Chapter 1
Chapter 1
T he grand Li Mansion glittered like a palace carved from dreams.
A thousand fairy lights draped across the ivory pillars, and chandeliers sparkled like stars fallen from the sky. The sprawling lawn had been transformed into a fantasy garden — pastel balloons floated mid-air, golden streamers fluttered in the summer breeze, and the aroma of fresh roses mixed with sugary frosting.
In the center of it all stood Mr. and Mrs. Li perfectly dressed in designer couture, smiles proudly stretched across their faces. Flanking them were their five sons — tall, elegant, and groomed to perfection — each holding a gift or smiling fondly at the little girl standing in front of the towering six-tier cake.
The birthday girl, Lin Yue, glowed in a ruffled pink dress, her hair crowned with a diamond-studded tiara. At just five years old, she was the center of the universe — adopted, adored, and cherished by everyone around her.
As the candles flickered, the family chanted together, “Happy Birthday, Yue Yue!”
But in the far corner of the lawn, barely visible behind a floral pillar, stood a little girl in a plain cream dress.
Li Xiaoran .
Six years old. The only biological daughter of the Li family. And yet… invisible.
Her eyes shimmered, not from joy — but from a well of unshed tears. Her tiny hands clutched the side of her dress as she watched the scene unfold.
She longed to be there. To stand beside her parents. To smile and cut the cake. To hold her brothers' hands and feel like she belonged.
But she couldn’t.
Not today.
“Xiaoran, why don’t you go join them?” a soft voice asked from behind.
Startled, Xiaoran turned to see one of the neighborhood girls, slightly older, holding a plate of cupcakes.
Xiaoran forced a small smile. “I want to eat cupcakes.”
The girl raised an eyebrow “Really? Are you sure? It looks like… they don’t want you there.”
Xiaoran’s voice was low, but hopeful. “My parents said… they love Yue more today because it’s her special day. But next week is my birthday. I’ll turn seven. They’ll celebrate… like this. Just like this.”
The girl stared at her for a second. Then laughed. “If you say so. Don’t forget to invite me, okay?”
She skipped away.
And Xiaoran’s trembling smile vanished.
She turned, ran through the corridor, and out into the back garden — where no one could see her break.
There, under the canopy of wisteria vines, she finally let the tears fall.
Xiaoran remembered last month — when her teacher called her the top of the class and praised her in front of everyone. She’d rushed home, excited, hoping her parents would clap, hug her, maybe buy her a cake.
But when she opened the door, Lin Yue was crying because she didn’t do well on a coloring test.
Her parents hadn’t even asked why Xiaoran looked so happy. Instead, they sat by Yue, comforting her, wiping her tears, saying “It’s okay, baby, you’ll do better next time.”
Her eldest brother brought Yue chocolate cupcakes.
Her second brother handed her candy.
Her third brother sang a song for her.
Her fourth brother tried silly jokes to make her giggle.
And her youngest brother promised, “Next week, we’ll go on a picnic just for you, Yue Yue.”
Xiaoran had stood quietly beside them with her report card in hand, whispering, “I got first rank.”
They turned to her, frowns replacing smiles.
“Don’t be selfish, Xiaoran,” her mother scolded.
“Can’t you see Yue is upset?”
“Always looking for attention,” one brother mumbled.
No one praised her. No one hugged her.
And no one remembered that day was her own achievement.
A crunch of footsteps on grass snapped her out of her thoughts.
“sister” a small voice chirped.
Xiaoran quickly wiped her tears and turned away, but not before she saw the pink dress and frosting-stained fingers.
It was Lin Yue.
“I brought cake for you,” Yue said sweetly, holding a slice on a plate.
Xiaoran didn’t turn around. Her voice barely audible, “Go enjoy your party.”
Suddenly, Yue gave a tiny squeal and pretended to fall, dropping the cake and landing on her knees with crocodile tears welling up.
Almost instantly, the eldest brother, Li Zhen, came running from the party.
“Yue Yue! Are you okay? What happened?!”
Through sniffles, Yue murmured, “Don’t scold Ran Jie… My leg slipped... I wanted to share cake…”
Zhen's eyes hardened as he looked at Xiaoran.
“How could you push her?! Today is her birthday! And she came here to give you cake!” he shouted.
“I didn’t—” xiaoran began, but her voice trembled.
“I’m disappointed in you,” he said coldly.
Then he scooped Yue in his arms, kissed her head, and walked away.
And just like that — Xiaoran was forgotten. Again.
Left standing alone, in the shadow of her own family.
A week passed.
The fairy lights from Lin Yue’s grand celebration had been taken down. The balloons had deflated. The mansion was quiet again — but not for long.
Today, July 3rd, was meant to be special.
Because today was Li Xiaoran’s seventh birthday.
She woke up early. Her eyes blinked open with quiet hope. For the first time in days, her heart beat a little faster.
They said they'd celebrate.
She brushed her hair carefully, slipping into her favorite sky-blue dress with little butterflies on the hem. She stood in front of the mirror and smiled — even though her reflection looked a little unsure.
Maybe her parents were planning a surprise.
Maybe the brothers were pretending to forget… just to surprise her later.
She stepped out of her room, expecting decorations.
But the mansion was... silent.
No lights.
No music.
No scent of cake.
Only the rustle of bags being packed at the entrance.
Downstairs, Mr. and Mrs. Li were dressed in casual holiday wear, laughing with Lin Yue as she held a teddy bear and wore sun glasses far too big for her small face.
Her five brothers were there too — backpacks slung, sunglasses on, sunscreen in hand.
“Yue Yue, don’t forget your water bottle!” one of them called.
“Yes!” she chirped, clutching her stuffed bunny.
Xiaoran stood halfway down the stairs, her fingers tightening on the railing.
“…Where are you all going?” she asked, quietly.
No one answered at first.
It was the driver, Old Shen, who looked up and blinked. “Young Miss, they’re going for a family picnic. Madam said it’s to celebrate the summer holidays.”
Xiaoran swallowed hard. “But… it’s my birthday…”
At that moment, her mother glanced up, almost as if she'd heard her — but quickly turned back to help Yue into the car.
None of her brothers looked at her. None of them said Happy Birthday.
They piled into the cars one by one. The engines roared to life.
“ “XiaoRan…” said the driver softly, his eyes kind. “Happy birthday, child. I didn’t forget.”
She smiled faintly.
But it wasn’t enough.
Not when her parents — the people who were supposed to love her most — didn’t even look back.
The Li family cars drove away in a trail of dust and laughter.
And Li Xiaoran stood alone at the massive front gate, a tiny figure in a butterfly dress, growing smaller and smaller as the silence grew louder.
She waited for hours.
Maybe they would come back early.
Maybe it was all a test.
Maybe they’d return with cake, candles, hugs.
But no one came.
She sat on the marble steps, head resting on her knees. The birthday dress she once loved now felt too tight on her chest.
Inside the house, the decorations from Yue’s party were still tucked in boxes.
The cupcakes were gone.
The cake knife that had cut Yue’s six-layered masterpiece sat clean and unused in a drawer.
Xiaoran walked into the kitchen. No one was there.
The silence almost mocked her.
She quietly opened the fridge. Not a single pastry. Not even a leftover slice.
Finally, she returned to the garden — the same place she had cried a week ago.
She sat beneath the wisteria tree again. The same one that had witnessed her last heartbreak.
And she whispered to herself, “I got older today… but no one noticed.”
A breeze passed.
Somewhere, a bird chirped.
But no voice sang for her.
No hand held hers.
No family remembered.