A Surprise Birthday and Unexpected Guests

The two stared at each other, momentarily unsure of what the other was saying.

“‘Xiao Yi, what did you imagine?'”

“‘What did *you* imagine?'”

Silence fell once more. A faint blush crept across Lin Yi’s face.

After all, he was a virgin in his twenties; encountering a scene like that was bound to cause some embarrassment.

Lin Yiting pulled Lin Yi up, tidying her clothes and shoulder bag. Lin Yi, meanwhile, settled back onto the sofa, idly scrolling through his phone.

Both of them, by unspoken agreement, ignored the previous topic, as if nothing had transpired.

Once the awkward atmosphere began to ease, Lin Yi finally spoke.

“‘Sister, why are you wearing this outfit?'”

He had wanted to ask earlier, but their playful teasing had kept the question from his lips.

“‘Hmm? Lin Yi, have you forgotten what day it is?'”

“‘Huh? What day?'”

Lin Yi was puzzled. The original novel had never mentioned anything special about this particular day.

Could it be Lin Yiting’s birthday? Or something else entirely?

“‘It’s your birthday today, my silly brother!'”

At her words, a stunned expression flickered across Lin Yi’s face.

The original novel hadn’t mentioned the protagonist’s birthday. Even if it had, he barely remembered it, as if the author had quickly glossed over it.

But surely, a birthday didn’t warrant such a grand display, did it?

A thought suddenly flashed through Lin Yi’s mind: this body he inhabited was seventeen years old this year.

This meant this birthday marked his coming-of-age; once it passed, he would officially be eighteen.

No wonder Lin Yiting had been playing such a stimulating game so early in the morning. It was all a surprise for Lin Yi.

As this realization dawned on him, a wave of warmth enveloped Lin Yi. He wished he had such a caring sister in his real life.

Tears welled up uncontrollably. Lin Yi turned his face away, wiping at them with his sleeve, yet they seemed endless.

More tears streamed down.

A powerful surge of emotion choked Lin Yi. He bit the inside of his cheek, forcefully suppressing the flow of tears.

He absolutely did not want his sister to see him in such a state; it was far too embarrassing.

However, it seemed he was destined for embarrassment today.

Having finished tidying her things, Lin Yiting happened to witness this very scene.

“‘Xiao Yi, why are you crying?'”

“‘Huh?'”

Lin Yi froze, his hand mid-wipe. He swiftly transformed the tear-wiping motion into an eye-rubbing one.

“‘No, I’m not crying! My eyes just feel a little uncomfortable.'”

Watching him deny it, Lin Yiting couldn’t suppress the smile playing on her lips. She found her brother increasingly adorable.

“‘Alright, alright. The birthday cake I ordered should be arriving soon. Let’s go out and pick it up, and grab some cooked food while we’re at it.'”

“‘Okay.'”

Lin Yi nodded in agreement, quickly tidying his clothes. He hadn’t expected a birthday cake, and his heart naturally swelled with joy.

He recalled that his previous birthdays had simply involved eating noodles and eggs; his family had almost never bought him a birthday cake.

Over time, Lin Yi had lost the habit of getting a cake for his birthday.

In truth, the cake itself wasn’t all that important to him.

What truly mattered was having someone celebrate his birthday with him. That was the real key to Lin Yi’s happiness.

Just as Lin Yi finished tidying up, a sudden knock sounded at the rental apartment door.

“‘Brother Lin? Are you home?'”

Lin Yi recognized the voice; it belonged to Li Yan. But what was he doing here, showing up without even a word?

“‘You know them?'”

“‘Oh, just a classmate.'”

Hearing Lin Yi’s explanation, Lin Yiting relaxed and opened the security door.

However, Li Yan wasn’t alone outside the door. Qin Ruoxue and Xu Wei were also there.

When Lin Yi saw them, the confusion on his face deepened. ‘You guys came to my place in a group… what do you want?’

No one answered Lin Yi. All three of their gazes were fixed on Lin Yiting.

Li Yan’s eyes widened, staring at Lin Yi with utter disbelief.

“‘Brother Lin, so this is your type, huh?'”

Pressing a hand to his forehead, Lin Yi decided against explaining to Li Yan. There was no point; he wouldn’t understand anyway.

He remembered the saying…

‘People only believe what they want to believe.’

The more he tried to explain, the more guilty he would appear.

Hearing Li Yan’s words, the other two girls also turned their attention. Especially Qin Ruoxue, whose eyes seemed to hold a hidden meaning that made Lin Yi feel a touch of fear.

“‘Ahem, why are you all at my place today?'”

He repeated his earlier question, and to alleviate the awkwardness, handed each of them a bottle of mineral water.

“‘Lin Yi, happy birthday!'”

Their sudden, synchronized greeting startled the unprepared Lin Yi. Yet, as he registered their words, a wave of warmth spread through his heart.

“‘Thank you, thank you.'”

Lin Yi bowed in gratitude. He genuinely hadn’t expected them to come to his home to celebrate his birthday, and for a moment, he was at a loss for words.

“‘Lin Yi, do you have time? I’ve already ordered food at a restaurant not far from here.'”

At this, Qin Ruoxue took over the conversation.

“‘This…'”

Lin Yi instinctively glanced at Lin Yiting, seeking his sister’s opinion.

Qin Ruoxue’s gaze naturally followed Lin Yi’s, settling on Lin Yiting.

“‘Well, since it’s all for my little Yi’s birthday, how you celebrate is up to you all.'”

Lin Yiting, of course, had no objections. She had just been thinking of taking Lin Yi out herself. Their arrival was perfectly timed; perhaps it would even save them a little money.

While spending money on her brother’s birthday was necessary, she still wanted to save whatever she could.

They were lifelong friends, after all, and she couldn’t let them come all this way for nothing.

The group immediately agreed, jostling and laughing as they exited the apartment.

The restaurant Qin Ruoxue mentioned was not far from Lin Yi’s home; in fact, Lin Yi had even been there once before.

The familiar gray plaque, the familiar New Chinese-style decor.

This restaurant held a particularly strong impression for Lin Yi. He vividly remembered the time Chen Sishi had nearly dragged him away from there; it was impossible not to remember it clearly.

Despite the unpleasant memory associated with it, the restaurant’s food was actually quite good.

Pushing open the door, they stepped inside to find the same solid wood tables and chairs. Guided by the others, they made their way to a small, temporarily constructed private room.

Essentially, it was a space created by hanging various decorative items on wooden partitions to block the view, serving as makeshift walls on either side.

Inside the room, a long table capable of seating six awaited them.

Both the sides of the table and the chairs were carved with intricate, beautiful patterns. Though he couldn’t decipher their meaning, they possessed a profound artistic beauty.

After finding their respective seats, Lin Yi found himself surrounded in the center. Li Yan sat to his left, Lin Yiting to his right, and Qin Ruoxue directly opposite him.

This feeling of being the center of attention was a first for Lin Yi. It was quite nice, though a little awkward.

Shortly after they sat down, dish after dish of appetizing food began to arrive.

When the waitress serving their food saw Lin Yiting’s attire, the practiced commercial smile vanished from her face.

She scrutinized Lin Yiting’s outfit, her mind already reeling with unspoken shock. It was her first time seeing someone out in a maid’s uniform, especially one worn with such an elegant demeanor, as if she were a true maid.

Qin Ruoxue held the menu, checking the dishes, which brought the young waitress back to her senses. After confirming everything was correct, the pretty waitress quickly departed.

Lin Yi offered a helpless smile at this. Lin Yiting had been subjected to such stares from passersby all the way here; she was already accustomed to it.