Happy Birthday Shiao Shuang

I always believe in giving back. Good deed needs to be repaid with another good deed. Paying it forward.

Rewind March 10 2008.
It was my first time to celebrate my birthday in another country and basically alone. Since I was just barely 2 months in China at that time, my only close friends were my classmates. But at that time Mark went to another city and Naomi had to go to Thailand for her visa run. I decided to just have a quiet time in my apartment. Quiet time means cooking good food and drinking wine. I bought a bottle of wine for my mini celebration. Everything went smoothly as planned as my day progressed. I prepared the food but I realized I cannot open the wine because I don't have a wine opener. I was a little stressed because I was planning to drown myself with the wine. I called Shiao Shuang to ask her if she has a wine opener. She was a little shocked why would I be drinking wine on a monday. I had no choice but to tell her that it was my birthday and I felt a bit lonely and I wanna drink. She apologized because she doesn't have a wine opener.

I was feeling defeated. I can't drink.... I was slowly trying to convince myself that I will just have a good dinner and skip the drowning part.....

Same day (3PM)
Shiao Shuang knocked on my door, with a wine opener. She told me, that she had to borrow from someone because she wants me to celebrate so that I won't be lonely...... Sweeet =)

It was just a small deed, but maybe because I was feeling so lonely and alone that the small deed seem to be something very very important to me and I really appreciated her effort of looking for a way for me to drink my wine.

I thanked her for it and asked her when her birthday is. She told me it's far away.... Oct 17
I drank and got drunk that night.

Oct 16

I remembered the good deed Shiao Shuang gave me. And I think it is just proper to give back.
On one of our many conversations, she mentioned to me that her daughter gave birth to her first grandson. And obviously she was a very proud grandmother. She even called me once just to let me see the picture of the cute chinese baby boy.

Same day ( After work )
I decided to buy blue a winter jumpsuit and a set of baby rattles for "pao pao" ( shiao shuang's grandson). This way, it would be very useful since it's starting to get cold.
I also bought a small cake from the grocery for my dear Ah Yi.
I called her to meet me the next day.

Oct 17 (4pm)

I just got back from a short trip to shanghai. I gave my present to her. She was very very happy.
I am happy too. Seeing her appreciate my surprise for her.
Shiao shuang's happiness...... Priceless

I decided to take a photo of her with her cute smile..
Happy Birthday Shiao Shuang




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