{The esteemed Mr. Shen still has no shame… 3}

Yet Shen Qi was more composed than Zhao Buhui had expected.

At this point, any sensible person would know to back off rather than risk damaging their reputation and jeopardizing a fledgling business. But although Shen Qi stood at the end of a relationship, he could still calmly ask, “Do you dare compete with me fairly?”

Shen Qi had his own strong internal logic: “A real man shouldn’t take advantage of others’ vulnerabilities.”
But Zhao Buhui wasn’t influenced by others’ logic in the slightest. He rejected the idea without a second thought, saying, “I don’t compete with players who’ve already been eliminated; there’s no point.”

It seemed Qian Xu had already driven back, so the confrontation between the two men was nearing its end.

At least for now, Shen Qi didn’t want to risk further irritating her on such an unfortunate night.
As he left, he didn’t forget to leave one parting comment: “Xu Xu is wonderful, but she shouldn’t be your prize.”

“When did I ever see her as a prize?” Zhao Buhui found it absurd, watching Shen Qi leave in frustration, powerless. “To me, she has never been something to measure or weigh.”

“Were you just talking to someone?”

“No, I was just muttering to myself.”

In the past, Zhao Buhui hadn’t fully understood himself in relationships, but now he felt he was starting to. Like others, he was possessive—he even disliked mentioning other men’s names.

“Here, have something to drink. Don’t just fall asleep as soon as you get back,” Qian Xu reminded him once she was back in the car, handing him a packet of honey lemon mix. “Otherwise, you’ll wake up with a headache in the morning.”

Zhao Buhui replied, “Alright.”

But he noticed she seemed a little distracted.

She kept checking the time as if waiting for something. When the time came, she reached into the small back seat and pulled out a few golden cupcake liners with whipped cream topping each muffin. “I also grabbed some muffins. You can snack on them on the way.”

The continuous surprises left Zhao Buhui a little unprepared.

She then brought up something he had forgotten with sincerity and focus: “After midnight, isn’t it your birthday?”

When Zhao Buhui didn’t respond right away, Qian Xu hesitated, “Or is there a difference between the date on your ID and your actual birthday?”

He held the plate of muffins, feeling warmth in his palms. “No, it’s my birthday.”
The yellow light up ahead started flashing, so Qian Xu slowed down, stopping at the intersection. “Happy birthday.”

“There were plenty of desserts at Mrs. Li’s place, but I couldn’t find any candles. If you don’t mind, you can make do with these.” She had made an extra trip, which took some time, and she had picked out muffins that looked the best, though she wasn’t sure if Zhao Buhui even liked sweets.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?”

Was he disappointed that the muffins were too plain?

Did he find them lacking in brand and luxury and therefore not to his taste?

But before she could dwell on the thought, it quickly vanished when she saw him devouring the muffins.

Only a few remained, and cream was smeared at the corner of his mouth.

“No, it’s just that I haven’t celebrated my birthday in years.” Zhao Buhui glanced over at her in the driver’s seat. She was focused on driving, her expression no longer tense. In this casual setting, she had lost the professional sharpness and the sadness that surfaced around past relationships. She sat there so calmly, as if inviting him closer.

Her beauty seemed like a subtle halo around her.

“I won’t sing the birthday song; I’m tone-deaf,” Qian Xu said, turning on the car stereo to play a classic rendition of “Happy Birthday,” leaving the singing to the original artist.

At that moment, Zhao Buhui’s face lit up with a look of pure contentment.