Rose manor（玫瑰庄园酒店）

Chapter 65 Happy Birthday

Shen Jianian followed the scent into the kitchen. Zhou Rongzhen stood by the counter, assisting the chef with dedication. Several dishes were already done and covered, while many more ingredients awaited cooking, promising a lavish dinner.

Hearing footsteps, Zhou Rongzhen turned around, startled. Pinching her ear as if to clear it, she smiled at Shen Jianian, "Are you hungry?"

Shen Jianian smiled back sheepishly and nodded.

Glancing at the time, Zhou Rongzhen said, "Almost time. We can have dinner once Mr. Fu gets home."

Shen Jianian was surprised, "He's coming back today?"

"Don't you know?" Zhou Rongzhen looked puzzled.

Hadn't Mr. Fu informed Shen Jianian about his return time? Considering their close relationship, she assumed he had already told her, hence her late arrival.

"I didn't know," Shen Jianian admitted. "He didn't tell me."

"Well, look at me being too talkative," Zhou Rongzhen chuckled, playfully tapping her own mouth. "Maybe Mr. Fu wants to surprise you. He called me at noon, asking for a lavish dinner with roast chicken, your favorite. He said he'd arrive in Yicheng around seven and asked me to inform the chef to delay dinner."

With a beep from the oven, indicating the time was up, Zhou Rongzhen couldn't talk anymore and hurriedly pulled out the baking tray. The whole roast chicken looked delicious, coated with honey and emitting a sweet aroma.

"It's New Year's Eve today. Mr. Fu must have rushed back to spend it with you," Zhou Rongzhen said confidently.

Shen Jianian didn't care why Fu Jichen came back; at this moment, she was fixated on the just-baked roast chicken. She had finished lunch at eleven-thirty, and now eight hours had passed. She felt like she could eat a whole chicken by herself.

Just then, the door opened, and Fu Jichen walked in. He handed the cake to Zhou Rongzhen and looked at Shen Jianian, "Are you dumbstruck?"

Before Shen Jianian could respond, Fu Jichen walked over to her, looking a bit tired from the journey. He used his cold fingers to pinch her cheek and smiled, "It's your birthday today. Don't you have anything to say?"

Shen Jianian looked at his well-defined face, noticing that his smile softened his usually stern expression. For just a moment, her heart seemed to flutter.

"I'm hungry," Shen Jianian replied, turning away slightly.

She silently attributed the emotions stirring inside her to gratitude. Besides Bai Changxia, there was someone else who remembered her birthday, prepared a cake and her favorite food, and rushed back from such a distant place through wind and snow. She should feel grateful.

She was human, not a cold-blooded animal. Her emotions were reflected in her surroundings.

Fu Jichen noticed her discomfort, and the smile on his lips deepened slightly. He went to wash his hands and then held hers, leading her to the dining room, "You're hungry, why don't you eat something to fill your stomach while waiting for me?"

"I didn't know you were coming back today, so why would I wait for you?" Shen Jianian spoke truthfully, feeling unusually candid.

Fu Jichen paused, feeling embarrassed by his own presumptuousness. He nodded and spoke with a distant tone, "Right, it's my fault. The whole Yicheng belongs to you the least."

The least thoughtful person poured him a cup of hot tea and placed it next to him without even glancing at him, "Now that you know, it's fine."

Zhou Rongzhen brought the cooked noodles to the table. She had already learned from their conversation that today was Shen Jianian's birthday and smiled gently as she leaned in, "Jianian, happy birthday! Are you twenty years old?"