177: Birthday wishes and the redefinition of "home"

Although the smoke of war had dissipated, deep scars remained clearly visible on the land of the "Homeland." The charred craters had not yet been completely filled with new soil, and damaged building exteriors were still wrapped in construction scaffolding. Occasionally, the air in some areas still carried a faint scent, a mixture of scorched smells and welded metal. However, the power of life and the determination to rebuild had tenaciously pierced through these traces of trauma. Tender green grass shoots poked out from the renovated soil, carefully transplanted flowers blossomed with delicate colors under the care of the "Greenhouse," and the rhythmic humming of repaired equipment intertwined with the knocking of construction tools and the busy footsteps of personnel, playing a slightly noisy yet inspiring symphony of reconstruction filled with hope and vitality.

In this spring, where scars and hope were tightly intertwined, Excellence welcomed his first birthday at the "Homeland," which was also his first since the war. The significance of this birthday went far beyond marking another year of growth; it was an act of gratitude for having survived the catastrophe, a confirmation of the unbreakable bond between them, and a re-examination and reinforcement of the concept of "home."

Su Mu and Evelyn had long reached a tacit consensus: for this birthday, there would be no grand, noisy parties, and no flashy, expensive gifts. They hoped to strip away all external forms and return to the most essential and core emotional connection. The focus was on reaffirming—reaffirming their unreserved love and protection for Excellence, reaffirming the bond between the three of them that had been tested and was closer than blood, and reaffirming the warmth and meaning of this "home" that had endured hardships yet remained standing and was worth fighting for.

Quiet Preparations: Intention Outweighs Form

Preparations for the birthday proceeded quietly in a serene and warm atmosphere.

Su Mu declined the logistics department's suggestion to customize an exquisite cake for her. She tied on an apron herself and spent the entire afternoon busy in the kitchen. Instead of using the canteen's powerful professional baking equipment, she specifically found a small, somewhat aged household oven. She carefully selected the strawberry and vanilla ingredients that Excellence liked best, patiently separated the egg whites and yolks, meticulously sifted the flour, and gently folded the batter with her wrists. Every step was done by hand, filled with focus and love. When the warm, sweet aroma gradually filled the small kitchen, she carefully took out the baked, fluffy, golden cake base. After it cooled, she decorated it with homemade, refreshing cream and fresh strawberries. Finally, she placed a simple, age-representing number candle in the center of the cake. The whole cake might not look as exquisite or perfect as a professional pastry chef's work, but every inch was soaked with her most sincere intentions and blessings. She knew that what Excellence cared about most was never how good something looked, but the unique sentiment contained within it, the fact that it was "made by Squad Leader herself."

Evelyn's gift condensed her ingenuity as a scientist and her delicacy as an artist. She did not choose any ready-made or expensive tech products. Utilizing her free time in the laboratory, she designed the blueprints herself and selected a piece of natural walnut wood with a fine texture and beautiful grain. She used a high-precision laser engraver, but not for complex scientific tasks. Instead, she extremely patiently, stroke by stroke, carved a simple yet warm scene onto the wood surface: the silhouettes of three small figures holding hands—Excellence jumping and skipping in the middle, Su Mu with short, neat hair and a bright smile on the left, and herself with glasses and a calm expression on the right. The background was the iconic dome outline of the "Homeland" main building. Below it was a line of delicate, small text: "Where we are, home is." She personally polished the small wooden block until it was smooth and warm to the touch, and assembled it with a precision miniature clockwork movement and music comb. She didn't even choose a ready-made music chip; instead, she spent several nights composing a short, soothing, melodious, and heart-touching music box tune, which she then encoded and recorded. When she finally tightened the small key, and the clear, ethereal, slightly melancholy yet hopeful melody flowed out from the music box, even she was slightly moved by the emotion contained within it.

Sunset on the Observation Deck: Vision and Gaze

On the evening of the birthday, Su Mu and Evelyn did not hold any celebration ceremony in the canteen. Instead, they held Excellence's hands, one on each side, and brought the small strawberry cake and the carefully wrapped music box gift as they quietly ascended to the observation platform at the highest point of the base.

The view here was excellent, offering an overlook of the entire "Homeland." The setting sun was slowly sinking into the embrace of the distant mountains, dyeing the clouds across the sky into rich layers of golden red, orange-pink, and pale purple. The warm and gentle afterglow, like the best filter, generously spilled over the land, gilding every building, every road, and even every patch of recovering lawn in the base with a warm and sacred golden light.

In this magnificent and gentle sunset, both the new and old traces of the "Homeland" were clearly visible: brand-new, shining solar panel arrays coexisted with scaffolding and protective nets that hadn't been completely dismantled; beside the newly leveled training ground, a blast crater remained, cordoned off by white temporary fences, awaiting repair; in the distance, engineering vehicles were still carrying out final finishing work in some areas, flashing small warning lights. Researchers and security personnel, having finished a busy day, walked out of the buildings in groups of two or three, their steps hurried yet filled with a sense of fulfillment as they headed toward the living quarters. Smoke rose in wisps from the canteen chimney, mixing with the fragrance of spring flowers and the scent of grass, drifting in the cool evening breeze. After a period of busyness, the scene, now tending toward tranquility and filled with the breath of life, revealed a rare and precious peace and hope after surviving the disaster.

Excellence was deeply captivated by the scene before him, his eyes wide as he gazed quietly. His small chest rose and fell slightly, as if filled with some indescribable emotion.

Su Mu placed the small cake on the small table in the center of the platform and lit the single number candle. The warm, flickering candlelight appeared exceptionally bright and focused against the darkening twilight and the vast landscape, as if condensing all blessings within it.

"Excellence, happy birthday!" Su Mu and Evelyn said in unison with smiles, their eyes reflecting the candlelight and the glow of the sunset, full of tenderness.

Excellence took a deep breath and, with immense solemnity, leaned down and blew out the candle with a "puff." A thin wisp of blue smoke rose, merging into the evening air.

Simple Wish, Heavy Weight

Su Mu gently ruffled Excellence's hair and asked softly, "Alright, little birthday boy, a new year has begun. Tell Squad Leader and Big Sister Evelyn, what is your wish for this year?"

Excellence did not answer immediately. He turned around, his gaze once again cast toward the land under the sunset that he called "home," and then looked in turn at the two people closest to him—the warmth and encouragement as always in Su Mu's eyes, and the calm, profound support in Evelyn's eyes. He thought seriously for a moment, and a solemn expression beyond his years appeared on his small face.

"My wish for this year is..." His voice was not loud, but every word was spoken clearly and earnestly, "I hope our home will always be this warm, and that everyone will be safe and sound." He paused, his small hand unconsciously tightening a little, and a glimmer mixed with memories and determination flashed in his eyes as he continued, "And... I hope I can become a bit more useful. Next time... next time if there are bad guys again..." He seemed to recall some unpleasant experience, his voice dipping slightly, but he immediately became firm again, "...I want to be able to help more, to be able to protect everyone... instead of... instead of always needing everyone to protect me, and letting everyone get hurt for me..."

This simple, plain, and even slightly heavy wish was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring up huge ripples and a sense of heartache in the hearts of Su Mu and Evelyn.

The child's words were direct and sincere; devoid of flowery language, they precisely struck the softest and most painful parts of their hearts.

He was not just making a wish, but expressing a sense of guilt and an urgent desire to grow up and shoulder responsibility.

This formed a sharp contrast with his innocent age, making one's heart ache uncontrollably.

Evelyn immediately crouched down, looked Excellence straight in the eyes, reached out, and gently stroked his hair.

In an extremely serious and firm tone, she said, "Excellence, listen. Being protected is never a weakness. Being protected by the people most important to you is, in itself, a great happiness."

She paused, her eyes filled with strength, "And wanting to become strong, wanting to protect others—this intention is an even more precious form of growth. You have already done very well, much, much better than you imagine. Your very existence is the greatest help and protection to us."

Su Mu also immediately leaned over and hugged Excellence's shoulders tightly.

Her voice was slightly choked with emotion, yet filled with unquestionable firmness: "Silly child! What is home? Home is a place where we protect each other and keep each other warm! You protect us, we protect you; you help me, I help you. Together, our home becomes strong! It becomes warm! It becomes fearless! It's not that you alone need to become incredibly powerful, do you understand?"

Excellence looked at them, appearing to half-understand, blinking his eyes as he tried to digest the deep meaning contained in these words.

He seemed to grasp a little, but not fully understand.

However, the warmth and firmness in Su Mu and Evelyn's words were clearly conveyed to his heart.

A Clumsy Gift: A "Safety Amulet" for the Soul

Just then, Excellence seemed to recall something important.

His eyes suddenly lit up, and a mysterious and expectant expression appeared on his face.

He quickly took out two small items wrapped in soft cloth from the small backpack he carried with him.

"Squad Leader! Sister Evelyn! I... I also prepared gifts for you!"

He said, feeling a bit shy, holding the two items with his hands somewhat clumsily as he presented them to the two of them.

Su Mu and Evelyn exchanged a surprised look and took them with confusion.

Opening their palms, what caught their eyes were two pendants with extremely unique, and one could even say somewhat "rugged," designs.

They were clearly made with discarded, different models of circuit board fragments as the base.

On top, using thin silver wires (likely peeled from data cables), they had carefully, even somewhat stubbornly, wrapped and fixed one or two small, smooth, and warm-toned stones of various colors.

The soldering points were a bit rough, and the overall shape was far from aesthetic; it was even a bit prickly to the touch.

However, the choice of every component and the path of every silver wire revealed a childlike, focused, and earnest intensity.

"This is..." Su Mu looked in surprise at the heavy "artwork" in her hand, a mix of industrial and natural sensations.

Excellence's face flushed, and he explained in a low voice, with a hint of pride: "This is… I secretly made these 'Safety Amulets'! It took me several days! I… I specially picked the parts and stones that I felt were the most 'stable' and wouldn't 'sing' randomly!"

He looked up, his eyes shining brightly, filled with sincere expectation.

"When they enter 'Resonance' with me, they… they feel warm! Very comfortable! If you wear them, it's like… like I'm always by your side protecting you! Bad guys won't dare to come close!"

In an instant! Su Mu and Evelyn felt their noses ache, and their eyes, without warning, rapidly heated up and turned red!

A strong and warm torrent of emotion suddenly broke through all their psychological defenses!

This child!

He had actually used the best way he could understand, using the ability he hadn't fully mastered and which had even brought him pain, pouring all his heart and blessings into making this unique "Safety Amulet" for them, imbued with the power of protection!

Without any hesitation, Su Mu and Evelyn almost simultaneously, immediately put the slightly cold and prickly pendants solemnly and tightly around their necks, letting the cold circuit boards press directly against their skin.

Strangely, the moment they put them on, they felt as if they could truly sense a faint, yet exceptionally stable and warm energy fluctuation coming from the peculiar pendants, like pebbles warmed by the sun, gently smoothing over their chests.

It was not just a psychological effect, but Excellence's pure intention to protect that had truly, through his unique way, materialized into this warm companionship!

"Thank you, Excellence!"

Su Mu could no longer hold back. Her voice choked with emotion, she pulled Excellence into a tight, tight hug, tears falling silently.

"This is the… best, most precious gift I have ever received! Squad Leader loves it so much!"

"Mm."

Evelyn also nodded vigorously.

She was usually calm and self-contained, but at this moment, her voice also trembled slightly.

She reached out her fingers, gently stroking the pendant on her chest, feeling its unique texture and faint warmth, and said very firmly: "The energy field… is very stable, very warm. A great design. I will wear it always. Thank you, Excellence."

Redefining Home: A Destination in the Heart, Not Bricks and Stones

The setting sun finally sank completely below the horizon, with only a final streak of brilliant crimson left in the sky.

The Deep Blue twilight quietly spread, and the base's lights lit up one by one, like stars scattered across the earth.

The evening breeze brought a slight chill, but the corner where the three of them huddled together was as warm as spring.

Excellence leaned in Su Mu's warm embrace, looking at this "Homeland" before him—the lights igniting in the twilight, gradually becoming hazy and cozy—and suddenly said softly, as if speaking to himself:

"Squad Leader, Sister Evelyn… I used to think that home was just a house with big walls and a roof, with a bed inside, food to eat, and toys."

He paused, lifted his small face, and looked at them with clear eyes, saying very earnestly: "Now I think… home is the place where Squad Leader and Sister Evelyn are."

He reached out his small hand and pointed to his heart.

"You are here, so home is here. Wherever you are, that is where home is."

This sudden, childlike, yet soul-piercing remark was like the warmest light, instantly shining into the deepest parts of Su Mu and Evelyn's hearts, bringing a huge shock and unspeakable emotion!

They instantly understood that for this child who had lost and regained so much, the two of them were no longer just guardians and guides; they were the emotional core of his entire world, the absolute source of all his security and sense of belonging!

The physical base of "Homeland" was only recognized by him as "home" because they were there!

This heavy, unreserved reliance and trust was more precious than any vow and heavier than any responsibility.

It deeply touched the softest parts of Su Mu and Evelyn's hearts, making their determination to protect him even more firm and unshakable.

Su Mu hugged Excellence even tighter, her voice so gentle it could drip water: "Mm, you're right. Wherever Squad Leader and Sister Evelyn are, that is where your home is. Forever and ever."

Evelyn also reached out her hand, gently covering the back of Excellence's hand, the three of them stacking their hands together.

She didn't speak, but the glistening tears in her eyes and her incomparably firm gaze already said everything.

A birthday wish, without flowery language or grand narratives, defined the most precious place.

The concept of home, in this moment, completely sublimated from a tangible physical base into an intangible yet solid spiritual destination.

The sunset may set, and the night will eventually come, but as long as the "heart lamp" of mutual protection remains unextinguished, their home will forever be warm and bright.