Chapter 38- Are they like a big-breasted dominatrix from a yuri novel? Or a cute little loli?

Under the warm, dim light, the sharp lines of Xiao Wanqing’s jaw and the elegant curve of her swan-like neck seemed to be frozen in time—like a breathtaking painting come to life. For several seconds, Lin Xian stared at her in a daze, her mind completely blank, as if all that remained was a blazing fire in her chest and a single sentence echoing over and over again:

“Aunt Xiao... she likes women! She likes women!”

Then, slowly, reason began to return. Her thoughts started to unfurl.

Yes... If that were true, then so many things suddenly began to make sense.

She suddenly recalled a scene from when she was eleven years old, when she followed her mother to a wake. Behind the mourning hall, she had accidentally witnessed a confrontation—Xiao Wanqing arguing with a young woman who was clearly pregnant.

Time had passed, and Lin Xian could no longer remember the woman’s face clearly. But she remembered, with unsettling clarity, the look of anguish on it. That expression was so deeply sorrowful, so heartbreakingly complex, that young Lin Xian, in all her life before that moment, had never seen anything like it.

The woman had gripped Xiao Wanqing’s slender wrists tightly, her eyes red as a rabbit’s, her nose flushed with tears and grief. She sobbed uncontrollably as she choked out, “I’m the one who let you down.”

And Xiao Wanqing—the one who should have been the most devastated—looked almost... calm. Dressed in mourning clothes, her body was so thin it seemed a breeze might blow her away. Yet her back remained straight and proud. She gazed at the woman in silence, her pale face completely unreadable. Only when the woman was too choked by tears to speak further did she quietly peel her hands away and ask, in a detached, emotionless voice:

“Are you finished?”

“You should go. I don’t want to see you again.”

She spoke with such composed coldness that Lin Xian had always assumed Xiao Wanqing must have been indifferent—or even disgusted—by the woman.

But moments after the woman had turned and left in helpless silence, Xiao Wanqing seemed to collapse, sinking slowly to the ground. She hugged herself, head buried in her knees, crying quietly yet bitterly.

She cried so sadly, so restrained, that even Lin Xian—who had been hiding in the shadows—felt her own nose sting and tears spill uncontrollably.

For years, Lin Xian had believed it was just the familiar story of two women and one heartless man.

But now—now it all made sense.

From beginning to end, the story had only ever been about two women.

She should’ve been ecstatic. If Aunt Xiao liked women, then maybe—just maybe—there was hope for her. Right?

But she couldn’t smile at all.

All she wanted was to break through the fog of time and go back—to the Xiao Wanqing who had suddenly become an orphan overnight. To the Xiao Wanqing who had no one to lean on when she needed it most. To the Xiao Wanqing who had cried alone, then wiped away her tears and pretended as if nothing had happened.

She wanted to hug her.

Why hadn’t she stepped out back then and hugged her?

Heartache drowned out the joy. Lin Xian stared at Xiao Wanqing’s gentle, familiar smile, her throat tight with emotion. A thousand words welled up in her chest, but in the end, all she could manage was a whisper: “Aunt Xiao…”

Xiao Wanqing finished the last of her wine, swept her gaze across the roomful of stunned faces, and smiled softly. She stood and said, “You all keep playing. I’ll go make the final dessert soup to help sober everyone up.”

As her chair scraped softly against the floor, the sound jolted Tang Mo and Chen Zhi back to their senses. The two of them instinctively shook their heads and patted their faces.

Tang Mo gasped, “Did I just find out something huge!?”

Lin Xian remained silent, watching Xiao Wanqing walk away, biting her lip.

Shi Man, looking like a little fox who had just stolen something sweet, rested her cheeks in her hands and gazed steadily at Lin Xian. Instead of answering Tang Mo, she asked slyly, “So… anyone else want to drink this round?”

Chen Zhi and Tang Mo exchanged glances and immediately perked up.

“What’s happening? There’s more? Who is it? Who!?”

For a moment, they even began to question their own orientations.

Aside from her initial surprise when Shi Man had announced the question and downed her drink, Xia Zhijin had remained quiet, lost in thought. Now, as Chen Zhi and Tang Mo’s eyes flicked toward her in suspicion, she merely gave them a calm look and reminded them, “Did you forget? I didn’t join this game.”

Oh, right!

Everyone’s eyes immediately snapped to Lin Xian.

She looked up at Shi Man, who blinked innocently at her, mischief written all over her face. Lin Xian let out a quiet snort, then casually poured herself a glass of wine. In a low voice, she said, “It’s me.” Then, to everyone’s gasp of shock, she downed it in one go.

Chen Zhi and Tang Mo were already riding a high from three straight closet-door-kicking revelations. One grabbed Shi Man, the other grabbed Lin Xian, both of them rapid-firing questions:

“You guys were hiding this so well! So do you have someone now? Do you like anyone? Are they hot? Are they like a big-breasted dominatrix from a yuri novel? Or a cute little loli?”

At the question about having someone she liked, Shi Man’s eyes flicked over to Xia Zhijin. Their gazes met briefly before Xia Zhijin calmly looked away. Shi Man’s smile dimmed just a little, and she turned her eyes as well. She looked back at Chen Zhi, flashed a sly grin, and said, “We’re not playing Truth or Dare anymore, right?”

Chen Zhi and Tang Mo whined a little but eventually let it go.

Chen Zhi, after the excitement died down a bit, grew a little more serious. She hesitated, then offered gently, “Next time... maybe don’t be so honest with just anyone. Mo Mo and I are pretty chill, but... I’m just afraid others might not be.”

Lin Xian nodded and flicked the back of Chen Zhi’s hand with a smile. “Of course we know. That’s exactly why we were so open—because it’s you guys. We trust you.”

Chen Zhi’s heart warmed immediately, touched by the trust in Lin Xian’s words.

Tang Mo was still deep in thought, replaying everything that had just happened. Suddenly, she spoke in awe, “Aunt Xiao’s gay... Honestly, if it were someone like her, I think I’d go gay for her too.”

Shi Man burst into laughter.

Lin Xian raised an eyebrow and swatted at Tang Mo. “Get lost. This has nothing to do with you.”

Tang Mo huffed, “Why not? I’ve never even liked a guy before! Maybe I do like girls!”

Lin Xian shot her down without mercy. “Even if that’s true, Aunt Xiao still has nothing to do with you. Go find someone else to bend for.”

Shi Man casually cracked open a can of beer and took a swig straight from it. She smiled meaningfully. “Yeah, Mo Mo, don’t get your hopes up. Even if something’s going on, it’s clearly a case of ‘first come, first served’ here.”

Chen Zhi added a jab with a grin, “I think what they meant was… You're just not their type.” Her eyes sparkled mischievously, and she quickly changed the subject, “Let’s keep playing the game!” She was still hoping to dig up more juicy gossip. Tonight was already wild—too exciting to stop now. She didn’t believe for a second that she wouldn’t get a chance to ask whether Shi Man or Lin Xian had someone they liked right now.

Chen Zhi added a jab with a grin, “I think what they meant was… their gaydar’s too good for you.” Her eyes sparkled mischievously, and she quickly changed the subject, “Let’s keep playing the game!” She was still hoping to dig up more juicy gossip. Tonight was already wild—too exciting to stop now. She didn’t believe for a second that she wouldn’t get a chance to ask whether Shi Man or Lin Xian had someone they liked right now.

No one knew how long they played. Time blurred together until Lin Xian finally realized Xiao Wanqing had been in the kitchen a little too long. She decided to finish this round of the game and then go check on her.

Just as that thought crossed her mind, the dining room lights suddenly went out.

“Ah!” Tang Mo shrieked in pure reflex. She was timid and completely unprepared for the blackout.

“Don’t be scared, probably just a tripped switch,” Lin Xian said quickly to comfort her. She pushed her chair back and stood up, ready to go find Xiao Wanqing and ask what was going on.

But just as she turned around, she saw it—soft little specks of candlelight flickering at the doorway. Tiny flames lit up in the dark like stars. And in the glow, Xiao Wanqing’s delicate and graceful face began to emerge—gentle, radiant, mesmerizing.

“Happy birthday to you… Happy birthday to you…” That voice—low, warm, the one Lin Xian had once listened to through her phone speaker while in a foreign land—the voice that had enchanted her, was now gently ringing in her ears, real and close.

Xiao Wanqing was walking toward her step by step, smiling, carrying a big chocolate cake covered in lit candles, singing softly as she came closer.

Shi Man, Xia Zhijin, Chen Zhi, and Tang Mo caught on right away, joining in with gentle claps and harmonizing with Xiao Wanqing’s soft singing, “Happy birthday to you… Happy birthday to you…”

“Xianxian, happy birthday.” Xiao Wanqing finally reached her, stopping right in front of Lin Xian.

Lin Xian tilted her head up, searching for Xiao Wanqing’s gaze, locking eyes with that gentle, water-like softness. She could see the faint reflection of herself in those eyes—small, but so vividly present.

And in that moment, she thought:
If I could… I’d want to stay here forever.

“Aunty Xiao…” she whispered, overwhelmed with joy. Besides softly calling out her name again and again, she didn’t know how else to express the surge of emotion about to spill out of her heart.

“Make a wish. Blow out the candles,” Xiao Wanqing said softly.

Lin Xian stared at the elegant woman before her. After a few still moments, she lowered her long lashes, closed her eyes, and pressed her hands together. Word by word, with utmost sincerity, she made her eighteen-year-old coming-of-age wish.

I wish… to be with you.

She opened her eyes and gently blew out the flickering flames. Darkness filled the room once again.

But this time, no one panicked. No one was afraid.

The shadows blurred everything… including the burning love in Lin Xian’s eyes. In a soft, velvety voice, she asked Xiao Wanqing, “Aunty Xiao, do you think… my wish will come true?”

Xiao Wanqing’s cool, melodious voice carried a hint of a smile as she replied, “The answer’s in the gift I prepared for you.”

Chen Zhi, ever the curious one, squealed with glee and darted off in the dark to grab the gift from the living room coffee table—the one Xiao Wanqing had brought after her lecture.

While she did that, Xiao Wanqing stepped forward, placed the cake on the table, then moved to a corner of the room. She reached out, fingers feeling for something, and with one elegant press of a switch—

The entire room lit up.

Like a sky clearing after a long night, the darkness lifted to reveal a galaxy of twinkling stars. Dazzling beams shimmered across the ceiling and walls—soft, glowing, dreamy.

A starry sky projection lamp.

Under that celestial dome, with surprised gasps from Chen Zhi and Tang Mo echoing around her, Xiao Wanqing gazed at Lin Xian with a gentle smile, her voice full of warmth: “Go ahead. Open it.”

Lin Xian felt her heart tremble.

She peeled back the beautiful wrapping, layer by layer. What met her eyes were six golden characters: Live the life you dream of.

It was a book—her favorite. The one by Yu Yao, the author she had once complained about not being able to get lecture tickets for. It was Yu Yao’s most iconic title, in a brand-new commemorative edition that hadn’t been available for sale in years.

She opened the cover and saw the inside page. There, in the unmistakable handwriting of the author who famously never signed books, were these words:

Lin Xian, Happy Birthday.
Everything will be as you wish.
—Yu Yao

She looked up and met Xiao Wanqing’s gaze, bright and dazzling—brighter, even, than the stars.