Not long after moving into the Tang Palace Villa, Qi Ji’s twentieth birthday arrived.
Though it was the first year of his twenties, and the past year had been full of unexpected events, Qi Ji himself never placed much importance on holidays or anniversaries.
Yet this day, starting from midnight, brought him a flood of birthday wishes from all directions.
Last night, Pei Yusheng had an overseas video conference. After celebrating past midnight with Qi Ji, he had left and wouldn’t return until the afternoon. Qi Ji had breakfast, then headed to Yun Tu for work, only to find his phone full of messages from classmates and colleagues. By the time he arrived at the office, he had thanked everyone so many times that his mouth was dry.
With the year-end behind them, the company had a short lull; there wasn’t much work, and people had more free time. Many familiar faces stopped by to visit the birthday boy, and a vase of vibrant flowers sat on Qi Ji’s desk.
The flowers were from Li Anbei, taking up nearly half the desk, strikingly eye-catching. Qi Ji couldn’t help but laugh at the sight.
After thanking his senior and checking for his opinion, Qi Ji dismantled the bouquet. Earlier, a partner company had sent some glass jars, so he placed the flowers in them, distributing them across his colleagues’ desks, adding a touch of color to the design department.
Besides flowers, Qi Ji received many other gifts—boxes piled high. He thanked each colleague in turn and arranged for everyone to have dinner together that evening, making it a proper birthday celebration.
Visitors weren’t limited to the design department; former mentors from operations also stopped by. Lin, who had always been close to Qi Ji, dropped in for a chat. After a while, he smiled and said, “Little Qi, you seem so much more relaxed now. Is it because you’re doing work you enjoy?”
Qi Ji paused, surprised. He hadn’t expected his change to be noticeable at a glance, yet looking back, the events of the past months had indeed transformed him.
Shaking his head, he said, “It’s because some things at home have been resolved.”
Lin nodded in understanding. “I see… We always thought you were carrying quite a burden. Now it’s clear you’re much freer.” He patted Qi Ji on the shoulder. “It’s good that it’s settled.”
Qi Ji had always believed his mask of composure was flawless, but he realized that those close to him had long seen through it—though they hadn’t added pressure by commenting. His chest swelled slightly, and he smiled sincerely. “Thank you, Lin.”
“For what?” Lin waved him off, then unwrapped a cake he had brought from the cafeteria. “Try this—our new strawberry flavor!”
After the morning work wrapped up, Qi Ji didn’t stay at the office for lunch. He took a brief leave during the midday break. It was Friday, the weekend just ahead, and the company was quiet. He told Director Wu and was allowed to leave.
Qi Ji’s plan was to have lunch at home, but he didn’t go straight there. Instead, he detoured to S City No. 1 High School—to pick up the chef, his younger brother, Qi Mingyu.
By now, it was nearly April—the height of the college entrance exam frenzy—and the school atmosphere was intense.
But Qi Mingyu had already secured a guaranteed spot at F University, so he was comparatively relaxed. With the family finally debt-free, he insisted on preparing a birthday lunch for Qi Ji, even getting the first class of Friday afternoon off to cook. Qi Ji, knowing his brother’s studies were on track, couldn’t refuse.
He arrived early, waiting outside the school as classes hadn’t ended yet. Soon, movement rustled through the grass. He turned to see a pair of shiny black eyes.
“Meow~”
“Ah, it’s you?” Qi Ji laughed, reaching toward the little cat emerging from behind a tree. “Long time no see.”
This was the same kitten he had encountered six months ago when Qi Mingyu’s homeroom teacher had called him to pay Imo fees.
The kitten bounded over, rubbing Qi Ji’s palm. Laughing, he scratched its chin. “You’ve grown, haven’t you? Bigger than last time.”
He also had some dried fish snacks from the cafeteria, which he fed to the cat, returning a small favor from their previous meeting.
“Meow!” The kitten’s eyes lit up at the sight of the fish. Qi Ji brushed its back and handed it a second packet.
As he finished, the school bell rang. Qi Ji was about to look for Qi Mingyu when a group of tall boys came out.
“The last big question had two possibilities, right? Le Tian and I got two each.”
“I also got two, but didn’t finish. Mingyu, how many did you get?”
The boy being addressed wasn’t paying attention to them, his gaze fixed on the tree where Qi Ji and the cat stood.
“Mingyu?” someone called.
Qi Mingyu swung his backpack over his shoulder. “Three, plus one special case with extra force to consider.”
“Ah?” The others blinked, but Mingyu had already walked away, leaving a brief, “I’ll catch you later this afternoon.”
“Hey!” they shouted, but he was gone.
Qi Mingyu approached Qi Ji, who was playing with the cat. “Why are you like someone from an animal shelter? Taking in every stray you see?”
“I’m not taking it,” Qi Ji looked up. “It’s the same one I met before. It recognizes me.”
“…Fine, call yourself Catnip then,” Mingyu muttered. The cat nudged Qi Ji’s palm obediently.
Qi Ji and Mingyu left for the supermarket together. They didn’t need much; Mingyu had prepared the larger items early that morning.
Back home, within half an hour, Mingyu laid out a sumptuous lunch: four dishes, a soup, and noodles. Included were the handmade meatballs Qi Ji had grown up with, and longevity noodles rolled by Mingyu himself.
Unlike Qi Ji’s disastrous attempts that once splattered the wall, Mingyu’s noodles were both aesthetically pleasing and delicious. Qi Ji tasted one bite and surrendered—some things simply couldn’t be fixed with effort alone.
Satisfied with the meal, he finished most of it. Mingyu, seeing him eat so cleanly, relaxed. When they finished, he brought over a plate of cut fruit.
Qi Ji bit into a mango, and seeing Mingyu move to clear the dishes, he said, “I’ll do it, you should rest—you still have school.”
“No need. Afternoon is self-study; being a little late is fine,” Mingyu said, taking the dishes. He glanced at Qi Ji. “Even if we could afford it, there’s no need to break dishes every day and replace them.”
Qi Ji: “…” He had only ever broken two bowls, once cutting his hand, yet Mingyu remembered.
After finishing fruit, Qi Ji reminded him it was time to leave.
“I need to go to work too,” he said.
Mingyu muttered, looking reluctant. When Qi Ji asked again, Mingyu frowned. “You forgot the gift.”
“Gift?” Qi Ji blinked. “What gift? Isn’t this lunch enough?”
Mingyu sighed, taking something from behind Qi Ji’s cushion and placing it in front of him.
Even giving a gift was a struggle—suddenly, Qi Ji felt less upset with the older CEO brother, who must have had it harder.
Qi Ji stared, completely stunned.
It was an old scrapbook, cover slightly yellowed in the style of ten-plus years ago, yet remarkably well-preserved, even the plastic cover intact.
“This… this is the notebook I bought you ten years ago?” Qi Ji blinked.
Mingyu snorted. “Yeah, didn’t forget entirely.”
Qi Ji laughed, gesturing. “You were so small back then.”
Ten years ago, Qi Ji was ten; Qi Mingyu, seven. Finally spending a long stretch together after years apart, Qi Ji had been nervous. Using his saved New Year money, he bought two thick notebooks for his brother.
Back then, the notebook had been fashionable; Qi Ji hadn’t even dared buy one for himself. But his brother hadn’t used it much, which had made Qi Ji quietly sad.
On his tenth birthday, Qi Mingyu gave him a filled scrapbook—the very notebook Qi Ji had given him.
The pages were full of Mingyu’s early, slightly clumsy but earnest handwriting:
[The woman on the cover is ugly. If it were me, I wouldn’t use it.]
Next day’s note:
[I told him she’s ugly; he got upset and said you can’t say a girl is ugly.]
[But she is ugly! If he hadn’t almost cried, I wouldn’t have agreed.]
[Next time when he’s not crying, I’ll tell him again: ugly!]
Young Qi Ji had been terrified, thinking Mingyu held a grudge. Only after their father comforted him did he continue reading, tears still in his eyes.
The notebook was full of Mingyu’s words he wanted to say to Qi Ji. Though the tone could be brash, the message was sincere.
On the last page:
[My brother’s birthday is coming. I don’t know what to give him. Dad always says not to be harsh and to talk more. I’m not harsh, just a bit loud.]
[Maybe I’ll give him this notebook—it counts as talking to him.]
[It’s his tenth birthday. If he accepts, next time I’ll fill another one for him.]
[If he doesn’t, then never mind.]
Little Qi Ji wiped his tears, ran to Mingyu, and said cheerfully, “I accept your gift. Thank you.”
“Oh.” Mingyu stood with hands in his pockets, expression stiff. “You’re welcome.”
Young Qi Ji blinked, reminding him, “Next time, remember to fill the other notebook too.”
“…This time is your tenth birthday. The next will be twenty at least.”
Little Qi Ji pouted but remembered—they’d be together at twenty. He nodded seriously. “Okay. Don’t forget.”
Ten years had flown by—and Qi Mingyu had kept that scrapbook all along.
He had never forgotten.
“Twenty already,” Qi Mingyu said, “A new year, another ten years—be happy.”
Qi Ji chuckled.
“Thank you.” He reached out and hugged the boy, who towered over him by half a head. “You too.”
Qi Mingyu looked away. “We’re grown-ups, and you’re still hugging me? Gross.”
Though he said it, he didn’t move.
Qi Ji smiled and withdrew his arms, turning to open the newly recovered old scrapbook.
“Wait, wait, wait!” Mingyu suddenly called out. “Don’t flip through it in front of me! I still have some dignity!”
Qi Ji raised an eyebrow. “What’s the matter? Did you write on the first page about someone being ugly again?”
Mingyu clicked his tongue. If he’d known in advance, he’d have filled the first page with “CEO big brother is so ugly.”
In the end, Qi Ji relented, agreeing to wait until Mingyu left before opening it. The two set out for the company, Qi Ji putting the scrapbook aside.
Even if he didn’t open it, he could already guess the contents. Ten long years had passed; the pages would no longer contain trivial childhood notes, but the moments of heartbreak and things left unsaid—quietly written down.
Luckily, all of that was over. Now it was just memories, not pain.
The afternoon wasn’t busy. Work at Yun Tu wrapped by four or five. Afterward, Qi Ji joined his colleagues for a birthday dinner at a moderately upscale hotpot restaurant—well within his means.
Since being debt-free, Qi Ji’s finances were actually quite comfortable.
The restaurant was known for its thoughtful service. Upon learning it was a birthday gathering, they immediately brought a cake, party hats, and a small raffle. His colleagues hadn’t expected much—these raffles usually offered a dish or a small discount. But when Qi Ji drew a ticket, he won the grand prize: a free meal for the whole group.
Everyone was shocked, even Qi Ji himself marveling at his lucky streak.
With the free meal, they could indulge in the buffet. Complimenting his luck, the group ordered a large amount of food and ate until everyone was satisfied.
During the meal, conversation drifted. Someone mentioned, “I think this hotpot place got investment from Jiang Hai recently. I saw it in the news a few days ago.”
“Jiang Hai Investment? Isn’t that Mr. Pei’s company?”
“Yeah,” another said. “But the ownership seems to have changed recently; not sure exactly how it stands now.”
Curiosity rose among the group. “Changed? Isn’t it still Mr. Pei’s?”
“I’m not too sure. I think it’s still his company. The change seems to be in equity, not operations, so there’s no public notice,” explained one casually. “But it doesn’t concern us—let’s eat.”
The meal ended happily around eight o’clock. The restaurant was near the subway, and everyone left in the same direction.
Qi Ji headed toward a bus stop to transfer and soon noticed a silver Maybach pulling up alongside him.
The window rolled down, revealing a man in a gray bespoke suit, smiling. “Little one, are you alone? Want a ride?”
Qi Ji glanced at him, wrinkling his nose. “But I might not have enough money.”
Pei Yusheng opened the door, long legs stepping down. “I’ll even pay extra to give you a lift.”
The street wasn’t quiet, so he didn’t make a move outside the car. Once Qi Ji sat in the back, Pei leaned in and kissed him, missing him for almost twenty hours and three minutes.
“I’ve been away for so long,” Pei complained, holding him for a little longer before feeling satisfied.
“Mmm…” Qi Ji finally spoke softly, protesting, “Aunt Xu is coming later, you shouldn’t bite me—she’ll notice.”
“No worries, the lighting at home is bad. She won’t see,” Pei said casually.
Qi Ji was half convinced. When Pei kissed him again, it was hard to maintain his resolve.
Today was the happiest day. Worries were gone; joy was held tightly in his arms.
Xu Yunchi wasn’t at the main Xu residence tonight but at the Nine Hall Villa. Qi Ji had lost all surprise upon arrival—he no longer doubted that Pei Yusheng’s family had collected every luxury villa in S City.
Only Xu Yunchi was present in the villa, and the three of them together made Qi Ji feel more relaxed.
They had come mainly to collect a red envelope from Xu Yunchi. Though mentally prepared, Qi Ji froze when he saw the size of the gift.
This wasn’t a red envelope—it was a wall of cash.
Even the way Xu Yunchi presented it was unlike anything Qi Ji imagined. Normally, people would hand over a small red packet, but Aunt Xu brought a golden tray piled with neatly bundled hundreds.
Qi Ji had never seen so much money even when depositing with colleagues at the bank.
“These… all of this…” he stammered, speechless. The others remained calm, as if handing over a small gift.
Pei Yusheng said, “Take it, Qi Qi. This is for you.”
Qi Ji hesitated, but noticing the weight, and not wanting to drop it on Aunt Xu, he accepted the tray. The moment he held it, he truly felt the power of money.
“This is… way too much…”
“It’s not,” Xu Yunchi smiled. “Eight hundred eighty-eight thousand. Normally for a twentieth birthday, it would be two million, but that much cash is heavy, so we only brought this. The rest will be transferred to your account.”
Qi Ji: “….”
He couldn’t even find words.
“This…”
Qi Ji felt a little uneasy. His life experiences hadn’t prepared him for gifts of this scale; receiving something so valuable inevitably made him anxious.
Pei Yusheng reached out, gently resting a hand on his shoulder. “It’s fine. Take it. In our tradition, giving a red envelope to the younger generation brings good fortune to both sides.”
Only then did Qi Ji dare to relinquish the thought of refusing. “O… okay.”
Xu Yunchi watched nearby, a small smile on her face. Seeing her son explain everything with such gravity, then patiently helping the boy handle the heavy tray once he accepted it, she couldn’t help but chuckle. Her smile held a touch of exasperation but was full of warmth.
Recalling the conversation from before the boy arrived, she asked Pei Yusheng, “Are you going to tell Qi Ji about the asset transfer?”
It was a significant matter, but Pei Yusheng shook his head. “There’s no need.”
“He’s capable of earning his own money. With no debts, he can support himself. Telling him now would only burden him unnecessarily. We’ll inform him when it’s needed.”
Xu Yunchi sighed softly. “Yusheng, you’re far more considerate than your father.”
Mentioning Pei Xiaolin no longer triggered instant irritation from Pei Yusheng. He had already secured what he wanted.
Pei Yusheng curled a corner of his lips. “Isn’t that just following your lead?”
Xu Yunchi was momentarily stunned, then laughed, shaking her head. “You…”
She knew he was right—her son had inherited the best traits from her and his father. Yet, being so accomplished made everything easily attainable, leaving him somewhat indifferent. She had worried he might never find something that truly interested him and remain cold his entire life.
Fortunately, he had found it, and more importantly, he had held onto it.
Watching the two in front of her quietly handling the tray of bills, she noticed the boy laughing and teasing Pei Yusheng at something. His eyes sparkled with clear, unguarded joy, and her heart softened.
Besides seeing her son’s growth, she also knew Qi Ji’s past hardships. To see him genuinely smiling like this was no small feat.
Luckily, they had each other. They were each other’s luck.
Noticing Xu Yunchi’s gaze, the boy blinked, a little embarrassed. She walked over and hugged the slender, delicate young man.
“Happy birthday,” she said softly, smiling. “Stay safe and well, my dear boy.”
The boy’s ears flushed slightly, and he hugged her back gently. “Thank you.”
After leaving Nine Hall Villa, Pei Yusheng drove Qi Ji to the riverbank.
Just before getting out, Qi Ji received a text and stared at it for three seconds before reading.
“Wait… wasn’t the remaining amount only 1.12 million? Why did Aunt Xu send me two million?”
Pei Yusheng didn’t glance at the message, leading him toward the river. “Twenty years old—two million is appropriate.”
“But… she just gave me 880,000…” Qi Ji murmured, barely able to voice it. When had he ever casually dealt with sums like this?
“Round numbers have better meaning; 1.12 million feels scattered,” Pei Yusheng explained, ruffling the back of his head. “They care about these details. Don’t think too much of it.”
Qi Ji was speechless. This wasn’t about him caring—it was about comprehending this level of wealth.
Before he could dwell further, Pei Yusheng led him onto a private yacht. As it left the shore, Qi Ji finally registered, “Where are we?”
Why had Pei brought him to the riverbank?
Unlike the secluded, quiet beachside cabin before, this stretch of river ran through S City’s bustling financial district, its riverside night view extravagantly illuminated, attracting hundreds of thousands of tourists each day.
“I bought a new boat and wanted to show you,” Pei Yusheng said. Behind him, the yacht’s flag was raised. In the brisk river wind, a white flag fluttered, bearing three bold characters:
“Miracle.”
Qi Ji blinked, then melted into Pei Yusheng’s embrace.
Early spring still carried a chill, but the yacht’s smooth movement and Pei’s warmth made it comfortable.
The riverbank sparkled with lights—towering skyscrapers on one side, a dazzling panorama of international architecture on the other. The yacht glided across the water, the scenery reflected in every surface.
A soft “beep beep” sounded, followed by Pei Yusheng’s low, magnetic voice.
“Qi Qi, look.”
Before he finished, all the electronic screens on the riverside skyscrapers went dark.
Then, in unison, they burst into brilliant birthday fireworks, illuminating the night.
From afar, faint gasps arose.
Synchronizing so many LED screens was a costly feat; this was a grand gesture.
As the fireworks faded, dazzling light formed giant letters across the screens:
“Wishing you a lifetime of luck, success, and happiness.”
“Hoping the rest of your life is with me.”
“Happy birthday, little one. —Your husband.”
The riverside was enveloped in the glowing messages, witnessed clearly by onlookers.
Qi Ji froze on the yacht. The screens didn’t use his real name—after all, S City was huge, and coordinating this many screens was a major undertaking. Public exposure could bring unnecessary trouble.
Yet the signature, “Your husband,” struck directly at his heart.
He didn’t know how to react. Looking at Pei Yusheng, he felt completely flustered. Seeing the boy’s nervousness, Pei Yusheng tightened his hold and, amidst the river breeze, gently asked:
“Give me a kiss?”
Qi Ji obediently leaned up and kissed him.
“Thank you…”
The boy’s voice was soft, but there was no mistaking it.
“Thank you, sir.”
Pei Yusheng smiled, pressing a gentle return kiss on his forehead.
“And thank you, my little one.”