Chapter 943: Su Li's Birthday

Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The day swiftly turned to afternoon, and as Su Bing and the others returned from school, they found their home transformed into what resembled a festive party setting. Curiosity sparkled in their eyes as Su Li asked, “Mom, are we having a food party again?”

Gu Zi smiled at Su Li, maintaining an air of casualness as she replied, “Isn’t your birthday next Monday? I’m planning to throw you a birthday party, complete with a cake. You can invite your classmates to celebrate with you after school!”

Su Li had never celebrated a birthday before, and disbelief washed over him as he echoed her words, “Mom, you’re really going to throw a birthday party for me and make a cake?”

Gu Zi walked over and gently ruffled his hair, affirming, “That’s right! From now on, I’ll celebrate your birthdays. I’ll do the same for Su Bing and Su Le, too. Whenever you have a birthday, I’ll make sure to throw you a party and bake a cake!”

In that moment, Su Li felt like the happiest person in the world. Finally, he would have someone to celebrate his birthday with, and the thought filled him with joy. “Mom, I’m going to tell Gao Ming! I want to invite him to my birthday party!”

With excitement bubbling over, Su Li dashed out of the house. Watching her son’s delight, Gu Zi felt a swell of gratitude as Su Bing turned to her and said, “Mom, thank you for everything you do for us.”

Though Su Bing was not one to often express gratitude, he couldn’t help but acknowledge Gu Zi’s efforts.

He thought about how he wanted to earn money to support her better, yet he still felt it wasn’t enough. He wanted to show her kindness, to express his gratitude for the love she had given to the three of them. They were so fortunate to have her in their lives.

Gu Zi didn’t want to make the moment overly serious. Seeing Su Bing’s earnestness, she chuckled lightly, “Silly boy, we’re family. Caring for each other is what we do. Don’t feel too pressured. This birthday party is for Su Li, but you’re his brother, so you can invite your friends, too!”@@novelbin@@

Scratching his head, Su Bing replied, “I don’t really have anyone special I want to invite, but can I ask the three Hu brothers? They’ve never had cake before, and I’d like to treat them to some.”

Gu Zi felt a pang of sympathy for those three kids. They had grown up wandering without a family, probably unaware of their own birthdays. It dawned on her just how fortunate they were, and she nodded, “Of course! If you consider them friends, then their character is trustworthy. Go ahead and invite them.”

The next day at school, Su Li took it upon himself to invite his classmates. He spread the word among the martial arts club as well, excluding only his rival, Sun Wei, and Sun Wei’s entourage.

The other students were more than willing to attend, having heard from those who had come before about Su Li’s beautiful mother and her ability to whip up delicious treats that couldn’t be found anywhere else.

When they returned home that afternoon, Su Li presented Gu Zi with a list of classmates who had confirmed their attendance. Gu Zi was astonished when she saw the names.

Su Li was quite popular; he had managed to invite over fifty classmates to the celebration! It was no surprise he was destined to become a future leader, given his remarkable ability to rally people together.

Gu Zi calculated the logistics and realized she would need to bake three cakes for the party, but this was not a problem for her. She planned to bake the cake layers on the morning of the party, so they would be fresh and flavorful. On that day, she would prepare two large cakes in advance, leaving the third one to bake with Su Li and his friends after school.

She also intended to make smaller cake layers for the children to decorate themselves, so that they all felt included and had fun.

When Su Li learned of his mother’s plans, his excitement grew tenfold, and he found himself eagerly counting down the days until his birthday.

Gao Ming knew there would be cake, made by Aunt Gu Zi herself, and he had been buzzing with excitement all night. He woke up early, washed up, and slung his backpack over his shoulder before heading to Su’s house to find Su Li.

As Su Li rubbed his eyes and steadied himself, he heard Gao Ming’s voice calling from downstairs, “Su Li, happy birthday! I brought you a present!”

Su Li swung open the window and waved at Gao Ming. “Good morning! Thank you, Gao Ming! Just wait for me downstairs; I’ll be right down after I get ready!”

Both boys were filled with anticipation—one eager to receive a gift, the other thrilled to give one. Before long, they reunited in the living room downstairs.

Gao Ming handed Su Li a wrapped gift box, and upon glancing at it, Su Li hesitated. “Isn’t this the toy you’ve always wanted that your dad bought for you?”