SES Chapter 210 Part 2

“Seems like… not very interested.”

It was late when they got back to the hotel. Everyone washed up. Cao Yanhua stared at the countdown card, on the verge of tears. “In another hour or two, it’ll turn to ‘12’…”

Wan San was brushing his teeth when he caught a glimpse of Yan Hongsha leaving the room.

He quickly spat out the water, wiped his mouth, and asked Mu Dai, “What’s Red Sand going out for?”

“She’s buying personal items. Why do you ask about everything?”

Is that so? Wan San felt uneasy. After thinking it over, he went out anyway.

The elevator stopped on the ground floor—so she’d gone down. After hesitating, Wan San pressed the button too.

The lobby was empty. When he asked the front desk, the clerk pointed the way. “She went to the back kitchen.”

Wan San jogged over. The kitchen door was open. Yan Hongsha was inside, gesturing as she spoke with a chef in a tall hat.

He listened quietly from the doorway.

“Just a simple bowl of noodles, please. Clear broth, some greens, and a fried egg.”

“Miss, that’s not part of hotel service, and it’s not on the menu. You’ll have to pay extra.”

“That’s fine.”

After a while, it went quiet. Wan San peeked in. A clay pot sat on the stove, flames licking the bottom. The chef was rinsing leafy greens. Yan Hongsha sat on a small stool, hugging her knees, staring at the pot.

Wan San turned and ran—then suddenly pivoted and sprinted back to the lobby, took the elevator up, and rushed to their room, pounding on the door.

Cao Yanhua opened it irritably. “In and out without your key again?”

Wan San shoved past him and rushed to Yan Hongsha’s luggage, unzipping it and rummaging through. Mu Dai asked in confusion, “Wan San, what are you doing?”

He didn’t answer, flipping through item after item. Reaching the inner pocket, he felt something hard—like a card. He quickly pulled it out.

Luo Ren came over. Cao Yanhua and Mu Dai followed.

Wan San looked at Yan Hongsha’s ID card. After a moment, he muttered, “We’re all idiots… Today’s Red Sand’s birthday…”

Yan Hongsha ate slowly, lifting the noodles one strand at a time. The egg was soft-centered; when she pierced it, golden yolk flowed into the broth. The feeling was nothing short of happiness.

She tried to stretch the time, making the bowl last as long as possible—so long that the chef grew impatient. In the end, she even drank the last sip of soup.

She set the empty bowl in the sink. “Sorry to trouble you with the washing.”

Then she left.

In the elevator, she pressed the button and rode up in silence.

In the past, her birthdays had always been grand. Old Yan would book a private room at a big restaurant, order a lavish spread. She could taste a little or eat nothing at all—but the birthday noodles had to be eaten.

The simplest kind: thin noodles, green vegetables, and one fried egg. Old Yan would say, “Longevity noodles. For a long life, you must eat them.”

The elevator walls reflected her faintly. She stood straight, looked at her reflection, and waved. “Happy birthday.”

The hallway was quiet. The key card beeped as she opened the door.

The room was pitch-dark. Everyone was asleep. Really—couldn’t they wait for her?

She pouted, felt her way forward quietly.

After just two steps, she heard the scratch of a match. A small, warm flame lit the darkness, spreading softly. She saw Mu Dai holding the matchstick, carefully lighting the numbered candles on a cake.

Twenty-three. Her age.

As the candles flared, the light grew. She saw Mu Dai, Luo Ren, and Wan San; the stacked cake boxes, paper plates, plastic knives, and party poppers. It felt like a dream. Her vision blurred. Yan Hongsha squeezed her eyes shut and sniffed.

Mu Dai smiled and said, “Poor Red Sand. How could you not say anything on your birthday?”

Yan Hongsha answered weakly, “Because you were all so busy…”

She couldn’t finish. She squatted down on the spot, hugging her knees, and started crying.

Mu Dai couldn’t hold it either, leaning into Luo Ren’s arms and shedding a couple of tears. Wan San went to help Yan Hongsha up, but she clung to his arm and kept sobbing.

Wan San said, “Er-Huo, don’t be that touched…”

She kept crying. Wan San sighed helplessly.

“Okay, Er-Huo, how about this? We rushed this and didn’t get you a gift. If you like this arm so much, you can just take it. It’s good for scratching an itch, too…”

Yan Hongsha burst out laughing, shoved his arm away, sniffed, and said, “Get lost.”

She wiped her tears and stood up, guided to the cake. Looking around, she asked in surprise, “Where’s Fatty Cao?”

Luo Ren jerked his chin toward the inner room. “Coming.”

As soon as he spoke, the door opened. The lights inside blazed on. Cao Yanhua stepped out solemnly, holding a bouquet of baby’s breath mixed with lilies, tulips, and irises. Cao Liberation stood at his feet.

Yan Hongsha cracked up when she saw Cao Liberation. No one knew what Cao Yanhua had been thinking—he’d taped a marigold to the chicken’s head. Cao Liberation rolled its eyes, clearly annoyed.

Holding the flowers, Cao Yanhua walked toward Yan Hongsha with great ceremony. Everyone had entrusted him with the honor of presenting the bouquet. He tried to walk like it was a red carpet—but reality had other plans. At first, only Yan Hongsha laughed. Then Wan San doubled over, holding the table. Mu Dai collapsed into Luo Ren’s arms. Luo Ren himself kept deliberately looking away.

Well then. Cao Yanhua looked embarrassed.

“All right,” he said. “Little Sister Red Sand, it’s lat,e and we couldn’t buy a proper gift. All the shops were closed. We agreed—this one’s on credit. We’ll make it up to you.”

Yan Hongsha laughed until tears came out. She took the flowers and said, “Okay.”

Then she made a wish. The candle flames flickered as she stared at them. “I wish that tomorrow, we’ll finally find clues about Long Town.”

Mu Dai stomped her foot anxiously. “Red Sand, are you silly? That doesn’t count! Do it again—wish for something good and happy for yourself!”

Yan Hongsha hesitated. “Really? I have to redo it?”

Wan San said, “Redo it.”

She thought for a moment, then said, “I wish that many, many years from now, we’ll still be together. That everyone will be safe. Even when our hair turns white, we’ll still celebrate birthdays together and go out together.”

She lowered her head and—whoosh—blew out the candles.

From far away came the midnight chime. Perfect timing. Not a second wasted.

The next morning, Cao Yanhua woke up first. Last night’s birthday celebration had lifted morale, and he was brimming with enthusiasm. He sprang out of bed and even yanked the blanket off Wan San, who was sharing it with him. “Brother San, get up! Grave-sweeping time!”

Before Wan San could roar, Cao Yanhua dashed into the living room and flung open the curtains.

He froze.

Overcast skies.

On the sofa behind him, Luo Ren sat up, shielding his eyes and yawning. “The weather’s not great today. Looks like rain.”

…

Luo Ren was right. The sky stayed gloomy, as if the heavens were sulking. They were tense too, racing against time, instinctively spreading out even more. Though still on the same mountain, each person searched an area alone. The signal was poor, so walkie-talkies came in handy—one clipped to each waist, rather stylish, actually.

Afternoon, dark clouds rolled over the peaks, hanging low over the treetops. It wasn’t pitch-black, but it felt almost like night. They had just finished searching half a mountain and were preparing to descend the other side when a blinding flash of lightning split the sky.

Luo Ren’s voice crackled through the walkie-talkie: “Put on your rain gear. Once you’re down this mountain, head back. This storm’s going to be bad.”

No need to say it. The rain came down instantly—pouring, pounding like gravel on their heads. The walkie-talkies erupted in chaos. Cao Yanhua clutched his head and ran downhill, wind and rain blurring everything into white noise. He heard Luo Ren shouting, “Hide under big trees! It’s a sudden storm—it won’t last. Don’t run downhill, you’ll fall!”

Panicking, Cao Yanhua failed to check his footing. He slipped and went tumbling down. Almost simultaneously, all four walkie-talkies picked up the sound of him rolling. “Ah—ah—ah—ah—!”

Mu Dai and Yan Hongsha screamed.

Mu Dai shouted, “Protect your head! Pull your legs to your chest!”

Yan Hongsha yelled, “Grab something! Anything—grab it!”

There was a dull thud, as if he’d hit something. It didn’t sound too severe.

Then came several seconds of silence. Strangely, even the rain on his end seemed quieter.

Wan San called tentatively, “Fatty?”

Luo Ren said gravely, “He might be knocked out—or just stunned. Cao Yanhua, respond!”

Suddenly, Cao Yanhua’s shrill scream burst through the radio.

“Dog! There’s a dog!”