Chapter Forty-Eight: Four Seasons Manor I (2/2)

Xiao Yu glanced at the date – It was the fifteenth.

Those somewhat familiar digits stimulated Xiao Yu’s memories. He remembered the golden walnut, the rows of empty rooms along the second story, and that dream-like hamster town.

Right, Yan Jin had said before that he would celebrate his birthday every month. So the time had arrived again?

Xiao Yu ran back into his cage, fumbled around and successfully found the golden melon seed that Yan Jin had given him yesterday in the nooks and crannies of his cage.

“What’s that?” Chy Ge took the golden melon seed that Xiao Yu raised above his head, and questioned puzzledly: “A water droplet? The color sure is ugly.”

“You can’t even recognize a melon seed.” Yan Jin came out from the kitchen and threw the apron on the sofa. The chairman snatched the golden melon seed from Chu Ge’s hand and scooped up Xiao Yu: “Come on, let’s blow out the candles.”

With Yan Jin’s assistance, Xiao Yu put out the two slim candles. He also conveniently made an almost impossible wish that his snacks would double in quantity overnight.

Previously, after they had that incident, Yan Jin rarely gave human food to Xiao Yu. That was why while the two people were eating heartily, Xiao Yu could only bitterly munch on his hamster food. That super extravagant butter cake on the table was only there to admire but not to taste.

“I’ve given you the present beforehand. Do you like it?” Yan Jin asked as he scratched Xiao Yu’s little stomach.

Xiao Yu looked in disgust at the golden melon seed with carvings on its surface, and nodded his head reluctantly.

As a (former) top-class designer, Xiao Yu could only feel his eyes sting when he saw such an unrealistic and unpleasant melon seed that god knows what kind of designer drew. That feeling was similar to a graduating high-school student receiving a set of five-year series exam strategy books.

However, at this moment, such thoughts would have spoiled the mood.

Even a graduating high school student would consider someone that remembered their birthday as a kind of a blessing, whether or not there were presents.

Moreover, he was a hamster that wasn’t even considered a person. What did he do to deserve such high preferential treatment?

The hamster arrogantly decided – Okay then, seeing how sincere you are, I shall reluctantly accept such an ugly present.

Chu Ge had something to attend to in the afternoon. He left in a rush after he had lunch. However, before the doctor went off, he deduced what had happened last night based on the wound on Yan Jin’s face. He instructed about a hundred times, “You must call me up if such things happen again”, before leaving satisfied.

Yan Jin admitted that he was in the wrong, hence he did not argue much on this matter and absent-mindedly agreed to Chu Ge’s words.

Xiao Yu waved his paw as he bid goodbye to Chu Ge and was grabbed away by a jealous Yan Jin, who reminded sternly: “You only need to bid goodbye to me. You should also only give me kisses.”

Xiao Yu: ……

After Chu Ge left, Yan Jin tidied the living room a bit before he took Xiao Yu to the second level.

While they were still climbing the stairs, Xiao Yu was already excited. Previously, he had no idea what the second level held, but now, he had a very clear idea.

The second level was his favorite playground, it was his mini hamster town!

Counting the times since he first went, Xiao Yu had already been there seven or eight times, but that was not enough times to feast his eyes on the entire mini town.

However, Yan Jin would only bring him up there to play at most once a week, and it would mostly be on the weekends. He rarely went up there.

Was this an additional reward because it was his birthday?

Xiao Yu thought excitedly.

As they reached the second level, Xiao Yu’s eyes sparkled brightly as he stared intently at the door on the left. Behind that ordinary looking door, there was a fantasy town made from the work of the Gods.

Yan Jin took a right turn.

Hm?

Wait…

Xiao Yu looked on helplessly as his mini hamster town got further and further away.

Yan Jin pulled the door open and his footsteps stopped.

Xiao Yu felt puzzled as he turned around, then –

His attention was instantly attracted.

Without the lights on, Xiao Yu could clearly see a building; an interesting and appealing old manor, standing amidst the maple forest, blending seamlessly together.

Under the night sky, the specks of light illuminated that tranquil building as if it was a masked beauty – unclear yet enchanting. It was more beautiful than any vast sky full of stars. It was more fascinating than any dark night. The fallen snow covered the tree barks and evenly spread out onto the rooftops of every household. The warm orange light contrasted with the frosty red maple leaves. Gentle swaying lanterns hung high above ground, and the rhyming couplet that was pasted on the doors signified the celebration of the new year.

It was like those old manors that belonged to the wealthy families which only existed in the historical era. It was simply so beautiful that Xiao Yu felt that inside the manor, there lived a magistrate who was conferred a piece of land, or maybe even the emperor who was out on an inspection tour.

Pa.

Yan Jin switched on the lights.

Xiao Yu instantly came to his senses.

It was another miniature artifact.

It was different from the mini hamster town. The background for this artifact was the pitch-black night sky. For that purpose, the entire room was painted with a very deep blue color. The starlight scattered unevenly all over the walls. The ceiling was decorated with red sky lanterns hung by thin threads – varying in sizes in a picturesque disorder.

And all of those details existed just for the sake of complimenting the artifact that was in the middle of the room, the splendid and magnificent maple leaf manor.

It was the second grand present after the mini hamster town.

The amount of effort spent on this present was something Xiao Yu could not calculate.

All he knew was that he was moved to tears.