Chapter 83

Chapter 83

"Happy birthday to you..."

Jiang Yiwei’s singing voice floated through the quiet room.

Fu Xunian gazed at her, his eyes shimmering, his lips quirking into a faint smile. In the candlelight, they sparkled like a starry sky, glowing with love bright as fireworks.

"Fu Xunian, happy birthday."

"Blow out the candles."

Yiwei whispered, nudging him to blow them out.

Fu Xunian obeyed and gently blew out the flames.

The room darkened again, but Yiwei’s eyes still gleamed like stars.

"Fu Xunian, happy birth—"

"Mmm, mmm."

Warm lips cut her off, swallowing the last word.

The air grew thick with tension.

When the lights came back on, Yiwei’s lips were now slightly swollen.

"If you keep looking at me like that," she said, "I’m leaving."

His gaze made her face burn hotter.

Fu Xunian gave a low chuckle, taking the cake from her hands. "Yiwei, thank you."

Today was the first birthday he’d celebrated since coming back home.

"No need for thanks between us," she replied. "And celebrating your birthday is what I’d do anyway."

With Fu Xunian, “thank you” wasn’t needed. Celebrating his birthday was the most ordinary thing in the world.

"Wait for me—I still need to make you longevity noodles," she added, heading back into the kitchen.

Fu Xunian set the cake down and followed her. Yiwei spotted him and shooed him away. At first, he refused to leave, but after she kept pushing him out, he finally stepped aside.

Back in the living room, Fu Xunian looked at the cake on the table and the figure moving in the kitchen.

For the first time in years, his heart felt full of happiness—no longer empty.

It was a feeling he hadn’t known since his parents died. Even with his uncle by his side, he’d never truly felt it before.

Until today, after so many years—he’d finally found it again.

Yiwei emerged from the kitchen, sliding a bowl in front of him. "Look," she said, nudging it closer.

"It's longevity noodles—a traditional birthday dish."

"Why the cake and noodles together?" Fu Xunian took the bowl of longevity noodles from her hands.

He held Jiang Yiwei’s hands, gently massaging them as he said softly, "Next time, don’t fuss over me. For my next birthday, we can just eat out."

Fu Xunian was genuinely happy that Jiang Yiwei had celebrated his birthday with him.

But he also didn’t want her wearing herself out for his sake.

Jiang Yiwei laughed. "The cake was specially ordered, but the only thing I made myself was this bowl of longevity noodles."

"In my family, whenever someone has a birthday, my mom always made them longevity noodles."

That’s why Jiang Yiwei thought of Fu Xunian—he’d missed his last birthday.

Unsure if he liked cake or noodles more, she prepared both.

"Quick, eat the noodles—don’t cut the first bite."

Longevity noodles symbolize unbroken luck, so they shouldn't be cut.

Fu Xunian lifted the noodles and drew them into his mouth in one continuous motion.

"How’s that for a first bite? Happy now?"

To keep the noodles intact, he practically shoved them all into his mouth at once.

"Satisfied."

"You should have some too."

Fu Xunian picked up some noodles from the bowl and offered them to Jiang Yiwei.

She did—eating most of the bowl.

As usual, they caught up on what they’d been up to lately.

When Fu Xunian escorted her home, it was already quite late—around eight o’clock.

Back at the house, she saw Jiang Sanjie and Zhang Cuifen pacing the yard anxiously.

They relaxed at once when they saw her return.

Jiang Yiwei knew they had waited up for her. Though she had warned them ahead of time about coming home late, their worry still touched her heart.

She ushered them back inside.

At the entrance of the military compound, besides the two soldiers on guard, there was someone else lingering nearby.

Gu Xiaolei was scanning the area impatiently when suddenly her eyes lit up. She rushed forward excitedly.

"Yiwei!"

Hearing Gu Xiaolei’s voice, Jiang Yiwei naturally looked up and saw her running toward her.

Jiang Yiwei grabbed Gu Xiaolei’s arms to steady her as she came to a stop.

"How old are you, still acting so childish?"

Even at twenty, she's still like a little kid—so immature.

Gu Xiaolei, however, wasn't bothered at all and even seemed proud. "It’s nice being childlike. Anyway, my parents still treat me like a kid."

"Well, of course they do—you're the youngest in your family."

Being the youngest naturally meant her parents doted on Gu Xiaolei. Just by looking at her childlike demeanor, one could tell how much they adored her.

Gu Xiaolei giggled.

"Let’s go inside the compound. Mingzhu specially asked me to come get you. If we don’t hurry, she’ll start worrying."

Remembering Yao Mingzhu’s instructions, Gu Xiaolei picked up her pace.

At the beginning of the month, Yao Mingzhu went to Jiang Yiwei, saying she was getting married and wanted her to make a wedding outfit for her and her future husband.

Luckily, Jiang Yiwei had some free time during that period, or else she really wouldn’t have been able to help Yao Mingzhu with the wedding outfits.

Good thing Yao Mingzhu’s wedding was set for early next month. After working nonstop for several days, the outfits were finally finished.

As soon as it was done, Jiang Yiwei didn’t delay and immediately brought it over.

Since Gu Xiaolei lived in a military housing complex—not like their regular neighborhood where people could come and go freely—Jiang Yiwei had only visited three or four times, each time invited by Gu Xiaolei.

She always knew Yao Mingzhu and Gu Xiaolei were neighbors, but she hadn’t realized just how close they actually were—Yao Mingzhu’s house was right next door to Gu Xiaolei’s.

Yao Mingzhu led Jiang Yiwei into her home.

After some small talk, Jiang Yiwei handed the wedding outfit to Yao Mingzhu.

"Mingzhu, the wedding outfit you asked me to make is all done. Have a look."

Yao Mingzhu eagerly opened the package, took out the dress, and spread it out, looking it over carefully. The more she looked, the more satisfied she became, breaking into a smile without realizing.

Even Yao Mingzhu’s mother came over for a closer look.

"No wonder Mingzhu always says you have a creative touch—you really do."

The wedding outfit Jiang Yiwei made for Yao Mingzhu wasn’t like the typical red suits most newlyweds wore—always the same kind of design.

This one was different.

It was a dress.

The fabric had a fine velvet texture, accentuating the waistline, with a flared hem shaped like flower petals. When moving, it created an eye-catching effect.

"Mom, can I try it on now?"

"Go ahead!" Yao’s mother understood Yao Mingzhu well enough to know she’d been eager to wear it already.

Jiang Yiwei and Yao’s mother waited for Yao Mingzhu to change and come downstairs.

The red velvet dress looked perfect on Yao Mingzhu, highlighting her fair complexion. As a dancer, her graceful movements paired with the outfit Jiang Yiwei had made for her radiated elegance and stunning charm.

"Mom, Yiwei, Xiao Lei, how do I look?" Yao Mingzhu wanted to know.

"Beautiful! Mingzhu, you look absolutely stunning. If I were Kai Ming, I’d be totally head over heels."

Gu Xiaolei stayed close to Yao Mingzhu.

She believed that if Yao Mingzhu's fiancé, Cui Kaiming, saw how beautifully she was dressed, he'd be blown away.

Yao Mingzhu blushed shyly and playfully pretended to be annoyed. "If you keep talking nonsense, I'll throw you out."

"Mrs. Yao, you have to back me up!"

Gu Xiaolei turned to Yao's mother for support, who watched them bantering with a smile.

"Mingzhu, Xiao Lei is right. You look way prettier in this outfit than normal," her mother said.

Her daughter was always pretty, but in this dress, she looked drop-dead gorgeous.

Yao Mingzhu hooked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, clearly pleased. "Mom, I told you I wanted Yi Wei to make my wedding dress, but you didn't believe me. Now you see I was right, don't you?"

Yao Mingzhu didn’t want her wedding outfit to look like everyone else’s, so she thought of Jiang Yiwei’s designs.

She wanted Yi Wei to make her wedding dress because she knew it would wow her.

But her mother had thought Yi Wei was unreliable and initially refused the idea.

It took Yao Mingzhu a long time to finally persuade her mother.

"Don't blame me!" Yao Mingzhu’s mother replied. "If I’d known Yi Wei was this good, I’d have asked her to make my dress for the occasion too."

From the moment Yi Wei presented the wedding dress, Yao’s mother regretted not commissioning her earlier.

Unfortunately, she’d heard that Yi Wei had many clients, and sometimes even theater companies requested costumes from her. Yi Wei had to complete orders in the order they were received before moving on to new ones.

With Yao Mingzhu’s wedding just around the corner at the beginning of next month, there was no way that would work.

Yi Wei just smiled politely without responding.

If Yao’s mother really wanted a dress in time for the wedding, Yi Wei just couldn’t squeeze it in.

Her schedule was completely full, so she kept quiet.

The group chatted about Yao Mingzhu’s wedding outfit and her overall wedding day look.

"I’ll go change. Otherwise, Kaiming might see it when he gets back." Yao Mingzhu wanted to surprise Cui Kaiming at the banquet.

She dashed upstairs to change clothes.

While Yao Mingzhu was changing, Yi Wei worked something out with Yao’s mother. Disappointed she wouldn’t get to wear Yi Wei’s design to the wedding banquet, Yao’s mother could still wear it for everyday occasions.

And if she liked the dress, she might even ask Yi Wei to make more pieces later.

When Yao Mingzhu came back downstairs, she saw her mother clasping Yi Wei’s hands affectionately.

She was saying “Yi Wei, Yi Wei” with such warmth.

"Yi Wei, I want you to have this," Yao Mingzhu said.

Yi Wei looked—it was a wedding invitation.

"I hope you can come on my wedding day." Yao Mingzhu and Yi Wei had been friends for nearly three years since their first meeting.

In her eyes, Jiang Yiwei was just like Gu Xiaolei—she considered them both little sisters.

She hoped Jiang Yiwei would come to her wedding reception on the big day.

Jiang Yiwei took the invitation. "Mingzhu, I’ll be there for sure."

"We can go together then. I’ll ask Qiao Yun to come too."

Gu Xiaolei loved hanging out with Jiang Yiwei.

"Mingzhu, I’ll look out for Yi Wei that day."

Since Jiang Yiwei only knew her, Zhang Qiaoyun, and Yao Mingzhu, and didn’t know anyone else, naturally Gu Xiaolei had to keep an eye on her.

"Guess I’ll be relying on you that day."

Being with Gu Xiaolei would make Jiang Yiwei feel a bit better.

"Don’t worry, I’ve got your back," Gu Xiaolei promised, thumping her chest.

At that moment, a tall man in military uniform entered the Yao family home, led by the housekeeper.

"Place is hopping," the man said, his voice carrying a touch of laughter.

Jiang Yiwei and the others automatically looked toward him. While Jiang Yiwei’s gaze showed surprise, Yao Mingzhu and the others were delighted—especially Yao Mingzhu.

She dashed over to the man, her eyes lit up with joy.

"Kaiming, you’re here."

Cui Kaiming nodded, a smile appearing on his strong, handsome face. "Mingzhu, I’m here."

"Kaiming, you’re just in time. The wedding outfits for you and Mingzhu just arrived—go try yours on," Mrs. Yao said, holding out Cui Kaiming’s groom’s outfit.

"Mrs. Yao, I wanted to talk to you about this. I won’t be able to wear the outfit you prepared for the banquet. I plan to wear my military uniform that day."

Cui Kaiming felt apologetic. When Yao Mingzhu had asked for his measurements to have a groom’s outfit made, he had originally intended to decline, but something urgent came up, leaving him no time to say so.

Yesterday, Yao Mingzhu had told him to stop by.

He hadn’t expected the outfit to already be finished.

But Cui Kaiming wanted to marry Yao Mingzhu in his military uniform.

"Of course you can wear your uniform to marry Mingzhu."

If Cui Kaiming wanted to wear his military uniform for the wedding, Mrs. Yao was all for it.

In their compound, most people married in either military uniforms or Zhongshan suits. There was no reason for her to object.

"Kaiming, you can wear whatever you like. I only had Yi Wei make the matching outfits because I thought you wanted to match me."

When she had asked for his measurements over the phone, he hadn’t refused, so Yao Mingzhu assumed he had agreed to wear the matching outfits.

But if Cui Kaiming preferred to marry her in his military uniform, she was totally okay with that.

"Then it’s settled—I’ll wear my uniform when we get married."

Originally, Cui Kaiming had been worried that Yao Mingzhu wouldn’t approve of him wearing his military uniform, but to his surprise, she was perfectly fine with it.

"It's a pity you won't be able to wear the wedding attire we made for you."

What Yao Mingzhu regretted most was not getting to see Cui Kaiming in the outfit.

From Jiang Yiwei’s sketches and the finished clothes, she knew he would look incredibly handsome in them.

"If you really want to see, I’ll put it on just for you."

His dark, rugged face flushed slightly, but because of his deep complexion, only Yao Mingzhu, the one he loved, could tell he was blushing.

Yao Mingzhu was delighted. "It’s a deal!"

Then, remembering Jiang Yiwei, she dragged Cui Kaiming along to meet her.

"Kaiming, let me introduce you. This is Jiang Yiwei—she’s the one who designed our wedding outfits."

"Don’t underestimate her because of her age."

Jiang Yiwei’s youth was misleading, making it hard for people to believe her work could rival anyone else’s.

"Fancy meeting you here, Comrade Jiang Yiwei."

"Yeah!"

Jiang Yiwei hadn’t expected to run into Cui Kaiming here, let alone that he was Sister Mingzhu’s partner.

Everything felt like too much of a coincidence.

Yao Mingzhu and her mother both were surprised by their exchange.

"Kaiming, you know Yiwei?" Yao Mingzhu had never heard Cui Kaiming mention Jiang Yiwei before.

"I went with my father to visit an old friend once and met her there."

At the mention of that person, Cui Kaiming’s eyes darkened slightly.

"Who’d have thought Comrade Cui Kaiming would be your lover, Sister Mingzhu?"

This was all a shock to Jiang Yiwei.

Suddenly, she remembered the first time she saw Cui Kaiming and his father.

She recalled that day when she went to find Fu Xunian. At his doorstep, she saw Cui Kaiming and his father, Cui Yunfeng, knocking repeatedly.

That was the first time she had met them.

Cui Kaiming and Cui Yunfeng naturally noticed Jiang Yiwei, who had come looking for Fu Xunian.

They figured she was just a neighbor and didn’t pay her much attention.

But when Fu Xunian finally opened the door, instead of acknowledging them, he yanked Jiang Yiwei inside and ignored the two men completely.

Seeing Fu Xunian about to shut the door, Cui Kaiming shoved his hand against it to stop him.

Fu Xunian glared. "Let go."

Cui Kaiming, a battle-hardened soldier who’d commanded hundreds, didn’t flinch at Fu Xunian’s temper—but his attitude definitely got under his skin.

"I won't let go—see what you can do about it."

He quickly glanced at Fu Xunian's clenched fist. "What, you wanna throw hands? Think you can take me?"

Fu Xunian was the bookish type, while Cui Kaiming had been a soldier for years. If it came to blows, Fu Xunian wouldn't stand a chance.

Jiang Yiwei saw this clearly too. She hardly ever saw Fu Xunian this icy.

Worried they might actually fight, she said, "Xu Nian."

Fu Xunian looked at her, understanding her concern, and reassured her softly, "I’ve got this. Don’t sweat it."

He just didn’t want them around—not enough to lose his head over.

He knew exactly what he was saying and doing.

"Is this your girl?"

Cui Yunfeng, who’d stayed quiet until now, looked at Jiang Yiwei with approval in his eyes.

"Ah Jie and your mom would’ve loved her."

Fu Xunian’s parents would have adored Jiang Yiwei.

"Don’t you dare say my father’s name. You don’t deserve to." Fu Xunian’s glare could’ve frozen hell over, cutting deep into Cui Yunfeng.

"Fu Xunian, how many damn times do I gotta say it? Back then, we were being watched too. If my dad so much as moved, he’d be taken away."

Seeing Fu Xunian’s attitude toward his father, Cui Kaiming was pissed.

It wasn’t that their family didn’t want to help—they were under surveillance themselves.

One wrong move and they’d be dead.

"Pretty sure your dad wouldn’t have wanted mine dead over this."

"I know, but I don’t want to see you. I’ve said this a million times."

Fu Xunian understood everything perfectly, but he couldn’t stand seeing them—it always brought back all that old crap.

"You think I wanna be here? If not for my dad, you think I’d be anywhere near this punk?" Cui Kaiming scoffed.

If not for his father’s bullheaded demand, Cui Kaiming wouldn’t have come to take this crap.

Jiang Yiwei saw Fu Xunian about to speak again and quickly cut him off.

Facing Cui Yunfeng and Cui Kaiming, she said, "I know how Xu Nian gets. Since he doesn’t want to see you, back off."

Putting two and two together, Jiang Yiwei now understood why these two had shown up at Fu Xunian’s place.

They went way back with Fu Xunian’s father.

As for Fu Jie, Fu Xunian’s father, he’d only once mentioned how his father died, and occasionally talked about bits of their family life. Other than that, Fu Xunian never said more, and Jiang Yiwei never pushed for details.

"You think I wanna see this punk?"

If not for his father’s stubborn insistence on meeting Fu Xunian, Cui Kaiming wouldn’t have come to take this crap.

"Get your hand off the door," Fu Xunian snapped, his usual calm completely gone.

Cui Kaiming’s temper flared. "You little punk—"

"Let go, Kaiming."

Cui Kaiming hesitated, turning to Cui Yunfeng in confusion. "Dad, what did you say?"

"I told you to let go."

Cui Yunfeng repeated the command, and Cui Kaiming reluctantly pulled his hand back.

The instant he did, Fu Xunian slammed the door shut, locking them outside.

Cui Yunfeng stared at the closed door for a long moment before finally speaking to Cui Kaiming.

"We're leaving."

"Fine. Let's go now."

Cui Kaiming agreed readily—after all, he knew Fu Xunian wanted nothing to do with them. Without hesitation, he helped Cui Yunfeng walk off.

Inside, Fu Xunian and Jiang Yiwei heard the sounds from outside fade as father and son left.

"They’re gone."

Jiang Yiwei looked up at Fu Xunian, who stood silent, deep in thought.

She reached for his hanging hand, but instead, Fu Xunian pulled her into his arms, burying his face in the crook of her neck.

A long silence passed, and just as Jiang Yiwei was starting to go numb, Fu Xunian noticed her shifting and slowly released her.

"You feeling better?" he murmured.

Her fingertips gently traced his eyelids.

"Yeah, better," he said, his mood noticeably improved. "You being here… means everything."

Fu Xunian felt so grateful—for meeting Jiang Yiwei, for being with her, for her constant presence by his side.

She smiled softly. "Then you’d better spoil me rotten. Don’t let anyone steal me from you."

"I won’t. I’ll never let you go." He held her tighter. "I love you too much to lose you."