Chen Feng followed suit and got up quickly, taking just a few minutes to get ready.
The early rise was to witness the seaside sunrise.
Fortuitously, standing on the rooftop of the guesthouse, which also served as an observation deck, they had just arrived in ti to see the breathtaking scene of the sunrise on the horizon.
At this mont, quite a number of people had gathered here, many of whom had already set up professional caras.
As soon as the sunrise appeared, everyone involuntarily exclaid in unison, emitting bursts of amazent and admiration.
The two also took quite a few photos, with Lin Yujiao even pulling him to pose for several shots with their backs to the sunrise.
After watching the sunrise, they cycled around the small fishing village on rented bikes. Only around noon did they return to check out and leave for the next attraction.
Xia Guang County had several tourist routes with many scenic spots. After playing around here together for four days, they left contentedly for the next destination.
This was an ancient town, a bit closer to Lin Nan County, half an hour away by high-speed train.
They played in this ancient town for two days, and as the New Year was approaching, they finally returned to Qingpu Town.
Almost a week of travel had made Lin Yujiao extrely happy, and Chen Feng felt good too.
The only fly in the ointnt was the lack of energy absorption from paintings and calligraphy.
Therefore, the first thing Chen Feng did when he got ho was to take out a painting and absorb the energy from it.
After doing so, he felt his body get reinvigorated.
Despite hospital reports indicating that this thod of absorbing energy from paintings and calligraphy hadn’t brought any significant improvent to his condition, at least Chen Feng was still living well.
Moreover, every ti he absorbed the formless energy, he felt very comfortable.
So, the collection of Energy Paintings and the absorption of energy were definitely endeavors he would firmly continue.
At lunchti that day, his mother suddenly brought him a bowl of longevity noodles with eggs, and it was then that Chen Feng suddenly rembered it was his birthday, the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month.
Since he could rember, every birthday, his mother would cook him a big bowl of longevity noodles with egg, topped with two sunny-side-up eggs, poured over with "ginger wine" — a local condint made by frying crushed ginger in oil, then adding minced at, black fungus, and shiitake mushrooms to fry together, followed by so cooking wine as a condint for noodles or rice noodles — very flavorful and fragrant.
"Thanks, Mom."
Chen Feng happily polished off the big bowl of birthday noodles and left no soup behind.
The sight made his two young nieces drool, convinced that the longevity noodles were tasty. Indeed they were, though with a slightly sour twinge from the cooking wine, which might not be to the young nieces’ liking.
"Uncle’s birthday is today. Did you prepare a birthday gift for Uncle?"
After finishing the noodles, Chen Feng began to tease his two young nieces.
They both looked innocently back at him, with Little Yu batting her eyes, saying, "I didn’t know."
Little Xue nodded eagerly: "I didn’t know either. Uncle, is it your birthday today?"
The adults in the family all laughed.
Chen Feng imdiately crouched down and said, "Yes, today is my birthday. If you both sing the birthday song for and then each give a kiss, that’ll be your birthday gift."
"Okay."
The two nieces responded in unison and then sang the birthday song together, quite nicely at that.
After singing, the two little ones each planted a kiss on his cheek, leaving Chen Feng beaming with joy.
For a fleeting mont, Chen Feng even entertained the thought of having two daughters.
His sister-in-law, Li Guihong, said with a smile, "Since they gave Uncle a birthday gift, let him treat us and put on a birthday feast for you to enjoy."
Chen Rui, the big brother who was rarely ho at noon, joined in because it was already the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month, and the workers had taken a holiday, allowing him, the second boss, to finally rest. He added, "Right, let your Uncle treat."
The two young nieces imdiately tugged at Chen Feng, shouting for him to treat them.
Chen Feng certainly didn’t lack the money to treat everyone. With a grand wave he declared, "Okay. I’ll treat. Let’s take the whole family to a five-star hotel... for a buffet."
His mother imdiately objected, "We have good food at ho, why go out to eat?"
"Mom, I’ve been there. It’s not expensive; it’s only 158 yuan per person, children are free. You can eat as much steak, salmon, cherries, ice cream as you like, and they serve good alcohol too. Budweiser for the beer, and the red wine is at least forty or fifty per bottle."
"That’s still too expensive. Just the five adults would add up to seven or eight hundred yuan. With that much money, think of the groceries we could get at the market."
Her words were true.
Chen Dayong, the dad, also felt pained by the expense and objected, "Let’s skip the buffet. We can just eat at ho; have your mom buy so good food. Eating tonight or tomorrow doesn’t make a difference."
Seeing this, Li Guihong also said, "Then let’s eat at ho."
Chen Rui spoke up then, "I’ll take mom to the county this afternoon to buy so new year goods."
"I want to go too."
" too."
The two kids imdiately chid in.
The mom promptly decided, "After lunch, the whole family will go."
No one objected.
So, except for Chen Feng who had already had his fill, everyone else began to eat.
Chen Feng had wanted to drink so wine but had to drive and could only give it up, sent by the mom to watch the store upfront.
The family’s small convenience store did an average business, since there were too many such stores on the street. Making four or five thousand a month was considered good, averaging out to a maximum of three thousand per month throughout the year.
Chen Feng had previously suggested the mom simply shut it down, but she couldn’t bear to, so he left it to her.
Sitting at the counter, browsing on his phone while keeping an eye on the store, Chen Feng suddenly received a WeChat ssage from Lin Yujiao—an animated card wishing him a happy birthday, followed by a digital red packet.
Chen Feng didn’t stand on ceremony and opened it; the amount was 199.99.
Getting a red packet was always sothing to be happy about, especially on one’s birthday.
So, Chen Feng also typed out a rare ssage: [Thanks. Apart from my family, you’re the first to send birthday wishes and a red packet.]
[Didn’t ngting send you one?]
The thought of Wu ngting brought a tinge of disappointnt to Chen Feng. He rembered telling her about his birthday but had yet to receive her birthday wishes. It could only an she must have forgotten.
There was also Sun Xiaorui. She knew about his birthday too, but no wishes had co from her today.
Of course, it was still just past noon, the day was far from over.
Maybe they would send their wishes later.
[Not yet, maybe later.]
[Haha.gif, looks like I got ahead.] Lin Yujiao sent a smug animated face, perfectly capturing her mood at that mont.
Initially, she thought she’d only rembered it was Chen Feng’s birthday at lunchti, which was sowhat late. Yet, she turned out to be the first, a delightful surprise indeed.
Chen Feng was sowhat moved—among the few won he knew, Lin Yujiao was unexpectedly the first to rember his birthday and send him greetings.
While he was reflecting on this, it was as if by telepathy—Sun Xiaorui suddenly sent him a WeChat ssage.
Opening it, Chen Feng saw an animated birthday greeting, along with a ssage: "Being with you, by your side, loving you, forever and ever. If you’re tired, co to my embrace; if you’re hurt, let make you laugh. I won’t forget my vow to love you. Dear, happy birthday. Today, I just want to tell you: it’s great to have you."
The text was clearly lifted from sowhere else, and while Chen Feng found it sowhat cheesy, it made him feel incredibly comfortable, even touched.
Then ca a voice ssage from Sun Xiaorui: [Dear, happy birthday. Next ti, I hope to spend your birthday with you.]
Following that was another red packet. Chen Feng clicked it open, and the amount was 99.99.
Even though the amount was one hundred less than Lin Yujiao’s, it sohow looked more pleasing to Chen Feng.
Then another voice ssage from Lin Yujiao: [I’ve already bought your birthday gift in advance—a pair of sports shoes. The order’s tracking shows it’s on the way, should arrive today. Make sure to answer your phone, okay?]
Chen Feng felt even more satisfied, a smile involuntarily spreading across his face. The gift itself wasn’t that important—what mattered was the thoughtful gesture.
He imdiately typed: [Babe, thanks for your birthday wishes and gift. I really like it.]
Sun Xiaorui’s voice replied: [I’m glad you like it. I miss you.]
Chen Feng typed: [I miss you too. In no more than half a month, we’ll see each other again.]
[Half a month feels so long. I can’t wait.]
Hearing Sun Xiaorui’s sweet, llow voice made Chen Feng feel an itch in his heart.
Just as he was about to type again, soone walked into the store. Chen Feng looked up and was taken aback.
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