Xin Zi saw that the time was about right, so she instructed Nan Song to bring out the cake while she tidied up the dinner table simply and took out candles and the like.
Two ice cream cakes were placed on the table, one in front of Nan XiangWan and one in front of Nan ChaoYang.
Nan XiangWan's mouth watered: "Wow! What a big, round ice cream cake!"
Nan ChaoYang: "Hehehe!"
The boy was drunk and acting a little silly.
Seeing her younger brother, a sudden idea came to Nan XiangWan and she asked: "Do you want the big or the small one?"
Although Nan ChaoYang was terribly drunk, his mind was clear and he replied at once: "The big one is for older sister."
Nan XiangWan raised an eyebrow: "Mm, good boy."
Not bad - even when drunk he was being so obedient.
Mother Xin Zi put candles into the two cakes and lit them.
Beside them, Nan Song put small birthday crowns onto the heads of the siblings: "Come come, lights off, make a wish!"
Nan ChaoYang stumbled tipsily to his feet and continued his silly "hehe" laughing. He didn't make a wish or even look at his own cake, just watched his sister.
As for Nan XiangWan, she didn't care about him. This was the first birthday she had come to experience in this cozy new world.
She closed her eyes and made a wish:
May China's land be filled with flowers, her skies resound with joyful tunes!
When she opened her eyes again she stood straight, giving a military salute.
Xin Zi was shocked and proud to witness this.
Her daughter's wish was related to their homeland?
She was truly worthy of being her daughter!
Beside them Nan Song was also stunned. Of course he understood the meaning of the salute - it wasn't something just anyone could do, only used on purposeful occasions and in special environments.
But for Nan XiangWan to do this...
He looked towards Xin Zi, only to see pride and gratification even bringing tears to her eyes?
For a moment Nan Song was too shocked to respond!
This daughter of his, his precious daughter, she was...
Ah!!!
A family of four, with three soldiers??
He wouldn't survive this! His life was too bitter!
From now on, wouldn't he have to live in anxiety every day?
While Nan Song despaired, the drunken Nan ChaoYang also saluted sloppily for some reason, silly "hehe" laughter still on his face. Nan XiangWan had saluted her own wish, while this boy saluted his sister.
But that seemed fine too!
After making their wishes, it was time to blow out the candles.
The timing also perfectly coincided with the five minutes between the turn from the 22nd to the 23rd.
Xin Zi went to turn on the lights: "Alright, let's eat cake!"
The two were now officially 18 years old!
Big eater Nan XiangWan finished a whole ice cream cake, eating it despite Xin Zi and Nan Song's attempts at dissuading her the whole time.
Nan Song: "Dear girl, eat less cold stuff, you'll get a stomach ache!"
Xin Zi: "XiangWan, you've eaten too much, you can't eat so much."
Nan XiangWan ignored them, steadily chomping away.
The other cake was cut into pieces for the three to share, and they did not finish it.
Finally Nan ChaoYang felt the effects of alcohol, beginning to sway his head dizzily until he could not stand up anymore - he had reached the depths of drunkenness.
It wasn't surprising given how much alcohol mother Xin Zi had poured for him.
After the birthday celebrations were over and Nan Song and Xin Zi were clearing up, they called the children upstairs to sleep.
Nan XiangWan got up and hefted her younger brother Nan ChaoYang over one shoulder!
Nan Song was stupefied, the bowls and chopsticks in his hands crashing loudly to the floor.
His precious baby daughter had just hoisted up the 6-foot idiot!
Heavens!
It blew poor Nan Song's mind, eyeballs bulging as his worldview crumbled.
You have to know Nan ChaoYang weighed at least 150 pounds!
And yet Nan XiangWan just carried her brother upstairs that way, like it was nothing. She herself weighed only 75 pounds and was still within her usual lifting limit. Lifting him up one flight of stairs must have been easy for her.
And so Nan XiangWan raced up the stairs fleet-footedly, entering her brother's room and tossing him onto the bed.
By now Nan ChaoYang was dead drunk, lying spread-eagled motionlessly no matter how his sister threw him around.
Nan XiangWan patted her hands and left, closing the door behind her as she returned to her own room for the night.
Leaving behind the living room.
Xin Zi picked up her husband's broken bowls and looked disgusted: "These bowls must have been expensive!"
Nan Song shook his head: "Expensive or not, we'll buy more! But first you tell me about our daughter! Today you must tell me! We've been married 20 years, you've got to tell me!"
He sounded extremely anxious, as if he'd stab someone with a knife if she didn't explain.
Xin Zi said calmly: "Military secret."
Nan Song: "..."
With those four words she instantly deflated his imposing manner, his momentum disappeared as if it had never been.
............
The next day, Nan XiangWan slept in a little.
She woke at 9am, heading to her suite's exercise room after getting up to do her morning workout.
Two magpies flew over and perched on her windowsill outside, eyeing her curiously with both eyes.
Nan XiangWan ignored the two silly birds and continued training.
With military academy enrolment coming up soon, she was a bit nervous!
She'd heard that the students there were forces to be reckoned with, and there were also super bullies all over the place who could beat her to death with one punch.
Nan XiangWan had to increase her training so she wouldn't fall behind others.
She trained from 9am to 11am, burning off all the calories from her heavy eating and drinking yesterday.
After working up a full sweat she took a shower and changed into a fresh set of clothes before heading downstairs.
In the next room her brother Nan ChaoYang was still fast asleep. He was sleeping deeply after getting utterly smashed last night, still dreaming wildly.
Those dreams roamed freely, and he dreamed that he had turned into a unicorn!
A super cool one at that. The horn on his head was especially huge and majestic, even glowed with light.
He was a most noble sacred beast.
Overjoyed, he let out a neigh on the spot, then frisked and pranced about.
Nan ChaoYang was ecstatically frolicking in his beautiful dream when next second his mother Xin Zi yanked him up by the ear, shouting for him to get up.
Xin Zi: "Rise and shine! It's noon! Get up!!"
As she spoke she stretched out a hand.
Slap slap!
And smacked his face.
Nan ChaoYang sat up blankly to see his mom standing there. Then he touched his forehead, confused.
Huh? Where were his horns?
Waahh! His horns were gone!
Then Xin Zi slapped him again: "Hurry up! No lunch if you don't come down now!"
Nan ChaoYang instantly regained his senses. Oh right, he was in his own house. His 18th birthday had just passed.
But his head still felt faint after drinking so much last night, and it didn't help that the one who kept filling his glass was his dear mother.
That would have been unthinkable in any other household!
Nan ChaoYang first went to brush his teeth, then splashed cold water on his face until he finally felt somewhat clear-headed.
Next second—
Slap!
He slapped himself, now angry.
He had actually dreamed of turning into a beast? And worse, he had quite enjoyed it at the time?
Happily spinning in circles to show off the horns he was so proud of in the dream?
He must be crazy!
Giving up being human?
And still feeling so happy about it, wasn't that proof he had problems?
Nan ChaoYang glared at his reflection, warning himself: "No more fantasies about not being human!"
