"Elysia, you are stunningly beautiful, a peerless goddess, breathtaking, naturally elegant, kind-hearted, and gracious..."
Elysia placed one hand on her hip, smirking as she listened to Fu Lin's flattery. "Go on, I quite enjoy hearing this."
"I'm out of words... It was my mistake for not recognizing greatness. You are magnanimous... Elysia, can you at least not hit my face?"
"Mhm~ Take a guess?"
------------------------
Elysia reached out her hand and looked at Fu Lin, then swung it forward. Seeing this, Fu Lin closed his eyes tightly, preparing to receive the slap.
Mei watched Elysia's palm about to fall and couldn't help but break into a cold sweat for Fu Lin, but she had no intention of stopping Elysia. After all, Fu Lin had exposed someone's shortcomings.
As Elysia's palm landed, there was no sound at all. Rather than a slap, it was more like a gentle brush against Fu Lin's cheek.
Fu Lin, "As expected, Elysia is beautiful and kind-hearted."
"Alright, Elysia." Mei sighed in relief when she saw that Elysia hadn't actually slapped her. Looking at the two troublemakers, she said with a helpless smile, "And you, Fu Lin, behave yourself a little!"
Fu Lin nodded at Mei, then looked at Elysia, who had returned to her seat, and pointed at the ice on her feet. "Yes! … Elysia, did you forget to unfreeze me?"
"I never agreed to unfreeze you." Elysia shook her head with a bright smile and said, "Mmm~ So delicious! Mei's cooking is really amazing. I wish Mei could stay in the Elysium forever!"
Fu Lin could only stare at Elysia longingly but was unable to eat. "Ahem, hurry up and unfreeze me! I want to eat too!"
"Got it."
Elysia snapped her fingers, and the ice on Fu Lin's feet instantly disappeared. Freed, Fu Lin sat down beside Elysia and picked up the cake she had left unfinished, savoring it.
Elysia smiled gracefully and, looking at the cake in her hand, couldn't help but fall into reminiscence,
"This is really delicious. Speaking of which, Fu Lin just mentioned my birthday. Mei, did you know? I only get to eat Basque cheesecake on my birthday."
Mei crossed her arms and looked at Elysia, whose face was filled with stories. "Oh? It seems special to you. Can you tell us about it?"
Fu Lin quietly ate her cake on the side.
Elysia put down her cake, propped up her chin, and beamed at the two curious people,
"How should I put it? This was a long, long time ago. When I was traveling the world, every year on my birthday, I would receive a Basque cheesecake from him."
"He would light candles and sing me a birthday song in a dimly lit setting. Those were the happiest moments of my life. Thinking back now, I really miss it~"
Mei was taken aback. "Then, Elysia, when is your next birthday?"
Elysia touched her head and looked at Mei with a cheeky smile. "Hmm? It should be in about a month, but I'm not too sure myself~"
Mei's expression remained calm as she looked at the cake in her hand and curiously asked, "Elysia, do you celebrate birthdays in the Elysium?"
Elysia bit her fork and gave Mei a gentle smile. "Well… actually, we don't~~ So, it really was a long time ago."
"As memory constructs, we no longer feel the passage of time~ But some 'changes' still happen, like meeting 'you.' Let's enjoy the moment together, okay~?"
"Alright then, consider this an early birthday celebration for you. Happy birthday, Elysia."
Mei smiled, took out a candle, and placed it on the cake in Elysia's hand. Seeing this, Fu Lin knowingly turned off the lights, and the two quietly sang the birthday song.
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday, happy birthday
Happy birthday to you…
Elysia looked at Fu Lin and Mei, her expression full of surprise and delight. In the dim room, she quietly wiped away a tear at the corner of her eye and said,
"Ah! Mei, Lin… I'm so lucky to have met you. This is the first time I've ever had a birthday as a memory construct. Thank you~"
Mei, "Blow out the candle and make a wish, Elysia."
"I need to think carefully about what to wish for~"
Fu Lin, "If you say it out loud, it won't come true."
"Hmm, of course I know that. But I seem to have too many wishes~"
Elysia closed her eyes, clasped her hands together, and made a sincere wish before blowing out the candle, plunging the room into darkness.
When Fu Lin turned the lights back on, he was suddenly holding a bottle of red wine in his hand. He raised it with a cheerful gesture and called out,
"My beautiful ladies, how can we celebrate without some wine? Let's have a drink! This is a globally limited edition, you know!"