Birthday Present
Birthday Present
One by one, they greeted Shen Jiuli and his wife with kind wishes. While the hall was bustling with noise, Shen Jiuli suddenly pointed his finger at the sky and demanded, "It is windy and foggy on the roof. My friend, why don't you come down?"
A white figure flashed by and broke through the roof, leaving a large hole behind. A figure with green robes landed gracefully.
The crowd was astonished. They had not expected to see anyone with the courage to eavesdrop on the roof of the Fantian Palace.
The mysterious figure's face was covered with a disturbing mask. The person's robes were loose, so they could not tell if the intruder was a man or a woman. The sudden emergence had certainly created a stir.
Ning Xuemo narrowed her eyes while studying the mysterious intruder. "Are you passing by, again?"
The mysterious person was none other than Gu Xijiu!
She remained calm and composed. "No, I am here to give your son a present."
She turned her hand around and presented a wooden box of delicate craftsmanship. The most dazzling part about the box was the emerald gemstone on the box, which was glittering and translucent. The present must be something valuable, judging from its physical appearance.
Swiftly, she took a few steps forward and walked towards Little Nianmo. "Hey, this is for you. Happy Birthday," she greeted while presenting the box to him.
Little Nianmo was nervous to see her again. His fingers started to tremble in anxiety. With a sharp eye, he carefully waited to see what else she was going to do to him.
The box looked interesting, but Little Nianmo was not interested. He did not even pick it up.
"Why? Are you afraid of it? Are you worried that a snake may suddenly appear?" The mysterious intruder commented jokingly.
Ning Xuemo looked at the mysterious intruder, then the box. "Are you goading him into taking the present? It is useless. He simply does not want it."
Gu Xijiu's eyes were filled with doubt. Then, she kept the box in her storage bag and responded delightfully, "Great, I do not really want to give it to you, anyway. If you do not want it, it also means that it is not destined to be your possession."
Shen Nianmo did not know what to say. He was surprised by the mysterious intruder's sudden withdrawal and felt as though he had missed his chance. All of a sudden, he became interested in the content of the box. "What was really in there?"
Also, he suspected that the mysterious intruder was simply presenting the gift because his father had discovered her on the roof. Was she only trying to please his father?
Shen Nianmo felt as though he had fallen right into her trap. He was not fond of this intruder, so he certainly would not do as she wished. He thought about it for a moment, then gave her a warm smile. "Auntie, you have traveled so far. If you are really here to present the birthday gift, there is not a single reason why I should not take it. I was only joking. Why would I reject it?"
Little Nianmo's voice was loud and firm, so everyone in the hall clearly heard him and was indeed astonished.
Even Ning Xuemo was taken by surprise. She carefully observed the mysterious person and could not believe that she was a woman.
Gu Xijiu did not expect that her gender would be uncovered so publicly. Moreover, she was annoyed when the child addressed her as his auntie while pulling tightly at her sleeve.