Martial arts have become extinct worldwide, yet I am forced to have a large family.

Xia Ming looked at the message Xu Huanhuan had sent on his phone screen and was momentarily at a loss.

Xia Ming: "But how am I supposed to 'trick' him into going back to the shop? I... I'm not very good at lying."

[Xu Huanhuan]: "Hey, use your little brain! Just say you've invented a new cake that tastes amazing, and invite them over to try it, right? (＾Ｕ＾)"

"New cake..."

Xia Ming held his phone, his fingertips feeling a little cold.

She has almost never seriously lied since she was a child.

But then I thought, I've already skipped class and come all this way. If I can't even handle this little thing, then everything I just did will have been for nothing.

No!

This is to repay a debt of gratitude!

Xia Ming took a deep breath and mentally prepared himself.

Xia Ming: "Okay, I'll give it a try."

She put away her phone and stepped out from behind the tree, trying to make her steps appear natural.

"Yang Xian! Bai Tongxue!"

The crisp greeting made the two people who were taking a walk stop in their tracks.

Yang Xian turned around and saw Xia Ming, slightly surprised: "Xia Ming? What are you doing here? Didn't you have class this morning?"

In one sentence, he directly hit Xia Ming's weak spot.

Her heart skipped a beat, her eyes darted around uncontrollably, and the smile on her face became somewhat stiff.

"Class? Ah...class, yes,class..."

Xia Ming repeated incoherently, "I...I don't have class this morning! Yes, no class!"

She guiltily looked away, avoiding eye contact with Yang Xian, and hurriedly blurted out her prepared explanation:

"Um, well... I made some cakes at the shop, it's a new flavor I just developed, and it tastes really good. Would you guys... like to come and try some?"

As she spoke, she desperately winked at Bai Chuyi beside her, pleading for the "customer's" help.

Bai Chuyi should know how to cooperate with me, right?

After all, she was the one who placed the order with us!

However, Bai Chuyi simply tilted her head, her clear eyes filled with confusion, completely failing to understand what Bai Chuyi meant by winking.

[Ding! Detected emotional fluctuation in the character "Xia Ming"!]

[Nervous: I hope Yang Xian doesn't find out I'm lying! Please don't!!]

Yang Xian thought the first half of the sentence was a lie.

lie?

She really did skip class, didn't she?

"As for the cake..." Yang Xian was trying to find a reason to refuse, after all, his "date" with Xiaobai had only just begun.

Before he could finish speaking, Bai Chuyi gently tugged at his sleeve.

"Cake..." The girl's eyes sparkled as she repeated the word softly, her longing evident.

Looking at her greedy little cat-like expression, Yang Xian swallowed back the words of refusal that were on the tip of his tongue.

have to.

It seems I can't refuse.

He looked at Xia Ming and nodded: "Alright, then I'll trouble you to lead the way."

"call……"

Xia Ming immediately felt relieved and let out a long sigh of relief, feeling that his back was completely soaked.

Thank goodness! Thank goodness I had Bai Chuyi to help me!

Boss Xu was right after all; this "birthday service" was ordered by Bai Chuyi!

Xia Ming immediately turned around and led the way with light steps:

"Let's hurry up, I'll take you there!"

------

The three walked through several paths and soon arrived at the front of a shop.

"We're almost there! This is it!" Xia Ming said, pointing to the shop.

Yang Xian looked up.

The shop wasn't very big, but the doors and windows were completely covered with thick black cloth, so not a single ray of light could get through, making it look very mysterious.

After all, it's Xu Huanhuan's shop. Given her strange personality and love for pranks, he wouldn't be surprised if she turned the shop into some kind of mess.

Xia Ming pushed open the door first and made a "please" gesture.

Yang Xian led Bai Chuyi inside.

The store was pitch black; you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.

The moment he stepped into the store, a series of system notifications rang wildly in his mind.

[Ding! Detected emotional fluctuation in the character "Maple"...]

[Ding! Character "Nan Shunian" detected...]

【…】

The long list of names left Yang Xian completely dumbfounded.

and many more!

What's going on?

Before he could react, the surrounding lights suddenly turned on with a "snap".

Several familiar faces came into view.

Sisters Feng and Ling were waving colorful ribbons excitedly, Nan Shunian was wearing headphones and leaning lazily against the wall, and even the usually aloof Luo Bingyan was standing in the crowd.

"Yang Xian..."

"Owner……"

"Happy birthday!"

Several voices converged and echoed in the small shop.

Yang Xian's mind completely went blank.

Happy birthday?

What happy birthday?

Today isn't my birthday at all!

Before he could speak, a figure with bright red pigtails pushed out a beautifully decorated large cake.

Happy birthday, Yang Hyun!

Xu Huanhuan's two sharp little tiger teeth gleamed under the light.

Yang Xian didn't even need to think to know who was behind this.

Before he could react, Xu Huanhuan had already stood on tiptoe and placed a birthday hat on his head.

"Wait a minute!" Yang Xian quickly pulled Xu Huanhuan aside and lowered his voice, "What nonsense are you messing around with? It's not my birthday today."

"Oh, come on!" Xu Huanhuan waved her hand dismissively. "Who says you can't celebrate if it's not your birthday? I'm just having some fun!"

She gestured with her lip toward a group of people not far away.

"Look how happy they are! You don't want to spoil their fun, do you?"

Yang Xian followed her gaze.

Several girls had already gathered around the cake, chattering excitedly.

Even Bai Chuyi, who had been silent all along, was enthusiastically pulled into the discussion by Feng.

The smiles and anticipation on their faces were so genuine.

Clearly, the girls, like Xia Ming, had been tricked into coming.

As for how to get their contact information... Lady Xu Huanhuan has her own way!

The girl with pigtails leaned close to Yang Xian's ear:

"From now on, everyone will belong to you~"

"How can we manage without doing some team building and fostering relationships beforehand?"

"Once we're really married, will you be able to manage everything?"

"And another thing, look how lonely Bai Chuyi is, always keeping to herself. Aren't I helping her make more friends? You should be thanking me!"

Hearing Xu Huanhuan say this, Yang Xian felt that something was strange.

But it actually makes some sense?

Upon closer reflection, Luo Bingyan, having just emerged from the shadow of her family, is indeed withdrawn and needs to interact more with her peers.

And Xiaobai is the same... She doesn't seem to have many friends besides herself.

If we can use this opportunity to let them get to know each other, it doesn't seem like... a bad thing?

"But could you please tell me in advance next time?" Yang Xian rubbed his temples, somewhat helplessly. "Don't do it so suddenly, I wasn't prepared at all."

"Where's the surprise?" Xu Huanhuan playfully stuck out her tongue.

Who gave that old guy Principal Huang the right to pull off underhanded tactics?

If you won't let me get close to you, then I'll just have to make you come to me on your own initiative!

"Yang Xian, what are you still muttering about over there?" Nan Shunian's impatient voice came from beside the cake.

"Stop dawdling! Come over here, make a wish, and blow out the candles!"