Because Gu Miao was here, this birthday became serious from the afternoon onwards. Jiang Cheng sat in the store with a serious look on his face as he explained this birthday to Gu Miao: "Me and your brother are celebrating our birthdays together today."

Gu Miao was quite attentive looking at Jiang Cheng because she was in a good mood, but she probably didn't understand.

"Today is my birthday, and your brother's is in a month, but in order to save time and money," Jiang Cheng continued explaining, "we're celebrating it together. Understand? Nod if you understand."

Gu Miao looked at him without nodding. After a while, she suddenly waved her hand at him, took her skateboard and ran outside. Gu Fei knocked on the cash register desk: "Gu Miao!"

Gu Miao stopped for a moment but her face was still facing the door, she didn't turn around.

"Eat first," Gu Fei went over and squatted down in front of her, looking at her, "Have a rest for half an hour after eating before going to play, okay?"

Gu Miao looked at him for a while, then nodded.

"She nodded," Jiang Cheng watched from the side, "then just now she still didn't understand what I was saying right?"

"Yeah, she doesn't understand," Gu Fei smiled, "usually just daily things like this, as long as she's used to doing them, she can understand. What you just said, she'd need at least half an hour of explanation and for her to have the patience to listen, normally she'd lose concentration after a few minutes."

"Will today's session be useful?" Jiang Cheng asked.

"It'll be somewhat effective, I've seen a similar child at the hospital before, there's been progress now." Gu Fei said.

"How long did it take?" Jiang Cheng asked again.

"Seven years." Gu Fei looked at him for a moment. Jiang Cheng was still able to get to the key issue, which was time.

Gu Miao's condition wasn't the most severe kind. Although she couldn't control her emotions well, couldn't perceive and understand others' emotions well, and was aggressive, as long as someone was patient and used the right methods, she could have simple communication with others and rarely got hurt.

But if they wanted further improvement, a very long time would be needed. The amount of time needed was so long that Gu Fei didn't even dare think about it.

Jiang Cheng opened his mouth but didn't say anything.  

"Let's order takeout?" Gu Fei changed the topic, taking out his phone, "Get a few big dishes delivered? Do you want anything in particular?"

"Sure," Jiang Cheng said, "chicken, duck, fish, meat all works, I just really want to eat meat, ah, pork belly."

"Let me see, why don't we just get someone to deliver barbecue directly, we can use a flat pan..." Gu Fei pulled a chair over and sat down. Because he was talking, he didn't pay attention and this butt-first solid sit down made a certain body part feel extremely uncomfortable. If he were to open his mouth now, it would definitely be a standard beautiful voice, "To, barbecue, meat."

He gritted his teeth and steadily finished the sentence.

"That works," Jiang Cheng was very happy to hear this and snapped his fingers, "Gu Miao come over, let's see if we can find barbecue sauce together. You recognize quite a few characters right, point them out to me?"

"There is, just over...there." Gu Fei leaned to the side, using his arm to support himself on the cash register table to reduce the pressure on his butt.

Jiang Cheng had asked him earlier, did it feel good?

It didn't feel that good, although it didn't exactly hurt either, but in short it was uncomfortable. For Jiang Cheng's question, he really wanted to ask back, as a top student, after looking at so much material, who would feel very comfortable after the first time? Not to mention, his thoughtful boyfriend shamelessly wrote an erotic notebook but didn't follow the procedures in it.  

But ultimately he didn't say it. He didn't want Jiang Cheng to feel pressured, after all they were innocent youths, things like this were just going by instinct. As long as they didn't give up halfway it was pretty good.

When the barbecue ingredients arrived, Jiang Cheng had already picked out all the sauces from the shelves with Gu Miao's help, laid out in a row on the table.

"Now let's scoop the sauces into plates and bowls, okay?" Jiang Cheng brought over several bowls and small plates, and pulled Gu Miao to the table.

Gu Fei watched them while playing on his phone. In the afternoon the teacher had Gu Miao do similar activities, Jiang Cheng had been standing outside the window the whole time, only revealing half his face, yet he remembered it quite clearly.

Gu Miao took a spoon and started scooping sauce into the bowls and plates, looking quite serious.

But after three kinds of sauce, she started getting impatient. The oil dripping onto the table and the sauce that wouldn't wipe off the spoon cleanly was annoying her.

"Let's change spoons, do you like..." Jiang Cheng was about to get up to grab another spoon when Gu Miao had already thrown the one in her hand onto the floor. Just as he picked up the spoon, Gu Miao flipped a plate onto the ground too, then stared blankly at the table. Jiang Cheng sighed as he stared at her, "What a temper."

Gu Fei smiled but held in his laugh. Gu Miao's behaviors were already habitual to him, not common but also not stopped. He faced them as if facing the occasional little tantrums of other people's children, used to them.

"Gu Er Miao, let me tell you," Jiang Cheng picked up the plate and used paper to slowly clean up the sauce on the floor, "the only reason I'm putting up with you is because you're pretty. If you were uglier I would've kicked you out already."

"Do you think I'm handsome?" Jiang Cheng threw the paper into the trash can then moved right in front of Gu Miao's face, "Hm?"

Gu Miao looked at him for about ten seconds or so, then nodded.  

Jiang Cheng was suddenly excited and proudly turned his head, "Hear that? Your sister says I'm handsome."

"You were handsome to begin with." Gu Fei said.

When Jiang Cheng turned to look at Gu Miao again, she cupped Jiang Cheng's face in her hands, then pulled him closer by the ears and kissed his forehead.

"Huh?" Jiang Cheng was stunned, taking quite a while before quickly turning to look at Gu Fei again, "Did you see that?"

"Saw it." Gu Fei was also somewhat surprised. Gu Miao rarely expressed her likes and dislikes well. She quite liked Li Yan but always had a cold face around him, only allowing Li Yan to play with her favorite toys. Her way of expressing her liking for Jiang Cheng was unprecedented.

"Thank you Er Miao." Jiang Cheng turned back and smiled at Gu Miao. When he tried to kiss her forehead as well, Gu Fei stood up.

"Jiang Cheng," Gu Fei called out to stop him, "Don't kiss her."

"Hm?" Jiang Cheng was confused but seemed to react quickly, "Oh, I understand."

"Er Miao," Gu Fei squatted down in front of Gu Miao and waved a finger in front of her eyes, "Look at me."

Gu Miao looked at him.

"You can't kiss boys, and can't let boys kiss you," Gu Fei said word for word, "After you turned 6, brother stopped kissing you right? Because you grew up, no more kisses."  

Gu Miao watched him very attentively.

"I've told you before, remember?" Gu Fei said.

Gu Miao nodded.  

"Let's change to a different way, okay?" Gu Fei said.

Gu Miao stared at Jiang Cheng for a very long time, seeming to be thinking it over. Finally she stretched out a hand and snapped her fingers at Jiang Cheng, then gave a thumbs up.

"Hey!" Jiang Cheng hurriedly snapped his fingers back and gave her a thumbs up, "You're the coolest."

Gu Miao smiled, then continued looking at the sauces on the table.

"You help her do it, her patience and attention span is just this much." Gu Fei said.

"Okay." Jiang Cheng scooped out the remaining two sauces. Gu Miao watched quite attentively.

"We can eat now," Gu Fei placed the stove and pan on the table, "Should we take out the cake too?"

"No, don't take it out yet," Jiang Cheng still refused to look at the cake, "After we finish eating, when it's completely dark outside then take it out. This cake needs the right atmosphere, after all it's the first time in my life that I get to eat a cake made by a boy...deskmate, I want to give myself a surprise."

"Deskmate," Gu Fei clicked his tongue, "Then have other deskmates made you cake before?"

"Don't force me." Jiang Cheng glared at him.

Gu Fei gave a long whistle.

Jiang Cheng still hadn't started when Gu Miao had already very swiftly picked up a slice of meat into the pan, stirring impatiently with her chopsticks.

"A young lady," Jiang Cheng sighed, "so greedy for meat, what if you become fat in the future?"

"It's fine, she gets lots of exercise," Gu Fei said, "If you don't restrict her she could play skateboard outside all day."

"Her skateboard," Jiang Cheng said, "needs new wheels right? They're all worn out."

"Yeah," Gu Fei nodded, "has to be changed while she's asleep or she'll throw a fit if she sees."

"She checks the wheels?" Jiang Cheng asked.

"She usually just stares at the board, as long as the board itself doesn't change then it's fine." Gu Fei said, using his chopsticks to flip the piece Gu Miao was stabbing.

Eating like this was actually more comfortable than going out to eat, they could eat however they wanted, carefree.

But occasionally there would still be not so carefree things, like someone coming into the shop to buy stuff halfway through their meal.

"Eating?" Auntie Lui from upstairs came in and greeted Gu Fei first. When she saw Jiang Cheng she froze, "This is...Jiang Cheng right? Old Li's..."

Jiang Cheng glanced back at her but didn't speak.

Just as Auntie Lui was about to continue speaking, Gu Fei cut her off, "Auntie Lui, you're here to buy oil right?"

"Right, buying oil," Auntie Lui nodded, still peeking at Jiang Cheng several times, "You..."

"I'll grab it for you," Gu Fei got up and went to the shelves to take a bottle of oil, "this is the soybean oil you bought last time right?"

"Yes yes," Auntie Lui said, "Da Fei you really do have a good memory."

"I can mostly remember the regulars," Gu Fei went to stand behind the cash register, reported the price and then waited for her to take out money, "in a rush to cook?"

"Yes," Auntie Lui handed him the money, "left the pan on the fire before realizing I forgot to buy oil."  

Gu Fei swiftly gave her change and handed over the oil, "Hurry, your eldest grandson must be throwing a fit from hunger already."

"He already is!" Auntie Lui said anxiously, grabbing the oil and running out, "Damn child!"

After Gu Fei sat back down, he heard Jiang Cheng softly sigh.

"At least a year of gossip, to your face or behind your back, endless," he picked up a piece of cooked meat and put it in Jiang Cheng's bowl, "you can talk back if you don't like it."

"Yeah," Jiang Cheng smiled, "there'll be embellishments right?"

"Definitely embellished," Gu Fei said, "At times like these, not dramatizing your own story or others' is so boring. Do you want me to go find out what they're saying now?"

"No," Jiang Cheng clicked his tongue, "I can imagine, I wouldn't have been able to before but I have experience now."

"Treat it as an experience," Gu Fei said, "People live a lifetime and have all kinds of experiences, all sorts of experiences prove that you've lived."

"More poetry," Jiang Cheng laughed, "then you're proof that I've lived too right?"

"I'm proof you've liked before," Gu Fei smirked, "proof you've done it before."

"Fuck!" Jiang Cheng quickly glanced at Gu Miao.

Compared to Gu Fei's words, Jiang Cheng's "fuck" was clearly more understandable to Gu Miao. She didn't react to Gu Fei's words, only looked up when Jiang Cheng swore.

"Swearing is wrong." Jiang Cheng immediately said.

Gu Miao nodded, snapped her fingers and gave a thumbs up.

"She can snap loudly with her left hand too?" Jiang Cheng looked at Gu Fei in surprise, "Just now was with her right hand right?"

"Yeah, but rarely see her do that, usually she likes whistling." Gu Fei said with a smile.

Gu Miao put down her chopsticks and snapped her fingers with both hands, then held them out to show two thumbs up.

"Hey, I can't do it with my left hand," Jiang Cheng laughed, "you're so awesome, handsome Miao."

After eating, they rested for a bit. Gu Fei wanted to take Gu Miao back to sleep and to eat the cake with just Jiang Cheng, but because he had promised Gu Miao earlier that she could play skateboard if she rested for half an hour after eating, he could only squat at the shop entrance watching Jiang Cheng and Gu Miao dart up and down the two streets playing.

There was still enough time, he checked his phone. Play for a bit, take Gu Miao back, return to the shop to eat cake, then...mom would come see the shop in the morning tomorrow so he could sleep in until noon like today, take Gu Miao for therapy in the afternoon.

The day after that wouldn't be so relaxing, he'd have to start the accepted jobs, and the photo shoot work he introduced to Jiang Cheng started the day after tomorrow too. This summer break was even shorter than usual...really busy...

Gu Fei felt somewhat depressed realizing his thoughts seamlessly connected the rogue activities tonight to the annoying summer money making activities. He clicked his tongue and brought his thoughts back.

He took out that piece of paper from Jiang Cheng again from his pocket.

...The handwriting really is ugly.

"Gu Fei!" Jiang Cheng yelled out while gliding by him on the skateboard. He had probably seen the paper in his hand and gave him the middle finger when Gu Fei glanced over.

Gu Fei gave a long whistle.

Some parts of the notebook were still useful. Apart from the ugly writing, the top student's note taking skills were very high, clear and concise, easy to understand and learn. Universal cure-all, 100% effective on Jiang Cheng...

Gu Fei cleared his throat and controlled his wandering thoughts a little.

But when Jiang Cheng passed by him the second time, the waist revealed when his shirt fluttered up instantly ruined his efforts.

It was...just the right timing, he turned back into the shop and closed the door to the back room.

The bed in the back room was usually used by him to nap. He had never jerked off in here before, today was the first time.

He opened the folder on his phone and found...a video of Jiang Cheng.

This video was secretly recorded by him. The content was very normal and boring, just Jiang Cheng falling asleep on the table halfway through studying.

But Jiang Cheng sleeping looked very nice, especially when he fell asleep halfway through studying. It seemed as if he was trying his best to sleep enough so he could continue studying, sleeping very seriously, looking very sexy.

When Jiang Cheng came back into the shop with a tired out Gu Miao, he had already cleaned the battlefield, washed the dishes from dinner and tidied up the table.

"Wait here a moment," Gu Fei used a towel to wipe the sweat off of Gu Miao's face, "I'll take her back then come back over."

"Okay," Jiang Cheng sat down on the chair and stretched out his legs, "I'm dead tired, her stamina really is something else."

"Don't be jealous," Gu Fei smiled, "she simply doesn't know what tired is."

Usually when taking Gu Miao back he would walk while she skateboarded, but today to save time he put Gu Miao on the back of his bike.

After dropping Gu Miao off and telling his mom to watch her shower, he rode back and it didn't even take half an hour total.

Jiang Cheng had already fallen asleep leaning back in the chair, head tilted back and legs stretched out long.

"Jiang Cheng?" Gu Fei walked over softly and called him quietly. Jiang Cheng didn't react.

He stood behind Jiang Cheng, looked outside the shop to make sure no one was passing by, then lowered his head to lightly bite Jiang Cheng's lips while grabbing his arm.

Jiang Cheng's reflexes were almost deadly. By the time Gu Fei kissed him and moved away, although his arm didn't raise up, the height his legs shot up was still quite astonishing.

"Fuck!" Jiang Cheng collapsed back into the chair with resignation after seeing it was him. "Gu Fei, how long are you going to keep playing these boring games..."

"Don't know," Gu Fei let go of his arm with a smile, then moved to his ear and whispered, "You're quite flexible, aren't you?"

"Hm?" Jiang Cheng was confused for a moment. "Fuck off, you really are a good youth of the new era."

"Eat cake?" Gu Fei asked.

"Don't change the subject!" Jiang Cheng said.

"Then let's not change the subject," Gu Fei looked at him from next to the freezer. "Let's continue discussing your flexibility?"

"Eat cake." Jiang Cheng pointed at the freezer.  

The cake Gu Fei made should be less than a pound, a size smaller than the one pound one he bought yesterday, but it looked beautiful, chocolate.

The outside was a whole white chocolate shell, full of roses, squeezed full on the entire cake, with two small cherries in the middle.

A simple base color yet complex pattern, along with eye-catching little red dots.

"Not bad skills, Gu Fei!" Jiang Cheng sincerely exclaimed, "I thought you could only make some twisted flowers at best, didn't expect you could make roses!"

"I used to play with Er Miao before." Gu Fei smiled.

"Where are the words?" Jiang Cheng looked at the flowers on the cake, "Didn't you say there were words? There's no space left to write now, right?"

"There are." Gu Fei turned the cake halfway towards him.

Only then did Jiang Cheng see there was a space on the cake waist without roses, and some words were written there.

Jiang Cheng had seen these words before, and always remembered them.

These were the words in the message Gu Fei sent him.

- I want, one look, till we grow old

"Damn." Jiang Cheng suddenly felt his eyes grow hot.

He had read this message many times, would see it every time he checked his chat history, but had never reacted like now, suddenly a bit unable to control his emotions.

"What's wrong?" Gu Fei asked.

"Nothing," Jiang Cheng took a deep breath, then made a clicking sound, "Did you write the words yourself?"

"Yeah." Gu Fei replied.

"Written...quite well," Jiang Cheng looked at the line of words, "Better than...me."

"Is this praising me?" Gu Fei asked.

"Isn't this praising you?" Jiang Cheng glanced at him.

"Written better than you," Gu Fei also glanced at him, "This counts as praise?"

"Piss off, I've discovered you're an extremely annoying person, I'll properly teach you a lesson sooner or later," Jiang Cheng took out his phone, "Hold up the cake, I want to take a photo."

Gu Fei smiled and picked up the cake, holding it in front of himself: "Like this?"

"Smile." Jiang Cheng looked at Gu Fei on the screen.

Gu Fei bared his teeth.

"Can you smile a bit more gracefully?" Jiang Cheng furrowed his brows.

Gu Fei smiled again.

Jiang Cheng snapped a photo, Gu Fei was about to put down the cake, but Jiang Cheng waved his hand: "Don't move, I still want to take a video."

Gu Fei held up the cake again.  

"Speak." Jiang Cheng hit record.

"Speak what?" Gu Fei asked, "Happy birthday Jiang Cheng."

"Say," Jiang Cheng zoomed in the camera, "Do you like Jiang Cheng?"

"Like," Gu Fei smiled, "Very very much."