The candle was lit, and the sound of children singing a birthday song filled the welfare home.

The longevity noodles were served, steaming hot in bowls.

The few children celebrating their birthdays were a bit shy at first, but after tasting the noodles, they immediately became serious about eating.

The noodles were hand-pulled by the chef from Mingde, who took special care to suit the children’s tastes.

The noodles were thin and delicate, and once dropped into the boiling water, they barely needed much time to cook.

After cooking, the noodles were added to a pre-made bamboo shoot soup, and a generous spoonful of braised minced meat was ladled on top.

The finely diced meat had been slow-cooked until soft, and its savory juices mixed with the noodle soup, which also contained the fresh sourness of stir-fried shrimp heads, fish roe, and pickled bamboo shoots.

The sourness was not overwhelming, just a subtle touch that blended perfectly with the noodles, balancing the richness of the braised meat and making the broth taste more layered and complex.

The birthday children held their bowls, sipping the soup delicately, savoring each spoonful of the noodles with smiles that made their eyes squint with joy.

Other children circled around them, peering at the noodles while chattering excitedly.

“Let me have a bite too!”
“Is it delicious?”

One of the birthday children, holding her bowl tightly, said, “It’s delicious.”

Another child asked, “What does it taste like?”

She thought for a moment, shaking her legs and said, “If I had a mom, I think the food she made would taste like this. My classmates at school told me that every year, their parents make noodles for them on their birthday.”

The children eating felt their hearts warm with sweetness.

Jin Yao Tiao sighed as she heard this, smiling as she addressed the other children who were eyeing the longevity noodles, “There are still plenty of longevity noodles. If you want some, just sign up, and I’ll have someone make more for you.”

As she pushed a little girl, who had grown closer to her, toward the kitchen, the girl turned around and glanced at Xu Wan.

Xu Wan stood quietly at the table, wiping the mouths of the children eating noodles with a napkin, her eyes lowered, not saying a word.

---

Shen Qiming had a job nearby in the Linjiang Industrial Park.

He came to visit for a short while but had to leave before the children blew out the birthday candles.

The cold wind was fierce outside, and as soon as the door opened, a gust of chill swept in.

After Shen Qiming and the accompanying leaders from the industrial park left, the director returned to the welfare home and excitedly told the volunteers, “The leaders said that Jingmao will donate to us every year from now on. With the New Year coming, we’ll be able to buy the children some nice new clothes.”

Although the welfare home received government funding and the children had enough to eat and drink, and could see a doctor when needed, some additional expenses still relied on social donations.

This winter solstice, Mingde not only provided meals but also promised an additional donation afterward. With the contribution from Jingmao, this year would be much more financially comfortable than in previous years.

Ma Le, for some unknown reason, had become unusually quiet, no longer bothering anyone. He kept sneaking off to make phone calls.

Jin Yao Tiao couldn’t be bothered with what he was up to.

After finishing her tasks, she quietly went back to the kitchen to wash her hands.

The employees who came today were all happy, and the children were excited, singing birthday songs one after another.

The sound of their singing drifted in from outside, making her smile as she lowered her head.

The sharp click of high heels on the floor came from behind, and someone joined her at the sink.

Jin Yao Tiao glanced at Xu Wan, who was quietly washing her hands.

Xu Wan, as usual, was impeccably dressed, wearing her expensive jewelry.

Before washing her hands, she had carefully removed her priceless diamond watch, and every finger, wrapped in thick foam, seemed to carry the air of someone who never touched water.

She didn’t know what to say, and after a while, it was Xu Wan who spoke first, her voice carrying a hint of sadness, “Yao Tiao, I’m a terrible mother, aren’t I?”

Jin Yao Tiao was a bit awkward.

She hadn’t expected Xu Wan to forget Shen Qiming’s birthday.

Recently, she had learned many things about the Shen family that she hadn’t known before. For example, Shen Qiming’s parents weren’t as loving as she had imagined.

She had thought that Shen Qiming had helped Xu Wan get divorced from his father, so they must have had a good relationship.

Seeing Xu Wan’s forlorn expression, Jin Yao Tiao thought for a moment and gently replied, “Maybe it’s because you’ve been too busy with work recently.”

But Xu Wan didn’t seem comforted.

She shook her head bitterly and said, “Don’t make excuses for me. I really didn’t know. It’s been more than ten years… probably almost twenty years since I last celebrated his birthday.”

Jin Yao Tiao was finally shocked. “Why?”

“Didn’t he tell you anything?” Xu Wan seemed surprised at Jin Yao Tiao’s reaction, but after a few seconds, she realized and chuckled, “Right, he always thought that his dad and I were a bad influence. He wouldn’t even let us meet you, so I’m not surprised he didn’t tell you these things.”

Jin Yao Tiao frowned.

Xu Wan sighed deeply, wiping her hands as she reminisced about the past. “As for me…”

Her voice suddenly grew melancholic, and she appeared exhausted.

Looking at Jin Yao Tiao, she said, “I really have messed up my life, haven’t done anything right. I don’t blame him for not being close to me. Since he was little, I’ve been with his dad away from home. We only saw each other a few times a year, and each time, I didn’t really care about him. I just fought with his dad in front of him. Looking back, I realize that I neglected too many responsibilities for the sake of appearances. Just now…”

Tears started to fall uncontrollably.

Jin Yaotiao’s frown deepened.

She vaguely understood why Shen Qiming had developed the personality he had.

Xu Wan wiped her tears, and after venting, she felt a bit lighter, though her sorrow remained evident.

In the past, she didn’t understand these things, but now that she did, it was too late. Her son had grown up and no longer wanted or needed her as a mother.

She wanted to make up for what she had missed, but it seemed impossible.

Xu Wan softly apologized, “I’m sorry, Yaotiao. I shouldn’t be telling you this, but hearing the birthday song outside made me so sad, I couldn’t hold it in.”

She didn’t know what Shen Qiming must have felt just now—on his birthday, his real mother came to the welfare home to cut cakes and give blessings to a group of unrelated children.

Yet, despite being born on the same day, she couldn’t even remember his birthday.

Jin Yaotiao sighed. “It’s okay.”

Xu Wan smiled through her reddened eyes. “Yao Tiao, you’re a good child. I really, really like you. It’s a pity that you and Qiming broke up.”

Jin Yaotiao smiled back.

Xu Wan looked at her, her sadness deepening, and suddenly felt like crying. “Do you look down on me? As a mother, I’ve reached this point. Now, I don’t even know how to interact with him.”

Jin Yaotiao handed her another tissue. “It’s never too late to start learning how to be a good mother.”

Xu Wan smiled bitterly. “He doesn’t need me anymore.”

Jin Yaotiao shook her head as she looked at her. “How do you know he doesn’t need you if you don’t try?”

Xu Wan was stunned for a moment and lowered her head. “But I’ve never done anything right. Since I was young, I never even cooked a meal for him. To be honest, last year during the New Year, I thought about trying, but I couldn’t even knead the dough for dumplings. How can a woman who doesn’t even know how to cook be a good mother?”

Jin Yaotiao disagreed, saying, “Who says a woman has to know how to cook? My mom’s cooking was never as good as my dad’s.”

She raised her chin and added, “You saw Lei Qiu. She has a child too, and she’s busy with work, but I still think she’s a good mother. Her son definitely doesn’t doubt that she loves him.”

Xu Wan was stunned.

Jin Yaotiao spread her hands. “Come on, let me teach you how to make longevity noodles.”

Late at night, Shen Qiming finally finished his overtime and returned home.

With a blank expression, he stepped into the yard, still holding a bag of work he planned to finish before bed.

This winter solstice, for him, was no different from any other day.

The moment he opened the door, however, his brows furrowed as he quickly caught the discordant elements in the house.

The housekeeper came to take his coat, and after stepping back, quietly reminded him, “Mr. Shen, your wife is here.”

Shen Qiming paused for a second, quickly realizing that the “wife” the housekeeper referred to wasn’t the person he expected, because he soon heard the voice of his mother, Xu Wan, accompanied by the chaotic noise of others.

“Ah!”

“Where’s the green onion? Where’s the green onion?”

“Quick, give me a bowl! The soup spilled!”

Listening, his frown deepened, and soon, his mother, Xu Wan, appeared from the kitchen, wearing an apron that seemed out of place on her.

She looked up and saw him, her expression momentarily panicked. “Qiming?”

Shen Qiming looked at her and asked in a low voice, “What are you doing here?”

He didn’t like people coming into the Mingzhu Mountain villa casually.

Standing by the table, Xu Wan hesitated for a moment before saying, “You’re back.”

Shen Qiming remained silent for a while before responding, “Mm.”

A cold atmosphere lingered between them.

After a moment, Xu Wan came to herself and said, “I made longevity noodles. Want to try a bite?”

Shen Qiming looked at her, a little confused.

Xu Wan mustered up the courage to explain, “I learned from Yaotiao. The noodles and toppings I brought back from the welfare home today… I’ve tried them a few times, and they taste pretty good.”

Learned from Yaotiao.

In Xu Wan’s anxious gaze, her son spoke after a moment: “Okay.”

The noodles were served hot on the table, and in the light, steam rose in a hazy cloud.

The fragrance of the toppings spread out, and Xu Wan seemed a bit flustered, explaining, “The noodles might be a little uneven, I might have overcooked them, and they don’t look great. Just eat if you want.”

They did look quite unappealing. In the delicate bone china soup bowl, the noodles were buried under a pile of toppings, and there was obviously too much of the sauce, piling up in a thick layer on top of the noodles.

Shen Qiming lowered his head and took a bite. Xu Wan, anxious, asked, “How is it?”

Chewing slowly, he swallowed.

The rich flavor of the meat toppings masked the slightly undercooked noodles.

Shen Qiming calmly answered, “Very good.”

Xu Wan sighed in relief, finally showing a smile. “When Yaotiao made it, it looked so simple. But when I did it myself, it just didn’t turn out as well. Luckily, I had the braised meat I brought back, or I wouldn’t know what to do. So I just put it all in. But the braised meat has been reheated several times, and I think I overcooked it. Sigh, cooking really takes talent. No matter how I look at it, she did it better.”

Shen Qiming picked up a piece of the braised meat that was almost falling apart with his chopsticks and ate it.

Xu Wan looked at her son and quietly said, “Qiming, happy birthday.”

Shen Qiming swallowed the meat, then after a moment, responded, “Thank you.”

---

After the meal, Shen Qiming took the documents upstairs, but for some reason, he suddenly felt less inclined to work.

He sat quietly in his study for a long time, took out his phone, and sent a WeChat message to Jin Yaotiao.

“Thank you.”

It seemed that Jin Yaotiao had already gone to bed, as there was no immediate reply.

Shen Qiming smiled faintly at her profile picture, feeling in a good mood. He even clicked into WeChat, which he rarely used.

The first post on Jin Yaotiao’s Moments was a re-shared tweet from “Huaxia Delicacies,” and Shen Qiming liked it, then opened it to carefully read through.

The various dish screenshots looked particularly tempting in the late-night hours. After finishing, he shared it to his own Moments.