157: Birthday surprises and the bond of the "Trinity"

Outside, the "Mirror Hall" project was attempting to weave a web of mist filled with malice and suspicion, but within the high walls of "Homeland," a completely different atmosphere was quietly brewing. Zhuoyue's birthday was approaching again. Unlike previous times, Su Mu and Evelyn, after a few brief exchanges, reached a tacit understanding: this time, there would be no grand party, no boisterous celebration. They wanted to discard all formalities and give Zhuoyue a truly "heartfelt" birthday, one that belonged only to the three of them, imbued with tranquility and sincerity.

This idea originated from their keen observation that, although they had successfully shielded Zhuoyue from external disturbances, the recent high-intensity, high-density training, and the invisible pressure brought by his growing abilities, still occasionally revealed a subtle trace of fatigue between his brows. They wanted him to completely relax, to temporarily forget about "abilities," "missions," and "potential risks," and simply enjoy pure companionship and nature's gifts as a child surrounded by love.

The choice of location required some thought. Finally, Evelyn proposed a bold and perfect plan: to go to a little-known secret peak observation point in the mountains where "Homeland" was located. The terrain was steep, but there was a safe path, and after modifications by the engineering department, it featured a small, secure platform and a shelter. Most importantly, it offered an excellent view, far from all the base's hustle and bustle, making it a perfect spot to watch the sunrise over a sea of clouds, and it was an absolutely controlled safe zone. Wang Jianguo, after hearing their plan, approved this short trip out of concern for Zhuoyue's safety, and secretly dispatched an additional security team to guard from a distance, ensuring everything was foolproof.

The night before his birthday, Zhuoyue, as usual, was urged by Su Mu to go to bed early after completing his daily training. Before he fell asleep, Su Mu simply winked mysteriously and told him, "Tomorrow there's a 'special mission' that requires an early start, so stay energized!" This sparked Zhuoyue's immense curiosity, and he tossed and turned in bed, guessing at all sorts of possibilities: "Are we exploring a new underground laboratory? Or has Sister Evelyn invented new testing equipment? Or... are we going to see the meteor shower I've been dying to see?" With these sweet conjectures, he finally drifted off to sleep.

The next day, before the sky had even begun to lighten, and morning stars still twinkled in the firmament, Zhuoyue was gently woken by Su Mu. "Mission time, little birthday boy!" Su Mu's voice held a hint of excitement. Zhuoyue, still sleepy but eager, climbed out of bed to find Evelyn already waiting at the door, both dressed in neat outdoor clothing and carrying bulging backpacks.

As they exited the living quarters, an off-road vehicle was quietly waiting. To Zhuoyue's even greater surprise, after getting in, Su Mu took out a soft silk blindfold and gently placed it over his eyes. "Shhh—this is part of the surprise, the route is a secret!" Su Mu said with a smile, pressing down on his hand as he tried to remove the blindfold.

And so, during the subsequent car ride, Zhuoyue's world was plunged into darkness, but his other senses became exceptionally keen. He could feel the car leaving the smooth road and beginning to bump along a rugged mountain path, the tires crunching over gravel; he could smell the increasingly fresh and crisp mountain air, carrying the scent of earth, plants, and dew, wafting in through the window; he could hear faint bird calls from a distance. He was both excited and nervous, his small hands gripping the seat tightly, constantly asking, "Are we going up the mountain? It's so steep! Are we almost there?" Su Mu and Evelyn exchanged smiles, reassuring him with lighthearted words and maintaining the mystery.

The Summit's Awe: A Gift at Sunrise

After an unknown period, the car finally came to a smooth stop. The engine cut out, and the surroundings instantly fell into a sacred silence unique to high mountains, with only the rustling of wind through the pine trees and clearer bird calls.

"Ready? Three, two, one... Happy Birthday!" Su Mu and Evelyn said in unison, gently removing his blindfold.

The sudden light made Zhuoyue instinctively squint, but when he adjusted to the brightness and saw the scene before him, he was completely stunned, his mouth wide open, unable to utter a sound for a long time!

He was standing on the edge of an incredibly vast peak platform! Below him was an endless, turbulent sea of clouds, like a giant white blanket stretching to the horizon. And on the horizon, the sun was about to burst forth, the brilliant dawn glow, like a magical paintbrush, dyeing the entire sky and cloud sea with rich layers of golden-red, orange-yellow, and magnificent purple! Nearby peaks stood like islands in the sea of clouds, breathtakingly beautiful. He had never experienced the grandeur and majesty of a sunrise from such a high place, so close!

"Wow... so... so... so amazing!" Zhuoyue finally found his voice, but stuttered slightly from over-excitement, his small face flushed with excitement and cold, his eyes reflecting the shimmering sky, sparkling brightly.

Su Mu, as if by magic, pulled out a small but exquisite birthday cake from her backpack, adorned with candles representing his age. The cake, of course, had undergone strict safety checks by the logistics department, but the frosting featured Zhuoyue's favorite starry sky pattern. Evelyn, meanwhile, spread out a picnic mat, took out a small outdoor stove and a delicate tea set, and began boiling water for tea. The fragrant aroma of the tea soon filled the crisp, cold air.

The three of them sat on a smooth, flat boulder at the edge of the cliff, with the majestic mountain at their backs and the magnificent sunrise over the sea of clouds before them, enjoying a birthday breakfast that, while simple, would be etched in their memories. There was no fancy table, no noisy music, only the sound of the wind, birdsong, their own breathing and heartbeats, and the gentle clinking of teacups. When Zhuoyue blew out the candles, he clasped his hands together, closed his eyes, and made a simple, heartfelt wish: "I hope that every year on my birthday, I can watch the sunrise peacefully and happily like this with Squad Leader and Sister Evelyn."

After finishing the cake and feeling warmer, Zhuoyue couldn't contain his excitement. He secretly took out his latest improved "Resonance Drawing" notebook and a set of colored pencils from his small backpack. He excitedly told Su Mu and Evelyn, "I want to draw an 'energy map' of today's sunrise and sea of clouds! The feeling here is so special!"

He didn't immediately start drawing. Instead, he closed his eyes, took a few deep breaths of the crisp air, as if allowing his mind and body to merge with this world. He quietly felt: the warm touch of the sun on his skin, the gentle force of the wind rustling through his hair, the solid stability of the rock beneath his feet, the magnificent movement of the surging sea of clouds, and the profound sense of happiness and tranquility welling up within him from sharing this moment with the most important people.

A moment later, he opened his eyes, his gaze exceptionally focused and bright. He picked up his paintbrush and began to paint on the paper. Unlike his previous "Chaos Drawings" or "Resonance Drawings" filled with abstract, twisted lines, this time, his painting style underwent a subtle yet significant change. The lines were still free and expressive, not realistic, but one could vaguely discern the outlines of mountains, the flowing sea of clouds, and the bursting, vibrant halo of light. The colors he used were warm and harmonious, with gold, orange, and warm red as the dominant tones, interspersed with touches of azure blue for the sky and greenish-black for the mountains. The overall painting exuded an unprecedented fluidity, harmony, and vigorous vitality.

"I feel it!" Zhuoyue explained excitedly as he painted, his voice trembling slightly with emotion, "The sun's energy, it's not like that dazzling light from before, but more like... like Squad Leader's warm, thick hug when she holds me, encompassing everything! The clouds aren't just floating, they're dancing happily, layer upon layer, spinning around! And the wind isn't just blowing randomly, it's singing softly, its sound is so beautiful... and..."

He paused, lifted his sparkling eyes, looked at Su Mu, who was gently watching him from his left, and then at Evelyn, who had a look of satisfied amusement in her eyes on his right. Then, he lowered his head and, in the bottom right corner of the drawing, with extremely delicate strokes, he drew two tiny, hand-holding human silhouettes emitting a soft glow. Although the strokes were naive, Su Mu's neat short hair and Evelyn's intellectual posture were clearly distinguishable.

"...and Squad Leader and Sister Evelyn's energy," Zhuoyue's voice became soft and full of dependence, "like... like two of the brightest little stars, right beside me, sparkling, twinkling... making me feel... especially safe, especially secure, as if with you two here, I'm not afraid of anything."

These heartfelt, unembellished words, like the warmest current, instantly broke through the dams in Su Mu and Evelyn's hearts. Su Mu's tears welled up at once, and she quickly turned her face away to wipe them discreetly; Evelyn also felt a pang in her nose, her eyes quickly moistening. She took a deep breath, trying to maintain her composure, but her slightly trembling fingertips betrayed the turmoil within her. They knew that in Zhuoyue's incredibly pure world of perception, their presence was no longer just companionship and protection, but had deeply integrated into his energy field, becoming a source of stability, security, and courage for him. This kind of spiritual recognition and bond, beyond words, was more precious and profound than any material gift or promise.

After calming down, Evelyn took out a simply wrapped gift from her bag and handed it to Zhuoyue. "Zhuoyue, happy birthday. Su Mu and I prepared this for you together."

Zhuoyue carefully unwrapped it, revealing an extremely thick, hand-bound scrapbook. Opening the flyleaf, he saw Evelyn's elegant and strong handwriting: "To our little star—documenting the trajectory of growth."

Zhuoyue flipped through page after page, his eyes widening. It was filled with photos of him from his first arrival at "Homeland" to the present—photos of him timidly entering the laboratory for the first time, of him running in the garden with Su Mu, of him pondering over models, of him laughing heartily after successfully completing a small invention... Next to each photo, Evelyn had recorded the shooting time, location, and background in concise text, along with small anecdotes or "classic quotes" from Zhuoyue (such as "This circuit is singing!" "Squad Leader's smile is warmer than solar energy!"). What moved Zhuoyue even more was that at the bottom of some pages, Evelyn had written short personal reflections in different colored pens, such as "Today Zhuoyue actively helped the new assistant; kindness is a more brilliant talent than ability." or "He didn't get discouraged by failure; his resilience is amazing." This album recorded not his ability data or research progress, but rather the everyday details of him as an ordinary boy growing up in love, filled with a warm perspective and deep affection.

"I put this together little by little," Evelyn said softly, "I want you to know that every day of yours, in our eyes, is so precious."

Su Mu also presented her gift—a pair of hand-knitted fingerless gloves, in Zhuoyue's favorite dark blue. What made them special was that the back of the gloves featured abstract patterns woven with different colored yarns, resembling a circuit board, both unique and fitting Zhuoyue's interests. "It's windy on the mountain. Wear these when you're 'tinkering' with things in the mornings, so your hands don't get cold." Su Mu's tone was as straightforward as ever, yet full of care.

The three of them stayed on the mountaintop for a long time. The sun gradually rose higher, and the sea of clouds slowly dispersed, revealing the continuous emerald green mountains below. They didn't talk much, just sat quietly, or stood side by side, watching the light and shadows move across the mountains, and the clouds roll and unfurl. Occasionally, Zhuoyue would point to a peculiar cloud and ask a question, or share a novel idea he had just thought of about harnessing wind energy. Su Mu and Evelyn listened with smiles, occasionally responding with a few words. In this moment, external disturbances, future uncertainties, and all pressures seemed to vanish. Between heaven and earth, there seemed to be only the three of them, and this unspoken yet profound understanding and tranquility.

This special birthday celebration, without a lively party, brought their three hearts closer than ever before. Their relationship had long transcended that of mere guardians and protected, researchers and research subjects. Amidst the morning glow, the sea of clouds, and the quiet mountain breeze, a bond akin to family, yet surpassing it—a resilient camaraderie and kinship forged through shared experiences—was elevated. This emotion, solidified in grandeur and serenity, would become their strongest, warmest spiritual fortress when facing any future storms.

By the time they descended the mountain, the sun was high in the sky. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the forest, casting dappled light. Zhuoyue held Su Mu's hand tightly with one hand and Evelyn's with the other, skipping and hopping in the middle, humming an off-key yet cheerful self-made song, his face radiant with happiness and contentment. Su Mu and Evelyn let him lead them, exchanging smiles, the sunlight also falling on them, warm and bright, and deeply illuminating each other's hearts. This short trip to the peak was like a powerful dose of warm energy, injected into everyone's hearts, enough to withstand the cold currents from outside.