DCBS: Chapter 24 Part 3

Pei Qingyuan and Ji Tong stood in the center of the room and looked around at the complete furniture. They were about to go to the supermarket to buy daily necessities when their phone suddenly rang.

It was the phone number of the bakery owner, He Shiwen.

Pei Qingyuan picked it up with a bit of surprise. He heard that He Shiwen’s voice was more surprised than his own. “Xiao Pei, where are you?”

Pei Qingyuan told the truth. “I just moved to a new house and I’m at home.”

“Oh, so you moved today?” He Shiwen suddenly realized. “That’s right. You tell me the address and I’ll send you the cake. I can also help you by the way.”

The cake?

Pei Qingyuan and Ji Tong looked at each other and asked suspiciously, “What cake?”

“That is what I told you yesterday. A guest ordered a beautiful cake.” He Shiwen’s voice was full of incredulity. “I also said that I would make a mini version for you. I didn’t expect that it wouldn’t be needed. Today’s guest actually said that this cake doesn’t need to be picked up and it is given to you. I was shocked for a long time.”

Ji Tong, who was eavesdropping on the side, had wide eyes and hurriedly asked, “Uncle He, which customer ordered a cake? What does he look like?”

“Tong Tong is here too? Oh, let me think about how to describe him. He is very ordinary looking…”

An ordinary-looking grandfather who could be seen anywhere on the street.

A grandfather who had loved the host since he was a child.

Even if the host grew up and his blood relationship was denied, his grandfather would still buy him a birthday cake, just like when he was a child.

Ji Tong saw the host holding the phone tightly with lowered eyes, not speaking for a long time. The golden sunlight that came in through the window landed on his slightly trembling eyelashes.

He thought that the host must be happy.

He Shiwen on the other end of the phone was very careful. “…But this cake is very big. It looks like it was prepared for a party. Do you have any classmates coming to the house today to celebrate together? I’m afraid you won’t be able to eat enough and it will be wasted. It won’t taste good tomorrow.”

Ji Tong quickly answered, “Yes, there are some. Uncle He is coming as well!”

‘Waste.’ This word would never appear in the lives of Ji Tong and a group of high school boys.

His grandfather had ordered such a large cake for the host. It was surely out of the hope that he could spend this important birthday with his new friends.

Half an hour later, the five member basketball team quickly appeared at Pei Qingyuan’s new doorstep when they had previously gathered at the Internet cafe to play games and avoid homework.

“Wow, it is such a big balcony. I can even practice ball on it. Brother Pei, are you living alone? It is great that no adults are in charge.”

“Xiao Pei, you are so mean. You didn’t tell us about such a big thing as moving. I thought you left to go out to play today!”

“Tong Tong’s clothes are so cute today!”

“I heard that there is cake to eat. Where is it?”

In the midst of the noise, Ji Tong showed an innocent smile to the group of tall, free laborers in front of him. “I must accompany my brother to buy daily necessities first. I can only celebrate when I officially live in my new home.”

To express his gratitude, he stood on tiptoe and stuffed a bunch of cute lollipops into the hands of these big brothers one by one.

So a quarter of an hour later, this group of male high school students who talked too much appeared in the nearby supermarket. All of them had a lollipop in their mouths, which attracted the attention of passersby.

The kid in overalls was sitting obediently in the shiny, silver shopping cart. Pei Qingyuan didn’t even grab the right to push it. It was directly pushed by Fu Chengze.

“Let’s go!”

Fu Chengze excitedly pushed the shopping cart. The wheels moved across the ground while the others gathered around him and swept away the shelves, as if shopping for their new home.

“How many large bags of toilet paper do we need to buy? Do you want to buy water? We have a lot of people and can move it.”

“What are you doing with so many Cokes? Put back a few boxes. You aren’t the one paying the bill!”

“This toothpaste is very sweet. My family uses this. Tong Tong, smell it and see if you like it?”

“Brother Pei, do you eat potato chips? Eight flavors are sold in a large pack. It is of great value!”

At first, Pei Qingyuan was a bit uncomfortable being at the end of the group. Then he was gradually surrounded in the middle.

He looked at Ji Tong, who was seriously directing Fu Chengze to push him all over the supermarket. Then he looked at the basketball team friend next to him who was trying to sell him a large bag of potato chips. He said in response, “I will eat. Let’s buy it.”

He thought that Ji Tong would definitely like it.

The group of people came out of the supermarket with big and small bags. It wasn’t known who bragged about having extraordinary cooking skills. Thus, the teenagers who didn’t admit defeat turned around and entered the vegetable market, vowing to fight in the kitchen tonight.

In the evening, He Shiwen got off work early and carefully carried a huge cake box from the store. He walked to the address that Pei Qingyuan gave him and smelled a mysterious burning smell.

Ji Tong’s face was covered with ash as he opened the door. He saw He Shiwen and called out for help. “Uncle He, you are finally here. Quickly save the kitchen.”

He Shiwen looked into the kitchen where a group of teenagers were scrambling to clean up the mess. The burnt vegetables emitted a pungent smell in the trash and the bottom of the pot was smoking like the ashes of a chemical experiment.

He couldn’t help laughing. He put the cake in the refrigerator and rolled up his sleeves proudly.

“You guys can’t do it. You still have to watch me.”

The boys who were unruly in the court were all wilted right now. They stood obediently on the side and gave up the delusion of competing and showing off for the child with their amazing cooking skills.

He Shiwen had started his career with baking and was also good at choking. He cleaned up the mess with smooth movements and quickly washed and cut the vegetables. The strong fragrance of vegetables soon spread from the bright and clean kitchen.

The basketball team teenagers stood neatly outside the kitchen, looking in enviously.

“Uncle He is really powerful. He must have a good relationship with his wife. My father said that if you can conquer a woman’s stomach, it is equivalent to conquering her heart.”

“If only I could make such delicious dishes in the future.”

“It’s okay. If I can’t get into college, let’s go to cooking school.”

Ji Tong was too short to see the feast inside so he opened his arms to the host. Pei Qingyuan immediately understood what he meant and reached out to pick him up.

“What a fragrance.” Ji Tong quietly gulped and whispered in jealousy, “Can Xingxing each Uncle He’s dishes every day?”

Pei Qingyuan heard the child’s voice in his ears and his heart moved. “I can learn as well.”

Then he quickly added, “Now that we live together, I can cook my own meals on weekends. Eating at home is healthier.”

Ji Tong hadn’t expected such unexpected joy. He nodded repeatedly and generously sent a series of exaggerated praise. “Ruan Ruan is the best and most responsible brother. The dishes you make must be more delicious than Uncle He’s ones!”

Pei Qingyuan couldn’t help looking away in a slightly awkward manner, but there was a faint smile in his eyes.

By nightfall, the pile of things bought from the supermarket had been properly arranged. The whole place no longer looked empty and had a sense of a home.

The living room was filled with warm lights. Amidst the fragrant dishes on the table, the people who gathered to celebrate Pei Qingyuan’s birthday raised their glasses. The freshly poured Coke was bubbling.

“Cheers!”

“Start the meal!”

After three rounds of Coke, everyone looked expectant as He Shiwen carefully opened the box and took out a particularly delicate cake.

The cake was framed with a variety of intricate cream flowers, which were lifelike and vivid. It was as if they had been frozen for the whole spring.

Everyone exclaimed in admiration and He Shiwen said proudly, “This is the shape designated by the customer who ordered Xiao Pei’s cake and the chef of the store perfectly reproduced it. If I were to name it, I think A Bright Future would be suitable.”

There was also a folded birthday cake on the cake box, which Pei Huaishan had left when he came to order the cake.

Pei Qingyuan opened the card. The handwriting on it was sharp and 50% similar to his handwriting, but much more vigorous.

[Even if you become older and more ambitious, don’t change your inner persistence. The more difficult a situation, the stronger your will should be.]

This was his grandfather’s silent expectation of him.

The lights dimmed and the candles were lit. In the midst of those urging him to make a wish, Pei Qingyuan closed his eyes and seriously blew out the candles.

He wanted to grow faster so the system could stay longer in the world he loved.

This way, he could see the clouds in the sky and the flowers on the roadside at will.

The candles were extinguished and everyone sent their blessings in a very individual way after singing the lively birthday song.

“Happy birthday, wishing you prosperity!”

“I hope Brother Pei will become the best performer of our basketball team! Justify the name of the sports student!”

“Happy birthday. Bless us to win the municipal league next week!”

“Happy birthday, Xiao Pei. I wish you to grow up to be 1.84 meters as soon as possible. In any case, you can’t surpass me!”

Pei Qingyuan, who didn’t like this blessing very much: “……”

Ji Tong sent his blessing and quietly whispered in his ear, “Ruan Ruan, I have prepared a gift for you.”

He asked what the gift was and his system laughed proudly. “Host, you definitely won’t be able to guess it.”

The bustle died down and everyone helped clean up the kitchen and dining room. They said goodbye and left one after another. Quiet returned to the house and Ji Tong mysteriously took out a gift.

It was indeed a gift that Pei Qingyuan couldn’t have imagined.

It was a photo with a very special scene and characters.

In the photo, the grass was green and flowers were blooming. The center had a small robot wearing a gardening suit. He had a green and flowing data body, bright yellow rubber shoes and was holding a hand trowel in his hand.

The little robot’s head had two crooked smiling eyes and a pure white butterfly was resting on his shoulder. He raised his other free hand and waved vigorously at the camera.

It was like a fairy tale scene.

Pei Qingyuan lost his mind for a long time before he found his voice. “Is this you?”

This was the first time he had seen what the system really looked like.

Ji Tong nodded happily.

“Where are you?” Pei Qingyuan added a bit awkwardly, “I mean, you in the photo.”

“I am in a garden with a hundred species of flowers and a butterfly.” His system looked at him with bright eyes and said softly, “Ruan Ruan, happy adulthood.”

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