Chapter 23

Regarding Nuo Nuo’s birthday, they discussed it on WeChat for several days, also seeking the child’s opinion.

Time flew by, and soon it was Nuo Nuo’s birthday.

On the day of the birthday, Xu Ai dressed Nuo Nuo up. The little girl wore a pink cake dress and had a beautiful princess hairstyle with a big pink bow on top. Sheng Zexi was stunned by how adorable his daughter looked.

Of course, Xu Ai was also very beautiful. She wore a pink dress matching Nuo Nuo, looking like a mother-daughter outfit.

Her skin was fair, her waist slim, and dressed in pink, she looked like a princess from a fairy tale, beautiful and graceful.

Because she looked so good, Sheng Zexi couldn’t help but stare a few seconds longer. Xu Ai noticed his gaze lingering on her and frowned slightly, “Is there something wrong with me?”

Sheng Zexi shook his head and said gently, “No, you look great today.”

Xu Ai was surprised by his compliment and looked at him. Sheng Zexi was dressed in a suit, his short black hair neatly trimmed. His hair seemed a bit longer a few days ago, but now it looked freshly cut.

Realizing this, Xu Ai was a bit stunned.

Was she actually paying attention to whether his hair was cut or not?

Was she starting to pay more attention to him?

But his head wasn’t exactly hidden. Anyone who interacted with him could see it. She found comfort in this realization while checking her daughter’s things, already packed and ready. She grabbed her bag and, with her child, got into the car to head to the birthday party venue.

The birthday party was being held by the riverside in a wealthy neighborhood. Xu Ai had never been there before. The scenery was beautiful, with lush plants forming lovely floral displays along the way. There was also a large wetland park nearby, offering fresh air and a great location. Even before getting out of the car, Xu Ai could feel the refreshing, expansive atmosphere.

When they got married, this area was just being developed. Sheng Zexi seemed to have a house here, but Xu Ai preferred living elsewhere, so they never moved in.

Nuo Nuo was eagerly anticipating her birthday party, her big, pretty eyes flashing with excitement as she looked out the window. When she saw the largest, castle-like building outside, she pointed and asked her dad, “Daddy, is that where we’re going? The beautiful big castle?”

Sheng Zexi, holding the steering wheel, nodded. “Yes.”

With confirmation, Nuo Nuo immediately cupped her little face, her eyes sparkling. “Daddy, are there really many princesses in the castle?”

Sheng Zexi left a bit of mystery. “You’ll see soon enough.”

Nuo Nuo pressed her face against the window, cupping her cheeks. “I hope there are many beautiful princesses inside.”

Nuo Nuo didn’t have clear memories of previous birthdays, but she felt this one would be the best.

Her dad and mom were both there, and surely there would be many beautiful princesses because Nuo Nuo believed her dad would fulfill her birthday wish.

She didn’t know why she was so confident, but she just was.

The car soon stopped in front of the castle’s garden. When Nuo Nuo got out, she saw many princesses in elegant costumes coming to greet her—Belle, Snow White, Ariel the Mermaid, and many others she didn’t recognize. They placed a crown on NuonuoNuo Nuo’s head and escorted her into the castle.

The castle was beautifully decorated, full of children, some of whom Nuonuo knew and some she didn’t. But that didn’t matter, Nuo Nuo was cheerful and friendly, happy to see everyone at her birthday party.

She quickly spotted Pei Zhen in the crowd. He was wearing a white suit with a red bow tie, looking very handsome.

Nuo Nuo, excited to see her good friend, ran over to greet him. She almost tripped in her haste, but her dad quickly caught her. Xu Ai, also startled, hurried over to tidy her daughter’s dress and gave her a gentle scolding look.

“Nuo Nuo, today is your birthday. Look at all these people. Can’t you be a bit more reserved?”

Nuo Nuo made a cute face at her mom, grinning. “Mommy, I’m just so happy.”

Xu Ai, with a touch of helplessness in her eyes, flicked her daughter’s forehead gently before letting her go play.

When she reached Pei Zhen, Nuo Nuo’s eyes were bright with joy. “Pei Zhen, you came to my birthday! Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

Nuo Nuo had thought her dad wouldn’t invite her friends, so she was thrilled to see many familiar faces. She felt incredibly happy.

Pei Zhen scratched his head, explaining, “We wanted to surprise you.”

The surprise worked. Nuo Nuo was indeed very surprised and happy.

Her eyes curved into crescents as she smiled. “I’m so, so happy now. This is the best birthday ever. I really love it.”

Pei Zhen handed Nuo Nuo a gift. “This is for your birthday.”

Nuonuo opened the box to find a teddy bear. When she turned it on, it started singing a birthday song.

Nuo Nuo was delighted with the teddy bear and thanked Pei Zhen, her long, dark eyelashes fluttering. “Thank you. This bear is so cute.”

All the children at the party brought gifts, and Nuo Nuo received many she loved. It was a wonderful day.

Soon, the staff brought out the birthday cake. Everyone sang the birthday song for Nuo Nuo, who made a wish before starting to eat the cake.

After the cake, Nuo Nuo went to the rose arch to take pictures with the princesses. Many children gathered around to take the photos.

Nuo Nuo was happy to have everyone around. She posed with a peace sign, her eyes bright and lively, standing out even among the taller kids.

After the photos, she noticed a lonely-looking boy in a black suit with a chubby face, standing alone behind the flower bed. Curious, she ran over and asked, “Why are you here alone? Why not play with everyone?”

The boy seemed a bit timid. Seeing Nuo Nuo approach, he took a step back and explained quietly, “My brothers won’t play with me.”

Nuo Nuo scratched her head, a bit puzzled. “You came with your brothers. Why won’t they play with you?”

The boy looked dejected. “Because they don’t like me.”

Nuo Nuo thought his brothers were too mean. She reached out her hand and said, “They’re too mean. If they won’t play with you, I will. We can be good friends from now on, and you can always come find me to play. By the way, what’s your name?”

The boy stared at Nuo Nuo’s outstretched hand, a bit dazed.

His brothers excluded him from playing with everyone else, so he never had any friends. Seeing everyone else play together, he often wanted to join but feared being rejected.

When he saw Nuo Nuo, he thought she looked like a beautiful little princess. Now, this princess was reaching out to be his friend.

The boy hesitated, still not quite believing it. “Do you really want to be my friend?”

He wondered if Nuo Nuo would eventually join others in disliking him.

Having faced much unkindness at such a young age, he was wary of unprovoked kindness.

Nuo Nuo found his hesitation too much and simply grabbed his hand, leading him toward the group. “Come on, let’s go play.”