Chapter 819: Chapter 613: Thirty-Sixth Birthday (Part 2)

The living room wasn’t extravagantly decorated; just a few colorful balloons tied to the sofa, some ribbons hanging from the lights, and flowers in a vase on the table.

Party poppers were set aside.

Cheerful background music played in the living room, mixed with the sounds of chopping and stir-frying from the kitchen.

Shuangshuang bounced from the living room to the kitchen, then back to the sofa, perhaps just caught up in the atmosphere, not sure what was so fun, but just kept bouncing happily.

The room temperature was set just right, but the little girl was sweating from all the bouncing.

Ah Su kept wiping her sweat.

The little girl’s hair went past her ears, down to her shoulders, and it was now all soaked with sweat.

Su Xiaomeng had already shouted several times for her to stop bouncing around, but she would seize any chance to hop around.

Perhaps still holding a grudge for her daughter’s previous teasing, Su Chengji took every chance to tease Su Xiaomeng,

"Tired, huh? No matter how much you shout, she doesn’t listen... but Shuang’er is quite good. You were even more chaotic than Shuang’er when you were little! Really feel sorry for myself..."

"..."

Su Xiaomeng almost lost her breath.

It was after running several rounds in the living room that Shuangshuang noticed the camera with a flashing red light. She stood in front of the tripod, tiptoed, and looked up at the lens, pondering for a long while before turning back to ask loudly,

"Mom, is it taking pictures?"

Her little finger pointed at the camera, still recognizing what it was.

Su Xiaomeng moved a chair over, sat down, and picked Shuangshuang up,

"Yes, it’s ’taking pictures’."

Actually, it was filming, but Xiaomeng didn’t explain further; too many new words would be hard for a child to grasp.

"Taking it for whom?"

"...Dad."

Su Xiaomeng hesitated for a moment but decided to speak truthfully.

Upon hearing this, Shuangshuang’s eyes lit up instantly. She quickly dusted off her little dress and put on a serious face towards the camera, then without warning, started acting cute.

One moment, she supported her chin with both hands like a flower; another moment, she mimicked Xinjiang dance hand gestures, tilting her face left and right playfully, radiating a narcissistic flair!

After striking seven or eight poses, she turned around, panting, and looked at Su Xiaomeng,

"Did it all get captured?"

Su Xiaomeng was already holding back laughter to the point of almost being out of breath; this little girl was just too funny.

Caught off guard by the sudden question, Xiaomeng quickly straightened her face, sternly replied,

"Yes, it was all captured!"

Shuangshuang turned back again to look at the camera...

Su Xiaomeng couldn’t see Shuangshuang’s expression at the moment, recalling the little girl’s narcissistic photo poses earlier and almost couldn’t help but laugh again.

Just then, Shuangshuang suddenly called out,

"Dad..."

In her voice...

Little Mengxin’s smile instantly stopped.

Shuangshuang’s lips began to quiver, her bottom lip flipped down, the top one tightly pressing against it, as if trying hard to hold something back, yet despite this effort, tears still fell in streams,

"Dad... sob sob..."

Shuangshuang’s emotions suddenly collapsed, catching Su Xiaomeng off guard as well.

She wiped her tears vigorously, left, and right...

The little girl wiped halfway, suddenly remembered something, quickly turned around to hug Su Xiaomeng, worriedly asked,

"Did it get recorded?"

Su Xiaomeng subconsciously wanted to say it did... but luckily hesitated for a moment, then said,

"No."

"That’s good..."

After saying that, Shuangshuang buried her head in Su Xiaomeng’s embrace and muttered,

"I really love Dad, I want Dad to know."

"Dad knows."

"Mm-hmm."

"Do you want to wish Dad a happy birthday too?"

Shuangshuang was silent for a moment, then said,

"Later."

With that, she climbed down from Xiaomeng and quietly went to the bathroom.

Su Xiaomeng stared blankly at the camera for a long time before smiling slightly,

"We’ll have dinner soon, and this year you can only watch us eat."

After saying this, she got up and went to the kitchen to prepare the utensils.

During this brief departure, Prince Huang, who had been quiet all afternoon, finally moved his butt, trotting over to the camera, climbed onto a chair, and stood up. He secretly glanced at the lens, a mysterious expression on his face, and opened his arms wide,

"Dad, happy birthday..."

In-between his hands was a yellow lion, folded so vividly.

"Aunt Susu said... those born in August are lions..."

"...When Dad comes home... I’ll give it to you."

Meanwhile, Su Xiaomeng entered the kitchen, while Su Chengji was trimming the bouquet on the table. He noticed the Prince Huang standing on a chair talking to the camera and was startled, worried he might lose his balance and fall, quickly went over, and saw then the lion in Prince Huang’s hand.

The lion was folded with edges and corners, extremely intricate; even adults’ origami might not be as exquisite.

The little guy spent an entire afternoon... just to fold such a lion.

Hearing Prince Huang’s words, Su Chengji felt a wave of emotion rise.

Prince Huang saw his grandpa coming and felt a bit shy, turned to him and said,

"Grandpa, hold me."

Su Chengji quickly reached out and picked up Prince Huang.

Once Prince Huang’s feet touched the ground, he went back into the room, somehow finding a square box from somewhere, carefully putting the little lion inside, preserved it with great care.

Su Chengji entered the kitchen and immediately told Bai Sixian and Xiaomeng about this.

"It’s really beautifully made! Huang Huang is truly not an ordinary child; no average child can fold a lion this pretty?"

"..."

"Prodigy! Absolutely a prodigy!"

Su Chengji said with utmost seriousness.

Bai Sixian and Xiaomeng exchanged a glance, then coincidentally looked at Su Chengji,

"You’re only just realizing?"

"..."

Su Chengji was left speechless again, sauntered out awkwardly, yet his expression couldn’t hide the shock; as he walked out, he sighed,

"My grandson Su Chengji’s... a prodigy!"

Bai Sixian glanced at Xiaomeng,

"Believe it? Your dad’s so proud, probably still thinks it’s all credited to him."

Su Xiaomeng laughed.

Bai Sixian plated the last dessert, looked at her, and said,

"Although you were the one to bring up celebrating Shixiu’s birthday, I initially thought you would be very sad."

"..."

"Seeing you’ve come around, mom’s quite relieved too. Seems holding a birthday indeed has its benefits."

Su Xiaomeng smiled slightly.

Only she knew, it was because Yin Shixiu was not dead, still alive and strong, that she dared propose celebrating his birthday. Otherwise...

She wouldn’t even have the courage to mention his name, let alone celebrating his birthday with a big family occasion.

Countless memories surged in, who could escape sadness?

The dishes came, four adults, and two children.

An empty seat was deliberately left at the oval table for the camera.

Before meals, Su Chengji suddenly pulled the party popper!

Colorful confetti swirled out towards the camera.

Su Xiaomeng inserted the candles, thirty-six of them, not one missing, and lit them with a lighter as Ah Su turned off the lights.

"Come, sing a song for Dad!"

Su Xiaomeng finished, Shuangshuang started belting out, wow... truly tone-deaf!

Prince Huang immediately interjected seriously,

"That’s not right!"

Shuangshuang didn’t care, she was determined to finish the song,

"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday... to you! Happy birthday... to you..."

Su Xiaomeng nudged Prince Huang,

"What matters is the sincerity."

Prince Huang pouted, took a deep breath, and then sang even louder! With a clear intent to pull the tune back on track!

Su Xiaomeng had thought Prince Huang was musically gifted, given how great pianists had praised him.

But unexpectedly, after seriously criticizing his sister, Prince Huang’s voice led the tune even further astray!

Then what ensued was a Happy Birthday song with no line on the right key.

The siblings howled back and forth like wolves.

However, no one interrupted them, until they got tired of singing and finally rested.

"So does Dad make a wish?"