41 Chapter 41 : Happy Birthday, Xie Jianyu

When Xie Jianyu looked at her with a pair of bright almond-shaped eyes, Mingyu's heart almost stopped beating on the spot.

"Does it look good?"

"... Huh?"

Mingyu blinked in confusion.

"Excuse me, Your Majesty, what did you just say?"

Xie Jianyu lowered his eyes and did not repeat his words.

"What is it?"

"That, uhh..."

Mingyu's mind was blank. She held the little brocade box in a hand, but she forgot about it completely. She was too mesmerized by Xie Jianyu's appearance tonight!

"Never mind," Xie Jianyu sighed. "I am going to change into nightwear."

Mingyu's jaw dropped to the ground.

"B-But Your Majesty!" Mingyu fell to her knees and grabbed the end of Xie Jianyu's gown.

"... What is it?"

"I... Uh... Why don't I help you do your hair?"

"..."

Xie Jianyu knew how to dress like omegas, but he was unable to do his hair on his own.

"..."

Mingyu gave her master's gown a small tug.

"Your Majesty, you look so beautiful tonight. A... a great hairdo will complete the look."

"..."

It was his seventeenth birthday. People did not turn seventeen every day. Besides, it was just for one night. Xie Jianyu gave a little nod, and Mingyu cheered like a little girl.

The maid urged Xie Jianyu to sit at the dressing table, and then she got busy.

Which hair crown was more suitable for Xie Jianyu? Jade? Gold? Silver?

Which hairstyle?

Which hairpins?

Mingyu was going crazy from all the possibilities.

Sitting calmly in front of her, Xie Jianyu stared at his reflection in the crystal mirror.

Ever since he differentiated into an omega, he started dressing himself as an alpha. He never once allowed himself the liberty to wear omega clothes. It felt wrong.

Today was his birthday, but he felt empty and sad. Impulsively, he wore a set of omega clothes that his mother left behind.

Xie Jianyu accepted his fate a long time ago.

He knew that he could never live as an omega in his entire life.

Tonight, he just wanted to look at his real appearance.

What did he look like as an omega? When he did not have to live in a world of lies?

"Done!" Mingyu announced gleefully.

Xie Jianyu snapped back into reality and gazed at his reflection in the mirror.

Mingyu had gathered a third of Xie Jianyu's hair into a high ponytail and fixed it with a shining gold crown. The second third was braided together into tasteful loops, and fastened with red and white jade pins. The rest was left cascading down his shoulders.

The master and maid admired Xie Jianyu's appearance in silence.

Beautiful, Xie Jianyu thought to himself upon first glance. For some reason, the image of this year's Ethereal Beauty emerged in his mind. But then, his self-consciousness quickly dragged his self-esteem to the ground.

Oh, no, probably not.

Xie Jianyu's cheeks turned rosy from embarrassment. How dared he compare himself to Liu Wenyuan.

"Your Majesty, you are so beautiful," Mingyu praised.

Xie Jianyu did not take Mingyu's words seriously.

Of course, she said that. She was his maid.

"Thanks."

"No, really," Mingyu insisted. "I am not praising myself for the hairdo. Your Majesty, you are truly so beautiful."

What a pity that Xie Jianyu had to live as an alpha. Mingyu bit into her lip in regret.

"Thanks," Xie Jianyu said with a faint smile. "Now help me change."

"..."

Mingyu was dejected. She worked so hard on Xie Jianyu's hairdo and the master wanted to destroy her masterpiece before a shichen went by!

In an attempt to delay the time, Mingyu took out the small brocade box in haste.

"Y-Your Majesty, wait!"

"En?"

Mingyu held the brocade box in front of Xie Jianyu with both hands.

"This... a prince from Longjing Palace stopped by to drop this gift for Your Majesty!"

"..."

Zhang Fengxi?

Warmth spread in Xie Jianyu's heart when he thought about the man he loved.

"What is it about?" he asked while taking the box from Mingyu. He did not expect the maid to have an answer for him, but she surprisingly did.

"He said, it was a birthday gift."

Xie Jianyu's heart fluttered when he heard the answer.

Oh. Zhang Fengxi knew that today was his birthday.

Mingyu broke into a smile when she saw the faint smile lacing her master's lips.

"Master, open it," she urged Xie Jianyu.

"En."

The small brocade box opened with a click.

A beam of golden light shot out and flew outside of the room.

Both Xie Jianyu and Mingyu ran outside to see what was happening. The burst of golden light went up the sky and burst into a display of colors.

The loud bangs woke up the entire palace. Maids and servants peeked out of their bed chamber windows, chatted excitedly with each other, and pointed at the sky.

After the initial display of fireworks, a few sparkling letters formed in the sky.

"Happy Birthday, Xie Jianyu."

Mingyu's mouth formed a huge O.

Xie Jianyu watched the sparkling letters in silence. He appeared indifferent, but he could not prevent the ends of his lips from curling up in delight.