Chapter 39: Birthday, Memorial Day

Although they talked on the phone every day, Lu Ming always seemed busier than she was; most of the time, their conversations lasted less than ten minutes before he hung up, and she had no idea what he was so busy with.

"Sis, you play 'Rivers and Lakes Chronicle' too?" Fu Yuanye munched on potato chips and leaned over. "What a coincidence, we're even on the same server—let's be friends, sis!"

"Sure." Was it really such a coincidence? There were so many servers for 'Rivers and Lakes Chronicle,' and they happened to be in the same one?

Before Lian Youyou finished speaking, Fu Yuanye dashed back to his room, grabbed his computer, and brought it into hers.

The season was nearly over, and both Lian Youyou and Fu Yuanye's accounts had already graduated. The two stood in the main city, idly afk for a while. Fu Yuanye switched to a two-person mount and invited Lian Youyou to sit in his carriage, taking her for a scenic drive and snapping screenshots.

"This server has the most players of all," Fu Yuanye gazed at the endless maple forest on his screen. "Lots of people in our circle are here, like Mary, Lin Momo, Old Fan, Xie..."

"Fan Chi is on this server too?" She had always assumed the game was mainly populated by high school and college students, mostly young people, and was surprised to learn someone as old as Fan Chi enjoyed 'Rivers and Lakes Chronicle' as well.

But thinking about it, it wasn't so unexpected. Fan Chi always liked places with lots of women, didn't he?

Since 'Rivers and Lakes Chronicle' was an ancient-style MMORPG, the art was exquisite, and every new outfit or hairstyle released was breathtakingly beautiful. Especially the limited-edition looks during events—they would sell out within a second.

These ancient-style games tended to attract more female players than male, and many women played the game as if it were 'Miracle Nikki.' They didn't care about gear or mechanics, focusing solely on buying outfits, hairstyles, rare mounts, and pets.

Fu Yuanye opened his friends channel and pointed to a colorful avatar with dynamic effects. "Look, that's Old Fan. He's online, so he must have fewer gigs lately because of the whole thing with Quan Qing'er—pretty free these days."

Lian Youyou leaned forward to look at Fu Yuanye’s screen. The ID next to the avatar was: "Fatal Rib."

What a flashy username!

With his chubby figure, calling himself "Rib"? Really?

Lian Youyou settled back at her own desk, barely warming her seat before a world announcement popped up: "Fatal Rib lights up 'A Lifetime' for Mystical Delirium..."

"A Lifetime" was the name of a firework in 'Rivers and Lakes Chronicle.' Each firework had a different price, and "A Lifetime" was the most expensive—available only for a limited time during events.

"Old Fan is flirting in-game again, tsk tsk, still lively in his old age," Fu Yuanye laughed carelessly. "Only his wife doesn't know. If she finds out, she'll make a fuss. But Old Fan keeps his secrets well—even I only found out he played and knew his ID because Quan Qing'er whispered it to me."

Lian Youyou typed Fan Chi's ID into the friend request, but hesitated before sending. She turned and asked, "Yuanye, when you play the arena and such, you all go on YY, right? Aren't you afraid someone will recognize your voices?"

"So easy," Fu Yuanye minimized the game and hovered his mouse over an icon. "See this, sis? It's a voice changer—we use this whenever we're on YY."

He opened the software, fiddled with the settings, and spoke into the mic in a deliberately rough voice: "Hey, big brother, want to voice chat? I've got a loli voice."

Though Fu Yuanye made his voice gruff, what came from the computer was a soft, childish loli tone.

Lian Youyou was amazed.

The technology these days was incredible.

With a voice changer, she no longer feared Fan Chi would recognize her voice, and confidently sent him a friend request.

Fan Chi accepted instantly.

...

At six in the morning, Lian Youyou's phone rang on her bedside table, startling her awake.

Who was calling so early? Her scenes weren't until the afternoon.

Groggily, she grabbed her phone and glanced at the caller—Lu Ming. She woke up instantly.

"Youyou, it's me." Lu Ming's voice was deep and powerful, so close it seemed right by her ear; she could almost hear his breath.

Just that call made her heart race, all traces of sleep vanishing.

"Youyou," Lu Ming called her name again, clearly saying, "Put your clothes on. Open your curtains—you'll see me downstairs at your hotel. I'm waiting for you."

Why hadn’t he told her he was coming?

Arriving before dawn, no less.

Without thinking further, Lian Youyou leapt from bed, rushed to the window, threw open the curtains, and looked out. Sure enough, across the street beneath the hotel, Lu Ming's Maserati was parked.

Lu Ming leaned against the car, idly spinning a lighter in his hand.

He never smoked, yet always carried a lighter—a detail that had always puzzled Lian Youyou. Perhaps it was for social occasions.

The sky was still dark, the street shrouded in mist. Lu Ming stood amidst the haze, everything blurred except for the flicker of flame from his lighter, signaling to her.

Despite her eagerness to meet him after so long, Lian Youyou wanted to look her best.

She dashed into the bathroom, lightning-fast, washing her face and brushing her teeth, fumbling for her cushion brush and hurriedly tidying her hair.

Was it a bit greasy?

No time for a wash. She dug out some volumizing powder, patted it at the roots of her bangs, smoothed it with her fingers, and tied the rest up.

She opened her wardrobe, overwhelmed by the array of clothes. What should she wear? What colors did he like?

She chose her newly bought vintage red cloak, layered it over her wool dress, tied the ribbon with white pom-poms, and donned the hood trimmed with white fur.

Oh dear, she'd spent more time than she'd hoped. Was Lu Ming getting impatient?

She grabbed her bag, hurried out, locked the door, and rushed downstairs.

Exiting the elevator, she bounded out of the hotel.

Without sunlight, the morning was wrapped in thick fog, the streets barely lit, empty and silent, skyscrapers fading into the mist.

What beautiful fog, what fresh air, what a poetic morning!

Lian Youyou crossed the street, heading straight for the figure waiting at its edge.

As she reached Lu Ming, he snapped the lighter shut and clasped her hands in his.

Lu Ming gazed at Lian Youyou for a long, long time. They stood face to face, simply looking at each other.

He gently pulled her into his arms.

Lian Youyou rested her head on Lu Ming’s shoulder, inhaling the pleasant woody notes of his cologne, feeling there was no scent more intoxicating.

She loved that subtle fragrance on him. Whenever they lived together, before tossing his clothes into the washer, she would always hold them up and breathe in the scent.

His cologne was sophisticated—never dizzying or cloying, with a tipsy top note, a bold middle, deepening with time, cool and alluring, almost spellbinding.

He whispered by her ear, "You look beautiful today."

"Of course," she replied.

At that moment, whatever he said, she loved.

Lu Ming squeezed her shoulder, a hint of reproach in his tone. "You wore so little?"

Lian Youyou grinned foolishly, "I was too eager to see you, didn’t have time to put on more layers."

Though she was already twenty-eight, and if she’d lived, would be fifty now, having married once, she ought to be mature.

But Lu Ming made her feel the sweetness of love again, brought her back to the days of youth, filled her with vitality, passion, and endless longing for life and love.

"Come on, get in! Don’t catch cold." He opened the car door.

Lian Youyou climbed in, while Lu Ming circled to the trunk, pulling out a beautifully wrapped cake box.

"Happy birthday." Lu Ming sat in the driver’s seat, holding the cake out to her.

"My birthday?"

She’d never paid attention to her daughter’s birthday…

Suddenly she remembered—her daughter’s birthday was her own death anniversary.

Did her daughter ever celebrate a birthday?

Probably not. That day was her memorial; her parents wouldn’t have thought to celebrate their granddaughter’s birthday.

Seeing Lian Youyou's sorrowful expression, Lu Ming guessed the reason and comforted her, "Youyou, some things are beyond your control. You don’t need to dwell on the past."

Lian Youyou forced a smile. "I’m not dwelling. What’s there to dwell on? It’s been twenty years, right?"

She disliked showing her vulnerable side to Lu Ming. She wanted him to see her as passionate and full of life.

"Youyou, let me take you somewhere."

Lu Ming started the car and drove ahead.

Being with Lu Ming gave her a feeling of love she had never known.

Lian Youyou smiled dreamily at him.

He was cold and distant to others, yet always warmed her. She loved men who were icy to the world but gentle only to her.

She didn’t care what was outside the window or where Lu Ming was taking her.

Lu Ming drove with one hand, reaching over to grasp her slender hand with the other.

"Lu Lu, aren’t you ever lazy in the mornings? Don’t you want to sleep in? Why come so early?" Lian Youyou let him hold her hand. "Next time you visit, let me know in advance—I wasn’t prepared at all."

"Because I wanted to be the first to wish you a happy birthday."

Lian Youyou laughed, "Oh, you really overestimate me. My social circle is tiny—besides you, who else would celebrate my birthday?"