"Birthday? For whom?" Terry always had a knack for coming up with the most unimaginable answers, leaving Li Ren perplexed. 'Even if it's a birthday celebration, why would I be included? I don't have any friends who need celebrating, and I'm not interested in attending a birthday party', Li Ren thought.
Terry chuckled and said, "Let's talk as we walk. Haven't you eaten yet?" He glanced at his watch—it was already 9 PM. The work location was somewhat far, and with traffic, time had slipped away before he knew it. Terry gasped as he looked at the time. "Oh my, is it this late? Let's go, let's go. Help me carry the cake." Li Ren indeed hadn't eaten; breakfast and lunch had barely satisfied him, and after snacking on a few cookies at Terry's place in the evening, his stomach had been growling for quite a while now. Without further ado, he hurriedly followed Terry out the door.
Once in the car, Terry handed his phone to Li Ren. "Hey, can you charge my phone for me? Thanks!" Li Ren shot him a sidelong glance but took the phone, plugged it in, and secured it in the phone holder. After handing over the phone, Terry immediately put the car in reverse and drove toward their destination.
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"Where are you heading?" Li Ren asked. The car was playing a Chopin piano piece. Li Ren didn't understand it well, finding it quite relaxing but somewhat hypnotic. Terry, however, hummed along to the melody, enjoying it thoroughly. Even when he heard Li Ren's question, he insisted on finishing a small segment before slowly replying, "To an old restaurant. I happened to be hungry when I came to look at houses here and went in to eat, and it turned out to be surprisingly good. Truly lucky! Later, I discovered that there's hardly anything bad to eat around here. Living here is such a blessing!".
Li Ren could tell that Terry genuinely loved this neighborhood; happiness was written all over his face. Although it wasn't the main point, Li Ren couldn't help but think, 'The fried bread at the morning market in Lousheng Town is way better than what I bought this morning'. Returning to the topic, Li Ren asked, "So, who are you celebrating for? It seems a bit strange for me to just show up for someone else's birthday.".
Li Ren had never imagined that one day he would celebrate a birthday for someone he had never met before.
Terry then replied, "Not at all! I'm celebrating for the owner of that restaurant. You're just in time; one more person makes it livelier! I also... " Before he could finish, he felt a gaze from the passenger seat. Li Ren stared at Terry, as if trying to see right through him. Terry glanced at Li Ren and quickly focused back on the road, then quietly asked, "What?"
Li Ren opened his mouth for a long time before finally managing to voice his confusion: "The owner of that restaurant?? I thought you were inviting the birthday boy or girl to eat there?".
Terry's unconventional behavior always left Li Ren with more and more questions, leaving him unable to keep up. Then Terry burst out laughing, "Hahaha, no!"
"What does the restaurant owner's birthday have to do with you?" Li Ren frowned, puzzled.
Terry smiled as he cleared up Li Ren's confusion, saying, "I promised him I would celebrate his birthday! I remembered this morning, but almost forgot by the afternoon. Thankfully, I set an alarm to buy the cake—smart, right?" As he spoke, Terry smirked, leaned slightly toward Li Ren, raised his chin, then returned to his original position to continue driving, waiting for Li Ren's praise.
'What do you mean, 'almost forgot'? That's basically forgetting, isn't it?' Li Ren thought, giving Terry a sideways glance.
"Doesn't he have family to celebrate with?" Li Ren continued to ask.
"His children and grandchildren are all abroad, and his partner passed away a few years ago, so he's been alone. I thought someone should celebrate with him; how could such an important day go uncelebrated?" After Terry finished speaking, he hummed along to the melody echoing inside the car, gently tapping the steering wheel.
'An important day? ' Li Ren pondered.
'What's so important about it? Just a reminder that you've managed to survive another year... A birthday? What's there to celebrate?'
Li Ren quietly gazed out the window at the passing scenery, saying nothing more. Terry glanced at him once, then continued to drive, letting the music fill the silence.
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They soon arrived at their destination.
The restaurant was nestled at the corner of the street, looking quite old and weathered. The paint on the walls was peeling, and the windows were of an antiquated wooden style. A few potted plants lined the entrance, their flowers long wilted, but it was clear they had been well cared for and were still healthy.
Li Ren and Terry stepped inside together. The interior was tidy, and since it had already closed for the day, there were no other customers.
"Grandpa!" Terry called out loudly as they entered. "Hey! I'm in the kitchen!" A voice, tinged with age yet still robust, came from the back. Terry walked straight to the kitchen, stunned by the scene before him. "Grandpa! I just asked you to save me two pieces of tea cake, but why are you cooking so many dishes?!"
The old man, busy preparing food, turned to glance at Terry, then returned to his work. "Of course I have to cook! When have you ever been hungry here?"
"Wow, aren't you worried I'll eat it all before I even get here?" Terry circled around the table that separated him from the old man and walked over to give him a shoulder massage. The old man shrugged, indicating for Terry not to get in the way of his culinary skills. "I know you won't. Plus, I can tell just by looking at you that you haven't eaten yet. You can't fool me." He locked eyes with Terry, as if seeing right through his thoughts.
"Are you so sure about that?" Terry squinted playfully, giving old man a sidelong glance.
The old man wasn't pleased with Terry's challenging look and patted his chest, declaring, "Of course! I'm already 81! Turning 82 today! This restaurant has been here for decades! How many students from the university across the street have come and gone, solving their meals right here? I've seen countless hungry kids come in and leave full—I know what I'm talking about! Ha! Young man!"
Terry had heard this line before; the old man always shared it with the same enthusiasm, waving his spoon around as he spoke.
"Okay, okay! Whatever you says is right!" Terry laughed in response.
"I am always right!"
Li Ren didn't enter the kitchen; he simply stood in the dining area, waiting. However, the cheerful atmosphere from the kitchen filled the whole restaurant, and Li Ren found himself with a slight frown, feeling as though he didn't quite belong here. Soon, Terry emerged from the kitchen, each hand holding a plate of food. Seeing Li Ren standing there like a statue, Terry asked, "Why are you just standing there? Why don't you sit down?" He gently placed the dishes on the small table behind Li Ren.
Li Ren turned to follow Terry and replied, "Is it right for everyone to be in the kitchen while I'm just sitting here alone?" The fragrant steam from the dishes wafted through the air. Although it was just a simple stir-fry of shredded pork and mustard greens, the joy brought by Terry and the old man added a special flavor that surpassed even the finest delicacies.
Terry rubbed his hands together lightly, then looked at Li Ren and said, "Are you silly? This is a restaurant; you can sit wherever you like. Besides, just standing here being polite and not helping out—what's the difference?"
Terry's words pulled Li Ren out of his reverie, momentarily breaking his focus on the enticing aroma of the dishes. Once again, Li Ren found himself at a loss for words. How could someone who was still contemplating whether to sit down possibly walk into a kitchen he had never visited before?
Seeing Li Ren make that expression again, Terry couldn't help but laugh. "Come on, stop looking so glum. Smile a bit, and go help me bring out the dishes." Terry grabbed Li Ren's shoulders, turned him around, and gave him a gentle push toward the kitchen.
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After all the dishes were neatly arranged on the small table, Terry placed a hand on the old man's shoulder, guiding him to sit down. He then brought out a marble cake. "Here~ This is the cake I bought for you!" Terry slowly set the cake down on the table, but then suddenly turned his head and whispered to Li Ren, "There are no candles...?"
Li Ren was startled by the sudden appearance of Terry's big face, and he frowned, replying, "How could a cake like this possibly have candles?" Their eyes met, and Li Ren raised an eyebrow.
"Then how are we supposed to celebrate a birthday without candles...?" Terry's expression showed disappointment, his usually cheerful demeanor faltering as he pouted.
"How would I know? You never said you were celebrating a birthday. Figure it out yourself; it's got nothing to do with me." Li Ren replied nonchalantly, pushing Terry away with his hand.
Although their voices were quiet, especially since Terry deliberately lowered his tone to avoid alarming the old man, it was only a small table's distance. The old man, with his keen ears, could still pick up on Terry's worries. He waved his hand and said, "No need for candles! What do you need candles for? I know you young people always do that—blowing out candles and making wishes. Blow them out right after you make a wish?—what's the hope in that?" He spread his hands, looking earnestly at Terry.
After hearing the old man's words, Terry turned to Li Ren, who nodded toward the old man, slightly tilting his head, indicating Terry not to wait any longer.
Terry finally put on a smile again. "Then we won't blow out the candles!" he said cheerfully.
Once everything was ready, Terry led Li Ren in clapping and singing the birthday song. Although the old man felt a bit awkward about them singing, a smile still spread across his face. As for Li Ren, despite his reluctance to participate in the activity, seeing the old man so happy made him sing the birthday song sincerely. Meanwhile, Terry captured the moment on his phone.
"Alright, alright, let's eat!" After enduring the awkwardness of the birthday song, the old man urged them to dig in. With a variety of dishes before him, Li Ren took some of each and placed them on his plate. The food cooked by the old man was truly delicious; after his first bite, as the flavors spread in his mouth, Li Ren's eyes widened slightly, and he nodded lightly before taking another bite.
Sitting across from him, the old man looked at the usually taciturn Li Ren and asked, "What's your name?" Li Ren lifted his head to look at the old man, but with food still in his mouth, he couldn't answer right away. He quickly covered his mouth with his hand and swallowed, "Li Ren."
"Which 'Ren'?" the old man continued, as he added more food to his bowl. Li Ren took a sip of water and replied, "It's 'human'." His name was quite simple, needing no fancy adjectives to explain, which made Li Ren feel rather relaxed. The old man merely acknowledged it with a sound and continued eating.
It was Terry who grew curious. "Why 'human'?" he asked. Li Ren, not taking his eyes off the food, leisurely scooped up a mouthful of rice and said, "How would I know?" before sending the bite into his mouth. 'Li Ren is good enough as a name; at least it's not something like 'Li Dog' or 'Li Cat', ' he thought to himself.
"Where are you from?" Not long after starting to eat, the old man began to question Li Ren again. "Lousheng Town," Li Ren replied, gently wiping his mouth with a napkin before folding it into a perfect little square and placing it under his plate.
Li Ren's answer seemed to flip a switch in the old man, who suddenly sat up straight, his eyes wide with excitement. "Oh! That's where I met my wife!" The grandfather looked at Terry with enthusiasm. Terry, equally astonished, responded, "Really? No way! Don't be joking!"
With a loud smack, the old man playfully hit Terry on the arm. "Why would I lie to you!" Terry rubbed his unfortunate arm with the other hand. "When I was young, I often went there to hang out with friends. There's a big temple there, very powerful! I went there to pray for love—guess what happened?"
The old man's excitement was palpable, urging Terry to guess while he himself was eager to spill the answer. Terry simply acknowledged him, prompting the old man to continue, "I hadn't even stepped out of that temple when I met her!" His hand started gesturing animatedly across the table. "And what a coincidence! She's also from Fujin. Don't you think that's fate? I even suspect she had her eyes on me long before; she just pretended to pray for love to meet me."
Terry grimaced but then laughed, saying, "You really have thick skin, don't you?" Even Li Ren, usually reserved, couldn't help but smile at the old man's demeanor.
"I was really popular back then! I could play the guitar and sing; many girls liked me!" The old man was animated.
"Oh really? Then why did you still need to pray for love?" Terry wasn't going to let the old man off that easily, squinting at him with a skeptical expression.
This time, however, the old man didn't retort loudly. He shook his head gently and waved his hand, saying, "It's different. My wife," he pointed to his chest and gave a big thumbs-up in the air, "is the one I prayed for. No one in this world is better than her." The old man spoke with such conviction; it was clear that only his wife held a place in his heart.
He continued to share stories about his life with her. The love the old man had for his wife was beyond Li Ren's imagination. Everywhere he looked—on the walls, on the table, even in his phone—there was a presence of her. With keen observation, one could tell that his wife was a crafty person. The coasters on the table and the vest the old man wore were all made by her hands. He treated these items with great care, ensuring they were cherished and not rendered useless. Her apron and cup were still in use, held dear by the old man.
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Time flew by, and after helping the old man tidy up and leaving the restaurant, it was already past midnight. The car swayed gently, accompanied by the endless melodies of Chopin, and Li Ren felt himself getting sleepy.
"Have you been home since you started working?" Terry suddenly asked. Li Ren straightened his head, which had been leaning from sleepiness, and after a moment of thought, he replied, "No." It was a brief answer, and there was no discernible emotion on his face.
"Don't you plan to go back?" Terry pressed on. This time, Li Ren didn't think much before responding as soon as Terry finished speaking. "There's nothing worth going back to," he said.
"Why not?" Terry was a bit surprised by this. He looked at Li Ren, who seemed to be staring blankly ahead.
"...Do you think your parents love you?" Li Ren asked.
Terry was momentarily taken aback. "My parents? I'm sure my mom loves me. She's always protected me and gave me the best since I was little. The reason I moved out to live on my own was to avoid following the family's plans. They cut off my financial support, but my mom secretly sent me money. My dad... well, I don't have much communication with him. He's very strict, but he never mistreated me. I think he loves me too; he just doesn't know how to express it." He glanced at Li Ren. "What about you?"
Li Ren lowered his head, staring at his fingers as he slowly fiddled with them.
"Me? I'd like to know too."
To be continue...