The Slacker Stepmother and the Non-Domineering CEO

"Don't worry, I won't forget your birthday," Nian Suian said helplessly as Gu Zhijing kept buzzing around her.

Lately, Gu Zhijing had been seizing every opportunity to remind Nian Suian about his upcoming birthday, as if he was afraid she might forget.

"So, can you give me a little hint about the gift... hehe."

"What kind of person asks for hints about their birthday gift? You'll find out on the day itself. Just relax."

Gu Zhijing's birthday fell on a Friday. By midweek, he had already started receiving gifts from his maternal grandparents and his mother. His paternal grandparents, who were traveling, opted to transfer money directly. They were quite generous, and Gu Zhijing suddenly found himself flush with cash.

Gu Zhijing had planned his birthday celebration himself. On Friday after school, he invited his friends over for a party at his house. On Saturday, his wish was to go camping in the mountains with his family.

On Friday afternoon, Nanny Zhang started preparing early, putting all her effort into creating a feast fit for royalty.

Gu ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‍Junxing also left work early to come home and help Nian Suian bake a birthday cake for their son.

During his last class on Friday afternoon, Gu Zhijing perfectly demonstrated what it meant to be physically present but mentally elsewhere.

As soon as the teacher finished the lesson and stepped out of the classroom, Gu Zhijing grabbed his backpack and bolted for the door. His deskmate, Qu Zizhou, followed closely behind.

Just as they turned the corner outside the classroom, Gu Zhijing had to slam on the brakes. Qu Zizhou, who was right behind him, couldn't stop in time and crashed into Gu Zhijing's back. Chu Mingyan and Qi Anlu, who were also heading to Gu Zhijing's house to celebrate his birthday, quickly caught up, only to end up in a little "pile-up" at the classroom door.

"Hello, Teacher Cen!"

"What's the rush, you four?" As their homeroom teacher, Cen Xi always made it a point to give her students a few reminders before they left for the weekend. Today, as she approached the classroom, she saw the four of them sprinting out.

"Hehe, teacher, today's my birthday, so I'm in a hurry to get home. Is there something you need from us?"

"Ah, it's your birthday? Well, happy birthday! You can go ahead."

Hearing that it was Gu Zhijing's birthday, Cen Xi decided not to make them return to the classroom for her usual reminders. But seeing how excited they were, she couldn't help but add, "Don't run! Take it easy on the way home, and be careful!"

"Thank you, teacher!"

...

When Gu Zhijing got home and opened the door, the first one to greet him was Tang Yuan, the family cat.

"Meow! Meow meow~"

"Oh, you're so cute! Let me give you lots of kisses, little one!"

Chu Mingyan couldn't help but cringe. "Ew~ Gu Zhijing, you're getting your drool all over Tang Yuan's face."

Gu Zhijing retorted shamelessly, "So what if it's drool? It's drool of love!"

"Gross—"

Before they even had a chance to take off their shoes, the two of them started fooling around at the door. Qi Anlu, seizing the opportunity, scooped up Tang Yuan. He had learned a lot about caring for cats online to make his own cat happy, including the proper way to hold and pet them. Tang Yuan, feeling comfortable in his arms, started purring softly.

It wasn't until Butler Su brought out juice, snacks, and treats that the pointless "battle" finally came to an end.

Nian Suian and Gu Junxing heard Gu Zhijing's noisy entrance, but they were in the final stages of finishing the cake and couldn't step out to greet him just yet.

In fact, they even asked Butler Su to keep an eye on Gu Zhijing and make sure he didn't sneak into the kitchen. The cake was meant to be a surprise after dinner.

As she washed her hands, Nian Suian said to Gu Junxing, "You take care of the final touches. I'm going out to give him his gift."

"Okay."

As soon as Gu Zhijing saw Nian Suian approaching, he jumped up from his chair.

"Mommy, Butler Su said you and Dad were making a cake and wouldn't let me see it."

"Mm-hmm, you'll see the cake after dinner. Now, take out your phone."

"My phone?" Gu Zhijing asked, puzzled, but he obediently pulled out his phone.

"From now on, you have one hour to add everything you want to your shopping cart. After that, I'll pay for it." Nian Suian had spent a lot of time thinking about what to get Gu Zhijing for his birthday and finally decided on this approach. Clearing out his shopping cart would ensure he got everything he wanted.

Not only was Gu Zhijing stunned, but his three friends' jaws also dropped in disbelief.

"Dearest mother, is there a spending limit on this gift?"

"Nope, as long as you're not trying to buy a plane or an aircraft carrier." Of course, those weren't even available for purchase.

Hearing Gu Zhijing's sudden change in tone, Nian Suian couldn't help but poke his forehead. "So, I'm 'Mommy' when there's a gift, but 'Sister' when there isn't, huh?"

"That's not true at all! You've got me all wrong! Mom, I love you!" Gu Zhijing said, giving Nian Suian a big hug.

"Alright, alright, enough of the sappiness," Nian Suian said, pushing him away. Then she turned to the other three and said, "You can each pick something too. Auntie's treating you today as a thank-you for coming to celebrate Zhijing's birthday."

Without giving them a chance to decline, she left the room to the four of them and headed back to the kitchen to check on Gu Junxing's progress with the cake.

"Quick, quick, help me figure out what to buy!" With such a huge opportunity suddenly dropped in his lap, Gu Zhijing was momentarily overwhelmed and didn't know where to start.

An hour wasn't a lot of time, but the four of them huddled together, whispering and discussing until they finally made their selections just as dinner was being served.

Most of the items they chose were electronics and shoes. Nian Suian didn't bother checking what Gu Zhijing had picked; she simply paid for everything.

During dinner, Gu Zhijing couldn't wait to ask Gu Junxing, "Dad, what's your gift?"

Gu Junxing gestured to Butler Su, who handed Gu Zhijing what appeared to be a document.

"What is this... Oh my god! Dad! Is this for real?!"

As soon as Gu Zhijing read the title on the document, he jumped up in excitement. His father had invested in an esports team—his favorite one, no less!

Gu Junxing, having orchestrated this surprise, remained silent. It was Nian Suian who explained, "Your dad invested a significant amount of money. One of the conditions is that you can visit the team and even play games with them occasionally. But only occasionally—your studies still come first."

"Dad, I love you so much!"

Overwhelmed with joy, Gu Zhijing lunged at Gu Junxing, planting several loud kisses on his face.

After Gu Zhijing finally settled back into his seat, Gu Junxing quietly pulled out a tissue to wipe off the drool.

When everyone had almost finished eating, Nanny Zhang brought out the cake. It wasn't particularly large or fancy, but it was filled with the love and effort of both Nian Suian and Gu Junxing.

Everyone, including the household staff, gathered around to sing "Happy Birthday" to Gu Zhijing.

In addition to the homemade cake, there was also a store-bought one for everyone to share.

"Thank you, everyone! Thank you, Mom and Dad! Thank you, my best friends! Thank you, my dear sister Tang Yuan! Thank you, Butler Su and Nanny Zhang! Thank you all! My birthday wish is—for everyone to be happy and healthy!"