Ellie returned to her seat and saw boxes of various sizes on her desk, and for a moment, she was confused.
Daniel said, "Ellie, the one at the bottom is mine."
Mason said, "The most conspicuous and ugly one is his."
"Go to your uncle, Mason, yours is the ugliest, and my color looks so good."
Ellie smiled at the two: "Thank you."
Almost every box had a note attached, indicating who it was from.
When she was in her previous school, she was in the top class, where people hardly went out even after class, and the most discussed issue every day was materials and study.
There was a very academic atmosphere, but it was also very oppressive. Everyone seemed like a learning machine, and the teacher was brainwashing every day, saying that improving by one point could beat a thousand people, even squeezing lunchtime to only fifteen minutes.
A large number of students in the class had stomach diseases, and even depression.
She almost adapted to that lifestyle.
Her deskmate at that time told her that she was very tired and couldn't hold on.
The next day, the girl took a leave of absence and was said to have gone traveling elsewhere.
Ellie admired her free and easy and courage.
After finding out about the illness, Ellie was confused for a long time. At the end of her first year of high school, she wanted to go to the city she wanted to go to.
People said that Class 17 was very chaotic, but Ellie had been here for nearly a year and felt only warmth and kindness.
She liked this atmosphere very much and was grateful that she came here.
She had never done anything out of line or rebellious, always living in a proper way, but in fact, she also yearned for freedom. She looked good and her temperament was gentle, but in fact, she had a hidden edge and tenacity in her bones.
"Little teacher, happy birthday!" William handed the thing in his hand to Ellie.
Ellie smiled and said, "I'm very happy."
There was a box in the middle that was particularly eye-catching. Ellie pulled out the box, which had no label on it. Ellie opened the box, and the first thing she saw was a letter.
The light purple envelope had a dried lavender on the cover.
When William saw Ellie open the letter, he immediately felt something was wrong.
Ellie, seeing the words as if seeing the person.
William saw the first line and looked up at Ellie, then turned his head away and said, "I don't want to see it."
Ellie smiled, "Let me see what it says first, it would be impolite to show it to you."
"You can look," William said sourly.
He kept staring at Ellie's expression.
The content of the letter was very long, and Ellie read it for half a day.
...
Ellie, seeing the words as if seeing the person.
First of all, I want to wish you a happy 17th birthday, and I hope every year you can live in your own love, and I wish you a bright future.
I know it might be a bit presumptuous to write this letter at this time, but I also want to be brave for myself, so please forgive my abruptness.
The first time I met you in the bookstore, you were wearing a blue and white school uniform with a high ponytail, which was very stunning.
Before I met you, I never thought that love at first sight would happen to me one day. Later, every encounter in the bookstore was actually my deliberate act. I wanted to try to get your attention, but you seemed to have never noticed me.
The contact information I asked for at the sports meeting was not because I wanted to discuss problems with you. I admit that I am despicable, using such a poor excuse to deceive you.
...
(Many words are omitted here)
I don't know the relationship between you and that boy, and I guess you are not together yet.
So, I want to be brave for myself.
I like you, Ellie.
Can we go to the same university in the future?
If you already have someone you like, I'm sorry to disturb you.
The signature is a Xia character.
Ellie knew it was written by Landon when she saw the signature. She folded the letter and put it back in the box.
William was still curious who wrote it, and he said, "Boy or girl?"
"Boy," Ellie said, and then she said to William, "Can I borrow your phone? I want to send a message to him."
William reluctantly took out his phone.
Ellie had read a letter from another boy and now wanted to use his phone to send a message to another boy.
He's not sour, really.
Ellie sent him a message.
[Ellie]: Thank you for your liking, but I'm sorry, I have someone I like, and I wish you a bright future.
After she sent the message, she handed the box to William and said, "I still need to trouble you to go there. Give this box to that boy in the previous class and let him return it."
"Why?"
"If you don't like it, of course, you can't accept it."
William carried the box out, feeling that the wind outside was sweet.
...
At noon.
Ellie sat in the middle.
Chloe put the birthday hat on her.
Two cakes were brought in.
Chloe said, "I didn't know your deskmate also bought one, and I bought a duplicate."
Ellie smiled and said, "It's okay."
William inserted the candles and then lit them.
The lights in the private room were turned off, and William and Chloe each held a cake.
"Make a wish, little friend!"
"Make a wish, little teacher."
Aria was taking pictures on the side.
Ellie clasped her hands and made a wish, and the five of them gathered around Ellie to sing her a birthday song.
Ellie blew out the candles, feeling a bit moist in her eyes.
She hoped that the people she cared about would be healthy and happy, without any disasters.
Originally, they were eating cake, but as they ate, the style suddenly changed.
Daniel grabbed Mason and smeared cake on his face.
The two fought more and more fiercely.
Ellie and the other two watched as both of them were smeared with white all over their faces, laughing uncontrollably.
This birthday was very lively and very happy.
...
Ellie returned home with her things and heard a "surprise!"
She was somewhat astonished to see the decorations in the room.
There were many balloons in the living room, and patterns were pasted with stickers.
Edward said, "Happy birthday, Ellie."
Jennifer brought out a cake and said, "This is the cake mom made."
Ellie smiled sweetly: "Thank you, mom and dad."
She felt strange. If the two had celebrated her birthday like this before, she would have been very happy.
But now, her heart was very calm, but she still smiled sweetly at the two.
After cutting the cake and singing the birthday song, Ellie ate a small piece of cake, as if she had gone through the process, and then she took her things back to her room.
Ellie saw Landon's message.
[Landon]: As I expected, if he treats you badly, I will come back.
[Ellie]: He is very good.
[Landon]: That's good.
Ellie sat on the bed and opened the gifts one by one.
Chloe gave her a dress, Aria gave her a set of notebooks and a rabbit doll...
Finally, Ellie opened William's gift.
It was an exquisite small box, inside was a silver bracelet with a very delicate little rose, seemingly blooming but not yet open.
It was the result of William asking many silver shops, most of which only sold existing bracelets that could be quickly produced in large quantities with machine casting. Handmade silverware was expensive and took a long time to make, and gradually became less common. When he was a child, they could be seen everywhere in the streets and alleys, but when he grew up, they became very rare.
He asked many people before finding a shop. He provided drawings and ideas and waited for several days before getting this bracelet.
She was the only rose that bloomed in his barren wasteland.
Proud and beautiful.
As if the most beautiful words in the world were not enough to describe her.