C17 The Discarded Daughter of a Rich Family(17)

By the time it was past seven in the evening, Lingling finally stepped out of the store. As soon as she exited, she spotted Mooh Bai standing under the streetlight, his tall figure illuminated. He turned to look at her, his deep eyes seemingly holding a universe within them.

In that instant their eyes met, Lingling's heart skipped a beat. She couldn't quite understand why she felt this way. Lingling hid the bag she was holding behind her back and ran over with a smile. "Bai, what are you doing here? Have you been waiting long?"

She didn't bother asking how he knew she was there, knowing his hacking skills were nearly on par with hers.

"Not long, just a little while."

"Let's head home then, you can drive," Lingling said, not believing him but choosing not to call him out.

"Sure."

They walked side by side, their shadows stretching long under the streetlights.

Once home, Lingling took a shower and then joined Mooh Bai in the study to go over some data. They worked until after midnight. Just as Lingling was about to head to bed, a playful voice echoed in her mind.

"Hey, it's the villain's birthday now. You can give him the gift."

"Huh? I thought I was supposed to give it during dinner tomorrow?"

"You can give it now too. He'll be even more touched."

Lingling yawned, feeling sleepy. "Hmm... but I really want to sleep. What if he gets all emotional and wants to chat?"

The voice sighed. "What to do with a straightforward girl like you? Need help ASAP!"

Despite her drowsiness, Lingling grabbed the gift she had prepared earlier and knocked on Mooh Bai's door.

"Bai, can I come in?"

"Yeah, it's open."

Lingling held up the bag in front of Mooh Bai, smiling as she lifted it slightly. "Happy Birthday, Bai! This is for you. I drew the design on it myself."

"Thanks, Lingling," Mooh Bai said, taking the bag with a smile tugging at his lips.

"Quick, open it and see."

Mooh Bai opened the package and found a ceramic mug inside. The design on the mug showed Lingling sitting on the couch watching TV while he cooked in the kitchen. The mug symbolized a lifetime together.

"How is it? I think I did a pretty good job with the drawing."

"Yeah, I really like it." I like it so much that I want to cook for you for a lifetime, to be with you forever.

"That's great. Well, I'm going to bed now. Let's go out again tomorrow."

As Lingling spoke and started to leave, Mooh Bai gently held her back.

"Sis, can I ask for one more gift?"

"Hmm? Sure, anything I have is yours."

"Then, Sis, close your eyes."

"Oh, okay."

Mooh Bai watched Lingling with her eyes closed, his gaze lingering on her lips, growing more intense. He wanted to kiss her without hesitation but feared it might scare her.

He knew that Lingling only felt a sense of duty toward him, not love. After wrestling with his emotions for a while, Mooh Bai sighed and smiled wryly. Just being by her side was already a luxury; he shouldn't be too greedy.

"Sis, you can open your eyes now. You should head back to your room."

Lingling opened her eyes, looked around, and asked in confusion, "Hmm? You didn't do anything?"

"Yeah, I just wanted to see what you looked like with your eyes closed."

Lingling thought to herself: Something feels off, but I can't put my finger on it.

The next day, they had a packed schedule: the beach, a science museum, a spicy food joint, a horror movie, and hot pot.

Hanhan was bewildered: Is this how you casually celebrate a birthday? Why does the villain have such a goofy grin?

While Lingling enjoyed her day, the atmosphere at the Yuan family home was somber.