Chapter 128: Birthday Gifts for the Girls?

At the end of December, Changsha finally entered winter completely.

The cold air moved south suddenly; just a few days ago, I could go out in a light shirt, but now I have to wrap myself in a down jacket.

The plane trees on campus have lost all their leaves, their bare branches standing against the gray sky.

No matter how the weather changes, college students will always be one of the most idle groups.

Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve...

It doesn't matter what holiday it is, what matters is being able to celebrate it!

On the confession walls of several universities, posts about New Year's Eve have been written all over the place, and boys and girls preparing gifts can be seen from time to time downstairs in the dormitories.

For Zhao Yanxi and Wen Jing, there was something even more important to do as the New Year approached.

Ding Heng's birthday is on the third day after the New Year.

The coffee shop's air conditioning was blowing hot.

Four girls sat in a circle in a booth by the window.

There were four half-finished cups of coffee and a plate of barely touched waffles on the table.

Zhao Yanxi leaned back in her chair, holding her cup in both hands, looking troubled. "There are still ten days left. Xiao Jingjing, have you decided what birthday present you're going to give Ding Heng?"

Wenjing answered honestly, "I'm going to cook him a meal."

Zhao Yanxi blinked: "That's it?"

"besides……"

Wenjing lowered her head and took out a small cloth bag from her bag.

The bag is made of light gray cotton and linen, about the size of a palm, and is sealed with a thin string.

She placed the cloth bag on the table, untied the knot, and took something out of it.

It's a bracelet.

It is woven from red, blue and white threads, with a fine and tight texture, and the pattern is shaped like dragon scales.

Every so often, a small silver bead adorns the space, with a deep black jade stone at the very center, gleaming with a warm luster under the café's yellow lights.

Wenjing handed the items to Zhao Yanxi: "And this too."

Zhao Yanxi took it and looked it over carefully.

The bracelet is finely woven, with each strand pulled evenly, and the dragon scale pattern is clear and neat. At the end, there is a slipknot that can be adjusted to loosen the knot.

She looked at it over and over several times, finally raising her head with a complicated expression: "You knitted it yourself?"

"Yes, there's a small tuft of my hair inside."

Wenjing said shyly, "I wove it back and forth several times but I wasn't satisfied with it. In the end... it took almost a month."

Zhao Yanxi gently touched her fingers .

The craftsmanship is exquisite, and the materials used are of high quality; it's clear that Wenjing put a lot of thought into it.

Hua Yue noticed Zhao Yanxi's strange expression and deliberately asked, "Yanxi, you didn't... come unprepared, did you?"

"How is that possible!"

Zhao Yanxi instinctively retorted, her voice suddenly rising: "I...of course I was prepared!"

"What are you preparing?"

"I……"

Zhao Yanxi opened her mouth, then deflated and leaned back in her chair: "I haven't decided yet."

Hua Yue couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Zhao Yanxi looked down at the exquisite bracelet, then looked up at Wenjing's well-behaved face, and felt inexplicably uneasy.

Of course she was prepared; to be more precise, she had been preparing all along.

In the past two months, she has gone through all kinds of guides, read countless posts recommending gifts, and added dozens of items to her favorites.

From men's perfume to sneakers, from headphones to game consoles, they even considered saving up more money to buy Ding Heng a new car!

But compared to the bracelet in front of me, those things are ultimately too vulgar.

Zhao Yanxi sighed deeply.

She is not quiet.

She is neither as gentle and virtuous as Wenjing, nor as skillful as Wenjing; she could not have made something so thoughtful.

"Alright, alright."

Hua Yue waved her hand, interrupting Zhao Yanxi's thoughts: "There's no use in you worrying about it anymore. There are still ten days left, take your time to think about it."

"Ten days isn't enough..."

Zhao Yanxi muttered something and handed the bracelet back to Wenjing.

Wenjing carefully put it back into the cloth bag and solemnly put it into her purse.

Hua Qing, who happened to be passing by and "joined in the fun," remained silent the whole time.

Only one thought occupied his mind—Ding Heng's birthday is still ten days away!?

Until today, there was not a single word from her...

Since they met, Ding Heng has never mentioned his birthday, and Hua Qing is too embarrassed to ask him.

Zhao Yanxi's voice suddenly drifted over: "Sister Hua Qing, do you have any good suggestions?"

Hua Qing's hand trembled, and her phone almost slipped out of her hand.

She looked up, met Zhao Yanxi's bewildered eyes, and quickly looked away: "I...I don't have any suggestions."

Zhao Yanxi blinked: "Sister Hua Qing, are you alright?"

"fine……"

Hua Qing picked up her Americano and took a sip: "The air conditioning is too strong, it's so hot."

"oh."

Zhao Yanxi didn't think much of it and went back to discuss it with Wenjing.

"Xiao Jingjing, what do you think about giving him shoes? Ding Heng's been playing a lot of basketball lately, hasn't he?"

"He doesn't lack shoes."

"How about sending clothes?"

"Yan hope, he'll buy these things himself."

"What should I send as a gift...?"

The two started chattering away, with Hua Yue occasionally chiming in with her useless, bad ideas.

Hua Qing's gaze fell out the window, her mind a jumbled mess.

A thin layer of condensation covered the glass, blurring the street view outside.

What gift should I give?

She doesn't know either.

They didn't even know if they were qualified to give it away.

Am I really his girlfriend?

Hua Qing lowered her eyes, her fingertips unconsciously touching the rim of the cup.

Forget it, why think about these things?

At worst, I'll just send a message and say happy birthday.

Anyway, he doesn't need my share...

Anyway, he doesn't need my share...

Half an hour later, the four of them walked out of the coffee shop.

The sun has set, and the streetlights have come on, casting circles of dim yellow light in the cold air.

Wenjing and Zhao Yanxi walked hand in hand ahead, heading towards the subway station.

Hua Yue lagged a few steps behind, standing shoulder to shoulder with Hua Qing.

"sister."

As she watched her two best friends walk into the subway entrance, Hua Yue suddenly called out to them.

"Um?"

"Do you want to come home with me for New Year's Day? My mom says she misses you."

"I... I'll take another look."

Hua Qing looked away, her expression guilty: "Something might be wrong."

Hua Yue didn't say anything.

Under the streetlights, the soft light outlined Hua Qing's delicate features; her posture remained as aloof as ever, revealing no emotion.

But Hua Yue knew perfectly well what was going on.

What "something came up"?

She simply wanted to prepare a gift for Ding Heng and celebrate his birthday.

Hua Yue sighed inwardly.

My foolish Onēsan (older sister), why can't you understand?

On his birthday, Ding Heng had to deal with Zhao Yanxi and Wen Jing, which was already troublesome enough.

Where is there a place for you?

Hua Yue ultimately swallowed her true feelings and silently sighed for her cousin.

……

Huda, dormitory 412.

The game on Ding Heng's computer screen ended. He casually clicked "exit" and picked up his water glass to take a sip.

Qian Pu poked half his head out from under the bed: "Old Ding, any plans for the New Year?"

Ding Heng was stunned.

New Year's Eve?

Take another look at the date in the bottom right corner of the computer screen—December 23rd.

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, the day after tomorrow is Christmas Day, then it's New Year's Eve, and then it's Longhe's and my own birthday.

"I don't have any plans."

Ding Heng casually replied, "And you?"

"I?"

Qian Pu chuckled: "I made plans with Xinran to go to the square to celebrate the New Year together. I heard there's a countdown event there."

Liu Chiwang interjected, "Come on, the square is packed with people for New Year's Eve celebrations. Last year, the news reported that tens of thousands of people were crammed together, and you had to queue for half an hour to use the toilet."

"That's still better than you playing games in your dorm room."

"Who said I play video games? I have a date, okay!"

The two started bickering, while Chen Mo quietly flipped through his book, occasionally glancing up at them.

Ding Heng didn't participate; his gaze was fixed on the view outside the window.

He wasn't particularly attached to his birthday, but he still remembered the date clearly—January 3rd.

The reason he remembered it so well was because Longhe was two days older than him, and they were born on January 1st, which was New Year's Day.

When they were children, the two families were close, so they compromised and celebrated together on January 2nd.

When cutting the cake, there are always two candles, one for him to blow out and one for Longhe to blow out.

This continued until Longhe went to Shanghai.

"Old Ding."

Chen Mo's voice pulled Ding Heng back to reality.

"What's up?"

Ding Heng turned around and looked at Chen Mo, who seemed to want to say something but hesitated.

Ding Heng glanced at Liu Chiwang and Qian Pu, who were still arguing, patted Chen Mo on the shoulder, got up and left the dormitory.

The two of them walked one after the other to the window at the end of the corridor, where the night breeze was chilly.

Ding Heng asked, "What is it?"

Chen Mo rubbed his hands together, looking embarrassed. "Um, I wanted to borrow some money from you."

Ding Heng raised an eyebrow: "What do you need the money for?"

"I want to go to Shanghai to spend New Year's Eve with my girlfriend and catch a concert while I'm there."

"A concert?"

"Yes, Aurora Eos, January 2nd."

"That must have cost a lot of money, right?"

"right!"

Chen Mo scratched his head and gave a shy smile.

"I'd been saving up for almost half a year, planning to surprise her. But I didn't expect concert tickets to be so expensive; my budget wasn't enough..."

Aurora Eos's Shanghai concert on January 2nd coincides with Longhe's birthday, so it's no surprise that scalpers will drive up the prices to exorbitant levels.

"I won't lend you the money."

Chen Mo's expression stiffened, and Ding Heng then changed the subject.

"I'll take care of the tickets for you."

Chen Mo was stunned: "Huh?"

"What do you mean, 'I'll get you the tickets'?"

"How much...how much? I'll transfer it to you now."

"Let's talk about it when you get back from Shanghai, or you might run out of money."

Ding Heng smiled and waved his hand: "You go back first, I'm going to get some fresh air."

"Thanks, Lao Ding."

Chen Mo managed to utter a few words, turned around and walked back, then turned back again after a few steps: "Thank you so much."

Ding Heng waved his hand and did not reply.

After Chen Mo disappeared at the end of the corridor, Ding Heng took out his phone and opened the Long He chat window.

[Ding Heng]: Do you still have tickets for your concert on January 2nd?

The reply popped up in less than ten seconds.

[Sister Long is a dragon, not a milk dragon]: You have to come to my concert on January 2nd!?

Even through the screen, Ding Heng could feel the excitement in Long He's words.

[Sister Long is a dragon, not a milk dragon]: Are you planning to celebrate my birthday with Sister Long this year?

Ding Heng's finger hovered above the screen.

It's almost been three years...

Longhe and I haven't celebrated our birthdays together for three years.

[Sister Long is a dragon, not a milk dragon]: []

[Sister Long is a dragon, not a milk dragon]: Sister Long has prepared a birthday gift for you.

【Sister Long is a dragon, not a milk dragon】: Guess what it is?

Ding Heng had already typed "No" on his phone.

He paused.

Delete it.

Re-enter.

[Ding Heng]: Yes, let's celebrate our birthdays together this year.