Fang You took Xia Nuo to find Nuo Nuo's mother, Lin Yi, who changed Xia Nuo into a pair of well-fitting shoes.
Then, the two little ones came back and sang the birthday song together.
Fang You and Xia Nuo blew out the birthday candles on the castle cake together, and Xia Nuo's saliva went "puff, puff" spraying all over Fang You's face.
After enjoying the delicious birthday cake and various sweet treats, it was time for the friends to give their gifts to the birthday stars.
The six-year-old Du Anqi towered over the other children, looking like a big kid, so she was the first one to give her gift.
"You You, Nuo Nuo, happy birthday!"
Everyone circled around and followed big sister Du Anqi, lining up to hand their birthday gifts to Xia Nuo and Fang You, making it all feel very ceremonial.
"Thank you, everyone, thanks a lot."
Xia Nuo greeted everyone while receiving gifts, "Thanks for coming to You You and Nuo Nuo's birthday party, I like you all too!"
You have to say, the way kids talk these days is so formal, just like adults exchanging pleasantries.
But it's all learned by imitation...
After all, Nuo Nuo is a playhouse expert.
It was Asai Reina's turn to give a gift.
"You You, this is the birthday present I'm giving you, please accept it."
"Thank you...huh?"
When Fang You received the gift, he showed a surprised expression, which made Asai Reina very proud.
Humph, I knew You You would be surprised!
Last time, You You thought the gift was too expensive and rejected Reina.
But this time, Reina has prepared an unbeatable birthday gift!
Because this gift she's giving is a handmade craft!
It's a pentagonal star glass jar filled with stars!
"Reina folded each and every star by herself, it took a long time, let me tell you..."
Asai Reina was trying to bond with Fang You when Xia Nuo also came over.
"Reina, that's so nice of you, is my birthday gift a star jar too?"
"Of course it is!"
Asai Reina nodded vigorously.
Although she wasn't very willing, the birthday gift for Nuo Nuo had to be the same as the one for You You.
Humph, but that's only on the surface!
Because the star jar for Nuo Nuo wasn't folded by Reina herself.
It was her dad who helped Reina fold it!
Although they looked pretty much the same on the outside, they were totally different!
Nuo Nuo's star jar doesn't have Reina's blessings inside!
So, it's a birthday gift without any affection, oh!
hia! hia! hia! hia!
Thinking this way, Reina is really too wicked!
She's practically the big villain!
Reina is, after all, the Black Rose Fairy herself!
But in front of everyone, I'll still be the cute little princess.
However, watching Xia Nuo, all dressed up in a pink princess dress, Asai Reina started to take this little kid seriously.
You have to admit, Nuo Nuo really has grown into a very pretty child.
After all, she managed to mesmerize the usually aloof You You, so she must definitely have her attractive traits.
But no matter what, Reina has taken a firm step towards rescuing You You!
Wang Zihan clenched his little fists tight as he saw Asai Reina take great interest in the star jar.
He too made a resolution.
Next time it's Reina's birthday, I'll also give her a star jar like that to wow everyone.
Bigger and with more stars than the one Reina gave You You!
You You is an indecisive little kid, who not only has Nuo Nuo, but also plays with An Qi, with Ayu, and with Xuan Xuan.
Not like me, I only think wholeheartedly of playing with Reina alone.
Once Reina realizes that You You's liking for her isn't even one-tenth... no, one hundredth of mine!
Reina will know I am her best friend!
Reina is sure to be super happy!
Let's start folding stars from today!
Wang Zihan set a great aspiration.
Everyone shared cake and took group photos, and they all enjoyed magic performances, bubble shows, claw machines, and other little games at the birthday party.
The joyous birthday celebration was about to end, and after saying goodbye to the other kids one by one, Xia Nuo and Fang You went home laden with gifts.
On the way, Xia Nuo took out the birthday gift he had prepared for Fang You.
"Ta-da! This is the birthday gift I've prepared for You You!"
Xia Nuo leaned against Fang You's shoulder, and as he unwrapped the gift, he said:
"Oooh, what have I prepared for You You? It's really curious—You You, are you excited?"
"Yeah, excited."
Fang You watched Xia Nuo open the birthday gift he'd already known the answer to.
"Happy Birthday, You You!"
"Thanks... oh, there are two?"
In the opened gift box, there were a pair of SmartyPants smartwatches, one blue and one pink.
Xia Nuo nodded and said with a smile, "Because we're best friends, the watches are also best friend models!"
This truly is a best friend model...
"Come, let me put it on for you... stretch out your hand."
Xia Nuo beckoned Fang You to raise his hand, slowly rolled up his sleeve, and carefully secured the watch strap.
"Okay, now You You put mine on!"
"Sure."
Lin Yi, watching the kids' intimate interaction through the rearview mirror, couldn't help but joke:
"You know, you two giving each other birthday gifts, why does it feel like you're exchanging tokens of affection?"
Tsk...
Uncle Xia, who was driving, made a tsk-tsk sound, and Lin Yi covered her mouth:
"See, Daddy is getting jealous."
"I'm not."
[Xia Anyang is very jealous of you, Emotional Energy +3]
"Can I open the birthday gift You You gave me now?"
Xia Nuo was holding onto Fang You's arm, whining a bit:
"I've been patient for so long, how come you still won't tell me what the gift is?"
"Hmm... The birthday gift I'm giving you looks better when opened at night."
"It's already nighttime."
"You can't look at it with the lights on," said Fang You.
"Then let's go to my house later and see it in my room!"
At these words, Xia Anyang immediately became anxious: "Alright, Nuo Nuo, it's so late, You You also needs to rest. Let's open it tomorrow, Nuo Nuo—"
"No way, today is my birthday, I want to see it now, and I mean now!"
Xia Nuo insisted on taking Fang You back to her house, and the two friends arrived at Xia Nuo's bedroom.
Fang You opened the carefully wrapped gift box and handed the frosted glass jar inside to Xia Nuo.
"Happy Birthday, Nuo Nuo."
Xia Nuo picked up the jar, fiddled with the opening catch of the glass jar unsuccessfully, shook it in her hand and listened to the sound inside, then asked Fang You.
"What's inside this jar?"
"Inside... wait, first turn off the lights."
This reminded Xia Nuo of what Fang You had said in the car, and she excitedly turned off the lights in the bedroom.
In the pitch darkness, Fang You took the glass jar and found the switch button.
Click.
And just then, inside the once blurring glass jar, a shiny sphere suddenly appeared.
Xia Nuo's gaze was instantly captivated by the glass jar in Fang You's hands.
"Did you put the sun inside?"
... Your imagination is so rich.
"This jar is called the Sunshine Jar, you can use it to collect sunlight."
Fang You explained, "The reason this jar is shining is because during the day I collected the sun's energy in it, gathering the sunlight."
Xia Nuo, her cheeks propped in her hands, looked curiously at the glowing sphere inside the jar, her mouth wide open in disbelief.
"Won't the sunlight be very hot?"
"It won't... try touching it."
"It's really not hot, just warm."
Xia Nuo's gaze at Fang You changed, "You You are so amazing, can you do magic? How did you manage to put sunlight in a jar!"
[Xia Nuo has developed an admiration for you, Emotional Energy +3]
This is kind of embarrassing...
The principle behind this Sunshine Jar is actually quite simple. It uses the principle of photoelectric conversion to turn light energy such as solar energy into electrical energy.
In a dark environment, when you turn on the power of the Sunshine Jar, it will emit a warm glow.
There wasn't anything particularly special about choosing this gift, I just thought it was interesting.
A smile of pure joy filled Xia Nuo's face as she clutched the Sunshine Jar to her chest.
"This is great, I won't have to worry about rain anymore. When it's rainy or cloudy, I can take out the sunlight collected in the Sunshine Jar, and my mom's laundry can dry quickly."
This sunshine energy... probably isn't capable of that.
But there's no need for me to be the one to spoil the fun.
Xia Nuo hugged the Sunshine Jar and snuggled into Fang You's arms, lifting the jar high above.
The light from the Sunshine Jar shone through the frosted glass with a fuzzy and shimmering appearance, an orange-red glow that felt very warm.
In Xia Nuo's eyes, gazing at the Sunshine Jar, there was also a dazzling sparkle.
"You You's birthday gift, I really love it."
"I love the sun, and I super love sunny days,"
Xia Nuo squinted her eyes, "On sunny days, when the sun shines on you, it feels warm and so comforting... Ah, if only one day I could touch the real sun!"
"That's probably not a good idea," Fang You warned Xia Nuo.
"Why not?"
"Because the sun is really hot—"
"I could bring a small fan, um... or drive there, Dad's car has air conditioning, so I wouldn't be afraid of the sun..."
The two kids thus carried on discussing around the Sunshine Jar, how they could fly to the sky and stand shoulder to shoulder with the sun.
Even though the topic was quite childish, discussing it with Nuo Nuo made him find it very interesting.
In his past life, he had not had such a close friend as Xia Nuo, a close childhood friend to share everything with; this experience was also a first for him.
Although it's hard to say what the future might hold, living in the present is happier.
Well, just enjoy it.
"By the way, You You, did you enjoy today's birthday party?"
"It was alright."
Having harvested quite a bit of Emotional Energy, it was pretty profitable...
Asai Reina performed as expected, and Wang Zihan and Uncle Xia contributed beyond the norm.
But I also have to control well the harvesting of Emotional Energy to avoid making Uncle Xia dislike me more and more.
"Me too, although it was really fun to meet many good friends again, having to greet so many adults I don't know, I almost died of exhaustion!"
Xia Nuo seemed to have no deep impressions of her own star-studded performance on stage.
She was not conscious of her own beauty and popularity, unlike Asai Reina who would deliberately mention it often.
Her personal style was all about just being happy.
And that's a good thing.
"Shall we just celebrate our birthdays together in the future? Next time I'll talk to Dad... ask him not to invite so many people for my birthday."
"What about Ayu and your other friends from kindergarten?"
"Um... err..."
Xia Nuo scratched her head, wondering.
She still cared about her friends.
Then, blushing, Xia Nuo mumbled:
"Well then, how about this, Dad said we have both the lunar and solar birthdays, right? I can celebrate one birthday with everyone, and the other just with you..."
"That's not a bad idea..."
Fang You nodded; he thought this might also give Uncle Xia more freedom to be creative.
"I won't go to the one we celebrate with everyone then. I find it tiring."
"No, we can't rest, we can't rest!"
Xia Nuo tackled Fang You, placing the Sunshine Jar on top of Fang You's head while her eyes brimmed with tender smiles:
"My two birthdays are also your two birthdays, so... you have to celebrate both with me!"
-----------------