Chapter 381 Dinner
The night wind was howling, with a hint of gunpowder. Zhu Zhixue held Li Zhuangsheng's waist obediently, looking at the gorgeous flowers exploding on the roadside. She laughed and cried, then she leaned against Li Zhuangsheng's back, wiped the tears from her face, and laughed again.

The electric bike stopped at the residential area where Zhu Zhixue lived, where the last fireworks display was set off. It only took six or seven minutes to ride the electric bike, and Zhu Zhixue watched a total of 17 shows.

"Sorry, I'm late. Happy birthday. After today, you will be 17 years old."

Li Zhuangsheng accompanied Zhu Zhixue to watch the last fireworks display. He waved to the uncle who was setting off the fireworks in the distance, then hugged Zhu Zhixue and smiled gently.

"You're trying to give me a surprise, huh? I knew it! I knew it!"

Zhu Zhixue's head was rubbing against Li Zhuangsheng's chest. She sounded angry, but she couldn't help but smile. She was really happy. Li Zhuangsheng didn't forget her birthday. He prepared such a romantic way to celebrate her birthday! He had her in his heart!

"Haha, how about it, a surprise?" Li Zhuangsheng said.

"Humph!" Zhu Zhixue said stubbornly, "It's just so-so!"

“Is this just average?” Li Zhuangsheng tilted his head.

"Hum..."

"Then let's go home first. There's a surprise at home!" Li Zhuangsheng held Zhu Zhixue's hand.

Zhu Zhixue was about to tell Li Zhuangsheng frankly that she was very happy, but after hearing what Li Zhuangsheng said, she immediately became more excited and changed her words: "Well, let me see how surprised I am!"

After saying that, she snorted, got out of the car fearlessly, and followed Li Zhuangsheng upstairs.

Li Zhuangsheng took out the key and opened the door of Zhu Zhixue's house. Zhu Zhixue and Li Zhuangsheng had their own front door keys, although Zhu Zhixue had never used them.

There was a faint light in the dark house. Two paths were paved on the ground with several light strips, one leading to the bedroom and the other to the dining room.

Zhu Zhixue's eyes lit up and she grinned. Li Zhuangsheng held her hand and walked to the dining room first, where the candlelight flickered on the dining table.

A hint of surprise flashed in Zhu Zhixue's eyes. Under the candlelight, there were several beautiful dishes and a bouquet of flowers.

"Did you do all this?" Zhu Zhixue glanced at Li Zhuangsheng with a smile on her face.

"Today is a special day, let me cook a meal for you." Li Zhuangsheng smiled and held Zhu Zhixue's shoulders, "Come on, come on, try it."

Zhu Zhixue did not pick up the chopsticks immediately, but picked up the flowers and touched them. There was a small sign on it that said Happy Birthday.

"So many roses, they must be expensive. You buy these expensive things again." Zhu Zhixue fiddled with them gently, and the platinum bracelet on her hand sparkled.

"It's not that expensive, it's just a rose." Li Zhuangsheng said with a smile, "Don't you like it?"

"...I like it." Zhu Zhixue lowered her head and smelled it, "It smells really good."

"Then let's eat first. It might be a little cold. I rushed to pick you up right after I finished cooking."

Li Zhuangsheng smiled and patted Zhu Zhixue on the back.

"Ok!"

Zhu Zhixue nodded heavily, picked up the chopsticks, and tears began to fall again.

"Why are you crying?" Li Zhuangsheng hugged her.

"I, I don't know, it's been a long time since anyone has loved me like this... I, I'm so happy, I'm so happy, I can really be this happy..."

Zhu Zhixue sobbed and wiped her tears in Li Zhuangsheng's arms, her body trembling.

She hadn't had a real birthday in a long time, especially after her mother remarried.

Later, her life with her father was not much better. Her father was a taciturn man in front of her. The two of them rarely communicated with each other. Sometimes he would forget her birthday. Even if he remembered, he would just buy her a cheap little cake or give her a small gift... But he was the only person in the world who remembered her. Until Li Zhuangsheng gave her these 17 fireworks. It was great.

"What are you talking about!" Li Zhuangsheng interrupted Zhu Zhixue, pretending to be serious, "We have been dating for such a long time, and you only feel my love for you today?"

Zhu Zhixue nodded but continued to cry. Li Zhuangsheng did not urge her but just held her in his arms, quietly waiting for her to calm down.

"Drink some water first." Seeing that Zhu Zhixue's crying gradually stopped, Li Zhuangsheng picked up the glass.

"Is there wine here?" Zhu Zhixue wiped her tears.

"This is juice. As for what kind of wine students drink, wait until you go to college to decide," said Li Zhuangsheng.

Zhu Zhixue took the glass, took a sip, and found that it contained sweet juice.

"It tastes good, right? I bought some juice from the supermarket." Li Zhuangsheng said with a smile, "The juicer is in the cupboard. You can make it yourself when you have nothing to do. It's very convenient. Just don't put your hands in there when you're cleaning it. The blades are very sharp and can easily cut your hands."

"I feel like you're really mature... I didn't realize how you became so mature..."

"Isn't it good to be more mature? When you are immature and weak, no one can help you." Li Zhuangsheng said softly, and suddenly felt that the atmosphere was a bit strange, and smiled again, "But only you think I am mature, before others said I was immature."

His parents, Li Xiuyu, Hu Mengdie, Zhang Qixiang... they all said that Li Zhuangsheng was still a little childish.

"Who said you were childish?"

"My parents...Okay, let's stop talking. Come and try my cooking. I've been making this for a long time!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Zhixue stopped talking and carefully tasted the dishes made by Li Zhuangsheng.

"It's delicious!" Zhu Zhixue said immediately.

"You only took one bite."

"You can tell it's delicious after one bite!" Zhu Zhixue said, picking up a piece from each dish, "It's really delicious, better than what I cook!"

After that, Zhu Zhixue lowered her head in frustration again, "I didn't expect that you can even cook better than me."

"No way, it must be because of your taste. Everyone has different tastes. I think the dishes you cook are the best, and I like them!" Li Zhuangsheng smiled and leaned on Zhu Zhixue's shoulder.

Zhu Zhixue pouted. She knew that Li Zhuangsheng was just trying to comfort her by saying that her cooking was better... But he should really like the food she cooked, after all, it was hers. She should work harder in the future and practice her cooking skills!
“Oops, I forgot to take a picture!”

Zhu Zhixue suddenly exclaimed, then quickly took out her cell phone, thankful that she hadn't eaten many pieces yet. She took a few pictures of the dining table and Li Zhuangsheng, and finally sat down to eat.

Girls really like taking photos, and so does Hu Mengdie... Why do I suddenly think of her at this time? Don't think too much.

Li Zhuangsheng helped Zhu Zhixue take photos, and then they had dinner together. Li Zhuangsheng prepared four dishes and a soup, but the two of them couldn't finish them, and there was still a lot left.

"We can't finish it...what a waste." Zhu Zhixue leaned against Li Zhuangsheng and said coquettishly.

"I'm full too..." Li Zhuangsheng touched his stomach.

"Then I'll put it in the refrigerator and eat it tomorrow. I bought a thermal lunch box when I went to Duliangshan last time. Let's heat it up and bring it to school to eat together tomorrow. How do you think?"

"Sure, we won't go to the cafeteria at noon, let's go directly to the fifth floor."

As the two were chatting and laughing, Li Zhuangsheng saw the small paper box that Zhu Zhixue brought back on the edge of the dining table.

(End of this chapter)