A subordinate received the order and went downstairs.
Soon, voices could be heard from downstairs.
"Hello, we'd like to borrow your yard to set off some fireworks. Is that okay?" Yao Jian's voice was a little quiet. Seeing the subordinate's expression, he quickly added, "We'll clean up the yard and the roof!"
The subordinate, having received Qin Ningyi's instruction, agreed without even asking Yao Jian what they needed the yard for.
"Ah?" Yao Jian hadn't expected the other party to agree so easily.
It was usually easy to borrow a place from neighbors, but he'd heard that this family had moved from the city recently to live out their retirement. He had thought borrowing a place would be difficult.
Seeing Yao Jian's dazed look, the subordinate repeated, "You can borrow it. Feel free to use it."
"Okay, okay, okay." Yao Jian snapped back to attention and quickly replied, "We'll clean it up for you after we finish setting off the fireworks! Thank you!"
"Mhm," the subordinate nodded. Remembering Yao Jian's mention of cleaning the roof, he added, "No need to clean the roof. Our boss doesn't like others disturbing it."
Hearing this, Yao Jian didn't find it strange. Some rich people were indeed peculiar. And based on the neighbors' speculation, this family might be an elderly man, and wealthy old men often had eccentricities.
Yao Jian thought of his own old father, who had a modest savings, and sighed for a moment. Fortunately, this family was willing to lend them the space.
Yao Jian brought the fireworks over, arranged them neatly in the yard, and quietly awaited Grandpa Nong's command.
In the quiet night, the sounds from downstairs were very clear.
"Are you all ready?" Grandpa Nong sent a voice message on his phone.
Messages on the phone came back "whoosh whoosh whoosh." Grandpa Nong's face was all smiles under the light of the phone screen. "We're ready!"
Qin Ningyi withdrew his gaze and checked the time.
Eleven fifty-nine PM.
This Grandpa Nong must also be preparing a surprise for someone.
Qin Ningyi narrowed his eyes, recalling the ring that Xiao Konglin had already delivered to his study.
He himself had also prepared a surprise for today.
Thinking this, Qin Ningyi slowly lit the candle. The candlelight illuminated the sharp angles of his face and his gentle eyes.
He inserted the candle into a small cake on the table.
The cake wasn't very fancy. It only had a few words written on it.
[A Rou, Happy Birthday]
He had made it himself after arriving here. In such a small village, many ingredients were not available, so he could only make such a simple finished product.
An An had said that Huo Rou didn't like cake and only ate a bowl of longevity noodles for her birthday. But the moment he entered the kitchen, for some reason, he remembered the girl who used to follow him, calling him "gege" (older brother).
The first time he saw Huo Rou in the hotel bathroom, she had also called him "gege."
The familiarity on her face, the trust in her eyes, during their first meeting.
Qin Ningyi, in his confusion, inexplicably made a cake.
If his guess was correct, then Huo Rou should like cake. He could still remember the smile on Youyou's face when she ate cake.
"Hey!" Yao Jian, who was waiting in the yard to set off fireworks, saw a light suddenly appear on the second floor and looked up to see Qin Ningyi's blurry silhouette against the light.
He smiled at the second floor. Regardless of whether his smile could be seen in the dark, Yao Jian said enthusiastically, "Thank you!"
Qin Ningyi glanced indifferently at the enthusiastic young man in the yard. Without a word, he nodded.
"Yao Jian! What are you doing?! Light it quickly!" Grandpa Nong's voice from outside the door was somewhat exasperated.
Yao Jian quickly pressed the lighter and lit the fuse.
"Whoosh—"
The fireworks shot into the sky.
Above the quiet village, a bloom of fireworks exploded.
The fireworks centered around Grandpa Nong and Grandma Yao's yard. The sky was filled with brilliance, and the sounds of explosions made people inexplicably a little more cheerful.
"A Rou." Qin Ningyi watched the fireworks fill the sky. In this brilliant yet fleeting moment, he smiled, "Happy Birthday."
He looked down at the cake in front of him. The flickering candlelight was no match for the brilliant colors of the fireworks, yet it swayed silently.
Perhaps it was because he missed her too much, but he thought he heard Huo Rou and An An's voices.
"Slow down—"
"Mommy! Mommy! Look at the fireworks! They're so pretty!" An An was unusually excited.
"I see—"
Qin Ningyi shook his head and gave a self-deprecating laugh. He was possessed.
As the fireworks exploded one after another, amidst the deafening noise, he no longer hallucinated.
And in the courtyard diagonally opposite.
"Mommy, Happy Birthday!" An An hugged Huo Rou with a smile.