"Although there aren't many people here!" Chen Hang scratched his head and laughed, "But everyone here is Brother Ning's good friend, so Brother Ning can't be without the sense of ceremony that others have!"
"That's right, that's right!" Song Wenmiao's face was already flushed with excitement even before he had drunk any alcohol.
Chen Yuanyuan stood to the side, urging impatiently, "Hurry up! Let's get started!"
Chen Hang raised the crown higher and began in his off-key voice, "Happy birthday to you~"
Then he turned to the side and handed the crown in his hands to Chen Yuanyuan.
Chen Yuanyuan raised the crown slightly, then smiled and handed it to He Qing beside her.
Su Jinning stood there, watching their strange actions: "How old are you?"
Even as he said this, he couldn't suppress the smile on his face.
I don't even know when it was the last time I had such a lively birthday celebration.
He just watched as the crown was passed from one person to another amidst the sounds of birthday songs and clapping, like a coronation ceremony, until it reached the last person.
Shen Moyu, holding the crown, turned to him as the song continued.
The dim yellow light gave him and the crown in his hand a golden edge. At that moment, once his eyes were on them, they couldn't look away.
Happy birthday!
Shen Moyu raised her hand and put the crown on his head, and he didn't dodge.
As the birthday song drew to a close, amidst the laughter and chatter, Su Jinning heard her boyfriend whisper something in her ear.
"I'm eighteen now, my rose boy."
...
He sat down, gazing at Shen Moyu's profile. Smiling, he said, "Can I make a wish now?"
“Of course.” Shen Moyu rested his chin on his hand, the light still illuminating his face.
The flickering candlelight on the cake, like an ever-flowing hope, reflected brightly in my eyes.
He didn't know what he was feeling at that moment, but his nose tingled and he almost cried.
Su Jinning clasped her hands together and closed her eyes.
He really wanted to tell his mother that he now has good friends, teachers, and classmates, and that he is working hard for his dreams and that every day is fulfilling.
He doesn't have many people around him, but they are all important. He has someone he loves, and someone else loves him too.
Time hasn't changed much, but he really likes his eighteenth birthday this year.
————
Su Jinning has a high alcohol tolerance; she drank four bottles without changing her expression and, in a good mood, still had the energy to chat with them.
Song Wenmiao and Chen Hang drank the most, about six bottles, and then fell asleep on the sofa.
Chen Yuanyuan had a low alcohol tolerance; she drank too much after just one bottle. He Qing, on the other hand, knew better and stopped drinking when she sensed something was wrong.
Shen Moyu drank two bottles, and his cheeks were flushed red. His eyes were also filled with drowsiness and fatigue, and he had no desire to speak.
While others become restless and wander aimlessly when drunk, Shen Moyu remained calm and composed, even more so than before he started drinking.
Su Jinning originally wanted to get him drunk to see what Shen Moyu would be like when he was drunk, but in the end, it was better not to drink at all.
Su Jinning was known throughout the school for his ability to drink a lot without getting drunk. Anyone who had eaten with him knew that he was often the one who would carry people into a taxi, and after downing five bottles of beer mixed with baijiu, he would only have a red face and nothing else.
Seeing that they were all staggering around like drunkards, slurring their words, Su Jinning quickly put down the bottle in her hand: "Stop drinking, or none of you will be able to go home later. There's no place for you to stay at my house."
"Burp!" Chen Hang patted his stomach, and, emboldened by the alcohol, pointed at Su Jinning and said, "Don't underestimate me! I could easily drink five more bottles, okay?"
“Yes…” Song Wenmiao sat up from the sofa as if he had come back from the dead, holding up the long-empty wine bottle: “It can still drink!”
"Hey, you kids, why are you drinking so much?" Cui Ping looked at them, all of them so drunk they were practically incapacitated, and her face was full of worry.
"Auntie...we, hiccup! We're so happy! Today is Ning-ge's eighteenth birthday!" Chen Hang said unsteadily, not forgetting to raise his glass to Cui Ping: "Come on! Auntie, I'll toast you!"
"Hey, hey, no, no, no!" Cui Ping was on the verge of tears, quickly snatched the wine glass away, knowing that the child was really drunk, and hurriedly made him sit down: "Sit down and rest for a while, if you really can't take it, stay here!"
"It's alright!" Chen Hang shook his head readily, "I'll go back by myself, I'm perfectly fine!"
Su Jinning had told them to drink less from the beginning, but no one listened. He got a headache thinking about how he used to have to take each of them home after drinking together: "I'll take you home, so don't drink anymore."
He patted the backs of the group. Fortunately, He Qing was still conscious, and Song Wenmiao was able to walk on his own. The group worked together to carry Chen Hang and Chen Yuanyuan out.
Su Jinning carried Chen Hang out, but he was already too tired to carry her anymore. He still insisted on moving around wildly, shouting something.
"Brother Ning..."
After all that commotion, Chen Hang suddenly lay down and called his name seriously.
"What are you doing?" Su Jinning carried him on her back and continued walking out.
Chen Hang's tongue seemed to be tied in knots, but he still tried his best to say clearly, "Happy birthday..."
Su Jinning paused for a moment, then replied, "Yes."
Thinking back on my friendship with Chen Hang over the years, I realize that he has never missed a day when I needed him. Every time it's his birthday, Chen Hang is the most enthusiastic in organizing things, even more so than I am. I'm actually quite touched.
"Chen Hang," he sighed, "thank you..."
Chen Hang stopped making a fuss and became much quieter, muttering softly, "Um...actually, actually, let me tell you something, Brother Ning..."
"Go ahead and say it." For the first time, Su Jinning didn't find it annoying.
"I..." Chen Hang stammered for a long time, "I feel a baby kicking in my belly..."
"What?"