After finishing their silent dinner, Chu Yi opened the fridge and took out the cake she had prepared.

As expected, Qiao Anchen was momentarily stunned. When he saw the little figure on top of the cake, he couldn’t help but laugh.

“Is this supposed to be me?” He examined it closely and then looked up at Chu Yi, his eyes shining brightly, like a simple child who could easily tug at someone’s heartstrings.

Chu Yi unconsciously softened and nodded.

“Mm-hmm! I gave the drawing to the baker. Does it look like you?”

“It does.” Qiao Anchen thought for a moment and then asked, “Is this how you see me?”

“What?”

Qiao Anchen pointed at the stern face of the little figure and asked seriously, “Am I this serious?”

Chu Yi couldn’t suppress her laughter and countered, “You really don’t know?”

“Well, okay.” Qiao Anchen thought for a moment and gave up.

They lit the candles and turned off the lights. Chu Yi urged Qiao Anchen to make a wish. He closed his eyes, then opened them again.

In the candlelight, his face was bathed in a warm glow, and as he looked at her, his eyes turned a warm shade of brown, like tea.

“This seems to be the first time I’ve made a birthday wish since becoming an adult.”

“Thank you, Chu Yi.”

The cake tasted wonderful—sweet but not overly so, with a special milky flavor. Even someone like Qiao Anchen, who doesn’t usually like sweets, ate a small piece.

Chu Yi put the rest in the fridge, intending to have it as tomorrow’s afternoon tea.

Qiao Anchen hadn’t slept well the previous night. The conditions in the countryside were limited, and the bed seemed to carry a musty smell. He got up before dawn.

Earlier, he had also drunk a bit, and his head felt even heavier now. He sat there pressing his eyes.

Chu Yi, seeing this as she closed the fridge, couldn’t help but speak up.

“Why don’t you take a shower first? I’ll just tidy up these plates quickly.”

Qiao Anchen paused at her words, thought for a moment, and then stood up.

“Don’t stay up too late cleaning. You can leave it for tomorrow.”

“Okay, you go ahead.”

Chu Yi finished cleaning the kitchen and dining table, estimating that Qiao Anchen should be done with his shower. She took out the gift she had prepared, hiding it behind her back, and quietly pushed open the bedroom door.

Inside, the lights were dim, and Qiao Anchen was lying on the bed, fast asleep, seemingly exhausted.

Chu Yi’s eyes showed disappointment as she unconsciously bit her lip.

She entered the room, gently closed the door, and placed the gift she was holding on the side table.

When Qiao Anchen woke up, sunlight was already streaming onto the terrace. As his mind cleared, the memories of last night came back to him. He turned his head and saw Chu Yi still asleep beside him. He watched her for a few seconds before carefully lifting the blanket and getting out of bed.

Just as he put on his shoes, his attention was drawn to a gift box in purple wrapping on the side table. Qiao Anchen walked over, picked it up, and noticed a note stuck to it.

It was Chu Yi’s handwriting.

— “Mr. Qiao, Happy Birthday.”

There was a little smiley face drawn afterward.

Qiao Anchen couldn’t help but smile as he untied the ribbon.

He opened the box, and inside lay a small notebook. Curious, he picked it up. The beige cover had hand-drawn illustrations and lettering.

**“Mr. Qiao’s Growth Diary”**

— Author: Chu Yi.

There was a small heart next to it.

Qiao Anchen laughed as he opened the notebook. The first picture was a hand-drawn baby, probably just a few months old, looking lively and adorable.

Next to it were some cartoon-like captions, clearly written by the author.

(Ah, so cute!!! / Starry eyes)

Flipping further, he saw a drawing of a roughly three-year-old child wearing a cute cartoon T-shirt and overalls, with a serious expression.

(Mr. Qiao’s seriousness seems to be inborn~)

In kindergarten, when he was awarded a big red flower and a certificate by the teacher, he was holding them in his hands, looking at the camera with the same unsmiling face.

In elementary school, he was dressed in a school uniform, carrying a small backpack and wearing a red scarf. His eyelashes were long, his eyes big and bright, his lips red, and his teeth white.

By middle school, he had started to show hints of handsomeness, with one hand in his pocket and an impatient expression. He had grown taller, looking refined and elegant.

In high school, his features had become even more refined. There were four pictures of him playing basketball, and the moment he jumped to dunk was captured, his body’s lines smooth and beautiful. The captions were very excited.

(Ahhh!!! Mr. Qiao’s stunning looks!) There was also a cartoon expression drawn after the small text.

A figure hit by an arrow through a heart, clutching their chest and collapsing dramatically.

At this point, Qiao Anchen couldn’t help but glance back at Chu Yi, who was still asleep in bed, and shook his head with a smile.

The later pages depicted his university, graduate school, and work life. He hadn’t taken many photos in recent years, with the last drawing showing him in his second year as a prosecutor.

It was his first time handling a high-profile case, and the suspect was successfully convicted and sentenced.

That day, at the courthouse steps, a colleague took a photo of him.

Chu Yi had drawn it almost exactly, enhancing the scene and characters a bit.

On the majestic steps of the courthouse, he stood tall in his prosecutor’s uniform, smiling slightly, holding documents in his arms, and giving a thumbs-up with his left hand.

The sky in the background was vast and blue, with clouds like a painted scroll.

Qiao Anchen looked at the familiar yet slightly unfamiliar version of himself in the drawing. Holding the small sketchbook, his chest filled with a strange, bittersweet feeling, a complex emotion he had never experienced before.

—