Pulling out all the stops

Jiang Jinran deliberately coughed.

A servant immediately came out pushing a serving cart.

On the cart were two cakes of roughly the same size.

One bore Jiang Yuehan's name, the other Jiang Qiche's.

The servant placed the cakes on the table and lit the candles on them.

Neither brother had clearly expected this scene, and visible surprise flashed across their cool, striking faces.

"These cakes..." Jiang Yuehan raised his eyes toward Jiang Jinran, staring straight at her with a gaze as deep as the sea.

Jiang Qiche said nothing.

His gaze fell on the cake.

The boy instinctively pressed his thin lips together, his thoughts unknown.

"It's rare to have you both together, so I thought I'd wish you a happy birthday in advance." Jiang Jinran blinked her bright, wide eyes, a faint smile touching their corners.

Jiang Yuehan's and Jiang Qiche's birthdays were close together, both a week or two away, so celebrating them together in advance wasn't particularly out of place.

But Jiang Qiche quickly caught the hole in Jiang Jinran's words. His brows lowered as he asked, "You knew I was coming back?"

Jiang Qiche hadn't told anyone he was coming home for the weekend. Even Zhao Yunye didn't know. As for the only other person in the world who knew-

It could only be the instigator, Sha Yu, a player in Legend...

Jiang Jinran had already guessed that Jiang Qiche would ask. She answered with a smile, "I originally only prepared one for our eldest brother. Since you came back, I had one made for you too."

"There were plenty of cake bases, and it was pretty quick to make, so it wasn't any trouble."

Once she finished, Jiang Jinran immediately urged both her brothers to make wishes in front of their cakes. "You two, don't let my efforts go to waste. Hurry up and make a wish. I'll sing you the birthday song."

The young girl immediately began singing, swaying her head.

Her singing voice was exceptionally lovely. Whatever she sang sounded beautiful, like music from the heavens, and her rendition of the birthday song was just as mesmerizing and delightful.

Jiang Yuehan and Jiang Qiche slowly emerged from their initial surprise and fluster, unconsciously becoming immersed in her singing.

At last, it really felt like a birthday celebration.

Neither of them really celebrated birthdays or made a special occasion of them.

If someone remembered, they would receive birthday wishes. If no one knew, that was fine too.

There was nothing much worth celebrating about a birthday.

They had never even considered a birthday at home with a proper sense of ceremony.

As everyone knew, members of their Jiang Family rarely gathered for holidays or birthdays...

But now, neither of them had ever imagined that their youngest, practically reclusive sister would personally make all this happen.

Jiang Qiche even had the illusion-

That he was meeting this sister for the first time.

What exactly had Jiang Jinran been like in his memory?

Honestly, he truly couldn't remember, but she definitely hadn't been like this.

His past impressions seemed shrouded in thick fog and drifting clouds. Even searching his mind carefully left him at a loss, while Jiang Jinran's bright, vivid face filled his vision here and now.

Perhaps this was how Jiang Jinran ought to be.

"All right, song's over."

Jiang Jinran applauded herself first, then pointed at the candles on the cakes. "Brothers, once you've made your wishes, hurry up and blow out the candles."

Jiang Qiche hadn't made a wish.

There was nothing he wished to have come true.

The boy leaned forward slightly and perfunctorily blew out the candles before him.

Beside him, Jiang Yuehan still hadn't moved.

He stared at the glowing cake before him, his thoughts tangled.

Whether he was touched or simply filled with emotion, countless feelings surged from his heart, finally becoming an inexplicable warmth that filled his chest.

"Thank you, Xiao Ran."

The stern-faced man suddenly spoke, his expression serious as he enunciated every word.

Jiang Jinran froze for a moment.

Then she waved her hands as though overwhelmed by the favor. "Haha, you're welcome, big brother."

[Big brother, you're going to scare me to death. Suddenly getting so emotional and solemn-is this even you?!]

The corners of Jiang Yuehan's lips lifted ever so slightly.

He bent down and gently blew out the candles on his cake.

Before that, he made a wish in his heart-

He hoped his family could grow closer.

After dinner, Jiang Qiche chose not to stay the night. He left the Jiang Family home without delay and returned to school.

Jiang Yuehan didn't try to keep him.

Coming home for a meal was already a major concession and change for Jiang Qiche.

Many things couldn't be accomplished in a single leap. They needed to take their time.

Jiang Yuehan understood this well.

After Jiang Qiche left, Jiang Jinran skipped over to Jiang Yuehan and happily held out her palm. "Big brother, my reward."

"Reward?" Jiang Yuehan gave her a sidelong glance, not understanding what she meant.

Jiang Jinran coughed lightly and offered a friendly reminder. "My five million, big brother."

The young girl blinked, a sly smile playing on her lips. "You don't actually think Jiang Qiche suddenly came back because he came around on his own..."

At her words, Jiang Yuehan instinctively narrowed his eyes.

Given Jiang Qiche's personality, suddenly coming around and having a change of heart was essentially impossible. If it really happened, it would qualify as a medical miracle.

So-

If someone else had pushed things along, that made sense.

"How did you do it?" Jiang Yuehan's interest was suddenly piqued. He was genuinely curious about what method Jiang Jinran had used to get Jiang Qiche to compromise.

Jiang Jinran spread her hands adorably. "With my skills, of course."

[Of course, with a little coercion and temptation thrown in.]

Coercion and temptation?

Jiang Yuehan grew even more curious.

Neither soft nor hard tactics worked on Jiang Qiche. Coercion and temptation would only make him rebel, so how had Jiang Jinran managed it?

"What kind of skills?" Jiang Yuehan raised an eyebrow in question.

Jiang Jinran was deliberately vague. "My undeniable skills."

Jiang Yuehan: ...

"Big brother, you're not going to turn around and deny what you owe me, are you? We agreed on five million." Jiang Jinran pouted, her bright eyes suddenly dimming with a hint of grievance.

"Of course not."

Jiang Yuehan gave his solemn assurance.

Naturally, he could afford five million. It was just that what he had thought was a joke back then had actually been taken seriously by Jiang Jinran-and she had pulled it off.

It was a little unexpected.

Jiang Jinran's eyes lit up again. "How generous, boss."

Jiang Jinran returned to her room in delight.

She had just closed the door when her phone received a text notifying her of an incoming transfer.

A full five million had instantly appeared in her bank account.

The transfer naturally came from her "dear big brother," Jiang Yuehan.

Her retirement nest egg had grown a little thicker.

"Ah~"

Jiang Jinran flopped onto her bed in complete satisfaction, brimming with excitement and happiness.