Watching Li Qingyun prepare the cake, Meng Hongchen stared at him blankly.
A flicker of surprise showed in the young woman's eyes, followed by an indescribable delight.
She hadn't expected him to remember her birthday.
After all, Meng Hongchen had always been close to Li Qingming, but Li Qingming was rather aloof—or, one might say, had a tranquil nature.
Although he treated Meng Hongchen well, and even looked after her much of the time, in their ordinary interactions, Meng Hongchen was usually the more proactive one.
Of course, when it came to someone she liked, Meng Hongchen saw nothing wrong with taking the initiative.
But now, she had never imagined that the young man would prepare a birthday cake for her.
"Thank you, Qingming. I never thought you... you'd remember my birthday."
"July eighth, right? I remember the date. How could I forget?"
As he spoke, Li Qingming gently set the cake on the table.
He raised a hand, and a bracer appeared in his palm. It was the Dragon Scale Bracer.
Li Qingming had forged it using some special metals he had researched himself. It was perfectly suited for Meng Hongchen.
Watching Li Qingming's movements and the Dragon Scale Bracer he held out to her, the young woman's eyes instantly reddened.
"Thank you, Qingming. This is my thirteenth birthday. Thank you for being willing to celebrate it with me."
Meng Hongchen smiled at Li Qingming, then hurriedly wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes.
Jing Hongchen was busy and had no time to spend with them. Even sharing a meal with him was rare, let alone having him celebrate her birthday.
She had never had any friends at school, so she used to spend her birthdays with her brother, Xiao Hongchen.
Their relationship had been rather strained