The apartment was dark, almost silent, when He Zhiyuan returned from the office. The day had been long, meetings stacked one after another, emails still unanswered, yet a sense of routine guided his steps—until he opened the door.
Nothing. Only shadows and the faint scent of Xinyi's favorite vanilla candle.
He frowned slightly, stepping inside. Then, a soft light flickered at the corner of the hallway. He paused. A small pathway of tiny LED lights blinked on, one by one, tracing a delicate trail along the floor.
Curiosity pricked him. Slowly, he followed the lights, each step revealing more: hanging from the walls were pictures, memories captured in fragile stillness. A photo of them as children at some summer fair, awkward smiles in the sunlight. Another from high school, Xinyi in her uniform, hair tied in her usual neat ponytail, laughing at something only he seemed to understand.
He exhaled softly, heart tightening as he traced the trail. University graduation, their wedding day, a tiny snapshot of the two of them asleep on a rainy weekend morning—memories threaded together, lighting up the dark apartment.
A small card fluttered in the corner, tied with a ribbon. He picked it up. In her careful handwriting:
"This is your first birthday since we married. I wanted it to be special… for you. Every step we've taken together, every laugh, every tear—today is for you."
His chest tightened. The world outside ceased to exist; only the echoes of their shared past filled the space.
Then, from the far end of the hallway, a soft voice called:
"Zhiyuan…"
He turned, and there she was. Lin Xinyi stepped out, carrying a cake topped with his favorite chocolate ganache, glowing under the warm light of the last LED. Her dress was the deep midnight blue he had once picked for her, a color he always said suited her perfectly—and she had saved it just for him.
He froze for a moment, blinking. The intensity of emotion made his chest feel tight. Then, almost instinctively, he crossed the distance in long, purposeful strides and captured her in a fierce, urgent kiss.
Xinyi laughed softly into his mouth, pressing a hand against his chest. "Wait," she murmured between kisses, pulling back just enough. "Candles first… cake first."
He groaned, mock-protesting, but did as instructed. He blew out the candles, the warm glow disappearing in a cloud of sweet smoke, leaving only the memory of her smile etched into his mind.
They cut the cake together, feeding each other small bites, laughter spilling into the quiet apartment. Then, Zhiyuan's mischief took over. A swipe of cream across her cheek, followed by a hungry, deliberate kiss, tasting it off with the faintest chuckle. Her laughter filled the space as he repeated the playful punishment, smearing cream along her lips, down her neck, brushing the collarbone with the tip of his tongue, leaving her shivering and giggling at his audacity.
They collapsed onto the couch, the cake momentarily forgotten, limbs tangled, hearts pounding. Xinyi's eyes sparkled, cheeks flushed with warmth and anticipation. She tilted her head, smiling through her laughter.
"Zhiyuan… do you have a wish?" she asked softly, breathy.
He looked down at her, fingers brushing loose strands of hair from her face, lips hovering dangerously close. "It's already fulfilled," he whispered, and the weight of the words was carried in a kiss so fierce, so claiming, it left them both gasping.
From there, the night unfolded like a slow-burning flame. Gentle at first, playful then hungry, tender and demanding all at once. Clothes became a forgotten pile, whispered names and laughter mingled with moans and the scent of chocolate and vanilla in the warm air. Every kiss, every touch, was an echo of their years together—familiar yet thrillingly new.
By the time they finally fell into the couch's embrace, hearts still racing, bodies sated, the only sound was their laughter mingling with soft whispers, the gentle glow of the pathway lights casting a warm, intimate halo over them.
Zhiyuan pressed a final kiss to her temple, resting his forehead against hers. "Happy birthday… to me," he murmured.
Xinyi smiled, curling against him. "Happy birthday… to us," she replied, her fingers tracing the curve of his shoulder, hearts perfectly aligned in the quiet aftermath of their night.