Song Xinya and Qin Yuyan walked into the villa.
Wherever Song Xinya went, Qin Yuyan followed.
The little princess of the Qin family had turned into Song Xinya's little shadow.
In the kitchen, Song Xinya took out cake flour, eggs, milk, caster sugar, and other ingredients, and began to make the cake base.
Qin Yuyan stood off to the side like a little helpless bystander, watching Song Xinya's skillful and nimble movements.
Whisking the eggs, stirring, mixing the batter, and pouring it into the baking pan—before long, a golden sponge cake was freshly baked.
Qin Yuyan's eyes were filled with awe. "Wow, you finished the cake base so quickly! Miss Song, you're so crafty and clever."
Song Xinya used an electric mixer to whip the cream.
Qin Yuyan: "Wow, the cream Miss Song whipped is so smooth. Awesome!"
Song Xinya spread the cream onto the cake.
Qin Yuyan: "Wow, Miss Song spread the cream so evenly. Amazing!"
Song Xinya took a piping bag to pipe roses.
Qin Yuyan: "Wow, the roses Miss Song piped are so pretty. Super cool!"
Even though the little princess didn't know how to do anything herself, no matter what Song Xinya did, she showered her with praises, providing maximum emotional support.
Making the whole cake, Song Xinya was full of energy and didn't feel tired at all.
The cream was smoothed out as flawlessly as silk, the fruit decorations were placed just right, and a sweet, fragrant scent drifted through the air.
A beautifully shaped cake reflected in Qin Yuyan's eyes.
"Miss Song, the cake is done now. Is it time to put the candles on?"
Song Xinya said, "Getting to this point isn't quite enough."
Qin Yuyan asked in confusion, "What do you mean not enough? This cake is even more exquisite than the ones from bakeries. What's missing?"
Song Xinya: "Although this cake is exquisite, it's too ordinary. It lacks unique character. You can't tell at first glance that it's a cake exclusively for Qin Yuyan."
Qin Yuyan: "A cake exclusively for me?"
Song Xinya tilted her chin at her. "The little princess was born unique, so how could we just follow the crowd? A gift for the little princess naturally has to be one of a kind."
Qin Yuyan felt a bit shy and laughed bashfully. "Hehe."
Song Xinya took out a piece of pink fondant and began to knead it on the cutting board.
"Wait and see. I'm going to add something to this cake right now to give it that signature Qin Yuyan flair."
Qin Yuyan watched with great enthusiasm. "Okay!"
The pink fondant was rolled into a long strip, thick at one end and thin at the other.
Song Xinya then took out a piece of white fondant, rolled it into a ball, and carved out big round eyes, long eyelashes, and a delicate little nose.
She attached the chubby, pale little head onto the pink strip, and an adorable little fondant snake sprang to life.
Qin Yuyan's eyes widened in amazement. "Wow, a snake! This little snake is way too cute. Its eyelashes are even longer than mine!"
"Miss Song, you even know how to make fondant snakes!" She looked at Song Xinya and said, "You've really opened my eyes today!"
Song Xinya smiled faintly and said, "This is nothing."
Making a cake and crafting a fondant snake—how could this be considered "nothing"?
Qin Yuyan: "Well, all I know how to do is eat."
She saw Song Xinya holding a crisp white radish, carefully carving it stroke by stroke.
"Miss Song, what are you making now?"
Song Xinya: "Keep watching, you'll know in a moment."
Qin Yuyan pulled up a small stool and sat next to Song Xinya, cupping her face in her hands and watching obediently.
Sunlight filtered through the window and fell on Song Xinya's face, casting a delicate, soft glow. Her fair skin was radiant and translucent, her features as tranquil as water, and her expression earnest, giving off a gentle, peaceful aura.
Qin Yuyan turned her head to look at Song Xinya and felt like her whole body was glowing, just like...
The Goddess of Mercy?
Qin Yuyan chuckled at her own comparison.
Song Xinya: "What are you giggling at?"
Qin Yuyan: "I just feel like you're really charming."
Song Xinya: "Thank you. You're not bad yourself."
Qin Yuyan: "I'm usually very lovable."
Song Xinya raised an eyebrow, deciding not to tell her that behind her back, everyone called her a little devil.
"Confidence is a good thing. Keep it up."
Qin Yuyan: "I don't have many good qualities, but I am especially confident."
Song Xinya: "I can tell."
The carving knife left marks on the white radish, creating a soft, rustling sound in the air.
Time ticked by, minute by minute, from the blazing afternoon sun to the setting sun in the west.
The round white radish had been carved with graceful, slender lines, transforming into a young girl wearing a dress.
Qin Yuyan's eyes were glued to it. A single "wow" was no longer enough to express her amazement; she let out three consecutive "wows."
"Miss Song, you actually carved a person out of a white radish! This craftsmanship is simply unbelievable!"
Song Xinya: "Doesn't she look like you in a white dress?"
Qin Yuyan: "She does! This little figure is me!"
It was one thing to know how to bake a cake, but carving little figures out of radishes? Damn it, this woman was simply too captivating!
Song Xinya placed the girl in the white dress in the center of the cake and set the pink fondant snake beside her.
"The cake is finished."
Inserting the candles and lighting them, Song Xinya reached out, scooped up a dab of cream, and booped it onto Qin Yuyan's nose, offering her blessings: "Happy birthday, little princess."
Qin Yuyan looked at this one-of-a-kind cake, then looked up at Song Xinya, her eyes suddenly growing damp.
Her parents had never personally baked a cake for her, but Song Xinya did.
Her parents couldn't be there to celebrate her birthday with her, but Song Xinya was.
Today, Qin Yuyan had originally prepared to spend her birthday just like every other year—with the nest of little snakes she raised.
But because of Song Xinya's arrival, she no longer felt lonely. She felt the warmth and happiness of being treated with genuine care by someone else.
Qin Yuyan sniffled. "Thank you, Miss Song."
Song Xinya handed her a tissue. "Are the waterworks about to start?"
Qin Yuyan wiped her eyes. "I'm not going to cry. A strong girl doesn't shed tears easily."
Song Xinya took out her phone and played the birthday greeting video recorded by Jiang Yaoxue for Qin Yuyan.
Parents in their country were traditionally quite reserved in expressing their emotions; they weren't used to expressing love, were too shy to do so, and often didn't know how.
In truth, love itself doesn't require flowery language to be expressed. Saying it straightforwardly is the best expression of all.
In the video, Jiang Yaoxue shed her previous reserve, stripped away her embarrassment, and laid her emotions bare, saying the words "Mommy loves you" to Qin Yuyan for the very first time.
Instantly, Qin Yuyan's tears fell like rain. Hot tears, like pearls from a broken string, streamed incessantly down her cheeks.
With eyes full of tears, she murmured over and over, "Mommy loves me. Mommy loves me."
Song Xinya gently patted her head. "Of course your mommy loves you. Even though she's abroad, she's always thinking of you."
Qin Yuyan looked at Song Xinya with tear-filled eyes and asked, "If Mommy loves me, why isn't she by my side?"
Qin Hanxiao's constant womanizing and nights spent away from home had left Jiang Yaoxue heartbroken, devastated, and helpless.
Jiang Yaoxue was once a young girl who yearned for love and marriage, hoping to marry a good man and live happily ever after.
But she simply was not that lucky. After a brief period of loving her, Qin Hanxiao went looking for other women.
Their former sweetness turned to poison, and their marriage became a cage that trapped her.
On one side was her young child, and on the other was her desperate desire to break free from the cage and find freedom.
She suffered, struggled, and agonized.
For countless nights, she washed her face with tears in a marriage filled with betrayal and pain.
She wanted to endure it for the sake of her child, yet she could not resign herself to letting her entire life be ruined by a single man.
Amidst the back-and-forth tearing and repeated torment, she and Qin Hanxiao finally divorced.
These were the loves, hates, and grudges of adults. To tell this bloody truth to a seventeen-year-old child was simply too cruel.
Song Xinya spoke to Qin Yuyan in a gentle voice, "Yanyan, every one of us wants to live a bright and passionate life. We want to see how the water flows, when the sun rises, and how the sunset falls. We want to experience all the beauty in the world, to be unbound by anything, and to have a mother's forever selfless love. Yet, we often overlook the fact that mothers need to be loved, too."
"Love shouldn't be a shackle; it should be freedom and happiness. A mother is also an ordinary person with her own joys, sorrows, and desires. We must allow our mothers to pursue their own happiness."
"Isn't it a good thing to let your mother live a better life?"
Qin Yuyan suddenly felt enlightened. She loved her mother, and of course, she wanted her mother to be well.
She wiped her tears away and said, "Okay."
Song Xinya took a tissue and gently helped her wipe the tear stains from her cheeks. "Make a wish, and then we can eat cake."
Qin Yuyan clasped her hands together. Just as she was about to make a wish, the doorbell rang.
A maid stood at the door and announced, "Miss Qin, someone is here to see you."
Qin Yuyan walked to the door and saw Li Cuirou and Zhang Yingying.
Li Cuirou was extremely flattering, "Miss Qin, I heard today is your birthday. My daughter and I came especially to celebrate with you."
Qin Yuyan replied, "There's no need. I've already had the best birthday today."
Zhang Yingying opened a beautifully wrapped gift box. "Miss Qin, these are the diamond earrings I bought for you. They are high-end custom jewelry, worth two million."
She couldn't even bear to wear such expensive earrings herself; she had spent all her savings to buy them.
Qin Yuyan merely glanced at them. "They aren't even as expensive as the bag I use to hold my snake's poop."
Zhang Yingying's fawning smile froze on her face.
Li Cuirou chimed in, "It's the thought that counts. Our Yingying ran all over the jewelry stores in SKP to carefully select this for you. Please, just accept it."
Qin Yuyan said, "Accepting gifts makes a person beholden. If I accept this, I'll owe Zhang Yingying a favor. When it's her birthday, I'll have to give her a gift in return. If I don't, I'll look ignorant. Not only will my reputation be affected, but the Qin family's reputation will be dragged down as well."
"You two should leave. Don't delay me from eating my cake."
Bang. Qin Yuyan slammed the door shut.
Li Cuirou and Zhang Yingying were left staring at a closed door.
Zhang Yingying muttered, "This little princess is really hard to get along with."
Li Cuirou replied, "She's arrogant to everyone."
Qin Yuyan returned to Song Xinya's side. The arrogant little peacock instantly turned into a clingy darling. "Miss Song, come eat cake with me."
Song Xinya smiled, "We'll eat as soon as you make a wish."
Qin Yuyan closed her eyes and earnestly made a wish: I hope Miss Song marries my brother and becomes my sister-in-law.
