Chapter 88: I’m giving half of my birthday to you
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The next day, when Yu Nian went to record “Let Me Sing,” Wei Lu, the oldest and usually composed member, took a few steps quickly and embraced him, saying, “It’s good to have you back.”
Sun Mengze also chimed in, “I was really shocked when I saw that news! If– bah bah, no ifs!”
Yu Nian could tell that they were genuinely concerned about him and explained in detail, “Originally, I had a ticket booked to return on that flight, but then I changed my plans last minute and took a friend’s private jet back to the country. When we landed, my assistant was so scared that she hugged Brother Meng and cried her heart out, and she had nightmares after that.”
Everyone could guess roughly whom Yu Nian meant by “friend” and refrained from asking further. Bai Yan patted Yu Nian’s shoulder gently, smiling as she spoke, “Nian Nian, you’re really a troublemaker. Even the King of Hell doesn’t want to take you!”
Everyone laughed at that remark.
With the topic settled, they moved on. The program schedule had been sent to them in advance, and Bai Yan was sitting on the makeup chair, getting her hair styled. “Looking at the show’s suggestions, Big Brother Sun will be in charge of creating an active atmosphere and throwing out jokes. The rest… they say we can improvise? What kind of plan is that? They really trust us.”
Sun Mengze pretended to be dissatisfied, “Why am I the only one named among the four of us?”
Yu Nian, with his eyes closed, had his dark circles covered by a makeup artist. He smiled and joined the conversation, “Brother Sun, I also want to be named!”
Wei Lu laughed, “Me too, at least then I’ll know what I’m supposed to do.”
“Let Me Sing” is a show that discovers outstanding singers among ordinary people. In each round, seven contestants compete, and the top three are chosen. After five rounds, the fifteen finalists compete on the same stage. The seven winners, along with one contestant who was eliminated but revived, form the final eight and compete in the quarter-finals. Then, it narrows down to the final four, and the three winners eventually enter the final showdown.
Bai Yan had already looked at the contestants’ profiles. “In the first round of seven contestants, apart from one university teacher, an ordinary office worker, and a music college student, the other four are trainees from small companies.”
Sun Mengze nodded, “Yes, they are all sent by small companies, probably to see if they can make a splash, and if they do, the resources will be focused on them.”
Yu Nian, without any experience as a judge, didn’t interject and simply listened quietly.
“There’s no requirement to keep anyone from this round, so we can indeed improvise,” Wei Lu added, turning to Yu Nian. “Nian Nian, it’s your first time being a judge, but don’t be nervous. Just say whatever you want. The three of us are your seniors, so we’ll support you. If there’s any unexpected situation, we can discuss it together.”
The opening performance of the show with the rearranged version of “Elegant.” By Yu Nian. All four of them had excellent singing skills and stage experience, and their performance ignited the audience’s excitement.
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Seated at the judges’ desk, Yu Nian was initially a bit nervous, but he gradually got into the flow. Soon, Sun Mengze and Wei Lu noticed that while Yu Nian wasn’t someone who liked to show off, he not only had exceptional talent in composing and writing lyrics but also had a solid foundation in vocal skills.
“…Your singing style belongs to the category of pop jazz, not with the traditional low and deep voice of jazz but with a relaxed and lazy style, with a curved vocal line.”
When Yu Nian was serious, his gaze would become sharper than usual, and he would listen attentively to the contestants. During the feedback stage, he could speak without the need for notes.
“The starting pitch is relatively low, and your voice is deep and mellow. The most outstanding aspect is that you grasped the swing rhythm of jazz really well, creating a sense of broken continuity in the auditory experience.”
Wei Lu chimed in, “That’s a characteristic of jazz singing, and it’s a challenging skill. Your basic foundation is very solid.”
Yu Nian nodded, “Brother Wei is right. That’s why your performance just now was really excellent!”
The contestant on stage was named Ding Wei, wearing a simple white dress. She held the microphone with both hands and bowed to the judges’ desk, saying, “Thank you, respected judges!”
The host approached the microphone and asked, “Your performance has been recognized by the three esteemed judges, and you have passed the first round. Is there anything you would like to say?”
“I have a wish.”
The host made an exaggerated expression and asked, “May I know what the wish is?”
Feeling a bit embarrassed, Ding Wei replied, “My family, my parents, and my younger sister are all fans of Teacher Yu Nian. So, can I ask Teacher Yu Nian to sing a few lines live?”
Sun Mengze responded quickly, standing up from the judges’ desk and turning to face the audience. He raised his voice, “Audience, do you want to hear it?”
“We do!” came the enthusiastic response from the audience.
Sun Mengze laughed, “Alright! How about singing ‘Mountain Snow’? Is that good?”
In the next second, the audience responded with a resounding cheer for “Mountain Snow.”
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Yu Nian smiled somewhat shyly, his eyebrows and eyes clear, and the camera gave him a close-up shot. He looked down for a moment, then spoke, “If I sing ‘Mountain Snow’ live, and if I can’t hit the high notes, you all must promise not to laugh at me. Also, can I trouble the director to display the lyrics on the big screen?”
Laughter erupted from the audience.
As the lyrics were projected onto the big screen, Yu Nian remained seated at the judges’ desk. He adjusted the position of his earpiece, and with his eyes fixed on the lyrics, he began to sing. He started with a stable pitch, precisely set the tone, and his voice was pure and clear, with a faint nasal tone, and the lingering notes resembled the gentle mountain breeze. In a trance, it truly felt like the breath of the snow that never melts on the mountaintop, gently seeping into people’s hearts.
Knowing that it wasn’t his home ground, Yu Nian stopped singing after just a short section. The host praised him generously, “To sing such high notes while sitting and not changing your expression at all… Could this be the legendary strength of a judge?”
When this episode aired, the phrase “What is Yu Nian? Yu Nian is strength!” immediately flooded the internet.
[#WhatIsYuNian# Ahhh! Nian Nian, you’re just too amazing! Can’t contain my excitement! The opening performance can be looped a hundred times! The harmonized high notes with Bai Yan were so breathtaking! The live rendition of ‘Mountain Snow’ was astonishing, making me scream!]
[#WhatIsYuNian# he’s strength! Teacher Yu is so professional! My dad is a university vocal teacher, and he said Yu Nian’s professional knowledge is top-notch, and his critiques were spot-on! So proud! Nian Nian, you’ve worked hard!]
[#WhatIsYuNian# Strength, indeed! Yu Nian is so adorable! He speaks with politeness and respect, never interrupting his seniors, and his critiques are so appropriate and never overbearing! Throughout the show, he maintained such an upright posture and sitting position! I’ve become a huge fan! Quietly opens a webpage to buy the album! The acoustic version of ‘Mountain Snow’ is just too good!]
After the first episode of “Let Me Sing” aired, it dominated five hot search topics and gained tremendous popularity.
After reading the analysis data provided by the department, Meng Yuan clapped his hands and laughed, “The viewership ratings are the highest among the shows aired during the same period. It’s likely to increase further in the next episode! Even during the commercial breaks, the viewership didn’t drop much!”
Without a press release, Yu Nian just finished a one-and-a-half-hour dance class, drenched in sweat. He took the white towel handed to him by Shi Rou and wiped his neck. “Brother Meng, what’s the situation with the news about returning to the country?”
“I knew you would ask!” Meng Yuan put down his tablet. “After the discussion that time, the hype died down. But now, whether you really returned on President Xie’s private jet has become an unsolved mystery. Those who believe are absolutely convinced, while those who don’t think it’s just a coincidence. The vague images have limited credibility.”
In the office with no outsiders present, Meng Yuan asked a few more questions, “Nian Nian, what about this news… are we just leaving it alone?”
Yu Nian put down the towel and nodded, “Yes.”
Meng Yuan knew Yu Nian’s intention and didn’t try to persuade him further. He changed the subject, “The release date for ‘Ancient Road’ is set for the summer, on July 1st. You’ll have to work hard a bit and participate in the promotion. But I’ve checked the schedule, and you won’t be on the same stage as Wang Ningxue.”
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Shi Rou chimed in, “Director Xu is very considerate.”
“Nian Nian and Yu Qing have both expressed their opinions that they don’t like Wang Ningxue. ‘Ancient Road’ doesn’t need these petty rumors for promotion. Director Xu knows where he stands and doesn’t want to offend Yu Qing and Nian Nian over just Wang Ningxue,” Meng Yuan continued, “The major events seem to be in July. There’s also the Golden Melody Awards. You’ve been nominated for several categories.”
Yu Nian took note of each point and made sure Meng Yuan had nothing more to say before asking, “Then can I leave now?”
Looking at the sun outside the window, Meng Yuan found it surprising, “It’s not even three o’clock yet. Weren’t you at the practice room every day these past two days, practicing the new vocal techniques? Why are you leaving so early today?”
Shi Rou pulled at Meng Yuan’s sleeve and whispered, “Brother Meng, today is President Xie’s birthday!”
“No wonder!” Meng Yuan closed his mouth. “Go ahead, go ahead. Pretend I didn’t say anything!”
It was rare for Yu Nian to return home early in the afternoon, having prepared for several days in advance for Xie You’s birthday. He first prepared the soup, and then took out the materials he had bought to handcraft a delicate little cake. He carefully wrote “Happy Birthday, Xie You” on it with jam.
Realizing that he still had plenty of time, Yu Nian did some simple decorations inside the room. Once everything was ready, he sent a message to Xie You, asking when he would arrive.
This time, Xie You replied after a few minutes, “Something came up. I’ll probably be there by 6:30.”
Yu Nian replied, “Okay.”
As Yu Nian went to arrange the birthday candles, his phone, which he had casually thrown on the sofa, suddenly started receiving continuous notification sounds. Setting down the candles, Yu Nian grabbed his phone and opened the messages. They were from an unknown number, with no text, only seven or eight consecutive pictures.
Opening the photos, Yu Nian immediately recognized Xie You standing with his back to the camera, next to a black Aston Martin. There was also another man in casual clothes standing next to him, only revealing a profile.
Because of the Daibo endorsement incident, Yu Nian had seen Zheng Zhaoxi’s airport photos and the endorsement posters shown to him by Meng Yuan. After carefully identifying, Yu Nian roughly determined that the person in the photo was indeed Zheng Zhaoxi.
Why would Zheng Zhaoxi be with Xie You?
Yu Nian pondered for a moment, then clicked on the sender’s number and tried to call back, but it said that the other party had turned off their phone.
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At exactly 6:30, Xie You returned home. Seeing the decorations in the room, he was momentarily stunned, but then his expression softened.
Yu Nian asked directly, “Did you meet Zheng Zhaoxi today?”
Xie You looked puzzled, “Who is Zheng Zhaoxi?”
Confirming that Xie You genuinely didn’t know who Zheng Zhaoxi was, Yu Nian didn’t say more. After Xie You hung up his coat, Yu Nian held his wrist and walked to the table together.
With the lights off, Yu Nian lit each birthday candle one by one and earnestly sang the birthday song. Afterwards, he handed the gift he had prepared in a small box to Xie You.
Just as Yu Nian was about to urge Xie You to make a wish and blow out the candles, a square gift box was also handed to him.
“Happy birthday, Nian Nian.”
The room was not lit, only the neon lights outside and the candlelight in front of them illuminated the darkness.
Xie You’s handsome features were outlined by the warm candlelight, creating gentle lines. His voice was low and mellow, “My birthday is on June 11th, the same day as a genius pianist from centuries ago. I loved this date when I was a child. When my fingers were sore from practicing the piano, it felt like I could draw strength from this date.”
Yu Nian’s tongue felt slightly dry.
Xie You’s eyes also seemed to contain warm light as he carefully organized his words before continuing, “Nian Nian, you never celebrate your birthday. So, can I give you half of mine? Is that okay?”
His breath hitched for a moment, and Yu Nian instinctively asked, “What?”
Xie You lightly kissed the corner of Yu Nian’s eye, “I want to give you half of my birthday. Is that okay?” He looked a bit shy, avoiding eye contact and lowering his voice, “Others have it, and my Nian Nian should have it too.”
With his lashes trembling slightly, Yu Nian lowered his head and reached out to accept Xie You’s gift, holding it in his hand. “En, okay.”
After a few breaths, he raised his head to meet Xie You’s gaze, lifting the corners of his lips. With the candlelight reflecting in his eyes and the person opposite him, he whispered, “Happy birthday.”
Chapter 88: I’m giving half of my birthday to you
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The next day, when Yu Nian went to record “Let Me Sing,” Wei Lu, the oldest and usually composed member, took a few steps quickly and embraced him, saying, “It’s good to have you back.”
Sun Mengze also chimed in, “I was really shocked when I saw that news! If– bah bah, no ifs!”
Yu Nian could tell that they were genuinely concerned about him and explained in detail, “Originally, I had a ticket booked to return on that flight, but then I changed my plans last minute and took a friend’s private jet back to the country. When we landed, my assistant was so scared that she hugged Brother Meng and cried her heart out, and she had nightmares after that.”
Everyone could guess roughly whom Yu Nian meant by “friend” and refrained from asking further. Bai Yan patted Yu Nian’s shoulder gently, smiling as she spoke, “Nian Nian, you’re really a troublemaker. Even the King of Hell doesn’t want to take you!”
Everyone laughed at that remark.
With the topic settled, they moved on. The program schedule had been sent to them in advance, and Bai Yan was sitting on the makeup chair, getting her hair styled. “Looking at the show’s suggestions, Big Brother Sun will be in charge of creating an active atmosphere and throwing out jokes. The rest… they say we can improvise? What kind of plan is that? They really trust us.”
Sun Mengze pretended to be dissatisfied, “Why am I the only one named among the four of us?”
Yu Nian, with his eyes closed, had his dark circles covered by a makeup artist. He smiled and joined the conversation, “Brother Sun, I also want to be named!”
Wei Lu laughed, “Me too, at least then I’ll know what I’m supposed to do.”
“Let Me Sing” is a show that discovers outstanding singers among ordinary people. In each round, seven contestants compete, and the top three are chosen. After five rounds, the fifteen finalists compete on the same stage. The seven winners, along with one contestant who was eliminated but revived, form the final eight and compete in the quarter-finals. Then, it narrows down to the final four, and the three winners eventually enter the final showdown.
Bai Yan had already looked at the contestants’ profiles. “In the first round of seven contestants, apart from one university teacher, an ordinary office worker, and a music college student, the other four are trainees from small companies.”
Sun Mengze nodded, “Yes, they are all sent by small companies, probably to see if they can make a splash, and if they do, the resources will be focused on them.”
Yu Nian, without any experience as a judge, didn’t interject and simply listened quietly.
“There’s no requirement to keep anyone from this round, so we can indeed improvise,” Wei Lu added, turning to Yu Nian. “Nian Nian, it’s your first time being a judge, but don’t be nervous. Just say whatever you want. The three of us are your seniors, so we’ll support you. If there’s any unexpected situation, we can discuss it together.”
The opening performance of the show with the rearranged version of “Elegant.” By Yu Nian. All four of them had excellent singing skills and stage experience, and their performance ignited the audience’s excitement.
Sponsored Content
Seated at the judges’ desk, Yu Nian was initially a bit nervous, but he gradually got into the flow. Soon, Sun Mengze and Wei Lu noticed that while Yu Nian wasn’t someone who liked to show off, he not only had exceptional talent in composing and writing lyrics but also had a solid foundation in vocal skills.
“…Your singing style belongs to the category of pop jazz, not with the traditional low and deep voice of jazz but with a relaxed and lazy style, with a curved vocal line.”
When Yu Nian was serious, his gaze would become sharper than usual, and he would listen attentively to the contestants. During the feedback stage, he could speak without the need for notes.
“The starting pitch is relatively low, and your voice is deep and mellow. The most outstanding aspect is that you grasped the swing rhythm of jazz really well, creating a sense of broken continuity in the auditory experience.”
Wei Lu chimed in, “That’s a characteristic of jazz singing, and it’s a challenging skill. Your basic foundation is very solid.”
Yu Nian nodded, “Brother Wei is right. That’s why your performance just now was really excellent!”
The contestant on stage was named Ding Wei, wearing a simple white dress. She held the microphone with both hands and bowed to the judges’ desk, saying, “Thank you, respected judges!”
The host approached the microphone and asked, “Your performance has been recognized by the three esteemed judges, and you have passed the first round. Is there anything you would like to say?”
“I have a wish.”
The host made an exaggerated expression and asked, “May I know what the wish is?”
Feeling a bit embarrassed, Ding Wei replied, “My family, my parents, and my younger sister are all fans of Teacher Yu Nian. So, can I ask Teacher Yu Nian to sing a few lines live?”
Sun Mengze responded quickly, standing up from the judges’ desk and turning to face the audience. He raised his voice, “Audience, do you want to hear it?”
“We do!” came the enthusiastic response from the audience.
Sun Mengze laughed, “Alright! How about singing ‘Mountain Snow’? Is that good?”
In the next second, the audience responded with a resounding cheer for “Mountain Snow.”
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Yu Nian smiled somewhat shyly, his eyebrows and eyes clear, and the camera gave him a close-up shot. He looked down for a moment, then spoke, “If I sing ‘Mountain Snow’ live, and if I can’t hit the high notes, you all must promise not to laugh at me. Also, can I trouble the director to display the lyrics on the big screen?”
Laughter erupted from the audience.
As the lyrics were projected onto the big screen, Yu Nian remained seated at the judges’ desk. He adjusted the position of his earpiece, and with his eyes fixed on the lyrics, he began to sing. He started with a stable pitch, precisely set the tone, and his voice was pure and clear, with a faint nasal tone, and the lingering notes resembled the gentle mountain breeze. In a trance, it truly felt like the breath of the snow that never melts on the mountaintop, gently seeping into people’s hearts.
Knowing that it wasn’t his home ground, Yu Nian stopped singing after just a short section. The host praised him generously, “To sing such high notes while sitting and not changing your expression at all… Could this be the legendary strength of a judge?”
When this episode aired, the phrase “What is Yu Nian? Yu Nian is strength!” immediately flooded the internet.
[#WhatIsYuNian# Ahhh! Nian Nian, you’re just too amazing! Can’t contain my excitement! The opening performance can be looped a hundred times! The harmonized high notes with Bai Yan were so breathtaking! The live rendition of ‘Mountain Snow’ was astonishing, making me scream!]
[#WhatIsYuNian# he’s strength! Teacher Yu is so professional! My dad is a university vocal teacher, and he said Yu Nian’s professional knowledge is top-notch, and his critiques were spot-on! So proud! Nian Nian, you’ve worked hard!]
[#WhatIsYuNian# Strength, indeed! Yu Nian is so adorable! He speaks with politeness and respect, never interrupting his seniors, and his critiques are so appropriate and never overbearing! Throughout the show, he maintained such an upright posture and sitting position! I’ve become a huge fan! Quietly opens a webpage to buy the album! The acoustic version of ‘Mountain Snow’ is just too good!]
After the first episode of “Let Me Sing” aired, it dominated five hot search topics and gained tremendous popularity.
After reading the analysis data provided by the department, Meng Yuan clapped his hands and laughed, “The viewership ratings are the highest among the shows aired during the same period. It’s likely to increase further in the next episode! Even during the commercial breaks, the viewership didn’t drop much!”
Without a press release, Yu Nian just finished a one-and-a-half-hour dance class, drenched in sweat. He took the white towel handed to him by Shi Rou and wiped his neck. “Brother Meng, what’s the situation with the news about returning to the country?”
“I knew you would ask!” Meng Yuan put down his tablet. “After the discussion that time, the hype died down. But now, whether you really returned on President Xie’s private jet has become an unsolved mystery. Those who believe are absolutely convinced, while those who don’t think it’s just a coincidence. The vague images have limited credibility.”
In the office with no outsiders present, Meng Yuan asked a few more questions, “Nian Nian, what about this news… are we just leaving it alone?”
Yu Nian put down the towel and nodded, “Yes.”
Meng Yuan knew Yu Nian’s intention and didn’t try to persuade him further. He changed the subject, “The release date for ‘Ancient Road’ is set for the summer, on July 1st. You’ll have to work hard a bit and participate in the promotion. But I’ve checked the schedule, and you won’t be on the same stage as Wang Ningxue.”
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Shi Rou chimed in, “Director Xu is very considerate.”
“Nian Nian and Yu Qing have both expressed their opinions that they don’t like Wang Ningxue. ‘Ancient Road’ doesn’t need these petty rumors for promotion. Director Xu knows where he stands and doesn’t want to offend Yu Qing and Nian Nian over just Wang Ningxue,” Meng Yuan continued, “The major events seem to be in July. There’s also the Golden Melody Awards. You’ve been nominated for several categories.”
Yu Nian took note of each point and made sure Meng Yuan had nothing more to say before asking, “Then can I leave now?”
Looking at the sun outside the window, Meng Yuan found it surprising, “It’s not even three o’clock yet. Weren’t you at the practice room every day these past two days, practicing the new vocal techniques? Why are you leaving so early today?”
Shi Rou pulled at Meng Yuan’s sleeve and whispered, “Brother Meng, today is President Xie’s birthday!”
“No wonder!” Meng Yuan closed his mouth. “Go ahead, go ahead. Pretend I didn’t say anything!”
It was rare for Yu Nian to return home early in the afternoon, having prepared for several days in advance for Xie You’s birthday. He first prepared the soup, and then took out the materials he had bought to handcraft a delicate little cake. He carefully wrote “Happy Birthday, Xie You” on it with jam.
Realizing that he still had plenty of time, Yu Nian did some simple decorations inside the room. Once everything was ready, he sent a message to Xie You, asking when he would arrive.
This time, Xie You replied after a few minutes, “Something came up. I’ll probably be there by 6:30.”
Yu Nian replied, “Okay.”
As Yu Nian went to arrange the birthday candles, his phone, which he had casually thrown on the sofa, suddenly started receiving continuous notification sounds. Setting down the candles, Yu Nian grabbed his phone and opened the messages. They were from an unknown number, with no text, only seven or eight consecutive pictures.
Opening the photos, Yu Nian immediately recognized Xie You standing with his back to the camera, next to a black Aston Martin. There was also another man in casual clothes standing next to him, only revealing a profile.
Because of the Daibo endorsement incident, Yu Nian had seen Zheng Zhaoxi’s airport photos and the endorsement posters shown to him by Meng Yuan. After carefully identifying, Yu Nian roughly determined that the person in the photo was indeed Zheng Zhaoxi.
Why would Zheng Zhaoxi be with Xie You?
Yu Nian pondered for a moment, then clicked on the sender’s number and tried to call back, but it said that the other party had turned off their phone.
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At exactly 6:30, Xie You returned home. Seeing the decorations in the room, he was momentarily stunned, but then his expression softened.
Yu Nian asked directly, “Did you meet Zheng Zhaoxi today?”
Xie You looked puzzled, “Who is Zheng Zhaoxi?”
Confirming that Xie You genuinely didn’t know who Zheng Zhaoxi was, Yu Nian didn’t say more. After Xie You hung up his coat, Yu Nian held his wrist and walked to the table together.
With the lights off, Yu Nian lit each birthday candle one by one and earnestly sang the birthday song. Afterwards, he handed the gift he had prepared in a small box to Xie You.
Just as Yu Nian was about to urge Xie You to make a wish and blow out the candles, a square gift box was also handed to him.
“Happy birthday, Nian Nian.”
The room was not lit, only the neon lights outside and the candlelight in front of them illuminated the darkness.
Xie You’s handsome features were outlined by the warm candlelight, creating gentle lines. His voice was low and mellow, “My birthday is on June 11th, the same day as a genius pianist from centuries ago. I loved this date when I was a child. When my fingers were sore from practicing the piano, it felt like I could draw strength from this date.”
Yu Nian’s tongue felt slightly dry.
Xie You’s eyes also seemed to contain warm light as he carefully organized his words before continuing, “Nian Nian, you never celebrate your birthday. So, can I give you half of mine? Is that okay?”
His breath hitched for a moment, and Yu Nian instinctively asked, “What?”
Xie You lightly kissed the corner of Yu Nian’s eye, “I want to give you half of my birthday. Is that okay?” He looked a bit shy, avoiding eye contact and lowering his voice, “Others have it, and my Nian Nian should have it too.”
With his lashes trembling slightly, Yu Nian lowered his head and reached out to accept Xie You’s gift, holding it in his hand. “En, okay.”
After a few breaths, he raised his head to meet Xie You’s gaze, lifting the corners of his lips. With the candlelight reflecting in his eyes and the person opposite him, he whispered, “Happy birthday.”
