After midnight

Lin Nuan couldn't hold it back. She swore that she didn't laugh out loud on purpose. She also swore that this was the first time in her life that she had seen such a funny scene. An Yan's whole face was white and sticky, with broken cake paste on his eyes, nose, mouth, and even hair and sweater.

No one had ever seen An Yan so embarrassed, and no one had ever dared to imagine An Yan so embarrassed, and no one had even thought that An Yan would laugh out loud in such an embarrassing situation. No one had ever heard him laugh like this, so hearty, so youthful.

"Su Ziling, did you do this?" Lin Nuan tried to hold back her laughter, but she couldn't, causing her face to turn red.

Except for the culprit and the executor Wu Si, no one else knew about this prank. Su Ziling, one of the culprits, quickly dragged others into it, "It was Xu Xing who instigated me!"

"Bai Ming asked Wu Si to do it!"

"I was forced!"

I didn't expect that May Fourth would be so desperate. Laughter broke out again, and the atmosphere of the entire birthday party changed in an instant.

"Okay, An Yan, go wash up first." Su Ziling pulled An Yan to the bathroom.

An Yan went to the bathroom and saw that shampoo, facial cleanser, towels, tissues and a hair dryer were all waiting for him. An Yan didn't know whether to laugh or cry, so he turned on the hot water, washed his hair and face, and began to tidy himself up. During this time, Su Ziling kept watching his movements.

"Zi Ling." An Yan looked at him in the mirror while washing and blow-drying her hair.

Su Ziling stood not far from him, leaning against the wall with his arms folded, a smile evident in the corners of his eyes and eyebrows.

"What's the matter?" Su Ziling said softly.

"I'm very happy."

"I am also very happy."

An Yan smiled again and concentrated on tending to his hair. When his hair was almost dry but still a little wet, he followed Su Ziling who had been waiting for him out.

Walking outside, the table in the bar looked different. The hot pot and dishes had been removed at some point. The long table was covered with a clean tablecloth, on which delicate roses and white tulips were placed.

"Come out." Xu Xing greeted them as he passed by, and then walked towards the bar without stopping. Wu Si, who was following behind Xu Xing to help, added, "Go sit down first, the cocktails will be ready soon."

"Okay." An Yan glanced at Bai Ming who was busy at the bar from a distance and asked, "Did you plan this too?"

"I guess so." Su Ziling answered vaguely.

An Yan nodded and stopped insisting, and returned to his seat with Su Ziling.

As soon as he sat down, he noticed that on the long table covered with a tablecloth there were not only red roses and tulips but also a large piece of sweet and soft cake. An Yan looked at the layers of decorated cake and seemed to recall the scene just now, and couldn't help but smile.

"I originally just wanted white tulips, thinking they would suit you very well. But they said there must be some brightly colored flowers, so after choosing for a long time, I chose roses." The roses were next to the cake, and Su Ziling mistakenly thought An Yan was looking at the roses, so he explained.

"Well, it's beautiful."

"Dad, Brother Ling." As soon as Xiao Su saw them coming, he immediately abandoned Ajiu and came over.

Her eyes were bright and her face was rosy, and An Yan couldn't help but pull her hand and pick her up. "What's wrong, Xiao Su?"

"Dad, it's time to eat cake. This cake is..."

"Cough cough." Su Ziling coughed twice symbolically.

"You didn't make this cake, did you?" An Yan asked Su Ziling.

"How is that possible! I can't do it. It was Lin Nuan and Sister Wuying who did it together."

"Yeah, it seems that someone has been unable to do it well, and he has to drag us to do it together." Lin Nuan came over and said with a smile. At the same time, Yin, Wuying and Lu Li also pricked up their ears to listen. When An Yan came over, the topic they had been discussing before was basically over.

"Yes, we did make it together. We just made it this afternoon. However, in order to make this cake, someone begged me for a long time and insisted that I teach him, but he was too stupid." Wuying said with a smile.

"Okay, An Yan is out too, let's cut the cake quickly. Xiao Su, didn't you want to eat it just now?"

"Why didn't you call us to cut the cake? Here, An Yan, this is a cocktail Bai Ming prepared especially for you, called Eighteen Years Old. His level is much better than mine, you have to finish it tonight!"

"Okay! No problem." An Yan took it and tasted it immediately. Eighteen years old, a little light and a little sweet, not very stimulating taste, but the layers are particularly rich. It's a bit like the depths of a calm sea, with the sun shining brightly.

"Is it delicious?" Xu Xing asked.

"It tastes good." An Yan said honestly.

The sweet taste of wine still lingered in his mouth, but An Yan didn't feel uncomfortable at all and even wanted to take another sip. He thought so and did so.

"Drink slowly. Bai Ming's drinks are usually stronger than mine and more addictive."

"Well, it tastes better than what you made." An Yan said deliberately, and Xu Xing rolled his eyes.

"Xu Xing, stop talking, let us have a taste too." Yin hurriedly started to cheer.

"Why rush? We have everything! We have everything!" Xu Xing said, and Wu Si and Bai Ming brought cocktails of various colors and shapes. In this way, the drinking session was officially started.

"Bai Ming, thank you." An Yan raised his glass to Bai Ming.

"You're welcome, as long as you like it. If you want to drink it in the future, come and ask me to make it anytime, it's free!"

"Wow~~~" The atmosphere suddenly became lively again.

"Okay, let's cut the cake." Su Ziling said. An Yan nodded.

“No, we have to make a wish before cutting the cake!” Lin Nuan shouted, and everyone started to put candles on the cake and then light them.

The colorful candles were burning, and An Yan closed his eyes and made a wish. At this time, the lights went out, the music started, and the birthday song was sung. An Yan listened to the song, made a wish, and blew out the candles. After a short period of darkness, An Yan opened his eyes and the light came again.

"Thank you." An Yan said. He had never had a birthday like today.

"Okay, the touching moments are still to come, let's cut the cake quickly." Yin shouted.

An Yan smiled, pulled out the candles and cut the first piece of cake. He gave the cake to Xiao Su first.

After the wine was distributed, the cake was also distributed. Everyone sat around the long table and continued chatting, with laughter ringing out from time to time.

About ten minutes later, at half past nine, Su Ziling suddenly jumped onto the stage. He hummed into the microphone, and the sound immediately multiplied several times. It turned out that the microphone on the stage had been turned on.

"Actually, while I was eating the cake, I was always looking at the time and was very nervous. I don't know if you noticed, An Yan."

"Found."

"Okay, I found it."

Su Ziling laughed, and everyone followed his lead and laughed.

"An Yan, this is the last part of tonight." After laughing, Su Ziling was still a little nervous. He looked around at everyone present and finally fixed his eyes on An Yan's face. He said, "An Yan, I found out, of course I only found out later, that everyone, like me, has a lot to say to you."

An Yan's smile gradually faded, and he began to listen carefully.

"There are many things that we don't usually say to you or can't say to you, and everyone will express them today. So, you have to listen carefully later."

"I will listen carefully." Su Ziling said seriously, and An Yan answered seriously.

"Then, let's invite Xu Xing and Bai Ming to come on stage first." Su Ziling said as he walked off the stage, and applause broke out from the audience.

"An Yan." Xu Xing stood on the stage and Bai Ming stood beside him.

An Yan looked up and looked at them seriously as they stood side by side.

"An Yan." Xu Xing called An Yan's name again and then continued: "We both, I mean, Bai Ming and I, agree that you deserve a beating. Because, you act as if you don't need anyone."

"But how is this possible? There will never be such a person in this world. He may not need it when he is happy, but he always needs it when he is sad. So, Anyan, if you need us, please come anytime."

"Okay, I'll consider it." An Yan answered playfully, and everyone in the audience laughed in tacit understanding.

"What else can I say? Thank you for considering it." Xu Xing smiled and walked down with his arms open. He hugged An Yan tightly. Bai Ming was not to be outdone. After Xu Xing hugged him, he immediately gave An Yan a big hug.

"An Yan." Bai Ming hugged him and said, "We should have become friends a long time ago."

The expectation, determination and regret in Bai Ming's words made An Yan's heart warm. He hugged Bai Ming back and patted his shoulder. He looked past the gazes of the people around him, past the dining table, past the stage and towards the light source. Tonight, they might not let him have it easy.