Chapter Forty: You’re Not Fooling Me Again, Are You?

“What?” Shi Zhaodi lifted her head in confusion and looked at Zou Kai.

“You bought the cake to celebrate my birthday, didn’t you?” Zou Kai said, pressing his lips together.

“But it’s all smashed!” Shi Zhaodi said regretfully.

“It’s still edible, isn’t it?”

Before she could respond, Zou Kai snatched the little cake box from her, stopped his bicycle, turned around, and was about to leave.

“Zou Kai—” Shi Zhaodi called after him.

Zou Kai turned to look at her, his brows furrowed, his expression full of impatience.

“Have you ever eaten longevity noodles on your birthday?” Shi Zhaodi asked, looking at him.

“No!” Zou Kai answered unhappily.

His mother used to cook them for him every year. After she passed away, he had never had them again.

“Then shall I make some for you? People are supposed to eat longevity noodles on their birthdays.” Shi Zhaodi smiled.

Zou Kai turned and walked straight ahead.

Shi Zhaodi lowered her head dejectedly and went to retrieve her bicycle, feeling that she had done something foolish again.

Zou Kai had already said he didn’t want to celebrate his birthday, yet she had gone on about longevity noodles!

“Are you coming or not?” Zou Kai turned around and called out.

“Huh?” Shi Zhaodi looked as though she had not quite understood.

“Don’t tell me you’re going to fool me again!” Zou Kai suddenly flew into a rage.

“No, let’s go.” Shi Zhaodi came to her senses, took hold of her bicycle, and walked over.

The two of them rode their bicycles back to the Zou residence.

Sister Fu opened the door for them again. Zou Kai’s parents were not home.

The Zou house was enormous, yet at that moment it seemed eerily deserted.

Shi Zhaodi glanced at Zou Kai. His face remained expressionless, as though he had long since grown numb to it all.

“Could I borrow your phone to make a call? I need to tell my mother, and then I’ll cook the noodles for you,” Shi Zhaodi asked.

Zou Kai took out his phone and handed it to her.

Shi Zhaodi accepted it but had no idea how to unlock it. She looked helplessly at Zou Kai.

“You’re hopeless. What’s the number?” Zou Kai took the phone back, unlocked it, and asked.

Shi Zhaodi recited the number. Zou Kai entered it and made the call, then handed the phone to her before collapsing onto the sofa, not wanting to move at all.

After making the call, Shi Zhaodi went to borrow the kitchen from Sister Fu.

When the longevity noodles were ready, she carried them to the tea table in the living room.

“You have to finish them!” Shi Zhaodi said with a sweet smile.

Zou Kai glanced at the bowl, picked up his chopsticks, and hesitantly took a bite.

“Are they good?” Shi Zhaodi asked expectantly.

“They’re awful.” Zou Kai wrinkled his brows in disgust.

“Really? Are they undercooked? Or too salty?” Shi Zhaodi asked, puzzled. “I can make you another bowl!”

She reached out to take the bowl.

“No need. They’d be just as awful anyway.” Zou Kai gripped the bowl, lowered his head, and continued eating.

Shi Zhaodi could only stare in astonishment as Zou Kai finished the entire bowl of noodles.

No update tonight. It’s the angel’s fault...