Li Wei had always been meticulous in her planning—whether it was astronomical research or a family vacation, everything had to be perfect. But this time, perfection was proving difficult.
It was Zhang Jun’s birthday, and she wanted to throw him a surprise party. Simple, right? Except Zhang Jun had the instincts of a detective and the logical mind of a strategist. Keeping something from him was like trying to hide the moon in the night sky—it was impossible.
"Mama, Baba already knows, doesn’t he?" Xiao Rui asked, watching his mother pace around the living room with a stressed look.
"No, he doesn’t!" Li Wei insisted, waving a checklist in her hand. "He has no idea."
Mei, their four-year-old, looked up from where she was playing with her stuffed bunny. "But Mama… Baba is really smart."
Li Wei stopped and sighed. "I know. That’s the problem."
The plan was simple: Zhang Jun would return home from work, expecting a quiet evening, only to be greeted by their family and friends. Everything was set—the decorations, the cake, even the birthday banner that read Happy Birthday to Our Favorite CEO-Star Gazer! (Xiao Rui had insisted on the ‘CEO’ part.)
But just as the guests were sneaking in through the back door, Zhang Jun’s car pulled into the driveway earlier than expected.
"Abort mission! Abort mission!" Li Wei whisper-shouted, waving her arms frantically. "Hide!"
The guests scrambled. Xiao Rui dove behind the couch. Mei ducked under the dining table. Li Wei pressed herself against the wall, holding her breath.
The front door opened.
Zhang Jun stepped in, pausing for a moment. He looked around the eerily silent house and frowned.
"Li Wei?" he called out, setting down his bag.
She stayed quiet.
He took a step forward. "Kids?"
No response.
Zhang Jun narrowed his eyes. Something was off.
Suddenly, his phone vibrated. A message popped up—from his dear son, Xiao Rui.
Baba, don’t come inside yet. Mama says to stay outside until she says "Go!" Also, pretend you’re surprised, okay?
Zhang Jun sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Xiao Rui, buddy… you really need to work on your espionage skills."
From behind the couch, a small voice said, "Oops."
A second later, Mei’s giggles erupted from under the table.
Li Wei groaned, stepping out of her hiding spot. "I can’t believe this. The one time I plan something properly, my own child sabotages me."
Zhang Jun smirked, walking over to her. "Wei Wei, you should know by now—you can’t outsmart me."
She crossed her arms. "And yet, you married me. Who’s the real genius here?"
Before Zhang Jun could reply, their friends and family—who had given up on hiding—jumped out and shouted, "Surprise!"
Zhang Jun laughed, shaking his head. "You guys really tried, didn’t you?"
Li Wei sighed, then leaned up to kiss his cheek. "Happy Birthday, genius. Even if I failed, I still got to see you smile."
And that, she thought, was a victory in itself.
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