A person can't even not know what they like...
Ji Shuhe uttered a single syllable then suddenly fell silent. She suddenly realized that without instructions from Xia Chun, even she didn't know what plans she would have.
Recently, Xia Chun had been very busy. The last phone call was at the end of last month, asking about her midterm exam results and rankings, mentioning that she would go abroad around Christmas to visit her maternal grandparents. After that, she hadn't called Ji Shuhe, and Ji Shuhe didn't dare to call her proactively, afraid of affecting Xia Chun's plans. As for her father... when he answered the phone, he didn't know what to say either. He asked a couple of questions about her recent situation and then hung up.
"It's still two months until the New Year. You're worrying way too early." Just as Ji Shuhe was thinking about how to fob off Ji Shulang, Wen Shaoyu suddenly spoke lazily: "My birthday is next Friday. Why aren't you thinking about what to give me?"
Ji Shulang sat up with a start: "Don't you never celebrate your birthday?"
Wen Shaoyu's expression was indifferent: "This year I suddenly want to. You have a problem with that?"
"Then why didn't you say so earlier! There are only a few days left. If I hadn't brought it up today, I wouldn't have known anything. Then on your birthday, if you asked me for a gift, wouldn't I be a clown!"
"Right. I could remember it for a year. If you really don't prepare anything, I'll definitely bring it up from time to time." Wen Shaoyu went along with him.
"Sneaky Scorpio!"
"Indecisive Libra."
Just as they were about to bicker again, Ji Shulang suddenly changed the subject, patting his chest in a brotherly manner: "But even though time is short, considering our years of brotherhood, I'll definitely throw you a great birthday party. Who do you want to invite from class? Last time at the club activity, some underclassmen were asking me about you. Want to invite them too..."
"No. What I want is your gift. Don't do that kind of thing." Wen Shaoyu refused bluntly, his gaze sweeping over Ji Shulang and then landing on Ji Shuhe, enunciating each word: "You, me, and... her."
"The three of us." He paused, closed his eyes then opened them, slowly exhaling, "Plus a dog. We'll just have a simple celebration."
Ji Shuhe, holding Lizi and pretending to be a statue, widened her eyes. She really wanted to point at herself: How was she involved?
"Then what's the point of celebrating your birthday like this?" Ji Shulang didn't understand.
Wen Shaoyu gave him a cold glare: "I want to."
"Ew~ You're just looking for trouble, and still saying 'I want to.'" Ji Shulang shrugged, turned to drag Ji Shuhe into this: "Xiao Shu, since this guy already said so, the two of us can give one gift and have a good meal at his expense."
Ji Shuhe pursed her lips and said nothing, thinking to herself that actually she didn't need to be included.
"Xiao Shu! Xiao Lang! Come down for dinner!"
Ji Shulang was about to say more, but Ji Chenghai's voice calling them to eat rang out from downstairs.
"Coming!" Ji Shulang immediately rolled off the bed and shouted back downstairs. Turning to call Ji Shuhe: "Let's go eat first. Brother will handle this guy's matter. You just wait to freeload off him."
After saying that, Ji Shulang darted out like a monkey. Ji Shuhe couldn't smile, silently following behind Ji Shulang. She lifted her foot to step out the door when Wen Shaoyu, who had already gotten up and come to the door, suddenly lowered his voice and spoke.
"I've helped you so many times. If you listen to him and come empty-handed, I'll pinch off your little sprout."
Ji Shuhe instinctively covered her head, but after covering it, she realized there was no sprout on top of her head. She stiffened her neck and glared at Wen Shaoyu fiercely: "You just know how to use favors to demand repayment."
Wen Shaoyu smiled: "Giving favors is precisely to seek repayment. Otherwise, what's the point?"
At that moment, the voice from downstairs called again: "Xiao Shu, aren't you coming down yet!"
It was Ji Shulang's voice.
"Coming, coming." Ji Shuhe responded hastily. Halfway down the stairs, she suddenly turned back to look at Wen Shaoyu, who was still leaning against the doorframe in a slouch: "I remember. You just wait for me to repay you!"
"Okay, I'll wait." Wen Shaoyu watched her figure disappear, and soon the sound of dishes and chopsticks came from downstairs.
He closed the door and returned to his room, stopping Lizi who wanted to rush out. Hugging the little dog, he lay down on the bed that Ji Shulang had messed up. Stretching his arm, Lizi panted, and Wen Shaoyu looked up at the glaring fluorescent light, imagining it as candlelight in the darkness. Surprisingly, he felt a long-lost sense of anticipation for his birthday.
Wen Shaoyu's birthday was November 21st, the tail end of Scorpio, but Ji Shulang said he was as pure Scorpio as they come, sharp-tongued and vindictive, repaying every grudge and never losing out.
As for Ji Shuhe, having boasted but unable to figure out what to give, she decided to first do something else that was very important to her.
Before morning reading on Monday, she took the initiative to tell An Qing about her failed "mission."
Ji Shuhe was still nervous. Even though she had made up her mind, it was still a friend she cared about. Because she cared, she feared losing her, and naturally imagined many scenarios. She might trust An Qing's character, but compared to blood ties, she really didn't have the confidence to come out on top.
However, the expected reproach and dissatisfaction did not appear. An Qing also seemed relieved, waving her hand generously: "This is for the best. I don't want to run errands for An Yao either. If she really likes him, she should go find Wen Shaoyu herself. What's the point of putting us in the middle?"
After saying that, she linked arms with Ji Shuhe and talked about the funny bits from the variety show that updated over the weekend, never mentioning An Yao. And during the big break that day, the elder sister did not come to find the younger sister as usual.
Ji Shuhe sensed something sensitively, but said nothing.
As for whether An Yao later went to find Wen Shaoyu, Ji Shuhe had no way of knowing. Anyway, the likes and dislikes of teenage boys and girls came and went quickly.
Just like An Qing's so-called crushes: today it's some actor or celebrity, tomorrow it might be an internet influencer or model. Occasionally, when "lard blinds the heart," she might take a fancy to someone from school. It's genuine feeling, but really short-lived.
Ji Shuhe didn't care about that. As the week drew to a close, she was more anxious about how to handle Wen Shaoyu's upcoming birthday.
Her reference for gift-giving was limited to food, clothing, shelter, and transportation. Wen Shaoyu didn't seem to care much about food. Despite being a fallen young master, he didn't stint on clothing either. She could do nothing about shelter, and the same for transportation.
Unable to pick a gift, Ji Shuhe was at her wit's end. She couldn't ask An Qing or her brother for advice, so she had to resort to shopping app rankings.
The gift she finally chose was somewhat flashy: a moon-shaped nightlight. When turned on, soft warm light spilled over the old white walls of the attic, casting shadows of all the objects in the room.
Obviously, it wasn't very useful to Wen Shaoyu. He looked like someone who wasn't afraid of the dark.
Ji Shuhe agonized until she finally gave up. Anyway, it was just a token of appreciation. Wen Shaoyu could use it or not. As long as she repaid the favor, that was enough.
"Drip drip drip~"
A sound mixed with static abruptly rang out in the room. The penguin icon in the lower right corner of the laptop suddenly turned into a bouncing avatar, calling her back.
Ji Shuhe snapped back to reality. Many people messaged her at this time, such as An Qing asking for the answers to that day's math homework, or the class group sharing some anime gossip.
But the flashing avatar at this moment was unfamiliar—a cat gazing at the moon by the water.
Ji Shuhe's gaze turned to the wrapped moon nightlight on the corner of her desk. After a moment, she looked back at the screen, moved her mouse lightly, and clicked on the avatar that was persistently bouncing.