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Chapter Seventeen: Father and Daughter’s Birthday Gifts
The days in the latter half of the year always seemed to rush by.
The sun, favoring the Southern Hemisphere, arrived late and departed early, much like people, who can never truly be held onto.
Bai Sha ultimately didn’t get to try those thrilling rides.
Under the silhouetted twilight, the family of three ambled their way back home.
Zhou Haochen and Bai Sha were in the kitchen.
This year, Bai Sha had bought a bag full of ingredients, intending to bake a cake at home herself.
Zhou Haochen was separating egg whites from yolks.
Bai Sha, curious, asked, “You actually know how to bake a cake?”
Zhou Haochen’s hands continued their work without pause as he explained, “My mom knows how, so I just picked it up.
The main difficulty lies in frosting it smoothly.”
“Can you manage it, then?” Bai Sha asked, watching him whisking the egg whites.
“Do you need my help?”
“No need,” Zhou Haochen replied, playfully nudging Bai Sha out of the kitchen with his hip.
“Go play with Xiao Yu.
Today, this kitchen is my domain!”
The little one was hiding in the guest room, busily tinkering with Bai Sha’s gift.
She hadn’t allowed Bai Sha inside at all, leaving it a mystery what a four-year-old girl could possibly come up with.
Bai Sha leaned against the kitchen door, chatting sporadically with Zhou Haochen.
“What gift did you prepare for me?”
“A surprise.”
“You’re too old for surprises.”
“As long as you’re willing, I’ll celebrate Children’s Day with both you and our daughter.”
“You’re the child,” Bai Sha retorted.
“I’m certainly not keen on celebrating Children’s Day.”
Ding—
Bai Sha opened her phone; it was a message from her uncle.
[Didn’t you say you’d bring Xiao Yu over? Why aren’t you here yet?]
Bai Sha looked up, addressing the ‘head chef’, “My uncle is asking when we’ll send Xiao Yu over.”
“Let’s finish the cake and then take it over together,” he replied.
“We’ll trouble Uncle with it then.”
Bai Sha slapped Zhou Haochen’s arm.
“Who’s your uncle? That’s *my* uncle!”
Zhou Haochen flinched, pulling his arm back, and chuckled, “Isn’t your uncle my uncle too?”
“Pah! Shameless scoundrel!”
The sky gradually darkened as the brilliant sunset burned away its last afterglow.
As Zhou Haochen arranged the fruit on the frosted cake, the birthday cake was finally complete.
“Wow!” Bai Sha exclaimed, admiring the exquisite cake.
“Zhou Haochen, with skills like these, you could open your own cake shop someday!”
The little one also ran out from the guest room, gripping the table corner, standing on tiptoes, and peeking out with half her head.
“Wow! Daddy is so amazing!”
Zhou Haochen smiled, patting the little one’s head.
‘You little rascal, have you even seen what the cake looks like yet?’
Amidst the chorus of ‘wows’, Zhou Haochen’s lips curved into an irrepressible smile.
“Turn off the lights; I’ll light the candles.”
In their home in City S, in the darkened living room, only the faint, orange glow of the candles illuminated Bai Sha’s delicate features.
“Happy birthday to you~ Happy birthday to you~ Happy birthday dear! Happy birthday… to you!”
Bai Sha looked at the cake he had made with his own hands, then at Zhou Yuying, singing heartily beside her.
In truth, she didn’t care much for the ceremonial aspect of birthdays; there didn’t need to be a cake, wishes, or even gifts.
If a birthday was simply celebrated for the sake of being a birthday, Bai Sha would rather spend the whole night playing games than stand ritually before a cake every year, unable to even conjure a wish.
‘If wishes truly came true, then I wish for our family to be healthy and happy from now on.’
She had once made many wishes: hoping to win championships, hoping her team’s performance would improve, and hoping everything would go smoothly in the coming year.
But never had a wish felt quite like this one.
‘I’m so happy Zhou Yuying and Zhou Haochen came into my life.’
As the candles were blown out and the bright lights returned, Bai Sha’s vision momentarily darkened.
The little one swiftly ran to the guest room, then emerged, clutching a block figure.
“Happy birthday, Mommy! May your wishes come true! This is my gift for Mommy!”
In the little one’s arms was a Q-version (chibi) Bai Sha holding a trophy, a replica of an iconic photo of Bai Sha winning the S7 championship at the Bird’s Nest stadium.
The block figure was quite large, about half the size of Zhou Yuying herself.
It was impossible to tell how much effort the little one had poured into it over the past few weeks.
Bai Sha froze, momentarily stunned.
It had taken her four years to go from winning a championship to retiring, and just one month to transform from a boy (TL Note: Referring to her past identity as a tomboyish, competitive youth) to a mother.
Yet, both transitions felt as if they belonged to a lifetime ago.
She had once stood on the world’s highest stage, and had quietly left the arena.
She had once been a spirited youth, and was now a kind and loving mother.
The little one held the block figure up to her mother, her arms trembling slightly from its weight.
Seeing her mother’s prolonged stillness, she blinked her round eyes and asked, “Doesn’t Mommy like it?”
Tears welled up in Bai Sha’s eyes.
She quickly took the gift and said, “No! Mommy loves it! I really, truly love it! This is the best, best gift Mommy has ever received!”
The little one rubbed her head, shyly saying, “As long as Mommy likes it!”
Zhou Haochen handed Bai Sha a serrated knife and chuckled, “Alright, time to cut the cake.”
One moment, the little one was still immersed in the joy of eating cake; the next, she found herself at her great-uncle’s doorstep, bewildered.
Watching her parents gradually walk away, the little one in her great-uncle’s arms felt her ‘CPU overheating’ (TL Note: A humorous expression indicating mental overload or confusion).
‘How is this trick working again?’
****
In a maple forest in the suburbs.
Withered yellow leaves covered the ground, streetlights glowed brightly along the secluded path, and lush flower bushes lined the roadside.
Occasionally, a gentle breeze swept through, scattering yellow blossoms everywhere.
The two walked hand in hand.
As Bai Sha lightly stepped, the crisp crunch of fallen leaves echoed around them.
“Where are you taking me?”
Zhou Haochen held her hand.
Only when they weren’t around their daughter did she reveal her lively and adorable side.
“I haven’t given you my gift yet, have I?”
Bai Sha lightly tapped her toe, pulling his hand and leaning her body slightly backward.
“I thought the cake was the gift.”
Zhou Haochen pulled her back into his embrace and playfully whispered in her ear, “Xiao Yu put so much thought into hers, do you think I’d do any less?”
“Haha,” Bai Sha laughed, twisting her head.
“Stop it! That tickles!”
Bai Sha released his hand and walked ahead, while Zhou Haochen sauntered along behind her.
“Hurry up, catch up!”
Zhou Haochen quickly caught up and clasped her hand firmly.
Bai Sha leaned in, smiling, “Honestly, I don’t have any demands for a gift.
I’m already happy just walking with you today.”
Zhou Haochen was speechless.
He led Bai Sha to the lakeside, where they saw a small island in the distance.
“They don’t allow them in the city, so I could only bring you here.”
“Biubiu!”
Bai Sha looked up, watching as brilliant fireworks burst across the night sky.
Vibrant colors bloomed before her eyes, their fiery light momentarily turning night into day.
Bai Sha turned to see Zhou Haochen holding a large wooden box.
Inside, a row of small figures, arranged from smallest to largest, were discernible as wearing snow-white dresses, despite their rough craftsmanship.
They resembled the photo Bai Sha had sent Zhou Haochen that day.
Under the showering fireworks, Zhou Haochen softly said, “I made these myself.
I’m not very skilled.
Do they look good?”
Bai Sha’s face bloomed into a radiant smile as she replied, “They’re beautiful.”
****
Sun Weijie, who had lit the fireworks on the island, sat with Li Qingzhu, who had carried the wooden box.
They watched the couple embracing by the lake.
“Isn’t this just like you, Boss, always watching Old Two’s pathetic display?”
Sun Weijie took a puff from his cigarette, raising an eyebrow.
“Don’t you dare speak, kid.
Come back to the table when you find a girlfriend.”
Sun Weijie flicked his cigarette ash, chuckling, “Right now, you’re at the dog table.
Single dog!”
Wu Di, currently returning the car, thought: ‘What? Are they trying to isolate me?!’