But wasn’t Yu Jinxiao’s daughter…?

Even though the store clerk thought about it, he couldn’t bring himself to say the word “dead,” as if fearing Yu Jinxiao would somehow sense it and come back to deal with him.

After purchasing the gifts, Yu Jinxiao and Yu Yuanyuan returned home, where everything was almost set up. The cake, drinks, and desserts were ready, and the house was beautifully decorated for the birthday party.

Yu Yuanyuan looked at the dazzling decorations and spun around in excitement, her eyes reflecting the table full of delicious treats.

“Miss Yuanyuan, weren’t you planning to wear that white dress? You can go upstairs and change now,” Aunt Chen said with a smile, picking her up to help her get ready.

Little Yuanyuan needed to make a grand entrance!

Aunt Chen braided her slightly wavy hair into a small braid on the left side, securing it with a sparkly heart-shaped hair clip. She wore simple pink shoes and the white dress, making her look like a young movie star ready to step in front of the cameras.

“Wow, Miss Yuanyuan looks adorable today!” Aunt Chen clasped her hands, almost speechless from how cute the little one looked.

Not long after, Yu Mingxi returned, and soon, all the invited classmates began to arrive at the villa.

To give everyone time to prepare for the surprise, Yu Jinxiao had specifically instructed the driver to take a longer route with Yu Yingze. Once in the car, Yu Yingze usually got absorbed in his games, unlikely to notice the detour.

Once everyone had gathered, Yu Jinxiao made the call to bring Yu Yingze home.

Everyone, now feeling like they were part of a special mission, got into position with perfect coordination. Everything was set—

They were just waiting for Yu Yingze to come back.

The sound of an engine could be heard at the front gate.

Those holding the confetti poppers quickly hid behind the door, with even little Yuanyuan clutching one.

The popper was bigger than her hand, and her eyes were wide with excitement as she anticipated being the first to fire it when her second brother walked through the door.

Yu Yingze had already made peace with the fact that no one was going to celebrate his birthday this year. Even though it upset him, he wasn’t the type to voice his feelings. His pride prevented him from asking for affection, so he buried his disappointment deep inside.

He sighed softly as he opened the door… and immediately sensed that something was off.

It was quiet. Too quiet.

Normally, he’d hear the sounds of servants working. But today, the house was eerily still, like no one was home, not even a whisper.

Just as he was about to investigate, there was a loud bang as a confetti popper went off.

Then came the second, the third, and the fourth…

Yu Ying Ze stood frozen, covered in glitter and confetti, with his hair and shoulders sparkling under the lights.

“Happy Birthday, Yingze!!” The kids rushed up to him, surrounding him with joy and laughter, while he stood there, still in shock.

Why… was this happening?

His heart raced as everything around him felt like a dream. It was as if this beautiful moment had been dropped into his lap unexpectedly, and he found it hard to breathe.

His blood rushed through his veins, his hands trembled with excitement, and his nose stung as he tried to hold back tears.

Barely managing to suppress the overwhelming urge to cry, Yu Yingze’s eyes turned red as he choked out, “You guys…”

“Make way, make way!” A small, pitiful voice came from below. Yu Yuanyuan was still holding her confetti popper. “I haven’t set mine off yet!”

The other kids kindly made space, with over a dozen pairs of eyes now focused on the little one.

Dressed in her white dress, Yu Yuanyuan held the popper, her little brows furrowed in concentration as she tried with all her might to pull the string.

Five seconds passed…

The popper still didn’t go off.

Feeling defeated, Yuanyuan looked sadly at her small hands, her lips trembling into a wavy line of disappointment.

Yu Yingze glanced at her dress and suddenly realized the true reason she’d asked him to help her pick an outfit last night. He knelt down and hugged her tightly, using the embrace to hide his teary eyes.

Taking advantage of the hug, Yuanyuan gave him a big squeeze. “Second Brother, happy birthday!”