BXBX NOVEL Chapter 41 - 41: Losing the Vest
When Xaviera found out that today was also Caleb’s birthday, her first reaction was, “What does this have to do with me?” Her second reaction was, “Should I also get him a birthday gift? After all, she still relied on Caleb to taste food.” With that thought, she took a taxi to the nearest internet cafe.
Meanwhile, Caleb sat on the sofa in his apartment, frowning as he examined the gift Black Tide had sent him.
A silver cuff and a greeting card.
On the card was written: “Happy Birthday.” The signature appeared to be from Black Tide, the handwriting erratic and flamboyant.
Caleb put the card aside and picked up the silver cuff. Intricate patterns covered its surface, which upon closer inspection, resembled a coiled five-clawed golden dragon. At the dragon’s eye was embedded a secretive and radiant obsidian. The more he looked at it, the more alive the dragon seemed, evoking a sense of soaring through the clouds and mist.
Caleb rubbed his brows.
While the cuff was beautiful, it was too ostentatious, more suitable for someone in their twenties.
In the past, Black Tide had always sent him a stickman waving a glow stick in rhythm to music for his birthday. Why had it changed to sending a gift this year? Perhaps it was because he had asked too many questions recently?
Thinking about this, he couldn’t help but think of Xaviera. Black Tide would only ask a few questions and knew how to express gratitude through a gift, but what about Xaviera? She clearly still needed his help to treat her bitter taste disorder, but there was no sign of appreciation, and she expected him to cooperate with her treatment? Let her taste bitterness for the rest of her life!
“Ding. ”
The new email notification pulled Caleb out of his negative thoughts. He clicked it open and saw the enormous words: “Happy Birthday!”
Following that was a line of smaller text: “Wishing you happiness every day, and may all your wishes come true!”
Caleb scoffed, about to ridicule the clichéd birthday message when he noticed the signature at the bottom: “Xaviera.”
Caleb: ‘
Actually, this birthday message was quite nice, simple, and sincere.
However, did Xaviera think an email would suffice? Was he that easily placated? Caleb tried to ignore his rising smile and continued scrolling down the email, finally finding a link at the bottom.
Clicking it opened a familiar “Happy Birthday” song, with a colorful stickman in the center waving a glow stick in rhythm to the music.
Lookinz at the familiar stickman, Caleb froze.
This… wasn’t that the exclusive stickman that Black Tide sent to him every year? Various emotions crossed Caleb’s eyes as he grabbed his car keys and returned to the Lowen Clubhouse without hesitation.
At the Lowen Clubhouse, Caleb headed straight to the third floor upon entering. Xaviera’s tools were still in the corner, and after searching through each item, he finally found a stack of design drafts that had been heavily revised at the bottom, matching the cuff design he had received.
Caleb chuckled, his laughter ambiguous.
Black Tide… Xaviera… So Black Tide was Xaviera and Xaviera was Black Tide.
Who would have thought that Miss Evans, who had been raised in the countryside, would turn out to be a hacker magnate? Despite seemingly unrelated, their paths had somehow converged in a bizarre twist of fate.
However, soon after, the smile at the corner of Caleb’s mouth disappeared as he thought about Xaviera asking him what it was like to like someone. How had he responded back then? By warning her not to like anyone?!
If there was a time machine, he would definitely go back to that moment and slap himself! What a foolish thing to say! o
Upon realizing that Black Tide was Xaviera, Caleb felt surprised, yet that sense of surprise was accompanied by an indescribable ambiguity, like the settling of dust.
In Caleb’s heart, Xaviera was like a fleeting cloud, as though one day she would suddenly drift away without a trace. Their lives were only connected by a marriage certificate, with no other form of intersection.
But now that Xaviera was Black Tide, the Black Tide he had known for so many years, their relationship felt grounded in Caleb’s heart, like a kite with a string, a tree with deep roots, both stable and reliable.
When Steve received the call from Caleb, his heart was uneasy. Knowing that Xaviera hadn’t used the tools to make a gift for Caleb, he always felt as if there was a sword hanging over his head, ready to fall at any moment.
Without even distinguishing Caleb’s tone of voice, Steve promptly apologized, “President, I’m sorry. I misunderstood Miss Evans. Feel free to punish me as you see fit, just please don’t deduct my annual bonus.”
Caleb knew he was apologizing for the birthday gift matter, but without Steve, he may not have had the chance to discover Xaviera’s secret.
“Find Miss Evans in five minutes, and your past mistakes will be forgiven.”
Steve hadn’t expected the punishment to be so simple, readily agreeing,
“Alright, I’ll get it done right away!”
After hanging up the phone, Steve only then realized the tone of Caleb’s voice had sounded off… It hadn’t seemed angry but rather quite cheerful.. Could this be the fabled stupidity brought about by anger?