My Straight Childhood Friend Successfully Pursued Me After The Breakup - Chapter 10

A clear, “keng keng keng” sound immediately drew the attention of the two people in the classroom.

Zuo Xian was sitting by the window, so the moment of surprise that flashed across her brow and her subconscious look toward Xue Shuangxi were exceptionally clear in the sunset glow.

Tao Ran’s expression remained calm, but the hand hanging by her side tightened slightly.

“Ranran,” Zuo Xian jogged over, “why were you so fast today?”

“Fast?” Tao Ran smiled, “It’s about the same as usual.”

Zuo Xian seemed to have something on her mind and didn’t bother to refute Tao Ran. She stammered, “That… how about we don’t go straight home today?”

“Then where do you want to go?”

Xue Shuangxi suddenly popped out from behind, grinning as she looked at Tao Ran, “Happy birthday, Tao Ran! If Zuo Xian hadn’t told me it was your birthday today, I almost would have missed it.”

Tao Ran offered a polite smile, “Thank you.”

“Since we know it’s your birthday, we naturally have to give you a gift.”

Xue Shuangxi suggested, “Do you like small animals? I know a newly opened cat café nearby. I’ll treat you both to go play there, how about that as a birthday gift?”

Hearing ‘cat café,’ Tao Ran glanced at Zuo Xian. She knew Zuo Xian loved fluffy small animals the most.

Sure enough, Zuo Xian’s eyes were sparkling with anticipation.

Tao Ran curled her lips, her slender eyelashes concealing the emotions in her eyes. Her tone was a little too flat.

“Sounds good.”

Xue Shuangxi’s recommendation for the cat café wasn’t random; its environment and the friendliness of the cats were probably among the best in the whole of Lu City.

Warm yellow light shone down from the ceiling, illuminating the cats’ soft fur, making one instinctively want to pet them.

It was Friday, and the cat café was particularly busy with students, most of whom hadn’t changed out of their uniforms. They all wore the smiles of cat-slaves, chasing after their cat masters and feeding them.

Xue Shuangxi was one of them. She was completely immersed in the joy of being surrounded by cats, oblivious to everything else.

Tao Ran sat on a bench, holding a small dish of cat treats. A group of kittens sat in front of her. Each time, she precisely threw a small treat into the mouth of a young Golden Shaded cat.

After a few repetitions, the other cats raised their tails and walked away toward other human cat-slaves.

The Golden Shaded cat rubbed into Tao Ran’s arms, purring and fawning over her. Tao Ran stroked it twice casually, but her eyes drifted toward another spot.

In the corner of the cat café, Zuo Xian’s treats had long been snatched up. She hadn’t asked the staff to buy more.

If a cat passed by, she would pet it. If there were no cats, she would squat there, tapping her empty little food bowl.

Every now and then, she would take out her phone to look, as if waiting for someone’s message.

Who else could it be?

Tao Ran’s gaze shifted to Xue Shuangxi, only to find that she was still feeding the cats with a beaming smile.

It wasn’t her.

Other than Xue Shuangxi, was there anyone else?

Suddenly, Zuo Xian stood up, her face full of delight, and walked toward Tao Ran.

“Ranran, I think we’ve played for a while now. How about we go home?”

Zuo Xian was never good at hiding things since childhood. Tao Ran could see the tension and excitement on her face instantly, yet she was trying hard to pretend nothing was happening.

Tao Ran roughly guessed that the watch in her backpack was not the only gift.

Bringing her to the cat café was just a way to stall for time.

Her gloomy mood instantly cleared up like the sky after rain. Tao Ran couldn’t help but curve her lips, and she responded, “Okay.”

The two said goodbyes to Xue Shuangxi, who was reluctant to leave the kittens. Aunt Li’s car was already parked outside the cat café. When they got into the car, Aunt Li looked at Tao Ran through the rearview mirror.

She smiled, “Happy birthday, Ranran.”

Aunt Li hadn’t known it was Tao Ran’s birthday that morning. Had she just gone home to prepare a surprise for Zuo Xian? Tao Ran couldn’t help but wonder.

She wanted to ask Zuo Xian, but looking at her bright, sparkling eyes, Tao Ran couldn’t bear to ruin the surprise she had specially prepared for her.

The sedan returned to the upscale residential community where the two lived at the fastest speed permitted within the city’s limit. Tao Ran pressed the button for the fifth floor.

Zuo Xian was giggling, her hands behind her back, seeming to have completely forgotten to keep up the pretense.

Tao Ran then pressed the button for the sixth floor, meticulously playing the act to the end.

“Ding dong—”

The elevator door opened. Zuo Xian closely followed Tao Ran out of the elevator and pushed the girl toward the door.

“Want to come to my house for dinner?” Tao Ran turned her head and chuckled softly.

Zuo Xian’s smile could no longer be hidden. Her row of white teeth was very noticeable in the somewhat dim hallway.

“Yeah, yeah, hurry up and open the door, I’m starving.”

“I know.”

With the sound of the fingerprint lock music, Tao Ran pushed the door open, and the room was completely dark.

Suddenly, the bedroom door opened. The flickering candlelight reflected Jiang Ningxiu’s gentle brows as she walked closer and closer.

“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you…” The girl behind her happily sang the birthday song.

Tao Ran stood stunned; her mind blank. After a long while, the corners of her mouth curved slightly, her smile hiding a grievance she had never spoken aloud.

The birthday girl secretly held back the tears at the corners of her eyes and blew out the candles under the gentle gaze of everyone present.

“Pop,” the living room light turned on.

It wasn’t just Jiang Ningxiu; Zuo Zhimi, who had watched Tao Ran grow up, was also there.

Zuo Zhimi was wearing formal attire, looking like she had just rushed over from the company. Jiang Ningxiu was probably also hurrying to make it on time.

After everyone happily finished dividing the cake, Tao Ran and her mother, Jiang Ningxiu, walked toward the balcony. Zuo Xian guessed they probably had some private conversation to have, watching their retreating figures.

A sudden weight pressed onto her shoulder. Zuo Xian tilted her head and bumped foreheads with Zuo Zhimi.

Zuo Zhimi smiled, “Xianzai, how was it? Didn’t Mom keep her word? Not only did I come on time, but I also managed to persuade Aunt Jiang to come.”

“You kept your word, you kept your word, Mom is the best.” Zuo Xian said happily, “Ranran must be very happy.”

“You child, I just wanted to hear you praise me a little, but your mind is always full of Ranran.”

“Oh, it’s Ranran’s birthday today.”

The mother and daughter chatted intimately for a while. Zuo Zhimi had been busy with work lately and hadn’t had a chance to properly care for her good daughter for a long time.

Now, she was stealing a moment of leisure, finally able to chat with Zuo Xian.

However, after only talking for a bit, Zuo Xian started worrying that the dishes on the table would get cold.

Those were all prepared by a specially invited five-star chef; it wasn’t that she cared about the cost of the few dishes, but she wanted everything for Tao Ran’s birthday to be perfect.

“I’ll go call Ranran and Aunt Jiang for dinner.” Zuo Xian hesitated for a moment, planning to sneak a peek at the two of them.

If they were crying and hugging, then the food getting cold wouldn’t matter; they weren’t short of money.

If they were just chatting, then she would invite them in to chat slowly at the dinner table.

Zuo Xian tiptoed to the balcony door. The door was not closed, and Aunt Jiang’s voice slipped into Zuo Xian’s ears through the gap.

“Ranran, be honest with your mother. Is the reason you insist on staying in Lu City and not going abroad because of Xianzai?”

“…Yes.” Tao Ran pursed her lips.

Jiang Ningxiu’s eyes deepened, “If you choose this, your future path will be very difficult. It’s not too late to regret it now. I will help you.”

“Mother, I’m not afraid of hardship.”

Suddenly, rapid footsteps sounded from behind. Tao Ran and Jiang Ningxiu turned around together and saw Zuo Xian’s fleeing figure in embarrassment.