Birthday Surprise in Progress (Part Two)

Xiao Ling admitted that the moment he saw Shorekeeper, he started to feel uneasy.

After all, Shorekeeper's role was clear. As a creation Hajipiao had personally activated, she had one hundred percent trust and affection for Rover. Add to that her capabilities as the perfect supportive partner and her gentle, gracious personality with a touch of AI, and she had Wuthering Waves fans declaring they had found their own Mona Lisa the moment she appeared.

(The Louvre.jpg belongs here.)

In short, as long as Shorekeeper wanted to compete, both Aemeath and Dania would have to step aside.

Who wouldn't like a beautiful blue-haired girl who could shine in the drawing room, cook in the kitchen, and care for you in every way?

Just like now: when she saw Xiao Ling's expression suddenly turn a little grim, her gentle smile instantly gave way to unmistakable concern.

"What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell? Were you out in the sun too long when you went out just now? Do you need to rest?"

Okay, those four questions in a row made Xiao Ling feel even more uneasy than he already had.

"I'm fine, Shorekeeper. It's just that this reunion came so suddenly that I was a little surprised." Xiao Ling steadied himself and smiled as he took her delicate hand, which was about to touch his forehead. "Let's sit down first. I brought back some jianbing guozi, so we can eat while we talk."

"Mmm~ It's so good!"

Cartethyia cupped her cheek with her right hand, her little mouth working like a hamster's as she radiated happiness.

"It really is delicious. The pancake is crisp, and there's plenty of filling." Shorekeeper took a small bite and gave her assessment after savoring it. "But it's a little too simple for lunch. I wouldn't recommend eating it as a main meal."

"I'll be sure to bring a proper lunch box next time..." Xiao Ling replied obediently. "But Shorekeeper, why did you come here?"

"I heard the cakes at this shop were very good." Shorekeeper explained gently why she had come. "I wanted to see if they were as delicious as the rumors said, and buy some to take back to Encore and the others."

"Encore? How many people are living with you?"

"Six, including me," Shorekeeper replied. "Besides me, Encore, and Camellya, there are also Iuno, Augusta, and Lupa, whom you met in Rinascita."

"I originally wanted to take Cartethyia in as well, but she didn't accept my offer at the time. Looking at things now, A-Ling, you were a little quicker than I was."

"I had my own plans at the time, so I didn't agree right away... But thank you so much for offering to take me in, Sister Shorekeeper!" Cartethyia thanked her, her face slightly red.

"There's no need to be so polite. It's my duty, after all."

"Speaking of which, Shorekeeper, you've taken in so many girls. Do you have enough money to get by?" Xiao Ling asked, turning his attention to their finances. "If money's tight, you can move in with me."

"It's all right. We have a stable source of income, so we have no trouble covering our normal living expenses. But haven't you already taken in quite a few people, A-Ling? I'm afraid a few more might be too much for you to handle."

(In what way?)

"We're doing all right. I have plenty of money too, so supporting the girls is no problem." Xiao Ling nodded. "But I think it would be more convenient if everyone lived together, wouldn't it? It would make things like holiday gatherings easier, and livelier too."

"That's a good proposal. I'll ask each of them what they think when I get back," Shorekeeper replied with a smile.

Their enjoyable meal was over, and it was time to resume learning how to make a cake.

"That's right, Righteous One, just like that. Don't go too fast... A little slower~"

Cartethyia watched with bated breath as Xiao Ling slowly used a serrated knife to cut the sponge cake perfectly in half, then finally let out a sigh of relief.

Shorekeeper was in no hurry to leave, and stayed to watch Xiao Ling and Cart learn how to make a cake.

The shop owner was naturally happy to see it. One more or one fewer person learning the craft made no difference.

"You two... look very nervous." Shorekeeper was a little puzzled. "Is making a cake really that difficult?"

"If you want every aspect to be perfect, then it really does take some skill." Xiao Ling wiped the fine sweat from his forehead and chuckled.

If Xiao Ling had simply wanted a taste, he could have bought a refrigerator full of cakes to enjoy. It wasn't as though he lacked the money.

But what he wanted to give was not just a cake, but a heartfelt gift. If he treated it so carelessly, he probably would never forgive himself for the rest of his life.

Back to the task at hand: after cutting the sponge cake in half, the next step was whipping the cream.

"By the way, what kind of cake are we making this time?" Xiao Ling suddenly remembered that they hadn't decided what kind of cake to make.

His plan was to make a sample first to see how much they had learned, then start making Dania's birthday cake once they had gotten the hang of it.

"Hmm... Let me think... How about we try recreating some of the more popular cakes in the shop?" Cartethyia thought for a moment before offering a suggestion. "Let's start with a strawberry cake!"

"You want to eat one?"

"I do!"

"All right, let's give it a try." Xiao Ling snapped his fingers.

After taking the long-chilled whipping cream, whisk attachments, and mixing bowl out of the refrigerator, Xiao Ling suddenly remembered something and turned to Shorekeeper.

"Shorekeeper, would you like to join us?" he invited her as she watched from the side.

The blue-haired girl's violet eyes blinked twice before she realized Xiao Ling was addressing her.

"If that's your request," Shorekeeper said with a gentle smile, "then my answer is, of course I would."

"Phew... I'm exhausted..."

Whipping cream by hand was hard work. Xiao Ling hadn't expected the old lady to insist on doing it by hand, without even buying a convenient tool like an electric mixer.

But at least the results were good. Three portions of whipped cream sat neatly on the worktable, and the washed and sliced fruit was arranged on plates, ready to be used in the next stage of making the cake.

"Here, let me wipe that sweat off first."

Xiao Ling wiped Cartethyia's sweat first, then took a fresh tissue to wipe Shorekeeper's as well.

"Um... I can do it myself..." Shorekeeper declined.

"It's just wiping off some sweat. You don't have to be so polite with me." Xiao Ling grinned and, without giving her a chance to refuse, cupped her face and carefully wiped it clean.

Shorekeeper rarely had an experience like this. Her face flushed slightly, and she looked a little embarrassed, but she obediently closed her eyes and let Xiao Ling wipe away the fine beads of sweat, bit by bit, as though polishing a treasure.

"So, what should we do next?" Once the sweat had been wiped from her face, Shorekeeper gently asked Xiao Ling, who was standing before her.

"Next, we turn this soft sponge into a delicious strawberry cake~" Xiao Ling said brightly.

"Here, like this."

Xiao Ling took a gleaming spatula, scooped a little cream from the mixing bowl, and gently spread it over the sponge on the turntable. A streak of snow-white appeared on its pale yellow surface.

"Want to try?"

Shorekeeper took the spatula Xiao Ling offered and copied him, leaving a mark of her own on the sponge.

Her purple eyes brightened a little. This was a rather special experience for her, too.

"My turn, my turn!"

Cartethyia took the spatula from Shorekeeper, scooped up a big dollop of cream, and quickly spread it over the sponge. Its surface turned as white as snow in an instant. Still not satisfied, she scooped up a little more cream and popped it into her mouth, leaving a bit at the corner of her lips.

"Who's sneaking a taste?" Xiao Ling teased.

"Because it's delicious!"

"It's delicious? Then have some more."

That was what he said, but given how much of a rascal Hajiling was, he obviously wasn't being so kind. Quick as lightning, he smeared a streak of cream across Cartethyia's soft, fair cheek.

"Hey, Righteous One, that was a sneak attack!" Cart puffed out her cheeks in protest.

"If you want justice, step forward and defeat me. You know how it works."

"Then I won't hold back!"

Naturally, Cartethyia and Xiao Ling launched into a back-and-forth battle around the sponge cake on the turntable.

Shorekeeper had intended to watch from the sidelines as they messed around, but Lao Ling ambushed her, leaving a streak of cream on her left cheek.

Her violet eyes blinked twice in bewilderment. Then she rubbed at the cream, spreading the single streak across her left cheek.

Watching Xiao Ling, who was still locked in his back-and-forth battle with Cartethyia, Shorekeeper sighed helplessly, though her face wore a gentle, slightly mischievous smile.

Since Hajiling was so eager to drag her into it, she might as well play along.

"Phew... It's finished."

Xiao Ling finally breathed a sigh of relief. They had gotten so carried away playing just now that they had almost forgotten what they were supposed to be doing. By the time they came to their senses, all three of them had been covered in cream, and it had taken quite some effort to clean up.

"So this is... strawberry cake."

Shorekeeper looked at the fragrant, sweet-smelling strawberry cake before her, and a small sense of accomplishment welled up in her heart.

After recording the finished cake on her phone, Cartethyia immediately called Xiao Ling and Shorekeeper over to cut it.

"All right! Come on, let's try it! I can hardly wait!"

And so, Cartethyia and Shorekeeper watched expectantly as Xiao Ling used a cake knife to cut the cake in half, then divided one half into three portions and put each on a plate.

"Here, your portions." Xiao Ling handed the cake to the two girls.

Shorekeeper accepted her slice but didn't start eating immediately. Instead, she studied it for a while.

The strawberries on top were fresh and appetizing. The ring of piped cream around them was crooked and rather uneven, though it looked decent enough overall. The cream on the outside seemed to have been spread a little too thickly, completely covering the sponge beneath.

Overall, there was still room to improve the cake's appearance. She just didn't know how it tasted.

Shorekeeper first glanced at Xiao Ling and Cart and saw that they had already started eating. Only then did she elegantly scoop up a small piece and put it in her mouth.

It was very sweet. That was Shorekeeper's first impression when the cake entered her mouth.

The smooth cream melted gently in the warmth of her mouth, and her taste buds gave a jubilant cheer upon receiving the sweet signal. The sweet-and-tart strawberries added an accent without overpowering the rest, bringing a happy blush to her fair cheeks.

"Is it good?"

Shorekeeper came back to herself and saw Xiao Ling looking at her with a gentle smile, a little cream still clinging to the right corner of his mouth.

All at once, she felt that the rather roughly made slice of cream cake in her hand might be the dessert that had given her the greatest taste of happiness so far.

"It's delicious." Shorekeeper gently wiped the cream from the corner of Xiao Ling's mouth and said softly, "Very delicious. It tastes like happiness."