She Gives Too Much (GL) - Chapter 20.2

The driver glanced at her through the rearview mirror. “Young Miss, if you’re tired, you can take a nap. I’ll wake you when we arrive home.”

Li Zhi hummed softly.

She wasn’t exactly tired, just weary.

By the time she got home, it was already 11:50 PM. Li Zhi pulled out her keys and unlocked the door.

Chen Xi must be asleep; the apartment was completely dark.

Leaning against the doorframe, Li Zhi kicked off her shoes, too lazy to even turn on the lights.

The motion-sensor lights near the floor flickered on, casting a warm, amber glow like candlelight.

In the soft light, Li Zhi noticed rose petals scattered on the floor nearby, arranged in the shape of a heart.

She paused, a flicker of anticipation rising in her chest. Unable to resist, she followed the trail of petals with her gaze, looking ahead.

Candles had been lit in the once-dark living room.

At the end of the rose petal path, Chen Xi stood with her hands behind her back, her eyes crinkling into a smile as she looked at Li Zhi.

“Welcome home, Young Miss.”

Li Zhi’s grip tightened on her phone. Her heart seemed to skip a beat as she stared at Chen Xi.

The candlelight, though faint beneath the glass lanterns on the dining table, was enough to dispel the darkness and loneliness of the large room, infusing it with a sense of home.

Chen Xi snapped her fingers.

Like a witch conjuring magic, Chen Xi snapped her fingers, and a surprise materialized.

Li Zhi’s throat tightened as she shifted her gaze from Chen Xi to the wall behind her.

The massive, crystal-clear floor-to-ceiling window was plastered with silver inflatable letters that spelled out a giant “HAPPY BIRTHDAY.”

Yellow fairy lights twinkled around the letters, and black star decorations adorned the four corners.

The floor was piled high with black, silver, and golden balloons, and even the living room ceiling was dotted with balloons trailing delicate ribbons.

Li Zhi had no idea how much effort Chen Xi had put into preparing all this. All she knew was that these balloons, crammed tightly together, were now filling her heart to bursting.

She pressed her lips together, wanting to say something, but found herself speechless.

Li Zhi had no experience with such intimate celebrations.

In other words, the Young Miss who had been so poised and confident in the high-stakes business world was now suddenly flustered by a small birthday party.

Oh, dear.

Li Zhi had never experienced a birthday celebration like this before. She usually stood on the sidelines, watching others revel in the festivities, feeling like an outsider, separated by an invisible barrier.

Now that it was her turn, Li Zhi felt as light as a hydrogen-filled balloon, a tail of surprise trailing behind it as it floated weightlessly above her head, impossible to pull down.

Chen Xi had originally planned to wait for Li Zhi to come over, but a glance at the wall clock told her time was running out.

Seizing the last moments of the day, she walked up to Li Zhi and presented her with a large bouquet of roses she had been hiding behind her back.

“Happy birthday,” Chen Xi said with a smile, her eyes sparkling like stardust. “May our Young Miss stay forever eighteen.”

She had meticulously planned everything, timing it perfectly so Li Zhi could blow out the candles and make a wish the moment she returned.

Unfortunately, Li Zhi had come home too late.

Li Zhi blinked twice, her fingers twitching slightly as she stiffly accepted the flowers. “Thank you,” she murmured, her voice hoarse.

“Just a thank you?” Chen Xi raised an eyebrow playfully. “You’ll have plenty more to thank me for today.”

She dashed into the kitchen, leaving Li Zhi to watch her retreating figure. Li Zhi lowered her head to inhale the fragrance of the roses cradled in her arms.

The flowers were fresh, carrying the scent of morning dew, likely delivered just last night.

Li Zhi gently placed the bouquet on the nearby coffee table and turned to look at Chen Xi in the kitchen.

Chen Xi’s slippers pattered back and forth, the sound unusually clear in the quiet room, like musical notes composing a lively melody of busy joy.

Chen Xi carried out the dishes she had personally prepared, one by one, and arranged them on the table: four dishes and a soup.

As the lids were lifted, the sealed-in aromas of the meal instantly filled the air.

“You’re in for a treat,” Chen Xi said proudly. “My cooking skills are unparalleled. I rarely cook, you know.”

“I’m only doing this today because of you, Young Miss.”

“Oh, there’s one last thing.”

Chen Xi walked over and suddenly leaned in to kiss the corner of Li Zhi’s mouth. Her voice softened. “Baby, close your eyes.”

Li Zhi wasn’t sure if it was the unexpected kiss or the familiar, natural way Chen Xi called her “baby” that made her heart flutter. For a moment, she even forgot how to breathe.

Her ears flushed, and her gaze flickered away from Chen Xi’s mischievous face as she closed her eyes.

Chen Xi tiptoed to the refrigerator, gently opened the door, and pulled out a six-inch cake.

Click. Chen Xi switched off the overhead light.

She moved behind Li Zhi and softly covered her eyes with both hands. “No peeking!”

Chen Xi’s voice whispered in Li Zhi’s ear, and Li Zhi’s eyelashes fluttered as she murmured a soft acknowledgment.

She had a good idea what the surprise might be, but her heart still pounded wildly in her chest, betraying her composure.

Chen Xi glanced sideways at Li Zhi, finding the sight utterly amusing.

Who would have imagined that the aloof and intimidating Young Miss from their first meeting would now be so nervous that her eyelashes fluttered incessantly against Chen Xi’s palm?

Like a butterfly trapped in cupped hands, its wings trembled with vibrant, restrained energy.

“Okay, all done.”

Chen Xi lowered her hands. Li Zhi slowly opened her eyes, her gaze settling on the white buttercream cake on the table, its candle already lit.

The cake was simple, adorned only with a few delicately sculpted pink roses and a single colorful candle.

The letters “LZ” were written on top.

Li Zhi had initially thought she was past the age for surprises and birthday cakes at parties.

But now, standing by the table, she realized a six- or seven-year-old girl still lived in her heart.

“Did you make this?” Li Zhi turned to look at Chen Xi.

The living room lights were off, leaving only the soft glow from the candles on the table and the fairy lights draped across the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Chen Xi leaned against the table, the warm, amber light casting a hazy glow across her pale profile, as if gilding white jade with a luminous warmth.

This woman, who seemed to radiate light from every strand of her hair, nodded gently.

“Do you like it?”

Chen Xi’s gaze locked onto Li Zhi’s face, her eyes curving into a mischievous smile as she deliberately added, “It’s lychee-flavored.”

Li Zhi’s earlobes burned crimson, as if Chen Xi’s voice had licked them with its warmth.

Chen Xi was utterly shameless, her desires written plainly in her eyes.

Li Zhi stared back at her.

The tender sprout that had been stifled in her heart for so long finally burst through the hardened soil with a soft pop, shaking its head and gently brushing against the soft flesh of her heart.

The strange, stifling feeling that had been weighing on her heart instantly lifted, replaced by a sense of clarity and lightness.

No wonder I wanted more from Chen Xi.

No wonder I disliked seeing Chen Xi carry bags given by others.

“Chen Xi,” Li Zhi said with a smile, her eyes sparkling brightly. “Thank you.”

Chen Xi, who had been leaning casually against the table with one hand, glanced indifferently at Li Zhi’s face. But something caught her eye, and her gaze sharpened instantly.

She straightened up, staring intently at Li Zhi, and gently poked her cheek.

“Was that a dimple just now? It was a dimple, right?”

Chen Xi leaned closer, scrutinizing Li Zhi’s cheek with fascination. “Smile again! I didn’t get a good look.”

The Young Miss, with her ice-cold demeanor, actually has dimples?

Chen Xi felt a pang of jealousy.

The Young Miss never smiles! Who would ever see those sweet dimples hidden on her face?

Oh, but I can see them.

Maybe I’m the only one who ever has.

The thought made Chen Xi’s spirits soar again.

“Smile for me~” she teased, tilting Li Zhi’s chin with a playful, almost bullying gesture.

“What’s in it for me?” Li Zhi asked, forced to look up, her eyes lowered, her voice soft and calm, betraying no anger.

Chen Xi paused, her face lighting up with anticipation. “Does a birthday gift count as a reward?”

“No.”

“……”

The Young Miss is such a heartless woman. And here I was, working so hard all day, even preparing a lavish, sensual birthday gift for her.

Li Zhi closed her eyes, made a wish, and blew out the candles before they burned down completely.

Chen Xi hummed softly. “Want to try some?”

“Try what?” Li Zhi glanced sideways at Chen Xi, her voice soft and low, laced with double meaning.

Chen Xi feigned innocence, blinking her eyes with an air of pure innocence. “The cake, of course.”

Li Zhi eyed her suspiciously, sensing Chen Xi was holding back a major move.

She picked up a spoon and tasted the cream.

The texture was velvety smooth, melting instantly in her mouth, its flavor a delicate blend of lychee’s sweet fragrance, utterly refreshing and not at all cloying. It was truly delicious.

“Is it sweet enough?” Chen Xi tilted her head inquisitively, smearing cream on her lower lip with a finger before licking the tip.

Li Zhi’s breath caught in her throat. The cake’s sweetness suddenly turned bland.

Chen Xi slipped off her slippers, leaned back against the table, and gently rubbed her pink toes against Li Zhi’s bare instep.

“Then how about trying me? I’m even sweeter than the cake.”

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