Chapter 39: Birthday

Jiang Xingxing returned to her old life. It was hard to adjust, as expected. Her modest home couldn’t compare to Shang Jie’s luxurious mansion—there was a huge gap in living conditions.

Of course, that wasn’t the real issue.

What she found hardest to adapt to was living alone.

After experiencing the warmth of companionship, she became even more sensitive to loneliness.

Sometimes, she would catch glimpses of trivial news about Shang Jie on financial programs, but seeing him in person was nearly impossible.

That morning, Jiang Xingxing yawned as she arrived at the studio, her face showing signs of exhaustion. To her surprise, a crowd was gathered around her dressing table, whispering in hushed tones.

Curious, Jiang Xingxing approached, only to find an enormous bouquet of bright red roses on her desk—at least a hundred of them, bundled into a massive arrangement that dominated the space.

On the card attached to the roses, a few bold characters read:

The following parts of the text will be scrambled to prevent theft from aggregators and unauthorized epub making. Please support our translators by reading on secondlifetranslations (dot) com. If you are currently on the site and and you are seeing this, please clear your cache.

“Tyrru Jkavbeyu, xu elyalpv! Psd’v qsatlv vs qkdkpb osaj lyazu vsdktbv. Nshl usw~”

Kkydt Dkdtmkdt: …

Fbl oyp nlavykd kv oypd’v qasx psxl vynvzlpp xyd vaukdt vs oss bla.

Tla nszzlytwlp kd vbl nalo cltyd cwggkdt okvb prlnwzyvksd:

“Eso, Dkdtmkdt, kp vbkp qasx uswa csuqaklde?”

“Tl’p ps pollv! Xaelakdt pwnb y ckt cswiwlv vs nlzlcayvl uswa ckavbeyu.”

“Ywpv cl dknl vs cl usw!”

…

Jiang Xingxing picked up her phone and called Ming Jin directly. “What are you guys doing? Sending such a massive bouquet of roses to my workplace—aren’t my scandals messy enough already?”

Ming Jin chuckled, clearly amused. “Poor little thing, kicked out of Shang Jie’s mansion. I was just using a little misdirection to let everyone know that you’re still Mrs. Shang, and your position is rock solid.”

Jiang Xingxing rubbed her temples, feeling a bit drained.

“First of all, our marriage is a secret—almost no one knows unless you blab about it. Second, how many times do I have to tell you? I wasn’t kicked out! Jiang Xingxing, who would rather break than bend, moved out on her own, okay?”

“Alright, alright. I’ll pretend to believe you’d willingly leave behind a massive mansion and the title of Mrs. Shang to keep living in your little rental apartment.”

As Ming Jin continued speaking in a deliberately theatrical tone, she added, “Come to the Red House tonight. Everyone’s gathering to celebrate your birthday.”

After hanging up, Jiang Xingxing looked at the dazzling roses on her desk. Beneath her exasperation, she felt a small twinge of warmth.

The entertainment industry has always been a place where people kick you when you’re down. Especially for those who fall from grace, the cruelty is even more apparent. Jiang Xingxing had seen too many people trampled in the mud after losing their standing.

Even during her lowest moments, she never truly felt despair—because she had this group of the best “troublemaker” friends.
…

The theater’s situation had improved significantly. The Mermaid fairytale production premiered successfully to great acclaim and had begun touring neighboring cities.

The troupe members were quite grateful to Shang Jie. He had helped them discreetly in many ways—hiring skilled actors, upgrading the troupe’s outdated equipment and props, and more.

“So, has he completely changed into someone else?”

“Like those TV characters—silent and never smiling?”

“Is he even the same person as before?”

“Who cares? He’s done a lot for our troupe.”

“Do you think the old Brother Shang will ever come back?” …

Shang Jie’s condition naturally piqued everyone’s curiosity. However, Jiang Xingxing didn’t reveal much, only saying she wasn’t sure either.

After a lively dinner, Jiang Xingxing carried an armful of gifts as Jiang Zhi drove her home.

On the way, her older brother hesitated for a long time before finally asking, “When are you getting divorced?”

Jiang Xingxing, who had been napping, immediately opened her eyes. “Brother, is that any way to talk to me? Are you seriously pushing me to get a divorce?”

Jiang Zhi’s expression was filled with helplessness. “You’ve been kicked out of the house, haven’t you?”

Jiang Xingxing: …

How many more times did she have to explain? She wasn’t kicked out!

Jiang Zhi sighed. “If you can’t make it work, why not just get a divorce? I still hope you can go back to being as happy as you used to be. Money or no money, it’s not that important.”

“Brother, please don’t try to persuade me. If you keep this up, I might actually get impulsive and ask for a divorce.”

Jiang Zhi replied, “That’s called being decisive—knowing when to pick something up and when to let it go.”

Jiang Xingxing lowered her gaze, saying nothing.

He was her husband. A person only gets married a few times in a lifetime. How could she just let it go?

Lin Chuan noticed something was off about Shang Jie today. Not only was he distracted during meetings, often zoning out, but he also barely paid attention when his subordinates were reporting their work. At one point, a project manager had to present the same information three times, only to receive a faint “Oh” as a response.

Shang Jie kept looking at his phone as if something urgent was pressing on his mind. But Lin Chuan knew the day’s schedule didn’t include anything out of the ordinary.

By 9 p.m., Shang Jie was still holed up in his office, working on documents.

Lin Chuan paced outside the door several times, debating whether his boss was dealing with an urgent matter or something else entirely. After some hesitation, he knocked on the office door and gently reminded, “Boss, it’s getting late. You should go home and rest.”

Shang Jie glanced at the clock on the wall, then stood up. His gaze briefly fell on the darkened screen of his phone… but he did nothing in the end.

As Lin Chuan drove, he occasionally glanced at Shang Jie through the rearview mirror. “Boss, did you have other plans today?”

The passing streetlights cast shifting patterns of light and shadow on Shang Jie’s handsome face, his deep-set eyes concealing his emotions.

“No.”

His voice was as calm and indifferent as ever.

Lin Chuan didn’t press further and steered the car toward the highway leading to the Wangjiang Villa.

Shang Jie, however, pulled out his phone and, almost instinctively, opened his private WeChat account. Apart from family and a few close friends, he hadn’t added many contacts.

The first post on his feed was a selfie of Jiang Xingxing with her friends. In the photo, a group of young men and women surrounded her, and she stood in the center, flashing an exaggerated, goofy smile.

The furrow in Shang Jie’s brow smoothed instantly, and his eyes softened with an unmistakable tenderness.

He zoomed in on the photo until her smiling face filled the screen. An uncharacteristic thought popped into his head—one completely at odds with his usual logical thinking:

“She’s so cute.”

After staring at her photo for ten minutes, a rush of heat surged through Shang Jie’s veins, almost overwhelming his usual self-control.

Young people often act on impulse, but Shang Jie had been taught restraint from a young age. He never let his emotions dictate his decisions, believing it was an essential quality of a disciplined and excellent leader.

But now, none of that mattered. He raised his head and told Lin Chuan, “Turn the car around. Let’s go pick up your madam and bring her home.”

Jiang Xingxing had just finished showering and was drying her hair in front of the vanity. She vaguely heard what sounded like knocking but dismissed it as the noise from the hairdryer.

Ten minutes later, she turned off the warm air of the dryer and noticed a WeChat notification on her phone. It was from [Shang]—the man she had saved under that name.

The message contained only two words:

“Open up.”

Jiang Xingxing felt a shiver run through her entire body, almost dropping her phone. After a few seconds of processing, she hurriedly ran to the door in her flip-flops, unlocking and opening it in a rush.

By this time, the night was deep, heavy clouds hung low, and a biting cold wind whistled outside.

The man standing outside was tall, dressed in a tailored black suit. In the dim night, his expression was hard to discern.

Not that it mattered—Jiang Xingxing knew he never showed emotion anyway.

“Mr. Shang, why are you here?” she asked, surprised.

Shang Jie moved his left hand from behind his back, revealing a pink square cake box.

No explanation was needed; his purpose was clear.

Jiang Xingxing beamed with delight and welcomed him in. “Come in, make yourself at home.”

As Shang Jie stepped inside, a wave of familiarity swept over him. His eyes scanned the room—the sofa he had once lounged on, the cramped bathroom where he had showered, and the floorboards that bore traces of his workouts. And the woman in the room… she was someone he had loved, kissed, and cared for deeply.

Memories that had belonged to his second personality now blended into his own, making this place feel far from unfamiliar.

He placed the cake on the coffee table. Jiang Xingxing hurried past him to grab a bra from the edge of the bed and, with her back to him, dashed into the bathroom.

When she returned, her once loose-fitting silk nightgown now hugged her figure more conservatively. Yet, the exposed skin remained fair and alluring, tempting to the eye.

A gentleman knows not to stare.

Shang Jie sat down, tugging at the hem of his pants, and began untying the velvet string on the cake box.

Jiang Xingxing, however, was distracted, staring at his slender, graceful fingers, momentarily lost in thought.

“The date on our marriage certificate is today,” Shang Jie casually remarked. “It’s your birthday.”

“Does Mr. Shang’s visit mean Mr. Lawrence knows about this?” Jiang Xingxing asked, her tone tinged with concern.

“My actions don’t require his permission.” Shang Jie’s expression turned cold. “Our marital matters don’t need the interference of outsiders.”

Marital matters?

Those words struck a chord deep within Jiang Xingxing, bringing a warmth to her eyes.

How utterly touching.

“You really think we’re… a couple?”

Shang Jie’s face remained stoic. “Did you think I use the term madam for fun?”

A smile blossomed on Jiang Xingxing’s face. Like in the past, she cozied up beside him, helping him unwrap the cake box.

Inside was a beautifully crafted small cake. The orange-yellow frosting was sprinkled with chocolate and Oreo crumbs, with floral patterns delicately carved along the edges.

“Did Mr. Shang come here just to celebrate my birthday?” Jiang Xingxing asked, tilting her head.

His expression turned awkward. “Not intentionally—just remembered all of a sudden.”

She knew he was being stubborn, but she was still grateful. Rubbing her hands excitedly, she said, “I haven’t had cake yet today.”

Shang Jie pulled a small candle from his pocket. “How many should I light?”

“Just one will do,” she said cheerfully. “That way, the wax won’t drip everywhere and ruin the beautiful cake.”

Was it beautiful? Shang Jie wasn’t sure. All the bakeries had been closed when he arrived, so he’d paid extra for a private pastry chef to custom-make the cake. Its simple, understated design reflected his style. He’d worried she might not like it.

But it didn’t matter—as long as she did.

He placed the pink candle in the center of the cake, lit it with a lighter, and pushed it toward her.

The candlelight illuminated Jiang Xingxing’s face, softening her features. A serene smile played on her lips, her expression calm and gentle.

Her beauty wasn’t just a matter of lighting or any external factor—it came from a peacefulness deep within her soul. Perhaps this was what they meant by “beauty from within.”

She was captivating.

The glow of the candle highlighted her delicate features. Smiling sweetly, she looked at Shang Jie and asked, “Is this your first time celebrating someone’s birthday?”

“No,” he replied. “I celebrate my parents’ birthdays every year.”

“Oh.”

“But in the past, whether for my parents or myself, birthdays were grand occasions with guests and banquets,” he added. “Cake and candles… this is the first time I’ve done it like this.”

Well, that’s different, Jiang Xingxing thought, feeling utterly satisfied. She asked, “Do you know the process?”

“Hmm?”

She carefully pushed the cake toward him. “You’re supposed to sing Happy Birthday for me.”

Shang Jie: …

That’s way out of his league.

Seeing his stiff expression, Jiang Xingxing patted his shoulder lightly. “I’m kidding.”

She didn’t actually expect the cold and aloof businessman to sing for her. The fact that he came was more than enough.

But after a long silence, like a shy boy in love for the first time, Shang Jie said, “It’s not impossible… if you don’t mind my singing being terrible.”

Jiang Xingxing froze. “You’re actually going to sing?”

Clearing his throat, he began to sing.

His voice was soft, the tune steady, and it carried a rare warmth that was utterly different from his usual detached tone.

Jiang Xingxing stared at him in disbelief as he sang the Happy Birthday song—first in Chinese, then again in English.

She’d heard him sing before—well, his second personality anyway, who liked to hum tunes in the shower. But she was willing to bet this was the first time Shang Jie, in his primary personality, had ever sung a full song in his life.

The candlelight illuminated his slightly flushed face, tinged with an endearing shyness.

Jiang Xingxing smiled at him, her gaze warm and full of affection. His blush deepened, spreading furiously to his ears, which turned a fiery, translucent red.

Though his expression remained stern and serious, he couldn’t hide his shyness.

“Mr. Shang, you’re blushing!”

“No, I’m not.”

“You definitely are.”

“I’ll get angry.”

“Alright, alright.”

Jiang Xingxing knew how thin-skinned he was and refrained from teasing him further.
When he got angry, he could be really intimidating.

She clasped her hands together, closed her eyes, and prepared to make a wish upon the candle. Shang Jie, as always, inserted his own addition at just the right moment: “Instead of making a wish on the candle, why not make one to me?”

Jiang Xingxing opened her eyes, puzzled. “Why?”

“If you make a wish to me, I can make any of your dreams come true.”

She laughed, not taking him seriously. “Really? Then, if my wish is for the stars in the sky, can you grant that too?”

Shang Jie glanced out the window at the starlit sky and replied calmly, “I could purchase the naming rights for a new star. If you’d like, I’ll have Lin Chuan inquire with the space agency. I believe some billionaires have done that before.”

Jiang Xingxing: …

What a cheater. Being rich doesn’t mean you can break the rules!

Still, she believed he truly had the power to fulfill any whimsical wish she could imagine—and perhaps, that he had too much money with nowhere to spend it.

“Alright then, I’ll make my wish to you.”

“Go ahead.”

Facing him directly, Jiang Xingxing softly said, “I wish for Mr. Shang’s illness to heal soon, so that you can live a normal life.”

Shang Jie’s expression grew complicated as he gazed at her. Her moist lips curved slightly, and her eyes were pure and sincere.

He had always thought… she might prefer living with his second personality.

“If I recover, the second personality will disappear from this world,” he reminded her. “Are you sure that’s what you want?”

Her hands suddenly clenched, trembling slightly. She worked hard to suppress her emotions, forcing a lighthearted tone. “What I want doesn’t matter. What matters is that you get better.”

Shang Jie wanted to tell her, “Your opinion matters to me.” But when he looked at her, he couldn’t bring himself to say the words.

The atmosphere turned heavy. After a moment of silence, he said, “That wish doesn’t count. Make another one. Whatever you want, even the stars—I’ll make it happen.”

Jiang Xingxing knew his promise was worth more than gold. She lowered her head to think and asked, “How much money does Mr. Shang make in a minute?”

“Why ask that?”

“Because I want two hours of your time.”

Shang Jie chuckled faintly. “Bold of you to ask for so much. But whatever amount you want, it’s yours.”

“I don’t want your money,” she said cautiously, glancing at him. “I just… want you to go watch a two-hour movie with me.”

In the nearly a year they’d known each other, transitioning from strangers to lovers and finally to a married couple, they’d never had a proper date. She was curious—what would it be like to go on a date with him?

Shang Jie looked at her, surprised. “That’s all?”

“Yes!” She nodded earnestly. “Just one movie. We can go in the evening so it doesn’t interfere with your work.”

“Alright,” he agreed. “You choose the time. No need to wait for the weekend—any time will do.”

Her mood lifted instantly. She blew out the candle in one breath and cut him the largest piece of cake, offering it to him.

Shang Jie frowned slightly. He wasn’t fond of sweets, especially rich, creamy cakes. But not wanting to dampen her enthusiasm, he picked up a small fork and took two bites.

Jiang Xingxing watched him eat, finding the sight captivating. He was always composed, never letting a trace of food touch the skin around his lips. His movements were careful, refined, and graceful.

“Eat your own portion. Why are you staring at me?” Shang Jie said, feeling slightly self-conscious under her gaze.

“Because Mr. Shang is a feast for the eyes.”

“Heh.”

He let out a soft laugh and ignored her.

“Oh no,” she suddenly said.

“What’s wrong?”

“Mr. Shang, I really want to kiss you right now.”

Her gaze was clear and direct, with a playful twinkle that was impossible to miss. She was shamelessly teasing him.

Shang Jie: …

She was too bold, and he wasn’t sure how to handle it.

His eyes fell on her lips, now smudged with cream. “If you dare…”

Before he could finish, Jiang Xingxing leaned in, wrapping her arms around his neck. She pressed a sweet, sticky kiss to his cheek, leaving Shang Jie momentarily stunned.

For someone who was always clear-headed and quick to react, this was the first time a girl’s kiss had left him completely flustered.

Even Jiang Xingxing felt embarrassed after the act. She quickly collected the dishes and retreated to the kitchen.

Meanwhile, Shang Jie touched his cheek. The sugary residue clung to his fingers, sticky and warm. He grabbed a tissue to clean it off, but a faint smile tugged at his lips as he sent a text to Lin Chuan:

“Don’t wait for me tonight.”

Lin Chuan replied instantly: “???”

Shang Jie rubbed his temples and added, “Go home. I won’t be coming back tonight.”

Lin Chuan: [Screaming Groundhog.gif]

Shang Jie: …

Lin Chuan: “You’re staying at your wife’s place?!”

Shang Jie: “Yes.”

Lin Chuan: [Screaming Groundhog.gif]

Shang Jie: “Do you still want your paid vacation this year?”

Lin Chuan: “I’m leaving right now. [Smile emoji]”

Shang Jie: “[Smile emoji]”

When Jiang Xingxing came out of the kitchen, drying her hands, she asked, “Mr. Shang, when are you heading back?”

Calmly, he replied, “Lin Chuan had some personal matters and went home. I can’t leave for now.”

She blinked, confused. “Lin Chuan has a home?”

Wasn’t he always by Shang Jie’s side, living at the Jiang villa?

“Can’t he have his own matters to attend to?” Shang Jie replied sharply.

“I was just asking casually. Why so fierce?”

Shang Jie exhaled slowly, trying to keep calm and mentally prepare for whatever might come next. He couldn’t lose control. No matter what happened, he had to stay composed.

Jiang Xingxing sat on the bed, flipping through her script. After a moment, she glanced at him. “So… Mr. Shang is staying over tonight?”

His breathing faltered briefly as he tugged at his tie. “Lin Chuan isn’t answering my calls.”

“Let me try calling him,” she offered before he could stop her, dialing Lin Chuan’s number.

Shang Jie’s fingers curled into his palm, leaving faint indentations. A man who always maintained composure, capable of turning the tides in the business world, was now unnerved by such a trivial matter.

This was nerve-wracking.

After a while, Jiang Xingxing hung up. “He really didn’t pick up. Do you think something urgent came up?”

“He can handle it,” Shang Jie said, feigning calm. Internally, he let out a massive sigh of relief.

Lin Chuan definitely deserved a raise for this.

“Alright then. Mr. Shang can stay the night,” she said with a shrug. She pulled a thin blanket from the cabinet and neatly spread it over the sofa. “Same as always—you sleep on the couch.”

He looked at her. “I don’t want to sleep on the couch.”

Jiang Xingxing glanced at him, amused. He was surprisingly direct. With his second personality, at least there’d be some back-and-forth negotiation. But Shang Jie’s straightforwardness left her no room to refuse.

She sighed and relented. “Fine, you take the bed. I’ll sleep on the couch.”

Guests should be treated well, after all.

But just as she stood to leave, Shang Jie suddenly grabbed her wrist.

Her delicate wrist, pale and slender, turned red under the force of his grip.

He looked at her intently with his deep brown eyes and said seriously, “As husband and wife, shouldn’t we share the same bed?”

---

Sansukini: He’s finally took the step to get closer and accepting his feelings for her.

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