Birthday Gift (Heartfelt)
“Can you do it or not?”
“I can,” the man replied with suppressed frustration.
“You’ve taken so much money from me, why does it still feel so slow?” The woman’s tone was disdainful.
“It’s because you haven’t let me sleep for several days,” the man complained.
“Xu Jun, didn’t you say you’re really skilled?” The woman asked in a hushed voice.
“I really am skilled. Let me try again, Senior Sister Qinqin,” Xu Jun said defiantly.
“How many times have you tried already?” Ming Qin expressed some dissatisfaction.
“I promise this will be the last time. I will definitely satisfy you,” Xu Jun said confidently.
“But I don’t have much time left,” Ming Qin’s tone grew anxious. The room was filled with their heavy breathing and the sound of things being overturned.
“Wait! What are you doing? Don’t get so close to me!” Xu Jun panicked and gasped for breath. “Wait… don’t… wait…”
Upon hearing suspicious conversation coming from the room, Lin Yan stood in the corridor, blushing and his heart racing.
With a leap, he kicked open the door and, with a frowning face and aching heart, shouted, “In broad daylight, what exactly are you two doing? Junior Brother Xu, I never thought you were this kind of person! Qinqin, have you learned bad things from your Senior Sister?”
Ming Qin and Xu Jun were startled. They looked at Lin Yan standing at the doorway, holding several jars in their hands, their faces filled with confusion.
Looking at the impeccably dressed duo and the scent of gunpowder filling the room, Lin Yan awkwardly touched his nose, “So, so… Hahaha, it’s all a misunderstanding! A misunderstanding! Please continue!”
“What misunderstanding are you talking about now?” Ming Qin, interrupted and somewhat displeased, said, “And Senior Brother, you broke my door.”
“I was wrong! I apologize for my mistake.” Lin Yan blushed and said apologetically, attempting to put the door back in place.
“It’s done!” Xu Jun suddenly shouted, and the bamboo tube in his hand emitted bursts of flames, startling Lin Yan.
“Fantastic! We made it!” Ming Qin jumped up happily, unable to contain her excitement.
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Quickly accepting several jars from Xu Jun, Ming Qin ignored Lin Yan, who was still fixing the door, and swiftly flew out of the Shadow Guard Camp with her Qinggong.
“What’s going on with Qinqin? Why is she suddenly so happy?” Lin Yan tried his best to fit the door panel back in place while curiously asking.
“Perhaps she found someone she cares deeply?” Xu Jun let out a big yawn, wiping away his tears. “She’s been keeping a close eye on me this month, urging me to finish something today.”
“What exactly have you two been up to, being all secretive?” Lin Yan looked at the completely broken door and decided to give up, then turned his gaze to Xu Jun, who had suddenly picked up pen and paper.
Xu Jun hurriedly wrote on the paper, murmuring, “I have to quickly jot down the recipe. I’ll need it to coax my future wife.”
Ming Qin hurriedly ascended the Cangyue Tower and, without a word, lifted Murong Yan, who was lying on the bed, with one hand, laughing joyfully as she spun around.
“Ah! Ah Qin!” Murong Yan nervously wrapped her arms around Ming Qin’s neck, her tone a mix of surprise and helplessness. “Put me down quickly.”
Ming Qin paid no attention and, with one hand supporting her buttocks, pulled out a bamboo tube from her bosom with the other, whispering mysteriously into her ear, “I’ve brought you something good today.”
The bamboo tube was long and slender, but it felt heavy, with a piece of cotton thread embedded on top.
Murong Yan was curious, and she leaned her head against the neck of the person in her embrace, smiling, “What’s this thing that’s so secretive?”
“I’ll show you right away.”
Ming Qin was about to put the woman down when she noticed several exquisitely carved wooden boxes in a corner that she had never seen before, overturned on the ground. Inside were various beautiful jade jewels scattered about, and delicate embroidered garments were torn to shreds, as if discarded like trash.
“What are these?” Ming Qin asked.
“Just some useless things,” Murong Yan replied indifferently, showing no regard for the valuable treasures in the corner.
Ming Qin cautiously asked, “But aren’t those the birthday gifts that were sent?”
“Ah Qin actually knows today is my birthday?” Murong Yan’s tone held a hint of surprise, followed by a faint smile. “Could it be that you’ve secretly prepared a gift for me today?”
The black-clad shadow guard suddenly became troubled and reluctantly set the woman down, unwilling to speak.
“Ah Qin?” Murong Yan looked at the melancholic expression on the person in front of her, sounding concerned.
“I…,” Ming Qin’s enthusiasm from the past few days finally cooled down, and she looked at the rare treasures in the corner, which she might never be able to afford in her lifetime. She hesitated.
If even these things were not pleasing to the eye, how could Murong Yan possibly appreciate her rough gift?
Thinking of this, she felt somewhat discouraged and took a few steps back. “I, I, I… I just remembered that my master needs me for something. I have to leave.”
“Ah Qin!” Seeing the person in front of her about to leave, Murong Yan hastily grabbed onto Ming Qin’s clothes, who was pretending to hide something with a poorly crafted lie. She was somewhat anxious and angry. “Ah Qin, what’s wrong with you?”
Ming Qin was reluctant to rudely pull her hand away, but she clenched her fist in distress, unsure whether or not to speak the truth to Murong Yan.
“Ah Qin,” Murong Yan’s voice was deep, “if you want to lie to me, you must do so flawlessly.”
She allowed Ah Qin to lie to her.
Yes, she granted permission.
Just as she allowed Ah Qin to do anything to her.
But she couldn’t bear the feeling of discovering that Ah Qin was hiding something from her, as if a bothersome thorn had intruded upon a sweet dream, causing her heart to surge with restlessness and discomfort.
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“I did prepare a gift, but…” Ming Qin was afraid to see the disdain in the woman’s eyes, she lowered her head and said, “but this gift is worthless. I made it together with my junior martial brother. It can’t compare to the precious gifts over there… it’s simply unworthy of you…”
Suddenly, Murong Yan forcefully grabbed Ming Qin, forcing her to meet her gaze, forcefully interrupting her speech.
She didn’t care at all whether the crown prince’s gift was a donkey or a horse; those things only served to annoy her.
“Give me your gift,” the woman raised her head, her voice softened, and she said gently, “I don’t care if the gift is expensive. As long as it’s from you.”
Ming Qin looked into the woman’s eyes, filled with tenderness, and compromised, “Okay.”
Even though it was still slightly chilly in the spring breeze, she wrapped a blanket around Murong Yan and opened a small gap in each of the windows.
“My junior martial brother, Xu Jun, is skilled in making clever mechanical toys. He once created a little bird that can fly in the sky, and there was one time when he accidentally invented a new type of hidden weapon, almost setting the camp on fire.” Ming Qin took out a handkerchief and wet it with water as she explained.
“During the New Year, I couldn’t take you to the city wall to watch the fireworks, and I thought it was a pity. So, I wanted to make something for you…” She squeezed the damp handkerchief and wrapped it at the end of a bamboo tube.
“I spent more than half a month tinkering with my junior martial brother for this little thing! He even asked for ‘research funds’ and made some outrageous demands several times.” Thinking about her flattened purse now, Ming Qin wrinkled her nose.
“Look, today is your birthday, a day worth celebrating with the whole city illuminated by joyful lanterns.” She chatted eagerly and ignited the fuse with the fireplace, then deftly extinguished the oil lamp. “…Unfortunately, I don’t have the ability to light up the entire city for you. I can only congratulate you in this small room.”
Ming Qin handed the bamboo tube wrapped in a wet cloth to Murong Yan and embraced her, her slightly calloused hands gently holding the delicate hand of the woman holding the bamboo tube.
“Yanyan,” Ming Qin rarely called her so softly.
In the darkness, Murong Yan raised her head and met a pair of bright eyes.
“I hope you will always be content, and may every year bring you joy like today.”
The warm smile in front of her suddenly illuminated by a brilliant light, and Murong Yan turned her head to look at the source of light, unable to take her eyes off it.
The front end of the bamboo tube in her hand emitted dazzling and colorful sparks, like real fireworks, illuminating the once dim room with brightness.
As if it had truly summoned the celebration of countless households, the bright light was piercing to the eyes, yet she couldn’t bear to look away.
The vibrant and radiant colors danced incessantly before her, causing her usually composed heart to tremble.
A sour sensation surged in her chest, causing her fingertips to tremble, almost losing grip on the bamboo tube.
Just as she was about to let go, her hand was tightly wrapped by Ming Qin’s palm.
“It’s not hot.”
Ming Qin whispered softly in her ear, “Don’t be afraid.”
It’s hot.
Murong Yan choked up in her heart.
The warmth of their skin pressed together and the scorching heat emanating from her heart were both burning, making her want to shed tears.
She thought she had long been frozen through, like the eternal winter in the far north, where no grass could grow.
Yet this person beside her had recklessly barged into this forbidden territory, bringing with them a searing warmth that set her heart ablaze.
Along with the dazzling fireworks, her heart had already melted into a messy state.
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The fireworks in her hand dimmed, the once dazzling sparks gradually losing their vigor. Ming Qin took the empty bamboo tube and said, “Do you like it? If you do, shall we light some more?”
Murong Yan leaned to the side, her hands encircling Ming Qin’s balanced yet sturdy waist, her chin resting on her slightly lowered shoulder. Her voice was hoarse as she said, “I like it, I really do.”
She truly liked it.
Never before had Murong Yan’s mind been so clear in this moment, so acutely aware of how every inch of her body was simultaneously shouting, shouting about how much she liked Ming Qin.
Liked this person who embraced her in this small room, celebrating her own birth.
Clearly, this wasn’t how she had originally planned it.
Originally, it was just to pass the time.
Originally, it was just to use as a consolation for loneliness.
Originally, it was just a tool to soothe the pain.
Originally, it was just an overbearing desire to possess something as my own.
Filled with calculations, but never expected that I, like being deeply immersed in shifting quicksand, had gradually sunk unconsciously.
Now, when I look up, there is no remedy left.
Murong Yan found it somewhat amusing and bittersweet. She never expected that within her seemingly lifeless self, such almost uncontrollable emotions could surge forth. She tightened her arms and pressed her body against Ming Qin.
“Ah Qin.”
“Yes?” Ming Qin paused her action of lighting the fire.
“Thank you.”
Thank you for allowing me to feel, after a long time, that my own existence is a fortunate event.
The author has something to say:
Sunk in love~
LP: Re-translated on January 27, 2024
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I screamed and cried!
Aw that’s so cute