After Bringing Joy to the Short-Lived Mad Young Lady - Chapter 20

Lin Shuxing blinked very slowly, tears still streaming down her face. “Really?”

 

“Really.”

 

The girl nodded slightly, her reactions slower than usual, but her eyes still sparkled with mischief, her playful intentions written all over her face.

 

Fang Yi’s expression was tense, her stern demeanor making it seem less like she was comforting someone and more like she was about to make a heroic sacrifice. It made Lin Shuxing’s teeth itch—this little bread of a person had been squeezed into a rigid little square, just begging to be bitten down on hard.

 

Fang Yi prioritized comfort and practicality, so she didn’t own any high-collared clothes. If someone were to bite her here, there’d be no hiding the mark.

 

Would even a stone like her expose its softest, most vulnerable spot?

 

The red mark would become a brand, a medal.

 

At the thought, Lin Shuxing’s tears slowed. Her breathing grew hot as she opened her mouth, took Fang Yi’s hand, and leaned in slowly.

 

“Meow—!!”

 

A threatening screech from the cat abruptly stopped Lin Shuxing.

 

The tabby with “sleeve tattoos” arched its back, pushed off the counter, and puffed up, hissing at Lin Shuxing, who seemed to be “plotting something.” Its tail fur stood on end.

 

So fluffy when puffed up.

 

“Xiao Hua, good girl, Xiao Hua, sit,” Fang Yi reacted, waving her hand to try and calm the aggressive tabby.

 

The cat ignored her completely, still baring its teeth at Lin Shuxing.

 

“It’s fine, this cat doesn’t bite. Don’t be scared—it just looks fierce,” Fang Yi turned to Lin Shuxing.

 

Gradually, Lin Shuxing cried herself out. She stopped wiping her tears and stared the cat down, the two locked in a stalemate of equal intensity.

 

Fang Yi opened a cat treat stick and slowly lured the little cat over to its food bowl.

 

This little thing was a neighborhood grandma’s free-roaming pet, spoiled rotten. After eating treats and canned food, it often refused to touch its kibble, happily eating outside but refusing to budge once home.

 

Once, it scared the grandma so much she took it to the vet, only to be diagnosed with: gluttony, pure chonk, needs to lose weight.

 

Lin Shuxing wiped away her tears and watched the tabby wolf down its food. “Is it yours?”

 

“Nope, just an occasional freeloader.”

 

Fang Yi handed Lin Shuxing a treat stick, letting her feed the arrogant little tyrant. Once it ate from her hand, it wouldn’t dare be so fierce next time.

 

“Xiao Hua is the boss cat around here. Fights like a champ—even retired police dogs give her space.”

 

“Maybe it thought you were attacking me? That’s why it got so mad.”

 

Hearing this, Lin Shuxing reached out and stroked Xiao Hua, who was happily munching away. She rubbed from its chin to its head with expert technique.

 

The little stray had never experienced such luxury. It purred in delight, its eyes clearing as it abandoned the treat and rolled roundly to nuzzle Lin Shuxing’s hand.

 

Fang Yi said, “It really likes you.”

 

Still holding a grudge, Lin Shuxing tapped Xiao Hua’s head. “Go on, be fierce again.”

 

Xiao Hua gazed at her pleadingly, obediently stretching out a paw.

 

Lin Shuxing burst out laughing, took the paw, and shook it. “Good girl.”

 

The system exclaimed in surprise: Is this tattooed half-sleeve a cat, a dog, or a toy truck? Why does my intelligent processor recognize #dog-training-tutorial #caution-reversing?

 

Fang Yi fell silent: System, I’m starting to suspect you were God’s graduation project.

 

The system sounded shy: Oh? Does that mean you’re calling me a masterpiece?

 

Fang Yi: God is dead. Looks like it was a delayed graduation.

 

Xiaohua really liked Lin Shuxing. After just a short time together, it had already brought its toy to her, inviting her to play.

 

It was the same toy Lin Shuxing had won at the claw machine shop and given to Fang Yi earlier.

 

“This is mine,” Lin Shuxing pointed at the carrot plushie it had brought.

 

Xiaohua seemed to understand, pressing its paw protectively on the toy as it looked at Fang Yi alongside Lin Shuxing, as if awaiting a fair judgment.

 

Lin Shuxing blinked, then pointed at Fang Yi and whispered to Xiaohua, “This one is also mine.”

 

Xiaohua’s eyes widened.

 

Fang Yi couldn’t help but laugh as she watched Xiaohua channel its sorrow into appetite, devouring several big mouthfuls of cat food like a tiny bulldozer before trudging away, dejected.

 

A faint smile finally appeared on Lin Shuxing’s face. “I had a cat before. Not as smart as this one, and not as big an eater either.”

 

Fang Yi asked, “The one in your profile picture? The ‘logic cat’?”

 

“Siamese cat,” Lin Shuxing corrected, glancing at her.

 

Only the word “cat” was correct—that dark-faced, coal-mining little Nero.

 

“Logic cat” sounded more like Lin Shuxing herself.

 

“Nero,” Fang Yi repeated, locking the door as she walked inside. “Very cute.”

 

Her rented apartment wasn’t big—just two bedrooms and a living room.

 

One was her bedroom, while the other had been converted into a workspace, with no bed, just a large desk cluttered with seemingly random items that might prove useful someday.

 

By the dining table stood a bookshelf she had salvaged and repaired, its deep red wood grain lending a touch of sophistication. On the other side hung a large plastic bag stuffed with all sorts of collected bags.

 

If you called it tidy—well, with so many categories crammed together and everything kept just in case, it resembled a recycling station.

 

But if you called it chaotic—plastic bags and insulated delivery bags were meticulously sorted and arranged, making the most of every inch of space.

 

Lin Shuxing’s gaze swept over the cramped little room, almost overwhelmed, before asking, “Are you an environmentalist?”

 

Such a highbrow way to put it.

 

Fang Yi thought for a moment. “I could be.”

 

She went into the bedroom to tidy up her personal belongings—though there wasn’t much to tidy. Compared to the rest of the apartment, the bedroom was minimalist.

 

A wardrobe, a bed, a large window, and a nightstand with bottled water and food stacked in a pyramid formation.

 

“……?”

 

This place looked like a wartime shelter, a refugee camp, or some kind of chaotic storage room—anything but a bedroom.

 

Lin Shuxing’s gaze at Fang Yi softened with pity, though she couldn’t quite understand—how could someone live like this?

 

For the first time, the young girl vaguely grasped the concept of money, though her understanding was still far from the reality of ordinary life.

 

“Go shower and rest first. Here are toiletries and a change of clothes,” Fang Yi said, arranging the items in the bathroom. “Let me know if you need anything else.”

 

The young mistress was unexpectedly docile this time, quietly finishing her shower, her dark eyes seemingly pondering some weighty matter.

 

A long while later, she emerged wrapped in a towel, her damp hair fragrant, and suddenly spoke with utmost seriousness, “Fang Yi, from now on, I’ll take care of you.”

 

Fang Yi, who had just finished making the bed, held a blanket she’d taken from the closet and lifted her gaze to the girl, smiling faintly. “Sure.”

 

Lin Shuxing pressed her lips together. “I’m not joking!”

 

Fang Yi: “I know. Then you’ll have to work hard—I spend a lot of money.”

 

Lin Shuxing sat on the bed, hugging a pillow. “I earn a lot of money too—you can spend a little more.”

 

The dreams of youth are always full of grandiosity, carrying a touch of adorable ambition. Fang Yi agreed, “Alright, I’ll wait for you.”

 

The single bed wasn’t particularly large, and Fang Yi had never imagined having a friend stay over—she didn’t even have a sofa to spare.

 

She laid out a makeshift bed on the floor between the bed and the wardrobe, spreading out winter bedding, thick and layered, looking warm and cozy.

 

When Fang Yi came out from washing up, she saw the girl standing barefoot on the bedding, turning her head to look at her. “Are you sleeping here, Fang Yi?”

 

“Mm.”

 

“Why not share the bed with me? I don’t mind giving you half the blanket.”

 

Fang Yi remained expressionless. “I prefer sleeping on the floor.”

 

“Then I’ll sleep with you too!”

 

Before Fang Yi could refuse, Lin Shuxing had already fluttered down with her pillow and blanket in tow.

 

Fang Yi shook her head but didn’t stop her, patiently letting her settle before casually drying her hair for her.

 

Halfway through, the properly seated girl had already begun fidgeting like a restless caterpillar, but Fang Yi pretended not to notice—until Lin Shuxing could bear it no longer and raised her hand.

 

Fang Yi feigned ignorance. “What’s wrong, little Lin?”

 

“It’s too hard, I’m uncomfortable… Seriously, how can you sleep on this?”

 

“Because I’m made of stone, and you’re made of water. Different attributes, different suitable environments.”

 

“Oh, if we’re playing by that logic—”

 

The girl lay down, her still-damp hair slipping through Fang Yi’s fingers as she blinked. “Will water evaporate on stone—?”

 

“Anything’s possible.” The unflappable Master Fang Yi poked her, tucked a towel beneath her, gathered the long hair in one hand, and continued drying.

 

“Then stone must also get wet.”

 

Lin Shuxing pulled the blanket over herself, her fingertip tracing the soft, uneven folds, lightly stroking them as she glanced up at Fang Yi with an inscrutable look.

 

Fang Yi tapped her forehead. “It won’t get wet—it’s already dry. Go to bed and sleep.”

 

The flirtatious atmosphere dissipated; cross-frequency communication had failed.

 

Lin Shuxing bit her lip and stubbornly lay back down, but Fang Yi effortlessly picked her up and placed her back on the bed.

 

Her health wasn’t the best to begin with, and after everything that had happened today, spending the night on the floor would at the very least leave her sore and stiff—if not outright catching a cold.

 

Fang Yi said, “Sleep. When you wake up, the sun will be out, and I’ll take you somewhere nice to eat.”

 

The sun would bloom like a flower, a warm blossom hanging high in the sky. No matter what happened, it would always wither at night and bloom again the next day.

 

The girl hummed in agreement, finding the use of the word “bloom” rather endearing. She blinked her only visible eye above the blanket and whispered, “Goodnight.”

 

“Goodnight.”

 

For safety’s sake, the curtains in the room were specially chosen by Fang Yi—once the lights were off, the entire space plunged into complete darkness, not a sliver of light seeping through.

 

Worried Lin Shuxing might be afraid, Fang Yi deliberately placed the craft room’s desk lamp by the bedside, set to the dimmest warm yellow glow.

 

After who knows how long, the girl suddenly asked, “Fang Yi, are you asleep?”

 

“…” The silhouette on the floor lay with its back to her, motionless.

 

Lin Shuxing lowered her right hand, quietly studying Fang Yi’s sleeping face. The light caught the tips of her hair, softening her sharp features.

 

“I’m going to Z University too. And then—I’ll build my own business empire!”

 

“You probably don’t know this, but I’ve been really good at stock trading since I was a kid! Even if I leave the Lin family, I can still take care of you—and your games—just fine. By then, I’ll be your biggest shareholder.”

 

The girl let out a small huff, like the soft whimper of a little animal. “And then you better replace this awful bed.”

 

“And your shabby clothes and this rundown house too!”

 

“I also want to climb a snow-capped mountain. Together. To see the golden sunrise over the peaks. You’d better start working out, so you don’t hold me back. I want to reach the summit.”

 

Her tone was light, perhaps because dreams and sleepy murmurs were so close, when she suddenly thought:

 

“If that full-dive VR you talked about really becomes a reality, then I could actually stand atop a snowy peak! Lying down but seeing the endless blue sky, feeling the wind and snow brush against my hair, stepping into the soft snow, watching my breath turn into white mist… Can you make that happen?”

 

“Hmm… Making it feel completely real might be a bit hard. Maybe taking a helicopter up would be faster.”

 

She laughed, her cool fingertips brushing past Fang Yi’s earlobe, her voice softening into something wistful: “I hope that day isn’t too far away. Or… you could just scatter my ashes up there after I die.”

 

“…”

 

“If I’m ever gone, you’re not allowed to be with any other woman, or I’ll haunt you forever!”

 

“At the very least… at least don’t forget me…”

 

Fang Yi’s ear twitched, the faint smile at the corner of her lips fading away.

 

Backlit by the light, she listened quietly to the girl’s rambling, feeling as though something had quietly slipped into her chest.

 

Like autumn—autumn seemed to briefly descend here.

 

It should have been filled with the joy of harvest, but when the wind blew, the scent of wheat scattered, and the dream seemed to scatter too, leaving only the vast, open fields.

 

“It can be done,” she suddenly said, startling the wandering hand by her ear into jerking back.

 

Lin Shuxing clutched her chest, breathing rapidly, taking a long moment to recover before scowling. “You were pretending to sleep? You just didn’t want to talk to me?”

 

Fang Yi rubbed the tip of her nose, unable to defend herself.

 

After a pause, Fang Yi said, “On your 22nd birthday, I’ll give it to you as a gift.”

 

“What?”

 

“The snowy mountain. The golden sunrise over the peaks.”

 

“You heard everything!” The girl indignantly propped herself up and reached out to pinch Fang Yi’s nose.

 

Though the gesture seemed fierce, when she got close, she only gave it a light squeeze, making Fang Yi’s voice come out muffled.

 

But—but—she was promising a snowy mountain!

 

Lin Shuxing was curious. “Why 22?”

 

Because 22 was the shore she never reached in the original timeline.

 

Fang Yi was silent for a moment before saying,

 

“Because by then, you’ll have truly graduated and become an adult—if you don’t go for a master’s or Ph.D. You’ll fully embrace the world. It’ll become vast, boundless. You can do anything you want.”

 

“You won’t be any different from who you are now. Maybe you’ll still feel lost, but being lost also means… infinite possibilities.”

 

Lin Shuxing’s eyes curved into crescents as she twisted her wrist, making Fang Yi’s serious tone wobble under her fingers. “Is it really that big a deal? I’ve always owned this world. It was mine before, and it’ll be mine in the future.”

 

She grabbed Fang Yi’s hand and stubbornly hooked their pinkies together. “I’ll remember this—a four-year promise. If you can’t give me the mountain, then you’ll carry me up there yourself, all the way to the summit—!”

 

“Alright.” Fang Yi also extended her hand, hooking it with hers. The moment their skin touched, golden words slowly appeared on the girl’s wish board.

 

Main Quest: Lin Shuxing’s Request—Fang Yi must gift me a snowy mountain.

 

Completion Reward: 10,000 points.

 

Failure Penalty: Termination of vital signs.

 

Ten thousand points.

 

The system froze, counting the number over and over. After confirming it was indeed ten thousand, its scream nearly pierced through Fang Yi.

 

System: Three sentences, and a woman gives me a 10,000-point quest!!!

 

Host, I’m in awe!! So this was all part of your scheme—no, your grand plan!

 

Its voice was so loud that Fang Yi worried it might leak out. Glancing at the drowsy Lin Shuxing, she deliberately went to the living room to threaten the system into silence.

 

That night, the girl slept soundly. The dreamstone didn’t glow. Fang Yi toyed with the small prismatic crystal, faintly catching a glimpse of Lin Shuxing reflected within, her face slightly rounder.

 

It was as if they had lived together for many years, time flowing bit by bit within the prism, until the girl’s cheeks finally plumped up with baby fat.

 

But it didn’t seem like growth—more like turning back the clock, returning to her tender childhood.

 

A smile tugged at Fang Yi’s lips as she gently pulled the blanket over her and placed the kicked-off pillow beside herself.

 

…

 

The night passed quickly. By the time Fang Yi woke up, Lin Shuxing had already prepared a table full of dishes, the aroma filling the small apartment.

 

Being taken care of by a younger sister left Fang Yi a little embarrassed. But in the moment she hesitated, two sneaky little cats beat her to it, shamelessly circling Lin Shuxing and meowing nonstop as they feasted.

 

Sunlight poured through the glass window, casting rising steam over the dishes, the essence of happiness materializing in the Tyndall effect.

 

“You’re awake! Come eat—”

 

Lin Shuxing turned her head, reaching out to her.

 

Fang Yi stood frozen at the doorway, struck by the inexplicable feeling that she had waited for this moment for a very, very long time.

 

No pollution, no slaughter, no survival crises. No family feuds, no rights or wrongs. They were simply eating together, then heading out to the supermarket.

 

Lin Shuxing had complained that her mattress was too hard, refusing to lie in bed for even a minute after waking up, so she got up to cook instead. But after looking around, she found the apartment stocked only with instant and dry foods—nothing healthy.

 

Fang Yi’s eating habits were worse than those of the cats she fed.

 

Frowning, Lin Shuxing threw out most of the instant and frozen foods from the fridge, making a list to replace them with fresh, air-freighted meat, vegetables, eggs, and milk.

 

Fang Yi tried to salvage two buckets of her favorite instant noodles, only to be mercilessly stopped. In the end, she reluctantly settled for some time-honored pastries instead.

 

The pastry shop had been around for decades, opening promptly at 3:30 p.m. with limited-time, limited-quantity offerings. Because Fang Yi had once helped the owner’s daughter with her homework, the shopkeeper secretly slipped her extra…

 

They stepped from the blazing sun into the evening’s twilight, slowly making their way home.

 

Lin Shuxing pointed in surprise at a mottled stained-glass window in the tenement building. Under the sunlight, its vibrant hues resembled the halo of a Baroque-era church.

 

Fang Yi, preoccupied with finishing the food Lin Shuxing always took just one bite of before abandoning, wasn’t entirely sure what Baroque style meant.

 

But as Lin Shuxing pulled her by the wrist, she looked up just in time to see the rainbow-hued light swirling through the old stairwell.

 

Dust floated in the air, and the nearby chapel choir was reciting the third chapter, faintly mixed with the sounds of children playing, diluted by the aroma of meals wafting from every household.

 

Thin wisps of smoke rose to the clouds, only to be suddenly pressed down by the heavy, dark clouds rolling in.

 

No one knew which household shouted first, “It’s raining!”

 

Before the torrential downpour began, every family hurriedly brought in the clothes and blankets drying outside.

 

The cicadas fell silent, one by one, the lights began to flicker on, and Lin Shuxing’s smile was illuminated.

 

She stood by the window, turned around, and opened her arms, feeling the warm breeze slip through her fingertips. “I’m home! Just in time! I almost got caught in the rain!”

 

“Let the storm come even stronger—!”

 

The warm yellow light divided through her hair, while outside, the rain fell thickly.

 

Her long hair was lifted by the wind, her fair skin almost translucent against her dark hair, and the small beauty mark at the corner of her eye trembled lightly with her smile, resembling a thin drop of rain falling on a petal.

 

Fang Yi draped a coat over her shoulders. “Don’t catch a chill. If you’re tired, take a break; dinner will be ready soon.”

 

Her cooking skills were quite poor, nowhere near Lin Shuxing’s level, limited to just boiling things. The only dish she could manage decently was fried rice, after all, she had been making it for many years.

 

But the girl was still looking forward to it, murmuring about it since they were on the road.

 

“Okay,” Lin Shuxing said with a smile as she sat down. “Hurry up, I’m hungry.”

 

As soon as the fire was lit in the kitchen, intermittent coughing sounds could be heard from the living room.

 

Yes, Lin Shuxing was the patient.

 

The system watched Fang Yi stir the pot expressionlessly, hesitating whether to remind her of this fact. But upon seeing Fang Yi’s fingers gripping the spatula turn white, it decided to swallow that thought.

 

When the host had no expression, she really looked a bit fierce! QAQ

 

Fang Yi turned the heat up high, and the ingredients sizzled as they mixed together. Soon, a plate of luxurious lobster fried rice was freshly prepared.

 

The corn and rib soup simmering in the pot had turned a milky white. She ladled a bowl and placed it on the table, leaning down close to Lin Shuxing, who was pretending nothing was wrong.

 

Her forehead wasn’t hot, she didn’t have a fever, but her hands were very cold.

 

Fang Yi asked, “What medicine do you usually take? Do you remember the name? Keywords are fine too, just send them to me.”

 

Lin Shuxing glanced at the heavy rain outside, her slightly parted lips hesitating. “Some of them might not be available…”

 

“That’s fine, as long as there’s a name, I can get it.”

 

Lin Shuxing thought for a moment and sent her a photo she had taken earlier.

 

Fang Yi nodded, stood up to grab an umbrella, and turned back to remind her, “You eat first, lock the door, and leave the key in the lock. I’ll be back soon; knock three times before you open.”

 

“Just go after I finish eating. It’s not a big deal; the food will get cold.”

 

“It’s okay, I’ll be nearby. I’ll be back before the food gets cold,” Fang Yi said, reaching out to pat Lin Shuxing’s head. “Good girl.”

 

The girl widened her eyes, looking quite unconvinced, but in the end, she pouted, “Alright—if you take too long, I won’t let you in.”

 

Fang Yi opened the straight umbrella and stepped into the rain, the light fading behind her.

 

Perhaps due to the heavy rain, there were hardly any people on the street, and the potted plants left outside were battered and scattered.

 

Fang Yi navigated through the winding paths, unconsciously stepping over the remnants turned to mud, with rainwater splashing up dirt from her heels.

 

On her way back, she found a red plastic bag in her hand, rustling in the wind, with the words “Happy Affordable Fruit Store” faintly visible.

 

The streetlights in the old neighborhood were always barely better than nothing, scarcely brighter than fireflies.

 

Fang Yi looked up and spotted his own light in the distance, the faintest hint of a smile tugging at his tightly drawn lips.

Usually, she kept the thick curtains drawn when alone at home. But today, Lin Shuxing had opened them to enjoy the rainy view.

 

Fang Yi closed her umbrella downstairs, giving it a shake. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed messy shoe prints on the concrete ground, with faint traces of cigarette butts in the corner.

 

Without a word, she straightened her arm, aligning it with the tip of the umbrella, her sharp gaze sweeping over the dimly lit corner—where a flickering red glow pulsed faintly.

 

A strange herbal scent mingled with the dampness of the rain.

 

The click of a woman’s high heels echoed, slowly revealing the edge of a qipao.

 

Shui Wuding’s face emerged into the light, her vertical pupils gleaming an eerie dark green. With a smile, she tilted a white jade pipe toward Fang Yi.

 

“Found you.”