Birthday Gift

"We should've stayed back. Mom wanted us to spend time with her," said Mishi.

"Then, how would I have spent time with my wife on my birthday?" Xian asked her and lifted her chin. She felt his breath fanned on her lips.

"You like to tease me, right?" Mishi asked him and yanked his hand away.

"Indeed. It gives me a different kind of pleasure," Xian replied and smiled.

Mishi turned to leave when Xian grasped her wrist and pulled her towards him.

"Leave me!" Mishi protested.

"Don't you want to know what I wish for?" Xian gazed into her eyes.

"I know. You want revenge from me then you'll feel happy," Mishi answered.

Xian moved a little close to her and grazed his finger over her cheek.

"Xian, stop!" Mishi urged him.

"Why?" Xian queried, still looking at her. Mishi pushed him lightly when he securely wrapped his arm around her waist, drawing her close.

"Xian," she whispered his name.

"Hmm?" Xian curled her hair strands around his index finger.

"Let me go," Mishi stated.

"First, fulfill my wish," Xian demanded.

"Say your wish," Mishi told him.

"I wish for a night with you," Xian replied with a grin.

Mishi got dazed when he heard him. He leaned down to her lips when Mishi closed her eyes in nervousness.

Xian let go of those hair strands and then traced her lips.

Mishi gulped when Xian let go of his arm from around her waist. She opened her eyes and in bewilderment peered into his eyes.

"Did you think I would wish for something like that?" Xian started to tease her.

Mishi was unable to speak anything.

"It seemed that you wanted to spend the night with me," Xian deduced and chuckled, which turned into laughter.

Mishi, instead of getting angry, passed a smile to him and hugged him tightly. With her sudden gesture of love, Xian stopped laughing and found himself stiffened under her touch.

"I think it's the best time I should say this to you. Thanks, Xian, for everything you did for me and my siblings. You not only give them a roof and safety but also the love of an older brother. You are my family now, so I'll go along with you so that you can be happy," Mishi expressed her gratitude, and after a while, withdrew from the hug.

She stepped back when Xian asked, "What are you hiding?"

"Nothing," she replied.

Xian got skeptical of her."What happened between you and Bai?" He queried.

Mishi wondered how Xian found out. However, she thought to lie only.

"What would happen between us? She's my best friend," Mishi acted normal, keeping a warm smile on her lips.

"You must tell the truth," Xian stated.

"I'm telling the truth. Let's not talk about her. You lose your temper if someone talks about Bai Lau in front of you," Mishi stated and tried to avoid that topic.

"Xian, I've something important to tell you," Mishi stated. Xian sat on the couch and gestured to her to sit, who settled beside him.

"Speak," Xian permitted her.

"Xian actually, the CEO of SJ Entertainment is my uncle. He wants us to come to his house. My grandma is sick, so she wants to meet me and see my husband," Mishi asserted.

"SJM CEO is your uncle. Then, why did you and the kids live in utter poverty?" He was suspicious.

"I-I want to be independent, so I told him that we won't burden him," Mishi lied. She did not want to share her past with him.

"Mishi, I know everything related to you. Your father owned that company, but after the accident, it was passed, sorry not passed but your uncle took it from you by taking signs on the paper. At least, don't lie to me," Xian affirmed.

"However, I still wonder, how could you sign the papers without even reading them? A smart woman like you acted dumb at that time!" He chuckled and waited for her to answer. "Tell me the truth," he stated.

Mishi, after contemplating a little, said, "Mom & Dad died, all of a sudden. I wasn't in the right state and ended up making a huge mistake." She sighed and lowered her eyes.

"Because of your foolishness those kids have to suffer along with you," Xian pronounced.

"I know," she mumbled.

"We will go tomorrow to meet your grandma," Xian told her. Mishi lifted her eyes and thanked him.

"I am sleepy," Xian yawned and outstretched his arm before getting up. "Do you want to sleep with me?" He asked again with a smirk.

"Go to your room and sleep," Xian told her and walked away.

He laid down on his bed, after closing the lights, and started thinking about Mishi.

"Something has happened between them. She told me that she wants to do a job, and then in the car, she was definitely on the verge of crying. But why? Wait, she did go that day, somewhere. Did she go to meet Bai Lau? I can't meet her because I would definitely lose my anger," Xian mumbled and after a while, drifted off to sleep.

~~~~~

In the morning, the bell rang and it disturbed Mishi's sleep.

"Who came this early morning?" She mumbled in her sleep and went to the door. As she opened it, she was startled to see Yin Mei.

"Good morning Mishi. Can I come inside?" She asked and found that she disturbed her sleep.

"Of course!" Mishi opened the door for her and let her in.

"Sit here, I will call Xian," Mishi told her and went to Xian's room. She walked in and found him on the phone.

"Yin Mei has come," she said in a low voice and left for the living room.

Xian came to the living room after ending the call.

"Why did you come this early?" He was perplexed to see Yin Mei.

"To give you a gift for your birthday," Yin Mei replied.

"It is not needed though," Xian affirmed.

"It is necessary. Here, have a look." Yin Mei took out an envelope and handed it to Xian. Mishi, oppositely, went to the kitchen to bring water for Yin Mei.

"What is this?" Xian asked, looking at the envelope.

"Beijing Hutong Night Tour with Yunnan Style Dinner and Chartered Boat Ride at Houhai Lake," Xian read on the envelope and gazed at Yin Mei in confusion.

"You both have to go tomorrow," Yin Mei stated.

"I don't like these kinds of things," Xian said and put the envelope on the sofa table.

"Why are you lying? You used to say earlier that you want to go on a cruise with Bai Lau," Yin Mei loudly. Xian glared at her.

Yin Mei stood up and went to the kitchen. She picked the water glass from the tray and sipped a little, before putting it on the counter.

"Mishi, get ready tomorrow night. Mark and I will be there, so you won't feel alone. Aunt Biyu told me yesterday that Xian loves to go on short trips. I'm happy that I bought these tickets."

"It's a two-day trip so two days leave," Xian said, looking at Yin Mei.

"Better than a 7 days honeymoon," Yin Mei reminded him.

"I shall leave, now," Yin Mei said while looking at her wristwatch.

"Have breakfast with us," Mishi requested.

"I would love to, but I do not want to get late," stated Yin Mei. "See you two tomorrow," she said with a smile and took her to leave.

"Mishi, even I have to leave. I won't eat breakfast," Xian stated and walked out of the kitchen while Mishi followed him.

"Where are you going?"

"I have got a business meeting with someone outside," Xian informed her.

"Oh!" Mishi said when Xian waved at her before leaving the apartment.

Mishi recalled that she had put the milk on the stove, so she ran to the kitchen to close the flame, forgetting to close the door.

She heard a loud thud, after a few minutes, and went out to check. To her surprise, Bai Lau was standing in front of her in anger.

"Where's Xian?" Bai Lau asked in anger.

"He has gone out for a meeting but why are you—" before Mishi could complete her words, Bai Lau shouted at her.

"Mishi, you really wanted this, right?"

"What do you mean?" Mishi confusedly asked.

"Mishi, why did you lie to me? You're married to Xian. You came to my house just to know about the truth of that day so that you can destroy my husband. I supported you Mishi in everything, but you—" she sighed and continued, "I helped you when everyone turned their faces from you!"

"I wanted to tell you that day but—" Mishi's eyes filled with tears, and her voice choked.

"Don't show me your fake tears. My husband has lost his money in an investment. Do you know why? Because of you, Mishi. I never thought you'd tell Xian to do this," Bai Lau screamed at her.

Mishi was unable to get what she was saying. She tried to make her understand when Bai Lau slapped her hard, startling Mishi.

"You deserve this, Mishi. You don't deserve happiness, and I wish you—" Before she could complete her words, Xian grasped her wrist and turned her towards him.

"How dare you slap my wife?" Xian shrieked at her.