A Birthday Alone

The blood-red sun dipped towards the darkening horizon, while a fierce wind howled through the towering buildings. The city below was a cacophony of human voices and the relentless blare of car horns.

Qin Haiyue walked alone along the street, eventually arriving at a secluded villa district.

Here, the clamor of the city was absent, replaced only by the whisper of the wind and the setting sun painting the sky. With an impassive expression, Qin Haiyue presented her identification to the security guard before entering the complex and making her way to her front door.

Stepping past the facial recognition lock, she opened the door to reveal a luxurious living room. Through the immense floor-to-ceiling windows, the stunning sunset was clearly visible. As she entered, the voice-activated lights flickered on, their soft ‘click’ echoing with surprising clarity in the silent house.

The house was evidently empty, a solitude she had grown accustomed to. Flinging her backpack carelessly aside, she collapsed onto the sofa, lying on her back. A subtle crack appeared on her face, typically a mask of indifference and impatience.

A wave of irritation washed over her. She let out a soft ‘tsk’, then reached for her phone, intending to haphazardly order some takeout to settle for dinner.

“Buzz—buzz—”

It was precisely then that her phone suddenly vibrated. She froze for a moment, her gaze fixed on the caller ID.

A rare flicker of hesitation crossed her features. After a moment’s pause, she answered the call.

“Hello, Mom?”

Her voice, at this moment, lacked its usual chill.

“Yes, it’s me. Yueyue, do you remember what day it is today?”

The voice on the other end belonged to a middle-aged woman, her tone laced with a cheerful lilt. In the background, a cacophony of human voices suggested she was on a crowded street.

“I don’t know…”

She replied casually, her brow furrowing slightly as she gazed out the window, where darkness had already begun to seep in. Her mind seemed elsewhere.

“It’s your birthday today, you know?”

‘My birthday?’

“Oh.” Her tightly furrowed brow relaxed somewhat, yet her tone remained unchanged.

“Oh, come on, don’t be so cold. Your father is still abroad on business, and I just finished a parent-teacher conference with your sister. So, it looks like you’ll be celebrating your birthday alone this time. I’ll transfer you some extra money; buy whatever you like. Just make sure to take care of yourself, okay?”

The girl’s hand, gripping the phone, tightened almost imperceptibly.

“Didn’t you just say it was my birthday today?”

“Yes, I did, which is why I’m so sorry I can’t be with you today. Yueyue, I still need to chat with your sister’s homeroom teacher, so I’ll hang up now. Please, do take good care of yourself, okay?”

“Beep—beep—”

The dial tone of the disconnected call echoed piercingly in the silent villa living room.

Qin Haiyue lay sprawled on the sofa, lost in a daze. The distant city clamor and her mother’s lively words, transmitted through the phone, seemed to still reverberate in her ears. A nameless fire began to ignite within her, fueling a growing restlessness.

“Ding!”

Her phone emitted a crisp notification sound. She picked it up casually, and a glance confirmed it: a transfer from her mother.

The amount was substantial, perhaps what an average person would save over more than a decade of working without spending. Yet, Qin Haiyue felt no joy; instead, she was consumed by an unusual anger. Taking a deep breath, she violently flung her phone, sending it crashing against the wall. The screen shattered into a spiderweb of cracks before falling limply to the floor with a soft ‘clatter’.

She couldn’t quite pinpoint the source of her fury. Was it merely because her parents hadn’t returned for her birthday? She considered herself far from sentimental, yet the surging anger in her chest refused to subside.

Standing up, her gaze drifted to the wall, and at last, she recognized the true origin of her wrath.

Hanging on that wall was a family portrait, featuring four individuals. In the back row stood her parents. On the left was a blonde, blue-eyed man with distinctly European features, while the woman on the right, an Asian woman, smiled gently.

Seated in front of them were their children, both girls. One, with black hair and dark eyes, had a small hand resting cautiously on the leg of the blonde girl beside her. She appeared quite nervous, deliberately maintaining a distance from the blonde girl, her gaze towards the camera somewhat evasive.

The blonde girl was, of course, Qin Haiyue. Even for the photograph, her eyes held an impatient glint. Anyone meeting that cold, sharp gaze would undoubtedly feel a touch of apprehension.

Qin Haiyue’s gaze fixed intently on the black-haired girl’s face. As she looked at that frail yet adorable countenance, a powerful emotion surged within her chest.

‘Jealousy.’

‘Yes, jealousy.’

Despite being twins, despite both being their children, the care she and her sister received was worlds apart. Her sister enjoyed their mother’s constant presence, and even their father’s visits were far more frequent for her than for Qin Haiyue herself. This disparity, moreover, only seemed to intensify as they grew older.

Having gradually matured, her independent and aloof nature, honed by years of living alone, meant she didn’t particularly crave her parents’ affection. Yet, whenever she saw her sister’s vulnerable, gentle face—a face that invariably stirred others’ protective instincts—she would be consumed by an inexplicable rage.

‘Especially today…’

Gazing at the photograph, she suddenly paused. She walked over, picking up her shattered-screen phone from the floor. Pressing the power button, she was relieved to find it still turned on.

The faint glow illuminated her eyes.

She scrolled through her album until she found a particular photo: a black-haired, pink-eyed girl, her face deathly pale, tears glistening at the corners of her eyes, which held an utterly vacant, despairing look.

“Hahahaha…”

She suddenly burst into laughter. As she repeatedly compared the two girls, a thought struck her: they were so similar.

Both equally vulnerable, equally beautiful. The stark difference lay in their fates: one was showered with affection, like a flower basking in boundless love. The other…

‘Perhaps just a wild weed, one that no one would notice, even if it were trampled and withered?’

‘One could inflict any violence upon it, fulfill any twisted desire. No one would know, and no one would care to know.’

‘The mere thought was incredibly thrilling…’

Casually, she ordered a new phone online. Watching the night deepen over the city outside her window, she found herself growing increasingly eager for her meeting with the ‘little pitiful one’ tomorrow.

‘How should I torment her then? Demand money? No, she doesn’t have much; fifty yuan a week is probably her limit. Should I continue to humiliate her in the girls’ restroom, like today? No, repetition lacks novelty. What I need is for that girl to show me more interesting expressions.’

After much deliberation, Qin Haiyue still couldn’t settle on a good idea.

‘Well, there’s no rush for such things. She can’t escape anyway. I’ll just figure it out when I see her tomorrow.’

“…”

The night was still long, and in the villa far from the bustling city, the occasional roar of a passing car could be heard. Taking a deep breath, Qin Haiyue deliberately calmed her agitated mind. She felt as though she was becoming increasingly strange.

Yet, despite everything, her mood was exceptionally good. Discovering Ye Xingmian’s female form this morning had been a genuine surprise, a revelation she considered the best gift she’d received all year.

However, some concerns lingered.

She couldn’t allow anyone else to discover Ye Xingmian’s female identity. She detested having her cherished toys snatched away, even shared. Therefore, she absolutely had to keep her hidden.

Indeed, it wasn’t just the girl herself; now, Qin Haiyue also intended to guard this secret.