Chapter 73 – Birthday Wish
Lin Ganzhi scratched his head, trying to come up with a suitable explanation. “It’s, uh, someone who likes all things with high aesthetic value.”
Yan Shengping nodded thoughtfully, then asked, “So are you one of those people?” A sense of crisis faintly rose in Yan Shengping’s heart.
Huh? Lin Ganzhi had never really considered that. He had lived two lives and seen plenty of good-looking people in the entertainment industry. If nothing else, his old school was full of them. But he didn’t seem to have ever had such a strong reaction as he did now.
Could it be that his standards were just higher?
Seeing Lin Ganzhi hesitate without speaking, Yan Shengping reached out and gently pinched his chubby cheek. Yan Shengping’s touch was as light as a facial massage, so Lin Ganzhi didn’t instinctively push him away, instead continuing to seriously ponder the question.
A minute later, he said, “You’re the first person to make me feel like I’m a Face-con.”
Yan Shengping’s heart, which had been in turmoil, felt like it was setting off fireworks. A series of pops echoed in his chest, making his heart beat faster. His gaze on Lin Ganzhi gradually deepened.
Before Lin Ganzhi had a chance to wonder if he had gone too far with his words, Uncle Yan came out with a steaming bowl of ginger soup. One for him, and one for Yan Shengping.
“Here, you two hurry up and drink the ginger soup. I’ll go run a bath for Ganzhi. You can go straight up for a hot bath in a bit. Sir, why are you wearing so little? I’ll go get you some clothes.” Uncle Yan was truly worried sick about this family.
Lin Ganzhi took a sip of the ginger soup. Hearing what Uncle Yan was about to do, he quickly stopped him. “Uncle Yan, I can add the water myself later. It’s almost twelve o’clock. After I finish the soup, let’s light the candles first. I went through so much trouble to buy this cake!” This was, without a doubt, the hardest-earned cake of his life.
“I bought the matcha flavor. It’s not sweet, and it has chocolate on top. I tried a sample at the store—dark chocolate, the flavor is incredibly rich!” Lin Ganzhi leaned close to Yan Shengping, enthusiastically promoting his cake, even wanting to open it himself.
However, just as Lin Ganzhi’s body started to lean forward, Yan Shengping easily pulled him back with one hand. When Yan Shengping let go, his fingertips still held the residual warmth from touching the back of Lin Ganzhi’s neck, leaving a tingling, itching sensation.
Lin Ganzhi looked up at Yan Shengping, confused. Yan Shengping cleared his throat lightly. “Finish the ginger soup first.” The cake isn’t as important as your health, he thought, but the words remained unspoken, buried deep in his heart.
After they both finished their bowls of ginger soup, Uncle Yan came down with two thick cotton jackets. While they were putting them on, Uncle Yan opened the cake box for Lin Ganzhi, thoughtfully inserting the small candles, perfectly embodying the role of a high-class butler.
At eleven-thirty, Lin Ganzhi sat across from Yan Shengping. The living room lights were briefly turned off, leaving only the flickering flames of the candles dancing in the air, casting a warm orange glow on the three of them.
Lin Ganzhi led the singing of the happy birthday song. This was his specialty; back at the orphanage, he was always the one to start singing and liven up the atmosphere. Soon, Uncle Yan joined in. Yan Shengping sat where he was, initially uncomfortable, but eventually became deeply captivated by Lin Ganzhi’s smiling face. It was silly, but incredibly warm.
When Lin Ganzhi finished the last note, he eagerly said to Yan Shengping, “Yan Shengping, make a wish! You get three!”
Of course, Yan Shengping didn’t believe in such things. He had always achieved what he wanted through his own efforts, never placing his hopes on empty rituals. But Lin Ganzhi’s words reminded him of a long time ago, when he was still at the orphanage. A child there was celebrating his birthday, and he had taken his best friend’s hand and said, “I get to make three wishes. I’ll give you one now, so you can make a wish with me!”
“I can’t think of that many. Can I give one to you?” Yan Shengping said with a faint smile, his face glowing in the candlelight.
Lin Ganzhi couldn’t help but swallow. He’d told his boss not to smile so casually. It was too damn handsome!
“Can I?” It was a tradition at the orphanage. Many of the younger kids used to fight to give him their birthday wishes, and some who shared the same birthday even argued over him. He should have been used to this tradition, but when the words came from Yan Shengping’s mouth, it felt completely different.
“Yes, but you have to say it out loud.” Yan Shengping made no effort to hide his intentions, all but writing “I’ll make it come true for you” on his face.
Lin Ganzhi frowned playfully. How could he do that? He wanted to get a divorce right now, then go find a hot guy with a big dick and great skills to travel the world with. If he said that out loud, wouldn’t Yan Shengping pull down his pants and spank him senseless?
His brother was still suffering; how could he go off and enjoy himself first?
“Well, then, I wish that in the new year, you’ll unconditionally let me pull from the Card Pool.” Lin Ganzhi came up with a less rebellious idea.
Yan Shengping was both amused and exasperated. He reached out and lightly flicked Lin Ganzhi’s forehead, chuckling, “You’re something else.”
“Is that a no?” Lin Ganzhi looked at Yan Shengping, crestfallen.
Seeing Lin Ganzhi blinking with his innocent, exquisite eyes, Yan Shengping involuntarily looked away. After a two or three-second pause, he said, “When did I say no?”
Lin Ganzhi was thrown into a brief panic. Damn, damn, damn! That was a little flirty. It must be his imagination!
“Then hurry and make the other two wishes so we can blow out the candles! Yan Shengping, you have to close your eyes when you make a wish!”
Yan Shengping obediently closed his eyes. He originally had no wishes, but when he heard Lin Ganzhi’s voice, he suddenly felt a strong urge to break through the final barrier and be with the little foolish fox forever.
He let out a soft breath, and the wish drifted away with the flames. When he opened his eyes, he could once again see Lin Ganzhi in his entirety.
After eating the cake, Lin Ganzhi took the gift from his suitcase and stuffed it into Yan Shengping’s hands. “Birthday present. Open it and see!”
Yan Shengping unwrapped the elaborate packaging to find a black fountain pen lying inside. The emerald on the cap shimmered with a dazzling light.
Lin Ganzhi scratched his head and said, a little embarrassed, “I didn’t have time to ask what you like. I saw you had a habit of using a fountain pen, so I bought this. It’s just—”
“Thank you. I like it very much.” Yan Shengping picked up the pen preciously. His long, slender fingers twirled it deftly a few times. The seemingly ordinary pen appeared to come to life in his hands. The emerald and Yan Shengping’s fair skin were a perfect match—luxurious and elegant. Seeing this, Lin Ganzhi couldn’t help but praise his own taste for picking out a gift that suited Yan Shengping so well.
“As long as you like it,” Lin Ganzhi said with a satisfied smile, his eyes narrowing into little slits, looking just like a contented little fox basking in the sun, just short of baring its belly for a rub. “Oh, right, this pen has another function. If you press the diamond on the cap, there’s some kind of mechanism that makes it waterproof. It’s like locking the cap. It might not be very useful, but if you ever drop it in your coffee while twirling it, you can save two things at once!” Lin Ganzhi tried hard to provide what he thought was a good example.
Yan Shengping nodded thoughtfully. Under Lin Ganzhi’s expectant gaze, he gently pressed the top of the pen. A small click sounded from inside. When Yan Shengping tried to pull the cap off again, he couldn’t.
But what was the point of this design?
Yan Shengping’s gaze lingered on the pen for a moment longer.
“Achoo!” Lin Ganzhi sneezed into his hand. Uncle Yan quickly handed him a tissue. After wiping his nose, both his eyes and nose were red, giving him a slightly pitiful look.
“I’ve received the gift. Hurry up and take a bath. Don’t catch a cold right after coming back.” Yan Shengping frowned. He didn’t want to deal with a feverish Lin Ganzhi crying and demanding hot pot and barbecue. Even if he liked him, Yan Shengping couldn’t guarantee he wouldn’t resort to violence.
Lin Ganzhi nodded. He had been eating wild greens for a week; he couldn’t afford to mess up now that he was home. He was planning to feast for the next few days!
“Yan Shengping, good night.” Lin Ganzhi stood up, rubbing his tired eyes. He was yawning nonstop but still didn’t forget to wish him good night.
Seated, Yan Shengping’s eyes curved into a smile. He hummed softly. “Good night.”
When Yan Shengping returned to the study to handle the remaining work, dozens of messages popped up on his phone, likely the ones he hadn’t had time to reply to earlier.
[I don’t know what Ganzhi’s company is thinking. With his current fame, he could totally have an assistant, but he’s still all alone! [Image]]
Yan Shengping clicked on the image. His heart instantly tightened, a sharp pain spreading through every vein in his limbs. Even his breath tasted bitter.
In the photo, Lin Ganzhi looked thin, wearing a flimsy jacket and hugging his suitcase as he slept in the waiting hall. His fingertips were an unhealthy shade of purple, and his ears were a glaring red. The photo faintly showed a huge display screen behind him, which read: H City High-Speed Rail delayed by three hours.
So this is how he waited all this time?
[Big Shot, this photo is about to trend online. You should go take a look when you have time. The comment section is full of people cursing his partner, but I think he deserves it! His own wife is freezing outside, and he, as the husband, hasn’t shown any concern!]
[This time, we’ve decided to all stand with Ganzhi and curse the scumbag!]
The scumbag himself, Yan Shengping, clenched his phone, momentarily at a loss for a rebuttal. At the same time, Tian Nini also sent a message to Yan Shengping.
[CEO Yan, the online comments are not favorable to you right now. Should we spend some money to hire a water army, or just contact the platform officials to have these posts removed?]
Yan Shengping’s mood was complicated. He rubbed the corner of his phone with his index finger. After a long while, he finally replied: [Let me think about it.]
What the hell?! What’s going on?
Tian Nini was shocked. Although one couldn’t judge without knowing the full story, why did CEO Yan seem so guilty? Could it be that CEO Yan really did something to Ganzhi?
Terrified, he quickly contacted Lin Ganzhi.
At that moment, Lin Ganzhi was soaking in the bathtub, playing a game. When he saw Tian Nini’s message, he casually sent back a string of question marks.