Chapter 94: Do You Take Me for a Three-Year-Old?

The cemetery.

Even though night had fallen, there were still people who came at this hour. After all, every wandering ghost might be someone’s deeply missed loved one.

A solitary figure sat there, completely unafraid of the silence around him and the occasional gusts of night wind.

He was like a statue, sitting quietly.

He waited, silently, for midnight to arrive.

Until a figure slowly approached.

“Second Master?”

Xu An’an was unsure. She called out tentatively, “I’m Xu An’an. Are you Second Master? Or… cough, perhaps you’re bored down below and came up to sit for a while? If so, I apologize for disturbing you.”

When Assistant Wang said that Jiang Li was likely at the cemetery, Xu An’an was reluctant. She felt it was better to believe than not. But the thought of Jiang Li sitting alone in the cemetery made her inexplicably ache for him.

In the end, she chose to come and see for herself.

Assistant Wang dared not enter and waited outside.

“What do you think?” Jiang Li’s voice was somewhat muffled. He still minded that Xu An’an had passed by but hadn’t come into Villa No. 1. If she didn’t want to come, then she shouldn’t!

When Assistant Wang went to pick up Xu An’an, Jiang Li decided to leave after all.

Xu An’an breathed a sigh of relief and quickly stepped forward. “Second Master, happy birthday! Do you have any birthday wishes?”

“What good are birthday wishes? If they can’t be fulfilled, it’s better not to make them at all.”

“That’s true, but birthdays are for making wishes. Haven’t you heard of ‘wishes come true’?”

“Are you trying to coax me like a three-year-old?”

“But is Second Master easy to coax?” Xu An’an sat down beside Jiang Li, nudging him gently, her clear, beautiful eyes blinking.

Jiang Li turned away, snorting coldly. “Xu An’an, I’m not some newly grown puppy, easily fooled by you.”

Xu An’an rubbed her forehead. This dog of a man truly wouldn’t act without seeing the rabbit.

Click.

The sound of a lighter.

Jiang Li tilted his head and saw Xu An’an take out a lighter, lighting the candle on a small cake in her hand. The flame painted her face with a cold, breathtaking beauty.

Xu An’an handed the small cake to Jiang Li.

“Blow out the candle.”

Jiang Li clicked his tongue, disliking the cake for being too small, but still obediently blew out the candle. “The earlier cake had eight tiers, did you see?”

Xu An’an nodded repeatedly. “I saw it! When I have money in the future, I’ll buy you a big eight-tier cake.”

“I don’t want the future—I want it now.”

“But I don’t have money now.”

“Then go earn it. That plan you proposed, is it ready? You talk so well, but nothing’s been done. Yet you have time to flirt with young pups everywhere.” Jiang Li pulled out the candle, split the cake in half, and handed one half to Xu An’an.

Suddenly remembering something, Xu An’an burst out laughing.

“Wait, you must have seen the guy who walked me out, right?”

“So, is Second Master jealous?”

Jiang Li used Xu An’an’s hand to push her half of the cake into her mouth. “Even with food, it can’t shut your mouth.”

Xu An’an laughed even harder.

“Cough, cough!”

Seeing Xu An’an about to choke, Jiang Li quickly removed the cake, helpless. “Do you know it’s dangerous to laugh while eating?”

Xu An’an shrugged. “You were the one feeding me.”

Jiang Li asked, “Are you going to finish it or not?”

“I’ll eat!”

After all, it was a birthday cake. Xu An’an gave him face and finished it.

She glanced at the tombstone beside Jiang Li.

She’d heard from Assistant Wang that on the night of Jiang Li’s birthday, his mother had a car accident and died just after midnight.

It made one wonder if Jiang Li’s mother had held on, not wanting to die on her son’s birthday, waiting until after midnight.

Noticing Xu An’an’s gaze, Jiang Li’s mood dimmed.

But in his heart, he was grateful that Xu An’an had found him, so he wouldn’t have to spend his birthday alone, only to move straight into his mother’s death anniversary.

“He probably doesn’t remember anything.”

This “he” referred to Old Master Jiang.

Xu An’an had noticed that Old Master Jiang wasn’t at the birthday banquet tonight. Unable to help herself, she reached out and hugged Jiang Li, her small hand gently patting his back.

As if soothing the pain in his heart.

Time ticked by.

Midnight passed.

Suddenly, a light drizzle began to fall from the sky.

Only then did Jiang Li pull Xu An’an up, his eyes deep and gentle. “You must be tired. Let’s go home.”

Xu An’an was indeed exhausted, but she forced herself to smile. “Not at all. I’m not tired. I can stay here and keep you company.”

Her words touched Jiang Li deeply.

He picked her up. “Alright, if you’re sleepy, just sleep. Be good, sleep in my arms.”

Xu An’an nestled into Jiang Li’s shoulder like a kitten, rubbed against him, and soon drifted into a sweet, dream-filled sleep.

Watching the little woman sleeping in his arms, Jiang Li’s gaze remained intense, glowing with gentle affection.

He had just made a wish: that every birthday, Xu An’an would be by his side.

…

Elsewhere, though the protagonist was gone from the birthday banquet, the guests were still chatting with enthusiasm, networking and making deals. It seemed the nature of the event no longer mattered.

Jiang Yu had managed to get upstairs as he wished, searching everywhere for Jiang Li's figure. “Where did Uncle go? It’s his birthday tonight.”

He had just seen the gifts filling several tables, making him envious and jealous.

He had never received so many gifts, especially such expensive ones.

“Ah Yu, is Second Master not here?” Ning Xiyue had rushed from the film set just to deliver her present in person.

This gift had cost her much effort and research before she finally bought it.

She believed Jiang Li would look at her differently once he knew, since she had given her heart.

Jiang Yu shook his head, thinking he might ask Uncle for a project while he was in a good mood tonight. “Probably went off to do something.”

“How come there’s a lady’s purse here?” Ning Xiyue walked to the sofa.

Her gaze instantly turned cold.

Some wretch had beaten her to the punch!

Jiang Yu came over as well, feeling the bag looked familiar, just like the one he’d seen at the hospital. “Don’t worry, it’s my uncle’s.”

“What? You say this bag belongs to Second Master?”

“That’s what Uncle said.”

“Impossible, this is obviously a woman’s bag.” Ning Xiyue opened it and found lipstick, powder, and other items, but no wallet or ID, so she couldn’t learn the owner’s identity.

Judging by these niche-brand cosmetics, she concluded the woman must not have much money, and therefore posed little threat to her.