It was just an ordinary rest day, and the cemetery was quiet.

Climbing the steps, Qi Shi'an took each step carefully and solemnly. He still remembered that camping night when Shen Duoyi sat in his arms watching stars, and they looked at Shen Duoyi's parents among their friends in the sky.

The most important relatives, the most missed parents - Shen Duoyi had brought him to meet them.

"Why are you walking so slowly, long legs?" Shen Duoyi stopped a few steps ahead, with one side of his backpack sliding down to his elbow. "Are you not ready yet?"

Qi Shi'an stood still, deliberately crossing his arms and said, "You just brought me here directly, didn't give me any chance to prepare. Look at what I'm wearing, and I didn't even buy flowers."

Shen Duoyi came back down: "Were you planning to wear a suit and tie? You look handsome enough like this, and buying flowers is useless anyway - they'd just blow onto someone else's grave in the wind."

Qi Shi'an took the bag off Shen Duoyi's shoulder, it was surprisingly heavy. He held Shen Duoyi's hand as they climbed the stairs together, wiping his palm's sweat onto the other's hand.

Finally, they arrived at the graves. Qi Shi'an saw two adjacent tombstones - one for Shen Duoyi's father, Shen Yunsheng, and one for Shen Duoyi's mother, Xue Jiayu. The photos on the stones showed them both quite young, one with a scholarly air, the other particularly gentle and graceful.

Shen Duoyi took his bag and crouched down between the two tombstones, unzipping it to take out two large lunch boxes. He opened the lids, revealing steaming dumplings inside.

Placing a box in front of each tombstone, Shen Duoyi said, "Dad, yours are pork and cabbage filling, Mom, yours are three-delicacy vegetarian filling. I made them this morning, though I'm not sure if they're seasoned right."

He paused after speaking, still looking down while arranging the chopsticks: "I didn't come alone today. I brought someone I want you to meet."

Qi Shi'an stood straight, then bowed three times to the tombstones. He spoke softly, "Uncle, Auntie, I'm Qi Shi'an. I'm sorry I came empty-handed. In the future, I'll accompany Duoyi to visit you, and I'll make it up then."

Shen Duoyi nodded in satisfaction, then took out a small bottle of baijiu and two small wine cups from his bag. "Dad, Mom, dumplings with wine, the more you drink, the more there is. Let's have a cup first." He handed the wine to Qi Shi'an while holding his own cup.

After the wine was poured, Qi Shi'an took one cup and gently poured it in front of Shen Yunsheng's grave, saying, "Uncle, this cup is for you."

After paying respects to Shen Yunsheng, he offered another cup to Xue Jiayu.

The backpack was now empty, so Shen Duoyi used it as a cushion to sit between the two tombstones. Hugging his knees, he said, "Dad, Mom, last time I came, I mentioned I've been really happy lately, happier than I've been in years."

"I said if you appeared in my dreams, I'd secretly tell you why, but you two were too lazy to show up in my dreams." Shen Duoyi touched the small grass growing in the crevices, "So I'll just tell you today."

Qi Shi'an watched him, eyes unblinking, his heart filled with both tenderness and a touch of sadness, mixing together into deep affection. Suddenly, Shen Duoyi reached out his hand, palm down, back up, saying, "Pull me up."

Qi Shi'an pulled him up, but their hands remained clasped.

Shen Duoyi looked at the tombstones and said, "Dad, Mom, I won't beat around the bush, I'll just say it directly. I've found someone I love, and we're very happy together every day. I never knew before that my life could be this happy."

"Uncle, Auntie," Qi Shi'an gripped Shen Duoyi's hand tightly, "When Duoyi was seven, you left him. He struggled to grow up until he was seventeen, when he met foolish me. Now he's almost twenty-seven, and he's brought me to meet you. I want to make him a promise."

Shen Duoyi turned to look at him, asking a rather cliché question: "Is it to love me forever?"

Qi Shi'an said: "Natural disasters and human conflicts, we'll avoid them together. Beyond that, all happiness and joy, leave them to me."

Shen Duoyi smiled at him, and as he smiled, his eyes reddened. Bright eyes gradually filled with tears, making them even brighter. Qi Shi'an raised his hand to wipe away the tears at the corners of Shen Duoyi's eyes, softly comforting him: "How did I do? I didn't embarrass you, did I?"

Shen Duoyi broke into a smile through his tears, nodding vigorously.

He looked back at the tombstones: "Dad, Mom, since you've already drunk the wine we offered, that means you approve of him. Thank you!"

After chattering for quite a while, Shen Duoyi talked about Grandpa Shen's recent daily life and some work troubles - basically rambling about everything big and small. Qi Shi'an also detailed his own situation in various aspects, trying not to brag too much, which was quite a struggle.

Neither had eaten lunch, and they were both quite hungry now. Shen Duoyi put the lids back on the lunch boxes and packed them into the bag, complaining: "Civilized memorial service - we bring offerings but have to take them all back."

Qi Shi'an asked: "We can't burn paper money either, so what if Uncle and Auntie don't have enough money to spend over there?"

"They'll earn it themselves!" Shen Duoyi said and then laughed, "Just kidding. There's a designated place behind the mountain for burning paper money, but I didn't bring any today. We'll burn some next time."

After packing everything up, they bowed together once more.

"Dad, Mom, we're leaving. Next time we'll bring you flowers."

Qi Shi'an waited until Shen Duoyi walked away a bit before saying softly: "Uncle, Auntie, don't worry."

On the way back to the city, Qi Shi'an drove while Shen Duoyi ate dumplings in the passenger seat, regretting not bringing an extra bottle of aged vinegar. Qi Shi'an, holding the steering wheel, leaned slightly and demanded: "Don't just eat by yourself, feed me one!"

Shen Duoyi picked up one and fed it to him: "It's three-delicacy filling, with extra large shrimp."

After returning to the city, they soon arrived at Wenhu Apartments. It was around four or five o'clock, a leisurely time when people who had just woken from their afternoon naps would go out to buy groceries or take their children to play, so there were always residents coming and going at the entrance.

Shen Duoyi regretted: "We should have driven to Yamenting instead. You could have gone straight home, and I could have driven back. Now you'll have to take a taxi."

"It's fine, taking a taxi is convenient too." Qi Shi'an reached to unbuckle his seatbelt but didn't move, suddenly asking, "Duoyi, how did you celebrate your eighth birthday?"

The spark in Shen Duoyi's eyes seemed to dim a little, and he stammered: "I didn't."

His birthdays seemed to have stopped at age seven, and the annual birthday photos taken at the photo studio also ended that year. His parents who celebrated his birthdays were gone, and even if he had celebrated elaborately, it would have just been entertaining himself.

Qi Shi'an said: "How about celebrating your twenty-eighth birthday together?"

It didn't need to be grand or carefully planned - just having a meal together and making a wish over candlelight would be enough. Shen Duoyi had already started imagining it, but was defeated by reality.

"Every year I just eat longevity noodles with my grandpa, that counts as celebrating."

Before Qi Shi'an could react, someone suddenly slapped the car door. They both looked out to see Grandpa Shen stopped beside the car on his tricycle. "Why are you sitting in the car?" Grandpa Shen couldn't see very clearly, "Come inside and sit for a while, don't stay cooped up in the car."

They both got out immediately, with Qi Shi'an greeting first: "Grandpa, out for a ride on your tricycle? Do you still remember me?"

"Xiao Qi, I don't have dementia yet." Grandpa Shen chuckled happily, "Don't leave tonight, stay for dinner and then let Duoyi drive you home."

Shen Duoyi came around: "Grandpa, where did you ride to?"

Grandpa Shen said: "Just rode to the intersection and came back, saw what looked like your car, so I came to check."

"Grandpa, I was just talking to Duoyi about something." Qi Shi'an carefully began, but his tone was very open and forthright, "His birthday is coming up, and he said he always just eats longevity noodles with you. Could I join this year? I'd like to celebrate with him."

Grandpa Shen said happily: "Of course you can, come over and we'll sing him a birthday song together."

After getting approval, Shen Duoyi glanced at Qi Shi'an, thinking how nice it would be for the three of them to eat together at one table.

After watching Shen Duoyi and Grandpa Shen go inside, Qi Shi'an took a taxi back to his apartment. He calculated that Shen Duoyi's birthday would fall on next Saturday, and he almost wanted to repeat his previous trick of taking another day off.

But he was afraid Zhang Yiming would run him over with his sports car.

The long week passed in busy work, with Shen Duoyi handling emergency filing matters and occasionally taking over some of Team Leader Qi's tasks. Adding to his original projects, he didn't get enough sleep every day.

As soon as Friday's work hours ended, he collapsed onto his desk like a knee-jerk reaction, resting for a few minutes before starting to pack up. Just as he was about to leave, the administrative assistant pushed open the door: "Team Leader Shen, happy birthday in advance!"

Shen Duoyi was a bit surprised: "How did you know my birthday?"

"When you transferred here, I filed your resume, and I always pay special attention to handsome guys' birth dates." The young assistant girl had her bag on her shoulder, "Everyone wanted to take you out to celebrate, but since you're introverted, we were afraid you'd feel burdened. We'll just give you presents on Monday!"

Shen Duoyi hurriedly stopped her: "No need, no need, your wishes are enough, really."

"We definitely have to give presents, I've already bought mine, it's nothing expensive." The assistant girl, afraid he'd feel uncomfortable, added, "You'll have to give me one on my birthday too, haha! I'm heading out!"

Shen Duoyi's mood was greatly improved by these few words, and he was smiling even while texting with Qi Shi'an between floors. They had arranged to take Grandpa Shen to Summer Restaurant to celebrate, and he remembered how Qi Shi'an had told the manager then that he hoped they could go there together as three people one day - who knew it would come true tomorrow.

Saturday morning, Qi Shi'an waited in his car outside Wenhu Apartments. Shen Duoyi helped Grandpa Shen come out from inside, and the three of them went to Summer Restaurant together. A cake box sat in the front passenger seat, while Shen Duoyi sat in the back with Grandpa Shen. Qi Shi'an apologetically said: "I don't have any traditional opera saved in my car, is it too boring?"

Grandpa Shen said: "No need to accommodate me, listen to whatever you like."

At the restaurant, usually busy during weekend lunch hours, there weren't many people today - it was quite quiet. Shen Duoyi helped Grandpa Shen find a seat, planning to wash his hands before getting food.

Qi Shi'an carried the cake box, lagging a few steps behind. He had reserved more than half of the seats, just so they could dine quietly, but didn't reserve all of them, worried it would feel too empty with just the three of them.

The two young men made several trips back and forth to get a table full of food, while Grandpa Shen played the boss, just waiting to eat. Shen Duoyi really loved gnawing on legs; he waited at the counter for fresh long-legged crab, holding his plate expectantly.