CHAPTER 237: CHAPTER 223 HAPPY BIRTHDAY

A look of surprise flashed in A V’s eyes as she pointed at the bag of grapes: "Freshly picked?"

"Yeah, want some? I’ll give them to you," Gu Qili said absent-mindedly as she picked up the bag.

A V walked briskly over, rummaged through the bag, picked out a grape, and examined it closely. Joy gradually deepened on her face, then she suddenly asked, "Do you believe in me?"

Gu Qili was baffled by the question, "Of course, I do. Why do you ask all of a sudden?"

A V tasted the grape, nodded in approval, "I once worked on a formula that can speed up the fermentation of wine, but it’s my private invention and hasn’t been put to the test yet. If you trust me, I can use these black pinots to make a bottle of wine for you; if successful, we can have the wine ready by next week."

Overcome with joy, Gu Qili excitedly shook A V’s hand, "A V, you’re truly my savior, how can I ever thank you enough?"

A V laughed, "As I said, the formula hasn’t been tested, so don’t get your hopes up too much—I wouldn’t want your disappointment to be as big as your expectations."

"It’s okay, it’s okay. Having hope is better than being disappointed. Shall we get started now?"

"Sure."

Gu Qili and A V worked together and soon had the grapes transferred into new containers. This time, she was more cautious, locking the wine in the cellar, and didn’t tell anyone but A V.

It wasn’t anything valuable, but better safe than sorry.

As days passed, Gu Qili resisted the urge to check the wine cellar daily. As A V said, without expectations, there would be no disappointment. If the wine failed, it wouldn’t matter; she could go buy something else for Mu Shuoqian. It seemed he lacked nothing, making finding a gift for him quite a challenge.

Mu Shuoqian’s birthday was approaching, and Gu Qili started preparing decorations for the day. The day before his birthday, she and Mickey went shopping together.

"Balloons, check. Streamers, check. Candles, check. Now we only need wine glasses and candlesticks for the Western-style dinner," Gu Qili ticked items off the prep list she had made in advance. She had saved up a little nest egg from a month’s work as a rideshare driver.

Mickey leaned in, clicking her tongue twice, "Quite thorough preparations. Besides the homemade wine and cake, do you have any special gifts?"

At that, Gu Qili couldn’t help but blush, her panic akin to a secret being unveiled. Her hand trembled, and the pen she held skewed a line, but she stubbornly replied, "Just these, nothing else."

"Really nothing else?" Mickey’s face suddenly loomed large in front of her, her gaze unblinking as she stared at Gu Qili’s flushed cheeks then let out a chuckle after a moment, "I get it, you’re planning to give yourself to him, aren’t you?"

"Mickey," Gu Qili, flustered and furious, raised her hand to punch her on the shoulder, "You’ve been reading too many romance novels."

"Ah, you’re annoyed because I hit the nail on the head," Mickey laughed as she dodged back, still teasing her, "You two are legally wed; it’s about time you had your marital relations. Almost two years of dilly-dallying, if the emperor isn’t anxious, the eunuchs certainly are."

Gu Qili grew even more embarrassed by her words. Already a bit nervous, Mickey’s teasing only intensified her discomfort, prompting her to cover her face with her hand, peering through her fingers as she glared, "Stinky Mickey, keep talking, and I’ll cut ties with you."

Suppressing her laughter, Mickey solemnly responded, "Your skin is still so thin, it seems all those romance novels we read in the past were in vain—you haven’t learned the essence of them at all."

Gu Qili glared at her once more, prompting Mickey to politely close her mouth.

After finishing the shopping, Gu Qili received a message from Mu Shuoqian: I’m at Xiangshan Club playing cards, want to come over?

Gu Qili replied: Mickey and I are out shopping, got some stuff to take back. You guys have fun, I won’t come over.

Mu Shuoqian: Okay, don’t eat junk food.

Gu Qili bit into her hand-held original recipe chicken, pledging earnestly: Don’t worry, I definitely won’t eat junk food, steering clear of KFC and McDonald’s.

After replying, she grabbed some fries, dunked them in ketchup and started munching away.

Before finishing the fries, Gu Qili received a call from A V. It must’ve been great news, as she let out an excited cheer, startling Mickey so much that she nearly spat out her drink.

Mu Shuoqian put his phone aside after reading the message, and from the row of mahjong tiles, he picked one from the far right and played it: Two Dots.

"I win," Nan Zhan announced, pushing his tiles forward, pushing up the glasses on his nose, his shrewd, narrow eyes squinting slightly, "Mu Shuoqian, you’ve been off your game today; how many times have you given away the win now?"

Mu Shuoqian took a drag of his cigarette, tossing some money in front of Nan Zhan while casually shuffling cards into the card shuffler with the cigarette in his mouth, "You sure talk a lot for someone winning money."

"Looks like Mu Shuoqian is happy even when he’s losing money. Look at that smile, almost reaching Mars," Bai Chengxi lit his cigarette, leaning in close, "Maybe Qili has fed him some sweet dates. Right now, even if you won all his assets, he wouldn’t utter a word of complaint."

"Could it be that Qili has let you eat meat?" Leng Shaoqing glanced at him with mischief, tossing the dice without a pause, "The old times are over?"

Mu Shuoqian was nonchalant about their teasing, reaching out to draw a tile.

"By the way, it’s your birthday tomorrow, right? In the past, it was always us brothers who went out to celebrate. How do you want to spend it this year? How about renting a yacht and going out to sea?" Bai Chengxi suggested enthusiastically, "Each of us can hook you up with a top star to take along for fun."

Mu Shuoqian bluntly refused: "I won’t go."

"Right, how could Second Mu possibly go? "

Mu Shuoqian fiddled with the mahjong tiles in his hands with his long fingers, his gaze lowered without a word, as if what they were saying had nothing to do with him, casually tossing out a tile: "Two of bamboos."

"I’ve won." Bai Chengxi pushed his tiles and took money from in front of him, "Thanks for sponsoring."

Mu Shuoqian seemed to be losing all evening, appearing out of sorts.

Clutching the tiles in his hand, his thoughts had already flown elsewhere.

He had once deliberately let her see his ID card, so if she cared at all she would remember that tomorrow was his birthday, and in truth, he was eagerly anticipating her birthday surprise for him.

Thinking thus, his phone next to him buzzed. He picked it up for a glance, then suddenly threw all the money he had in front of him onto the table: "Not playing anymore tonight, this is to cover the dealer’s losses."

He picked up his phone and got up: "I have to go first."

"Must’ve been summoned by the wife." Leng Shaoqing crossed his arms, leisurely watching him hurriedly don his coat. "Whipped."

Not only did Mu Shuoqian not retort, he even shot back a look that said ’you’re very clever’. Then he left amidst the envy, jealousy, and hatred of the others.

The message was indeed from Gu Qili; she had finished decorating the home. As midnight was approaching, if she did not hurry Mu Shuoqian, she was afraid he might play till the early morning.

Yet, she wanted him to enter the door exactly at midnight, so she locked the door from the inside.

When Mu Shuoqian got back, it was half-past eleven. He reached the door and took out his keys to unlock it, but after turning them a few times without success, he let go of the doorbell he was about to ring. If she was already asleep, the bell would unavoidably wake her up.

After contemplating for a moment, he took out his phone to send her a message; if she was awake, she would come to open the door for him, but if she was asleep, he planned to make do in the car for the night.

A good while went by after he sent the message without a reply, and Mu Shuoqian did not hesitate to turn around and walk towards the garage.

Actually, Gu Qili was sitting on the sofa in the living room. There was a motion-sensitive light in the entryway, so she could clearly see Mu Shuoqian’s actions, but Mu Shuoqian couldn’t see her inside the house.

She was clutching her phone in the dark, silently counting the seconds, and when she saw him turn to leave, she rushed to the window in a panic, thinking he was going away. But she saw him enter the garage and then all was quiet inside.

She suddenly realized that he was planning to just make do in the garage for the night, all to avoid disturbing her sleep.

Feeling touched, that sentiment filled the emptiness within her, bringing her to the brink of tears.

Time passed by second by second, what usually felt like fleeting moments now seemed to drag on intolerably. During this time, she stepped into the kitchen.

Finally, when it was 11:55 PM, Gu Qili anxiously sent him a message: You’re back, eh? Wait for me to open the door.

After sending it, she closely monitored the activity outside. Shortly after, Mu Shuoqian came out from the garage. Once again, he took out his keys to unlock the door, and the door opened promptly.

The previously dark house suddenly shined with dazzling lights.

Mu Shuoqian stood at the entrance, still holding the keys in his hand, stunned by the transformed look of his home, his feet rooted at the door, unable to come back to his senses for a long time.

"Happy Birthday." Gu Qili suddenly sprang out from beside him, holding a confetti cannon and pulled it forcefully towards him, showering the air with colorful streamers. Some settled on his shoulders, and some fell to the ground. "Mr. Mu Shuoqian, it’s precisely midnight, congratulations on being another year older."

Mu Shuoqian was still in shock, staring at the face brimming with a smile before him, and then at the festively decorated house, one of the walls was even adorned with English letters made from balloons.

Gu Qili noticed he had kept a poker face since entering the room, not uttering a word. Thinking he might dislike such frivolous things, she cautiously approached him and asked, "Do you... not like it?"

Mu Shuoqian finally snapped out of his daze, a radiant smile blossoming on his lips like a blossoming lotus.

"I like it."

Gu Qili’s slight nervousness was dispelled by his smile. She walked behind him, stood on tiptoe, and covered his eyes with her hands, pushing him towards the dining room: "Don’t open your eyes, there’s more surprise to come."