Gan Yuan had never been in the habit of celebrating her birthday, and Gan Tang, who was young and unaware of such customs, failed to make it happen last year due to his illness.
This was, in fact, her first birthday celebration in years.
Gan Yuan smiled and lifted her eyes, holding out the cake towards him with both hands.
"So... the first slice is yours!"
Huangfu Jue reached out to take the cake, but the woman, who had appeared submissive, suddenly flashed a mischievous smile. With a slight tilt of her hands, the cake began to lean towards Huangfu Jue.
Just as it seemed about to fall from the tray, a palm swiftly reached out, steadied her hands, and leveled the tilting cake.
Seeing her prank fail, Gan Yuan was not about to admit defeat. She grabbed a handful of cream from the cake behind her, and with a flick of her arm, smeared the cream onto the man’s handsome face.
Everyone was shocked by Gan Yuan’s unexpected move, staring at the cream like a crookedly stuck white beard on Christmas Santa, clinging to his right cheek—including Will and everyone else who tensed at the sight.
It wasn’t too much for a birthday joke to smear cream, but that depended on who the other person was.
Everyone knew he was always aloof and had a strong preference for cleanliness; Gan Yuan’s joke might have gone too far!
The people at the table held their breath, and the atmosphere on the terrace became incredibly tense.
The person involved, Gan Yuan, merely lifted her chin, defiantly staring at Huangfu Jue.
Being one to always repay an eye for an eye, how could she willingly let him take advantage of her?
She did it on purpose, she wanted to push his limits.
Let him get angry, let him rage, let him give her up because he couldn’t stand her... That would be the best outcome.
"Sir, Miss Gan was just joking," Will said dryly, hastily reaching for a handkerchief to present to him, "Here, let me wipe that for you!"
With a raised hand, he blocked Will’s reaching palm. Huangfu Jue lifted his right index finger and gently removed the cream from his cheek.
His movement was slow, making everyone around him swallow hard.
Surely, he must be about to lose his temper, right?
The man glanced sideways, his gaze landing on the cream on his finger.
Then, he raised his right hand, brought the finger to his lips, and in front of everyone’s wide eyes, he... he... he actually put the finger in his mouth and licked off the cream.
"Tastes quite good," he commented.
Even Gan Yuan was taken aback for a moment.
She deliberately provoked him, and he still kept his cool?
This child... could it be that yesterday’s antics had exhausted him to the point of a short circuit?
The more surprising events were yet to come. While everyone was still reeling from their shock, Duke Huangfu Jue had already stretched out his hand and seized Gan Yuan’s left hand, which had smeared cream on him and was still raised in the air.
By the time Gan Yuan came to her senses, it was too late to withdraw her hand; the man bent his head and took her cream-coated finger into his mouth.
As her fingertip rested against his lips and teeth, she could distinctly feel his tongue grazing her skin. She tried to pull her hand back forcefully, yet his grip was immovable, like an iron vise.
Her heart raced, her mouth went dry, and her breathing quickened.
She was both embarrassed and angry, yet she couldn’t withdraw her hand. As she opened her mouth to protest, the man suddenly closed his teeth, biting gently on her fingertip.