Chapter 103 A Modest Gift

Chapter 103 A Humble Gift

The next day, Saturday, Ji Qingzhou rose early as usual and went to work at the studio. In the afternoon, he left work an hour early to go home and celebrate Jie Yuan's birthday.

Since Shen Nanqi had mentioned the day before that there would be no birthday banquet—just an ordinary family dinner—Ji Qingzhou hadn’t made any special preparations. However, upon returning to the Jie Mansion, he found the main dining hall bustling with activity.

Not only had Madam Jie come out to dine with them, but Jie Yuan’s grandparents on his mother's side and the Shen family had also been invited. Among them were Shen Nanqi’s parents, elder brother, as well as Dr. Shen’s wife, children, and grandchildren.

Aside from the Shen family, two of Jie Yuan’s childhood friends had also been specially invited. Unfortunately, Qiu Wenxin was too busy with work at the newspaper to spare the time for dinner, so he had asked Luo Mingxuan to deliver gifts for both of them.

That evening, the sprawling dining table was finally put to good use. A lavish spread of dishes lined the long table like a New Year's feast, with the family seated around it according to seniority.

However, with so many elders present, even as the birthday boy, Jie Yuan had to yield precedence and dine with the younger generation.

“With the whole family gathered, this table feels much more complete,” Madam Jie remarked as the evening meal began.

“In just over a month, it’ll be Chinese New Year, and the gathering will be even fuller,” Jie Jianshan said calmly, using serving chopsticks to place some vegetarian dishes on his elderly mother’s plate. “We recently received a letter from Liang Xi saying she’ll return by the end of the year. She’s probably already on the ship by now and will definitely make it back for the New Year’s Eve dinner.”

“What about Mishen? Will she return?”

“His eldest sister is advanced in age, and her health hasn’t been great. She probably can’t undertake the long journey.”

“Ah, that’s true.” Madam Jie seemed to have asked the latter question casually before effortlessly shifting her attention to urging the in-laws to eat.

Though Ji Qingzhou was seated farther from the elders, he still overheard their conversation clearly. Leaning closer to Jie Yuan under the guise of serving him food, he whispered, “Who’s coming back by ship?”

“Jie Liangxi, my paternal cousin,” Jie Yuan answered succinctly.

Ji Qingzhou waited a moment, but when Jie Yuan showed no intention of elaborating, he turned to Luo Mingxuan on his other side and asked, “Do you know Jie Yuan’s paternal cousin?”

“Of course I do—Liang Xi-jie!”

Since he was a guest in someone else’s home and surrounded mostly by elders, Luo Mingxuan kept his voice low, speaking just loud enough for Ji Qingzhou to hear. “She’s the daughter of Yuan’s eldest uncle. You might’ve heard of Yuan’s uncle—he was really one of a kind!”

Luo Mingxuan gave a thumbs-up, indicating that the man had been a remarkable figure.

“Yuan’s decision to join the military was probably influenced by his uncle. Sadly, he passed away from illness eight years ago. He only had one daughter, Sister Liang Xi. After his death, she went to France with her mother. I heard she was studying at some art academy.

“She’s quite the impressive woman—smart and strong-willed since childhood. A few years ago, she ignored her family’s objections and married a Frenchman abroad. Then, less than two years later, word came back that they’d divorced. She raised her child alone while continuing her studies. She must’ve graduated this year and is coming back for Chinese New Year.”

Ji Qingzhou nodded after listening. He wasn’t usually one to pry, but since Shen Nanqi had hinted that Jie Yuan’s cousin would likely stay at the Jie Mansion after returning, he thought it best to learn about her in advance.

“Speaking of Chinese New Year, how about the few of us get together for a meal soon? My treat,” Young Master Luo suggested in a hushed voice, widening his eyes as he looked at Ji Qingzhou’s profile.

Ji Qingzhou raised an eyebrow slightly. “You’re already cut off from your allowance, yet you’re offering to treat? What’s the occasion?”

“I’m Young Master Luo—do you really think I’d be short on cash? Besides, don’t you want your year-end dividends?”

“Well, I certainly do. Let’s set a time and place later.”

“Sure… Hey, are those *longevity noodles*?”

Just as he said this, a servant brought over a bowl of soup noodles and set it beside Jie Yuan.

Seeing this, Ji Qingzhou shifted Jie Yuan’s rice bowl and placed the noodle bowl in front of him.

The longevity noodles (a traditional birthday dish symbolizing long life) were merely symbolic, so the portion in the bowl was small, with no fancy sides—just a fried egg and a sprinkle of scallions for garnish.

However, the noodles themselves were specially made extra-long by the chef, much fancier than Ji Qingzhou’s slapdash version earlier.

Even though it was Jie Yuan’s birthday, following tradition, longevity noodles were also served to the eldest at the table, symbolizing health and long life.

Before starting his noodles, Mr. Shen Hexin—Jie Yuan's maternal grandfather—smiled and reminded him, "Don’t chew or snap the noodles, Yuan Yuan. Take care—best to slurp them down in one go."

"No need to be so rigid," Shen Nanqi interjected fairly. "A five-foot-long noodle—how could he possibly eat it all in one breath now?"

Grandma Jie had initially thought the same, but after hearing Mr. Shen's emphasis, she felt breaking the noodles would indeed carry an inauspicious meaning and suggested, "Why not have Qingzhou feed him?"

"Ah?" Ji Qingzhou hadn’t expected to be volunteered and was momentarily stunned.

To his surprise, after some thought, Shen Nanqi also agreed and said to him, "Just coil the noodles and shove them all in his mouth. That way, they won't break."

"..." Jie Yuan’s face screamed speechlessness.

Ji Qingzhou glanced at the small but still too much for one bite portion in the bowl, then at the resigned expression beside him, and couldn’t help but chuckle. "How about I roll them up for you, and you eat them yourself?"

"Mm." Compared to his mother’s suggestion, Ji Qingzhou’s proposal was downright merciful, and Jie Yuan agreed without hesitation.

Then, Ji Qingzhou took Jie Yuan’s chopsticks, pushed the egg out of the way, and carefully wound the noodles around the tips.

The longevity noodles were specially made and not easily broken, so he divided them into five manageable rolls, passing each to Jie Yuan to eat in one go. Working together, they quickly finished the bowl.

After finishing the noodles, not wanting to waste anything, Jie Yuan picked up the fried egg and ate it slowly.

Then, Ji Qingzhou’s voice came from beside him, tinged with anticipation: "Which tastes better—the ones I made for you or the ones your family chef prepared?"

The corners of Jie Yuan’s lips twitched upward before he deliberately smoothed them out, feigning contemplation. "A student’s work naturally can't compare to the master’s."

Ji Qingzhou clicked his tongue lightly. "No more love for you. From now on, you can just stick to your family chef's version."

"But the fried egg—yours is better."

"Tch. Now you’re buttering me up. Too late. Don’t expect any more of my ‘made-with-love’ eggs."

Jie Yuan fell silent for a moment before murmuring, "Then I'll make them for you in the future."

"You can cook? We’ll see after your eyes heal..."

Though Ji Qingzhou didn’t have much faith in the culinary skills of a pampered young master from the Republic of China days, Jie Yuan’s words still pleased him, so he generously let go of the earlier minor friction.

·

Though this was a family gathering and a twenty-first birthday wasn’t a major milestone, Jie Yuan still received quite a few gifts that evening.

Shen Nanqi’s hand-knitted scarf was a unique token of a mother’s affection, while the other elders presented lavish items like jewelry and precious stones. Jie Jianshan gifted his son a newly imported Chevrolet, and Jie Yuan’s grandfather was even more extravagant, handing him a fat stack of cash.

Curious, Ji Qingzhou quietly asked Jie Yuan about the amount, and upon hearing the answer, he nearly choked on his tongue.

He had once worried when he discovered Jie Yuan playing the stock market, fearing he might lose his entire retirement fund in one go.

Now, it seemed Jie Yuan had only mentioned his veteran’s pension because it held special significance—money he had earned himself. In reality, this guy really didn’t sweat money.

The cash gifts he casually received for a single birthday topped a decade of Ji Qingzhou’s earnings from his clothing store. Rather than fretting over others, he’d be better off worrying about himself.

On this winter night, the moon cast a cold glow over bare branches.

To avoid the late-night cold making it hard to get around, after dinner, everyone went to the parlor for some casual conversation and entertainment. Around seven o'clock, the Shen family and Luo Mingxuan each left by car from the Xie residence.

Meanwhile, Xie Yuan had to endure Shen Nanqi making him try the scarf in different styles before finally wearing it as he and Ji Qingzhou returned to their room together.

The bedroom at the end of the east wing was the quietest and most peaceful. The biting night wind howled around the octagonal windows, but inside, the room was warm and cozy.

As soon as they entered, Xie Yuan pulled off the scarf completely.

Just as he was about to throw it on the bed, Ji Qingzhou reached out and caught it.

"Your mother knit this herself. Why are you so reluctant to wear it? It’s so warm," Ji Qingzhou said, undoing the knot, straightening it, and folding it neatly before placing it temporarily on the dresser.

"I don’t like red."

"Red is beautiful—passionate, romantic, lucky too. Why dislike it? You can't even see it anyway."

Listening to his footsteps, Xie Yuan followed closely to the sofa and asked offhandedly, "What about the gift you prepared?"

Ji Qingzhou, about to sit down on the sofa, grinned at the question and reached up to smooth Xie Yuan’s messy hair. "You’ve already received so many extravagant gifts tonight, and you’re still thinking about my freebie gift?"

"It’s the thought that counts."

"If you don’t know how to speak properly, then don’t speak at all."

"So…?" Xie Yuan made a questioning noise to express his anticipation.

"I was planning to give it to you later, but you’re so impatient… Fine, come with me." Ji Qingzhou sighed in resignation, taking his hand and leading him away.

Xie Yuan followed silently, thinking they were headed to the wardrobe or the study. But as they walked, he realized they had entered the bathroom.

What kind of gift would be kept in the bathroom?

He'd barely formed the thought when he heard Ji Qingzhou close the door and turn on the bathroom light, followed by the sound of running water.

The sound was familiar—it was the bathtub being filled.

As the hot water rose steadily against the white porcelain walls, steaming warmth filled the small bathroom, condensing into fine droplets on the tiled surfaces.

"What are you doing?" Xie Yuan grew oddly anxious and couldn’t help but ask.

Ji Qingzhou adjusted the water temperature, then stood up and wiped his hands on a towel. "Take a bath first."

"Didn’t you say you were giving me a gift?"

Why take a bath first? Xie Yuan pondered silently.

Perhaps it was the steam making him feel hot, but his ears and neck gradually grew warm and flushed.

Ji Qingzhou turned around and saw him keeping a straight face, though his face had unknowingly turned pink. He couldn’t suppress a laugh.

Teasing with playful suggestiveness, he said, "Well, the gift is right here. Why don’t you reach out and feel around?"

His throat tightened. His fingers curled slightly, gripping his sleeve, before he slowly raised his right hand and moved it toward where Ji Qingzhou stood.

His palm first touched Ji Qingzhou’s shoulder. After hesitating for a few seconds and receiving no reaction, he resolutely moved his hand up to his neck and then to his cheek.

"Not me—I didn’t tell you to touch me," Ji Qingzhou said, covering Xie Yuan’s large hand with his own, his voice laced with pure amusement.

Then, he guided Xie Yuan’s hand to a nearby shelf. "Feel it? New pajamas I made for you—pure silk!"

Xie Yuan’s nervous and bashful emotions came to an abrupt halt. Once again, two words flashed through his mind: *That's it?*