The school began. Jade used to be casual about school work but this semester, she became serious for she was reluctant to be left behind by Hsi Wu. On coming back to the Rare Finds after school, Jade and Hsi Wu would do their homework competitively. Looking at the two, a pleased smile would emerge on Jackie Chan’s face.

Except from study, Hsi Wu sometimes did chores, or made tea for Uncle. With his help, Tohru could be more concentrated on learning magic as well as preparing food for others. However, all the chores in Uncle’s study would be only done by Tohru because Uncle imposed even stricter magic on his study than before. Demons could be invited to go in before but now they could not enter it in any condition. However, Hsi Wu could accept this. He had been overjoyed and grateful that Uncle permitted him to live in the Rare Finds.

It was Uncle’s birthday. In the early morning, Hsi Wu was mopping the floor on stairs when Uncle came to the lower end of them.

“Happy birthday, Uncle!” Hsi Wu said.

“Hsi Wu, make tea for Uncle!”

“Wait a minute. I’m mopping the floor.”

“Do it now! Uncle will have died of thirsty when you finish mopping the floor!”

“Okay.” Hsi Wu leaned the mop by the stair handrail.

“One more thing, don’t be so careless. You must put the mop on somewhere flat when you take a break!”

Hsi Wu held the mop and walked upstairs.

“One more thing, never make the mop so wet.”

Hsi Wu ignored Uncle, continuing going upstairs.

“One more thing, Uncle didn’t forget his birthday. You needn’t remind him.”

Hsi Wu frowned.

“And one more thing…”

“No more things!” Hsi Wu turned around, with eyes blood-red.

“Aiiee-yaahh! You dare be rude to Uncle!”

“You the nagging old wizard. I should have thrown you down the tower at that time.” Hsi Wu pointed at Uncle, hair standing up.

“Aiiee-yaahh! You the cruel demon! Uncle will seal you!”

Jade heard the noise of quarrelling, coming downstairs immediately.

Hsi Wu’s teeth gritted, even wings spread.

Jade held Hsi Wu’s hands, touching him on the standing hairs.

Hsi Wu folded his wings and turned back, not looking at Uncle. “Tell the old wizard, I’m not even a little afraid he would seal me because you can release me.”

“Jade, tell him Uncle masters more than one sealing magic. Uncle haven’t showed his full ability now!”

“Stop! Stop! Don’t quarrel anymore.” Jade said and dragged Hsi Wu to her room.

Hsi Wu and Jade sat on the edge of the bed. Jade patted Hsi Wu on the back, who was still furious.

“If there weren’t you, I wouldn’t be able to stay at such a place.”

“Seymour, Uncle indeed went too far this time but, this may be because it’s his birthday today.”

“Be so capricious just because it’s his birthday?”

“You don’t understand Uncle. Uncle doesn’t like birthdays. It’s one birthday and another that steals his youth,” said Jade.

“Anyhow, Uncle dislikes me.”

“Seymour, maybe he doesn’t. Uncle may only don’t know how to express, or reluctant to express.”

“Who could dislike our Seymour? Isn’t it right?” Jade smiled at Hsi Wu, a smile curled on whose mouth, too.

“I see only you who like me!” Hsi Wu lowered his voice, turning his eyes red, getting close to Jade, and hugging Jade’s shoulders.

“Oops! What are you doing? Keep off me,” said Jade, who pushed Hsi Wu away.

?

Uncle came back to his study, sipping tea on a rattan chair. Jackie and Tohru walked in.

“Sensei, it’s your birthday today, you’re supposed to be happy,” said Tohru.

“Don’t mention the birthday,” said Uncle.

“Uncle, don’t you feel you’re too strict with Hsi Wu?” Jackie said.

“Strick? He said he should have thrown me off the tower and I should show back him a smile?”

“Alas, Uncle, I’m not referring only to this thing. It’s been a month since Hsi Wu came to the Rare Finds but you hardly ever showed him any smile.”

“That’s true, sensei. Even if from the perspective of guarding against him, he is more likely to change his mind seeing you are so indifferent.”

“It’s your turn to teach Uncle a lesson? Uncle tells you that Uncle did this to let him be in awe of Uncle. The one who holds bad magic cannot manage it even if he doesn’t want to do evil things himself. Let external forces keep his behavior well, keeping him feeling there is an immortal just three feet above his head!”

“Uncle, I can understand this. But what you did is somewhat improper though. Hsi Wu was also obedient these days, who accompanied Jade to study and did chores. I see he is really a good boy…oh, demon.”

“Yeah, sensei, Jackie and I nearly take Hsi Wu as our nephew.”

“You think Uncle dislikes him? Uncle’s nearly taken him as his great-nephew in his heart, too.” Uncle said and sighed.

“Don’t tell this to him,” Uncle whispered to Jackie and Tohru’s ears.

?

Jackie came out of Uncle’s study when Jade and Hsi Wu also went downstairs from the second floor.

“Hey, Hsi Wu! Uncle is in a bad mood today. He’s not for you. Don’t mind,” said Jackie.

“I’ve forgotten about it now,” said Hsi Wu.

“Uncle Jackie, I’ll go out with Hsi Wu for a while.”

“Come back early!”

Jade and Hsi Wu came to Section 13. This time they didn’t slip in through the exhaust pipe but went in through the main entrance and paid a visit to Captain Black.

“Captain Black, it’s Uncle’s birthday today. I’m thinking about borrowing the dog talisman, his zodiac, as his birthday present,” said Jade,

“But…” Captain Black hesitated.

“Sir, please lend it to us. In this way that old guy could have a better temper,” said Hsi Wu.

“Don’t cut in, let me continue.” Jade interrupted Hsi Wu. “Every time it’s his birthday, every time the birthday reminds him of getting old, Uncle would be frustrated. I hope he can have the feeling of being young once again.”

“Okay, Jade. Remember to return it in time.” Captain Black nodded.

“Wait a minute, take this gift to Uncle on my behalf.” Captain Black took out a present box he prepared for Uncle’s birthday.

?

The acquaintances in China Town sent presents to the Rare Finds continuously. Jackie and Tohru sorted out these gifts but Uncle was listless, just walking over and over, looking at his antiques.

Jade and Hsi Wu came back. Uncle saw Jade seizing something tightly in her hand.

“Uncle, a gift for you, your zodiac!” Jade put the necklace made of the dog talisman on Uncle.

Uncle’s eyes lit up. “Aha! Thank you, Jade.”

Uncle directly walked to one corner of the shop, where lay a locker. Uncle took out a pile of CDs from it.

“I guess you don’t know that! The shop used to be a CD shop in the 1970s, specializing in jazz!” Uncle said and smiling with the CDs in his hand.

“Uncle will experience the feeling of youth today!” Uncle put one of the CDs into the player, dancing to jazz.

?

The delicious dishes Tohru prepared covered the table, by which the five enjoyed the dinner.

“Almost forget that Captain Black also sent Uncle a present!” Jackie said and opened the gift box.

“Wow! A mobile phone!” Uncle saw the gift.

Uncle clicked the phone’s touch screen, smiling happily. And then he found the camera function, trying to take some photos. After a brief study, he proceeded to find Greedy Snake, playing more than happily.

The snake bit its tail. Uncle put down the phone and said, “As far as Uncle can see, there must be even more modern mobile phones than this within a few years. By then the screen will have taken up 95% of the front. Calling is the secondary function for phones because they will be as powerful as Jade’s computer!”

“Uncle, your statements are just proper in primary school students’ compositions.” Jackie joked.

“You don’t believe me? Make a bet! Just wait and see. How about 2007? If this kind of phone still doesn’t exist then, Uncle will admit you win.”

?

When the dinner was about to end, Uncle seized the dog talisman on his neck. He took it off, sighed, and gave it to Jade.

“Return it to Section 13, Jade. Thanks for letting Uncle experience the feeling of youth again.”

Suddenly, Uncle stood up and bowed to everyone. “Thanks so much for tolerating the nagging Uncle.”

Jackie hurriedly stood up and helped Uncle sit down.

“Uncle, you needn’t say that. We cannot lack you. You are the mainstay of us all!”

“No, Uncle has been old. I sometimes think that if I could only come back to my sixties, it would be perfect! But when seeing you, Uncle can still see the hope. The world belongs to you and belongs to me but it ultimately belongs to you, young men!” Tears were in Uncle’s eyes.

Hearing Uncle’s words, everyone was moved.

“I’m sorry, Uncle. I contradicted you this morning,” said Hsi Wu.

“It’s I who should apologize,” said Uncle.

?

It was late and everyone has been asleep. Uncle woke up to go to the toilet, he felt a slight chill in the early autumn night.

Uncle saw that on the sofa, Hsi Wu’s quilt only covered half of his body. Uncle walked over quietly and dragged the quilt up lightly.

“If only you were a human!”