After a good rest, Jiang Bai stood up.
"Let's go, Director. Time to head up!"
She activated the mechanism atop the mountain, and a wind current surged from the ground. Spreading her Wind Glider, Jiang Bai took off into the sky.
Hu Tao followed right behind.
It wasn't her first time at the summit of Qingyun Peak, but it was the first time she learned that there was a path even above this place.
Riding the wind, the stone steps made of Floating Life Stones gradually appeared before her. Step by step, she climbed upward, higher and higher—so high that the surrounding peaks below seemed distant and small.
A massive platform came into view at the end of her ascent. With a cheer, Hu Tao leapt onto it.
This was far higher than Qingyun Peak's summit—truly a place above the clouds.
From this vantage point, the mountains and rivers below looked like shadowy silhouettes. There was nothing to obstruct her view. She could see farther, broader, grander.
She could even spot the giant tree towering over Sumeru City, faint and far on the horizon.
Up here, if she looked up, the stars in the night sky felt almost within reach.
"Wow!"
Hu Tao bolted around gleefully, looking here and there. Jiang Bai hovered anxiously behind her, worried she'd fall.
"Well, Director? Isn't this amazing?"
Seeing Hu Tao so happy, Jiang Bai's own heart lifted. All the hard work of the past few days suddenly felt worth it.
"It's amazing!"
Hu Tao's eyes sparkled—so brightly that even the sea of stars overhead seemed dull in comparison.
Jiang Bai's eyes curved into crescents as he laughed freely.
Hu Tao plopped down on the ground, gazing up at the endless stars above.
The night sky was impossibly close. The stars looked as if they could be plucked straight from the heavens.
Midnight slowly approached. A new day quietly arrived.
"Happy birthday, my Director."
Jiang Bai pulled a cake from behind his back and placed it in front of her. Sixteen candles lit up the surface, their flickering flames dancing—as if cheering and celebrating for the birthday girl.
The cake was shaped like a little ghost. One of Hu Tao's little ghost companions popped out excitedly, letting out a silent cheer.
It clearly approved of the design.
The candlelight cast soft shadows on Hu Tao's face as she looked at Jiang Bai holding the cake. Her smile was unusually tender.
"When did you prepare this?"
"Started days ago, of course~ Now make a wish and blow out the candles! Once you do, you'll officially be sixteen!"
Hu Tao closed her eyes and pressed her palms together.
She thought hard about her wish. Before long, the little crease in her brows smoothed out. A smile tugged at her lips as she made her wish—a quiet hope for a beautiful future.
With Jiang Bai and the little ghost cheering beside her, she puffed up her cheeks and blew out all the candles in one breath.
The little ghost applauded madly, darting around in excitement.
Jiang Bai whipped out a knife and quickly sliced the cake into neat pieces.
"Here you go! Birthday girl gets the first bite!"
Taking her slice, Hu Tao scooped up a bite. The sweet, creamy flavor melted on her tongue—a taste that could only be described as happiness.
She turned to look at Jiang Bai. He had opened his "demonic maw" and tried to eat a huge chunk of cake in one go. But his mouth wasn't quite big enough, and he ended up with a ring of cream around his lips. All the while he was chewing and grumbling that it wasn't sweet enough.
Hu Tao burst out laughing. "When it's your birthday, I'll make you a cake using nothing but Sweet Flowers. I dare you to say it's not sweet then."
"I'm holding you to that! No takebacks, Director!"
"Whoever backs out is a little dog!"
Eating cake high above the clouds, gazing at the stars, surrounded by laughter—it made Hu Tao feel like this birthday was unlike any other.
The prodigious daughter of the Hu family comes into her own; beneath a boundless sky, all things unfold anew.
The fire-butterfly spreads its wings like plum blossoms in bloom; night fades, and dreams leave behind lingering fragrance.
Wind stirs, clouds move—the afterlife is ever-shifting.
Flowers bloom, rocks lie silent—yet everything becomes clear.
After finishing the cake, sleepiness began to settle in.
There was a protective barrier up here, placed long ago by immortals. No need to worry about the cold—even sleeping out in the open was safe.
Jiang Bai yawned, pulled out a sleeping bag, and crawled in.
He was too exhausted—so tired he didn't even have the strength to build a coffin for himself.
"Rest early, Director. My real gift won't show up until morning."
"Mm."
Hu Tao took out her tent and sleeping bag. She gave herself a quick wipe down, changed into pajamas, and snuggled into her bag. She fell asleep almost instantly.
...
The next morning, a blinding light woke Jiang Bai.
The sun hadn't yet risen, but the sky was already aglow.
Jiang Bai cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted toward the tent, "Director! Time to get up!"
"So sleepy… don't shout…"
Hu Tao mumbled, rolling over in her tent.
"If you don't get up, I'm gonna take drastic measures!" Jiang Bai cracked his knuckles, preparing to unzip the tent and drag her out.
The noise outside was unbearable. Hu Tao covered her ears and pulled the blanket over her head, determined to go back to sleep.
After several rounds of shouting with no response, and with the first sliver of sunlight starting to rise over the horizon, Jiang Bai finally gave up. He unzipped the tent, crawled inside, and scooped her up—sleeping bag and all.
Hu Tao was still groggy, only half-aware she'd been moved. Uncomfortable, she squirmed around, trying to find a better position to sleep in.
To Jiang Bai, it felt like he was holding an oversized fuzzy caterpillar that wouldn't stop wiggling.
He peeled back the blanket covering her head, letting the bright light hit her directly.
It worked. The sharp sunlight forced Hu Tao to open her eyes, just in time to find herself staring into Jiang Bai's face—far too close for comfort.
She blinked, wide-eyed, completely confused.
"What are you doing?! I was in my sleeping bag!"
"You wouldn't wake up no matter what I did…" Jiang Bai replied, sounding aggrieved.
If she didn't wake soon, she'd miss the sunrise.
Hu Tao's eyes darted about, but her voice remained stubbornly self-righteous. "This Director is still growing. I need proper sleep!"
After everything that happened yesterday, she hadn't even slept that long yet. Who could possibly be up already?
"You're right."
Jiang Bai paused and nodded seriously. Director was still developing—adequate sleep was important.
"Then how about you watch the sunrise first, and sleep again afterward?"
"Sunrise?"
Hu Tao turned to look east. The sun hadn't yet appeared, but the sky was already streaked with red light.
That fiery color slowly spread, like flames creeping across the sky, ready to paint the whole heavens.
"Yes."
Jiang Bai shifted her slightly, adjusting her position so she could see it more clearly.
Gazing at the morning light, he thought back to everything that had happened since he awoke from his coffin. A soft smile curved his lips.
"Ever since I woke up, the dawns and dusks I've shared with you, Director, have been the most beautiful sights I've ever seen."
"I've always wanted to find a place with a perfect view—somewhere peaceful, undisturbed. A place where I could watch the sunrise and sunset, the clouds drifting, the rivers and mountains, the stars and moon…"
His voice was gentle, but every word carried weight.
"Before your birthday, I searched and searched for a place like that. Just a few days ago, I finally found it. The timing was tight, but I'm glad we made it here."
"I wanted to give you what I believe is the most beautiful view in the world—for your birthday."
"The drifting clouds, the stars overhead, the rising dawn and setting sun—I want to see it all, with you."
---
T/N: WHERE CAN I FIND A GUY LIKE JIANG BAI AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Every 100 Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter.
100ps = 1 chp
200ps = 2 chp
300ps = 3 chp
etc.