The master and disciple duo who caused a stir were engrossed in their respective tasks: one meticulously carving, the other cradling a guqin with a look of pure bliss.
An An, having mastered the tune, stopped and squatted beside Huo Rou. "Mom, what kind of stone is this?"
Qin Ning Yi had stepped away to handle some official business, and An An had taken a small piece from the headstock of a guqin to examine it.
"Shh," Huo Rou made a silencing gesture. "It's a surprise for your dad."
Hearing this, An An immediately covered his mouth, his eyes wide with curiosity.
"Mom, this stone looks so much like my previous necklace!" An An exclaimed after a while, recognizing it.
Huo Rou's hands moved with practiced skill. "Yes, didn't you give your necklace to Ruan Ruan? I'll use this core to make another one for you later."
An An's eyes curved into a smile upon hearing he would get one too. "An An gets one too?"
Huo Rou nodded. The raw stone was of excellent quality. She had previously used a piece to make a pendant for An An, but had been undecided about the remaining part and had kept it. The current step, which normally required machinery, she was doing manually to surprise Qin Ning Yi. Thus, she had to grind it slowly.
Fortunately, with renewed strength, the work progressed quickly.
By the time Qin Ning Yi returned to call her for dinner, Huo Rou had already completed the first step of separation.
"Alright, it's been an afternoon, time to rest," Qin Ning Yi scooped her up from the low stool, his face etched with concern. "You've done wonderfully."
Huo Rou stood before him, his brow furrowed. She reached out and hooked her finger around his ring finger.
An An, standing behind them, giggled stealthily.
He seemed to know about the surprise Mom was preparing for Dad.
But Mom was a girl, and girls should have surprises too! His dark eyes rolled, and an idea sparked.
The next morning.
"Dad," An An found Qin Ning Yi preparing breakfast in the kitchen, rubbing his hands. "I need to ask you something."
The kitchen was the only place in the house where Huo Rou was least likely to appear, making it the safest place to ask his question.
Qin Ning Yi wiped his hands and knelt down to look at An An.
"You..." An An paused after the first word. He thought for a moment before continuing, "Do you know Mom's birthday is coming up?"
Qin Ning Yi didn't answer immediately. He held his breath, listening to confirm no one was outside, then nodded with a smile. "Of course, I know."
He hoped he was thinking of the correct birthday... An An's question had made him momentarily uncertain.
An An crossed his arms and nodded. "Then have you prepared a surprise for Mom?"
Qin Ning Yi chuckled, raising an eyebrow and testing the waters. "Isn't it still two months away?"
Hearing no objection from An An, he breathed a sigh of relief. Being a man was truly difficult.
"Two months will pass quickly!" An An said in a small voice, his face serious. "Dad, you can't prepare gifts for girls at the last minute!"
Qin Ning Yi thought about the sapphire he had commissioned for design and felt the gift wasn't exactly last minute.
"Don't worry. Dad has it handled," he ruffled An An's hair. "When the time comes, we'll bake a big cake for Mom together!"
He had read countless books, and most people hid rings inside cakes...
"No," An An unexpectedly rejected the first step of his plan. He repeated, "No cake."
"Hmm?"
Seeing the confusion on Qin Ning Yi's face, An An slowly explained, "Mom doesn't like to eat cake on her birthday. Let's take Mom out and cook her a bowl of longevity noodles!"
"Doesn't like cake?" Qin Ning Yi repeated. He had just instructed someone to find the best cake chef.
An An nodded. "Yes. Auntie said girls don't like to eat cake on their birthdays, so they can stay eighteen forever."
"What eighteen?" Huo Rou called out from the living room, puzzled. She had just quietly gone to tidy her jade, and when she returned, the father and son were discussing something she didn't understand.