Lan Lan watched as Liang Yu Feng and his assistant brought in the cake. The assistant politely greeted her, "Miss Lan Lan," and she nodded in acknowledgement, saying, "Thank you." The cake was her favorite red velvet, ordered from a popular influencer bakery in Nanjiang City. She hadn't realized before that Liang Yu Feng had such a romantic side!
The assistant not only delivered the cake but also the pre-ordered dinner, which was neatly arranged on the dining table. After completing his tasks, he quickly departed.
Liang Yu Feng and Lan Lan stood by the dining table. Liang Yu Feng glanced at his watch, and as the minute hand neared the "12," he lit the candles and told her, "Make a wish."
Lan Lan was no longer an imaginative girl and hadn't made a birthday wish in years. She chuckled, "I didn't expect you, Mr. Liang, to believe in this."
Liang Yu Feng urged her, "Hurry."
Lan Lan didn't argue. She stepped forward, clasped her hands together as if in prayer, and closed her eyes to make a wish. She didn't have any grand desires, only hoping for smooth sailing at work and perhaps a promotion next year.
Even without a wish, she knew she would achieve this goal. Lan Lan went through the motions and then blew out the candles.
The moment the candles extinguished, before midnight struck, Liang Yu Feng said to her, "Happy Birthday."
"I thought you were going to sing me 'Happy Birthday'!" Lan Lan recalled that Liang Yu Feng had a wonderful singing voice. When they were together, they often went to karaoke, and his voice was captivating. She had even teased him that he might be discovered by a scout and enter a singing competition one day.
"Do you want to hear it?" Liang Yu Feng asked.
Lan Lan was indeed feeling a bit nostalgic. "Singing costs a lot for you now, Mr. Liang, can I afford it?"
Her casual tone was something Liang Yu Feng had grown accustomed to. The next moment, he began singing "Happy Birthday" for her.
This was not only her request but also a wish he had wanted to fulfill for years. When they were dating, he had always looked forward to celebrating her birthday, but their relationship was so brief that he never had the chance.
Liang Yu Feng's voice was deep and sensual. Lan Lan closed her eyes as she listened. When he finished the last note, she leaned forward and passionately kissed him.
By then, it was past midnight. As she kissed him, Liang Yu Feng looked down at his watch, feeling a sense of relief.
He had left his event early tonight and rushed back, finally making it in time for her birthday. He had originally planned to cook for her himself, but wasting time meant he had to ask his assistant to pick up dishes from a restaurant at the last minute.
"Let's eat," Liang Yu Feng said as they sat down together.
Lan Lan was hungry and started eating as soon as she sat down. Liang Yu Feng had chosen the dishes well, as expected from someone who had done her laundry and cooked for her for over half a year. Almost every dish on the table was one she loved.
Lan Lan was ravenous tonight and momentarily forgot about the time, eating heartily. Liang Yu Feng had already eaten at the banquet, so he barely touched his food, his gaze fixed on Lan Lan, unwilling to look away for a moment.
As Lan Lan ate the sweet and sour pork, she casually remarked, "This doesn't taste as good as yours."
Sweet and sour pork was one of Liang Yu Feng's specialties. He had learned it years ago specifically because Lan Lan liked it, spending nearly a week perfecting the flavor she enjoyed.
After they reconnected, Liang Yu Feng had cooked it for her a few times, and Lan Lan naturally began comparing it to the restaurant's version. This assessment made Liang Yu Feng smile faintly. "Is that so?"
"This is a bit too sweet. Yours balances the sweet and sour better," Lan Lan offered her serious critique, her meal turning into an analytical report. "However, this mashed eggplant is quite good; the flavor is rich, and the spiciness is just right."
Liang Yu Feng responded with a hum, "Tomorrow isn't busy. I can make you sweet and sour pork tonight."
"I have plans tomorrow night," Lan Lan replied, not agreeing.
Liang Yu Feng frowned, a hint of displeasure flashing in his eyes, though Lan Lan didn't notice. She had eaten enough, leaving a little room for cake. "I'm going out with my friends for their birthday celebration tomorrow night." This was her explanation.
Liang Yu Feng replied, "Oh. Why didn't you go with them tonight?"
He didn't ask who her friends were. Those she truly cared about were likely Lin Mei and Feng Feng. While she appeared easygoing and friendly with everyone, it wasn't easy to truly get close to her.
"Isn't today Friday?" Lan Lan said with a smile. "I have to come see you on Fridays, it's our old routine."
"But I really didn't expect you, Mr. Liang, to remember my birthday and give me such a big surprise."
This wasn't flattery or sycophancy. They had been broken up for so many years; who would remember this? She never remembered her ex-boyfriends' birthdays. She guessed that Liang Yu Feng remembered her birthday because she was his first girlfriend, and she had dumped him, so he held onto it, remembering it clearly.
"Don't you like it?" Liang Yu Feng asked.
"I love it, I absolutely love it," Lan Lan said, never one to be coy. "That Hermès bag, I was originally planning to ask my colleague to buy it for me."
Moreover, her colleague might not have been able to get it. Liang Yu Feng had likely purchased quite a few bundled items to acquire that bag.
After dinner, Lan Lan went to cut the cake. Seeing Liang Yu Feng eating cake with a serious expression, Lan Lan felt playful. She wiped some cream and smeared it on the bridge of his nose. The man with a high nose bridge and sharp features looked somewhat comical with cream on his nose.
Lan Lan then smeared some more on his face. Liang Yu Feng didn't get angry; he simply asked, "Is it fun?"
"It's fun." Since he wasn't angry, Lan Lan became bolder, smearing it on his face as if she were painting.
As she picked up cream with her finger, preparing to smear it on his face again, he suddenly grabbed her wrist. His strong grip brought her hand to his lips.
Her fingers were then held in his mouth. After he cleaned the cream off, he still didn't release her, as if deliberately reminding her of something with this action.
He had become quite skilled now, knowing how to entice. She wondered who had taught him.
Her body temperature gradually rose, as if a switch had been flipped. She was never one to deny herself. She wrapped her other arm around his neck and said, "Mr. Liang, shall we?" Her voice trembled noticeably.
Liang Yu Feng rarely saw her in such a flustered state. He seemed to understand something. He gently bit her finger, caressing it, and indeed felt her tremble again.
He carried her to the dining table. His strong hands moved down, reaching for her belt. Outside, a fierce wind suddenly began to blow, kicking up fallen leaves that battered against the glass window, mingling with the sounds from inside. One wave had not subsided before another began.
At three in the morning, the wind finally died down. Lan Lan and Liang Yu Feng emerged from the bathroom together. She lay on the bed, closing her eyes in exhaustion. Liang Yu Feng, however, had no intention of sleeping. He sat by the bed, bare-chested, his torso covered in scratches.
She soon fell asleep. Liang Yu Feng turned off the lights and leaned closer to her, bowing his head to kiss her eyelids.
"Happy Birthday," he mouthed silently.