Chapter Thirty-Eight: Happy Birthday!

No one had expected Jiang Mu Wen to react like that. The air instantly plunged into a mysterious silence.

An unbearable pain radiated from Wen Yi Chen’s waist, and in that moment, his expression was as ghastly as one of the creatures in the haunted house. He stood rigidly, his hands hovering awkwardly in the air, unable to find a place to rest, his face as if struck by lightning, and in his clear eyes lingered a trace of bewilderment: “……”

Jiang Mu Wen herself hadn’t yet recovered, still clinging tightly to Wen Yi Chen, refusing to let go. Her warm, rapid breaths brushed against Wen Yi Chen’s neck, dispelling the cold that had enveloped him and bringing him a fleeting warmth.

Under the dim lights, no one noticed the faint flush on Wen Yi Chen’s cheeks.

“Xiao Wen Wen…?” Finally, Gu Nian Xi’s voice carefully broke the silence.

Though Gu Nian Xi spoke softly, the eerie music in the haunted house lent her voice a strange note of melancholy.

The sudden sound startled Jiang Mu Wen again, and she instinctively wrapped Wen Yi Chen even tighter: “Ah—”

Her embrace made Wen Yi Chen’s body tense, his slender fingers trembling ever so slightly. After a moment, his hands cautiously came to rest on Jiang Mu Wen’s back: “Jiang Mu Wen, it’s all right now…”

He gently patted her, as if comforting a frightened kitten.

With Wen Yi Chen’s soothing touch, Jiang Mu Wen slowly began to calm down. After a while, she finally spoke: “That scared me to death—”

She spoke quietly, so only Wen Yi Chen could hear, her soft voice tinged with grievance.

“You scared me to death too—” Wen Yi Chen replied gently.

“So… can you let go now?” Wen Yi Chen added.

Only then did Jiang Mu Wen realize she was still wrapped around Wen Yi Chen, and their friends stood nearby, watching. An indescribable awkwardness rose within her, leaving her momentarily lost. If she could burrow into the ground and slip home unseen, she would have done so without hesitation.

But she couldn’t.

Helpless, Jiang Mu Wen forced herself to endure the embarrassment, carefully lowered one foot, then the other, and finally released her grip. She straightened her clothes as if nothing had happened, quietly walked away from Wen Yi Chen, leaving him bewildered in the chilly breeze.

After some time, the group finally exited the haunted house. Outside, the sunlight was bright, and everyone wore expressions of relief—everyone except Wen Yi Chen, whose face seemed less than happy. After all that had just happened, his mood could hardly be expected to improve.

Naturally, he said nothing about his strained back.

Yet even so, Jiang Mu Wen noticed: “Wen Yi Chen… are you feeling unwell?”

“Mm, I’ve pulled my back,” Wen Yi Chen admitted frankly.

At his words, Jiang Mu Wen’s heart fluttered, and she spoke cautiously: “Was it… because of me just now?”

Wen Yi Chen glanced at her: “Who else in this world would dare to rush up and strain my back like that, if not you?”

His words made Jiang Mu Wen feel even more embarrassed. She gave a sheepish laugh, and, like a child who’d done something wrong, gently tugged at Wen Yi Chen’s sleeve: “Can you still walk? Should I help you?”

Seeing Jiang Mu Wen’s apologetic manner, Wen Yi Chen smiled helplessly and offered her an arm: “Yes, please.”

Because Wen Yi Chen had strained his back, he couldn’t participate in any of the amusement park rides. In truth, this suited him perfectly; he’d never cared much for such attractions, and now he had a legitimate reason to sit and watch as the others played.

But his friends were not so considerate. Believing Wen Yi Chen looked pitiful sitting out every activity, they insisted on squeezing him into the Dumbo ride.

The so-called Dumbo ride involved sitting in an elephant-shaped seat that slowly rotated around a central axis, occasionally rising and falling gently. It was a favorite among children, with two little ones in each elephant and a few adults accompanying their kids.

Only Wen Yi Chen sat alone, occupying an entire Dumbo.

“Bai Xu! Come help me out!” Wen Yi Chen frowned, looking anxiously at Bai Xu.

But his back was in no shape to manage on his own; getting out of the Dumbo became an ordeal.

“I won’t!” Bai Xu grinned at Wen Yi Chen. “We got you in there fair and square—why should we help you out?”

No one knew Wen Yi Chen’s true feelings as he endured the Dumbo ride, but they saw that while all the children’s faces were radiant with joy, as if the flying elephant had taken them soaring through the sky, Wen Yi Chen looked as though he’d been struck by lightning mid-flight.

For the rest of the day, they chose only gentle, non-exciting rides for Wen Yi Chen, right up to the final carousel, where he rode a tiny horse.

After dinner, the group wandered the amusement park before dispersing. By the time Wen Yi Chen and Jiang Mu Wen reached their apartment complex, it was nearly midnight.

The night was deep and silent; only Jiang Mu Wen and Wen Yi Chen remained in the complex. Under the streetlights, their shadows stretched long across the pavement.

Jiang Mu Wen supported Wen Yi Chen, gazing at their shadows, which resembled a little old man and a little old lady.

When they reached the entrance to their building, Jiang Mu Wen suddenly stopped and tugged at Wen Yi Chen, raising her eyes: “Stay right here—don’t move!”

Wen Yi Chen, not understanding her intentions, obediently stood still as Jiang Mu Wen mounted one step and turned to face him at eye level.

The warm light cast a soft glow on him as he looked at Jiang Mu Wen, puzzled, a faint glimmer flickering in his clear eyes.

After a moment, Jiang Mu Wen drew a cat-ear headband from her crossbody bag, stood on tiptoe, and before Wen Yi Chen could react, placed it on his head: “Wen Yi Chen! Happy birthday!”

Midnight had arrived.

Jiang Mu Wen gazed at Wen Yi Chen, her eyes alight with joy. For the first time, at midnight, she wished him happy birthday face to face: “From now on, let’s celebrate every birthday together.”