Really?

Ren Suo sniffed. Using the enhancements from his Third-turn Cultivator status, the Evolution of the Cat, and Insight into the Mortal World, he actually detected a very faint fragrance.

Ren Suo had never encountered perfume before, so he could only describe it as 'good smelling,' 'naturally elegant,' and 'as intense as four Titan graphics cards on fire.' No wonder he hadn't realized it himself; he quite liked this scent.

Dong Chengling entered naturally, closed the door behind her, and placed the large cake box on the table. She surveyed the room, then sat on the sofa, her hands resting on her dark blue jeans, gazing intently at Ren Suo.

Nowadays, Dong Chengling had developed her own style of clothing. Her practical nature meant she didn't get along well with skirts. Although she looked quite flamboyant and gorgeous the few times she wore them, she eventually gave up on such troublesome attire that required safety shorts. Moreover, as a teacher, she had to set a good example.

Thus, she often wore jeans with a plain brown fitted shirt, topped with a dark vest. This made her look dignified and elegant while highlighting the perfect body curves of a Fourth Stage Female Cultivator...

Hmm? Ren Suo suddenly felt something was off—why was he subconsciously critiquing a girl's clothing style now? He usually only had descriptors like 'good-looking,' 'okay,' or 'ugly.' For men, he'd use exclusive terms like 'explosively stupid,' 'flashy,' 'dumbass,' 'likely to get beaten up nine times just buying cigarettes,' 'bound to be interrogated by the police the moment he steps outside,' or 'could rely on a Rich Lady to make a fortune.' Now, why did so many compliments spring to mind when he looked at Dong Chengling? Could it be that aesthetic appreciation and the ability to compliment increased the longer one was single?

Clearing other thoughts from his mind, Ren Suo sat down and asked, "Coming over so late, is there something you need?"

Dong Chengling didn't speak. She just wrinkled her nose, sniffed, and stared at Ren Suo with her clear, sparkling eyes. Her eyes gleamed like rippling water, her small mouth slightly pursed, seeming a bit upset, which caught Ren Suo off guard.

Dong Chengling always presented herself with a tranquil and serene demeanor. Her expressing dissatisfaction in this silent manner was new to Ren Suo. It made him feel as if he had committed some heinous, unforgivable sin, and he grew a bit nervous.

There was only one reason for Dong Chengling's displeasure—he had a strange smell on him. Ren Suo didn't respond directly, trying to gloss over it, but she didn't give him a chance and stayed silent, preventing the conversation from progressing.

Ren Suo averted Dong Chengling's gaze and saw the tightly closed guest room door. He remembered he had promised to help Qiao Muyi keep her presence a secret. Although Dong Chengling wasn't the type to gossip, nor would she suspect Qiao Muyi of ulterior motives towards him just because she was there... But since Qiao Muyi hadn't come out, it meant she still wanted him to keep her secret. However, Ren Suo didn't want to lie either...

Ren Suo thought for a moment. First, using 'The Demon King Returns' + 'A Thousand Miles in a Day' to think for a few seconds, he immediately came up with a strategy: use 'The Demon King Returns' + 'Enchanting Sound and Illusory Fragrance.'

Shortly after, Dong Chengling's fair and smooth face turned rosy. She blinked, speaking softly, "This fragrance..."

Ren Suo sniffed himself. He smelled a scent similar to the perfume from before but not overpowering, somewhat like the comforting smell of a sun-dried quilt—so comforting he wanted to roll around in it.

"I've been researching a Spell recently, so my body might carry other scents," Ren Suo said quite frankly, not lying.

With a flushed face, Dong Chengling nodded, and the matter was dropped. She then went to the large box and lifted the lid, revealing the birthday cake inside.

With a swipe of Dong Chengling's palm, the candles on the birthday cake instantly lit up, leaving Ren Suo flabbergasted. This was definitely not a Flame Spell, but an advanced application of the 'Spirit Shock Technique,' igniting the wicks through high-speed vibrations! First Qiao Muyi's dazzling entrance, and now Dong Chengling's effortless fire-starting; Ren Suo felt deeply ashamed of his own poor ability to show off. His control over Spells was average at best; he really couldn't apply Spells so deftly for everyday displays.

"Suo, happy birthday," Dong Chengling said. "I hope my sudden visit hasn't caused you any trouble."

"No, not at all," Ren Suo quickly shook his head. "On the contrary, I wasn't planning to celebrate or prepare any party. Since you came all this way, I don't even know how to entertain you... Thank you, Cheng Ling, you're really kind."

Looks like I'll have to remember one more person's birthday from now on...

Dong Chengling suddenly covered her mouth, looking at Ren Suo with a complex expression. "...Can you say that again?"

"What?"

"The last sentence."

Ren Suo blinked. "...Cheng Ling, you're really kind?"

Dong Chengling took a deep breath, pushed the birthday cake towards him, and said, "Blow out the candles and make a wish."

Ren Suo casually asked, "Is your way of wishing also to wait ten seconds after blowing out the candles?"

"What ten seconds?" Dong Chengling was a bit puzzled.

Ren Suo explained the wishing method Qiao Muyi had mentioned, adding, "This is a wishing method I heard about. I've never tried making a wish by blowing out candles, so I don't know the correct way."

Dong Chengling nodded thoughtfully. After pondering for several seconds, she slowly said, "...That's not the correct way to make a wish."

"Oh?"

"The correct way to make a wish is to hold the hand of a family member or friend, then blow out the candles, close your eyes, and make your wish while kissing their hand," Dong Chengling said, her voice trembling slightly. Her gaze was fixed on the candlelight, her face glowing a rosy red in its illumination.

Ren Suo exclaimed, "Is that how it is?"

"Yes," Dong Chengling nodded seriously.

"I don't think that's very good."

Dong Chengling glanced at him, her eyes blinking rapidly three or four times. She whispered softly, "Wh-why isn't it good...?"

"What if someone is alone on their birthday, without any family or friends nearby?" Ren Suo rested his chin on his hand, speaking very earnestly. "They wouldn't be able to make a wish with the cake. That would be too much of a pity..."

Watching Ren Suo, who seemed to be seriously contemplating, Dong Chengling suddenly remembered Qiao Muyi's assessment of him.

—He is a child accustomed to befriending Loneliness.

—As long as someone breaks into his heart, he's willing to open up. Is this his true self, or is he just being accommodating?

The road ahead is long and arduous... Dong Chengling smiled and said, "Then wouldn't it be fine if I just celebrated with you every year?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, Dong Chengling felt her mind go blank, her heart pounding uncontrollably. How is this different from saying 'let's be together for a lifetime'?

However, Ren Suo merely chuckled, seemingly unmoved. Dong Chengling's gaze sharpened, and she asked, "Don't you believe me?"

"I do believe you," Ren Suo shook his head. "But when I graduated from primary school, my classmates also swore to be lifelong friends... Now, I don't even remember his name, only that he once farted loudly while singing in music class. Promises, when made, are always believed to be unbreakable. And when they are broken in the future, it's genuinely because they can't be fulfilled. However, I'm still very happy because, although promises can't measure feelings or determine right from wrong, at least in the moment they're spoken, they represent true sincerity."

And please, spare me. If you really celebrate my birthday every year, then I'd have to celebrate yours every year too... Just thinking about it feels like double the trouble.

Watching Ren Suo's unconcerned expression, Dong Chengling thought for several seconds. The blush on her face faded, and she regained her usual calm. She stretched out her right hand and said softly, "Blow out the candles and make a wish."

Ren Suo blinked, realizing that the only person here who could be considered 'family or friend' was Dong Chengling. He took her hand, blew out all the candles in one breath, and made a wish. By the way, which god is responsible for fulfilling birthday wishes? Won't making two wishes in a row get me blacklisted? No, this is bad. I've said my wish out loud. Now life can pinpoint my weaknesses for a Precision strike...

Ren Suo caressed Dong Chengling's soft and tender right hand, his mind filled with all sorts of jumbled thoughts. Dong Chengling's fingers were slender; to use a cliché, 'suited for a pianist.' However, for Dong Chengling to now use these hands to slit throats and take hearts wasn't exactly a misuse.

Watching Ren Suo close his eyes and kiss the back of her hand, Dong Chengling leaned her left elbow on the table, resting her chin in her palm, a slight smile appearing on her face.

She felt that Qiao Muyi's judgment of Ren Suo might not be entirely accurate. It wasn't that Ren Suo truly lacked such feelings, but rather his standards for promises were filled with a fairy-tale-like idealism. Ren Suo was extremely demanding when it came to promises. Unless it was an extreme situation, he would only be moved but wouldn't truly believe. And if he were willing to make a promise, it would undoubtedly be after much deliberation and a sincere examination of his heart, never to be retracted. Perhaps Ren Suo never realized how subconsciously cautious he was with relationships. He had too many things that demanded his time every day: gaming, Cultivation, Spells... He was immersed in his own Minor World, unwilling to waste even a moment on those he didn't love. Maybe the thought 'Could she possibly have feelings for me?' did arise in Ren Suo's mind, but he would quickly extinguish it, thereby avoiding any time-wasting tentative actions. Although he usually didn't sweat the small stuff and didn't seem to care about much, to him, perhaps a declaration of love was tantamount to a lifetime commitment... Just like me. And he's also a person who loves cleanliness and is diligent in his Cultivation... The floor tiles are clean enough to be used as a Mirror; how much time does he spend mopping the floor every day?

Ren Suo opened his eyes and let go of Dong Chengling's hand. She immediately asked, "What did you wish for?"

Since he had already made a wish related to the game, Ren Suo's wish this time was a bit more formal: "I Hope to overcome all difficulties smoothly."

In other words, he hoped to successfully clear 'Night of the Hunt'—that was Ren Suo's only real difficulty.

Dong Chengling was quite satisfied with Ren Suo's words. She said, "Let's cut the cake then. It doesn't matter if you have no other plans; we can talk all night."

Ren Suo was taken aback. "All night?"

"Yeah, I don't have classes tomorrow."

If Dong Chengling had been hesitant about Qiao Muyi's suggestion before, she now accepted this form of competition. If Ren Suo would give equal affection to anyone who asked for it, Dong Chengling didn't want that outcome. What she wanted was for Ren Suo to voluntarily offer a lifetime vow. For that, she wanted to spend an entire night getting to know him.

CLICK.

At that moment, a small pebble hit the balcony's sliding glass door. Dong Chengling looked curiously at the balcony, while Ren Suo's expression turned oddly awkward.

After a while, the doorbell rang. Ren Suo immediately stood up and said, "It must be my sister."

The next second, Dong Chengling grabbed his hand.

She looked at him, chose her words carefully, and said, "Maybe it's not your sister... It wouldn't be good for me to be seen at your house in the middle of the night, would it?"

Ren Suo was stunned. Wait a second, that wasn't what you said when you took my Key! Why are you all suddenly so concerned about your reputations?

"Then... should you Teleport back now?" Ren Suo suggested.

Dong Chengling was not like Qiao Muyi; the concept of 'being trapped' didn't apply to her. As long as she wished, she could Teleport home in an instant.

Dong Chengling immediately shook her head. I'm using this excuse not because I want to leave, but because I want the person outside to go! Dong Chengling had long noticed Ren Xingmei's hot-and-cold attitude towards her. Sometimes Ren Xingmei would share news about Ren Suo, but more often, Ren Xingmei would deliberately reduce opportunities for Ren Suo and Dong Chengling to interact, such as urging Ren Suo to leave quickly after dinner at Dong Chengling's home. If Ren Xingmei found her at Ren Suo's House, even if she did nothing, she would definitely stay, ruining this precious evening. Simply going home wasn't an option; she needed to put enough pressure on Ren Suo to clear the obstacles for their night together! Besides, the visitor might not necessarily be Ren Xingmei...

True to her nature, Dong Chengling didn't lie and said directly, "I still want to continue celebrating your birthday. No matter who it is, first try to persuade her to go home. If she can't, let her stay at my place. I'll hide in... hide in the guest room and listen."

"Huh?"

Without waiting for Ren Suo to object, Dong Chengling picked up the cake and Teleported into the guest room!

When Dong Chengling entered the guest room, she found that although the lights were off, the room was very bright—a birthday cake with lit candles sat on the table, serving as a lamp.

"You're even more audacious than I am, with that hand-kissing stunt," Qiao Muyi said with a chuckle, her voice low. She was sitting on the bed with her legs crossed.

Seeing Qiao Muyi and the birthday cake on the table, Dong Chengling instantly understood everything. She sat on a chair in the room and, after thinking for a moment, said, "It was you, Xiao Qiao, who changed the rules first. I never expected you'd make a move like this here... Why are you hiding here?"

"Then why are you hiding here?" Qiao Muyi snorted. "I didn't expect that after I stopped discussing things with you, you'd have just as many little schemes as I do."

"It's not that I don't have these little schemes; it's just that usually, there's no one worth using them on," Dong Chengling said indifferently. "You came so late, and you don't have a ride back... Where do you plan to sleep tonight?"

Qiao Muyi raised her eyebrows slightly. She scrutinized Dong Chengling carefully, then her eyes suddenly brightened. "You... you're drooling?"

Dong Chengling subconsciously raised her hand to wipe the corner of her mouth, an action that instantly gave her away. Qiao Muyi covered her mouth with both hands, staring at Dong Chengling with disbelief. Dong Chengling's face turned so red it looked like it might drip water.

Dong Chengling pursed her lips and said softly, "He... just now, for some reason, his scent was particularly alluring, and his voice was very strange..."

"I understand, I understand." Qiao Muyi didn't mock her. Instead, she patted Dong Chengling on the shoulder and said, "It's impossible to hide it when you like someone; love just flows out like water... When you heard him say 'Cheng Ling, you're so kind,' did you feel like you were going to die from sheer excitement, wanting to just pounce on him right then and there?"

Even though they were both girls, Dong Chengling was so embarrassed by Qiao Muyi's risqué joke that she trembled all over. She turned her head and said, "Let's hear who's arrived... Hmm?"

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