Chapter 130 Birthday Gift

"Cough, cough…"

Ye Fan shrugged, placing the cleaver on the coffee table and explaining with a hint of helplessness, "There wasn't anything else in the house to cut the cake with, so… I made do with the cleaver."

"You…"

Ning Xi's eyes glimmered with slight resentment as she turned her head away and muttered softly, "Isn't this a bit too makeshift? If only you'd told me earlier that it was your birthday, then I could have…"

Her voice suddenly halted.

"This is perfect."

Ye Fan moved closer to Ning Xi, gazing at her slightly displeased face with a gentle voice full of warmth, "I'm happy you're here to celebrate my birthday with me."

As he spoke, he gently guided Ning Xi to sit beside him on the couch, then picked up the cleaver and began to slice the cake on the platter.

"Here, try some."

"…Okay."

The masculine aura radiating from Ye Fan made Ning Xi's heart race. To hide her flustered feelings, she quickly took the cake he handed her and began to eat it in big bites.

"Take it easy."

Ye Fan's gaze was filled with affection. Worried she might choke, he poured a glass of lemon water from a jug he took from the fridge, placing it in front of her. "Have some water."

"Th-thanks…"

Her voice was muffled but sweet.

Ye Fan watched Ning Xi in silence. Noticing the dim lighting, he got up to turn on the light, brightening the living room.

"Aren't you going to eat?"

Soon, Ning Xi finished a small piece of cake and realized Ye Fan had been watching her the entire time. She blushed, her soft voice carrying a touch of embarrassment.

"Watching you eat fills me up."

Ye Fan leaned slightly closer to her and whispered, "Xiao Xi, haven't you heard that beauty is more than enough to feast upon?"

Ning Xi swallowed her bite, leaning back a bit with a flushed face.

Her feelings about Ye Fan were vague; although they were friends, there was something odd about their interactions. At first, she hadn't noticed, but over time, she realized that their relationship didn't quite fit under the label of friendship.

As for what it was?

She still couldn't define it.

However, Ning Xi knew that she did have a fondness for Ye Fan, something she couldn't deny, no matter how reluctant she was to admit it.

This young man gave her a sense of safety and reliability, making her want to depend on him. And whenever she was with Ye Fan, she felt genuinely happy, deep down.

Ning Xi lowered her head, silent for a long time before taking a deep breath. She lifted her gaze to meet Ye Fan's and said softly, "Ye Fan, happy birthday. I don't have much on me, so…"

She removed the cherry hair tie from her ponytail, letting her hair fall in soft strands. "This hair tie you gave me… I'll give it back to you as a birthday gift."

She turned her head slightly, a hint of shyness in her eyes, her voice barely audible. "Could you… put out your hand?"

"Huh?"

Ye Fan's eyes carried a hint of doubt, quickly turning to expectation. He raised his right hand in front of her, his Adam's apple bobbing, a nervousness arising within him.

Biting her lip, Ning Xi stretched the hair tie with both hands, carefully tying it around Ye Fan's wrist. "You… you're not allowed to dislike it. If anything, I can get you a better gift later."

"No need."

Ye Fan looked at the hair tie on his wrist, his eyes squinting with joy. He raised his hand slightly and shook his wrist in front of her. "I love this gift."

His gaze was deep, as if stars shimmered within, while Ning Xi was like the moon—pure and unique.

"Glad you like it."

Ning Xi's face turned crimson, her soft voice and expression beautifully conveying her gentle spirit.

Ye Fan's gaze grew increasingly tender; her unintentional cuteness was far sweeter than any sunset, pulling him deeper into his feelings.

They sat together quietly, saying nothing, doing nothing, basking in the serene beauty of the moment.

After what felt like an eternity, Ye Fan finally broke the silence, a sunny smile on his face. "Xiao Xi, don't you usually play chess online?"

"…Yeah."

Ning Xi nodded at Ye Fan's sudden question, a little taken aback. "Earlier this year, my dad suggested I learn Go to cultivate my character. He said it would help me stay calm and pure. After finishing my schoolwork, I play a game on the Go website."

She smiled, dimples forming. "I didn't like it at first, but once I understood the basics, I found Go to be pretty interesting."

"Your dad's right."

Ye Fan chuckled in agreement with her father's insight. A girl like Ning Xi, with a pure heart, was better suited for activities that shielded her from society's cynicism.

Ning Xi was slowly growing up, destined to carve her own path.

Art, chess—these fit her well.

Her eyes sparkled with a budding thought, a slight smile on her face like a ripple on a lake that vanished in an instant.

"Cough!"

Ye Fan hadn't noticed the change in her expression, but hearing her cough, he looked at her in surprise. "What's wrong?"

"Mr. Ye."

Ning Xi clutched his arm, her clear eyes darting around adorably.

Unable to resist, Ye Fan chuckled. "Spit it out! Just so you know, that look on your face is sweeter than a candy stick—I can't handle it!"

"Stop joking!"

She rolled her eyes at him playfully, then smiled and revealed her thoughts. "Do you stay up reading every night?"

Knowing Ye Fan, he was probably reading… always reading.

After all, someone who could forget an exam because of a book couldn't be doing anything else at home.

"Yes."

Ye Fan admitted, "Lately, I've been reading about physics—on black hole mass…"

"Stop! Stop!"

Ning Xi clasped her hands in mock despair. "Mr. Ye, I'm not interested in the books you're reading. Spare me!"

Her cuteness filled the air with sweetness, and Ye Fan's eyes were full of affection. He asked softly, "Xiao Xi, what is it you wanted to ask?"

"Me?"

Ning Xi rested her chin on her hand, her eyes glinting mischievously. "I wanted to ask if you'd like to learn Go."

"Learn Go?"

Ye Fan blinked. "Alright, I'll start tonight."

Surprise flashed across her face. "You agreed too easily! Aren't you curious why I want you to learn?"

"Does it matter?"

"…"

She pouted and explained softly, "If you learn, we can play Go online and chat while we play."

Then, realizing her words might be misinterpreted, she quickly added, "It's not what you think; I just…"

Before she could finish, he took her hand and led her to the bedroom.

"Hey… what are you doing?"

Sensing her confusion, Ye Fan said without looking back, "What else? Helping me register on the Go website, of course!"

"…Oh."

"And don't forget to add me as a friend."

"…Okay."

…

Around 5 p.m., Ye Fan escorted Ning Xi out of the neighborhood.

As she got into the car, she lowered the window and waved at him playfully. "Don't forget tonight. Get ready to lose!"

"Alright."

Ye Fan nodded with a smile. "Ms. Ning, please go easy on me."

"I'll think about it."

As the car started, she said softly, "Bye! And don't forget my lemon water tomorrow."

"I won't."

After watching her car drive off, Ye Fan didn't head home immediately. He flagged down a taxi, headed to the nearest bookstore, and spent over half an hour picking up several beginner's books on Go.

Once home, he eagerly began to read.

"Ten minutes of reading: +1 experience point."

"Ten minutes of reading: +1 experience point."

…

After nearly three hours, he finished reading all the Go beginner's guides, thoroughly absorbing the knowledge. His understanding of Go had transformed.

This was the power of his system!

Seeing that it was almost 8:50 p.m., Ye Fan remembered his promise to Ning Xi. With a bright smile, he tidied his desk, adjusted his computer screen, and logged into the Go website.

Immediately, he received a game invitation.

Inviter: Sweet and Sour Lemon.

A cute cartoon icon of a cherry, super adorable.

Seeing this, Ye Fan accepted the invitation—it was Ning Xi's name on the site.

He couldn't understand what kind of grudge she held against lemons!

Why lemons?

And where was the sweetness? It was clearly just sour!

Remembering how she'd forced him to eat lemon slices earlier, he shuddered at the memory.

Once in the game room, a message popped up in the chat box.

Sweet and Sour Lemon: Get ready. No one can stop me from crushing my opponent today!

Ye Fan laughed, imagining Ning Xi's expression in front of her computer. She must have looked adorable.

He clicked ready, and within seconds, the game began.

Ye Fan played casually, following her moves within two or three seconds, rarely taking more than five.

With his intelligence level boosted, he could anticipate her next moves effortlessly.

As time went by, they'd exchanged over a hundred moves.

In a pink-hued bedroom, a sweet, puzzled voice sounded.

"This… shouldn't be happening?!"

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