Jiang Sixian’s birthday party didn’t end until past nine o’clock. Back at home, after eating the dinner Grandma Xu Lan had prepared, Jiang Yi put on her headphones and started playing games.
Though she was gaming, her attention kept drifting, her ears straining for any footsteps outside her door. Logically, it being Jiang Sixian’s birthday, she would have been offered cake.
Yet, she waited from eight o’clock until past nine, only then receiving a message from the little monitor that the party was over.
From Jiang Sixian’s villa to their home, it was at least an hour and a half drive. Plus, Jiang Sixian still had to drop off her friends. Whether she’d even come home tonight was uncertain.
Perhaps the adults would decide it was too late and just stay over there. Anyway, her relationship with Jiang Sixian wasn’t that close. Whether she ate birthday cake or not didn’t really matter. Even real sisters didn’t always share each other’s birthday cakes.
Thinking this, Jiang Yi felt a bit listless. After hastily finishing a game level, she washed up, stripped off her clothes, flopped onto the bed, and closed her eyes, ready to sleep.
She was usually a sound sleeper. Once her mind was clear, she could fall asleep easily. And so, in no time, Jiang Yi was asleep.
By the time Jiang Sixian dropped off the last of her friends, it was already 9:30 pm. It wasn’t too late, and since Jiang Sixian’s villa was rarely occupied, Jiang Qionghua decided to drive Ning Wenying and her daughter home.
On the way back, Jiang Sixian sat in the backseat, holding a box of cake, gazing out the window at the passing cityscape.
She’d brought a slice of cake for Jiang Yi, but hesitated to deliver it. It was getting late, and she worried about disturbing Jiang Yi’s sleep.
Just as she was debating this, Jiang Qionghua, driving, spoke up. “Xianxian, did you bring cake for Xiao Yi?”
Jiang Sixian nodded, replying obediently, “Mm.”
Jiang Qionghua, gripping the steering wheel, said, “Then I’ll drop it off for you later.”
Jiang Sixian froze, instinctively wanting to refuse the offer. In the end, she just clutched the cake box tighter and nodded in agreement.
Just then, Ning Wenying, in the passenger seat, spoke up. “By the time we get home, it’ll be almost midnight. Xiao Yi will be asleep by then.”
Jiang Qionghua considered this. “That’s true… She usually sleeps around 9:30. She plays games with me every night until nine, then goes to bed. Quite a regular schedule.”
Ning Wenying sighed, turning to Jiang Qionghua. “You come home from work every day and play with her. She must feel bad about it. She stops at nine because she doesn’t want to take up your time.”
Ning Wenying paused, then continued, “It’s past ten now. Call Xiao Yi. If she’s not asleep, you can deliver the cake.”
Jiang Qionghua agreed and dialed Jiang Yi’s number. The phone rang for a while, then disconnected automatically.
Jiang Qionghua muttered, “She didn’t answer. Probably asleep.” She turned to Jiang Sixian. “Xianxian, just put the cake in the fridge when we get home. I’ll take it over tomorrow.”
“Your thoughtfulness counts. She won’t feel neglected.”
Jiang Sixian felt a twinge of disappointment. But she’d already anticipated this outcome; it was the most likely scenario.
She simply replied, “Okay.”
They arrived home around 11:20 pm. Jiang Sixian placed the cake in the fridge on the first floor and went straight upstairs.
She opened her bedroom door, turning on all the lights as she entered.
The moment she stepped inside, she froze, staring at the enormous panda plushie on her bed.
On her neatly made bed, a giant black and white panda sat, looking incredibly cuddly. A sticky note was attached to its forehead.
Jiang Sixian’s eyes lit up. She hurried over, tore off the sticky note, and scanned the seven characters: “Be happy every day, Jiang Sixian.”
Jiang Sixian recognized Jiang Yi’s handwriting instantly. She clutched the note, turned, and noticed a lone water-based pen lying on her otherwise tidy desk.
Jiang Yi had used her pen.
In that moment, only one thought filled Jiang Sixian’s mind: Jiang Yi had bought her a gift and secretly placed it in her room.
Looking at the panda plushie, then at the wall lined with other plushies, Jiang Sixian suddenly realized Jiang Yi had been paying attention to her.
Regardless of the reason, this realization filled Jiang Sixian with excitement.
She looked down at the words on the sticky note, silent for a moment, then quickly made a decision.
Carefully placing the sticky note inside her notebook, she changed out of her dress, slipped on a pair of sandals, and hurried downstairs.
Passing the first floor, she retrieved the cake from the fridge and carried it towards Jiang Yi’s cottage.
The lights in the cottage were off, only the surrounding streetlights glowed faintly like distant stars.
Jiang Sixian, her back to the brightly lit main house, walked towards the darkness, feeling no fear, only a growing sense of joy and anticipation.
Soon, she reached Jiang Yi’s cottage. Pushing open the unlocked front door, she triggered the motion-sensor lights and walked upstairs.
In the quiet night, her footsteps echoed clearly in the empty hallway, each step matching the rhythm of her racing heart, creating a strangely tense atmosphere.
Suppressing her nervousness, she reached Jiang Yi’s glass room, raised her hand, and pressed the doorbell.
The doorbell rang several times, but there was no response from inside. Patient, Jiang Sixian pressed it again, waiting for Jiang Yi to be roused from her sleep.
Jiang Yi hadn’t been sleeping soundly. Shortly after falling asleep, she’d been awakened by a ringing phone. Ignoring it, she’d drifted off again, only to be roused by the persistent doorbell.
She had a terrible temper when awakened. After being disturbed repeatedly, she was furious. Hearing the relentless ringing again, she angrily threw off the covers, switched on her bedside lamp, and stomped towards the door. “Who is it?!”
Jiang Yi yanked the door open and, seeing Jiang Sixian standing outside, froze.
She stared blankly at Jiang Sixian, speechless, her expression filled with surprise.
Jiang Sixian, looking up at her, was equally stunned. Standing before her, backlit by the light, Jiang Yi held the door open with one hand, completely naked.
Jiang Sixian clutched the cake box tighter, barely managing to keep her gaze from drifting downwards.
Her eyes scanned Jiang Yi’s collarbone, her chest, her toned abdomen, and continued downwards, stopping at Jiang Yi’s lower abdomen.
Jiang Yi’s mind was still foggy. Following Jiang Sixian’s gaze, she looked down and, seeing her bare legs and feet, finally realized the awkwardness of the situation.
Her mind went blank, her face flushing crimson. Her body reacted faster than her mind, slamming the door shut with a resounding bang.
She stumbled back to her bed, throwing herself onto it and pulling the thin blanket over her body, her lips trembling, unable to speak.
Oh god, oh god, oh god!
How could she be so stupid, walking around naked just because she lived alone?! How could she have such a bad temper?! How could she be so out of it?!
Aaaaaaaaaaah! This is a disaster!
Jiang Yi buried her face in the pillow, muffling her screams, mortified to the point of combustion. Her usually pale skin turned a bright pink.
On the other side of the door, Jiang Sixian was equally embarrassed. She raised a hand to her burning cheeks, pinching her earlobe as she called out softly, “Jiang Yi…”
Jiang Yi, wrapped tightly in her blanket, trembling on the bed, her voice shaky with mortification, replied, “Wh-what…?”
What are you doing here so late?! Are you planning something?!
Oh god, this is a nightmare! She already felt self-conscious about her new… growth, and now Jiang Sixian had seen it! How could she ever face her again?!
This is a disaster! Her pure, innocent image was ruined!
She was tainted!
And Jiang Sixian’s eyes were tainted too!
Jiang Yi was utterly mortified, shrinking further under the covers, refusing to speak.
Outside, Jiang Sixian had regained her composure. She knocked on the door and said, “I brought you cake. It’s late now, so I’ll just leave it in your fridge. You can eat it tomorrow if you want.”
Her voice was calm, almost casual.
Jiang Yi, hearing the word “cake,” felt a surge of complex emotions, her brow furrowing.
After a long moment, she lifted her head from under the covers and mumbled towards the door, “Thanks.”
She paused, then added, “Happy birthday, Jiang Sixian.”
Jiang Sixian’s mood brightened considerably. “Mm, you too, Jiang Yi. Good night, Jiang Yi.”
Jiang Yi mumbled a muffled “Good night.”
Jiang Sixian lingered outside for a while, then turned, placed the cake in Jiang Yi’s fridge, and left.
After hearing her footsteps fade, Jiang Yi finally emerged from under the covers, wrapped the sheet around herself, tiptoed out of the room, retrieved the cake from the fridge, and returned to her room to eat it.
Jiang Sixian hadn’t gone far. Turning back, she saw the light in Jiang Yi’s bedroom turn on. In that moment, she felt her own heart light up.
She walked back to her room, her steps light. Closing the door, she looked at the cuddly panda plushie sitting on her bed, and the image of Jiang Yi as she’d appeared moments ago flashed through her mind.
Jiang Sixian felt herself flush. She walked over to the bed, picked up the panda, and hugged it tightly, pressing it against the bed.
Burying her face in the panda’s soft fur, she inhaled deeply, trying to catch a trace of Jiang Yi’s scent. Lying on the plush panda, she couldn’t help but let out a soft sigh. “Jiang Yi…”
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