30 years old
On March 5th, Lin Luo went to work as usual. Like most adults, the older you get, the less you care about your birthday.
In previous years, she would wait for Tong Yun's birthday cake and have a quick meal with her family and friends. But now that she knew that Fu Xingchuan had always ordered birthday cakes for her, she seemed to have no expectations anymore.
After get off work, Fu Xingchuan came to pick her up and saw that she was in a bad mood. "Are you tired from work?"
"No."
“Why aren’t you happy then?”
"I don't know, maybe it's because I'm a year older! I'm already thirty this year."
"You're only thirty, and you're already established at thirty. Your career has been going smoothly this year, and you're about to start a family. Plus, you never had age anxiety before, so I guess this isn't the reason."
"You saw through me."
Lin Luo smiled faintly, then realized that this was not the way home, "Where are we going?"
He kept it a secret, "You'll know when you get there."
Lin Luo thought Fu Xingchuan was going to take her to Yanghuzhu to celebrate her birthday, but unexpectedly it was to a dessert shop not far away, which she hadn't been to for a long time.
Xu Yangyang called, "Xiaoxiao, the client suddenly said they want to change the plan and won't let me go. I might not be able to make it back for your birthday."
"It's okay, just work hard, take care of yourself, and don't stay up too late."
"I'll send the carefully prepared gift to you when I come back."
"good."
As soon as the phone was hung up, Zhu Changyu called her via video. Lin Luo thought they had made an appointment. She answered the call and Xuehua's cute face with her tongue sticking out appeared on the entire screen.
"Lin Luo, happy birthday. Xuehua, come bark a few times to celebrate your sister's birthday."
Xuehuazhen called out a few times, and Zhu Changyu's voice weakened. "Goddess, I'm in Xinjiang now! I'm busy with the opening of Yanghuzhu here, and I actually forgot your birthday. If Xu Yangyang hadn't reminded me, it would have been over."
"Please be magnanimous and forgive me this time. I will definitely give you a birthday present when I come back."
History always repeats itself.
Lin Luo smiled and said, "Just go about your business and take good care of yourself and Xuehua."
"no problem."
Lin Luo remembered that Zhu Sui'an called her yesterday and said that Professor Ruan had taken a rare leave to go to Greece with her.
Coming back to his senses, Lin Luo walked into the dessert shop and saw Fu Xingchuan carrying a mango-flavored cake, similar to the ones he had ordered before.
She suddenly realized something, "Did you do this yourself?"
"Um."
Lin Luo sat down and watched Fu Xingchuan insert the candles. "Your craftsmanship has improved. It's basically the same as what they sell in cake shops."
"I remember you said you would make a cake every year at this time. Do you still keep that habit?"
"Yes." He lit the candle, turned off the lights, and met her eyes. "Lin Qiao, make a wish!"
Lin Luo clasped her hands tightly, closed her eyes, and silently said to herself, "I hope everyone I love can be happy!"
"Alright." Lin Qi released her hand and, in the dim light, could clearly see Fu Xingchuan's face. The flames moved slightly, softening the outline of his face.
She said: "Please don't turn on the light."
"Why"
She bit her lip and said nothing.
Fu Xingchuan's eyes suddenly changed, "Lin Qiao, do you prefer the 18-year-old Fu Xingchuan or the 30-year-old Fu Xingchuan?"
"I like them all." Lin Luo said cautiously, "But I still prefer seventeen-year-old Fu Xingchuan a little more."
"My brother again."
"He's still a minor this time," he said unhappily.
Lin Xiao glared at him, "Who would be jealous of themselves?"
"Forget it. Since you're the birthday girl today, I won't bother with you." He dipped some cake on his hand and touched the tip of her nose. "Happy birthday!"
"I want one too." Lin Luo dipped some cake in her mouth and smeared it on his face. Fu Xingchuan didn't dodge and let her do it. However, he fought back, but was dodged by Lin Luo.
"Why are you hiding from me? Is it because you are not the seventeen-year-old Fu Xingchuan?" he joked.
Lin Qi smiled and said, "Yes, because I'm too old."
Fu Xingchuan pretended to be angry, exerted a little strength in his hands, and pulled Lin Luo into his arms. She sat on his lap, his warm breath lingering in her ears. "He is still underage, and there are many things he can't do yet! There are also advantages to being old."
Lin Luo was amused by him and kissed him on the cheek, "How about this?"
"It can be done this way." He tapped his lips with his finger.
Lin Luo kissed the corner of his mouth, and cream stained his lips. She tasted a familiar flavor, the same as the cake he had ordered before.
“This cream tastes so special!”
"This is my special osmanthus cream."
"Few families in Nan'an grow osmanthus flowers at home. Dessert shops probably don't sell this kind of cake in this season!" She looked at the display case of the dessert shop at the back.
"Um."
After a few seconds of silence, Fu Xingchuan saw that Lin Luo's eyes were red, "What's wrong?"
"Didn't Chunling lie to me?"
"Do you make the cake yourself every year?"
"You come back to see me every year, right?"
In truth, Fu Xingchuan had no intention of telling Lin Luo about these things. He didn't want to be seen as taking credit for them. During those years, he had been by Tong Yun's side, helping her solve her problems and creating the illusion in her world that Tong Yun was still alive.
But he also had selfish motives. Since she had discovered it, he didn't intend to hide it.
Fu Xingchuan touched her hair and said, "...well, didn't you say that eating birthday cake is very important to you?"
He still remembered her casual words
Lin Luo's tears fell.
The flight from the UK to Nan'an or Jinghe takes about ten hours, and there's an eight-hour time difference during winter time. Lin Luo had been incredibly uncomfortable on her previous trips there.
Fu Xingchuan wiped away her tears with his fingertips, "Why are you crying? You can't cry on your birthday today."
Lin Luo was still sobbing.
He began to coax, "I'm very happy to be back, even if it's just to see you from a distance, really."
"Winter in England is so long that my spring won't arrive until your birthday."
Lin Luo leaned in his arms, her snot and tears rubbing against his shoulder. He pinched her ear and whispered, "Fu Xingchuan at thirty is much better than the seventeen-year-old."
He was smiling and playful, but Lin Qiao felt even more sad. She didn't know that he was not doing well in England. At the beginning of their marriage, she thought Fu Xingchuan was very free and easy in England. She thought he had become materialistic and only cared about money and benefits.
"sorry."
A tear flowed down her neck into her clothes. Fu Xingchuan felt very distressed when he heard her sobbing. "You have nothing to do with me. It's just that I am too cowardly. I gave up my ideals and always made you sad."
Lin Luo hugged him tightly.
"Don't cry." Fu Xingchuan wiped her tears with a tissue, "Let's eat cake!"
Fu Xingchuan held out his fork and fed her. The sweet taste melted in his mouth. He asked, "Is it sweet?"
Lin Luo nodded.
"Your eyes are red, like a little rabbit." Fu Xingchuan stroked the corners of her eyes with his fingertips.
Lin Qi retorted, "I'm not a little rabbit, I'm a tigress."
He was amused and looked at Lin Qiao seriously and said, "We still have many, many years to go."
"Um."
The candles on the stage went out. Xu Yangyang turned on the lights with a gossipy expression on her face. "And then what?"
Lin Qi said calmly, "And then it was gone."
"What kind of proposal is this? I'll give you a few trees."
"He said he wanted to live a good life with me, isn't that a proposal?"
"Are you stupid? A proposal requires a ring and kneeling on one knee." Xu Yangyang made a kneeling gesture with her hand. "No, I don't agree to this marriage."
Zhu Changyu came in with Xuehua. He usually argued with Xu Yangyang, but this time he stood on her side with a pompous expression. "I don't agree either. Is Fu Xingchuan still a man? He wants to marry my goddess without even proposing."
This guy's acting was as bad as ever. Xu Yangyang turned Lin Luo's head and said, "Based on my rich experience in love, proposing is essential. Don't remind Fu Xingchuan, let him think about it himself. If he can remember, you marry him. If he can't, we won't get married. There are many men in the world, and he doesn't have to be the only one."
Zhu Changyu felt that this was a bit too much. He waved his hand to signal Xu Yangyang. She rolled her eyes at him, as if to say, "Don't worry about it. I have my own pace."
Lin Luo felt that they were all very abnormal and was about to ask if something had happened or if they were hiding something from her.
A man walked in. He was very tall and had his back to the light. Lin Luo couldn't see his face clearly.
It wasn't dinner time, but Zhu Changyu thought it was a guest and went over to greet him. As the man approached, Lin Luo saw his appearance clearly and said, "Zuo Xiaole..."
"Lin Xiao" Zuo Xiaole recognized her, "What a coincidence!"
Xu Yangyang touched her shoulder and asked, "Who is it?"
"Oh, a fellow countryman I met when I traveled to Guangdong before."
Lin Qi lowered his voice and said, "He's a soldier, and he's not bad looking."
Xu Yangyang was unmoved. Isn't he handsome enough?
"Are you here for dinner?" Lin asked.
"No, I'm here to look for someone."
"Who is it?"
"Fu Xingchuan, the owner of the dessert shop asked me to come here and look for him. Do you know him?"
Lin Luo looked at him. How did he know Fu Xingchuan?
"I know him. What do you want to see him about?" Lin Qiao asked him to sit down and Zhu Changyu also sat down and looked at him.
"I came to thank him."
As he finished speaking, Zhu Changyu recognized him and asked, "Are you the tall guy? The tall guy who always followed Brother Long?"
How did Zhu Changyu know him? The two heads opposite him were filled with confusion.
"yes."
Zhu Changyu's attitude worsened, as if he wanted to chase him away. "What are you doing here? Fu Xingchuan is my best buddy, why do you want to see him? You're thanking him, but you want to avenge Brother Long, right?"
"No, I really came to thank him."
In the past, Long Ge's gang bullied Zhu Changyu a lot. Although the tall guy didn't take action, he stood by and watched, which was not a good thing either. Zhu Changyu didn't want to talk to him anymore. "Do you want to go out by yourself? Or do you want me to kick you out?"
Zuo Xiaole didn't force him to stay. He said politely, "Excuse me."
Lin Luo watched him walk out of the store with his back hunched, and lied, "I have something to do, so I'll leave first."
"Yeah." Xu Yangyang replied.
Lin Qiao walked out of the store. Before Zuo Xiaole had gone far, she stopped him and asked, "Why are you thanking Fu Xingchuan?"
"He's my benefactor." Zuo Xiaole recalled the past, "My parents didn't care about me before. I was young and ignorant, so I just followed the gangsters..."
Seeing Lin Qi's confused look, he stopped. "Sorry, let me start from the main point. At that time, everyone in Changlin Lane knew that Fu Xingchuan was the boss. He had a strong hand and a powerful family. Even thugs had to avoid him. I accidentally discovered his secret and thought I was doomed. Who knew that Fu Xingchuan not only didn't teach me a lesson, but instead helped me escape from the evil forces and get on the right path."
"What secret?" Lin Luo was curious.
Zuo Xiaole didn't say anything, so Lin Luo confessed to him, "I'm Fu Xingchuan's wife, can't you tell me?"
His eyes widened. "It seems all the more appropriate to tell you. Do you know her?"
"who?"
"Tong Xiuyuan's daughter Tong Yun."
Lin Luo nodded.
"Tong Xiuyuan was a gambler who borrowed money at high interest rates and refused to pay it back. He was nowhere to be found, which angered the gang leader. Brother Long was ordered to find Tong Xiuyuan, but he refused to see him. He assumed Tong Xiuyuan would return home, so he set his sights on his daughter."
Lin Luo bit her lip and blood seemed to come out. She smelled a fishy smell in her nose.
"But later, Fu Xingchuan admitted that Tong Yun was his girlfriend, and Brother Long stopped bullying her. I accidentally overheard the conversation between Fu Xingchuan and Tong Yun and realized that they were liars and that they were just classmates. Fu Xingchuan said that to protect her."
"I later asked him why he did that. He was kind enough to help out classmates he didn't know well. He said he didn't have good intentions, he did it for another girl, because he didn't want her to cry because of her friend's experience."
The sun was so dazzling that Lin Luo fluttered her eyelashes.
"That girl should be you!" Zuo Xiaole said with a smile.
Lin Luo raised her head and saw Zhu Changyu standing behind her, looking at her with a unhappy expression. Did he hear everything?
The screen of the phone in his hand lit up, it was a call from Fu Xingchuan.
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