A White Cloud (GL ABO) - Chapter 21

When Shen Mu finished discussing matters, Shen Zhiqing walked out of the private room, and someone else already sat at the window spot.

After leaving the restaurant, Shen Zhiqing stayed silent.

Shen Mu didn’t notice his sister’s inner turmoil, but he couldn’t keep dragging her along, so he obediently led the way for Shen Zhiqing.

He opened the car door for her and said, “Dear sister, please.”

Shen Zhiqing, as usual, didn’t react to his silly behavior.

She maintained her calm expression and sat in the car indifferently.

Shen Mu skillfully rolled down the window, closed the car door, and leaned by the car, respectfully continuing to flatter his sister.

“Thank you, sister, for your help today. I will never forget it,” he said earnestly.

“If you need me for anything in the future, just tell me. Whether it’s climbing a mountain of knives or diving into a sea of fire, I will do it without hesitation,” he added.

Used to Alpha’s silly antics, Shen Zhiqing reached out and pushed his face away.

“Stay away from me; stupidity is contagious,” she said coldly.

“Yes! Sister, take care. I’ll roll away now!”

Alpha immediately stood straight, gave a slightly sloppy salute, and maintained a serious expression.

Shen Zhiqing found it a bit comical, especially when she noticed his crooked tie.

Shen Zhiqing glanced at him expressionlessly, mercilessly rolled up the window, and drove away.

Alpha stood on the roadside with his comical gesture until Shen Zhiqing’s car disappeared from the street.

Shen Mu waved his hand, mimicking Shen Zhiqing’s tone, and muttered to himself, “Stay away from me; stupidity is contagious.”

“Tch, always acting cool. I’m not stupid,” he scoffed, throwing a punch into the air toward the street where Shen Zhiqing left.

Shen Zhiqing couldn’t guess that her silly Alpha brother imitated her behind her back.

She drove aimlessly through the streets, originally planning to go back and see if she could “bump into” Tomb Cheng.

But she suddenly didn’t know what to say if they actually met.

Spring truly was an unpredictable season.

Although it rained heavily last night, raindrops still hung in the shade of trees, yet the asphalt road gleamed under the sunlight.

Shen Zhiqing saw a cat darting through the crowd on the crosswalk.

Its white fur was smeared with mud from somewhere, looking dirty.

It quickly slipped into the roadside bushes and vanished.

The doctor stared blankly at the bushes where the stray cat disappeared until a car behind her honked.

Shen Zhiqing then snapped back to reality.

She pursed her lips and drove the car into a large mall near her home.

***

Tomb Cheng took Xu Yiyi to stroll around the area outside Huazhong Affiliated Primary School several times, familiarizing herself with the surroundings and routes.

Xu Yiyi initially hid behind her mother; she gradually walked beside her but still kept her head down, avoiding others’ gazes.

Tomb Cheng found a shop and bought a cute wide-brimmed straw hat.

The little girl’s face was completely hidden under the hat, which had a cherry-shaped decoration on the brim.

“Now you won’t get sunburned,” Tomb Cheng said.

To ease Xu Yiyi’s nervousness, she bought herself a simpler straw hat with only a black ribbon circling the brim.

Xu Yiyi saw her mother’s long hair tucked under the hat, with a few unruly strands on her forehead.

She held her mother’s hand and smiled softly.

Tomb Cheng keenly caught the faint sound of her laughter.

She lifted her other hand, placed it on Xu Yiyi’s hat, and said cheerfully, “Let’s go. There’s a small amusement park nearby. Let’s play for a bit.”

The warm sunlight danced from the back of the carousel to the seats of the pirate ship.

A gentle breeze passed by, cooling the ground’s heat and lifting fluttering skirts.

The small amusement park looked old, with peeling paint on the rides, but many parents still brought their children to play.

Xu Yiyi felt distrust and wariness toward the outside world, so Tomb Cheng never let her leave her side.

They sat on a carousel horse Xu Yiyi chose—a unicorn with a rainbow-colored horn.

Tomb Cheng quietly asked her why she picked it.

The little girl answered simply, “Mom’s eye color.”

She meant the thing Tomb Cheng wore on her eyes.

Tomb Cheng felt warmed by her answer.

She took her daughter to enjoy relatively safe rides in the small amusement park.

When they got off the Ferris wheel, Tomb Cheng carried Xu Yiyi in one arm out of the cabin.

The little girl was visibly tired but still nestled against her mother, her bright eyes quietly observing everything.

“Does Yiyi want to eat roasted sweet potato?” Tomb Cheng asked.

“What’s a roasted sweet potato?” Xu Yiyi asked, confused.

She had no concept of food.

At the orphanage, Dean Luo gave her whatever she ate, and her portions were much smaller than other children’s.

Tomb Cheng thanked the staff who opened the gate for her, carrying Xu Yiyi out of the Ferris wheel area.

She explained to her daughter, “It’s something fragrant and sweet, very tasty.

Will you come with me to buy it?”

Alpha, a tall figure wearing a hat that didn’t quite match his outfit, spoke in a childish tone, discussing things seriously with another child, drawing attention from nearby tourists.

“Look how gentle she is! All you do is teach kids to fight and kill!” someone remarked.

“Hey, don’t be unreasonable. I’m usually a serious person too, okay?”

Alpha retorted, puffing up angrily but not daring to say anything harsher.

When Tomb Cheng passed by, he glared at her resentfully.

Tomb Cheng shielded Xu Yiyi’s head, blocking Alpha’s view.

She cast a cold glance at him, but before she could intimidate him, someone tugged at her clothes.

Looking down, she saw a boy about seven or eight years old, with another skinny boy trailing behind him.

The other boy seemed scared, shrinking back and avoiding Tomb Cheng’s gaze.

Tomb Cheng softened her demeanor and asked, “What’s up?”

The bolder boy let go of Tomb Cheng’s clothes and said confidently, “Auntie, can you take us with you?”

The skinny boy pulled at him, whispering, “Xiao Yang…”

The boy called Xiao Yang turned back, speaking gently to reassure him, “It’s okay, Sheng Sheng. I’m here.”

The slimmer boy, Sheng Sheng, stood timidly behind him.

“Auntie, can you take us with you? I have money,” Xiao Yang repeated when Tomb Cheng didn’t respond.

He pulled a few large bills from his crossbody bag and waved them at her.

Tomb Cheng ended up taking them along, noticing two young men in suits following the boys from about ten meters away.

The boys’ clothes suggested they weren’t from ordinary families.

Tomb Cheng led them out of the amusement park, turned right, and walked a few dozen meters to an old park where an elderly vendor sold roasted sweet potatoes.

The old man handed them a few hot roasted sweet potatoes.

Along the way, Xiao Yang and Tomb Cheng had grown familiar.

Like a little adult, he carefully peeled the sweet potato for Sheng Sheng, flashing a silly grin with his big white teeth.

Xu Yiyi didn’t talk to them, only clinging tightly to Tomb Cheng’s arm.

Xiao Yang, very polite, thanked Tomb Cheng.

“Thank you, Auntie. We didn’t know there was good food here,” he said.

It started when Sheng Sheng overheard Tomb Cheng coaxing Xu Yiyi about the fragrant, soft roasted sweet potatoes, making him curious and hungry.

The two boys, escorted by their bodyguards, got into a car, waving goodbye to Tomb Cheng.

Tomb Cheng prepared to leave while holding Xu Yiyi’s hand.

Before they left, the sweet potato vendor warmly gave her an extra one. His hunched back seemed weighed down by life’s burdens.

“Thank you. Not many people come here anymore. Did you used to come often?” the old man asked, his few remaining teeth causing spit to fly as he spoke.

His cloudy eyes strained to see Tomb Cheng clearly, searching his memory for someone familiar.

Tomb Cheng, shielding Xu Yiyi, shook her head and said, “No.”

“Oh, that’s strange…” the old man’s frail figure faded as they walked away.

Tomb Cheng didn’t catch his last words.

On the way back, Xu Yiyi fell asleep on her mother’s back, her belly full from eating one and a half sweet potatoes.

Tomb Cheng carried her all the way home.

Alpha, looking unusually disheveled, stepped out of the elevator and got distracted by a cat’s meow.

A small cat slipped out from an open door across the hall, its fur bristling defensively until Shen Zhiqing walked out and locked eyes with Tomb Cheng.

The kitten seemed to sense something, lazily rubbing against Shen Zhiqing’s ankle, purring softly, “Meow~”