Meng Ruozhao took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down.
"Maybe the steam from the hot pot is too strong. I'm feeling a bit dizzy."
She forced a smile, but to Pei Jiangmu, it looked extremely forced.
He knew very well that Meng Ruozhao's dizziness wasn't simply because of the steam.
But since she didn't want to talk about it, he naturally wouldn't force her.
After all, they had plenty of time ahead, and he wasn't in a hurry.
"Sister, why don't we stop eating hot pot? I'll take you back to rest," Pei Jiangmu suggested carefully, his eyes fixed on Meng Ruozhao, not missing any subtle change in her expression.
Meng Ruozhao waved her hand and took a sip of plum juice.
"It's okay. I'll be fine after a while. It's rare to celebrate your birthday."
Seeing this, Pei Jiangmu didn't insist anymore, but the string in his heart remained taut.
He looked at the cake in front of him, the candlelight flickering slightly.
The originally joyful birthday atmosphere was now shrouded in an inexplicable sense of tension.
Meng Ruozhao also noticed it and smiled.
"Come on, birthday boy, blow out the candles and make a wish. We're waiting to eat the cake," she said, trying to make her voice sound more relaxed.
Pei Jiangmu let out a soft "mm" and blew out the candles.
Suddenly, he felt a bit regretful. He shouldn't have made that wish just now.
He silently prayed to the heavens that the previous wish didn't count, and he wanted to make a new one.
He hoped that his Ruozhao, even if she remembered the past, wouldn't be hurt.
He also hoped that everything would develop in the direction he expected.
After blowing out the candles, Pei Jiangmu started cutting the cake. He moved very slowly, his mind completely focused on Meng Ruozhao.
The cake was an ordinary fruit cake. He cut the part with mangoes and handed it to Meng Ruozhao.
"Sister, I still have to say thank you," he said.
Meng Ruozhao took the mango cake she liked the most and took a small bite.
The sweetness of the cream and the fragrance of the mango instantly filled her mouth.
The uneasiness brought by the vague memories just now also dissipated in this sweetness.
Pei Jiangmu looked at Meng Ruozhao. Seeing that her complexion had improved, he started making small talk while eating the cake.
"Sister, there's a fireworks show by the river tonight. Let's go and watch it later," he said.
Today, the birthday boy had the greatest say.
Moreover, Meng Ruozhao had witnessed that scene at home this afternoon and then attended a suffocating banquet.
She also needed to relax, so as not to go back so soon and face the Du family.
So she hardly hesitated. "Sure."
The riverside square wasn't far from here.
The two of them walked out of the hot pot restaurant and walked towards the river while chatting, just to digest their food.
Along the way, Pei Jiangmu was humorous and well - behaved, making Meng Ruozhao laugh non - stop.
By the time they reached the river, the fireworks had just started.
The river wind, carrying water vapor, blew across their cheeks, bringing the unique coolness of a summer night and the fishy sweetness of the steaming river water.
Meng Ruozhao looked up at the golden peonies blooming in the night sky. The trajectory of the falling sparks was very much like the shadow cast by Pei Jiangmu's eyelashes.
Those tiny specks of light flickered and finally fell into his deep, pool - like eyes.
This was the first time she knew that fireworks could really heal people.
The booming sound shattered the pent - up pain in her chest, and the waterfall of light washed away all the shadows in her memory.
At this moment, the sweetness of the mango cake still lingered on her tongue.
The family conflicts, Du Feng's exploitation, and Yan Qiubai's unpredictability...
The pain brought by all these was burned to ashes in the sky - full of stars and drifted away on the sparkling river with the night wind.
She looked up, her eyes fixed on the colorful fireworks in the sky, and a sincere smile appeared on her face.
"It seems that everything is giving face to the birthday boy today. I'm also lucky to tag along," she said.
Pei Jiangmu watched Meng Ruozhao's happy expression and a smile appeared on his lips as well.
"It's not that you're lucky, sister. It's because I'm getting lucky when I'm with you," he said.
Actually, this fireworks show was specially arranged by him.
In order to make Meng Ruozhao happy, he had started preparing for it a long time ago.
He had contacted a professional fireworks team and carefully designed the order and shape of the fireworks display.
However, it wasn't originally planned to be held tonight.
When he mentioned that it was his birthday today, he immediately informed Qi Yu to change the fireworks show to tonight.
Seeing his Ruozhao enjoying it so much at this moment, he felt that all his efforts were worth it.
"The fireworks are really beautiful. Look, doesn't that one look like a shooting star?" Meng Ruozhao pointed at the sky excitedly and didn't forget to call Pei Jiangmu to look.
Pei Jiangmu nodded with a smile. "Yes, it does. Then, sister, do you want to make a wish?"
Hearing this, Meng Ruozhao laughed. "There's no such thing as making a wish on fireworks."
But Pei Jiangmu was very serious. "Anyway, it won't hurt. Just shout it out, sister. Maybe it will come true."
He would help her fulfill her wishes.
But unfortunately, Meng Ruozhao thought for a while and still shook her head.
"Forget it. I don't have any wishes."
Pei Jiangmu was a bit surprised.
Didn't she want to remember the past?
Was it her subconscious that made her avoid it, or did she think that things were fine the way they were now?
He frowned slightly and looked at Meng Ruozhao's profile.
Under the illumination of the fireworks, her outline looked extremely soft.
"Sister, how can you not have any wishes? Even some small ones?"
"Like wanting to eat the most delicious dessert in the world, or going to a place you've always wanted to go but never had the chance."
"Or, the clothes you design can be on the international stage and be seen by more people," Pei Jiangmu tried to guide her to say something.
Meng Ruozhao gently shook her head, with a hint of complexity in her eyes.
"These aren't that important to me."
She didn't have strong material desires.
To be precise, she felt that she had something more important.
But she couldn't remember what that thing was.
So before she remembered that most important thing, nothing else seemed that important.
However, there was no need to explain all this too clearly to others.
Pei Jiangmu looked at her. The river wind blew her dress noisily.
After the car accident, due to the impatient rehabilitation training, he had lost a lot of weight in the great pain and longing.
And she, after being taken back to the Du family, hadn't gained weight either.
In fact, she was even thinner than when their relationship was at its most tense.
At that time, her wish was to escape from him and gain freedom.
And now...
"How can it not be important..."
His voice got stuck in his throat. His fingertips dug deeply into his palm. The pain helped him maintain a semblance of calm.
"That means sister is very satisfied with her current life," he said.
"Is it because you have a great relationship with your boyfriend and you're very happy?"
This thought was like a blunt knife cutting at his nerves.
He knew that his possessiveness, which scared her, was acting up again.
No, he couldn't show it...
He couldn't let her sense anything wrong...
In the distance, the whistle of a ferry came. Pei Jiangmu suddenly turned around and pretended to look at the fireworks on the other side.
In fact, where she couldn't see, he bit his lower lip. The taste of blood mixed with the bitterness in his heart, brewing into poisoned wine in his mouth.