Chapter 25: Happy Birthday, Dongdong (Part 2)

Mother Qin thought her grandson truly missed his dad. Thinking about celebrating Dongdong’s birthday today, she suddenly realized they had never celebrated Jiadong’s birthday either. She asked, “Jiadong, when is your birthday? What present would you like when it comes?”

Mother Qin had been too hurt by Qin Shun and Li Yuelan to care about their small family. Naturally, that included their grandkids. Now that she was preparing Dongdong’s birthday, she remembered she didn’t even know when her other grandchildren’s birthdays were. But if they were celebrating Dongdong’s birthday, they couldn’t leave out the others.

Qin Jiadong said, “I don’t need a present. My little brother said he’d share half of his birthday with me. We’re celebrating together.” As he spoke, he gave a shy smile and looked happy.

Mother Qin already knew Dongdong was generous, but hearing this still made her feel touched. At the same time, she felt sad for Jiadong. She knew that he and Wenjing hadn’t lived well with Li Yuelan all these years. A little bit of kindness from others could make him so satisfied. That made her heart ache.

He was the Qin family’s grandson. There was no need to live so cautiously.

Mother Qin squatted down, her eyes filled with loving kindness as she looked at Qin Jiadong. She gently taught, “Jiadong, everyone’s birthday cannot be shared with others. Even if you share it, it still does not become someone else’s birthday. Dongdong’s birthday shared with you is still Dongdong’s birthday, not your birthday.”

Qin Jiadong, upon hearing that, thought that Grandma was unwilling to share Dongdong’s birthday with him. His smile froze instantly, and his eyes uncontrollably turned red.

Mother Qin continued, “Our Jiadong has his own birthday. When your birthday comes, we will also ask Grandma Zhang to buy chicken to celebrate for you and prepare birthday gifts. That will be our Jiadong’s own birthday.”

The sadness in Qin Jiadong’s heart had just risen and was soon replaced with confusion. He understood Grandma’s words. Was it also going to be just like celebrating for little brother, celebrating for him too?

But he had never celebrated a birthday before. “I… I…” He wanted to say it was not necessary, but at the same time, he also wanted it.

Mother Qin smiled, then stood up and took his hand to continue walking into the house. “Then it’s settled. You think carefully about what birthday gift you want.” She would go and ask Qin Shun about the siblings’ birthdays.

…

Qin Shun saw Qin Zhan in front of the Public Security Bureau entrance and almost thought he was mistaken. “You’re back?”

“Mm.” Qin Zhan responded. Then he remembered what Aunt Zhang had said and replied, “Did you really get divorced?”

Qin Shun: “…” This was digging into his heart, brother. Was this something a real brother would ask? “Mm. I was immature before. Now I’m clear-headed.”

Speaking of this, he thought of something. “You’re twenty-six already. When are you going to get married and have kids? If you keep delaying, you’ll get old.”

Qin Zhan did not hesitate and said, “I have a son already.”

“Then…” Upon meeting Dongdong’s gaze on the back seat of the bicycle, Qin Shun did not finish. He wanted to say that an adopted son and a biological son were not the same. But in front of the child, he naturally could not say such things.

Qin Shun had only met Dongdong last year. The feelings between them were not deep. To him, Dongdong was just his younger brother’s adopted son. He naturally hoped his brother could get married and have a biological child.

But Qin Zhan had already ridden the bicycle and left, clearly not wanting to hear his nonsense.

Thinking about it, Qin Shun himself was someone who failed in marriage. What qualifications did he have to lecture Qin Zhan?

When Father Qin got off work and saw his younger son returning on this particular day, he was somewhat surprised and could not help saying what Mother Qin had said: “You really know how to choose a day.”

After being told by three people that he knew how to pick a day, Qin Zhan began to doubt whether he truly had a knack for choosing dates.

Today was the happiest birthday Dongdong ever had because the person he missed the most, his dad, had come back. Of course, Dongdong did not forget to invite his older brother. “Brother, I’ll share half my birthday with you. Let’s celebrate together.”

Hearing Dongdong’s words, those who knew the inside story said nothing. Those who did not know, like Qin Shun and Qin Wenjing, looked at them in confusion.

However, both Dongdong and Qin Jiadong were just children. Could anyone expect children to explain?

Qin Jiadong said, “Dongdong, I don’t want your birthday anymore. Grandma said when my birthday comes, she’ll celebrate for me too.” His face was full of happiness.

“Wow…” Dongdong’s eyes lit up and he also felt happy.

Mother Qin spoke at the right time, “When our Wenjing’s birthday comes, we will celebrate it the same way. At that time, Wenjing should also tell Grandma what birthday gift she wants.”

Qin Wenjing did not expect there to be something for her too. She was instantly moved and happy, her eyes turning red. “Grandma, I don’t need anything.”

In her grandmother’s house, girls were not allowed to celebrate birthdays. She could not even eat eggs. She was already very content with her current life.

“Everyone will celebrate. As long as they are Qin family grandchildren, everyone must celebrate.” Mother Qin said firmly. “So you should think about what you like. Otherwise, if you don’t say, and Grandma gives you a gift you don’t like, what will you do?”

Qin Wenjing softly said, “I like all the gifts Grandma gives.”

“I will also give Sister a gift.” Dongdong happily said.

“Oh, what gift will you give your Sister?” Father Qin teased.

He underestimated Dongdong. As someone who often hung out in the small park and listened to women gossip, Dongdong had overheard what girls liked. He confidently said, “Pretty skirts.”

Pfft—

Everyone burst out laughing.

Even Qin Wenjing could not help laughing and secretly thought, if Dongdong really gave her a skirt, she would definitely like it. No little girl disliked skirts.

After dinner, it was time to give gifts.

Aunt Zhang was the first to take out what she had prepared. “Dongdong, happy birthday.” What she took out was a hat she had made during this time. The hat was padded with cotton. The weather was getting cold and it was just right for winter.

Aunt Zhang, a former maid, had excellent needlework. The hat had a tiger embroidered on it. It might not be lifelike, but it was very beautiful. It even had tiger ears and a tail. Dongdong put it on right away.

“Looks good.” Everyone could not help but praise it.

Dongdong loved praise the most. His little face turned red.

“Come, Dongdong, Grandpa also prepared something for you.” Father Qin made it secretly at the army. If he made it at home, it would not be a surprise. What he took out was a spinning top that children liked to play with. He made it after seeing other kids playing.

“Wow… Thank you, Grandpa.” Dongdong touched the spinning top. “Grandpa, how do I play with this?”

Father Qin immediately said, “Grandpa will show you how.”

No one could have imagined that someone as high-ranking as Father Qin, a top figure in the military district, would play with a spinning top at home for his four-year-old grandson.

Because of the spinning top, Dongdong and Qin Jiadong played for a while. In the end, it was Mother Qin who said, “Alright, play with the spinning top tomorrow. Now it’s time for my gift.”

When they heard Mother Qin was taking out her gift, Dongdong and Qin Jiadong stopped playing and looked at her curiously.

Mother Qin mysteriously took out the gift from a cloth bag. “Dongdong, do you like it?”

Dongdong’s eyes lit up suddenly. “It’s a car.”

What Mother Qin took out was a green tin children’s toy car. Different from a tricycle, though not as big, it was a toy and could not be ridden, but the craftsmanship was exquisite.

“Dongdong, look, here it can make sounds. Here it can light up.” Mother Qin had studied it after getting it. The green tin toy car had two powerful features: it could honk and light up. This made it much more fun.

In this era, not only were toys rare, but they were also simple. Such a toy car was very rare.

“Wow…” Seeing the toy car honk and light up, Dongdong could not take his eyes off it.

The love for cars in males truly had nothing to do with age.

“Do you like it?” Mother Qin looked at Dongdong and could tell he liked it. This greatly satisfied her intent in giving a gift.

Father Qin touched his nose. He felt his gift could not compare. A cheap spinning top was instantly outshone by his wife’s gift.

“Like. I like it the most. Thank you, Grandma.” Dongdong could not put it down. He kept pressing the horn over and over.

“As long as you like it.” Mother Qin proudly lifted her chin and pointed in Qin Zhan’s direction with it. “Dongdong, go see what gift your dad prepared.”

Qin Zhan: “…” Compared to his mom’s gift, he felt his was also not presentable.

“Dad?” Dongdong looked at him with anticipation.

Qin Zhan gave a light cough, then pulled out the gift from his coat pocket. “Look, do you like it?”

What Qin Zhan took out was a black plastic toy gun. To an adult, this toy gun had no texture at all. But… children liked it.

A child with a hero dream, who did not want a toy gun to shoot down bad guys, bang bang bang?

“Wow… It’s a toy gun. I saw it in the movies.” Dongdong cherished it like a treasure and did not even glance at anyone else.

Father Qin felt even more sour. His wife’s gift outshone his, and now his son’s gift outshone his again.

“Do you like it?” Qin Zhan asked.

“Like. I like Dad’s gift the most.” Dongdong certainly liked it. Liked it very very much.

Mother Qin also felt a little sour. Just a moment ago, he said he liked her gift the most. The next moment, it became someone else’s. But since her son came back and made an effort this time, she let it slide.

…

At night, Mother Qin placed the freshly bathed Dongdong on the bed and went to bathe herself. Unexpectedly, when she came out, Dongdong was gone.

Mother Qin called out several times, “Dongdong… Dongdong, where are you?”

Her calls alerted the rest of the family, including Father Qin, Qin Zhan, and Qin Shun in the study, as well as Aunt Zhang.

“Not here.” Aunt Zhang spoke first. “Could he have gone to find Jiadong to play?”

So everyone went to Qin Shun’s room. Since Qin Jiadong was still young, he shared a room with Qin Shun. But Dongdong was not with Jiadong either.

Just as everyone worried where he might have gone, Dongdong poked his little head out from one room. “I’m here.”

Following the voice, they rushed over and found Dongdong in Qin Zhan’s room.

Seeing everyone come over, Dongdong did not realize they were worried about him. He naively said, “Grandpa, Grandma, I want to sleep with Dad tonight.”

Seeing him here, everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief.

“Then sleep with your Dad.” Mother Qin immediately agreed.

Qin Zhan: “…” Alright then.

Since Dongdong wanted to sleep with Qin Zhan, the conversation between Father Qin and his sons did not continue. When Qin Zhan came back from a shower, he saw Dongdong lying on the bed, butt up, playing with the toy car and toy gun, making strange sound effects with his mouth.

“Time to sleep, stop playing, play again tomorrow.” Qin Zhan said. Actually, Qin Zhan was a bit nervous too. He didn’t know what preparations were needed to sleep with a child, such as coaxing the child to sleep, helping the child with the toilet, and so on.

However, none of the things that made him nervous happened. Dongdong was a well-behaved child when it came to sleeping. Hearing that Dad said it was time to sleep, he put the tin toy car and toy gun into his schoolbag and then obediently lay down under the covers, revealing only his little head.

After Qin Zhan got into bed, he rolled and rolled into Qin Zhan’s arms, smiling as he looked at him.

The child smelled of milk. This scent entered Qin Zhan’s nose and actually helped him sleep. His originally alert mind also became a little sleepy. “Go to sleep now.” Qin Zhan rubbed his little head.

“Okay.” Dongdong was also sleepy. Dad’s return today made him too excited. His emotions had been high the entire afternoon. Adding on that he just played with his toys, he was already a little tired. Lying in Dad’s arms, he yawned and fell asleep.

The next day.

Dongdong brought his birthday gifts to the kindergarten. The spinning top from Grandpa, the tin toy car from Grandma, and the plastic toy gun from Dad. He didn’t leave a single one behind.

So today, Xu Mingyang forgot about the counting competition. The children were all immersed in the joy of playing with toys together.

Meanwhile, Qin Zhan became famous again in the compound.

The first time he became famous was because he regularly sent milk powder to Dongdong, which caused many families to face a milk powder crisis. Now he was famous because he became the best dad in the eyes of the children in the compound.

When this news reached Qin Zhan through Aunt Zhang, he didn’t know how to react and found it both funny and annoying.

Only a few days after Dongdong’s birthday, Sunday came, and Dongdong was going to visit his mom. But this time, Qin Zhan was going with him, and Dongdong was especially happy.

That night, Dongdong not only packed food in his schoolbag but also took his birthday gifts. He wanted to bring them for his mom to see. If Mom liked playing, he would let her play with these. Maybe if Mom heard she could play, she would wake up and play with Dongdong.

Qin Zhan: “Are you sitting properly?”

“Yes.” Dongdong sat on the back seat of the bicycle. His schoolbag was hanging on the front of the bicycle. He held onto Qin Zhan’s clothes with both hands. “Let’s go see Mom.”