The moment I stepped into the villa, I was hit with a blast of cold air and the cozy scent of cinnamon, wood polish, and whatever expensive diffuser rich boys used to make their homes smell like a hug. My feet sank into the thick, cream-colored Persian carpet, still damp from the rain.
Scattered across the living room like they owned the place were three people—two guys and one girl, all lounging comfortably on oversized floor cushions around a low coffee table stacked with snacks, controllers, and an open pizza box. Not much for what I expected from the Liu heir's inner circle.
The girl who had called out earlier shot to her feet. "Oh my God, Zichen, you actually brought someone?" she squealed, her eyes wide and sparkling with excitement.
Zichen shrugged like it was nothing, but I noticed the faint grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.
He nodded toward a chubby guy slouched near the TV, intensely focused on a racing game. "That's Yulong, my little brother. He lives for video games. Might ignore you for a while, but it's not personal."
Yulong paused mid-lap to flash me a cheerful smile. "Hi, Lily!"
I smiled back, charmed by his easy energy. "Hello, Yulong! Nice to meet you."
Next, Zichen gestured to a sharp-looking guy in a black turtleneck adjusting his glasses with military precision. "This is Li Meng—my right-hand man, work wife, chaos manager, and the reason this birthday party isn't a total disaster."
Li Meng gave a polite half-bow, even though everyone clapped for him like he'd just won an Oscar. "Pleased to meet you, Miss Lily." he said, voice calm and precise.
"I like this one," I said with a grin, clapping along. "He looks like the only adult here."
Zichen snorted. "You have no idea."
Then he turned to the final member of the group, a bright-eyed girl practically vibrating with energy. She was already halfway toward me before he could even speak.
"I'm Yao Shoulin!" she beamed. "Hi Lily! Oh my gosh, you're so pretty! We are definitely going to be besties, okay?"
This was the first time someone had called me pretty and wanted to be my friend.
Before I could reply, she had already thrown her arms around me in a spontaneous, affectionate hug. It caught me off guard—but in the best way. I laughed and hugged her back, her warmth contagious.
"It's so nice to meet you, Shoulin," I said, genuinely smiling now. "You're like a human confetti cannon."
She squealed. "I love that!"
As I settled down on one of the cushions, my gaze swept over the group—laughing, teasing each other, poking fun at Zichen with zero filter.
And suddenly, I felt something shift inside me.
I had expected loud music, flashing lights, a hundred elegantly dressed influencers sipping cocktails in rooftop hot tubs. Instead, I got four people. One pizza box. And laughter that felt real.
This was Zichen's circle?
It felt so… simple. So normal.
There was no show, no pressure, no power games. Just warmth. And ridiculous jokes. And mismatched socks.
I glanced over at Zichen, who had sat down beside me, loosening his collar and watching his friends with a soft look he probably didn't know he had.
He could have thrown a party at a five-star hotel with the children of CEOs and senators, I thought. Instead, he chose them. These few. These very real people.
And in that moment, I saw a part of Zichen no news article, no stockholder's son, no gala whisper ever spoke about.
Not the second son of Liu Group.
Just a boy who wanted a small party. With the people who actually mattered.
And—somehow—I'd been invited into it.
The laughter carried on for what felt like hours. Someone put on a chill playlist—acoustic guitar covers and lo-fi remixes—and Li Meng passed around mismatched mugs filled with wine. No crystal glasses here, just whatever they could find in the villa's kitchen. Someone even poured wine into a Hello Kitty tumbler and passed it to Yulong, who accepted it with solemn pride.
I had just settled onto a beanbag chair next to Zichen, sipping slowly from a giant mug that said #1 BOSS, when Shoulin suddenly gasped and shot up like she'd remembered the world's most important secret.
"Oh my God—we forgot the cake!"
Zichen groaned. "Shoulin, I said no cake—"
But she was already skipping off toward the fridge.
Minutes later, she returned, triumphantly holding a single pastry box. Not a cake box. A pastry box. She flipped it open to reveal a tiny round matcha tart—slightly crushed on one side—with a single pink candle stuck in the middle at a crooked angle.
"This is all I could find at the café near the station," she said, placing it on the table like it was made of gold. "But it's perfect. Now, blow it out before the candle melts into the matcha!"
I blinked, turning to Zichen.
"Wait," I said slowly. "It's your birthday?"
Zichen froze, then scratched the back of his neck like a kid caught sneaking snacks before dinner. "Technically… yeah. Midnight hit a while ago."
"You didn't tell me?"
"I didn't tell anyone, really. Birthdays aren't really a big thing in my house."
Something in the way he said it made my chest squeeze.
"Still," Shoulin piped up, "you're legally required to make a wish and blow it out now."
Everyone gathered around the sad little tart like it was a wedding cake. Zichen stared at the candle a second longer than necessary, then let out a quiet breath and snuffed the flame.
Cheers erupted, and Li Meng even pulled out a can of party string from somewhere, spraying Zichen's hair with rainbow foam. He laughed—really laughed—his head thrown back, his whole body relaxed for the first time.
"Alright," Yulong said, grabbing a fresh bottle of wine. "It's time."
"Time for what?" I asked, warily.
Yulong grinned like a gremlin. "Truth or dare. Duh."
"Oh no," Zichen muttered, already half-laughing. "Someone hide the wine."
But it was too late.
The bottle had been opened. The circle had formed. And the rules were being shouted mid-sip.
"No backing out!" Shoulin sang. "You chose to hang out with us, Lily, that means you're stuck now!"
I could already feel the alcohol humming through my veins, mixing with the warmth of the villa and the buzz of neon-colored fairy lights strung above us.
First came the harmless questions.
Li Meng was dared to recite a love poem in French to the houseplant.
Yulong had to admit which fictional character he had a crush on (it was apparently the blue M&M, and no one asked follow-up questions).
Shoulin confessed to writing love letters to herself in middle school to make her ex jealous.
Then… someone turned to me.
"Lily," Zichen said, wine-glass swaying in his hand, "truth or dare?"
My head lolled slightly as I squinted at him. "Truth. I think. Yes. Truth." I very much knew that I was using the only chance I had at truth. That meant that in the next round, I would have to choose dare.
His grin widened. "Tell us something no one in your very fancy, diamond-studded life knows."
I blinked. Thought hard. Then shrugged.
"I once skipped out on a board meeting my father forced me into… to sit on the rooftop of a convenience store and eat instant ramen with a cat I named Mr. Fortune."
They all roared.
"Iconic," Shoulin said, wiping a tear.
I looked at Zichen, expecting another smug comment, but instead he was just… staring.
Softly. Quietly. Like he saw me.
"Okay, okay, next," Yulong said, rubbing his hands together. "Zichen—your turn. Truth or dare?"
Zichen leaned back, eyes on me the whole time. "Truth."
Yulong grinned. "Have you ever had a crush on someone your parents wouldn't approve of?"
Silence.
Zichen didn't answer right away. He swirled his drink, then looked straight at me.
"I think I do right now."
The room froze. Shoulin's mouth dropped open. Li Meng cleared his throat so loudly it echoed.
And me?
I forgot how to breathe.