't arrived yet, so Yan Heqing went to find him along the clean path. After passing the cafeteria, Yan Heqing gradually stopped and looked ahead at the flat road.
That old building was actually demolished.
The place is piled high with building materials; a new building is to be constructed.
Yan Heqing was slightly surprised. He glanced at it a few more times, and then the Maybach stopped beside him. Lu Lin rolled down the window. "Get in."
Yan Heqing withdrew her gaze, walked around to the passenger seat, and handed the cake to Lu Lin first, saying, "This is a gift from the little boy."
Lu Lin was confused. "You're giving me a cake?"
"She said thank you for the elevator." Yan Heqing fastened his seatbelt, omitting the words " Uncle Lu."
Lu Lin ate a piece of cake with Yan Heqing at home that morning. That was his limit, but he understood why Yan Heqing brought it back. This piece of cake was probably the most delicious thing in the world for the children in the orphanage, so he would consider it the best gift to thank him.
Lu Lin thought of something else.
Yan Heqing was in the orphanage or with the Yan Family who adopted him, he may never have eaten a piece of cake.
Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the young man's slender figure. Lu Lin started the car and said, "On my birthday, invite friends over for lunch."
Yan Heqing grasped the key point: Lu Lin had plans for noon, which meant evening. He turned to look at Lu Lin and asked, "Where are you going tonight?"
Lu Lin chuckled. "You'll find out then."
With anticipation, time always flies. November 8th arrived, which happened to be a Friday. Yan Heqing only had classes in the morning and finished school at noon. He went home on time, and the house was already quite lively.
Chu Ziyu, Ge Tongyuan, and Qiao Yixi were playing games in the living room, making a lot of noise and filling the room with laughter. They didn't notice Yan Heqing. Yan Heqing hung up his schoolbag and coat, changed his shoes, and went to the kitchen.
In the kitchen, Lu Lin was the head chef, with Xie Yunjie and Fang Che assisting him.
Last month, Ge Tongyuan and Fang Che started dating.
Lu Lin was the first to notice Yan Heqing's return. He brought over the dishes and said, "Dinner's ready. Go wash your hands."
Yan Heqing nodded, went to wash his hands, and when he returned, the table was already full of dishes. Old Man Fang had caught a few grouper and a basket of sea snails, which he had Fang Che bring over. Xie Yunjie made a steamed grouper, Fang Che made a spicy sea snail dish.
The rest was done by Lu Lin.
Pineapple fritters with shrimp, morel mushroom and chicken soup, grilled pigeon leg, black truffle and enoki mushroom, plum and Sprite baby back ribs, spicy cumin beef, baby bok choy and seafood vermicelli casserole, roasted pepper and soft-boiled century egg, stir-fried bok choy.
Chu Ziyu came over first, smelling the aroma, and put his arm around Yan Heqing's shoulder, laughing, "Why don't we just have Heqing celebrate his birthday every day? I won't just eat for free, I'll give him a gift every day!"
Lu Lin put down the fruit plate and gently pushed his hand away. "Go to the other side."
Just then, the doorbell rang, Chu Ziyu rushed to open the door, "The cake has arrived!"
He ordered a birthday cake for Yan Heqing.
Opening the door, there was a delivery person outside, but it didn't look like a cake delivery. Chu Ziyu scratched her neck, "Who are you looking for?"
The deliveryman, carrying a cardboard box, asked, "Is this for Mr. Yan Heqing? There's an international package for him."
Yan Heqing strode out, "It is I."
He took the cardboard box, signed the delivery slip, and the courier left. Chu Ziyu glanced at the delivery slip; apart from the three characters " Yan Heqing," the rest was all in a foreign language, which he couldn't understand. Curious, he asked, "Was it sent from abroad?"
Yan Heqing carefully placed the cardboard box on the floor mat. Instead of using a small knife for unpacking packages, she found a plastic box cutter to open it. "It's a birthday present from my teacher."
Seeing how much he treasured it, Chu Ziyu squatted down curiously to take a look, "What is it?"
"My teacher's study notes." Yan Heqing opened the paper cover, revealing two thick notebooks wrapped in shockproof foam.
Chu Ziyu's jaw nearly dropped in surprise, then a smile appeared in his eyes, "This gift is wonderful."
Yan Heqing carefully put it back in the bedroom before returning to eat.
After the meal, everyone knew that Lu Lin and Yan Heqing had other plans for the evening. After cutting the cake, singing the birthday song, and giving gifts, they all left.
Chu Ziyu was the last to leave, pulling out a heavy red envelope and handing it to Yan Heqing, saying, "Buy whatever you like!"
Lu Lin didn't bring out a gift. He had accepted one of the 19 gifts from last time, saying he would give it to him tonight.
The gift was so small it was miniature, no bigger than the palm of a hand, that Yan Heqing couldn't guess what it was.
After cleaning up the kitchen, the two watched a documentary for a while to aid digestion, and then Lu Lin took Yan Heqing and set off.
As soon as they got on the highway, Yan Heqing recognized it. " Ice Lake Valley."
Ice Lake Valley was where Lu Lin often went fishing, and it was also the place where they first truly met.