Chapter 50 June 2nd

Chapter 50: June 2nd

The wait for the cake was long, so they could only really wander around the nearby mall for a bit.

He chose a six-inch cake with a more complex design. When Shen Shiyan paid, he helped the shop assistant's sales numbers, got an SVIP membership card, and loaded it with fifty thousand.

Later, Shen Ci got a little tired from walking around, so Shen Shiyan brought him back to the cake shop.

As the sky grew dark, Shen Ci sat by the window, bored, counting the cars going by outside.

"Could you keep an eye on the kid for me? I need to step out for about twenty minutes," Shen Shiyan said quietly to the shop assistant, nodding toward Shen Ci across the room.

The shop assistant was happy to agree and quickly nodded. "No problem, sir."

Shen Shiyan hadn't told Shen Ci. The wind chime rang, and when Shen Ci turned, he only caught a glimpse of Shen Shiyan's back.

He stood up to chase after him, but the shop assistant came over gently and said, "Hey kiddo, your brother said he has something to take care of. He'll be back in twenty minutes, so wait here, okay?"

Shen Ci's legs felt stiff. It took him a while to sit back down. "Pretty lady, he's not my brother."

The shop assistant nodded—after all, an uncle or something like that was normal for someone so young.

Shen Ci spoke slowly, "He's my daddy."

The shop assistant froze for a couple seconds before saying, "Oh... your daddy's really young."

Outside the window, Shen Shiyan's car was already out of sight. Shen Ci was distracted, even forgetting to feel happy or agree when someone complimented Shen Shiyan.

Five minutes passed. Though it was still far from the twenty minutes Shen Shiyan had promised, Shen Ci started to panic. He took out his phone and sent Shen Shiyan a message.

"Shen Ci: Daddy, the cake isn't ready yet."

"Shen Ci: So slow."

Shen Shiyan had his personal phone on silent, and he was focused on driving, so he didn't notice the screen light up.

Another five minutes. Shen Ci couldn't help sending another message.

"Shen Ci: Daddy, you're not back yet either."

"Shen Ci: So slow."

After a moment's thought, he sent a sticker.

"Shen Ci: Puppy misses you.JPG."

The wait was excruciatingly long.

At the third five-minute interval, Shen Ci left Shen Shiyan's chat and opened Song Qiuchi's.

"Shen Ci: Do you think my daddy will ditch me?"

She always replied fast, which comforted Shen Ci a little.

"Song Qiuchi: My aunt says no."

"Shen Ci: What do you think?"

"Song Qiuchi: Maybe."

"Shen Ci: ..."

"Shen Ci: Impossible!"

"Shen Ci: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!..."

Amid the barrage of exclamation marks, Song Qiuchi's reply reflected her own exasperation.

"Song Qiuchi: Then why the hell'd you ask?"

Shen Ci just sent a period.

At nineteen minutes, the shop assistant brought over the finished cake. In a transparent box, the pink cake had light green cream piped into wavy patterns, topped with stacked white cream waves, slices of guava, and leaves Shen Ci didn't recognize. At the bottom were two smooth cherries made of light pink cream, with the highlights perfectly recreated.

Shen Ci perked up a little, circling the cake to check it out from all angles, but soon he was checking the time again.

At twenty-one minutes, Shen Shiyan finally appeared at the cake shop door, holding a bag.

Shen Ci didn't even bother to see what was in the bag. He ran out from behind the table where the cake, which had cheered him up a bit, sat, and threw himself straight into Shen Shiyan's arms.

"Daddy!"

He lunged so hard that Shen Shiyan stumbled back a step, bumping into the glass door behind him, setting the wind chime off.

The chime rang in sync with his heartbeat.

Shen Shiyan shot the shop assistant an apologetic smile. "Sorry for the hassle."

The shop assistant smiled back and handed him the cake from the table. "No problem. Come again."

Shen Shiyan patted the back of Shen Ci's neck, took the ribbon-tied box, and shifted the other bag in his hand, freeing up one hand to hold Shen Ci's.

It was completely dark out now.

"What's up? Not happy?" Shen Shiyan turned on the car's dome light and asked.

Shen Ci looked at the cake beside him, a little awkward. "I'm fine."

Shen Shiyan looked down and saw two small wet spots, the size of soybeans, on his gray shirt. He didn't say anything.

When they got home, Shen Ci walked ahead, holding the cake in both hands. Shen Shiyan followed slowly, watching the hair on the back of his head sway with each step.

It wasn't until twelve candles were stuck into the cake on the table that Shen Shiyan held up his phone and said quietly, "I won't abandon you."

Shen Ci froze. The only light in the room was from the twelve candle flames. He felt like crying again, and pursed his lips. "Then where did you go? You didn't tell me."

Shen Shiyan sighed and picked up the bag Shen Ci had ignored, still sitting on the shoe cabinet by the door. He opened it to show three cocoa pinecones. "Didn't you say you wanted to eat them?"

Shen Ci's eyes widened. For a second, he didn't know how to react. In that moment, he felt like he could hear the flickering of the candle flames.

Shen Shiyan reached out and flicked Shen Ci's forehead, very lightly.

"Blow out the candles."

Shen Ci hastily wiped his eyes, puffed out his cheeks, and blew out all the candles in one breath.

Shen Shiyan turned on the light. Shen Ci, mimicking Shen Yao, prepared to make the first cut into the cake, but after gesturing from every angle, he couldn't bring himself to do it.

Shen Shiyan seemed to always know what he was thinking. He reached out, covered Shen Ci's hand with his own, and pressed down to make the cut.

"If you want more, we can buy another one," Shen Shiyan said.

"That's different," Shen Ci looked at him. "Birthday cake is supposed to be eaten on your birthday, right? But I don't know my own birthday."

Shen Shiyan paused for a second, then wiped a bit of cream with his finger and dabbed it on Shen Ci's nose, saying, "Every day can be a birthday."

Shen Ci's nose felt a little ticklish. He shook his head stubbornly and asked Shen Shiyan, "Daddy, when's your birthday?"

"June 2nd," Shen Shiyan replied quickly, his tone a bit cold.

Just one day before Children's Day.

Anyway, after he couldn't see his mom, he never celebrated his birthday again.

Shen Ci took a big bite of cake, his eyes crinkling with satisfaction, and said, a little muffled, "Then I want my birthday to be on June 2nd too. Daddy, let's celebrate our birthdays together from now on, okay?"

It was rare for them to sit on the same side. Shen Shiyan pressed down on Shen Ci's fidgety calf and grunted in acknowledgment.

Shen Shiyan wasn't really into sweets, but Shen Ci coaxed him into having a slice. Shen Shiyan put the other half of the cake in the fridge.

Before going to bed, as if remembering something, Shen Ci tugged at Shen Shiyan's sleeve and asked, "Daddy, how did you know I thought you didn't want me?"

Shen Shiyan took out his phone and held it up in front of Shen Ci.

On the screen was a screenshot of a chat record sent by Song Xianghan—it was between Song Qiuchi and Shen Ci, with an additional line attached.

"Song Xianghan: Did you bully Xiao Ci?"

Shen Shiyan only replied while eating the cake, short and to the point.

"Shen Shiyan: Probably, it won't happen again."

Shen Ci blinked, translating it himself, and said, "That means, Daddy, you'll never not want me, right?"

Shen Shiyan put away his phone and nodded expressionlessly.

I won't abandon you, and we'll celebrate birthdays together every year.

June 2nd.