Fang Shuiling Gets Angry!

That evening.

Inside a KTV private room.

The moment Dong Xuebin and Fang Wenping saw each other, they both turned to leave. No matter how Xie Ran and Fang Shuiling tried to stop them, neither showed any intention of staying.

"Xiao Ran, let go!" Dong Xuebin barked.

Xie Ran grabbed him. "Brother-in-law, what are you doing?!"

"What do you mean, what am I doing?" Dong Xuebin said. "So you were just keeping me in the dark?"

Xie Ran said awkwardly, "I didn't lie to you. Today really is Xiao Ling's Lunar Calendar birthday."

"You said the people coming were all Xiao Ling's friends." Dong Xuebin pointed at Fang Wenping. "What's with her? You know she and I don't get along, yet you still dragged me here? There are only four of us, and you call this a birthday party? So you tricked me into coming, huh? Nice one, Xiao Ran! You even fooled me!"

"Brother-in-law, that's not it!" Xie Ran said anxiously.

"I don't care what you were planning. I've got things to do back home!"

"It's Xiao Ling's birthday. Can't you at least give her that much face?" Xie Ran said.

Dong Xuebin glared at him irritably. "That's just how I am. Nobody's face means a damn thing to me!"

While Xie Ran tried to persuade Dong Xuebin near the door, Fang Shuiling was tugging at Fang Wenping on the sofa.

"Little Aunt! You spend my birthday with me every year!" Fang Shuiling refused to let go, clutching her stubbornly.

Fang Wenping gave her a dark look. "Our family celebrates birthdays by the Solar Calendar. Since when did we ever celebrate them by the Lunar Calendar? I was already wondering when you asked me to come. I thought, why would your birthday be today? I'm not senile enough to forget your birthday, am I? Well, well. So you had another purpose? Calling Xie Ran was one thing—I couldn't be bothered with him. Since it was your birthday, I gave you some face and didn't hold it against him. We can talk about you two later. But why did you call Dong Xuebin? Huh? Were you trying to disgust me on purpose?" Dong Xuebin's appearance had already drawn all of Fang Wenping's attention. She was no longer paying much mind to Xie Ran.

"I wasn't! Little Aunt, you..." Fang Shuiling hurriedly said.

Fang Wenping spread her hands. "You and Xie Ran win. I've been thoroughly disgusted!"

Dong Xuebin heard that. He gave a sharp laugh, turned, and fixed his eyes on Fang Wenping. "What did you just say? Who's disgusting whom?"

Xie Ran quickly stepped between them. "Don't fight, don't fight!"

Fang Wenping shouted at Dong Xuebin, "Who did you say was disgusting?"

Fang Shuiling quickly tugged at Fang Wenping. "Stop arguing, both of you!"

Fang Wenping ignored her and pointed at Dong Xuebin. "If I'd known you were coming, I wouldn't have stepped through this door. Just breathing in the same room as you makes my whole body feel sick!"

Dong Xuebin sneered. "Funny, living under the same roof as you makes me want to jump out the window. I'd rather die and be done with it. Jumping to my death would still be better than being disgusted to death by you!"

Fang Wenping shot back, "Then go die! Jump already! Hurry up!"

Dong Xuebin turned to Xie Ran. "See that? What kind of woman is that? You dragged me here to sing and celebrate her birthday with her? Have you been drinking?"

Xie Ran looked miserable. "Brother-in-law! How did you two end up fighting like this? Can't we all just get along?"

"We can't!" Dong Xuebin pointed at Fang Wenping. "Listen up! There's no way she and I can get along!"

"Don't flatter yourself!" Fang Wenping said coldly. "Get along with you? Do you think I want to see you? You little bastard!"

Dong Xuebin flared up. "You're cursing at me now?"

"So what if I am?" Fang Wenping's manner was vicious.

Dong Xuebin took two steps forward and came right up to her. "It's Xiao Ling's birthday today, so I'm giving her some face and can't be bothered to curse you out. But now you're cursing at me? You really think I'm some pushover?"

"There isn't anyone Fang Wenping doesn't dare curse!"

Dong Xuebin had lost count of how many times he and Fang Wenping had gotten into a shouting match. It was as if they had been mortal enemies in a past life; whenever they met, they simply could not stop themselves from tearing into each other.

Xie Ran was at his wits' end. He stood there trying to mediate, but nothing he said worked.

But just then, Fang Shuiling, who had remained silent for so long, suddenly exploded!

"Shut up!" Fang Shuiling cried out. Tears immediately streamed down her face, huge droplets falling one after another without stopping. She sobbed as she shouted, "What are you doing... sob... what are you doing... Today... sob... today is my... birthday... sob... can't you... can't you respect me even a little... why... do you always have to fight..."

Everyone froze.

No one had expected the always quiet and gentle Fang Shuiling to shout and cry so loudly.

Then Fang Shuiling's next action made everyone gasp. She wiped away her tears, grabbed the birthday cake from the table, and hurled it hard. With a splat, it smashed against the wall and fell down. The cake box burst open, and the cream cake inside was completely ruined. "Get out... all of you, get out... sob sob sob... I'm not celebrating anymore... I'm not celebrating my birthday!"

Xie Ran jumped in fright and hurried over to hug her. "Xiao Ling, it's okay, it's okay. We won't pay attention to them. Don't pay attention to them anymore. Don't be upset."

Fang Shuiling cried even harder!

"Don't cry." Xie Ran kept coaxing her.

Dong Xuebin had been furious with Fang Wenping just moments ago, so angry he had nearly wanted to hit someone. But seeing the girl like this, he immediately felt awkward. He rubbed his nose, looking deeply embarrassed, hesitated several times, and had no idea what to do. He was terrified of women crying, especially a quiet, sensible girl like Fang Shuiling. Dong Xuebin also felt that he had gone a little too far.

It was her birthday, after all!

And him too—what the hell had he been doing?

Dong Xuebin cleared his throat. "Well..."

Fang Shuiling ignored everyone and sat down on the sofa, still crying.

Xie Ran held her beside her, coaxing her from both sides and offering comforting words.

Fang Wenping also fell silent. She looked at her little niece, hesitated, then walked over and gave Xie Ran a cold look. "Who told you to hug my niece?"

Xie Ran gave an awkward sound. "I..."

"Move!" Fang Wenping said stiffly.

Xie Ran had no choice but to shift aside and make room for Fang Wenping.

Fang Wenping sat down where Xie Ran had been, wrapped an arm around her little niece, and said softly, "You silly girl. You're all grown up and still crying."

Fang Shuiling cried, "I don't need you to care! I don't need you to care!"

Fang Wenping smiled warmly. "Look at that. You're even mad at your aunt now."

Fang Shuiling ignored her, turning her head away and continuing to wipe her tears.

Fang Wenping tightened her arm and pulled her closer again. "All right, be good. Don't cry, don't cry. Auntie was wrong, okay? Auntie was wrong."

Fang Shuiling still said nothing.

Fang Wenping sighed helplessly, leaned over, and kissed her forehead. "My little baby, don't be mad at Auntie anymore, okay? Look at how much you've cried—you look like a little tabby cat. It hurts Auntie's heart to see you like this. You're the apple of Auntie's eye. Don't make Auntie sad. Be good, don't cry."

Fang Shuiling looked at her with pursed lips.

Fang Wenping held her little niece and gently patted her head again and again. Smiling indulgently, she said, "Auntie isn't leaving. Today, I'll celebrate our little princess's birthday with her."

Fang Shuiling looked at her again, then slowly reached out and hugged Fang Wenping too, burying her head in her chest. "Mm!"

"This child," Fang Wenping said with a laugh. "Auntie just bought these clothes, and you've rubbed tears all over them."

As if sulking, Fang Shuiling shook her head from side to side at that and rubbed her tears even harder onto Fang Wenping's clothes. "You're the one who made me upset."

Fang Wenping looked at her with motherly affection. "How could Auntie bear to upset you? You're the one who threw such a huge tantrum. You scared Auntie too. You really are getting more and more disobedient. You were so good when you were little. You listened to everything Auntie said. You were adorable."

Fang Shuiling gave a soft, spoiled little huff.

Fang Wenping smiled again and kissed her hair. "You little rascal."

Dong Xuebin watched from the side with a strange expression. He had never expected that Fang family she-devil, Fang Wenping with her foul mouth, could have such a maternal side. Looking at how gentle she was with Fang Shuiling, Dong Xuebin got goosebumps all over. He had never imagined a woman like her could be so soft and tender, practically like a mother. Deep down, his impression of Fang Wenping changed ever so slightly.

Fang Shuiling had been coaxed into calming down and was no longer crying, though her eyes were still red. After Fang Wenping wiped them with a napkin, Fang Shuiling looked up at Dong Xuebin with her big eyes.

Xie Ran also looked at his brother-in-law.

Dong Xuebin was caught in an awkward spot. "Ahem. Well, it's not like I have anything to do back home anyway. Um, let's sing. Let's sing."

Only then did Fang Shuiling smile.

Fang Wenping helplessly tapped her on the head. "You little thing."

Xie Ran was happy as well. Looking at the cake smashed to pieces on the floor, he said, "I'll order another cake." With that, he took out his phone and made a call.

Looking at her "masterpiece," Fang Shuiling finally realized how embarrassed she should be. Her face turned bright red. "Little Aunt, I... was I especially embarrassing just now?"

Fang Wenping laughed. "Embarrassing? You were mortifying."

"Ah!" Fang Shuiling gave her a light slap. "It's all your fault."

Fang Wenping chuckled. "All right, all right. My fault, my fault."

Dong Xuebin found himself a spot on the sofa as well. This was the Presidential Suite, and it was very spacious. Naturally, he did not sit near Fang Wenping; instead, he sat far away to one side.

Before long, the cake was delivered.

After the candles were put in, Fang Shuiling called everyone over to sit down.

Dong Xuebin glanced at Fang Wenping, then sat down anyway, though very reluctantly.

Fang Wenping did not acknowledge him at all. She did not even glance at him, as though he did not exist.

"The candles are ready."

"Make a wish and blow them out, Xiao Ling."

"Come on... one... two... three!"

"Happy birthday! Happy birthday!"

Once that was done, Fang Shuiling began cutting the cake. She first gave Fang Wenping and Dong Xuebin a slice each. "It's my birthday today. Little Aunt, Brother Dong, don't argue anymore."

Dong Xuebin neither agreed nor disagreed.

Fang Wenping did not respond either.