“Pretend you’re surprised?” Li Yun asked Rouxi as he drove her to the apartment.

Rouxi knew as soon as Li Yun suggested going to the apartment for dinner that they were throwing her a party, it was only two days before her birthday. If it wasn’t going be for her birthday, then she would be surprised.

Upon entering the courtyard, a giant flame lit up in the air and the sound of “Happy Birthday” echoed throughout the courtyard. The bonfire in the middle glowed brightly and the smell of burnt lighter fluid lingered in the air. 

Rouxi grasped with her hands over her mouth, which Li Yun thought was a bit over dramatic. She wasn’t really shocked, but she was surprised by the number of people at the gathering. She knew most people there probably attended just for the sake of a party, but it was very beautifully done.

“Hey babe, happy 21st birthday,” Xuxu kissed Rouxi on the cheeks.

“Sister Xuxu! Thank you for coming,” Rouxi hugged Xuxu tightly and pecked her on the lips.

Li Yun separated them by pulling Rouxi back toward him. “There are other people here.”

Rouxi nodded, and decided to greet the other guests.

“Ah, sister Meilin! I’m a huge fan!” Yang Kang cried and greeted her with a giggly hug.

“I can’t believe you all got the time to come for a party,” Li Yun had asked them to come, but he did not expect everyone to make it. “Mi Xuan isn’t coming?”

“Her boyfriend is driving her,” Lui Jing remarked.

“You better not say that in front of her,” An Luchang warned. “Remember she made you edit and rewrite all the first year residents' medical reports?”

Lui Jing wanted to cry at the thought. "She’s abusing her power as chief resident,” Lui Jing complained.

“Sister Meilin! Can I also get a picture?” Fan Geng sprang out from nowhere after Yang Kang finished taking a picture.

Li Yun looked at Fan Geng. “I don’t think I invited you.”

“I drove mom and Ms. Bizi.” Fan Geng pointed over to Zuiba and Bizi who blended in nicely with the other aunties of the apartment.

“Oh.” Li Yun already knew that, but he was intentionally giving Fan Geng a hard time.

“Don’t be rude to the guest,” Rouxi chided her boyfriend, walked next to Fan Geng, and took a selfie with him.

Qi Sho and Mi Xuan arrived shortly after. They made it in time for Xuxu to gather everyone around, sing happy birthday and pour the champagne. After a round of opening presents and hugs. Rouxi was suddenly surrounded by the women of the apartment asking for cooking and makeup tips. 

There were little spots of conversation everywhere around the large open courtyard. It was the first time Wu Ling's friends met some of the people from Qinbei Hospital. Li Ching and Lui Jing surprisingly hit it off surprisingly well.

The speakers played a song, and different couples joined the center to dance near the bonfire. Wu Ling refused to dance and sat out. From afar, she watched everyone doing the robot and her eyes cast down for a brief moment.

“Why so down?” Xuxu sat next Wu Ling, rubbing her hands next to the patio heater.

Wu Ling shook her head, “Just a bit tired.”

Xuxu looked across the courtyard and saw Bufu talking to a young woman.

“You don’t have to be jealous, that’s his cousin,” Xuxu said.

“Hm?” Wu Ling awkwardly hugged herself tighter.

“In college, there were always rumors about us being together,” said Xuxu. “Do you know why we never dated?”

“Why?” Wu Ling wondered. She had also heard a lot of the rumors since they were both friends with Li Yun.

“It’s because it’s not possible for me to love someone. Even with my current boyfriend, I don’t think we will last.”

“Why not?” Wu Ling never understood why someone as beautiful, smart and talented as Xuxu wasn’t able to find a lasting relationship.

“It’s simply because I don’t need a partner to feel fulfilled and satisfied,” said Xuxu. “There’s a part of everyone who wishes to pass down their genes as part of reproduction. The sense of loneliness they feel and the sense of belonging is our biological calling for a mate.”

“Oh?” Wu Ling thought that Li Yun and Bufu were both messed up when it came to relationships, but it seemed like Xuxu were more cynical about it. She wondered how Xuxu was able to match so many pairs of friends.

“It’s because as an outsider, I have a better view of people’s personality and alignment. And don’t pity me as though being in a relationship is a priority for everyone.”

“I never thought it was a priority or a necessity, isn't a relationship something as meaningful as memories?”

Xuxu smiled and nodded. “And that’s why I am dating and enjoying a sense of companionship. When the feeling is over, I don’t feel heartbroken like most people. It’s simply a memory.”

Wu Ling nodded. She never thought Xuxu liked Bufu romantically, but she knew Bufu had a crush on Xuxu when they were little.

“Bufu is different from me," it was simple for Xuxu to defend him. They didn't always see eye to eye, but at the end of the day, they were still considered friends. If anything happened to him, Xuxu will defend him. "He’s sentimental and romantic.”

“That’s not how I would describe him.”

“I think you misunderstood Bufu. He likes to be in a relationship, and the feeling of companionship. As soon as that feeling goes away, he would rather let it go than cling onto it. The feeling of being trapped in a relationship is very uncomfortable.”

“Isn’t that the definition of a player?” Wu Ling was well aware that her crush wasn't going to lead anywhere. She just never felt anything for anyone else.

“What are you two doing looking so gloomy at my party?” Rouxi popped in.

Xuxu pulled Rouxi to sit on her lap. "My dear, you haven't been updating me."

"Why? I was busy with exams?" Rouxi wondered if the openly gossipy nature was prevalent to everyone in China. She had just escaped talking to Lu Suyin and the aunties.

"I think everyone is wondering when your parents will meet. New Year?" Xuxu asked.

Rouxi wondered about that. Lu Suyin had asked about her family and Rouxi had replied that they were both researchers in Imperial City. She didn't mind introducing her step-parents, but Li Yun's family may have issues with their status being very far apart.

As for arranging their meeting, Li Yun had never seriously discussed it with her even though he had hinted that he wanted to marry her. Maybe he felt she was too young to ask, she was 20 the majority of the time they were dating.

"Why? Is he waiting for you to turn 22?" asked Xuxu.

"I don't know, but don't you feel it's odd that the legal marriage for women is 20, and 22 for men?" asked Rouxi. "What messed-up politician made up that decision?"

"Obviously because women mature faster than men," Xuxu replied.

"And men from the 80s," Wu Ling added.

“So it’s for the creepy 70-years old politician can marry a  20-years old?” Rouxi asked. 

Rouxi didn’t get her answer.

“Ladies, we are about to play a game,” Mu Lian interrupted their discussion and dragged them into the center of the basketball court. 

"All right everyone, gather around if you want to play!” Fatty Fang announced as he rounded everyone up as though he was a circus master. The older generation decided to sit out. “Our basketball game will have mistress Song Meilin as the referee.”

“I can’t play?” Rouxi asked

“Ahem, scratch that! Our fair lady Xuxu will be the referee.”

“I want to play too,” Xuxu pouted. She didn’t really, but she wanted to mess with Fatty.

“Ahem, my fair wife Mu Lian will be the judge!” Fatty Fang announced again.

“Wait! How come Mu Lian isn’t playing?” asked Li Ching.

“My partner is inside my womb,” Mu Lian casually replied.

Everyone was shocked, but half of them were pretending to be surprised.

“Lian! You aren’t supposed to say it yet,” said Fatty Fang. “The doctor said after the first trimester.”

Everyone immediately crowded around Mu Lian to congratulate her.

“Sister Lian is goin to haf a baby?” asked little Nai grabbing onto her mother TingTing's leg. “Mommy, are you goin to haf one too?”

Tingting laughed. She was planning to wait a little later to reveal it to everyone, but since little Nai revealed it to everyone, it was all right. Her husband, Butao, patted little Nai's head.

“I guess baby two will be on the way,” said Butao.

“Nice going Old Bu!”