Chapter 82: Bian Yang, You Did That on Purpose!

He let out a muffled laugh. "Tang Xiaoyu, how can you be so adorable?" As he walked to the bedside, he reached out and ruffled her hair.

Tang Yu puffed up her cheeks and brushed his hand away.

He lowered his chin slightly, unable to hide the smile tugging at his lips. "You can't believe everything men say. But you have to believe me."

Tang Yu’s face darkened. "Believe you about what? That you have magical powers?"

The girl hadn't realized yet that, without noticing it, he had once again shifted the conversation off course.

The young man lifted his lips. "Yes, I do."

Tang Yu's expression was full of disbelief.

"Why don't I show you a magic trick to prove it?"

As he said this, Bian Yang walked over to her.

Sitting on the bed, Tang Yu looked up at him in confusion.

Suddenly, he leaned down, his black hair falling carelessly across his forehead, bracing his hands on either side of her body, his pale and slender fingers sinking into the soft bedding. Bian Yang was tall to begin with, and now, looming over her, he seemed to envelop her in cool, cedar-scented air. He stopped just a dozen centimeters from her, staring at her unabashedly, his gaze fixed and intense.

The sunlight, refracted through the glass, slanted in, making the motes of dust in the air seem to dance.

He was so close she could count the lashes around his eyes.

A flicker of discomfort flashed in Tang Yu’s eyes. She instinctively held her breath, her hands gripping the quilt tightly.

She hadn’t noticed it before, but now the room suddenly felt stifling.

So stifling that she could hardly breathe.

Her back pressed unconsciously into the headboard, trying to put some distance between them, but Bian Yang freed one hand and lazily rested it at the nape of her neck, stopping her retreat.

Tang Yu froze, her grip on the quilt tightening even more.

"Aren't you curious what kind of magic I'll do?"

He lowered his eyes, lips curving in a mischievous smile. "Or is it that you think I look better than any magic, so you just stare at me and say nothing?"

With him gazing at her like that, his hand on her nape, anyone would feel ill at ease.

Tang Yu skipped over his question, mumbling in a small voice, "You can't do magic anyway."

"I can. I can do anything," the young man replied, his gaze dropping to her soft, rosy lips as they parted and closed.

They looked... exceptionally kissable.

"Do you want to try?" he asked, eyes fixed on her lips.

She instinctively held her breath, her mind in a whirl. "Try what...?" Her voice was soft and faint.

Bian Yang's Adam's apple bobbed, and her shoulders trembled at the subtle movement. He wore an amused smile. "You tell me, what else could we try?"

He leaned in even closer, his breath brushing her skin. From her angle, she could see the clear lines of his neck and the small mole on his collarbone.

His tone was teasing. "Or is it that you want to try something with me?"

A strange warmth crept up her cheeks. Flustered by his barrage of questions, her eyes grew confused. "I—I wasn't thinking about anything..."

Her mind was like a tangled ball of string, with no room left for any thoughts—how could she be thinking about anything at all?

Bian Yang was amused by her dazed expression. The fingers at her nape shifted, gently pinching her cheek. "So, do you want to try or not?"

Tang Yu shifted her gaze slightly, trying to calm herself. "What kind of magic is this anyway..." Why did he have to get so close?

Bian Yang’s eyes sparkled with laughter. "If you don't believe me, I'll write a few dates on some slips of paper. You pick one, recite it five times in your mind, and I'll guess which one you picked."

Tang Yu was half convinced, half doubtful. Bian Yang straightened up and went to the living room, returning with three slips of paper.

"Pick one," he said, his eyes glinting with mischief.

Tang Yu looked at the slips in his palm and chose the one in the middle. Under his gaze, she turned her back and peeked at it.

"Now recite the date on the slip five times in your mind," he instructed.

Tang Yu crumpled the paper in her hand and silently recited the date five times, just as he asked.

Seeing her blink, her eyes clear and innocent as she looked at him, Bian Yang dragged out the last syllable of his words, his voice low and teasing. "Are you done?"

"Mm," Tang Yu replied, curious to see if he could really guess.

Bian Yang stared directly into her eyes, sometimes frowning, sometimes studying her face. The girl gazed up at him, her eyes pure, waiting for his answer.

"Have you guessed it?" she asked. They’d been staring at each other like this for several minutes; her neck was starting to ache.

But Bian Yang still hadn't spoken.

Tang Yu couldn't help muttering, "If you can't do it, don't force yourself. I won't laugh at you."

"Tang Xiaoyu, how—" He paused at just the right moment.

Tang Yu looked up at him, waiting for what he’d say next.

Half in shadow, Bian Yang's expression was meaningful as he went on, "How is it that you're thinking about my birthday?"

Tang Yu was stunned. "Your birthday is July tenth?"

Bian Yang raised his brows. "That's right, my birthday is July tenth."

He really could do magic!

He had actually guessed right.

Bian Yang couldn’t help but laugh quietly. A few seconds later, as if something dawned on her, Tang Yu reached for the other two slips in his hand.

Bian Yang’s fist tightened, the lines of his arm becoming more pronounced. He let her tug and pry at his hand as she liked, but stubbornly refused to let go.

Only when she began to use more force, looking a bit annoyed, did he finally release his fist with a laugh.

That gave her the chance to snatch the other two slips.

Tang Yu opened them and found that both slips showed the same date!

July tenth!

"Bian Yang, you did this on purpose!"

Realizing she'd been tricked, Tang Yu puffed up in anger and shoved his shoulder.

Bian Yang let her push him, retreating lazily a few steps, his hands in his pockets, unable to hide the amused curve of his lips. "I've already memorized your birthday. It's only fair you remember mine, isn't it?"

"…"

Reciting it five times, tricked by him again, Tang Yu knew she would never forget that date now.

"Now that you know my birthday, you’d better start thinking about what to give me," Bian Yang said softly.

Tang Yu’s brow twitched as she tossed the slips into the trash. "Your birthday is still a long way off!"

"Then let's celebrate yours first," he said, unconcerned, leaning against the paneled glass, looking at her. "How do you plan to celebrate tomorrow?"

Tang Yu lowered her lashes. "I've never celebrated my birthday."

In her memory, the days when her parents were together were filled with chaos—her mother complaining her father didn’t earn enough, her father resenting her mother for not doing housework. Every time they argued, she was always on edge.

Afraid that the slightest sound or mistake would set off another fight, celebrating a birthday was out of the question.

After their divorce, life was harder, but at least it was peaceful.

"From eighteen onward, you can start celebrating," Bian Yang said, tilting his chin, a wicked glint in his eyes. "I happen to love celebrating birthdays. From now on, we’ll celebrate together every year. Since you don’t know how, just do as I say tomorrow. Wherever I take you, you’ll have to go."