Presenting a freshly decorated cake, Qin Shuqi smiled broadly, "Do you like it? This is your mother's favorite purple gladiolus."
Yan Heqing gazed at the purple gladiolus and whispered, "So Mom likes purple."
"Happy birthday!" Qin Shuqi lit a gold number 18 candle and said, "Blow out the candles!"
After turning five, Yan Heqing's first birthday. Just as he was about to blow out the candles, Qin Shuqi suddenly stopped him, "I almost forgot you have to make a wish! Otherwise, it won't come true!"
Yan Heqing hasn't made a wish in a long time.
He used to make wishes when he was a child, but they never came true, so he stopped making them.
Today, under Qin Shuqi's expectant gaze, he closed his eyes and made a wish.
I want to be happy.
He lifted his eyelids, leaned closer, and gently blew out the candle.
After her birthday, Qin Shuqi declined Yan Heqing's offer to book a hotel for her, citing that her colleagues were waiting for her, and hailed a taxi to leave.
Yan Heqing watched the taxi disappear into the traffic before turning back to the hotel.
At first, his pace was normal, but gradually he walked faster, and finally he started running, eager to get back to the Human World Cottage.
He was so excited to receive his mother's belongings that he didn't notice the hallway had been completely renovated. The dampness was gone, and the carpet had been replaced with a soft, new wool rug. He swiped his card to enter the house, which was filled with a delicate fragrance.
It tastes like white plum.
Yan Heqing turned on the light, and sure enough, there was a vase of blooming white plum blossoms on the small table.
He closed the door, looked away, quickly went to the bathroom to wash his hands, dried them thoroughly, and then slowly opened the round tin box.
Inside the small box was a kraft paper envelope.
Yan Heqing softened his breathing, took out the envelope, which wasn't heavy, and looked like... a photograph.
The rapid beating of his heart echoed through the small bathroom. Yan Heqing gently pried open the envelope with his index finger and slowly pulled out the contents.
The lights dimmed, revealing a beautifully sculpted little girl with bright, smiling eyes. The date in the lower right corner was June 1, 198X.
Yan Heqing's eyes reddened.
His fingers trembled as he moved aside the first photo. In the second photo, his mother had grown into a vibrant junior high school student, taller than her classmates. In the graduation photo, she stood in the last row on the side, with a gentle smile.
Yan Heqing gently brushed his thumb across Yan Qiushuang's face and then turned to the third page.
In the last picture, Yan Qiushuang, dressed in a light purple cheongsam, gazes at him tenderly.
"Mom—" Yan Heqing lowered her head, her cheek pressed reverently against the photograph, and whispered with her eyes closed, "You are so beautiful."
After carefully putting away Yan Qiushuang's photos, Yan Heqing contacted Professor Yang Rucheng again.
"Hello, I've thought it through, I want to switch to the biology department."
Professor Yang Rucheng couldn't hide his laughter. "That's great! I'll handle all the formalities. You can start classes in the Life Sciences department next week. It's only been two months since the semester started; with your abilities, catching up will be easy."
Professor Yang Rucheng then talked about scholarships and project funding, assuring Yan Heqing not to worry about tuition and living expenses. "Our major won't make you a fortune, but it'll be enough to make a living. You don't need to work part-time anymore; just focus on your studies. We can't afford beef every meal, but I can guarantee you one beef a day."
He thought today was hell, but unexpectedly, his life took a new turn and hope appeared. Yan Heqing nodded emphatically, "I will definitely study hard."
Having resolved the most important matter, Yan Heqing finally began to properly examine his new residence.
The space wasn't large; a single bed was barely enough, but the carpet was spotless, and the bedding had a clean and fresh plum blossom scent. Yan Heqing picked up a pillow; it was fluffy and soft.
He then looked up at the air conditioner on the wall.
The casing is pristine white, and the brand is a well-known name.
Yan Heqing had worked part-time at a hotel before, and apart from the size, the room's amenities were no different from those of a five-star hotel.
Suddenly, the image of the corridor flashed through his mind. He put down the pillow, hurried over, opened the door, and looked at the carpet.
Things have definitely changed.
When he first came, the carpet was clearly old and had been replaced with a new one.
Yan Heqing closed the door with a puzzled look and fastened the security chain.
This question lingered even in the bathroom.
Looking at the disposable underwear, unopened bath towel, and toiletries, Yan Heqing remained silent for a few seconds, then pinched his arm hard.
Red spots quickly appeared on the pale skin, and waves of pain surged through it.
It's not a dream.
Yan Heqing was still clueless after taking a shower. He didn't waste time thinking about it for the time being, as he had other things to plan.
He plans to transfer his household registration to the school.
Unexpectedly, the next morning, Zhao Huilin took the initiative to contact Yan Heqing, wanting to sever ties and demanding that he move his household registration.
"You move out immediately!" Zhao Huilin said harshly, her voice trembling. "Our family is severing all ties with you!"
Yan Heqing couldn't help but suspect that this was a new tactic of Lu Muchi.
If hard tactics don't work, try soft, sugar-coated bullets.
But once he transferred his household registration, the Yan Zhao family moved away at lightning speed, and Lu Muchi never appeared again until he finished his first year of university.
Yan Heqing's life became exceptionally fulfilling and joyful. He no longer worried about returning to his suffocating adoptive parents' home, nor did he care about Yan Mingsong. He was busy studying and working on projects with Professor Yang Rucheng.
His luck also started to improve.
Eating a meal could make you a lucky customer who gets a free meal, and buying a cup of coffee could give you a chance to win a grand prize at the coffee shop's anniversary sale.
On the day the final exams ended, Yan Heqing's classmates dragged Yan Heqing to a lecture.
"He sponsored our scholarships this year," a classmate said excitedly on the way. "I heard he's only 30. I'm so envious. I hope I can achieve something great by 30 too."
Yan Heqing wasn't interested at first, but after listening to his classmate's explanation, he became curious about this "legend."
He asked, "What's his name?"
Before the student could even open his mouth, someone behind him answered.
" Lu Lin."
Yan Heqing suddenly stopped. He turned around and met a pair of deep black eyes, and smelled the faint scent of the snow-covered mountains and forests.
Then, the man reached out his hand to him.