Two days later, on You Rong's birthday.
You Rong didn't have many expectations. When his parents, brother, and sister were alive, they would celebrate his birthday. Now that they were gone, he felt it didn't matter whether he celebrated or not, though Lin Qinghe had always celebrated it for him these past few years.
You Rong went to the training room as usual. After finishing his training, he took the private elevator upstairs. With a "ding," the elevator door opened, revealing darkness before him.
You Rong frowned, instinctively tightening his grip on the pistol he wore. He moved forward by memory.
No matter how much Lin Qinghe disliked light, for his sake, she had instructed the servants to leave the lights on at night.
You Rong pricked up his ears, focusing intently on the sounds within the room. Hearing footsteps approaching him, he stopped, slowly raising the pistol he held, aiming it in the direction of the sound.
Step by step... closer and closer he drew.
In the darkness, a cold glint flashed in You Rong's eyes. When the footsteps were less than a meter away, he pulled the trigger without hesitation.
With a "bang," the gunshot was accompanied by the sound of celebratory cannons. Simultaneously, the lights in the room suddenly flickered on, and Zhang Yi's voice echoed from the direction of the dining room, "Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you..."
His vision brightened, and the air was filled with falling confetti from the cannons. Lin Qinghe stood before him, one hand covering her shoulder, her face pale.
You Rong froze.
Zhang Yi walked over and, seeing You Rong holding a gun, guessed what had happened. He rushed forward in visible panic, shouting frantically, "Progenitor! Are you alright?! Progenitor!"
You Rong's heart tightened, and he suddenly reacted, "You... are you alright?"
Had he just shot her?
Lin Qinghe was, after all, the progenitor of the blood clan. The silver bullets from the pistol could indeed injure her, but her recovery speed was astonishingly fast, so quick that no one could see the wound on her shoulder grazed by the bullet.
Lin Qinghe calmly recomposed her expression, lowered her hand, and smiled, "Don't be nervous. You're not strong enough to hurt me... but your vigilance just now is certainly commendable."
You Rong subtly glanced at the spot Lin Qinghe had just covered. Her collarbone was delicate, her skin as white as snow, and there was indeed no injury. He breathed a silent sigh of relief, but his expression turned stern.
"How boring... Why did you do something so foolish?"
Lin Qinghe pinched You Rong's cheek, "You little wolf cub... a birthday isn't complete without ceremony! Come... Zhang Yi, bring the cake. Let him make a wish and blow out the candles, quickly!"
Zhang Yi looked at Lin Qinghe with a hesitant gaze, ultimately swallowing the words he wanted to say. He brought the cake to You Rong and said, "Young master... happy birthday. Make a wish and blow out the candles!"
You Rong: "..."
Looking at the cake before him, then at Lin Qinghe, You Rong seemed to reluctantly lower his head to blow out the candles. Lin Qinghe suddenly covered his mouth, displeased, "I told you to close your eyes and make a wish before blowing out the candles! You always blew them out without making a wish before. This year, you *must* make a wish!"
You Rong: "..."
Lin Qinghe threatened, "Hurry up! Close your eyes and make a wish!"
You Rong reluctantly closed his eyes and pretended to make a wish.
He had no wishes. Sudannovels.com
You Rong opened his eyes and glanced at Lin Qinghe, as if asking if it was time.
Lin Qinghe narrowed her eyes and smiled, "It's time! Blow out the candles quickly!"
You Rong lowered his head and blew out all the candles in one breath. Lin Qinghe asked Zhang Yi to place the cake on the dining table and pulled You Rong to sit down at the table. The table was laden with dishes, all of which she had personally cooked.
Lin Qinghe looked at You Rong with a beaming smile, "Eat, these are all your favorite dishes. I made them especially for you today because it's your birthday."
You Rong picked up his chopsticks and began to eat.
In reality, these weren't his favorite dishes. He wasn't a picky eater. Sometimes, when he had a good appetite, he ate more of certain dishes, and Lin Qinghe mistook it for him liking that particular dish.
At the dining table, You Rong ate the lavish meal with his chopsticks. Lin Qinghe rested her chin on her hand, gazing at him with a smile. As a blood clan member, she didn't need to consume anything other than blood. It had been like this for years. He ate, and she watched him, calling it "accompanying him for dinner."
In truth, after all these years, You Rong's confusion had not disappeared.
Why had Lin Qinghe brought him back?
She said she was raising him as food, but in all these years, she had never drunk a single drop of his blood. In fact, she had treated him with excessive kindness.
Why had she brought him back?