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墨書 Inktalez
Not long after the arts performance ended, it was time for Lu Yu's birthday. He was a year older than me, and after this birthday, he would officially step into adulthood at eighteen. To me, this seemed like a significant milestone.
What gift should I give him? I pondered over this for several days. Something too expensive was out of my budget and inappropriate, while something too ordinary would seem insincere. This guy always appeared to have everything he needed and was quite picky.
I recalled last winter when it was particularly cold. He claimed he wasn’t afraid of the chill, yet he always tucked his hands into his sleeves. How about… knitting a scarf?
The moment that thought crossed my mind, I startled myself. I was hopeless at crafts; even sewing on a button was a struggle, let alone knitting a scarf—what a ridiculous idea! But for some reason, once that thought took root, I couldn’t shake it off.
So, I secretly bought yarn and knitting needles and, when my parents were out, I turned to online tutorial videos to embark on my “Great Project.” The process was even harder than I had imagined. I started and unraveled the stitches countless times; either I had one stitch too many or one too few. When I finally began knitting, I either dropped stitches or had uneven tension, resulting in a lopsided creation that looked like a worn-out rag.
Several times, I wanted to give up, but every time I pictured Lu Yu wearing the scarf I had made with my own hands… I gritted my teeth and persevered. My fingers were pricked with tiny holes from the needles, and my wrists ached terribly. Yet watching that “rag” grow longer bit by bit brought me an inexplicable sense of satisfaction.
Finally, on the night before Lu Yu's birthday, I clumsily finished binding off the stitches. It was a deep gray scarf; although the stitches were still uneven and there were several obvious holes, at least… it had taken shape.
I carefully folded it and placed it in a simple paper bag.
His birthday fell on a Sunday. As per tradition, our families would have dinner together to celebrate. Before dinner, I stood hesitantly at his door with the paper bag in hand, gathering the courage to knock.
Lu Yu opened the door. He had just showered; his hair was damp. Upon seeing me, he raised an eyebrow and asked, “What’s up? Came over early to mooch some food?”
“Not at all!” I handed him the paper bag, unable to meet his gaze. “Um… happy birthday.”
He paused for a moment, his eyes falling on the paper bag without immediately taking it. “This is… for me?”
“Yeah.” I nodded, feeling my face heat up. “I… knitted it myself.” I felt it necessary to give him a warning in advance. “It might be a bit ugly; if you don’t like it…”
“Who said I wouldn’t like it?” He interrupted me and reached out to take the paper bag.
He pulled out the scarf and unfolded it. I anxiously watched his expression, fearing even the slightest hint of disdain.
He looked closely, his fingers brushing over the imperfect stitches of the scarf. Then, his lips curled upwards uncontrollably, eventually forming a clear smile.
"Good eye," he said, lifting his gaze to meet mine, his eyes sparkling. "It barely matches my style."
Though his words were still laced with arrogance, he immediately wrapped the scarf around his neck. The deep gray of the scarf accentuated his fair skin; despite its poor craftsmanship, it somehow looked quite good on him.
"Let's go, it's time to eat." He seemed in high spirits as he reached out to ruffle my hair before heading toward the living room.
I followed behind him, watching the crooked scarf around his neck, feeling as if something warm and sweet had filled my heart.
At the dinner table, Lu Yu's mother noticed the scarf and curiously asked, "Xiao Yu, where did you get that scarf? It looks nice."
Lu Yu took a sip of soup and replied leisurely, "Wan Wan made it for me; she knitted it herself." There was a hint of pride in his tone that was barely noticeable.
My mother looked at me in surprise. "Oh, our Wan Wan can knit scarves now?"
I lowered my head shyly to focus on my food, my ears burning with embarrassment.
Lu Yu's gaze lingered on me, and the amusement in his eyes deepened.
That night, Lu Yu wore the scarf the entire time, even indoors where it was warm. Seeing how much he cherished it made me secretly think that perhaps he had sensed my feelings after all.
Happy eighteenth birthday, Lu Yu.
I also hope that in every year to come, I can celebrate it with you.
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