The Sweetness of a Shared Birthday

“Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you…”

Feiluo and Moxi clapped their hands together, singing the birthday song.

Around them, the light was dim, the windows obscured by curtains, with only the candles on the birthday cake before them casting a glow. Bathed in the warm, yellow light, master and disciple sat shoulder to shoulder, their bodies pressed intimately close.

“Happy~ Birthday to~ you~!”

“Clap, clap, clap!”

As the birthday song concluded, both of them clapped enthusiastically.

“Make a wish quickly, my dear disciple.” Moxi’s gaze, illuminated by the candlelight, was incredibly soft.

“Mhm!” Feiluo nodded emphatically, then clasped her hands together, closed her eyes, and began to make a wish before the candles.

‘I hope I can stay with Master forever, never separating even if the world ends!’

Having made her wish, Feiluo opened her eyes, smiling at Moxi, and secretly intertwined her small hand with Moxi’s beneath the table.

Feeling the soft grip on her hand, Moxi tilted her head in confusion.

“Master, let’s blow out the candles together!” Feiluo said, her eyes fixed on Moxi.

“But it’s your birthday; I shouldn’t be blowing them out with you,” Moxi replied, momentarily stunned.

“But you’re my Master, so it’s different,” Feiluo insisted, tightening her grip on Moxi’s small hand, her tone resolute.

Gazing into Feiluo’s fervent eyes, Moxi found herself unable to meet her stare. A lovely blush bloomed on her cheeks, and even her ears turned a faint crimson.

“Then I’ll count down from three, two, one, and we’ll blow them out together,” Feiluo said.

“…Alright.” Moxi strove to calm her somewhat restless heart, trying to keep her voice level.

“Three…” Feiluo embraced Moxi’s arm.

“Two…” Their heads leaned together, faces almost touching.

“One…” Moxi instinctively turned her head, just as Feiluo looked over.

Feiluo felt a soft touch on her lips, an electric tingle spreading from that spot throughout her entire body. Their eyes met, and they stared, stunned, for a long moment, red blooming on both their cheeks.

After a long pause, Feiluo finally reacted, clearing her throat and forcing a calm demeanor. “Don’t… don’t… don’t look at me, Master, let’s blow out the candles.”

“…Mhm, let’s blow out the candles,” Moxi said softly, her gaze a little evasive.

“Whoosh~~~”

They blew out the candles together, plunging the room into immediate darkness. Yet no one moved to turn on the light; only their heavy breathing echoed through the room.

‘Did… did… did I just… kiss… Master…?!!!!!!’

Feiluo covered her burning face, her cheeks beneath her palms as red as ripe apples. She felt her heart thumping ‘thump-thump-thump’ incessantly, as if it might leap from her chest.

‘What should I do, what should I do, what should I do…’

‘Could this be a dream?!’

‘Or perhaps I’ve fallen under an illusion!’

‘No, don’t be so quick to deny it; what if it’s real?’

‘After all, the sensation was so vivid; a dream or illusion couldn’t possibly feel so genuine!’

Feiluo couldn’t help but recall that moment, the feeling of her lips touching Moxi’s.

‘Fragrant, soft, a little sweet, and warm.’

‘I kind of want to…’

‘Kiss her again!’

A sudden thought flashed through Feiluo’s mind. She quickly shook her head, trying to banish such a rebellious thought.

And she admonished herself mentally: ‘That’s Master! This kind of thing is wrong! It shouldn’t happen!’

‘It was just an accident before; don’t dwell on it! And you are not allowed to dwell on it!’

After repeatedly warning herself, Feiluo felt that the rebellious thought had lessened considerably, and she let out a long breath.

“Click.”

The dining room lights flickered on. Moxi sat back beside Feiluo, her expression serene, as if nothing had happened.

Feiluo watched Moxi’s face, a growing bewilderment in her heart.

‘Huh?’

‘Master is so calm?’

‘Why is she showing no reaction?’

Feiluo continued to stare at Moxi, not even blinking.

Finally, as if she couldn’t take it anymore, Moxi glared at Feiluo, her earlobes gradually reddening. “Stop staring, let’s cut the cake!”

“Hehehe~” Feiluo giggled foolishly. She picked up the nearby cake knife, divided the cake into several pieces, and placed them onto plates.

“Master, here you go.” She placed a slice of strawberry cake in front of Moxi, then picked up another plate of strawberry cake and began to eat it with an expression of pure enjoyment.

Moxi, envying Feiluo’s newfound composure, pressed a hand to her fiercely pounding heart, attempting to soothe its rhythm. Yet, after a considerable while, her heart showed no signs of calming. On the contrary, as that scene replayed incessantly in her mind, Moxi felt her heart rate accelerating even further. Had she not been a cultivator of profound skill, she might have fainted by now.

“Huh? Master, why aren’t you eating?” Moxi looked towards Feiluo.

Feiluo had already devoured the strawberry cake on her plate and was reaching for another. Her cherry lips were smeared with cake cream, making her look somewhat comical. She resembled a ‘white-bearded’ character from a manga.

Seeing such a ‘cute’ Feiluo, Moxi couldn’t help but cover her mouth and chuckle softly. Her previously agitated heart calmed significantly at this sight.

After her laugh, she took out a handkerchief and gently wiped Feiluo’s mouth, saying helplessly, “Honestly, pay attention when you’re eating cake. Now you’ve got a little white beard.”

“Hehehe…” Feiluo scratched her head, smiling foolishly.

Amidst this cheerful laughter, the master and disciple finished an entire large cake; naturally, the vast majority of it ended up in Feiluo’s stomach.

“The cake’s all gone, so it’s time for presents!” Moxi clapped her hands and announced. She retrieved two gift boxes from her spatial storage and handed them both to Feiluo.

“Here, my dear disciple, these are my birthday gifts for you.”

“Why are there two?” Feiluo asked.

“Because they’re two gifts, of course,” Moxi said, pointing to the gift boxes. “My dear disciple, hurry and open them to see!”

Feiluo first unwrapped one of the gift boxes. Inside was a red scarf, adorned with a golden phoenix spreading its wings.

“I specifically consulted a Spirit Tailor in the sect for this; it took me half a year to have it made,” Moxi said, taking the scarf and wrapping it around Feiluo. “Hmm, it looks very nice, and it suits my dear disciple perfectly,” Moxi commented, propping her chin on her hand.

Feeling the warmth, Feiluo smiled at her blissfully. Next, she unwrapped the other gift.

“This is… a jade pendant?” Feiluo picked up the jade pendant from the box and examined it. It was a jade pendant streaked with faint red veins; a phoenix was carved on the front, and the character ‘Fei’ was on the back.

“Oh, it has my surname…”

Before she could finish speaking, Feiluo felt something enter her body from the jade pendant. Instantly, she grew dizzy, her limbs weakened, and a sensation like fire burned in her chest.

Feiluo toppled forward.

However, she didn’t hit the ground as Moxi caught her. Moxi gently laid Feiluo’s head on her lap, stroking her hair softly, and murmured, “Sleep, my dear disciple, sleep…”

‘Huh, this feeling…’

‘It seems a little familiar; where have I felt it before?’

‘I can’t recall.’

‘But I can feel that it’s even warmer than that other time…’

Feiluo’s eyes slowly closed, and her even breaths entered Moxi’s ears. Moxi gently cupped Feiluo’s face and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.

“Good night, my dear disciple…”