272— Making Birthday Plans

Snuggling closer to her husband, she closed her eyes. Li Chuanmo was admiring her long lashes when they quivered as she opened her eyes again.

"Your birthday is soon, you know?"

"That's right."

Li Chuanmo was noncommittal. He really had not celebrated his birthday in a long time—more than a decade. It was only because of his family and Li Yuchen who had always kept it in mind and sent him gifts that he even remembered the date.

"I usually don't celebrate it."

"Well that has to change. I want to celebrate with you." She promptly informed him.

This time last year, they were still in a bitterly cold war, so apart from a generic message as one of his employees—which he didn't even respond to, she didn't speak to him on that day, much less give him anything.

Recalling that awful period made her smack his chest with force, "I just remembered how mean you were to me around this time last year."

Alright, she had to admit that she was just as prone to pettiness as he was to jealousy.

Li Chuanmo, whose hand was inching towards his favorite treasures paused. Then he pulled her close and spoke in a low voice, "I'm sorry Honey. I was blind at the time."

Remembering how he made both of them suffer needlessly, he called himself all sorts of names inwardly.

Pei Yueran snorted softly before saying, "Forget it, I'm a magnanimous person. I will not bicker with you."

Li Chuanmo smiled helplessly before kissing his wife softly, "Thank you for your magnanimity Honey."

The warm air in her ears made Pei Yueran shift a bit and go back to the subject at hand, "Alright. Then let's talk about it. Would you like me to throw a party?"

Li Chuanmo shook his head, "It's too much of a hassle. I just want to spend the day with you."

Pei Yueran thought about it before saying, "But wouldn't it be better to organize a small event at least? We could invite Dad and Mom, along with a few key family friends and hold it in one of the banquet halls at CM Luxuries."

Li Chuanmo surrendered, "Fine. It's up to you." He started to get handsy again.

Pei Yueran tried to ignore what he was doing and continued to ask, "Is there anything you'd like to receive from me?"

She had something in mind as his gift, but she wanted to find out if he would like any other thing. Especially since she felt it wasn't enough.

Li Chuanmo's hands moved skilfully as he said with a smile, "Oh, would you give me whatever I want?"

Hearing this, she just knew he would not ask for something normal. Well, it was his birthday after all, a once in a year thing. She could humor him this time.

Mrs Li had conveniently forgotten that as long as it was Chairman Li's request, she had hardly ever refused him anyway, birthday or not.

So she said, "Yes I will. But it had better be something I can do."

Li Chuanmo's smile grew wider, "Of course. As a matter of fact, what I want is what only you can do."

"So what is it?"

"Fulfil your promise at the cinema and take a bath with me."

As expected, his wife's cheeks reddened. "Chuan!" What was it about bathing together that he had been clamouring for it so much?

If only she knew.

"But that's not all. After all, you already owe me that as a condition we agreed on at the cinema."

Pei Yueran suddenly felt danger approaching as Li Chuanmo continued to speak, "My main request is ...."

"Wait. You can only ask for one thing. I-I'll do what you want."

Li Chuanmo raised an eyebrow.

"Perfect, I really can't wait. But Honey, my main request is also in the same line, so it can actually be counted as one thing."

When Chairman Li wanted to be shameless, he could force reason and twist logic, just like a bandit.

Pei Yueran decided to give him the benefit of doubt, "Fine, what is it?"

"I want you to bath me."

He thought Pei Yueran would go googly-eyed like she did earlier at the office when he teased her, but surprisingly, she was calm. Not just that, even when she spoke, her focus was a bit different from what he thought.

"There's a difference?" She asked with just slightly furrowed brows.

Li Chuanmo's eyebrow raised even further. Was his wife really asking this? He momentarily wondered what her first marriage looked like before putting it out of his mind.

"Not really." It was not a problem if she didn't know. He would rather just show her than explain. Sponging him from head to toe was not a big deal, but his wife might not think so when it was time to do it.

"Are you sure that's what you want?"

"Yes." He answered, sure that she really didn't understand, else she would not look so calm, right?

"Fine." Said with pink cheeks.

It was Li Chuanmo's turn to be surprised. She really agreed? Did the sun set in the East that day?

Then he asked, "Ran, did you have a fortuitous encounter recently?"

Pei Yueran furrowed her brows delicately. What did that have to do with anything? "None that I can remember, why do you ask?"

"Because I need to thank the person that changed my wife this much."

Understanding that he was just teasing her, she hit him with a pillow, her earlier embarrassment forgotten.

"Then you should just thank yourself." He was the one that has had the greatest influence on her in the last one year.

Li Chuanmo strangely felt pleased with himself. "I'm a great coach then."

Pei Yueran rolled her eyes at his childishness before letting out a yawn, "I'm going to sleep. Goodnight Chairman Li."

Feigning anger, Li Chuanmo bit her lips as punishment, "Who are you calling Chairman Li? Have you been slacking on your lessons?"

Startled, Pei Yueran kicked him aside, "Are you a dog?!"

His wife could be so aggressive at times. He could feel his knee aching. Couldn't she use words?

"Should I show you if I am?"

Pei Yueran: "???"

"No thank you. Goodnight my sweet Chuan." Closing her eyes, she threw the covers over her head. She had a busy day ahead of her the next day, and she needed her beauty sleep.

Soon, she was breathing evenly, while the person who was called "my sweet Chuan" kept smiling foolishly as he lowered the covers and watched her sleep.

*****

At the Gao family mansion.

Gao Zhipeng sat down at the head seat, Qiao Mingran by his side. In addition to Gao Tinghua, there were four other people present— three men and a woman.