The First Birthday

The sky gradually darkened, and a bright full moon slowly rose from behind the valley. Its golden light spilled across their faces, as if gilding them with a layer of gold leaf.

"The moon is so bright and round tonight," Bai Ling said, gazing up at the luminous orb above.

Zhao Liang suddenly slapped his forehead and exclaimed, "That's right—tonight is the Mid-Autumn Festival! Uncle Tian told me before I left to come home early."

"Oh no, this is bad!" Bai Ling began to hop anxiously on her feet.

"What’s wrong?" Zhao Liang quickly asked.

"My mother said we must come home early tonight to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival together. I got so caught up playing that I completely forgot! If I go back late, she’ll surely scold me."

"Then you and Xiao Bai should hurry home," Zhao Liang replied, sounding a little disappointed.

"What's the matter, Zhao Liang?" Bai Ling noticed a hint of discontent in his voice.

"It's nothing! You two should go now—hurry home!"

"Are you sure it’s nothing?"

"Really, it’s fine. Go on, hurry back."

"If you say so, then we’ll leave first. You should get home soon as well. Let’s meet at the summit tomorrow at noon."

With that, Bai Ling summoned her Snow-Cloud Ribbon, scooped up Xiao Bai, and soared into the air.

The roar of the waterfall filled the night, and an autumn breeze swept by, carrying a chill. Zhao Liang stood at the edge of the cascade, thoughts whirling in his mind.

Why does everyone else have parents while I, to this day, do not even know who mine are, or if they are still alive? Father, Mother, your son is already sixteen—will I ever see you in this lifetime? If only we could reunite and celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival together as a family—how wonderful that would be.

Only when dusk had settled fully into night did Zhao Liang finally make his way back to the Benevolence House.

As soon as he stepped through the door, he was greeted by Tian Yi’s slightly reproachful voice: "Where did you run off to? You're so late! We’ve all been waiting for you to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival!"

"I went into the mountains and lost track of time," Zhao Liang replied, head down, looking dispirited.

"Alright, come inside quickly—everyone is waiting for you."

Inside, he was met by Jiang Ran and the others, all smiling at him with twinkling eyes.

"What’s going on? Why is everyone looking at me like that?" Zhao Liang asked, hastily sniffing his sleeve. "I don’t smell bad anymore, do I? What’s happening?"

"Xiao Liang, today is your birthday. We’re all here to celebrate with you," Tian Yi explained, seeing Zhao Liang’s bewildered face.

Zhao Liang was stunned. "Today is my birthday? How come I didn’t know?"

Life at the Benevolence House was simple. Though the authorities provided some funds, it was barely enough to get by. Most of their living depended on Tian Yi and Jiang Ran’s efforts to earn a little extra. None of the children had ever celebrated a birthday before, so this surprise left Zhao Liang speechless.

Tian Yi explained, "Sixteen years ago, around mid-September, I found you at the door of the Benevolence House. You were just about a month old. Since today is the Mid-Autumn Festival, we decided to treat it as your birthday."

"Come, everyone, raise your cups and let’s celebrate Xiao Liang’s sixteenth birthday," Jiang Ran said, lifting his wine cup toward Zhao Liang.

"Thank you, Uncle Tian, thank you, Teacher Jiang." Zhao Liang felt a lump rise in his throat, and tears, unbidden, slipped down and fell into the cup in his hand.

Jiang Ran hurried to comfort him, "There, there, no tears tonight. We are all together for the festival—come, let’s finish this cup of our homemade rice wine!"

With that, everyone raised their cups and drank.

For a time, the room was filled with laughter, clinking cups, and cheerful shouts, the wine flowing freely among friends.

After half an hour, most of them were thoroughly drunk, leaving only Tian Yi and Jiang Ran still somewhat sober.

The group of youngsters clung to each other—singing, dancing, crying, laughing, chattering, and making a ruckus.

In the end, even Tian Yi and Jiang Ran were pulled down onto the floor amidst the merry chaos.

When Zhao Liang woke the next day, the sun was already high in the sky, nearly noon. Remembering his promise to Bai Ling, he quickly washed his face, grabbed a quick bite, and hurried toward the summit.

At the peak, he found Bai Ling and Xiao Bai already waiting for him.

"How was your Mid-Autumn Festival, Zhao Liang?" Bai Ling asked with a bright smile.

Zhao Liang scratched his head and laughed. "Haha, we all drank ourselves under the table last night. The last thing I remember is having a drink with Jiang Xiao Tao—after that, it’s all a blur. Next thing I knew, it was morning."

"It sounds like you had a wonderful time!" Bai Ling smiled, lips pressed together.

Thinking back on the night, Zhao Liang felt warmth bloom in his heart. "Yes, even though we’re not related by blood, everyone really feels like family—sometimes even closer than kin."

"I envy you," Bai Ling sighed. "You have so many friends. It’s always been just me and my mother."

Hearing this, Zhao Liang quickly tried to comfort her. "I envy you more. At least you have your mother. At the Benevolence House, all of us are orphans. Still, every year they can go and pay respects at their parents’ graves. I don’t even know who mine are, or if they’re still alive."

"I’m sorry, Zhao Liang, I didn’t mean to bring up sad memories," Bai Ling apologized, seeing his expression darken.

Zhao Liang took a deep breath, banishing the gloom from his face with a smile. "Haha, it’s nothing! So, what are we doing today? More training?"

"Let’s take a break today! Let’s go hunting," Bai Ling replied, her spirits brightened by Zhao Liang’s cheer.

"Haha, now that’s my specialty!"

With that, Zhao Liang turned to Xiao Bai and called, "Come on, Xiao Bai! Let’s go hunting!"