“Wife, why didn’t you turn on the lights when you’re at home?” He was greeted by the warmth of the heater the moment he walked into the kitchen. Lu Xingzhi hastily removed his military coat and walked toward the commotion in the kitchen.
“Wait, don’t come in!” Jiang Yao yelled hurriedly from the kitchen.
Lu Xingzhi’s footsteps came to a halt.
“Go back to the living room and close your eyes!” Jiang Yao shouted from the kitchen but did not come out.
Lu Xingzhi arched his brow. He had no idea what Jiang Yao was up to, so he took two steps back and stood in front of the coffee table in the living room. “It’s done.”
“Did you shut your eyes?” The person in the kitchen wanted to confirm it.
Sergeant Lu, who was standing in the living room with his eyes open, acknowledged her without hesitation. Then, he stared at the door of the kitchen with burning eyes.
Lu Xingzhi waited for a few seconds but saw no sign of Jiang Yao. Instead, he heard the crackling of a lighter in the kitchen. After a few sizzles, a faint light came from the kitchen.
Then, in his line of sight, a dim light steadily brightened up and approached the kitchen door.
A few seconds later, he noticed Jiang Yao cautiously strolling out of the kitchen with a birthday cake. She probably did not expect him to open his eyes. She raised her head and looked at him. Then her face froze, and she laughed angrily.
“I knew you wouldn’t be so honest!” If she had known sooner, she would have poked her head out to see if he had closed his eyes before taking the cake out.
That guy had her completely fooled. He even reacted loudly when she questioned if he had closed his eyes!
Jiang Yao cast a sidelong glance at Lu Xingzhi, who suddenly smiled. In his opinion, she seemed exceedingly coy, as if she were acting coquettishly.
It would be ridiculous for her to take the cake back to the kitchen and start again since she had been spotted. As a result, she could only walk toward Lu Xingzhi slowly as she held the cake and sang the birthday song.
“I went to Mrs. Lin’s mother’s house this morning to borrow their kitchen to bake you a birthday cake. I know you don’t like sweet foods, so I did not put too much sugar in it.” Jiang Yao paused in front of Lu Xingzhi with the cake in her palm. The two of them were only a cake’s width apart. “I do not know how to cook, so I can’t make the longevity noodles for you. Instead, I baked you a cake to reflect my emotions. Happy Birthday to you! Blow the candles and make a wish.”
Lu Xingzhi did not take the cake. Instead, he covered the back of Jiang Yao’s hands with both hands while she held the cake in hers.
“How many wishes can I make?” Lu Xingzhi asked.
“Three,” Jiang Yao answered.
“The first wish is to grow old with you.” Lu Xingzhi looked at the face in the candlelight. “The second wish is to have a son.”
“You don’t have to say it!” Jiang Yao exclaimed.
However, Lu Xingzhi shook his head. “I’m afraid that if I don’t say it, you won’t be able to hear me. And if I say it softly, God won’t be able to hear me.”
“The third wish…” There was a pause as the corners of his lips curled up slightly. “…is to have a daughter.”
After Lu Xingzhi paused, Jiang Yao said in a low voice, “To have a daughter.”
Unsurprisingly, the two of them did not miss a single word. She understood what was in his mind.
All three of his wishes were related to her; he was afraid that if he did not say it out loud, she would not be able to hear him.
Lu Xingzhi laughed joyfully as he listened to Jiang Yao’s whisper, which was precisely what he had said. Then he blew on all the candles in one breath. “Around this time next year, my son will blow out these candles with me.”
