BIAS Chapter 2 (Sneak Peak)

To avoid wasting time due to taking public transportation, Yan Xu directly took a taxi to the community entrance. He found the dessert shop “Sweet” with ease.

“Hello, I’m here to pick up the cake I ordered,” he said to the shop assistant. “The number is 138…”

The assistant entered the number, glanced at the cash register display to confirm the order, and said, “I’ll immediately pack it for you. The cake cost a total of 388 yuan. May I ask how you would like to pay?”

Yan Xu was stunned for a moment, asking with uncertainty, “It hasn’t been paid?”

The assistant looked at the display again, then nodded in affirmation. “Yes, and because it’s a premium member, no deposit was required either.”

Holding back the confusion in his heart, Yan Xu handed his card over. “I’ll pay with a card.”

While waiting for the assistant to pack the cake, Yan Xu looked around the shop. He was very familiar with this shop. During the years he lived here, he would pass by this shop almost everyday. Through the glass display window, he could see a whole row of golden and glossy breads and dessert shining under the light.

He actually doesn’t like eating sweets, but he inexplicably liked to look at this shop’s dazzling array of desserts, or perhaps it was out of envy for not being able to get them. Now that he thought about it, this shop had been open for at least ten years, and it was the first time he had gone in today.

“Hello, the cake is ready.”

The assistant’s voice brought Yan Su out of his thoughts. He withdrew his gaze, then hurriedly went to the cash register. The moment he saw the cake box, the excited sparkle in his eyes slowly dimmed.

Half a year ago, due to some trivial matters, he fought with his mom, and the already unharmonious mother-son relationship reached a freezing point. They had not contacted each other for half a year. So, when he suddenly got a call from his mom today, he was startled, but what followed was a nice surprise.

Today was his birthday, his mom called him to return home, and she even ordered a cake. Although she didn’t say it over the phone, he knew his mom wanted to use the opportunity of celebrating his birthday to give both of them a way out.

His mom had always been a feisty woman and didn’t easily give in. For her to take the initiative to call him was already unprecedented, so he was happy in his heart.

It had been twenty-eight years, and this was the first time his mom celebrated his birthday since he could remember. Yan Xu really wanted to see what design Lu Qiuying chose for his cake, but the packaging of the boxes of this store weren’t transparent acrylic boxes. He also couldn’t ask the assistant to untie the exquisite bow so he could see it, so he could only take a look at the pattern of the box and imagine it.

“Thank you.” Yan Xu took the cake and was about to leave—

The assistant called out to Yan Xu, “Do you want candles and a birthday hat? They’re free-of-charge.”

Yan Xu looked at the cake in his hand, then hesitated for a moment. “Did the person who ordered say they wanted it?”

The assistant shook their head. “It wasn’t specified on the order. It could be that we forgot to ask.” They paused for a moment before continuing, “Usually customers want them, they’re free anyway.”

Yan Xu thought about it. “Thank you, then I would like them.”

Thus, the assistant took a kraft paper bag with candles and birthday hats inside and handed it to him.

When he entered the community and reached the downstairs of the unit, Yan Xu suddenly became a bit nervous. It had already been half a year since he came back, and for a moment, he didn’t know what kind of expression to use to face his mom. He stayed downstairs for a while in the cold wind of midwinter. He took a deep breath before opening the unit door and going upstairs.

The community had been built for more than thirty years, and there were no elevators. He walked up to the sixth floor in one go, then knocked on the door of 601.

The door opened from the inside with a squeak.

“Oh, Yan Xu is here.” The one who opened the door was his stepdad, Fang Jianguo. He had yet to reach the age of sixty, but because his health wasn’t great, he looked wan and thin, so he looked a lot older than those of his age.

“Hello, Uncle.” Yan Xu handed the gift bag in his hand to him. “This is the milk powder I bought for you.”

“Very considerate of you,” Fan Jianguo responded, but didn’t take it. “Come in first.”

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