839: Birthday and Gifts...

Birthday and Gifts...

Finally, it was the birthday of Lu Qiang and Lu Lijun. 0

When the clock struck twelve at midnight, Jiang Yuyan stood in the gallery of her room and remembered the moment when Lu Qiang hugged her for the last time standing at the same place in the gallery. 

Closing her eyes, she felt that last hug from Lu Qiang as if he was there with her. It must be an illusion, but she could feel his scent in the passing breeze and feel his warmth as she wrapped her hands around to hug herself.

"Happy birthday, Lu Qiang."

Tears rolled down her eyes as she looked at the starry sky. That dark starry sky was the only way she could communicate with Lu Qiang and tell him that she missed him. She missed him like crazy with every passing moment, and that pain was unbearable as there was no medicine for it other than him.

Continuing to stand in the gallery for a while, she returned to her room. Her sight followed the two photo frames on the bedside table, one had her wedding picture with Lu Qiang, and the other one had Lu Qiang and Lu Lijun together in the picture. 

She picked up the photo frame with Li Lijun's picture as she caressed it with her thumb.

"Happy birthday, Lu Lijun."

She wished to say something more about how she felt when she sent him away and didn't contact him, but she kept quiet.

Putting the photo frame back, Jiang Yuyan picked up the other one with her wedding picture and went to sleep while holding it. 

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Though it's night in China, it was an evening in England, and Lu Lijun's birthday was the next day according to time there. 

It was the weekend, so he was in the home doing his things. He looked at the watch and realized it was midnight in China and the start of the next day. He went to the gallery of his room as he stood there looking at the vast waterbed ahead.

"Happy birthday, elder brother."

He stood there for some time, reminiscing the memories with his elder brother. Though he never talked about Lu Qiang and never mentioned his name, in his heart, he always missed his elder brother every moment. Only he knew how much hurt he felt by not seeing his elder brother around.

Though it was his own birthday, Lu Lijun didn't feel an excitement even a bit like on all his previous birthdays when he waited for the gifts from his elder brother and liked to celebrate it. 

He wished he didn't need anything on his birthday but his elder brother. With the thought of not being able to see his brother, his eyes turned moist as the choked voice left his throat.

"I miss you, elder brother."

Unknown to him, tears continued rolling down as his sight searched for his elder brother's glimpse somewhere far.

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The next day, it was Lu Lijun's birthday, and early in the morning, he received the calls from all the family members except for the one, Jiang Yuyan. She didn't call him. 

It was his birthday, so somewhere he had a little hope that she would call and thought to wait for it as the day just started. He thought she must be busy with the work as those were working hours in China.

When Lu Lijun went downstairs for breakfast, Martha and Jerome wished him. 

"Happy birthday, young master."

Nodding lightly to accept their wishes, Lu Lijun sat for breakfast, and Martha put a small bowl of noodles in front of him along with a few more side dishes. 

"Young master, this is longevity noodles that we eat on birthdays, I hope the young master knows…."

"It's a single, long and unbroken strand of noodle that is lengthy enough to fill up a bowl that a person has to eat on the birthday. It's a sign of longevity." Lu Lijun replied as she interrupted Martha. 

Picked up the single noodle strand in the chopsticks as Lu Lijun added, "Thank you for making it for me."

"My pleasure, young master."

Lu Lijun continued eating while Martha and Jerome felt glad that he liked it. 

After breakfast, When Lu Lijun went to the living room, Jerome brought a huge sealed cardboard box. 

"Young master, this for you."

Looking at the box, Lu Lijun understood what it was, the gifts from his family. 

Jerome opened the box for him and left Lu Lijun alone to go through it. There were so many things sent by his family with the names written on it to show who had sent it for him, but as usual, one name was missing. He didn't expect it, but it was his birthday, so he had little hope to see somewhere written- the gift from Yuyan.

Feeling disappointed, Lu Lijun looked inside the cardboard box for the last time after taking out all the gift boxes. To his surprise, there was something at the bottom of the huge empty box. It was a greeting card. 

Lu Lijun pulled out the greeting card from the white envelope. It was a plain, white card with invisible design patches of balloons, cakes, and random birthday related things. 

Lu Lijun opened the card to see who had sent it and if there was any message inside, but he got disappointment in return. There was nothing but a happy birthday printed. 

It looked like it was from the entire family, but if it were the case, they would have signed it or said something. Not a single handwritten word was there and not a mention of who sent it.

Lu Lijun continued staring at the card and then called for Jerome. 

"Keep these gifts in my room."

"Yes, young master."

Jerome took all the gifts with him, but the greeting card was with Lu Lijun. He went to his room, opened the drawer of his study table, and put that greeting card inside.

When he went to school, Jake and Noah wished him as they both gifted him something. 

"No need for the gifts," Lu Lijun instructed.

"Accept it my friend or on my birthday, how I'm gonna expect to get a gift from you?" said Noah as he forcefully put the gift box in Lu Lijun's hands. "I love to receive gifts, you know," Noah added as he winked at Lu Lijun.

Lu Lijun had to accept it, "Thank you."

Jake, too held the gift box in front of Lu Lijun, not saying anything, and Lu Lijun accepted it.

"Thank you, Jake." 

Lu Lijun enjoyed with his friends, but something was missing for him, and he kept checking his cell phone in between, but there was no call. 

The entire day passed by, and it was almost midnight, but there was no call from Jiang Yuyan. In a while, finally, the date in the calendar changed, and the birthday was over.

Losing all his hopes, Lu Lijun went to bed feeling hurt.

After this, on every birthday it was the same. Lu Lijun never got any call from Jiang Yuyan, but there was always the same greeting card in his gift box, and he kept it in the same place in his study table's drawer. He didn't know why he always kept those greeting cards safe while ignoring the other gifts after some time.

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