Announcing a Big Event

On the third day of their driving lessons, Uncle Wang finally took Shen Nian and Xia Yanchun to the DMV to handle the paperwork. He also booked their Subject One written exam, which happened to fall exactly on Shen Nian's birthday.

Which was today.

Waking up early these past few days had taken a toll on Xia Yanchun. She felt constantly drained and listless. Sitting in the training car, she would just stare blankly into space.

Sure enough, waking up early made a person weak.

She felt like she was starting to understand why so many college students complained about eight o'clock morning classes.

She used to wake up at six every morning to go to school... Had a nearly two-month vacation really corrupted her this much?

Xia Yanchun slapped the leg of the person sitting next to her, forcing herself to perk up.

"Damn it, are you crazy? Why did you hit me out of nowhere?" Shen Nian was startled. He was just watching a movie recap; wasn't her sudden slap just asking for trouble?

"My hand was itchy, and you just happened to be asking for a beating."

"Very impressive."

"Whatever. Seeing as it's your birthday today, I'll let you off with just one slap," Xia Yanchun hummed guiltily, turning her head to look at the scenery outside.

Uncle Wang, who was driving in the front, suddenly chuckled. Xia Yanchun could no longer keep a straight face and quietly blushed.

When outsiders were present, she really shouldn't act so intimately with Shen Nian... How embarrassing.

Shen Nian just felt that this world was beyond saving.

This was naked bullying. Uncle Wang, you didn't actually think they were flirting, did you?

Damn that little pest Chun.

They arrived at the DMV.

After listening to the examiner's pre-test instructions, they took their numbers and went in to take the exam.

If there was one thing Shen Nian and Xia Yanchun weren't afraid of, it was exams.

Both of them easily scored a perfect one hundred.

After the exam, Uncle Wang drove Shen Nian and Xia Yanchun back to town.

"Let's go get your cake. The bakery owner already sent a message," Xia Yanchun said, poking Shen Nian's arm.

"Wait for me to get the scooter out."

"Mhm."

Shen Nian drove out his small electric scooter. Once Xia Yanchun got on, he cheerfully spoke up.

"Hehe, have you figured out what present to give me yet? If not, you can just work like a horse for me. I wouldn't mind."

"Get lost. I prepared your gift ages ago, but I'm not telling you what it is."

"It's my birthday! You're telling me to get lost on my birthday? Don't you have any respect for the birthday boy?"

"You're just the birthday boy, not the emperor."

"You only get so many birthdays in a lifetime. What's wrong with letting me be the emperor just once?" Shen Nian said, trembling with mock anger.

"Emperor, my foot. Be careful or you'll get cake smashed in your face tonight."

"That's wasting food. Just you wait, I'm going to expose you online."

"..."

Since it was his birthday, a delicious feast was a must. Shen Nian and Xia Yanchun went grocery shopping first before picking up the cake. Once they got home, they put the cake in the fridge.

At four in the afternoon, Xia Yanchun came over to Shen Nian's house on her own accord to help him prepare the feast in the kitchen.

Logically, the birthday boy shouldn't have to do anything but wait to eat. Unfortunately, both sets of parents were busy with work and couldn't get away. If they wanted a feast, they had to make it themselves.

Cooking was no big deal for Shen Nian and Xia Yanchun. With one acting as the assistant and the other as the head chef, they quickly served up plate after plate of delicious, aromatic, and visually appealing dishes, placing them on the dining table.

The two ties of the apron accentuated Xia Yanchun's slender waist. As she moved the spatula to stir-fry, her small ponytail bobbed back and forth.

"Little chef," Shen Nian sat at the dining table, staring intently at Xia Yanchun's back. Resting his chin on his hand, he suddenly let out a soft chuckle.

"What's wrong? Are you starting to fantasize about me cooking for you when you come home from work in the future?" Xia Yanchun huffed lightly. "Then you are dead wrong, Shen Nian. I'm definitely going to have a job. When I get off work feeling exhausted, who would have the energy to cook? We'll be eating out every day."

"You guessed all that? Are you a mind reader?"

Shen Nian, who had accidentally envisioned a romantic kitchen action movie in his head, nodded hurriedly.

Xia Yanchun was already immersed in her own culinary art.

Even though his thoughts were miles away from what she was saying, he was still willing to humor her. After all, they had nineteen years of history together.

Seeing Xia Yanchun's sweet smile put Shen Nian's mind at ease.

"Come carry the dishes."

"Coming, coming."

"My arm is getting a bit sore. You can stir-fry the remaining greens."

"Sure." Shen Nian set the dishes down and took over Xia Yanchun's role as the chef.

When it came to cooking skills, he wasn't going to take a backseat. Under the effects of his training, his culinary abilities had been constantly improving. He was no longer capable of making unpalatable food.

Cold oil in a hot pan, add minced garlic until fragrant, toss in the greens, stir-fry, add a pinch of salt, and finally toss in some pork right before taking it off the stove. A vegetable dish that could relieve mental fatigue was complete.

"Little chef boy," Xia Yanchun covered her lips and laughed.

"You..."

Shen Nian immediately stopped smiling. This girl had no shame. When it was just the two of them, she really dared to say anything.

Yet, in every sense of the word, Xia Yanchun wasn't wrong.

Unable to refute her, Shen Nian pretended he didn't hear it.

"By the way, I'm planning to buy a car. What kind of car do you like?"

"I don't know. I don't know much about cars. If you're buying a car, you should definitely buy whatever you think is suitable."

"No, whatever Chunbao likes is what I'll buy," Shen Nian said with a look of deep affection and a serious tone. "Men as devoted as me are rare in this world. Has Chunbao fallen in love with me?"

"I wouldn't fall in love with an idiot."

Shen Nian mentally prepared his ultimate move, just about to curse Xia Yanchun out and send her flying, when he heard her continue:

"How about a Volkswagen? That's what my dad drives."

"Alright, I'll buy a BMW." Shen Nian firmly chose the animal series.

First there was the Maverick electric scooter, now there's the BMW. This is what our new era's Beast Taming Sect looks like.

"Pfft, then why did you even ask me?"

"I was just teasing you. Did you actually believe me, Xia Yanchun?"

"..."

Shen Nian was the birthday boy today. Xia Yanchun told herself not to get mad. She would let him have a good birthday tonight, and then tomorrow she would inexplicably sulk all day and make him guess why.

Before long, both sets of parents returned. Everyone gathered at Shen Nian's place to eat the feast, chatting about all sorts of topics.

Shen Nian felt that this was how a birthday should be. You could skip the cake, but you couldn't skip the good food. Even students who ordered takeout every day would go to a restaurant for an expensive meal to treat themselves on their birthdays.

"Oh my, you two are already nineteen years old. Wow, you've grown up so much." Shen Shi opened a bottle of liquor and sighed loudly while drinking. "You're not kids anymore. Once you enter society, you have to be careful. The city is full of tricks. Back in the day, I believed some guy's nonsense in the city and lent a stranger twenty bucks for bus fare. He just ran off, and I couldn't find him anywhere."

"You paid for a lesson," Shen Nian grinned.

"Sigh, let's not talk about it. It just brings tears to my eyes. Old Xia, do you remember when we were in junior high? That class monitor we had, let me tell you..."

Shen Nian listened to the parents reminiscing about their student days and smiled happily.

But for some unknown reason, Xia Yanchun remained silent, eating her food rather sluggishly.

"What's up with you?" Shen Nian poked her hand.

"Mhm, nothing." Xia Yanchun immediately shoveled a couple of bites of rice into her mouth.

"Are you sure nothing's on your mind? I thought maybe you hadn't actually prepared a gift for me and were busy thinking up an excuse to brush it off."

"As if!"

The young girl's mind was brimming with all sorts of thoughts. Especially on a day like this, with both their families gathered together, certain ideas were bound to pop into her head.

The ever-so-bold Xia Yanchun had already mentally rehearsed what she was about to do later, and she was absolutely full of confidence!

Tonight was the night. She was going to announce a major piece of news to his parents.

—I have already bagged your precious son!

Xia Yanchun ducked her head and focused on her meal, taking huge bites to devour Shen Nian's favorite tangerine peel spare ribs.

Hehe, right before I ate them, these ribs were totally thinking about Shen Nian! Ribs like this are definitely the most satisfying to chew.