"Grandpa, you eat first, the birthday boy is too focused." Qi Shi'an sat down across from Grandpa Shen, unhurriedly opening the cake box, "I heard from Duoyi that you like listening to storytelling, which ones do you like?"

Grandpa Shen said: "I've been listening to 'White-Browed Hero' recently."

Qi Shi'an naturally continued: "In 'White-Browed Hero,' I especially like the part about breaking into Bixia Palace, it's so exciting to listen to."

"Same here!" Grandpa Shen originally didn't want to chat much, worried that Qi Shi'an would find talking to an old man like him boring, but unexpectedly found they shared the same taste.

When Shen Duoyi returned with the crab, he heard the two chatting enthusiastically. He sat down without interrupting, peacefully gnawing on his crab legs while listening to Grandpa Shen and Qi Shi'an exchange thoughts.

Later, when Grandpa Shen wandered off to get food himself, Shen Duoyi took the chance to ask: "You listen to storytelling too?"

Qi Shi'an shook his head: "No, I looked up some information last night and memorized it. I can keep Grandpa entertained and enrich my own knowledge - aren't I great?"

"Great, you're too great." Shen Duoyi laughed, then kicked him under the table, "You still haven't wished me 'happy birthday' yet, I've been waiting forever."

Qi Shi'an lowered his head to cut lamb chops: "So immodest, actually asking for it."

Just as they were bantering, Grandpa Shen tottered back, carrying just a bunch of grapes. Shen Duoyi moved inside to let Grandpa Shen sit down directly, stopped gnawing on crab legs, and started eating grapes.

"Duoyi, Grandpa wishes you happy birthday." Grandpa Shen raised his wine glass, "It's supposed to be your birthday celebration, but with you two taking me out, it feels like you're celebrating for me. You said the other day you don't want to settle down, but let Grandpa tell you - whether you settle down or make money, none of that is so important. As long as you're healthy and happy, that's what matters."

Shen Duoyi said: "Really? Then I'll quit my job, I'm dying from exhaustion every day."

Qi Shi'an played along: "That won't do, the company can't do without you, and I can't do without you either."

Shen Duoyi was still young at heart, and his heart skipped a beat at the second half of that sentence. He poured himself a glass of wine, then raised it to toast with Grandpa Shen, saying: "Grandpa, elderly people shouldn't have big birthday celebrations, so today let's celebrate together."

"Alright, let's have a drink together, grandson." Grandpa Shen was extremely happy.

Click! Qi Shi'an took a photo of the grandfather and grandson from across the table, then took out a lighter to light the candles on the cake, saying: "Duoyi, Grandpa, I hope you're happy every day. Before you relied on each other to survive, now you'll enjoy good fortune together."

Shen Duoyi gently blew out the candles, scooped up a big piece of cake and stuffed it in his mouth, getting cream all around his mouth.

Qi Shi'an suppressed his urge to reach over, but couldn't help licking his own lips.

After the hearty meal, they returned to Wenhu Apartments. Grandpa Shen called out "eating makes me drowsy" and went straight to his bedroom for an afternoon nap. Shen Duoyi also stretched lazily, quietly asking Qi Shi'an: "Are you tired? Want to take a nap too?"

Last time he came to the house was at night, and he couldn't see everything clearly. Qi Shi'an walked around the room with his hands in his pockets, exploring, and finally stopped at the bay window. Several books were thrown on the cushion, along with an open notebook containing notes about "cross-border financing".

Before Qi Shi'an could finish reading, his back was warmed by Shen Duoyi hugging him from behind. Shen Duoyi leaned on his shoulder: "I won't just stay a team leader."

"I know." Qi Shi'an turned around, "Even the boss follows your commands now, you're the commander-in-chief."

Shen Duoyi hugged Qi Shi'an from the front again: "Boss, birthdays only come once a year, are there any little presents to collect?"

"Actually, there are." Qi Shi'an held Shen Duoyi's waist, "Yamenting Apartments, Building 3, Number 47. Redeemable with ID card or one sweet nothing."

Shen Duoyi recited like opening a magic door: "Sweet nothing!"

"..." Qi Shi'an had dug himself into a hole, and could only accept his fate.

The two returned to the Yamenting apartment. Qi Shi'an seemed to walk deliberately slowly, lagging several steps behind after leaving the elevator. Shen Duoyi had already reached the door; he took out his key to open it, and before he could even change his shoes in the entryway, he froze.

A knee-high intelligent robot stood on the living room carpet, with balloons tied to its hands. Shen Duoyi kicked off his shoes and walked over barefoot.

He crouched in front of the robot, and at this point, the robot automatically recognized him and mechanically said: "Duoduo, happy birthday, you are eight years old now."

The door closed, and Shen Duoyi turned back with a silly expression: "This robot is pretty stupid, it even got my age wrong."

Qi Shi'an said: "It's not wrong, it's my birthday gift for eight-year-old you." He walked to Shen Duoyi's side and stroked his hair, "If you had it to talk to back then, you wouldn't have been lonely."

Shen Duoyi stood up and walked inside with Qi Shi'an. That section of hallway had been decorated with rackets, cassette tapes, game controller handles, and many interesting little trinkets.

"These are for eighteen-year-old you." Qi Shi'an put his arm around Shen Duoyi's shoulders, "Seventeen, eighteen is the age when you should have been having fun, but you had an especially hard time. Thank you for not being defeated by life, instead becoming so vibrant."

Walking into the bedroom, Qi Shi'an picked up a box from the bedside table, saying helplessly: "After racking my brains thinking about gifts for eight and eighteen years old, I actually didn't know what to get for twenty-eight."

Opening the box, he took out a watch with a black strap: "Spent a long time choosing between two patterns, almost went online to ask which looked better."

Shen Duoyi had his wrist grabbed as the new watch was put on. Since entering the door, he had received three gifts and countless touches of emotion. His nose felt stuffed, and he was at a loss for words, unable to say anything despite opening his mouth.

Qi Shi'an imitated his gesture from that night, raising his hand to touch his own lips.

Shen Duoyi leaned in to kiss him, and amid their mutual caressing, softly said "thank you."

"Oh right, there's one more small gift, but you can't take it with you." Qi Shi'an opened the bedside drawer and took out a photo album. Shen Duoyi took it and sat on the edge of the bed, asking curiously: "What is it?"

Opening the cover, the first photo was of him drinking a slushie while sitting on a dock bench, with the ocean and yachts in the background. He looked a bit silly, but particularly happy. Beside it was written: Duoduo drinking slushie in Sydney.

Second photo: Duoduo showing a rare unhappy face.

Third photo: Duoduo insisting on taking a nap at the restaurant.

"You're so childish." Shen Duoyi said this but carefully touched the photos with his fingertips. He hadn't taken photos for a long time and wasn't very good at smiling naturally in front of the camera. But in Qi Shi'an's lens, he looked relaxed and content.

Turning to the next page, he saw himself lying quietly on his side in bed, his face bathed in soft light. "When was this taken..." he was confused until he read the words beside it, "Duoduo after I wore him out..."

"Have you no shame?!"

Qi Shi'an fell back on the bed laughing, and after laughing enough, he looked at the ceiling and said: "Baby, happy birthday."

Shen Duoyi fell back into his arm, reaching for his phone. Qi Shi'an pressed the button to unlock it, then registered Shen Duoyi's fingerprint.

"Now you can open it yourself."

"Aren't you afraid of privacy leaks?"

"The most private thing is that post-sex photo of you, and it's already leaked."

Shen Duoyi opened the camera and pointed it at them: "Was the cake sweet?"

Qi Shi'an said: "Sweet."

The image froze - they had their first photo together. Shen Duoyi backed it up and saved it, while Qi Shi'an said beside him: "The format must be 'Duoduo who something something.'"

Shen Duoyi finished editing and hit 'complete', then tossed the phone aside and rolled up to run away to look at the hydrangeas, as if escaping for his life.

Qi Shi'an opened his phone and saw what Shen Duoyi had named it.

"Duoduo whose face is smaller than Mr. Qi's."

"..." Qi Shi'an trembled with anger, almost stabbing through the screen as he edited it again. After saving it again, the album had one more photo, and it was their first together.

"Duoduo who will stay together with Mr. Qi for a hundred years."