To prepare for his street stall, Li Wenshui dressed modestly today. In the scorching summer heat that made even breathing unbearable, he wore a woven straw hat, a thin short-sleeved shirt, faded and tattered sky-blue denim shorts, and an unremarkable pair of black flip-flops.

The wealthy young men and women attending Liang Jin’s birthday party had never seen someone dressed so plainly at such an event. If Pei Zhi hadn’t brought him in and if Li Wenshui didn’t have some good looks, they might have mistaken him for a janitor. Curious, disdainful, and scornful gazes all focused on Li Wenshui.

Li Liyan asked in surprise, “What are you doing here?”

Ji Xingzhou frowned. “Here to work, maybe?” He was barely shy of outright asking if Li Wenshui was there as cleaning staff.

Li Wenshui and Ji Xingzhou worked at the same influencer company. One was a washed-up internet celebrity the company had abandoned, while the other was a rising star being heavily promoted. The two occasionally crossed paths in the office, but someone like Li Wenshui wouldn’t have even caught Ji Xingzhou’s attention.

This was the first time Ji Xingzhou had spoken to Li Wenshui, and his words were filled with hostility.

Li Wenshui knew his outfit wasn’t presentable and that, compared to everyone else, he looked like a joke. Without branded clothes as armor, his gaze flickered, and he nervously fidgeted with his shirt behind his back.

But soon enough, he raised his chin, unyieldingly returning the stares of those around him. He straightened his nervous back and confidently retorted, “Why shouldn’t I be here? It’s just a birthday, isn’t it?”

Li Wenshui’s beautiful face radiated pure self-assurance.

Li Liyan questioned, “Liang Jin invited you?”

Though Li Wenshui had only learned about the invitation five minutes ago, it didn’t stop him from pretending otherwise. “Of course. Why would I be here without an invitation?”

Li Liyan didn’t believe him. First, Liang Jin and Li Wenshui had minimal interaction, and second, based on what he knew about Li Wenshui, if he’d truly been invited, he would have dressed to impress.

“What gift did you bring for Liang Jin?” Li Liyan asked.

Faced with Li Liyan’s relentless attempts to expose him, Li Wenshui’s palms began to sweat, and his heartbeat quickened. Outwardly, though, he maintained an air of confidence, patting the cloth shoulder bag slung across his body. The tiramisu box inside emitted the telltale crinkle of cheap plastic.

“Do you want to see it?” Li Wenshui retorted sharply. “It’s not your birthday. Who are you interrogating? Even the security guards don’t talk as much as you do.”

Liang Jin had been quietly watching Li Wenshui’s performance all along. He neither exposed him nor affirmed anything. His silence, to outsiders, was tantamount to tacit approval.

Everyone was puzzled as to why Liang Jin would invite someone so sharp-tongued and seemingly ill-mannered. Pei Zhi had initially wanted to see how Liang Jin and Li Wenshui would react to each other. The result? One calmly lied without flinching, and the other showed no reaction at all.

What would have been an awkward situation for anyone else was smoothly maneuvered through by Li Wenshui. Pei Zhi couldn’t figure it out. Wasn’t Li Wenshui upset that Liang Jin was celebrating his birthday behind his back? If he truly liked Liang Jin, he should have been unhappy. But why was he so calm?

And if he didn’t like Liang Jin and was only in it for the money, why had he stuck around for a month when Liang Jin hadn’t given him any benefits? What was his reason?

Li Wenshui looked at Liang Jin and kept up his pretense. “Happy birthday.”

Liang Jin nodded in acknowledgment, accepting the wish. “Thank you.”

Li Liyan and Ji Xingzhou both looked a bit displeased.

Li Wenshui turned and headed straight for the dessert section, wiping his sweaty palms on his shorts.

Some of the crowd dispersed, but many others continued to surround Liang Jin, showering him with birthday wishes. Pei Zhi sidled up to Liang Jin and tapped his wine glass. “I thought you’d be unhappy with him showing up.”

“Why would I be unhappy?” Liang Jin replied, glancing at Li Wenshui, who was enjoying cake with a delighted expression. “It’s just one more mouth to feed. If I were truly unhappy, I’d give you what you wanted. But I’m waiting for Zhou Qi’s plane.”

Pei Zhi: “…” He regretted betting against someone with such a strong competitive streak!

Li Wenshui had picked out a variety of small cakes and found a quiet window to enjoy them. The banquet hall was filled with an overwhelming array of food and drinks, but Li Wenshui only ate the cake. He made mental notes of the ones he liked, packed them into a plastic bag, and stored them in his cloth bag, planning to study their ingredients later at home.

A hot summer breeze drifted in through the window as he ate his cake, surveying the surroundings. The venue was clearly a place designed for hosting lavish events. It was spacious and luxurious, with a dance floor flanked by a giant LED screen and rows of comfortable sofas resembling a mini cinema. On the other side of the dance floor were various entertainment facilities—mahjong tables, pool tables, arcade machines—and outside was a massive swimming pool.

The guests at Liang Jin’s party were almost all young people, reveling in pleasure. It felt less like a birthday celebration and more like a playground for the wealthy elite. As the center of attention, Liang Jin was constantly surrounded by people eager to curry favor. The sheer number of gifts he received required carts to transport them away.

This was what a wealthy person’s birthday looked like: extravagant gifts, countless well-wishes, and respect from others for doing nothing at all.

Li Wenshui thought about his own birthday, which could only be described as simple and impoverished.

As he was lost in thought, someone approached him with a glass of red wine. “Hello, care for a drink?”

When dressed in branded clothes, Li Wenshui often attracted admirers. He hadn’t expected that even in such plain attire, someone would hit on him. As usual, he declined. He never accepted drinks from strangers.

Not long after, a few others also approached him. Some were curious about his relationship with Liang Jin, while others asked for his number. Li Wenshui turned and walked away.

He found a seat on a bench by the pool, watching the wealthy heirs swimming carefree, oblivious to any worries.

Someone swam to the edge of the pool and called out to him, “Get me a drink, would you?”

Li Wenshui was about to explain that he wasn’t a server, but upon seeing the person’s face, he handed over a drink from a tray without protest. This was someone he couldn’t afford to offend.

Zhou Qi took the drink and leaned against the edge of the pool. “I bet Liang Jin didn’t tell you it was his birthday, did he? Otherwise, you wouldn’t have shown up dressed like this. You’re with him, yet you don’t know anything. Doesn’t it bother you?”

Li Wenshui froze. Zhou Qi knew, too.

Noticing the surprise in the little beauty’s eyes, Zhou Qi explained, “So far, it’s just me, Pei Zhi, and Su Yangqiu who know.” Su Yangqiu had bet for too short a duration, and Liang Jin had already won his card. Zhou Qi, however, had the longest bet—three months.

Zhou Qi wasn’t as hung up on winning or losing as Pei Zhi. He simply found the situation amusing and was curious about how Li Wenshui would behave in this “experiment.”

“Liang Jin, how should I put this?” Zhou Qi smoothed back his hair. “Sometimes, he’s pretty nice to you, isn’t he? Or maybe he gives you just enough to make you think there’s more sweetness to come?

“But you haven’t been exposed to his social circle, so you don’t realize he’s like this with everyone. Seemingly affectionate but truly indifferent—that’s the scary part.”

Zhou Qi paused, looking at the silent Li Wenshui, and smiled. “But that also makes it easier to attract little beauties. Maybe it’s a natural talent of his. Sigh! Why don’t I have that kind of talent?”

Zhou Qi’s words were clear to Li Wenshui—he was basically warning him not to expect any benefits from Liang Jin, a paternalistic attempt to dissuade him from continuing this path.

Li Wenshui felt dissatisfied. I’m not even with you, so why does it concern you? The more Zhou Qi looked down on him, the more stubborn he became. He refused to let Zhou Qi have his way.

“Zhou Qi,” Li Wenshui leaned in, his bright eyes staring straight at him. “I genuinely like him. It’s not about the money.”

Whether this was true or false, Zhou Qi, who had met countless people, couldn’t tell. Maybe it was because the beautiful face was too close, muddling his thoughts and clouding his judgment.

“Alright then,” Zhou Qi patted Li Wenshui on the thigh, “let’s see how long you last.”

Zhou Qi climbed out of the pool, put on a bathrobe, and walked away.

The breath Li Wenshui had been holding slowly exhaled. Dealing with Liang Jin’s friends was even more exhausting. These people were arrogant and condescending, their words laced with disdain and distrust.

“Li Wenshui.”

The voice was full of displeasure.

Li Wenshui’s relaxed posture stiffened again. He turned his head to see Ji Xingzhou walking toward him, his face filled with irritation.

“What is it?” Li Wenshui stood up, his sharp gaze fixed on Ji Xingzhou.

Ji Xingzhou had already heard rumors about a washed-up internet celebrity with a bad temper trying to latch onto Liang Jin. He had scoffed at the thought, dismissing it as a joke. What kind of person does Liang Jin even like? How could he possibly fall for an insignificant, low-class internet celebrity like this?

But today, Liang Jin had actually invited this so-called internet celebrity to his birthday party. Not only that, when the internet celebrity confronted Li Liyan, Liang Jin didn’t seem angry. In fact, he had smiled.

Earlier, Ji Xingzhou had his first close look at Li Wenshui. The stunning appearance gave him a rare sense of threat.

Now, this internet celebrity was raising his chin proudly, acting even more self-assured than him. Ji Xingzhou found it utterly infuriating.

“Is there any point in pestering Liang Jin over and over again? You’ve got hands and feet. You should rely on your own efforts instead of trying to latch onto a rich man. Don’t you feel ashamed?”

“And who gave you your good opportunities?” Li Wenshui’s retort hit Ji Xingzhou’s sore spot with precision. “Did you rely on your own efforts to cling to Liang Jin? Liang Jin’s already broken up with you. What right do you have to stake a claim over him? When it comes to being shameless, we’re pretty even.”

Li Wenshui paused, staring at Ji Xingzhou’s lips, trembling in anger. He slowed his tone, adding, “No, actually, you’re even more shameless than I am.”

Ji Xingzhou’s assistant glared at Li Wenshui fiercely. “Don’t you want to keep your job at the company? Shut up!” He quickly tried to calm Ji Xingzhou down. Ji Xingzhou was infamous for his terrible temper, and if he lost it, he wouldn’t care about the situation or location. The company had to spend a fortune each year buying out videos of his public outbursts.

It was also because he couldn’t control his emotions and had dared to throw a tantrum at Liang Jin that Liang Jin had broken up with him.

“Xingzhou, don’t get mad. There are people everywhere. It wouldn’t look good if someone caught it on camera.”

Having been pampered all his life, Ji Xingzhou wasn’t used to being mocked so bluntly. He yanked the sunglasses hanging from his collar and threw them at Li Wenshui.

“Who gave you the right to talk to me like this? What do you think you are?”

The heavy sunglasses hit the bridge of Li Wenshui’s nose, leaving his mind momentarily blank. A sharp pain surged to his brain in waves.

His eyes reddened, tears welling up uncontrollably. For someone who prided himself on never shedding tears in front of others, the physical reaction from the pain was beyond his control.

Ji Xingzhou pointed at him. “Suge may not be able to deal with you, but I can. With just one word, I can ruin you! Oh, and Suge said you might call the police. Go ahead if you’ve got the guts!”

In his daze, a vivid memory floated into Li Wenshui’s mind:

Three or five boys in school uniforms surrounded him, dumping the contents of his backpack—books and pencil case—onto the ground. One of them threw the backpack at him, sneering, “What’s this trash? Your mom can’t even afford to buy you a proper bag?”

Someone opened the pencil case, and one by one, the pens were crushed underfoot, accompanied by malicious laughter: “You forgot, he doesn’t have a mother!”

A person squatted in front of him, yanking his hair, eyes wide as if they might pop out: “Aren’t you going to report this to the teacher? Go ahead, report it! Do it!” The metal pencil case was slammed onto his nose, and blood started pouring down. The person pointed at him with a sharp voice: “If you’ve got the guts, report me! My family’s rich. Do you believe my dad can make sure you’ll never study again?”

The terrifying smirk of the boy in front of him overlapped with Ji Xingzhou’s face. Li Wenshui felt like his blood was flowing backward, cold from his fingertips to the soles of his feet. His anger surged, and his body, uncontrollably, ran towards Ji Xingzhou, forcefully pushing him.

Ji Xingzhou looked utterly stunned. He hadn’t expected Li Wenshui to push him, nor had he expected him to have such strength. His body lost balance, falling backward with a splash into the pool.

People around looked over, and Ji Xingzhou, who couldn’t swim, began choking on the water, flailing helplessly. His assistant cursed at Li Wenshui before jumping into the pool to pull him out.

Li Wenshui’s fingers trembled uncontrollably as he looked at the broken sunglasses on the ground, his foot having crushed them. Ji Xingzhou barely resurfaced when a piece of cake splattered across his face.

Ji Xingzhou shouted, “You—!”

Li Wenshui grabbed a bottle of red wine and threw it at him, gritting his teeth, his eyes filled with anger. “Who told you to hit my nose!”

“Li Wenshui, are you crazy!” the assistant shouted.

The pool was filled with cake and red wine, and the people in the pool quickly climbed out, gathering around to watch the spectacle.

Li Wenshui’s obsession with his nose made people suspect that his perfect, high-bridged nose might be fake. If not for the assistant intervening, Ji Xingzhou could have been badly hurt.

By the time Liang Jin arrived, Ji Xingzhou had already been helped out of the pool by his assistant.

Li Wenshui took a moment to calm down, his eyes still red, like an angry cat with its fur standing on end.

“Young Master Liang, I’m truly sorry,” the assistant apologized immediately. “Xingzhou just said a few words to him, and we don’t know what happened, but he not only pushed Xingzhou into the pool but also threw things at him.”

Liang Jin walked past Li Wenshui, briefly holding his cold hand with a sigh and a hint of amusement in his smile: “Baby, you really know how to stir up trouble.”

Li Wenshui was even angrier. Who’s stirring up trouble? It was clearly Ji Xingzhou who started it! If anyone was looking for trouble, it was him! Why did they jump to conclusions without asking him what happened?

Liang Jin took the towel from the maid and draped it over Ji Xingzhou’s shoulders, speaking in a friendly tone: “Go change your clothes. Don’t catch a cold.”

Ji Xingzhou glared at Li Wenshui. “I want him to apologize.”

Li Wenshui was confident in his position. “Not going to happen.”

Liang Jin’s smile faded slightly. He leaned close to Ji Xingzhou and whispered something in his ear.

Ji Xingzhou snorted angrily and stormed off. Liang Jin glanced at Li Wenshui, still glaring at him, before turning and leaving.

Li Wenshui didn’t want to stay there any longer either. As he was about to leave, two security guards blocked his path.

“Sorry, please come with us.”

Li Wenshui was furious. “Why?”

The security guards were respectful, but didn’t budge. “Please don’t make things difficult for us.”

Li Wenshui was silent.

Li Wenshui was led by security to another villa not far away. This villa seemed like a place where people lived.

The security guard guided him upstairs and stopped at a door. “Please,” he said. Li Wenshui hesitated for a moment before pushing the door open.

The room was large, with a comfortable sofa and an entire wall of red wine. So rich people actually dedicate a room just for storing wine? The houses where wine lives are even better than his. In this world, wine is more important than people.

Thinking this, Li Wenshui felt even worse. He sat on the sofa, not understanding why Liang Jin had detained him. Was it to force him to apologize to Ji Xingzhou? Or was it to punish him for ruining the birthday party? Or perhaps to make him pay for dirtying the pool?

Li Wenshui felt restless. He suddenly stood up and walked to the door. The door wasn’t locked, and the security guard by the door looked at him.

“…”

Li Wenshui reluctantly returned to the room. He anxiously paced around twice before finally stopping in front of the wine cabinet. He casually chose a bottle of wine and opened it. He wasn’t good at drinking and rarely drank, afraid of getting drunk and being taken advantage of. But now, he drank it all at once, the cold liquid entering his stomach and easing his anxiety.

As the party was breaking up, Liang Jin opened the wine storage room door, and the aroma of wine filled the air. A bottle of red wine was on the coffee table, and the young man on the sofa was holding a bottle of wine, his head drooping and still.

Liang Jin walked up to Li Wenshui and grabbed his arm. Surprisingly, Li Wenshui wasn’t asleep. He jerked his hand back, mumbling loudly, “Don’t… don’t touch me. I can go home on my own. I want to go home.”

“Look at who I am,” Liang Jin said, now holding Li Wenshui around the waist.

Li Wenshui, like a startled cat, desperately pushed him away. “Don’t… My dad will come pick me up soon, and… and my boyfriend, he’s really strong. If you bully me, you’ll regret it.”

Liang Jin smirked. Even at a time like this, he was still lying and threatening him. He spoke softly, “Who is your boyfriend?”

“Liang Jin,” Li Wenshui swayed, his body feeling limp, as if he had no bones. “Be careful, he might break your legs!”

Liang Jin smiled and lifted his chin, leaning in close to Li Wenshui, staring into his drunken eyes. “Then who am I?”

Li Wenshui, still a bit dazed, thought for a long time before finally recognizing him. “Liang… Liang Jin.”

“Now, can you come with me?” Liang Jin wrapped his arm around Li Wenshui’s waist and lifted him off the sofa, exposing a large stretch of his bare, white waist.

Li Wenshui suddenly fell silent. He turned his head away from Liang Jin and refused to cooperate in standing up.

Liang Jin felt like he was holding a lazy koala. “Didn’t you just look for me earlier? Now you’re angry?”

He supported Li Wenshui’s round, firm buttocks with one hand, looking at his cute, drunken face.

Li Wenshui’s eyes gradually turned red, his head lowered as he remained silent.

Liang Jin sat back on the sofa, with Li Wenshui’s legs draped over his waist, facing him in his arms.

“You cause trouble, and now you’re feeling wronged?”

Li Wenshui blinked and angrily raised his voice, “How did I cause trouble? It was Ji Xingzhou who threw his sunglasses at my nose! It’s all swollen now! You didn’t even ask me the reason!”

Even when drunk, he still had a sharp tongue.

Liang Jin gently stroked the slightly swollen bridge of Li Wenshui’s nose, and a hint of displeasure, which even he didn’t realize, appeared in his eyes. He kissed Li Wenshui’s slightly puckered lips. “He went too far, but I’m not blaming you.”

“Then why did you lock me up?” This soft kiss seemed to unlock the feeling of grievance in Li Wenshui’s heart. His eyes reddened, and tears welled up. “I… I can apologize to Ji Xingzhou, but can you not make me pay for the pool? I don’t have money…”

What was this about? He hadn’t even asked Li Wenshui to pay. Liang Jin found it both funny and helpless. He pulled Li Wenshui closer. “No need to apologize, and no need to pay.”

“Really… really?” Li Wenshui raised his head, his almond-shaped eyes wide and soft, clear and bright.

Liang Jin didn’t answer immediately. He glanced at Li Wenshui’s worn-out bag. “It’s my birthday today, and you still haven’t given me a present.”

“Ah…” Li Wenshui looked embarrassed. “I don’t have one…”

“Didn’t you say you did earlier? What’s inside?”

“It’s…” Li Wenshui pulled out a box of Tiramisu that had been crushed. “It was the last one left at the stall.”

Liang Jin looked at it, and the presentation was indeed poor. He took the Tiramisu from Li Wenshui’s hands, who looked a little awkward. “It’s squashed… do you want to eat it?”

“You made this?”

“Yeah, I made it myself, with good ingredients. It’s not worse than the cake you bought for me.”

When it came to his own skills, Li Wenshui was very confident. Liang Jin usually didn’t eat food from outside, but seeing the hopeful look on Li Wenshui’s face, he opened the box and took a bite. The taste was much better than he expected.

“Not bad, right? Now I really don’t need to pay, right?”

Liang Jin laughed. “Kiss me, and I won’t make you pay.”

Li Wenshui cupped Liang Jin’s face in his hands. In his mind, he thought, He’s so good-looking. His eyes were always smiling, and his lips always upturned, just like…

“Liang Jin, do you know you look like a seal?” Li Wenshui’s hands roamed over Liang Jin’s face.

Liang Jin had heard some outsiders describe him as a wolf, a fox, or a leopard, but never as a seal. He had no idea what was going on in this little liar’s head. His hands slid along Li Wenshui’s lower back, moving upward. “Baby, hurry and kiss me.”

Li Wenshui slightly furrowed his brows. “I don’t like the nickname ‘baby.’ You have so many babies.”

“How could that be? Right now, you’re the only baby,” Liang Jin’s hand stopped on the raised vertebra of Li Wenshui’s back. “So, what do you want me to call you? Little beauty? Little kitty? Little pitiful one?”

“…” Li Wenshui muttered, “None of them are good.”

“Right.” Li Wenshui leaned in closer to Liang Jin. This time, he noticed the vivid butterfly tattoo below Liang Jin’s collarbone. His attention was immediately captured by the butterfly. He gently traced his fingers over it and asked, “Why did you get this tattoo? Does it have a special meaning?”

Liang Jin pulled away Li Wenshui’s hand, which was randomly touching things. “Aren’t you going to kiss me?”

“Fine.” Li Wenshui awkwardly pressed his lips to Liang Jin’s, rubbing them slightly.

Liang Jin held the back of Li Wenshui’s neck and deepened the kiss.

The next day, Li Wenshui woke up from his hangover, his back and waist sore, with a hand resting on his chest.

Li Wenshui turned over and found himself facing Liang Jin’s sleeping face. “…” He couldn’t quite remember what happened last night. However, one thing was certain—he had slept with Liang Jin again. Could sleeping together make up for the pool water replacement cost? Li Wenshui fell into thought.

As sunlight filtered through the curtains and fell onto the bed, Liang Jin’s sleep deepened, and he instinctively reached out to hold Li Wenshui. Finding nothing, he slowly opened his eyes and checked the time: it was 8 AM. It was rare for him to sleep this late.

Liang Jin put on his robe and walked out the door. The dining table was set with several fragrant dishes. In the kitchen, Li Wenshui, wearing an apron, was quickly chopping vegetables, his skin glowing with a warm halo under the morning light.

Liang Jin sat down at the table, resting his chin on his hand, lazily watching the incredibly capable Li Wenshui. “These things can be done by the chef.”

Li Wenshui brought out the last dish. “Try what I made.”

Under Li Wenshui’s gaze, Liang Jin picked up his chopsticks and took a bite of the vegetables, giving a fair assessment: “Not bad.” It was true, compared to the family chef, Li Wenshui’s cooking had a different flavor.

“Then…” Li Wenshui asked, “Do I still need to pay for the pool’s water replacement?”

Liang Jin stared at him, confused. He had been muttering about the pool water cost all night, and now he was asking about it again in the morning.

“Don’t you remember what I promised you last night?”

“What?” Li Wenshui looked bewildered. “I forgot.”

Liang Jin sighed, speechless.

Once again, after hearing Liang Jin explicitly say that he didn’t have to pay for the pool’s water replacement, Li Wenshui felt the weight in his heart finally lift.

Back home, Li Wenshui looked at the small stove and decided to upgrade to a larger one. But space at home was limited, so he walked around the yard before heading to the market to buy plastic sheets and supports. He set up a simple plastic shelter in the yard. Inside, he lined the walls with white wallpaper, bought a slightly imperfect long table from the second-hand market, and placed it inside the shelter. All the tools for making cakes were moved in. Li Wenshui opened his phone to record a video; if filmed from a certain angle, it was hard to tell this was in a makeshift shelter.

Li Wenqing came back from outside. “Ge, what are you thinking about now?”

“I’m thinking…” Li Wenshui, dressed in dirty work clothes and holding his aching waist, said, “I’ll try making cakes while recording some videos.”

“Sure,” Li Wenqing said, always supportive of her brother. Li Wenshui liked to tinker, and for many years, he had never stayed idle. He tried everything—some things succeeded, some failed—but he never gave up. His persistent nature was what allowed him to raise his sister this far.

For the next period of time, Li Wenshui worked at a hotpot restaurant during the day, set up a stall at the night market in the evening, and still made time to record and edit videos. He wished there were two more hours in a day. His small cakes sold well, and since he was good-looking, his stall would sell out quickly. In just a few hours, his net profit was 300 yuan. At the end of the month, he paid off the loan, and for the first time, he had 4,000 yuan left. If he saved 4,000 every month, he might be able to open a small dessert shop in a few years. A dessert shop wasn’t just his dream—it was also his mother’s dream.

That evening, after selling the cakes, Li Wenshui returned home as usual. Li Wenqing was usually already asleep at this time, but today she was still waiting for him.

“Why aren’t you asleep yet?” The weather was getting hotter, so Li Wenshui put the new fan on the bed. During the hottest days of summer, the simplest wish for the two siblings was to have air conditioning.

“Ge, did you forget what day it is today?”

“What day?” Li Wenshui thought for a while. “Is today the day you get your exam results?”

Li Wenqing sighed. When would her brother ever think about her? She walked into the kitchen and brought out a bowl of longevity noodles and a red egg.

“Today is your birthday!”

“Oh,” Li Wenshui wasn’t too concerned. He adjusted the fan and wiped the sweat from his forehead. “How many points did you get on the exam?”

Li Wenqing: “…”

“Eat first!” In such hot weather, Li Wenshui didn’t have much of an appetite, especially since he had just been with Liang Jin yesterday and his backside was still sore. But he knew that if he didn’t finish the noodles and the red egg, his sister wouldn’t tell him her score. Li Wenshui endured the discomfort and ate the noodles. Li Wenqing rested her chin on her hand, watching him. When he was almost done eating, she took a long gift box from her pocket and pushed it in front of him.

“Ge, this is for you. Take a look.”

Li Wenshui opened the box, and inside was a brand-new watch. Li Wenqing said, “Brother, the watch you liked was too expensive, so I bought one similar to it. Do you like it?”

Li Wenshui immediately put it on his wrist. How could he not like it? It was from his sister, and he liked everything she gave him.

“Gege.”

Li Wenshui looked up.

Li Wenqing broke into a big smile and loudly exclaimed, “I scored 715 points on the exam!” Li Wenshui excitedly stood up and hugged Li Wenqing, spinning her around just like when they were kids. Li Wenqing, now grown, was much heavier than before, and Li Wenshui had to hold onto the table, feeling dizzy. “That’s great! That’s great!” For a moment, all Li Wenshui could say was “That’s great!” This was the best birthday gift he had ever received!

“Qingqing, what do you want to eat? Where do you want to go play?” Li Wenshui said, while opening WeChat to share the news. He clicked on Liang Jin’s chat, and without thinking, typed: [Liang Jin, my sister scored 715 on her exam!]

Liang Jin didn’t reply, so Li Wenshui sent the message to Lin Yumo and Luo Jianan.

Luo Jianan: Wow! Your sister is amazing! Ask her what gift she wants, and I’ll buy it for her!
Lin Yumo: Awesome, is your whole family full of genius genes? She’s going to college now, she must care about beauty, right? I can teach her how to do makeup.

Li Wenshui then took a screenshot of Li Wenqing’s exam results and posted it on his Moments: My sister is amazing, so proud! [Image]

Li Liyan liked the post. The usually silent Li Liyan, who hadn’t messaged Li Wenshui in ages, unexpectedly sent a message.

Li Liyan: Ge, where do you live? I want to buy some gifts for Qingqing.

Li Wenshui had moved a few times—first, because he didn’t want them disturbing Li Wenqing, and second, because he didn’t want that family to see his hardship. Even though he had to disguise it, he wanted to show them that he could provide a good life for Li Wenqing all on his own.

Li Wenshui didn’t respond to him. He disdained Li Liyan’s insincere gestures.

This post received a lot of likes, but there was no like from Liang Jin. Li Wenshui thought for a moment and then took a picture of the watch that Li Wenqing had given him. While sharing the picture, he saw the photo of the watch he had taken at the luxury store that day. These two watches seemed to represent reality and longing. Just like how he was sitting in his dimly lit small house, the luxurious posts on his Moments also felt like a distant wish. It was the same with his birthday, which only had a bowl of plain noodles, an egg, and a watch that cost only a few dozen yuan. Liang Jin’s birthday gifts and well-wishes were more than enough. He was the reality, and the Liang Jin he yearned for was a fantasy.

Li Wenshui posted another update on his Moments—23 years old [Yay].

The picture attached was the watch Li Wenqing had bought for him.

It was the only real item in his fake moments. He wasn’t afraid of people laughing at him for wearing the cheap watch—after all, they wouldn’t recognize the brand, and besides, the watch from his sister was priceless to him.

After turning off the lights, the noise from the fan was loud. Li Wenshui couldn’t sleep, tossing and turning for a while. Just when he was about to fall asleep, his phone buzzed. Usually, at times like this, he would choose to sleep, but today, for some reason, he instinctively reached for the phone. The screen showed a message from Liang Jin.

Li Wenshui heard his heart thumping wildly. Was he nervous? After all, it was the first time Liang Jin had sent him a message. But why be nervous?

He opened the message—Liang Jin: Your sister is really amazing.

Li Wenshui thought to himself, of course, she scored 10 more points than I did in the college entrance exam.

Liang Jin: Happy birthday.

Li Wenshui didn’t know why, but he found himself rolling on the couch while holding his phone, almost dropping it on the floor. Once he calmed down, he thought about it and wondered if it would be okay to ask Liang Jin for a gift. Would a birthday gift count as a favor? He struggled with it for a while but ultimately didn’t bring it up.

He replied to Liang Jin: Did you remember to check WeChat today?

But this time, Liang Jin didn’t reply.

The next day, Li Wenshui was picking vegetables in the small garden when he heard someone calling from a distance: “Is Mr. Li Wenshui here—”

“Li Wenshui—”

“Li Wenshui, your delivery is here—”

It took Li Wenshui three tries to confirm they were calling for him. He hadn’t ordered any delivery. Moreover, the delivery fee in his area was expensive; for the same amount, he could have taken a taxi.

He pushed open the large gate, and the delivery guy, seeing him, rode his motorcycle through the mud and came up to him: “Wow, you’re really hard to find!”

“Who’s the delivery for?” The delivery guy carefully took a large cake box out of the trunk. “It didn’t say who it was for.”

The moment Li Wenshui saw the brand of the cake, he knew who it was from. The cake he received before had been a small one, but this time it was a whole eight-inch cake. Li Wenshui carried the cake inside, and just as Li Wenqing was getting up, she took it from him. Upon seeing the label, she gasped.

“Ge, this… this cake is over four thousand!”

Li Wenshui took out his phone to thank Liang Jin, thinking to himself, “How does he expect me to have such a rich stomach to eat such an expensive cake?” He wished Liang Jin could just give him a discount!

“Ge, it’s an ice cream cake! I’ve never had one before! Can we eat it now?”

“Go ahead, eat it now.”

Li Wenshui had never had an ice cream cake either; their family didn’t have a fridge, and the siblings couldn’t afford to waste money, so they ate it all. Li Wenshui had a stomach ache from the cold all day, but Li Wenqing was in better shape and had no issues.

*

In the east of the city, surrounded by mountains and rivers, is a place only the true rich of Ning City could afford. A few locals lived here, and the landscape was untouched; an entire mountain belonged to them.

Li Wenshui stood in front of a traditional Chinese mansion, the gate opened, and someone led him into the yard. The person greeting him said, “Please provide your exact birth time, down to the hour and minute.”

“I’m here for an interview.”

“Yes, the interview requires it.”

Although Li Wenshui was puzzled, he still provided his birth time.

“Wait here in the yard, don’t wander around.”

Li Wenshui had picked up another part-time job as a temple cleaner. It was just cleaning up dust and sweeping the grounds of this wealthy family’s ancestral hall, with some night shifts. The monthly salary was more than all his previous jobs combined. Wenqing was going to college, and he wanted to save more money for his sister to prevent her from being bullied at school for being poor.

After a long wait, the man who had asked for his birth time came out. “You can proceed with your employment now. Follow me.”

There was no assessment—just the birth time, and he was immediately accepted. This family seemed to be quite superstitious.

The house was large, like a garden. Li Wenshui got in the car, and the car drove for another twenty minutes before they reached the ancestral hall.

“I am the housekeeper here; you can call me Uncle Zhao,” Zhao Haiyuan said, opening the door to the hall. “The room on the east side is your living quarters. The center is the ancestral hall. You’ll need to guard it after 9 PM, and in the morning, sweep the floor by 7 AM. Don’t touch anything else. Be quiet here and don’t wander around. If you need anything else, let me know.”

“Okay,” Li Wenshui replied. He returned to his room, which was very clean and had all the necessary furniture and supplies. The ancestral hall needed someone to guard it—was this some wealthy family tradition? Li Wenshui didn’t understand.

Li Wenshui slept soundly the first night. When he woke up in the morning, he followed Uncle Zhao’s instructions, pushed open the door to the ancestral hall, and began sweeping the floor. After finishing, he looked up and saw a row of memorial tablets on a cabinet in front of him. They all had the surname Liang.

Li Wenshui pushed the door open to leave and go to his hot pot restaurant job. He didn’t wait for the car and started walking while looking for one. He unknowingly passed by a courtyard and saw Uncle Zhao. He hurried over to ask him where he could find a car, but overheard Uncle Zhao talking to someone: “Just missing the young master now.”

“Always late, He is so unmotivated. How can he accomplish anything? This time, we really need to teach him a lesson!” an old man said.

“The young master has never experienced hardship,” someone else replied.

At this point, Li Wenshui saw a car passing by and quickly got in to leave. After a full day of work, he returned to the ancestral hall around 10 PM. He pushed open the door and found the hall door was open, with a pearl-like glow inside. He walked over and looked in, seeing someone with their back to him, offering incense to the incense burner. The person turned around, and Li Wenshui immediately turned his gaze away. Wealthy families had a lot of rules—what if he got fired for looking around too much? Such a good job was rare.

The person came out and stopped in front of Li Wenshui when walking past him. Li Wenshui suddenly felt the scent on the person was familiar. He looked up and saw that it was Liang Jin.

“What are you doing here?” Liang Jin asked.

This was Liang Jin’s family’s ancestral hall?! What a coincidence.

Li Wenshui pointed to the room on the east side. “I’m here as a cleaner.”

Liang Jin replied, “…”

“Come inside,” Li Wenshui invited Liang Jin in.

Once the door closed, Liang Jin sat down and asked, “Aren’t you scared?” This place was isolated, with the cemetery right behind it.

Li Wenshui thought to himself, how could poverty be scary? If he had money, there was no way he’d be cleaning an ancestral hall.

Liang Jin tapped his fingers on the table. “You came at the right time. I might need you for something soon, and it might be a bit tough.”