An Li was truly at a loss.
“Why don’t you ask me for the moon and stars in the sky?”
She hadn’t even spoken two sentences before getting flustered. Her cheeks puffed slightly, lips pressed together, then she bit them helplessly, torn between scolding him and enjoying the act.
Duan Zhuo leaned casually against the back of the chair, the curve of his lips deepening. “I won’t make it hard for you. From now on, just spend every birthday with me.”
“Spend my birthday with you?” An Li looked doubtful. “That’s all?”
“Mm.”
She suspected that this had been what he wanted from the start. The previous two outrageous demands had been mere setups.
But this one wasn’t hard at all. It was even simple.
She only needed to give him a birthday cake each year.
After all the years the Duan Family had raised her, giving a gift to “Brother Duan” was a small way to repay them.
“Alright then.” She nodded in agreement and casually picked up a cup with a scoop of ice cream.
Before she could bring it close, Duan Zhuo’s long fingers swatted it away.
Having just eaten savory food, An Li wanted something sweet to cleanse her palate and looked at him innocently. “What are you doing?”
“It’s cold,” Duan Zhuo reminded her.
“What’s wrong?”
“Aren’t you on your period?”
An Li realized belatedly that it was indeed that special time.
She couldn’t eat overly cold or irritating foods, or it would cause stomach pain.
There were still a few room-temperature desserts. She picked a piece of strawberry Basque cheesecake, eating it in small bites.
Though it was delicious, her eyes still lingered on the vanilla ice cream.
An Li tried to reason with herself. “Actually, I’m not very picky during my period.”
Duan Zhuo listened attentively. “Oh.”
“Occasionally, eating something cold is fine.”
“Oh.”
“I want ice cream.”
“No.”
An Li spoke so politely, yet he also replied politely—then simply said no.
“W-why won’t you let me eat it? You’re way too bossy.” She muttered softly. “You’re not even… anything to me…”
As soon as the words left her mouth,
a tall shadow suddenly loomed above.
Duan Zhuo, who had been casually leaning against the table, now lowered his head leisurely. His cool fingertip pinched her cheek. “Say that again. I’m not anything to you?”
His tone was unbelievably gentle, yet the pressure escalated layer by layer.
“N-no one… You’re my boyfriend.” She gave in.
Hearing a satisfactory answer, the darkness between Duan Zhuo’s brows softened. His fingertips deliberately brushed her chin. As she ate strawberry, he suddenly kissed her.
His tongue wiped the strawberry from the corner of her lips.
Sweet and fragrant.
Delicious.
But An Li was stunned, unable to react.
Even her dessert lost its appeal. “W-what are you doing…”
“Eating strawberry,” he said matter-of-factly.
“Then eat your own! Why eat mine?”
“Can’t I eat your strawberry?” He tilted his head, grinning mischievously. “Yours… I’ve tasted too.”
She choked, speechless.
What did he mean?
Saliva?
Ugh.
This idiot.
An Li turned around. “Duan Zhuo, come here. Lower your head a bit.”
Usually, she wanted to build a wall between them, yet now she actively invited him closer.
The little thing obviously had no good intentions.
Duan Zhuo didn’t move. “Why?”
“Come here, don’t stay so far from me.”
“I’m right in front of you.”
He still didn’t move.
She was sitting in a chair; he leaned by the table. They could reach each other’s hands if they raised them. Wasn’t this close enough?
“A bit closer.” She beckoned to him.
Duan Zhuo said, “Call me Husband.”
She frowned.
“If you don’t call me, I’ll leave.”
Not only did he refuse to move, but he also threatened to walk away.
“Husband…” An Li reluctantly whispered the word, so low it was almost inaudible.
Knowing she had no good intentions, he nevertheless enjoyed her little trap. The schemes of this sly little fox were irresistible, and he willingly wrapped the rope around himself.
Duan Zhuo leaned in. “What do you mean by ‘Husband’?”
The next second,
her soft hand smacked his face.
“Please eat the cream.”
With that, she dashed away.
Duan Zhuo was left standing alone, his handsome face smeared with the cream she had just applied.
The second time now.
She really knew how to celebrate his birthday.
Knowing she couldn’t beat him, scolding him only pleased him, she decided to use cream to tease and gross him out.
But Baby…
That was kind of fun too.
Anything was fine except breaking up.
Duan Zhuo came out of the bathroom clean. The living room was empty; he didn’t know if she was hiding somewhere.
He opened the bedroom door.
A slender figure curled up on the soft bed.
He walked over. “Sleeping?”
The lively An Li from earlier now looked sickly, her face pale, lips colorless. She stammered.
He was tense, speaking quickly. “What’s wrong? Where does it hurt?”
“N-nothing…” She shook her head. “My stomach hurts a little.”
“Where?”
“H-here…”
An Li covered her stomach with both hands.
Strange.
She hadn’t eaten anything cold today, so why the pain?
Duan Zhuo poured a cup of warm water. “I had someone bring painkillers. Do you want to take them?”
Earlier, he had prepared change of clothes and hygiene items through the assistant.
He had thought of everything.
An Li kept her hands on her stomach, a light sweat forming on her forehead. At that moment, another thought crossed her mind: no wonder he had dated so many girls before.
So meticulous. He had done this for others too.
A subtle, strange feeling rose in her heart.
She instinctively ignored his following words. When he offered the warm cup of water, she didn’t take it.
“No.”
She didn’t want medicine.
Not liking medicine was normal. Duan Zhuo didn’t mind. He put the cup down, sat on the side of the bed, and gently lifted her, his warm palm covering her small belly. “Don’t you want some water?”
“No need…”
The warm embrace gradually eased her irritability.
The main light was off, and two wall lamps emitted faint light. Night had fallen, all was silent, and sleepiness crept in.
An Li didn’t know how long she had been in his arms. Half-asleep, she turned over, pressing her forehead to his chest. “Duan Zhuo…”
“Hm?”
“Do you often take care of girls like this?”
“No.”
“Liar.”
She always stuttered when nervous.
In other words, she stuttered when her mind was troubled.
So right now, she was thinking too much.
Thinking about him and other girls?
Duan Zhuo wrapped his long arms around her and explained in a low, rich voice. “I’m not lying. You’re the first girlfriend I’ve taken care of like this.”
She let out two soft hums, her forehead like a little puppy nudging into his chest.
She didn’t believe him.
“If you feel well taken care of, it’s not because I’m meticulous—it’s because you’re very important to me.”
He patiently explained.
An Li, either drunk or dizzy, didn’t fully listen. She shifted her small waist, frowning lightly. “It tickles a bit.”
“Hmm?”
“Can you move the AC remote? It’s poking my butt.”
Where did a remote come from?
Duan Zhuo looked down, found it in his pants, smiled helplessly and indulgently. “…I’ll move it now.”
But, for the moment, he couldn’t. He had to put her back under the covers first.