"Are you waiting for someone?"
Shang Qinqing sat down with a grin, casually picking up a skewer of grilled meat.
"No."
Seeing that Shang Qinqing had come alone, Ying Bing pursed her lips as if nothing were amiss:
"He didn’t return with you?"
"No, he still has some unfinished business."
Shang Qinqing shook her head.
Tsk, what had that brat Li Mo said before? Swearing he’d never deceive her, with a look so firm it could split iron.
Yet in the blink of an eye, he told her it was for the sake of... "surprise," a white lie.
"Hmm..."
A delicate hand quietly pulled the plate of skewers back in front of her.
"?"
Shang Qinqing watched, momentarily speechless.
So just because she didn’t bring back your precious "wife-blessing battle soul," you won’t even let me have a skewer?
"Admit it, you miss him."
"Ah, so it’s because Young Master Li has been gone too long."
The Proprietress, after all, had been through it all before and quickly pieced it together.
"......"
Ying Bing’s cheeks twitched slightly, her face an icy mask. "These skewers are quite fragrant."
"Little Bing’er, look at your doll—its head’s nearly bald from how much you’ve been tugging at it, shiny as a mirror."
Shang Qinqing pressed on, undeterred.
Ying Bing tilted her head.
The ice block didn’t quite understand what you were talking about.jpg.
"Speaking of which, Young Master Li’s been gone so long without a word—could something have happened?" the Proprietress mused.
"!"
Ying Bing’s lashes trembled, nearly dropping her skewer.
Shang Qinqing, grinding her teeth, suddenly had an idea.
She adopted a hesitant expression, as if reluctantly delivering bad news:
"After all, he did snatch something right from the jaws of the Demon Sect..."
Ying Bing froze, her jade-like face finally showing emotion.
Right, Li Mo had gone to gather the Power of the Multitude, and in the Southern Border, that power had long been secretly controlled by the Summoning Demon Sect.
The Summoning Demon Sect was ancient, its influence vast—just look at how the Hundred Beasts Hall had stirred up chaos in the Southern Border.
Even among the Nine Heavens, revered as the strongest in her past life, some had vague ties to them.
If they saw Li Mo as a thorn in their side...
Ying Bing shot to her feet.
"How is he now? Where is he?"
"Hmph, see? I told you."
Shang Qinqing sighed.
"Go pack your things and come with me to the Azure Phoenix Clan’s territory. After all my hard work, I don’t even get a skewer? Really..."
But before she could finish, Ying Bing was already lifting her skirts and rushing upstairs, pushing open the door to the private room.
Instantly, her sharp yet unfocused gaze steadied, taking in the scene before her with stunned silence.
The dim glow of candles illuminated the quiet depths of her eyes—candles stuck into a cake, and beside it stood a figure.
"You... weren’t you...?"
"Happy birthday! Surprise?"
Li Mo grinned brightly.
After a moment of shock, Ying Bing’s gaze darkened as she stared at him.
"When did you get back?"
"Just now. I asked Clan Leader Shang to call you up."
Li Mo beckoned her over to blow out the candles but noticed the ice block’s expression was off, her chest rising and falling slightly.
The instigator, Shang Qinqing, had quietly followed, hoping to savor some sweetness, only to realize things weren’t going as planned.
Oh no...
She’d only improvised earlier.
Had she messed up?
Ahem. "Li Mo, really, a surprise is fine, a birthday is fine, but why drag me into tricking Little Bing’er? That’s a bit much, don’t you think?"
Shang Qinqing put on a stern face.
Li Mo: "???"
"Are these candles supposed to be blown out?" Ying Bing glanced at the cake.
"Yep, and you can make a wish first."
Ying Bing lowered her eyes and exhaled softly.
Whoosh—
They didn’t go out.
Damn these stubborn candles! They flickered out, only for the wind from the window to revive them.
Not now!
"Ice block, you didn’t wish for something extreme, did you?"
Li Mo blinked in confusion.
"I wished for you to never lie to me again."
Ying Bing’s gaze was piercing.
"......"
Li Mo felt somewhat wronged, unsure what Shang Qinqing had just told her.
"Maybe I’ve got too much yang energy lately—even the candles won’t die. Try again..."
This time, the candles finally went out.
"What did you wish for this time...?"
"Call me jie jie (older sister)."
"Call you jie jie to find out? Uh... actually, wishes don’t come true if you say them, so no need to tell me."
Li Mo’s famously stubborn mouth twitched.
I’m not that curious anyway, and you’re only two months older, seriously...
"The wish was for you to call me jie jie," Ying Bing said calmly.
The iron-mouthed Li Mo stiffened.
His resolve crumbled, his traitorous mouth surrendering:
"... Jie jie."
"Be good from now on."
Ying Bing lifted her chin, tying up her loose hair.
"Try this—I baked it in an alchemy furnace. Should taste alright."
Li Mo brandished the Crimson Sky Sword, ready to slice the cake.
The cake’s design showed a girl reading under a tree, with a boy watching her.
But then—
A slender finger dipped into the frosting and smeared it across his face.
"????"
Li Mo turned, nose itching, finally noticing the gleam of mischief in Ying Bing’s previously stoic eyes.
She’d genuinely been worried at first, but not after seeing him—at least not while blowing out the candles.
She was happy to see him.
But she’d also wanted to hear him call her jie jie, so...
Gasp!
"Ice block, you planned this?"
Li Mo was 90% sure.
"Planned what?"
Ying Bing frowned, maintaining her icy composure with utmost seriousness.
"Fine, it’s your birthday—you’re the boss today."
Best Actor Li Mo suspected Best Actress Ying Bing’s performance but lacked evidence.
Wait.
He had evidence!
Li Mo realized a small, warm hand had somehow slipped into his grasp.
When did that happen?!
"......"
Ying Bing, mid-cake-cutting, also paused in confusion.
She didn’t recall offering her hand.
Had she given it, or had he taken it at some unnoticed moment?
"Heh, now this is the good stuff. What flavor is this cake anyway? Smells amazing. Let me try—see if it’s as sweet as you two."
Shang Qinqing shivered. If she didn’t eat some cake soon, she might start rolling on the floor in delight.