The curtain is lit up again, and the cake is recorded, illuminated by candlelight.

On the black-brown chocolate cake, there are two faint silhouettes of deeper side faces, which are clear.

The candle shadow shook slightly, the angle was just right, and even the shadow became ambiguous, not letting go of the embarrassed two people in their hearts, and the two foreheads seemed to be leaning together.

Yin Zhen narrowed his eyes and watched silently, his thin lips pursed into a straight line, his jaw tightened, and the wine glass in his hand was pinched tightly, making a subtle harsh friction sound.

"Nineteen. Jiang Yucheng looked at Zhan on the other side with a warm smile, took the white chocolate pen she handed over, and filled in the answer in the corner.

Lin Ruoli stood beside Zhan Xiaoyi and hugged her waist, with a look of disdain, "You are blind, is it so fast, why don't you go to the Olympiad competition." ”

Jiang Yucheng didn't care, and smiled flatteringly, "Sister-in-law Xie praises." It's just that what else could it be besides nineteen. As for the competition, I broke off this idea many years ago, because someone doesn't like to waste weekend time on studying, and in order to avoid class, I deliberately handed in a blank paper to let the teachers of the Olympiad school kick it out, and I could only sacrifice my life to accompany the lady. She dodged the beating, but I didn't escape, and was chased and beaten all over the compound by my old and strong grandfather. It's not that you don't know, at that time, Brother Zhan was also angry with her, and it is estimated that he can still have smoke on his head when he thinks about it now. ”

Lin Ruoli giggled twice and raised her head happily, as if she had really become someone's daughter-in-law, she looked at him with a beautiful sigh twice, and said with a smile: "You remember wrong, this girl didn't hand in a blank paper, she made the last most difficult question, the purpose is to tell the teacher who read the paper, she will, but she is not willing to do it to them." ”

Lu Jinyu leaned on the side of the stage, hugged his wife's chin on his chest and rested on her shoulder and laughed, shook his head and said: "Show your smile, I have seen a lot of all kinds of annoying bad students, but there are not many people like you who are clearly begging for beating." As your teacher, I have to thank you for not handing me a blank paper like that so far, but I know that you are in it for a scholarship. It's been almost 16 years, and you don't know how hard I endure you, and if it weren't for the fact that I didn't laugh so loudly and never scolded you once, I really wanted to do it for the people of Tianxingdao. ”

Zhan smiled directly, glanced at Lu Jinyu unceremoniously, gritted his teeth and said: "A gentleman loves money in a good way, and so does a little girl." When you put together the generous monthly salary that you, a great people's teacher, earned easily by oppressing our students, and my meager scholarship that I have earned by studying hard and taking exams, can you tell me, which one is noble and which one is dirty?

The students, who had been bullied by Lu Jinyu for a long time and did not dare to resist, habitually suppressed their hearts that they wanted to laugh but did not dare to laugh, and the intermittent laughter of the hidden laughter was finally combined with the unbridled laughter of unrelated people, and quickly evolved into a turning serf singing Qi Huanyan.

The little woman who was leaning softly on Lu Jinyu's chest covered her mouth and smiled, her eyes turned to look at the virtuous character of Zhan Zhan who was smiling and holding her head high, and said unhurriedly: "Teacher Lu, the student who was just kindly sent by you to let her pass the pass is challenging your authority, I think you are so kind, I should have let her cry with the test paper today, instead of laughing with the scholarship." ”

Lu Jinyu shook her head indifferently, tightened her arms and stood even more boneless, leaning on her wife's shoulder, and swept over the students who immediately stopped laughing, and said evilly: "Don't be afraid, it's just a year of college, there will always be times when she cries, I'm afraid that she wants to cry without tears at that time." And you, who was laughing just now? Go on! Be as happy as you are today, laugh as much as you want, and let's fight again in the next year. ”

Zhan Xiaoyi twitched at the corner of his eyes, glanced at Lin Ruoli with annoyance, put his elbow on her waist and sighed softly, "You are the second in the world, the second in the world." Called sister-in-law to buy you and sell your future sister-in-law. Can it be eaten or worn as clothes? ”

"You don't understand, this is called spiritual food, if you don't believe it, if you ask Jiang Yucheng, if Brother Jiang calls you a brother and sister, he will be so happy that he will fly to the sky. OF COURSE, THE ANNOYING COUSIN WITH THE SURNAME CAN BE PASSED DIRECTLY. Lin Ruoli ignored Lu Jinyu with hatred, his eyes turned around and looked around, and when he saw Jiang Xiancheng leaning against the bar with his wife, he waved his hand and shouted loudly: "Brother Jiang, it's rare for your younger brother to celebrate his birthday, and let him be happy, come and call your brother and sister to listen." ”

Isn't it embarrassing enough to open a pot? Zhan smiled so angrily that he clenched his fists and squinted his eyes, wondering whether to strangle her on the spot.

Yinzhen's face darkened by half, and he looked at Lin Ruoli coldly. He knew who she was, and when he saw her face, he knew that she looked very similar to Yinxiang's concubine Jin Zhaojia, and her annoying appearance was even more alike!

Jiang Xiancheng still smiled gently, walked over with his wife and patted Lu Jinyu on the shoulder, and stopped beside Jiang Yucheng. He raised his glass to Lin Ruoli, and said slowly and clearly word by word, but his face was clearly like Lu Jinyu's badness, "Judging from Xiaoyan, you should also be a younger brother and sister in the future, just for his legs, do you want to consider giving up?"

Lin Ruoli's face was red, red and white, and he was so angry that he grabbed the smile that suddenly laughed and pulled it hard, and said hatefully: "Bad people, their Jiang family is all bad people, you don't pay attention to them, and you are not allowed to be good with the men of their family." The smile is not there, I have to help him protect you, and I must not let this family get away with it. ”

Zhan's smiling smile stopped awkwardly on his lips and tried to ignore the laughter around him, pushed the cake cart and pretended not to hear, and urged repeatedly, "Make a wish, blow out the candles, and sing a birthday song." ”

Except for Yinzhen, everyone gathered in front of the stage. Someone clamored to ask about the birthday star's wishes, and Jiang Yucheng casually said two, such as wishing his family health and other general wishes, no matter who asked, he refused to continue to confess the most important one.

The music gradually sounded, different from the earlier hustle and bustle, gentle, lingering and romantic.

The crowd dispersed in twos and threes, and young men and women in love danced in pairs, wantonly showing off the beauty of love.

Zhan smiled and shook his head at Jiang Yucheng, who made an invitation gesture, took a glass of wine from the waiter's hand, looked around for a quiet corner where he could rest, and inadvertently bumped into Yinzhen's staring gaze. The moment the two eyes met, he bit the mouth of the cup and was stunned.

The wine stuck in her throat was like a cold on her lips, swaying up and down, choking her to quickly turn around and cover her mouth and cough non-stop.

Can't hide!

Zhan smiled and pounded his chest in annoyance, his little face flushed and almost coughed up tears, but he couldn't shake off the gaze that was focused behind her. She didn't understand why she couldn't hide from him, let alone why he was staring at her. At that moment, she even regretted why she let him come with her, her head was really squeezed by the door.

Lin Ruoli also saw it, grabbed her shoulders and carefully stroked her back, and whispered, "Who is it?" Do you know? or ...... Know you?"

"Nope. Zhan Xiaoxiao shook his head quickly, clutched the wine glass and swallowed the rest of the wine in one gulp, his heart jumped in fright, leaned into her arms, shrunk back and tried to straighten his back.

"Don't you know? Then he's been staring at you. It looks like it's going to eat you, it's so fierce. Lin Ruoli patted the sexy curve under the deep V neckline, as if she was also scared.

Zhan Xiaoyi instinctively wanted to dodge, and even wanted to leave the scene early, but he regretted it just after talking to Jiang Yucheng, and he couldn't wait to bite his tongue. If he stays here and stays among the people, he can't do anything, if he really leaves...... Where to go?

From beginning to end, Jiang Yucheng was not unaware of Yinzhen hidden in the corner, and would even pay attention to his every move uncontrollably. He knew that Zhan smiled just like him, even if she rarely used her eyes to see.

Jiang Yucheng didn't want to let himself be entangled, let alone break the beauty of tonight, helplessly, he was so real that he kept influencing her feelings, as well as his.

Hearing her say that she was going to leave early at this moment, Jiang Yucheng guessed the truth behind the wandering and dodging between them, and never dared to make a conclusion. Even when the answer was imminent, he refused to face it.

"Uncomfortable?" Jiang Yucheng forcibly suppressed the uneasiness churning in his heart, and carefully looked at her flushed cheeks. The back of his hand naturally pressed against the smooth forehead under the curtain, and the tail finger swept to her frowning brow, faintly hot but without the symptoms of fever.

Jiang Yucheng's palm was slightly away from the eyes behind her that instantly condensed, obviously cold without a trace of temperature, but it seemed like it was about to burn a fire, and before he could think about it, his fingers had brushed the hair on Zhan Xiao's forehead and moved behind her ears to gently support her head, bending over her ear, with a faint smell of wine in his breath, "Aren't you drunk, you are a heroine who is not drunk with a thousand cups, and it is an honor to be drunk for my birthday today." ”

Even if she likes to drink, Zhan Xiaoyi doesn't like the taste of second-hand wine, plus his breath sweeps in her ears, and the hot itch makes her subconsciously want to hide.

Zhan smiled and shook his head and retreated, his heel tripped over Lin Ruoli's feet and leaned back, his warm and dry palms already on her bare back. The crystal pendant under the palm of her hand gently pressed against her skin, causing a burst of coolness, making her body tense instantly.

Lin Ruoli looked at the two who were fixed, stretched out his hand to support her waist, and pushed Jiang Yucheng's shoulders to stand firm with a smile, wanting to retreat.

"Smile, I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to embarrass you, it's just that the memories are too good. Jiang Yucheng's words made her stop the refusal in her hand, and listened to his suppressed gentle whisper in a daze, "Thank you for the cake, every year is a testimony of our friendship." I'm still your friend, okay?"

When Jiang Yucheng said this, the bitterness in his heart that he had never felt before, the sourness gradually disappeared, and only the numb pain remained, spreading from the heart to the limbs, and the pain was so painful that the fingertips that trembled slightly on her hair. His face was almost against hers, but he didn't dare to come any closer, quietly feeling her unhappy on his birthday night.

After tonight, I'm afraid that there will never be such closeness again, but the warmth that belongs to her has long been engraved in the bottom of my heart and will not be forgotten.

Why do you need to be close, the distance of an inch is already the end of the world.

There is only one person in love, what can you do but retreat, what can you do except continue to be friends.

Love is not sacrifice, not possession, but fulfillment.

Jiang Yucheng's heart was reluctant, but he was even more reluctant to embarrass her. For this girl who has been guarding for twelve years, he has always been silently with him, and he has never really owned it, but fortunately, he still has her friendship and trust, which is enough. It's time to let go, let go of her and let go of yourself, no matter how difficult and painful.

For the first time, Zhan Xiaoyi felt him so close, and unexpectedly did not dodge. She has always understood his thoughts, and she also understands that he is really good to herself, and it can even be said that he is good without asking for anything in return, twelve years are like a day. Even though he confessed affectionately just now, he had retreated to the position of a friend at this moment, just because he cherished her in his heart.

His words and her sentimentality made Lin Ruoli hear and understand clearly, Jiang Yucheng's forbearance and respect made her face his feelings for Zhan Xiaoyi for the first time, and Zhan Xiaoyi's gradually moist eyes made her feel distressed.

Lin Ruoli knows how hard it is to be persistent like this, just like she has been chasing jokes for the past three years, at least she is still acting and interacting, but Jiang Yucheng is really waiting silently. She knew how much patience it took to stay the same for twelve years, but once she gave up...... And how deep love does it take to really let go of your hands. She couldn't be as free and easy as Jiang Yucheng, but she changed her contempt for him since they met.

Gently retracting the hand that was supporting Zhan Xiaoyi's waist, Lin Ruoli quietly stepped back, leaving space for the two lovers who had already defined the distance.

"Yucheng, except for my brother, you are my dearest family and best friend, and always will be. ”

Zhan's smiling words were hidden in the increasingly enthusiastic music and gently spoke into Jiang Yucheng's ears, and his hands of refusal slowly relaxed and wrapped around his body behind his back.

"Always. Jiang Yucheng's warm side face pressed against her ear and nodded gently, closing the eyes that hid his infinite affection and buried his face in her soft hair, wetting her black velvet headband.

A song sings about his feelings for many years, making her want to escape, but the words are so warm that she can't help but get closer.

Zhan smiled and slowly tightened his arms, his eyes wide and almost tearful, and his chin leaned against his shoulder, watching the dazzling lights of the roof make tears flow back into his heart.

Friendship is the most cherished thing. It's not love, but it's more precious.

The wine glass in Yinzhen's hand shattered in response, and the brown liquor splashed everywhere, mixed with a light red flowing down his knuckles to his wrists, seeping into the white cuffs, leaving traces of wetness, very light red, but distinct. It's like the fire condensed in his eyes, burning more and more red and vigorous, and he can't bear it.

Holding the blood that kept flowing in the tiger's mouth and fingertips, Yinzhen strode through the crowd of people who were still drinking, laughing or dancing, and when he walked to the two who were looking at each other and laughing at each other after hugging each other, he didn't stop holding the smiling waist and leaning on his body, and walked towards the door.

Lin Ruoli, who was stunned on the spot, screamed in surprise, covering up the resistance and struggle of Zhan Xiao's shocked awakening, "You...... I'm not going. ”

"Come home with me. Yin Zhen's stiff arms were wrapped around her slender waist from behind her back to her front, and her cold short words could not be refused. He didn't stop and suddenly lowered his head, his cold lips pressed against her small earlobes and whispered a threat, "If you don't leave, I'll carry you back, now." Maybe...... Bite you. ”

The words that are pronounced in the mouth are full of anger that cannot be hidden and do not want to continue to be hidden, and there is no longer self-contradiction, entanglement and regret.

He just wanted her, whether it was 300 years ago or here and now, to never let her get entangled with other men again.

Zhan Xiaoyi was stunned by his words, stopped struggling, and was quiet. She stared at him in disbelief, her mind in disbelief, and let him force her way to the door. The scene of that night suddenly jumped into her mind, as clear as yesterday.

It turned out that she also remembered, like him, that she had never forgotten jì.

She knew that what he said was true, and if she didn't do what he said, he really would!

The smell of wine from his mouth spewed coldly into her ears, and the blood in his palm soaked through the fabric and stuck to her skin with her pores, slowly flowing down her waist. Like he clings to her body, the cold has no temperature, cold and hard. Only the tip of her tongue, which swept through her ear sockets, was wet and soft, with a scorching temperature, which stimulated every sensitive nerve in her and couldn't stop trembling.

There was a certain kind of intense love dancing in those bottomless dark eyes, which flashed in his eyes just like that night, and at this time there was more anger that made her inexplicable, instantly awakening the fear that she had never forgotten.

The qiē around her seemed to suddenly freeze, she didn't know what was happening, and she didn't even have time to think about it.

All she knew was that he was terrible.

It's no longer a matter of face, it's fear, simply afraid of him.

Jiang Yucheng and Lin Ruoli, who was chasing after them, stood in front of them, and when they saw Zhan Xiao, who lowered his head and shrunk in his arms tremblingly, one clenched his fists in the same anger, and the other opened his eyes wide in disbelief and covered his mouth.

Jiang Xiancheng smiled and beckoned the crowd around to disperse, Lu Jinyu came over with a wine glass to play a round, smiled as if nothing had happened, and patted Yinzhen on the shoulder without fear of death, "Teacher Ai is leaving? Let Yucheng send you off, don't bother." ”

"Not necessarily. Yin Zhen refused coldly directly, tightened his arms and walked out around him, smiling and staggering to try to keep up with his footsteps.

She walked in a mess, her high heels on the wooden floor, making a chaotic clicking sound, and she shook a few times as she barely stepped out of the doorway, and he jerked her up and hugged her to her chest.

Lin Ruoli and Jiang Yucheng, who were relieved, quickly chased out of the store, shouting in unison, "Smile ......"

Zhan smiled casually and grabbed Yinzhen's neckline, smiled hard over his shoulder, and the stiff curvature of the corners of his mouth made the tightly closed lips tremble more obviously. Her embarrassing grievances made the two people she saw more and more uncomfortable, and she would rather see her cry than force a smile like now.

"I'm sorry, I'm ...... Let's go first, and I'll look for you another day. Yucheng ......"

Before she could finish her sentence, the arms wrapped around her waist tightened tighter, making her almost breathless.

Yin Zhen strode away with her in his arms, never stopping or looking back.

A happy birthday with a gasp of surprise drifted away in the humid and sultry night breeze and disappeared without a trace.

Lin Ruoli froze in place as if he was frightened, staring at the tall back that was fading away with frightened eyes, and the half of the small head that was faintly visible dangling on his shoulder.

She looked at Jiang Yucheng in confusion and saw him running towards the red sports car parked on the side of the road with the key in his hand.

Zhan Xiao's name and birthday are still flashing between the bright red and white car lights, looming.