Beast Taming: I Can Add Points

Amidst the dazzling fireworks, the young woman produced a small cake as if by magic, holding it out to Su Zhi with a sweet smile.

Though small, the cake was exquisitely made. A pale yellow moth orchid bloomed in the very center, its petals so meticulously veined that it looked real at first glance.

The cake itself was porcelain-white, with a ring of golden-yellow cream like gilt lacquerware decorating the edge. It looked just like a work of art.

”Happy birthday!”

She said with a smile, her head tilted.

The fireworks exploded behind her, seeming to grow even more brilliant because of her presence.

Su Zhi stared at the cake and the young woman holding it, his mouth slightly agape, dumbfounded for a moment.

A moment later, a brilliant smile spread across his face. He carefully took the cake, his voice gentle. ”Thank you.”

Shao Ya took a step forward, her gaze on the cake, and asked with a grin, ”Is it beautiful?”

”It is.”

Su Zhi carefully held the plate. ”It’s so beautiful, I can’t bear to eat it.”

The young woman immediately took another step forward. ”So, which is more beautiful? The cake or me?”

Su Zhi stared at her for a moment before breaking into a helpless laugh. ”There’s no need to answer that, is there?”

Shao Ya: ”Ehehe.”

Su Zhi: ”Of course the cake is more beautiful.”

The young woman arched an eyebrow.

Su Zhi raised his hands in surrender.

Covering her mouth with her hand, the young woman chuckled and sat down on the bench beside him. They watched the distant fireworks for a moment before she tilted her head and urged, ”Go on, eat. Once you have your birthday cake, Su Baby will be seventeen!”

But Su Zhi didn’t eat. Instead, he held the cake out to her.

”You have the first bite.”

The young man’s eyes twinkled.

”Th-That won’t do!” Shao Ya quickly waved her hands in protest. ”It’s your birthday, so of course you have to take the first bite!”

Su Zhi simply smiled without a word, still holding the cake out to her.

Feigning reluctance, the young woman leaned in and opened her mouth. She whispered, as if for one last confirmation, ”You’re really giving the first bite to me?”

Su Zhi nodded. ”Mhm.”

A mischievous smile touched the young woman’s lips. She suddenly closed her mouth and planted a light peck, like a kiss, on the cream orchid.

”There, I ate it!” she announced, looking up at him with an expression that clearly said, ’Now what are you going to do?’

But Su Zhi just chuckled softly, stuck out his tongue, and swept the entire orchid into his mouth.

Now, it was the young woman’s turn to flush beet-red.

”Y-You ate my saliva!”

”Sorry. In that case, you should have some of mine.”

”N-No way!”

Blushing, Shao Ya turned her head away. ’He usually looks so honest, and he even blushes from time to time... I never thought he was such a rogue. No, wait! He’s not usually honest at all!’

As Su Zhi ate his cake, he glanced sideways at the young woman beside him, his eyes brimming with mirth.

’She always acts like such a composed big sister, like she has me all figured out, but it turns out she gets this flustered so easily.’

A smug smile appeared on Su Zhi’s face.

Yu Bao mimicked him with a similar smile, only to earn a gentle flick on the forehead from Su Zhi.

”You little rascal. You saw her coming but didn’t give me a heads-up. Siding with the enemy now, are you?”

”Hahh,” Yu Bao panted, looking completely harmless.

What bad intentions could a Dog possibly have?

The night sky was clear. The young man and woman sat together on a bench, sharing the sweet cake while video-calling their elders, entering a new year of his life amidst a continuous, brilliant fireworks display.

”Here.”

Shao Ya handed Su Zhi a box—his birthday present.

Su Zhi opened the box, revealing a Thick Earth Core and an Earth Vein Will, both Tier Two Earth Resources; some Sand Scale Ore, a Tier One Earth Element resource; and a Star Meteorite, a resource combining Tier Two Earth and Fire Elements.

The resources came in varying quantities and concentrations—it was a curated resource pack. More experienced Beastmasters often prepare such packs, tailoring the resources to their Pet Beast’s specific training needs for maximum effectiveness.

”Did you put this together?” Su Zhi asked, looking at Shao Ya.

He suddenly remembered that a long time ago, she had asked him for the development plan for Yu Bao’s specialized Skills.

”Hee.”

The young woman stuck her tongue out sheepishly. ”Actually... I traded the Wood Magnet Crystal you gave me for them...”

”Then that doesn’t count,” Su Zhi said, snatching the box and putting it away. He gave her a mischievous look. ”Birthday present!”

”Ah! How can you be like that!”

The young woman pouted, looking aggrieved. ”Then... what do you want?” she asked tentatively.

Su Zhi leaned close to her ear and whispered something.

The young woman’s face flushed red.

”Get lost!”

”All you have to do is twirl a little fluffy pick around! Xiaoyue could make one with a single Skill!”

”Meeeooww.”

”Th-That’s still not okay!”

”Big Sis~ My dearest Big Sis~”

”...” The young woman’s delicate fists clenched and then relaxed.

Finally, with a helpless huff, she turned her head away and patted her lap.

Su Zhi’s eyes curved into a smile as he gently laid his head down, slowly entrusting its full weight to her lap.

He felt a careful, tentative, rustling, tickling sensation in his ear.

He could faintly hear the young woman’s pouting mumbles:

”Next time... next time, I’m definitely, definitely not giving in to you...”

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