Chapter 262: Happy Birthday
In the middle of the night, while Shi Lan was sound asleep, He Hanshi carefully got out of bed, picked up the clothes strewn on the floor, and put them on.
It was past midnight, marking the start of Shi Lan’s 25th birthday. This was also the first birthday they had celebrated together, making it especially significant.
He had already prepared her birthday gift on their way back to the Capital Star.
And now, He Hanshi was busy redecorating the house, creating a very festive birthday atmosphere.
Messages kept flooding his chip. The five of them had decided in their private group chat to celebrate Shi Lan’s birthday at his place today. However, he found crowds too noisy and disliked having too many males in his house, so he didn’t let them come over yet.
Fortunately, they had their own things to do and didn’t keep bothering him.
After Shi Lan woke up, while she was still groggy, He Hanshi helped her into the new dress he had bought for her. It was a blue, silk-like dress the same color as his eyes, and it looked just as beautiful on her as he’d imagined.
He Hanshi’s movements were gentle yet deft, and he worked quickly. By the time Shi Lan stretched and realized what had just happened, she belatedly covered her chest and looked at him warily. "What are you doing so early in the morning?"
He Hanshi’s laughter was filled with unconcealable delight. "Silly Lanlan, if I really wanted to do something, don’t you think it’s a little too late for you to be reacting now?"
Shi Lan’s cheeks flushed, and she was too embarrassed to press the issue.
After all, He Hanshi had even fastened her bra for her...
She looked down, tugging at the dress. It was a beautiful color, dotted with fine, sparkling sequins that shimmered iridescently when she moved.
"Is this a new dress you bought?"
"Mhm. Do you like it?"
He Hanshi knew she was probably still a bit sore, so he answered her gently while carrying her to the bathroom to wash up.
His arms were so strong he could support Shi Lan with just one, leaving his other hand completely free to do things.
He thoughtfully prepared her toothbrush with toothpaste and brought it right to her lips.
Shi Lan didn’t feel awkward at all, simply enjoying his attentive service.
She took the toothbrush and smiled. "Of course I like it. It’s beautiful. Thank you."
With that, she began to brush her teeth.
In this world, there were actually more convenient options, like a chewing candy similar to bubble gum that cleaned your teeth after you finished it. However, Shi Lan was more accustomed to brushing them herself.
After she finished, He Hanshi took a towel he had dampened with warm water and wiped her face. When he pulled the towel away, the young woman in his arms looked even more radiant, with a healthy pink glow. The fine hairs on her face seemed to be dotted with moisture, making her look fragrant and soft.
He Hanshi couldn’t resist planting a kiss on each of her cheeks. Looking at Shi Lan, no matter how he looked at her, he was filled with adoration.
Perhaps because they had just recently undergone Deep Healing with a female, even such a simple, intimate touch made his body tense up, and he subconsciously pulled her closer against him.
Shi Lan’s face grew even redder. She didn’t dare move in his embrace. They were pressed so close that they could easily feel the contours of each other’s bodies.
’They say men get aroused more easily in the morning, and it’s really true.’
In the end, however, He Hanshi didn’t do anything. He just held her tightly for a moment, took a deep breath, and then carried her to the Treatment Pod for a short rest.
Afterward, he helped her put on her shoes and led her to the top of the stairs.
As soon as they reached the top of the stairs, the housekeeping robot showered her with petals, its blue eyes curving into the shape of two birthday cakes.
Shi Lan looked around in confusion at the transformed staircase. The railings on both sides were decorated with balloons, some of which had gift boxes hanging beneath them like heavy fruit growing from the stairs. The colorful boxes instantly shattered the usual cool, minimalist feel of He Hanshi’s home.
He Hanshi said, "Happy birthday, Lanlan."
So much had happened recently that Shi Lan had almost forgotten her own birthday. She hadn’t expected He Hanshi to remember.
She hugged him happily. "Thank you. Did you get up in the middle of the night to prepare all this?"
He Hanshi gently stroked her hair and praised her, "You’re so smart, Lanlan. Go on, open your presents."
"These boxes by the stairs are all your birthday presents. Twenty-five of them. I wasn’t able to be a part of your life before, but I hope I can be by your side forever from now on."
"Okay."
Touched, Shi Lan took the initiative to kiss his lips before going to open the gifts.
Twenty-five gifts was a lot, but they each seemed to correspond to a year of her life. For the first ten years, the gifts were things a little girl would like: cute dolls, toys, game consoles, and so on. For ages ten to fifteen, he had given her all sorts of beautiful Energy Stones. It was the first time Shi Lan realized that Energy Stones in this world came in so many different colors.
However, not all Energy Stones could control temperature like Red Crystals and Blue Crystals. Most were for providing energy, for instance, to power her mechanical handgun.
After age fifteen, the gifts grew progressively more expensive: beautiful shoes, accessories, and clothes. The very last one she opened contained a model of a house.
Shi Lan curiously held it up to her eyes to examine it. The house was surrounded by flowers and looked exactly like the manor where he had proposed.
Moments after she picked it up, the model house suddenly dissolved into a shower of blue light, leaving a property deed in her hand.
"This is...?"
She looked at him in confusion. He Hanshi smiled encouragingly. "Go on, Lanlan, open it and see."
Shi Lan had actually had a vague suspicion, but when she opened it and saw her own name listed as the owner of the old castle manor from the proposal, she still found it incredible.
"He Hanshi, is... is this the manor from the proposal?"
He Hanshi nodded. "Mhm. I guessed you would really like it, Lanlan. It happens to have a lot of flowers, so I thought it would make a great birthday present."
The light property deed in Shi Lan’s hand suddenly felt incredibly heavy. Not because the house was too valuable, but because she could feel the scorching love radiating from He Hanshi, a heat that made her own palms grow warm.
’He gave it to her just on a guess that she might like it, without her ever having to ask.’
Her eyes suddenly grew moist. She couldn’t help but hug him tightly, her voice choked with emotion. "He Hanshi, why are you so good to me?"
Hearing the change in her voice, He Hanshi’s expression grew anxious. "Are you unhappy, Lanlan?"
Shi Lan shook her head, her face buried in his chest. "Of course not. I’m just too happy."
"That’s good, then."
He Hanshi gently patted her back. "On a happy day like this, you shouldn’t cry, Lanlan. If you cry, I’ll get sad, too. I’ll think I did something wrong to give you a reason to shed tears."
"Pfft..."
Shi Lan laughed through her tears. "Who thinks like that?"
She blinked and cheekily wiped her tears on his clothes before gathering up all the presents. "Well then, I won’t be shy! Thanks, hubby~"
At Shi Lan’s sudden change in address, He Hanshi’s eyes darkened slightly. He gazed at her intently, but an uncontrollable smile spread across his lips. "Wife."