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1
Ye Xiu wasn't the type to tell others his personal information. This included his date of birth. Afterall it never really mattered. What's the point of celebrating a day closer to your death? Exactly, there was none.
So, of course he didn't tell any of the pro players. It's not like they haven't asked him, it's just that he never bothered to tell any of them. He kept quiet for ten years, with a small cake bought by Su Mucheng and a greeting from his brother as his only presents. Ye Xiu always told himself it's not bad. He's nearly thirty, not fifteen and all alone.
2
Ye Qiu hadn't celebrated his birthday in nearly a decade. He refused to. Why would he when all it reminded him of as his dumb older brother who took his place and ran away?
At best, on May 29th, he'd drink until the sun came up the next day and he had a throbbing headache.
This year, however, he got a text from Su Mucheng. This year he's not drinking alone.
3
Imagine Ye Xiu's surprise when Chen Guo was putting up streamers and forced Happy to decorate the room, bright and early in the morning.
"Did someone die?"
She rolled her eyes, "We're celebrating, no one's dead yet."
"I don't like that yet..."
Tang Rou dragged him out and told him to not come in until they're finished.
"Do you think I'm too old to help? I saw old Wei on a ladder." Ye Xiu didn't mind sitting out, but considering everyone was busy blowing balloons or, in Bao Zi's case, baking a cake, he had nothing to do but smoke. He couldn't even play with anyone.
"It's your birthday. Mumu said that you haven't celebrated it in years." She said plainly, as if this explained it all.
It didn't.
4
It was suppose to be a small get together. Just the team and himself.
Ye Xiu choked on the cake when Ye Qiu came into view. He coughed and merely looked away, trying to dislodge the food in his throat.
Ye Qiu rolled his eyes, "Did you think you could celebrate with me, bastard?"
5
He watched as person after person, player after player, decided to come and greet him. Well his brother, who couldn't get away from their clutches. Ye Xiu smirked, watching as Huang Shaotian decided to bother his little brother.
"Old Ye Old Ye Old Ye, Su Mucheng finally told us when you were born! It took us ages, literally ages! I can't believe this. I knew you were old since you were in the first season with Old Han-"
"I'm sorry, who are you? I'm Ye Qiu."
"Huh? Did you forget the time we spent together? The nights we were alone?"
His ambiguous words caused Ye Qiu to spasm, "What?"
Without missing a beat, he made a beeline to Ye Qiu, screaming about how 'he shouldn't have left him alone'.
He laughed as everyone turned their attention to them and gaped.
6
In the end, after the party died down, he and Su Mucheng went out to visit her brother to pay respects.
"You didn't have to tell them, you know?" As they got closer to the gravesite, Ye Xiu turned to her and sighed, "It doesn't really matter."
She frowned, "It does. My brother would certainly agree with me."
"I'm a year closer to death."
"Be quiet," she hissed, pinching his side, "don't say that."
"It's true."
"Your birthday means thank you for being born." Su Mucheng squated down, touching the gravemarker and placing the flowers in her arms on the ground, "and it means we're happy you're here with us."
She pulled Ye Xiu to her, nearly causing him to trip and fall. Before he could even complain, Su Mucheng hugged him.
They stayed there, in silence, listening to the wind rustling the trees.