Chapter 200: The Birthday Gift I Want Most Is You
When Ye Ziming patted her head, Lin Muqing closed her eyes comfortably, her small mouth slightly open and her head tilted up, fully cooperating. She felt warm, safe, and couldn’t help but let out a soft purring sound.
Just as she tilted her head in enjoyment, Ye Ziming noticed the change in her expression.
“Feels good?”
Looking at the cute, clingy little “cat” in his arms, Ye Ziming kept stroking her hair while smiling.
“It’s okay. Just average.”
After thinking for a moment, Lin Muqing replied with her eyes closed, enjoying it but pretending to be indifferent.
It did feel good, but she didn’t want to admit it, nor let her good buddy know she had such a strange little weakness.
What she didn’t know was, Ye Ziming had already read the answer from her expression and continued pampering her.
They stayed like that for a while, until Lin Muqing started to feel the urge to move and tried to get out of his arms to go to the bathroom. At that moment, Ye Ziming suddenly smirked, pulled her a little closer, and leaned to her ear to whisper.
“Today, you’re really cute too.”
Hearing this, Lin Muqing instantly broke free from his arms, glaring at him with an annoyed expression. Without even bothering to put on her shorts, she got out of bed and walked to the bathroom, looking like she might be mad.
But as she turned away, Ye Ziming noticed a thin blush on her pretty face. In his heart, he couldn’t help but think, She’s really cute.
Then he realized something good. Before last night, Lin Muqing would let him pat her head, but she would never show such an openly pleased expression. At least he had never seen it before, and he had never realized she could be this clingy.
Was this her way of showing thanks? Ye Ziming wondered.
“Big brother, where are my shorts?”
After washing up, Lin Muqing returned to the room and was surprised to find her shorts missing. She turned to ask her good buddy.
“Did you forget what you promised me?”
Instead of answering, Ye Ziming asked her back.
Today was the second day after Mid-Autumn Festival, the 17th day of the 8th lunar month, Ye Ziming’s birthday.
“Oh! Right! I got you a birthday gift.”
With an adorable smile, Lin Muqing blinked at him, trying to play innocent. Of course she remembered her promise, but since it involved wearing a skirt, she decided to pretend she didn’t.
What she didn’t expect was for Ye Ziming to walk right up to her and softly say,
“The birthday gift I want most… is you.”
It was a simple sentence, but when he said it, Ye Ziming smiled with affection and reached out to gently touch her cheek. He didn’t lack anything in life, except for a cute girlfriend, and Lin Muqing just happened to be his favorite choice.
“Ah? W-wait… what are you saying?”
She froze for a moment, then her face began to heat up. Her heart skipped a beat and started pounding faster.
“Did I not make it clear? Then I’ll…”
Raising his brows slightly, Ye Ziming’s smile turned a little mischievous as he slowly leaned his face toward hers. At the same time, the hand on her cheek slid down to hold her chin, applying gentle pressure so she would tilt her head up to look at him.
“N-no! It’s very clear! I get it!”
Seeing her good buddy getting closer, Lin Muqing’s face grew even redder, her heart racing wildly as panic and shyness took over.
This strange and intense situation was way too much for Lin Muqing. She felt she couldn’t handle it, and her eyes were already swirling like dizzy cartoon spirals. Then, the two people in the room went through another round of back-and-forth.
Meanwhile, over at the Lin family villa, after a long talk, Ye Mingxu finally finished explaining two important matters.
The general order was, first, mention the Lin family’s son who went missing years ago, then say that he had been found. Next, reveal that the “son” had actually become a daughter, and finally, say who that daughter was and where she was now.
As for Meng Yue and Lin Cong, their expressions started off calm, then turned nervous, and finally became excited.
This reaction was something Ye Mingxu had never expected. And when they saw Lin Muqing’s medical report and confirmed her chromosomes were both X, they became even more thrilled. If Lin Cong and Li Muning hadn’t held them back, the couple might have rushed straight to the Ye family to meet Lin Muqing right away.
“Calm down. If you act like this, you’ll scare the child,” Li Muning said helplessly, watching the couple in their overly excited state.
She also realized she had seriously underestimated just how powerful “daughter-loving” parents could be. She didn’t think the Lin couple would react this way.
“So, what should we do now?”
After sitting back down, Meng Yue turned to the others for advice.
Upon learning the news about the child who went missing years ago, she was the one who found it hardest to stay calm. All she could think about was how to reunite with Lin Muqing. In her excitement, she also felt a bit lost. She wasn’t sure what the best way forward was.
“Calm down. Muqing is clearly willing to get close to you, right? In a bit, we’ll go meet her, and you can…”
Li Muning then gave a very smooth suggestion.
The basic idea was to let Lin Cong and Meng Yue try to bring Lin Muqing home first, then reveal the truth step by step. Of course, this wasn’t completely necessary, since at this point both sides already knew the truth.
Right now, there was only a thin layer, like fragile sandpaper, between Lin Muqing and the Lin family. A single breath could break it completely.
And once they finished discussing the matter of the child, there was another important topic to talk about. The marriage alliance between the Ye and Lin families.
“No way! My daughter isn’t even an adult yet!”
In an instant, Meng Yue’s attitude flipped, and she firmly objected. She also insisted on bringing her daughter home to raise.
After being apart for so many years, they had only just found her. She wasn’t about to let her daughter be “taken” right away.
“Hey, your daughter’s already been won over by my son. Do you think your disapproval will change anything?”
Seeing Meng Yue’s stance, Li Muning wasn’t surprised at all. In fact, her smile carried a clear hint of mischief.
At that moment, Meng Yue’s heart sank. She suddenly realized she had overlooked something important. Back when Lin Muqing was most in need of love, it wasn’t them who appeared in front of her, but Ye Ziming.
Still, even though she was at a disadvantage, Meng Yue wanted to fight for her daughter.
And so, the two sides, meaning Li Muning and Meng Yue, began a heated debate over what to do about Lin Muqing.
As for Ye Mingxu and Lin Cong, they had no say in the matter. They could only sit quietly to the side, silently supporting their wives.