Time flew by, and soon enough, Liu Anzhi’s first birthday arrived. As the eldest daughter of the Liu family, the initial plan was to host a grand celebration according to family tradition. However, Liu Qianxiu wasn’t fond of large gatherings, and while Liu Anzhi was indeed the firstborn and future head of the Liu family, she was, first and foremost, his and Mu Wan’s daughter.
In the end, Liu Anzhi’s first birthday was a modest affair, attended by the Mei family and a few close friends of Liu Qianxiu and Mu Wan. It was a small, warm gathering.
The party was scheduled to begin at 6 PM, but Lin Wei arrived at around 4 PM. As soon as she stepped into Mu Wan’s house, the little Lu Yi He in her arms couldn’t contain his excitement. His eyes darted around, and he eagerly called out, “Sister, sister…”
At just one year and one month old, Lu Yi He could already say a few words, although he could only manage single terms and couldn’t yet form complete sentences. But he didn’t need to—everyone understood what he meant perfectly well.
Dressed in a tiny suit, Lu Yi He’s hair was combed neatly, and his face still had the roundness of baby fat. Though he still looked like a chubby baby, he already had the beginnings of a little playboy’s demeanour. Lin Wei, being a designer, was particularly attentive to his appearance.
Lu Yi He didn’t have many children to play with on a regular basis, so he always looked forward to visiting Mu Wan’s house, where Liu Anzhi would be his playmate. He was especially fond of his little companion.
His question brought smiles to everyone’s faces. Leading Lin Wei and her family inside, Mu Wan asked Lu Yi He, “Do you miss your little sister?”
Lu Yi He’s eyes sparkled, and he nodded enthusiastically. Lin Wei, amused by her son’s boldness, set him down and asked, “How much do you miss her?”
Lu Yi He turned to look at his mother, spreading his arms wide as he proudly declared, “This much…”
“And do you also miss that little girl we saw on the street yesterday? The one called Little Meatball?” Lin Wei teased.
Lu Yi He didn’t hesitate to nod, grinning as he said, “Yes…”
The adults burst into laughter, but before they could continue, a sweet voice called out, “Brother…”
Following the sound, they saw Liu Anzhi, freshly awake and in her father Liu Qianxiu’s arms, smiling sweetly at Lu Yi He. Although younger than Lu Yi He, Liu Anzhi was quite clever and had started speaking early. At just one year old, she could already say a few syllables, including “brother.”
Her soft, sweet voice and adorable smile were irresistible.
As soon as Lu Yi He saw Liu Anzhi, his eyes lit up, and he ran over to Liu Qianxiu. Liu Anzhi, eager to join her little friend, wiggled in her father’s arms, wanting to be put down. Liu Qianxiu squatted down and gently set her on the floor.
Liu Anzhi held a small ball in her hand and, seeing Lu Yi He approaching, generously offered it to him. But instead of taking the ball, Lu Yi He threw his arms around her in a tight hug, laughing as he called out, “Sister.”
Liu Qianxiu stood beside the two little ones, watching as Lu Yi He embraced his daughter without hesitation, and Liu Anzhi, far from resisting, smiled even more sweetly, brushing the ball against Lu Yi He’s cheek in a playful gesture.
“You should sit down.” Mu Wan reminded Liu Qianxiu, seeing him standing there.
“Alright.” he replied, but just as he was about to move, Lin Wei suddenly exclaimed, “Oh no!” Before Mu Wan could react, Liu Qianxiu had already scooped Liu Anzhi up into his arms.
Lu Feng, meanwhile, had gone over to pick up Lu Yi He, who was trying to wriggle out of his father’s hold to reach Liu Anzhi again, all the while calling out, “Sister…”
“See what I mean?” Lin Wei sighed in exasperation, looking at her son in Lu Feng’s arms. For the hundredth time, she reminded him, “How many times have I told you, before you kiss a girl, you need to ask for her permission first.”
But Lu Yi He wasn’t listening at all, his eyes still fixed on Liu Anzhi in Liu Qianxiu’s arms. Liu Anzhi, for her part, was still smiling at him, her smile so sweet it seemed to glow.
Seeing that her son was beyond reasoning with, Lin Wei furrowed her brow and muttered, “Your dad’s always been such a good guy, so who did you inherit this little rascal behaviour from?”
Next to her, Lu Feng cleared his throat awkwardly. “…”
Once Lin Wei had finished scolding Lu Yi He and was sure he wouldn’t try to kiss Liu Anzhi again, Liu Qianxiu set Liu Anzhi down to play with Lu Yi He.
As soon as she was settled, Liu Qianxiu’s phone buzzed. He glanced at the two children playing on the floor and, after saying a word to Mu Wan, stepped away to take the call.
Although Liu Anzhi’s first birthday wasn’t a grand affair, it was still a busy day for Liu Qianxiu. Representatives from the Liu family’s branches around the world were calling to extend their congratulations.
The two little ones had a great time playing together, not needing many toys to keep them entertained. Just being together was enough to bring them joy. Liu Anzhi was having so much fun that her eyes crinkled with laughter.
Watching the two tiny tots play, Lin Wei glanced in the direction where Liu Qianxiu had just disappeared and then turned to Lu Feng, saying, “Having a daughter is a lot more worrisome. You have to keep an eye on her from such a young age. If our son had more little playmates like this, it’d be impossible to keep track of them all.”
Lu Yi He seemed to understand that his mother was talking about him. He looked up, trying to go hug Liu Anzhi again, but Lin Wei’s warning gaze made him think twice. He pulled back, picked up a ball, and continued playing with Liu Anzhi.
“Not necessarily.” Lu Feng replied. “It’s all about genetics. Who knows, maybe our daughter will be the one going around kissing little boys.”
As soon as Lu Feng said this, Mu Wan burst into laughter. Lin Wei, who had been laughing, suddenly felt something was off. She smacked Lu Feng on the arm and scolded, “What do you mean by that?”
Lu Feng didn’t seem bothered by the slap. He simply poured her a glass of water and chuckled, “Nothing, nothing.”
After the couple had their little spat, Mu Wan’s laughter subsided as well. Lin Wei, remembering the upcoming tradition, asked, “So, what have you prepared for Anzhi’s zhuazhou ceremony?”
“Wu Ma took care of it.” Mu Wan replied, still unsure of the details. “There are a lot of things, but I’m not sure what she’ll choose.”
“Zhuazhou is a bit superstitious, but it does tend to be somewhat accurate.” Lin Wei remarked, pointing to her son. “Like our little Hema, for example.”
Mentioning this made Mu Wan laugh again. She had attended Lu Yi He’s first birthday celebration and remembered that he had grabbed a toy car and a wine glass during his zhuazhou ceremony, the perfect symbols of a little playboy.
After chatting for a while longer, more guests arrived, and the evening party began. During dinner, the zhuazhou ceremony was prepared.
Wu Ma spread out a red cloth and laid out a variety of items. Liu Anzhi, still sucking on her pacifier, was placed among the array of objects, momentarily unsure of what to do. She looked up at Liu Qianxiu, stretching out her arms, wanting him to hold her.
Squatting down, Liu Qianxiu gazed at his daughter with soft eyes. He gently patted her head and said in a warm voice, “Anzhi, what do you like?”
As her father’s fingers pointed around the items on the red cloth, Liu Anzhi turned her little head, following his movements. She seemed to understand his meaning and began to crawl around on the cloth, taking her time.
Eventually, she stopped in front of a camera. It was the largest item among the selection, and her chubby little hand reached out to pat it. After a moment, she sat down in front of it, wrapping her short arms around the lens as she tried to pick it up. When she couldn’t, she looked up at Mu Wan for help.
“Do you like this, sweetie?” Mu Wan asked, picking up the camera and gently touching her little face. “Alright, Mommy will keep this for you. Now, why don’t you pick something else?”
With the camera taken away by Mu Wan, Liu Anzhi pursed her lips and resumed her exploration. After crawling around for a bit, she finally stopped in front of a novel. The book wasn’t too big, so she was able to lift it. As soon as she picked it up, everyone around her clapped.
Encouraged by the applause, Liu Anzhi waved the book around with her little arms, giggling as she did. Finally, she was scooped up by Liu Qianxiu.
Liu Anzhi had chosen a camera and a novel. After the birthday party ended that evening, Mu Wan took a bath while Liu Qianxiu put Liu Anzhi to bed.
Even in her sleep, the little one looked adorable. Lying in her crib, her long, thick eyelashes curled upwards, and her milky white skin was so soft it seemed you could squeeze water from it. Even at just a year old, her hair, inherited from Mu Wan, was dark, thick, and slightly curly, making her look just like a little doll.
Mu Wan walked over and bent down to kiss Liu Anzhi. Even in her dreams, the little one smiled reflexively when kissed. That sweet smile triggered Mu Wan’s overflowing maternal love. Just as she was about to kiss her daughter again, Liu Qianxiu gently pulled her away.
His arms wrapped around her with just the right amount of strength to pull her into his embrace. Looking down at her, Liu Qianxiu softly reminded her, “If you keep kissing her, you’ll wake her up.”
Mu Wan pouted slightly, “What, I can’t even kiss your daughter?”
His eyes softened, a slight smile playing on his lips as he said, “I’d rather have you kiss me.”
Hearing this, Mu Wan chuckled. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him close, and kissed him on the lips. The room was quiet and filled with a gentle intimacy as Mu Wan whispered in his ear, her voice hushed.
“Well then, I’m not just going to kiss you…”
The arms holding her tightened, and with a light laugh, Mu Wan was lifted into the air. She giggled as he carried her out of the nursery.
After their moment together, Mu Wan felt utterly spent. She snuggled into Liu Qianxiu’s chest, her voice a little hoarse as she murmured,
“I want to check on Anzhi in the nursery.”
It had been a busy day with Liu Anzhi’s birthday celebration. Although they had help, Mu Wan was still a bit worn out. Liu Qianxiu kissed her forehead, reassuring her, “I’ll go check on her in a bit. She’s still asleep.”
Liu Anzhi was an easy baby, not prone to fussing when she woke up. She slept deeply at night, with a fixed sleep schedule, and it wasn’t yet time for her to wake up.
When it came to caring for their daughter, Liu Qianxiu was more attentive than anyone. Trusting his word, Mu Wan let go of her worry. Exhausted, she drifted off to sleep, feeling content and happy.
“Anzhi picked a camera and a book today.” Mu Wan murmured. “Do you think she’ll be a photographer or a writer in the future? Or maybe she’ll do both?”
“Not necessarily.” Liu Qianxiu replied.
“So, you don’t believe in zhuazhou?” Mu Wan chuckled.
Her laughter tickled his ear, making Liu Qianxiu’s eyes darken slightly. He leaned down to kiss her, and Mu Wan responded in kind, their room once again filled with warmth and affection.
“Hmm.” After the kiss, Liu Qianxiu didn’t forget to answer her question.
“Superstition—it’s not something to believe in.” Mu Wan said with a laugh. But then, she added, “You’re a doctor, so of course, you don’t believe in these superstitions. But do you believe in the Tao?”
“Not exactly.” Liu Qianxiu replied, gently squeezing her earlobe. “In the beginning, it was just a way to seek peace of mind…”
His family background was complicated, and at the time, it was the only way he could find some peace.
As her thoughts began to drift away, Mu Wan felt herself growing sleepy. Just before she fell asleep, she mumbled, “I still feel like there’s some truth to zhuazhou. But maybe it’s more accurate when you combine the two things they pick.”
“A camera and a book… What kind of job could that lead to?” Mu Wan wondered, racking her brain but eventually drifting off to sleep without finding an answer.
Later, Mu Wan would often think back to the two items Liu Anzhi chose during her zhuazhou. As Liu Anzhi grew older, the things that piqued her interest seemed to have nothing to do with cameras or books.
It wasn’t until much later, when Liu Anzhi joined her mother on a film set…
Be my Patron ~ Buy me Ko-Fi
✨Be a part of the story – support my translations✨
✨Buy me some Ko-FI | Paypal to support my effort✨
✨✨Advance chapter at Patreon✨✨